BY
Hakim ul Islam Hadrat Maulana Qari Muhammad Tayyib Rahimahullah

Nowadays, people from various circles complain that the nations of the world are oppressing us. The Christians have oppressed, the Hindus have oppressed, and that they have pillaged and plundered Muslims.

This complaint is incorrect. No one has hit and oppressed you. You (Muslims) have oppressed yourselves. It is the Soul of the Qur’an and the Soul of Iman that gives Muslims life. However, you have corrupted and destroyed this Soul. And have transformed it into a corpse. Thus, it is the duty of every nation to bury the corpse or to incinerate it. I cannot be left exposed, for its stench will spread and overwhelm people. Their health will then suffer.

Now when a nation disposes of corpses, what justification is there for complaining and wailing? If Muslims enliven the Soul; no one will then have the audacity to attack the living being. But a corpse (the corpse of the Muslim nation) is lying around. Whoever wishes, he can dispose of it. Muslims! You have become like corpses. So, if someone sets (you) ablaze, then why do you cry? If someone thrashes you, why do you wail? Enliven the soul within yourselves. When Imaani life is instilled in you, no one will have the strength and the temerity to even look at you scornfully. However, if you are hollow and bereft of spirituality (Roohaaniyat), then anyone will be able to deal with you as he deems appropriate.

Have you seen a ball? When it is filled with air and then placed on the ground and kicked, it will traverse a distance. It is not the strength of the ball; it is the strength of the air that was filled in it. Deflate it, then try kicking the ball. It will not soar through the air. So, if you have deflated yourselves, having expelled the ‘air’ (the Rooh) of the Qur’an, Hadith and Imaan, you will be compelled to be submissible to whomever thrashes you. On the other hand, if you are filled with the Rooh of Imaan, no one will be able to thrash you, They will then fear you.

Therefore, do not criticize others. Reform your soul. Create life in yourself. Then, no one will have the strength to even look at you. This will be the effect of the Soul of the Qur’an and Hadith.

The Sahabah (Radhiyallahu anhum) were the repositories of this enlivened Soul. It was with this Soul that they went from strength to strength. With the Soul of Imaan they changed the map of the world. Today, we have killed this soul enabling the world to changed our form. This is the difference between you and the Sahaabah. You have become easy for manipulation by the world which buffets and disfigures you at its whim and fancy. Akbar said,

What happened, the times have changed you?

A man is he who changes the times

You should become men, not people who beat their spouses. A man should not become a woman. Strive to change the times, not to be carried away by it. It will happen when you make the effort. When the power of Iman, the power of spirituality and the power of the Qur’an are within you, then no one will have the audacity to confront you.

Twelve centuries ago, the Jews and Christians came of their own accord pleading for Muslims to rule and govern them. They preferred Muslim domination over them. But today, far from being prepared to be your subjects, they impose their rule and domination on us. Today, you have corrupted your Imaani Soul, therefore the nations of the world are not prepared to become your serfs. This is the difference.

I remember a very interesting incident. Maulana Salim Sahib (Rahimahullah) was living in Makkah Mukarramah. During the Zionist Revolution the Jews had taken control of some areas of Egypt and of Masjid al Aqsa as well. He narrated an incident of a person that came from Egypt when Gaza was taken over by the Jews. The Muslims fled from there to Egypt to save their lives and honour. A poor old scholar also left with his wife. They had no conveyance, so they travelled on foot, struggling for 30 to 40 kilometres to Al Arīsh. From there, the border of Egypt was closed.

The Jews then captured him. From the opposite side, a Jeep of one of the Jewish commanders was coming. The scholar was holding the hands of his children. The commander had took pity on him due to his old age. He stopped his Jeep and asked, “Who are you?” He said his name. “Where do you want to go?” He replied, “Cairo.” “Why?” “There is unrest here.” The commander said, “Have you no transport?” The old scholar replied, “No, I do not have transport. There was a revolution and the Jews took control.” The Jewish commander said, “I pity your old age. Sit in my car; I shall take you to the border. Where will you take your wife and weak children? It is forty miles from here.”

At first, the old scholar was apprehensive, fearing that this person had ill designs for him and his family. The commander then assured him of safety. “Please be convinced, I shall take you there.” He took the family to an Egyptian camp which the Jews had taken control of. The commander took him to a tent, left him there saying, “Rest for a while. Rest, I shall bring food. You eat, and then I shall take you.”

He made the old man sit on a sofa, while the commander sat on the ground. The commander said, “You should be aware of Umar (radhiyallahu anhu)?” The old man said, “What! He is a Sahabi and a great Khalifah of Nabi (sallallahu alayhi wasallam).” The commander said, “Can you mention some of his qualities?” The old man replied, “Yes.” He then began to mention the virtues, status, and perfection of Sayyidunā Umar (radhiyallahu anhu). After attentively listening, the Jewish commander said, “Are these the qualities of Umar (radhiyallahu anhu)?” He said, “Yes.”

The commander said, “When these qualities were in the Muslims, then we, the Jews, were in subjugation at their feet. What is your condition today? The room that I have seated you in, it is the room of an Egyptian Lieutenant. Yesterday, twenty five soldiers were under him. This is his tent. Bottles of liquor are lined in it. There are couches here. Lawful women (wives) and unlawful women (prostitutes) were with him. Yet he came to fight the Jews. So why should the Jews not overpower and defeat him? When the qualities of Umar (radhiyallahu anhu) were present, the Jews were beneath your feet. Why are you grieving?”

The scholar was now silent. What answer should he give? It is reality. The commander said: “I only wanted to show you this (i.e. the immoral condition of the Muslim army). Now come, I shall take you.” He took the scholar in his Jeep and left him at the border of Cairo. The scholar thanked him. The commander said, “We do not oppose your religion, we oppose you people. You do not follow your religion or our religion. You indulge in liquor, immorality and amusement, so why should we not fight you? Why should we not assert control over you?” (End of the episode)

I mention this story because the same Jews and Christians who were under your domination are today advising you. What a change! What were we and what have we become? There is a need to change this condition. The first foundation of this is education (of the Deen) and moral reformation. Seek knowledge from the Ulama-e-Rabbānī. (Not from the moron molvis of today who betray their Deen and even their mothers for worldly and nafsaani objectives – The Majlis). Seek knowledge of the Qur’an and Sunnah for giving practical effect to the teachings of the Deen. Correct your interests and understanding, stay in their company and create in you the Colour of Allah as He says in the Qur’aan:

“The colouring of Allah – who is better in colour than Allah? [Surah al Baqarah 2:138]

Adorn yourself with the Colour of Allah. Reading the Book is not sufficient, it is necessary to create this Divine Colour. The heart has to be reformed. It will not be reformed without striving and training. This is the urgent need. These Madaaris and the true khaanqahs have been established for this – to correct the hearts and the bodies. This must be done. If you will not do this, then be prepared for the domination of the enemies. They will subjugate and enslave you.

You have been sent to overpower all religions as Allah Ta’ala says in the Qur’aan: “……So that it (Islam) dominates over all religions.”

But, when this Deen is not in you, then who will you overpower? Heed and take lesson.” (End of Hadhrat Qaari Tayyab’s discourse)

Comment: Today the madaaris and the khaanqas are themselves diseased institutions. Instead of being beacons of Light and Guidance as they had been in bygone times, they are lifeless and corrupt institutions which in fact undermine Islam. The products emerging from these institutions are today agents of Iblees. They excel in distorting and destroying the Deen. They pursue the knowledge of the Deen for worldly objectives, not for the acquisition of the Aakhirat. The Ship of the Ummah is not sinking – it has already sunk and now awaits Imaam Mahdi for salvaging it.

15 Jamaadil Awwal 1439 - 2 February 2024