Change thyself, Change the Ummah

by Umm’ Aishah

‘Young Ones Series’-keeping in mind the theme ‘My Ummah’, Youth Club would like to start off by involving the little ones of our society, in an effort to inculcate the spirit of unity at the basic level.

 

 “Aaqib! Wind up your homework, its time for Maghrib!”

“OK Mama, almost done!”

Aaqib was an obedient child. He was brought up according to the teachings of Islam. He understood the importance of Salah. He had never seen his parents neglecting Salah for any worldly matter.

Just as Aaqib was closing his books, his uncle rang the door bell. Chaachu was in a great hurry as it was time to offer Maghrib. He didn’t want to waste time in parking his bike inside the garage. Leaving the bike outside, he went to do Wudu. Both uncle and nephew hurried towards the nearby Masjid to offer Maghrib. By the time they returned back, Chaachu had forgotten that his bike was parked outside the house.

As they entered home, Daadi called them from the dining room: “Food is served, my young men!”

After the meal, Daadi asked Chaachu:

“Aslam! Did you bring my medicines? I reminded you about them in the morning”

“Oh Yes! Ammi, I had brought them; I must have forgotten them on my bike. Aaqib, can you please bring them from my bike?”

“Sure, Chachu!” said Aaqib. He went out to the garage, came back the same moment and was looking worried:

“Chaachu! Your bike is not in the garage”

“What!” Daadi was shocked.

“Oh yeah. I was in hurry when I arrived and I had forgotten to park it inside. Let me park it inside and also bring your medicines.” Chaachu explained all that had happened to calm Daadi.

When he went out, he could not find his bike even there! He found the medicines thrown near the gate, but where was the bike??

“Don’t worry Beta! Police will recover your bike soon.” Daadi tried to console Chaachu when he came back from police station, after reporting about his stolen bike

This incident made Aaqib more unwilling to live in Pakistan. He was just a kid but he had heard so much about the recent happenings of murders, shootings, bomb blasts and thefts on the news, that he was now losing trust in what Mama always told him: ‘Everything is going to be fine, very soon In sha Allah.”

Earlier that year, his cousins had arrived from UK. He was so impressed to hear their stories of how awesome it was to live in UK. How Aaqib had wished to move to UK along with his family then!

After Isha Salah, Aaqib prayed so much to live in UK because his mother had told him once: “Allah answers our Duas especially when we make Dua after Salah.”

His concern of going to some foreign peaceful country increased even more, when one day he heard the Imam of his Masjid, telling his father, about the murder of Mufti Ibrahim. Mufti Ibrahim was a well reputed scholar who was known for his peaceful Quran Movement- he was also a strong opponent of sectarianism.

So he went to his father’s room that night and told him about what he had been thinking since days:

“Baba! Can’t we go to UK and live with Phuppo?”

“Sweetheart! What made you think this way?” Baba said in his always-loving-tone.

“People die every day in Pakistan, either with hunger or….”

“Or?”

“Murder…” Aaqib murmured.

“Who said this to you? Beta! This is our own country and we cannot be more safe anywhere than here.”

“Our Imam told you yesterday that Mufti Ibrahim was murdered because he was working against the wrong people.”

Mr. Saleem listened to his only son and felt the sensitivity he had acquired in such a young age. He decided it was time to teach him those lessons that he had earlier planned to share with him when he grew up.

“Son! Do you know your grandparents migrated to Pakistan when they were of your age?”

“Of my age? Daadi never mentioned this while narrating her story- I thought she would be as old as you at that time.”

“No, my son! She was not even married when she migrated with her parents. And do you know what does migration mean?”

“Yes, it means to shift from one place to another- leaving one’s home, business, relatives and everything behind- and living in some other place.”

“You are right! But migrating from India to Pakistan was not something very pleasant. People risked their lives and many lost their families on the way. Many innocent people, including children, were murdered. They only migrated and they were only killed because they wanted to live in an Islamic Country according to the commands of Allah.”

Aaqib was shocked to know that following one’s religion could be so difficult.

Baba continued to say:

“Pakistan was the dream of thousands of Muslims who wanted their coming generations to live peacefully under the Islamic laws. It was meant to be a place where Islam could prevail, and from where the world would know how just and peaceful Islam is. But unfortunately, we forgot the purpose of Pakistan and started running after the world without giving a thought to Allah’s commands. Eventually, we earned the life of this world from both hands, but lost Allah’s mercy.

We forgot to fulfill our promise to Allah, which we made during our struggle of independence- that we will make Pakistan a place where we could establish the law of Quran and Sunnah. Allah became angry, and Pakistan became as you see it now- filled with crimes, lawlessness, murders, thefts and anarchy all around.

But Beta! It doesn’t mean that we cannot make it better now. Allah is All-Merciful, and He waits for our repentance and return. And He tells us:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يُغَيِّرُ مَا بِقَوْمٍ حَتَّىٰ يُغَيِّرُوا مَا بِأَنفُسِهِمْ ۗ

Translation: “Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (13:11)

So, if we will turn back to Him and follow His commands in our lives, soon He will make the condition of this Ummah better. It’s not about living in Pakistan- it’s about living according to Islam-wherever we may be.”

“Baba, then we will follow Islam and make Pakistan better in sha Allah.”Aaqib said with determination in his young voice.

He had now understood why the Caliph Umer bin Khattab (RA) said:

“We were a people who lived in humiliation before. Allah gave us honor through Islam. If we sought honor through anything else (at the cost of Islam) then Allah will humiliate us again.”