Salaam Abul Rahim,

Thank you for your question.

The anger and frustration that you express is shared by many around the world. Amongst these people, some have been organizing on various levels. They have staged innumerable protests and have been active in sending letters, e-mails and faxes to various governmental organizations and institutions around the world.

The alternative press, both Muslim and non-Muslim has also been active in educating and informing the public for a while now. Nevertheless, we still have a long way to go.

While your sympathy for humanity sees the injustice that has been done, many who have read and listened to the news have become numb to what is happening. The reasons could be many, including the incapacity to cope with the prospect of what you have outlined.

The money and technological and military developments that you speak of have complicated our lives. Man feels no need for his Creator, Allah. By making that detachment, we also begin to feel detachment from our fellow created beings, losing our inherent sense of interdependency. Once we feel that sense of detachment, we no longer feel responsible or accountable for our actions towards one another.

This is what has happened with many governments. They have become godlike unto themselves, not even requiring the need of their citizens or even to inform their citizens.

The conflict that we face currently is one whereby governments are walking in one direction and the majority of the world community is walking in another direction. Putting governments aside for the moment, we are beginning to see an awakening of the general public.

It seems that it will take a further awakening for there to be the significant change that the current situation requires. The more ordinary people can become alert to what is happening, the greater chance humanity has at coexistence. To do that, we must first wake up to our true natures and to what is truly important in life in order to defend it. For that we must seek knowledge of our selves and thereby our Creator – a virtuous quest in Islam.

What has been said might seem too far away and change is needed now. Yes indeed, we need to change now, but do we know what that really means? Are we truly ready to change our lives? Unfortunately, it is all connected, because it is the intense consumerism and modern perspectives on life that have clouded our judgment and have fed the ability of a superpower to do what it has done.

We need to stop seeing our success in the accumulation of material possessions, in order that we may take possession of ourselves. Then we will be more able to act on what we know to be correct.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

"Let not anyone of you belittle himself." They said: "O Messenger of Allah, how can any one of us belittle himself?" He said. "He finds a matter concerning Allah about which he should say something and he does not say [it], so Allah (Mighty and Sublime be He) says to him on the Day of Resurrection: 'What prevented you from saying something about such-and-such and such-and-such?' He says, 'It was out of fear of people.' Then He [will] say, 'Rather it is I whom you should more probably fear.'"(Hadith Qudsi #22)

While governments fear other governments and people fear those with power, it is up to us Muslims to fear only Allah, the One with all power and control. Only then will the reality of the situation dawn on us, and we will be able to put our material means (or lack thereof) in their proper perspective. For those who are clear and firm in faith like you, raise your voice and hands to change what is about you in order that we can help to discharge our responsibility as the vicegerents of Allah on earth.

A man asked Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), “What is faith?” He said, “When a good deed becomes a source of pleasure for you and an evil deed becomes a source of disgust for you. Then you are a believer.” The man asked, “Allah’s Messenger, what is a sin?” Whereupon the Prophet Muhammad said, “When something pricks your conscience, give it up!” (Reported by Tirmithi)

Thank you again for your answer and please, do keep in touch.

Salaam

Useful links:

What Can We Do?

Ethics Between Islam and the West