Muharram 13, 1431 A.H, December 30, 2009
Indeed, the weirdness of the people in the
end-times are so many and common. Sometimes we are less alert in
noticing them that the world seems to be moving quite well. However,
if we observe them closely, we would find a myriad of weirdness and
peculiarity in the lives of the people of the end-times and they exist
in almost all lines of existence. The weirdness that we mean here are
not those related to natural events such as earthquakes, tsunamis,
etc. or other kind of strange occurrences, but the paradoxical thought
patterns of mankind which are thriving in this end-times.
The followings are a small part of the paradoxical thinkings which are
thriving in the general public, as of late. It is even stranger when
those paradoxes are possessed by some people in the Islamic ummah
along with their notable figures. Examples are:
When entrepreneurs or government high officials commit corruptions worth thousands or even millions of dollars, the law enforcement apparatus will easily say that they don’t have the evidence to arrest and try them.
However, when the one who steals is an old grandma or a low-class (weak) citizen, she’ll easily be arrested, tried and sentenced, despite for only stealing a watermelon or three cocoa fruits from the big plantation belonging to a big firm, maybe due to hunger.
When there are people or a group who clearly harm or deride the fundamental teachings of Islam such as that of God, the Holy Book and the Prophet, in the Muslim countries, they will be easily seen as fulfilling their freedom to speak, express and interpret religion.
However, when there are khatibs, ustadzs or speakers in the Muslim community who invite the jamaah and Islamic ummah to be consistent with the teachings of their religion, then they will easily be accused as radical khatibs, speakers or ustadzs, who do not know how to conduct da’wah with hikmah, in fact they should be suspected as potential terrorists.
Whatever is
written in the newspaper will easily be believed by the masses, despite
being only human writings in which the truth has not been put to a test.
Reading and studying them is considered as a symbol of progress.
However,
what have been included in Al-Qur’an might not be believed as
certainties, despite claiming to be Muslim. Whereas, the Qur’an is the
Kalamullah (Speech of Allah) which is impossible to contain
lies. Its truth has put to a test, in all times, from the aspect of
various sciences or knowledge. As of late, there appeared a belief that
Al-Qur’an could teach the ideas of terrorism.
Not a few
people, including those who claimed to be Muslims are confident and
proud with the man-made (jahiliyyah) living system, even though
the system they are confident and proud with has caused their lives to
be in a mess and made them endure various atrocities and injustices from
the rulers of their countries. They are still claiming: “this is the
way of life that is compatible with the modern times (end-times)”.
However,
when they are people who invite and call upon the ummah to
return to the rules of Islam, they will be accused of inviting and
calling towards backwardness, radicalism and terrorism, whereas they
know that Islam is created by God, their Creator (Allah), for their
safety in the dunya and akhira and it is impossible
for Allah to be confused and oppressive to His slaves.
When the
Jews or people of other religions grow their beards, people will say
that they are just practicing the teachings of their religions.
However, when a Muslim maintains his beard, he will easily be accused as a fundamentalist or terrorist who has to be suspected, especially when entering public places like the hotels and so on.
When a nun wears a dress
that covers her head and body tidily, people will say that the nun has
presented herself for her god.
However, when a Muslimah
covers her awrah with a jilbab or hijab,
people would accuse her of being backward and not compatible with the
modern times, whereas, those who accuse claimed to be following the
concept of democracy, which according to them views people as free to
practice his/her own religion.
When the Western women
stay at home and choose not to work outside due to intending to look
after or tend the house and teach the children, people will praise
them for willing to sacrifice and not work outside for the interest of
the families and households.
However, when the
Muslimahs stay at home looking after the properties of the husband,
tending the house and children, people will accuse them as oppressed
and that they should be freed from being dominated by men or what they
also refer as gender equality.
Every Western female
university student is free to go to campus with an array of
accessories or dresses that she likes, for a reason that it is their
basic rights and freedom of self expression.
However, when the
Muslimahs go to the campus or workplace wearing their Islamic dresses,
people will accuse them of being restricted and narrow minded,
incompatible with the regulations and paradigms of the campus or
workplace.
When their children are
busy with a variety of toys that they invented, they will say that it
is talent, intelligence and creativity development for the children.
However, when the Muslim children follow the education of their religious practice, it will be said that that kind of educational pattern has no hope and future.
When the Jews and Christians kill someone or commit aggression against an Islamic country particularly Palestine, Afghanistan, Iraq, etc. nobody relates it to their religion. In fact, they say that it is their right and for the sake of saving the Muslim community there.
However, when the Muslims fight the Jewish aggression in Palestine, or the Christian Americans in Iraq and Afghanistan, they will surely accuse those Muslims as insurgents and terrorists.
When someone sacrifices himself to save others, everybody will praise him and he will be given the right to be honored or respected.
However, when the people of Palestine do the same thing in order to save their children, brothers and sisters or parents from abductions or slaughtering by the Israeli forces, or to save their houses from destructions by the Israeli rockets, or to save their masjids or holy books from vandalisms or defacements, people will accuse them as TERRORISTS. Why? Because they are simply Muslims.
When Jewish children are taught about war and automatic weapons to kill the Palestinian Muslims, people will say that what they are doing is an effort to defend themselves despite they are the aggressors.
However, when the Palestinian children learn to throw stones to confront the Jewish soldiers who are fully equipped with tanks and other sophisticated weapons to demolish their houses, masjids and villages, people will accuse them as the perpetrators of crime who are fit to be arrested, their hands broken and imprisoned for a dozen years.
See, these are just a bit of the peculiarity of the people in the end-times. Could we extract a good lesson from here, so that we can determine the right attitudes? Otherwise we would fall and become victims of the peculiarity in this end-times? The Prophet SAW said that amongst the signs of the Age of Fitnah (Trials) is that truth and falsehood will change place, falsehood will become truth (and vice versa). Only those blessed by Allah SWT have the knowledge that would enable them to distinguish between truth and falsehood and fight falsehood with truth, otherwise they will be left confused following falsehood.
The Prophet SAW taught us a do’a to this effect:
"O Allah, show me the truth as the truth, and enable me to follow it. O Allah, show me falsehood as falsehood and enable me to stay away from it and do not let it confuses me, so I may not be misguided."
The Prophet SAW also
recommended reading Surah al-Kahf
which contains very important signs for
today, the signs of the End Times, a time
near the Hour, during which the practices of
systems of unbelief and falsehood become
widespread and Allah sends forth the truth
to destroy them.
By Allah's will, this time is very near, so
much so that it has become crucial for
people to reflect upon this matter.
Allahul musta’an.
Submitted by a Mujahid