Why are the Muslims suffering and what can we do?

﷽

We look at the condition of the Muslims today. We see our sisters and brothers around the world being slaughtered, kicked out of their homes, humiliated, with masjids being destroyed. Why are the Muslims suffering? We see it in China, in India, in Myanmar, in Palestine and perhaps in many other places that we are unaware of.

Even in countries where society is driven by liberal values, where the people pride themselves for their ‘freedom of speech’ ‘freedom of expression’ and ‘democracy’, the Muslims have lost their honour.

We have to apologize and give excuses just for trying to hold on to the very basics of our Islam.

It’s true what the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) have said,

“A time of patience will come to people in which adhering to one’s religion is like grasping a hot coal.”

[Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 2260 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani]

So I can’t help but wonder, how did we get here? Why are the Muslims being oppressed and humiliated almost everywhere? Why are Muslims suffering and what can we do?

What’s happening in Palestine?

When we see the videos being spread, of the oppression that has been happening in Palestine. We can’t help but feel enraged.

We want the oppression to stop and so we turn to look for solutions. We see activists, protesters and a certain group of Muslims who are trying to stand against the tyrants by launching rockets toward their people.

Different groups of people who are offering different solutions. But we all know that these oppressions have been going on for decades and almost nothing has changed. It has only gotten worse. So it’s time to take a step back and rethink.

Sidenote: Most of these things that I am going to share here are from a pdf which was shared with me by a sister. I don’t know the writer but he has explained the issue very simply yet precisely and is very much in line with what I have heard and read from the people of knowledge. I will be sharing the lists of videos at the end of this article insyaAllah. This is a summary of what I have learnt.

1- There are 2 perspectives

As with all things, there are 2 ways to look at things as a Muslim. The world view and the Islamic view.

For example;

World view: Around 1400 years ago a man name Muhammad created the religion Islam and since then, it has changed the course of history.

Islamic view: Around 1400 years ago Allah sent the last and final messenger, Muhammad, to the whole of mankind to spread Tawheed and perfect His religion.

Another example would be LGBT.

World view: LGBT is progressive as people should be given the rights to express themselves freely. Love is love.

Islamic view: It is forbidden and from the ways of the people of Lut.

The Muslim Paradigm

As Muslims we have to see everything from the Islamic perspective. There is no other way for a believer because Islam is our way of life. Allah has revealed it’s guidance with regards to everything related to our lives. We cannot talk about politics or social issues WHILE disregarding what Allah and His Messenger have said.

We always have to ask ourselves with regards to ANY issue. What did Allah say? What did our Prophet ( صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) say? What did the companions of the Prophet used to do? How did the scholars understand this?

2- Why has oppression taken over our ummah?

So now we go back to the question of what is happening in Palestine. The people said that this is a matter of:

Illegal occupation
Neocolonialism
Israel vs Palestine
Ethnic cleansing
Genocide
apartheid

These are true but this is how we describe the situation according to the world view.

And here are the solutions according to the world view:

Pressure the authorities
Protest
Boycott

I won’t comment much on these efforts for solutions. I leave these to the people of knowledge to discuss the details from the legal rulings to the effectiveness of these efforts. Insya’Allah I will share the links that discuss them at the end of this article.

However, my point is, this is the worldly perspective. Now, what about the Islamic perspective?

The Islamic Perspective

Why have the Yahoods overpowered us? The people that Allah has cursed in the Qur’an, have gained power over us!

The answer is in this verse here:

ظَهَرَ ٱلْفَسَادُ فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ أَيْدِى ٱلنَّاسِ لِيُذِيقَهُم بَعْضَ ٱلَّذِى عَمِلُوا۟ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْجِعُونَ

Corruption has appeared throughout the land and sea by [reason of] what the hands of people have earned so He [i.e., Allah] may let them taste part of [the consequence of] what they have done that perhaps they will return [to righteousness].

(Saheeh International) [Surah Ar-Rum, Verse 41]

We see Muslims suffering everywhere. And it is only due to our sins.

We find Muslims not practicing Islam, let alone learning about it. We see Muslims taking in corrupted ideologies from liberalism, to atheism, to pluralism and all the -isms. We see Muslims practicing deeds which has no basis in Islam just because they see their forefathers doing it. We see Muslims making do’a to graves and many more. May Allah guide us all.

And the most direct example with regards to this issue? You see people protesting, without covering their awrah, mixing with men and women…how can Allah give us victory while earning the wrath of Allah?

3- The solution

As I have mentioned before, there are many solutions offered and scholars have discussed in great detail about each of them.

However, there is one solution that the Muslims can unanimously agree upon without a doubt. Because this solution is offered by Allah, Al-’Alim, in the Qur’an. This solution will not only liberate the Muslims in Palestine, but also Muslims who are oppressed in every other place in this world.

So let’s read it, understand it, and implement it, and insya’Allah, we will find it sufficient.

Pay Attention.

The answer is in Surah An-Nur, verse 55:

وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَلَيُمَكِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ دِينَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى ٱرْتَضَىٰ لَهُمْ وَلَيُبَدِّلَنَّهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِمْ أَمْنًا ۚ يَعْبُدُونَنِى لَا يُشْرِكُونَ بِى شَيْـًٔا ۚ وَمَن كَفَرَ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْفَـٰسِقُونَ

Allah has promised those who have believed among you and done righteous deeds that He will surely grant them succession [to authority] upon the earth just as He granted it to those before them and that He will surely establish for them [therein] their religion which He has preferred for them and that He will surely substitute for them, after their fear, security, [for] they worship Me, not associating anything with Me. But whoever disbelieves after that – then those are the defiantly disobedient.

(Saheeh International)

Allah tells us that if we want authority and security in our lands, we have to:

Believe in Allah – by upholding our tawheed and not associating any partners with Him,
Do righteous deeds – deeds which are done sincerely for Allah and in accordance to what Allah has revealed to our Prophet.

This is Allah’s promise, and the promise of Allah is undoubtedly true.

“If you fulfill Allah’s rights, you will get every right, not only human rights that people beg the UN today.” -Ibn Sabeel

4- Be patient.

So one may wonder, but we need to stand against oppression right now! Our brothers and sisters in Islam are being prosecuted and kicked out of their homes. We need to act now.

Every morning, when the tyrants were sending missiles to Gaza, I looked to the news hoping that the bombings have stopped…but it only got worst for 11 days.

I kept on remembering the verse,

مَتَىٰ نَصْرُ ٱللَّهِ ۗ أَلَآ إِنَّ نَصْرَ ٱللَّهِ قَرِيبٌ

“When is the help of Allah?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.

[Surah Al Baqarah, Verse 214]

In Allah we seek help. We do not beg the disbelievers for mercy, nor do we follow their ways to look for solutions.

Allah has given us the solution and it is upon us to act upon them and be patient.

Allah is the Most Just

The muslims at Palestine are not at loss. Those who have been killed have attained martyrdom insyaAllah. Those who were driven out of their homes and treated unjustly in any shape and form will be compensated without a doubt. Allah is the Most Just!

Right now, we rectify our affairs by:

1. Leaving off sins- religious innovations, music, watching haram tv shows, free-mixing etc.
2. Leaving off the way of the disbelievers- by rioting etc.
3. Correcting our aqeedah- by learning back about the basics of Tawheed etc.
4. Increase in our righteous deeds- by increasing do’a for the oppressed Muslims, giving sadaqah to aid them etc.
5. Raising our future generation to be firm upon the religion

5- Do not be hasty

The Prophet taught his companions Tawheed for 13 years. They were not commanded to retaliate right away while they were being kicked out of their homes, tortured and killed.

They remained patient and their aqeedah were made firm before they had their first battle.

We all know about the battle of Badr- 313 men against an army far greater than them in number. And the Muslims won because they had Allah on their side. So it is not about the numbers or advanced technologies. If we have Allah’s help, we will win.

And without a doubt, the Muslims will win back al-Quds.

And how will we attain Allah’s help?

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِن تَنصُرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ يَنصُرْكُمْ وَيُثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَكُمْ

O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allâh, He will help you, and make your foothold firm.

[Surah Muhammad, verse 7]

According to tafsir As-Sa’di, we help Allah by adhering to the religion and calling people upon it and striving against the enemies, seeking Allah’s pleasure. Only then, Allah will help us by giving us patience, reassurance, steadfastness and the physical endurance, which are the means to gain victory against our enemies.

And remember, when the Companions received glad tidings of conquering different lands, they were not hasty. They remained patient and only saw it happen many years after the Prophet passed away.

So let’s not be hasty.

6- Your honour is with Islam

And finally these are words of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, when he conquered Palestine.

“Verily, we were a disgraceful people and Allah honoured us with Islam. If we seek honour from anything besides that with which Allah honoured us, Allah will disgrace us.”

[Source: al-Mustadrak 214 Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani]

7- And to the tyrants and oppressors

قُل لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَتُغْلَبُونَ وَتُحْشَرُونَ إِلَىٰ جَهَنَّمَ ۚ وَبِئْسَ ٱلْمِهَادُ

“Say to those who disbelieve, ‘You will be overcome and gathered together to Hell, and wretched is the resting place.’ “

[Surah ali-Imran, verse 12]

May Allah grant us all success!

Beneficial links:

Tafsir As-Sa’di

Shaykh Uthaymeen’s Advice On How To Recapture Palestine

How Can We Free Palestine? | Shaykh Saleh Al Fawzan

How Can We Aid The Muslims In Palestine? | Shaykh Ibn Baaz

The Actual History Of Jerusalem – A Video No Jew Would Like To Hear | Shaykh Raslan

Sheikh Albaani’s Advice To Palestinians

Palestinian stones V.S jewish machine guns | al-Albani

Boycotting American Products | Shaykh Saalih al-Fawzaan

Ruling on Peaceful Protests & Demonstrations – Sheikh Dr Saalih al-Fawzaan

Shaykh Fawzan on Pictures of Muslims Suffering and Wounded