The world that we live in has changed a lot recently and will be changing more and more. Some changes are positive, but not all. Our world suffers today from unprecedented levels of violence under different labels, all kinds of extremism, terrorism, and the placement of public safety in societies as the urgent priority where as many essential human issues are suffering major setbacks. Education, prosperity, happiness, justice, equality, opportunity to live in a dignified way where hope and growth are plenty, and much more, are pushed to the back-burner at best. Most elections in democratic countries are no longer centered on improving the conditions of the people, humanity, and earth, but rather on public safety, terrorism, and refugees. Basically “the other”. This is what consumes everything nowadays in most places.
Some third world countries still use “religion” to draw their legitimacy and some go into wars and violent conflicts to “religion” and sectarianize geopolitical objectives and ambitions. The amalgamation of politics and religion in this era is truly shocking and quite confusing. Clerics with an unquenched thirst for political leadership not only justify hate, intolerance, and vengeance but call for non-violent and violent extremism and flat out bloodshed. They diligently work to divide humans into “us” and “them”!!!! even if those humans are members of their own faith but with a slight (non-Qati’ non-definitive) disagreement, for anything less than 100% conformity nowadays seems to warrant an extreme Abu Jahl-style response. Secular politicians, on the other hand, are also using religion and “democracy” to wage wars and violent conflicts to draw political/economic territory, forge alliances, and satisfy greed. “Religion” and “Democracy” in this era have often been robbed from their core meaning and painted anew by a flashy but cheap fake paint.
Religion came to give all humans, regardless of background or creed; hope, growth and opportunity. Religion came to give all; love, and to teach all; love, with love. Religion came to aid all in their destiny to nobility, spirituality and love. Religion came to struggle against injustice, inequality, tyranny, corruption, slavery, and exploitation. It came to nurture societies with love, unconditional compassion, forgiveness, and redemption, to hold the hand of the weak and counsel the powerful in peacefulness and love.
Heaven sent down solutions since eternity but the human being whom The Creator honored with enablement of making a choice, oftentimes makes the wrong choice, where instinctive, lower-self driven, benefit rather than principle, greed rather than character, envy rather than sharing, ego rather than love responses take precedence. Therefore looking at “the other” whoever the “other” is, is oftentimes based on belittlement or exploitation rather than the plenty of commonalities.
People today are taught to hate and even harm people simply because of a different set of beliefs, skin pigmentation, political conviction, or national origin, facelessly and namelessly.
There is no time more urgently than today where the loving and compassionate voice of religion is so sorely needed. It is time for the learned and wise to step in and step up.
In times like these, where preacher’s truthfulness is based public speaking skills/marketing and scholarship’s worth is based on appearances, association, and perceptions, there is a serious need to reflect within and return back to basics (the Qur’an and authentic Prophetic Sunnah).
The Fiqh of Awlawiyyat (priorities), of Istitaa’ah (capacities), of Muwazanaat (balancing the Maqased with everything else), among others are missed dearly to those who know them, but the very methodology of the Quran and Authentic Sunnah are the real missed ones.
Historically water killed off fire, but in a time of twisted terminologies and shiny statements void of any good reality, fire is trying to kill the water (of life). In these odd days of ours, we have some who “assume” legal guardianship over Jannah(Paradise) and Jahannam(Hellfire), both. They don’t just assume that they’ve have been given exclusive contract to force enter anyone they want in either abode, but some think they can burn Jannah with their Fire!
Paradise (Heavens/Jannah) will always be vast, beautiful, peaceful, loving, and accepting all who desire/work to enter it.
On this day, and on every day, I wish you all; all the love and all positive engagement and contribution to humanity and earth.