The Divine Training in Ramadan and the Muslims’ Betrayal

Dr Firoz Mahboob Kamal

Betrayal of the role

Humans are created with the sole purpose of becoming the khalifa of Allah SWT on earth. Khalifa is a Qur’anic word with a special meaning. Allah SWT used the word “khalifa” in the assembly of the angels to express His grand vision and purpose on human creation. The term khalifa is used to mean Allah SWT’s viceroy, and applies to all men and women. It is also used to mean the prophet’s viceroy: as were the four rightly guided khalifa after the death of the prophet. Here it implies the ruler of the Muslim ummah on behalf of the prophet Muhammad (pbuh). For a common man and woman, it is the greatest honour as well as privilege to work as Allah SWT’s viceroy in the midst of billions. Such a dignified designation tells a lot about the political, cultural, educational role they should play in this world. They must stand as model of moral highness for others. Man and woman can attain the greatest reward in paradise only through fulfilling such role. Any betrayal of such role brings not only the ugliest disgrace, but also the severest punishment in hell fire.

Such a role of kahalifa is always challenging. In fact, humans’ success and greatness depend wholly on proper delivery of such role; and only this way they can prove themselves as the best creation on earth. Denial or betrayal of such role has its serious consequence: it makes people the cursed enemy of Allah SWT and takes them to hellfire. Iblis made himself cursed and despised by opposing such role of the humans. Devilish armies exist in all ages to do the same. Hence the believer does not stand unchallenged even in the loneliest place on earth; he or she has to face the most difficult challenges. But the believers have no choice: they must fight those satanic challengers. Their faith and deed are under constant scrutiny. Allah SWT always keeps His constant vigilance to see their commitment and sacrifices in His path. These are the obligatory tests that they must go through to enter heaven in the hereafter.

The term “khalifa” has other connotation. A khalifa can never claim to be sovereign: he can only work as the representative of a sovereign ruler. The problems start when these khalifas turn sovereign and behave treacherously against the ruler. In any kingdom, such treacherous act and behaviour get any appreciation, rather receives the severest punishment. Allah SWT keeps His hellfire ready for such rebel humans –as revealed repeatedly in the holy Qur’an. It is a great disappointment that it has become the major crime of the Muslims today. They are not playing the role as His honest viceroy: rather boast as sovereign rulers or citizens in every nook and corner of the world. This is the ugliest betrayal against their assigned role. Allah SWT may forgive other crimes of the Muslims, but will He forgive such treacherous rebellion? Can such rebel expect any mercy? Is it not an extreme arrogance of these poor humans whose own survival is totally dependent on Allah SWT’s mercy?

Raising an army of committed and competent khalifas is immensely importance in any kingdom. The British monarchs ruled their occupied lands like India through such khalifas -known as viceroys in the history. These khalifas were known for their faithful service to the British crown. They were ready to do everything -even sacrifice their own life, to protect the British interests and glorify the British king or queen. Shaitan too has huge worldwide army of the committed khalifas. The Satanic institutions all over the world train these khalifas to undo Allah SWT’s plan. To encounter these enemies and to promote His cause, Allah SWT, too, needs an ummah of committed khalifas. Allah SWT wants to protect His sovereignty and brings glory to His faith through them. Hence He asks the believers to work as His helpers in the fight against these satanic enemies. It is revealed, “O you who believe! Be helper of Allah.” -(Sura Saf, verse 14). Can a Muslim dare ignore such a call of his Almighty Lord? Ignoring such call is an act of ugliest betrayal. Such betrayal only makes him the enemy of Allah SWT. A believer must say labbayik (I am ready) to such a call of His Lord all the time. As a consequence, every Muslim man and woman –as a part of the faith, must be the all-time member of Allah SWT’s army -called hizbullah in the Qur’an. The companions of the prophet received the highest honour in the sight of Allah SWT only by joining the fight against devils.  

The Divine training

States and societies are indeed the battlefield of ideas. Each idea has its own faithful khalifas and armies. In such context of ongoing global warfare, the month of Ramadan has its immense importance. It runs the month-long intensive training programmes to raise the committed army of Allah SWT. It builds up the believers’ moral and spiritual strengths. The enemies of Islam have their scores of institutions to raise their foot-soldiers. They have pubs, clubs, casinos, prostitutions, culture of corruption and vulgarity, toxic education and media. They occupy hundreds of states to use those institutions in the service against Islam. Such institutions work day and night to distract people away from the Qur’anic siratul mustaqeem.

The duty of Allah’s khalifa is huge -as huge is the reward in return. Witnessing the oneness of Allah (SWT), performing five times prayers, fasting in Ramadan, doing haj and giving charity are the Divine prescriptions to help Muslims to grow up as Allah SWT’s khalifa. Such ibada must not end up as mere rituals: rather transform Muslims into higher spiritual being pursuing assigned role of true khalifa. And a Muslim can play the true role of khalifa only through full engagement in the war in His way with all of his physical, intellectual and financial potentials. It even needs full readiness to sacrifice his life. In return, Allah SWT promises the unending rewards in the paradise. But such Muslims do not grow automatically; nor do they grow in countries or institutions occupied by the enemies of Islam. The heroes of the early days of Islam didn’t grow up automatically either. It needs Divine institutions. It also needs full implementation of Qur’anic curriculum. The success of the early days’ Muslims owe to such institutions and curriculum. The month-long fasting in Ramadan is indeed the part of that.

Taqwa: the sole objective

The sole objective of fasting in Ramadan is to generate taqwa. Allah SWT revealed, “O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, that you may attain taqwa” -(Sura Baqara: verse 183). To put more emphasis on it, Allah SWT has also revealed, “O you who believe! Fear Allah as He should be feared, and do not die except in a state of Muslim (who surrenders fully to Allah)”–(Sura Al-Imran: verse 102). In the above verse, Allah SWT has asked to attain appropriate level of taqwa; and also warned not to die without being a Muslims i.e. without being in a state of full surrender to Allah SWT’s orders. Hence it appears that taqwa is a key to enter paradise.  

The question arises: what is taqwa? Taqwa is commonly understood to be the fear of Allah SWT. But what is the nature of such fear? Human beings fear so many things. They fear death, disease, financial loss, physical harm, loss of friends and loss of dignity, etc. Is it such fear? Such fear comes automatically to every soul. It does not need any Divine warning. Taqwa has special meaning. It is the fear of disobedience to Allah SWT’s commands. It is the fear of not fulfilling the assigned role. It is the fear of failing in the Day of Judgment. It is fear of deviating from the siratul mustaqeem. While driving a car in a motor war, one needs to be constantly attentive to his driving. He must understand that a slight deviation from the motor way would cause catastrophic disaster. It may bring death to him and others sitting in the car. To cause such disaster, it does not need a minute-long blunder, even a second is enough. Hence, he remains constantly alert. This is his taqwa as a driver. And as a believer, he must show the same amount of constant awareness to adhere to every segment of the Qur’anic road-map. He must pass every hour of the day and night with the full remembrance of his duty to Allah SWT. His personal, familial, political, judicial, cultural and economic life must comply with the Qur’anic guidance. Any amount of disobedience to such guidance only proves his disbelief and disobedience against Allah SWT. These are punishable crimes. He will be made accountable for such crimes in the day of judgement. Taqwa is the fear of such failing as follower of Qur’anic roadmap. It is the fear of failing to work as anserullah. It is fear of failing to discharge duties as khalifatullah. It is also the fear of failing to be the part of hizbullah (Army of Allah).     

How to build taqwa?

Taqwa can be increased or diminished. Allah SWT has shown the path how to build it.  Mere belief in Allah (SWT) is not enough to build taqwa. Even before the birth of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), many people had the name like Abd Allah which means slave of Allah (SWT). It proves that belief in Allah SWT existed among the Arabs before Islam. But such naming did not make them Muslim, neither raise taqwa in their heart. Mere zikr (remembrance of Allah (SWT)) is not enough either. Millions of people recite tasbih (praises) and do zikr. Thousands of people in sufi khanqas do such tasbih and zikr day and night. But how much taqwa are being built there through such tasbih and zikr? Where is the expression of such taqwa in people’s character? To build taqwa, Allah (SWT) has His own prescription. The prescription comes in the following verse: “O humans! Engage in ibadah to your Lord Who has created you and those before you so that you can attain taqwa” -(Sura Baqara, verse 21). Allah SWT’s advice is quite explicit. Ibadah is the Divine instrument to build taqwa.  Hence, anyone interested in strengthening his or her taqwa must engage in more ibadah.  

But what is the meaning of ibadah? Ibadah is an Islamic jargon which means full submission to Allah SWT. It is a total and all-time slavery. While the Qur’an was being revealed, ibadah or slavery was not a new word. The contemporary Arabs knew the full implication of becoming an abed (slave). It used to be the live-long fulltime servitude to the master. The slaves had no liberty to satisfy their own wish. They had only to fulfil the master’s wish. Any amount of disobedience against the master was a serious offence. The master had the full right even to kill the rebellious slave. In those days, such punishment was accepted culturally and couldn’t be challenged in any court. Allah SWT wants such lifelong fulltime total commitment from His believer too. In return, He promises the endless bounties of the heaven. And the earlier Muslims fulfilled such wish of Allah (SWT); indeed they were the perfect slave with full submission and Allah SWT too showed His appreciation of them in the holy Qur’an. Hence, worshipping Allah SWT shouldn’t be mere ritual; generating taqwa must be the prime goal. Therefore, the verse has the implied message: ibada that does not enhance taqwa shouldn’t be labelled as ibada either. In such context, fasting in Ramadan has special place in Muslim life.  Since the level of ibada increases many folds in this holy month, the chances are also high that it would increase taqwa too.

Ibadah needs not only sincere intention. It also needs investment of time, physical strength, wealth, intelligence and even life. The value of ibadah depends on the degree of the investment; taqwa develops in proportion to the level of such investment. Salah, fasting and haj need investment of time, energy and money, but does not cost one’s dearest life. But jihad in the way of Allah SWT needs full readiness to sacrifice life. One cannot buy a single day of life by even by billions of dollar. So the investment in thousand years of prayers or hundred times of haj cannot be equal to investment in martyrdom in the path of Allah SWT. Hence the highest amount of taqwa is build up in the field of jihad, and not in mosque, madrasa, haj and sufi khanqa. This is why, the companions of the prophet (pbuh) attains the highest level of taqwa. They showed their all-time readiness to sacrifice their lives. Jihad was the inseparable part of their life; in fact, more than 70 % of them become martyr. Martyrs’ sacrifice never goes in vain. It helps Muslims to emerge as the formidable political force on world stage. In the early days, Muslims emerged as the number one world power only through the sacrifices of the martyrs. Jihad in Afghanistan has also showed its strength. It has wiped one of two world powers Soviet Russia from the world map. It has also sent the other one –the USA, to the death bed. In martyrdom, the level of taqwa is so high that Allah SWT honours them with direct access to heaven without any accountability in the day of judgement. Hence, in countries where there exists no jihad, taqwa becomes a missing element in Muslim life. Such people make ugliest records in corruption, immorality and injustice. They cannot think of khelafa, sharia law or Allah SWT’s sovereignty in their midst.           

The engine of revolution

Taqwa does not sleep silently in believers’ soul: it shows forceful expression through thoughts, actions and behaviour. It works as engine of moral, cultural, intellectual and political revolution. All-inclusive revolution in early days’ Muslims owe to their high level of taqwa. If the Muslims of any country fail to bring such revolution, then raises genuine doubt about their taqwa. Taqwa propels believing men and women to strongly adhere to the Qur’anic guidance in all deeds, hence generates full compliance with sharia too. Therefore, absence of sharia in a Muslim country is an incompatible anomaly. It is a display of blatant disbelief. Any non-compliance of such Muslims with the sharia law only exposes their hypocrisy. Allah SWT labelled them kafir (disbeliever), fasik (transgressor) and jalem (oppressor). –(Sura Maida verse  44, 45, 47). It shows the degree of deviation of the inhabitants of that country from the Qur’anic roadmap. A believing man can never tolerate such grotesque deviation and incompatibility. It is indeed the disgraceful betrayal of Allah SWT’a cause: jihad starts immediately in Muslims’ life against such betrayal. As a consequence of faith, taqwa creates strong and constant urge in believers’ mind to search for more Qur’anic orders and the prophetic traditions to comply with. His vigilant mind stays always fearful as well as watchful that some commandment of Allah may remain unknown and unpractised.

Taqwa has other forceful political and cultural expressions. It inspires people to move beyond the ethnic, linguistic and geographic boundaries to embrace their fellow Muslim brothers in other countries as comrades in the same mission and emerge as united political force. Hence dismantling the divisive boundaries of so-called nation states becomes a non-negotiable political agenda of the true believers. It becomes the part of their iman. Such pan-Islamic brotherhood was the most common ingredient of Muslims’ politics in the early days of Islam, and made them the number one world power. Disintegration of khilafa and Muslim disunity only helped the enemy to bring their brutal occupation. It is also the betrayal of Allah SWT’s explicit command against disunity: hence will bring more punishment in the hereafter. Creating and continuing with such disintegration can only add further humiliation –which is the major problem of the Muslims today. With continuation of such divisions, can any amount of prayers help them add any glory? With such blatant betrayal of Allah SWT’s order, can they expect that their night-long supplication even in Lailatul Qadr will be answered? Is it not wishful thinking? Allah SWT’s promise for forgiveness is only for those people who fully comply with His order: non-compliance only brings His punishment in Hellfire.   

All over the world, millions of Muslims fast in Ramadan. Millions of people attend five times daily prayers. Millions perform haj. But where is taqwa? Taqwa must be visible in Muslim life. But where is the compliance with Islam’s own system of judiciary, statehood, governance, economy, culture and education? Out of 57 Muslim countries, Allah SWT’s sharia law does not exit even in one! Allah SWT has warned the Muslims not to be divided. But today, remaining divided has been the Muslims’ politics and culture. Instead of having any remorse, in fact, the Muslims are very proud of such division. They celebrate such disintegration in the name of ethnic, tribal, linguistic and geographical identities. The Muslim identity was thrown out of the window. Khelafa has been dismantled about 90 years ago by the hand of the secularist, nationalist and autocratic enemies of Islam. But how many of the fasting men and women pay any heed to resurrection of such fundamental Muslim institution? Khelafa collapsed once in the past under the barbaric attack of Mongols. In the absence of khalifa in those days, there was no jumma congregation prayer. The contemporary Muslims came to the forefront to resurrect such basic Muslim institution. But the present day Muslims have fully forgotten their duty, and are happy with living in tiny nation states. Like sharia, the issue of khelafa is no issue of importance in their life!  This shows the degree of inundation of the Muslim mind with secular thoughts.

The formidable task

Reconstructing human belief, behaviour and character has been always the most difficult task in human history. It has been the job of the prophets; and needed constant Divine guidance. Even thugs and murders like colonialists could build empires. They could bring industrial revolutions, too. But they utterly failed to bring any moral revolution. Due to disconnection with Divine guidance, morality is fully dead in the western countries. This is why they could give birth to colonialism, capitalism, racism, human trading, ethnic cleansing, World Wars and atomic weapons; and could kill more than 75 million people in only two World Wars. Due to such death of morality, they could build Israel in the occupied land of Palestine and allow Israelis to kill Palestinian in Gaza as much as they like. Their morality has died so badly that these imperialists do not have any remorse for their crimes; and not ready to give Palestinians even the survival rights.

Humans can grow up in billions, but very few are capable to grow up as true human. This is why the world is infested with blood-letting criminals, aggressors and ethnic cleansers. For such failure, there is an underlying cause. Humans are created with body and soul. Like body, soul too needs regular feed. Otherwise, souls can’t survive. The nourishing feed for the soul comes only from the Divine knowledge and deep meditation (tafaqquh) that connects soul with Allah SWT. In Islam, deep meditation (tafaqquh) is itself is a highest form of ibadah. And the holy Qur’an is the only correct and latest source of Divine knowledge. To emphasize the importance of Divine guidance, it can be noted that the journey of Islam did not start with five-time daily prayers or fasting in Ramadan or haj, but with the revelation of the holy Quran. The Divine knowledge came to the mankind only through such revelation. Here lies the great significance of holy month of Ramadan. It is attached to the most important event of human history: the greatest gift of Allah SWT came to the mankind in this holy month. The holy Qur’an shows the siratul mustaqeem. It is the rope of Allah SWT that connects the people with His guidance. Since the month of Ramadan enhances the Qur’anic learning, it connects the true believers with their Great Lord and provides the spiritual feed to their thirsty souls.

Humans are not only very ungrateful, but also very forgetful. Even many people forget their parents, and show them immense ingratitude when they grow up as adult. They even forget their Creator too. As if the whole universe is created without a Creator. The holy Qur’an depicts such stories of forgetfulness and ingratitude again and again. The children of Israel showed such ingratitude in the ugliest form. Allah SWT rescued these people from severe persecution under the Pharaoh in Egypt. The Almighty Allah SWT made a wide dry road in the middle of the sea to give them the quickest escape route; and Pharaoh and his army were drowned in front of their eyes. They were given the shelter in Sinai desert; and were protected from scorching sun with canopy of thick cloud. Manna and salwa came down from the sky to keep them well-fed and well-nourished. They did not need to work or grow anything for many years. While still living with Allah SWT’s direct and visible supports, they made an idol of cow to take it as an object of worshipping. Their arrogance against Allah SWT was so high that when they were ordered to take Palestine as their abode and fight against the oppressive ruler there, they made a collective rebellion. They asked Moses (AS) to go with his Allah SWT and fight for them.     

To keeping humans in the Divine path, it needs high moral, spiritual and educational upbringing. Mere weekly attendance to the church or synagogue is not enough to do the job. The Divine guidance and morality didn’t survive this way. Islam addresses the issue by intensive multi-faceted programs that work day and night around the whole year. It brings people five times a day to the mosque, takes them to Makka for haj, makes giving charity to the poor as a religious obligation and prescribes life-long jihad. This way Islam keep people focussed to the Divine path. In the holy month of Ramadan, such training gets more intense. Alongside fasting, it brings spiritual feeding in other ways. It arranges long recitation of holy Qur’an in midnight tarabih prayer. It also encourages reading and understanding of the whole Qur’an individually. Thus it makes imprints of the Qur’anic knowledge and its Divine road map in the believers’ heart. Moreover, this month is blessed with lailatul qadr –night of power. Ibada in that single night is better than the ibada of 1000 months.

The rebellion

Despite all the blessings and trainings, the Muslims still show the ugliest rebellion against Allah SWT's command. They have failed to discharge their assigned duty as His viceroy. Why such rebellion and why such failure?  In fact, it is a great failure of the Muslims to grow up as true believer. However, it is not the failure of Islam and its Divine prescriptions; rather the institutional failure of the Muslims countries. The recitation of holy Qur’an, the five times daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan and haj cannot achieve the goal on their own. It needs all inclusive institutional supports. Islamisation of people and the Islamisation of state are mutually contributory. One develops with the contribution from the other. It also needs promotive and supportive environment. No seed can grow on a stone; neither can flourish in stuffy jungle. Muslims also needs to dismantle all elements of satanic devices that distract people from the Divine roadmap. It needs the full mobilisation of all societal, state and religious institutions to put their collective energy to keep the people in the right track. It also needs to destroy all the wrong and alluring tracks that are built to divert people out of the siratul mustaqeem and take them to the hellfire. Healthy living is impossible with the lethal bugs inside. Such bugs kill the whole body. This is why the prophet (pbuh) of Islam did not allow any satanic institutions to function inside the Islamic state. The rightly guided khalifas followed the same prophetic route.

The prophet of Islam (pbuh) and his companions didn’t make any mistake to understand the strength of a state and the state institutions. How such mistake can happen when Allah SWT was their sole guide? State is the most power organisation on earth. If a wild elephant roam all the time in a house, how one can organise anything in that house? No amount of ibadah can help them discharge their duty as the Divine viceroys and regain the lost glory. This is why Islamisation of people remains unattainable while the state and its institutions stay in enemies’ hands. In the early days of Islam, even the illiterate Muslims understood that basic principle of politics. A Muslim man or woman cannot fully practise Islam and grow up as full Muslim without the support of such a Divine state and the state institutions. All state and non-state institutions in a Muslim land must work together to spread Islam and protect Muslims from hellfire. But such a state is non-existent today. Rather the existing states and their institutions are working together against Islam. Here lies the main difference between the early days’ Muslims and the Muslims of today.

It is pity that the Muslim scholars, politicians and the ulama of today still fumble to under such basics of Islam! They even blame building Islamic state and Islamisation of the state institutions as fanaticism –as if the prophet of Islam and his companions who built the Islamic state and fought for its defence were fanatic! In fact, it is such an indispensable Islamic need that the prophet of Islam (pbuh) and his companions made the heaviest sacrifices to make such a state. No other ibadah demanded such sacrifice from the Muslims in those days. Jihad became the integral part of their life only to pursue such goal. In fact, like five times daily prayers, fasting in Ramadan and haj, jihad is an obligatory duty for all Muslims of all times.  

The real disease

Every disease has its underlying cause. The absence of sharia, khelafa, Muslim unity, Islamic culture, Islamic education and Islamic economy in Muslim country presents as the symptoms of the catastrophic disease that has engulfed the whole Muslim world. Its real cause lies in the absence of Qur’anic knowledge and non-adherence to its teachings. The holy Qur’an is only recited, but not understood. Once it was a book of guidance, now it is a book of mere recitation. The present day Muslims study and take guidance from the books written by the kuffars. Those who have already decided not to take any guidance from Qur’an; do they feel any need to understand the holy Qur’an? The roadmap they are currently following in their politics, judiciary, culture, education, economy is not the same as was in the days of prophet (pbuh). Hence the consequence is not the same either. They brought glory, and raised the finest civilisation on earth. But today’s Muslim brought foreign occupation and embraced enemy’s culture and education. They spread Islam. But now they spread corruption and earned worldwide disgrace. Recitation of the holy Qur’an, daily five times prayers, fasting in Ramadan, haj and giving charity have turned only rituals, and generate little taqwa. The guidance of Qur’an and the teaching of the prophet (pbuh) have no impact on their life. This is the real disease of the Muslims today. 20/07/14