Monday, February 4, 2013

The power of the Muslims


The bedrock of the power of the early Muslims — Sahaabah, Taabieen and Tab-e-Taabieen — was Roohaaniyat or their lofty status of spiritual elevation and divine proximity. The power of the early Ummah, which ushered them to the hilltops of the world never was materialism or economic and military power. o­n the contrary, they were always inferior in the atter fields. Economically, numerically and militarily, the Sahaabah were always inferior.

Despite this inferiority, they became the dominant political power of their times. The bastion of their power is not a secret nor a mystery.

THEIR LEADER

The Sahaabah had accepted Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as their leader, and they offered him total obedience in every sphere of their lives. Since they had appointed Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) as their leader, Allah Ta’ala made them the rulers of the earth. In direct opposition to their tareeqah (way), the Muslims of later ages and of the present age, have appointed the western kuffaar as their leaders, hence Allah Ta’ala has appointed them as our rulers.

HADHRAT MUSAA

When Allah Ta’ala appointed Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) as the Nabi, and to warn the emperor Fir’oun to desist from oppression and to set free Bani Israaeel whom he had enslaved, he was forlorn and fearful. o­ne man was sent alone, without an army, without political power — a veritable pauper in worldly terms. Fir’oun was proverbial for his cruelty and persecution of Bani Israaeel.

SLAUGHTER

Fir’oun had ordered the massacre of all the male babies of Bani Israaeel. Every infant boy was forcibly taken from its mother and slaughtered mercilessly. Besides this, Fir’oun had committed great oppression and injustices against Bani Israaeel. The answer for opponents was always death. 

It was to such a brutal tyrant that Allah Ta’ala sent o­ne man who totally lacked in worldly power of any kind. In fact, so weak and inadequate did Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) feel himself to be, that he implored Allah Ta’ala to appoint his brother, Hadhrat Haroon (alayhis salaam) as his deputy so that he could gain moral strength from his support.
 
FIR’OUN’S COURT

When Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) arrived in Fir’oun’s court of splendour with his brother, Hadhrat Haaroon (alayhis salaam), he boldly proclaimed Allah’s Tauheed and delivered the divine command to emancipate Bani Israaeel. 

Fir’oun already had a charge of murder against Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) who had been sentenced to death some years ago. But now in his presence right in his court, surrounded by Fir’oun’s soldiers and noblemen, Fir’oun was overwhelmed by awe for Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam). What prevented him and his army from apprehending Nabi Musaa (alayhis salaam) and killing him? But Fir’oun dared not do anything of this sort. He was overcome with an inexplicable fear which this o­ne man instilled in his heart, This was the Roohaaniyat which Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) wielded. The emperor and the men with the military might were rendered impotent.

THREATS

Although Fir’oun, in order to display his imaginary power, issued threats, he could not follow up such threats with action. He threatened Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) : "If you worship a god other than me, I shall most certainly cast you among the prisoners." But Nabi Musaa (alayhis salaam) fiercely proclaimed that your Creator is "the Rabb of the east and the west and of whatever is in between, if indeed you (O Fir’oun and your people) have any intelligence (to understand this reality)."

REINFORCEMENTS

When Fir’oun was rendered helpless by the spiritual power of Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam), he turned to his cabinet and appealed to them to assemble all the expert sorcerers of Egypt to defeat the spiritual power of Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam). All of them together could not harm Musaa (alayhis salaam) who left the court of Fir’oun safely. The story is long.

However, in the end, all the sorcerers of Fir’oun were defeated by the Roohaaniyat of Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) in the presence of Fir’oun, his cabinet, his military and tho usands of spectators. The manifestation of Roohaaniyat constrained all the sorcerers to proclaim the Tauheed of Allah, and to fall into prostration. Along with them, thousands accepted the Deen in open defiance of Fir’oun and his military.

SHOWDOWN

But the proud and arrogant emperor could not accept the humiliation he suffered and Hadhrat Musaa’s triumph over all the sorcerers of Egypt. The inevitable showdown had thus to come. Although Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) had no army, not even a rag-tag militia, Fir’oun was apprehensive of whatever power Musaa (alayhis salaam) had. Hadhrat Musaa’s followers, Bani Israaeel, were the slaves of the Egyptians. They were not soldiers. They were weaklings and totally unarmed. 

Inspite of Hadhrat Musaa’s and Bani Israaeel’s worldly insignificance and weakness, Fir’oun deemed it prudent to muster a large army to o­nce and for all settle the issue with Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam). Thus the Qur’aan says: "Then Fir’oun sent (his) men in all the cities (of Egypt) to assemble (his army)." Meanwhile Fir’oun, addressing his commanders and cabinet, said: "Most certainly they are an insignificant group." He assured his army of sure victory over the insignificant unarmed group of Bani Israaeel led by Nabi Musaa (alayhis salaam). But Allah Ta’ala had plans for the destruction of Fir’oun and his empire.Thus, says Allah Ta’ala in H i s Q u r ’ a a n :

"We then brought them (Fir’oun and his huge army) out from their
orchards and fountains, and from their treasures and palatial palaces."
Allah Ta’ala utterly destroyed Fir’oun along with his army. The whole lot of kuffaar were ignominiously drowned in the Red Sea. And, Allah Ta’ala declaring the victory for Musaa (alayhis salaam), said:
"In this way did We grant Bani Israaeel control (and power) over the land (of Fir’oun)."
"We saved Musaa and those who followed him. Then We drowned all the others
(Fir’oun and his army). Most a s s u r e d l y , in this (manifestation of spiritual
might) is a sign (for people of Imaan and intelligence)."

THE OPPRESSED

Like the present day Ummah has become the scum of the earth, so too were Bani Israaeel considered to be. About this ‘scum’ who were made the rulers of the earth o­n the basis of Hadhrat Musaa’s Roohaaniyat, the Qur’aan Majeed says: 

"And remember when you were an insignificant group oppressed in the land (of Egypt).
You feared that the people (Fir’oun and his armies) would snatch you (and destroy you).
Then Allah gave you refuge and aided you with His help, and He bestowed wholesome
rizq to you so that you may be grateful (for His bounties)."

THE SOLUTION

When Bani Israaeel repeatedly complained to Musaa (alayhis salaam) of their hardships and the persecution of Fir’oun, he admonished them: 

"O my People! Seek forgiveness from your Rabb and turn to Him (in obedience).
He will then send upon you from the skies abundant beneficial rain, and He will
add power to your strength. Therefore, do not turn your backs as transgressors."

The solution prescribed by the Nabi was Istighfaar, Taubah and Inaabat. They were spiritually and morally weak, hence any worldly plan of action was doomed to failure, just as all the worldly plans of present-day Muslims end in total failure and anarchy. The solution was o­nly the cultivation of Roohaaniyat. 

Explaining further the solution, Nabi Musaa (alayhis salaam) said to his people:

"Seek aid from Allah and have patience. Verily, the earth belongs to Allah. He will
grant its sovereignty to whomever He desires among His servants. And (remember
that) the ultimate result of victory is o­nly for the Muttaqeen (the people of Taqwa)
...Soon will Allah destroy your enemies and make you the political masters in the
earth. Then, He will watch how you acquit yourselves."

The solution for the present decadent and disgraceful condition of the Ummah is nothing but the very same solution which Hadhrat Musaa (alayhis salaam) had offered to Bani Israaeel. 

When the desired degree of Roohaaniyat has been attained by the Ummah, Allah Ta’ala will create the circumstances for the defeat of the enemies and for the victory of Muslims. There is absolutely no other solution for this Ummah. All methods which Muslims have adopted in this age for their extrication from their morass of political slavery are doomed to failure. 

The same Rabbul Aalameen Who had granted the Sahaabah their wonderful victory at Badr is here today for us. Nucleur technology and nuclear might cannot thwart the Plan of Allah Azza Wa Jal.

Noor of the Heart

Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said that when noor enters the heart, the (spiritual) breast of man expands. When the Sahaabah asked for a sign of this noor, Rasulullah (sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said: "Such a person flees from this abode of deception. He turns his attention to the abode of the Aakhirah and he makes preparations for it before the arrival of maut."

Thus, a man who has lost interest and desire in this world, has acquired this noor.