Enhancing zuhd in Ramadan

Let us welcome the blessed month of Ramadan this time with a fresh commitment to our Merciful Creator and Sustainer to reorient our lives in His way. The most salient lesson of this month of divine training for the believers is self-restraint and abstinence. As we train ourselves in abstinence from the necessities of life for part of a day through the month, we consequently strengthen our physical as well as mental abilities to abstain from not only what is illicit (haram), but also from all that distracts us from the pursuit of Allah’s pleasure. This mental and spiritual attitude –zuhd – is a necessary weapon for us to fight off the onslaughts of materialism and snares of Satan.

What is zuhud

Imam Ibn Qudamah Al-Maqdisi defines zuhd as: ‘giving up’ something for something better, while what is given up is itself of value in some way. In other words, zuhd means to give up B in return for A, either because one values A too much or values B too little in comparison. Commonly, zuhd means to refrain from an object of desire in the pursuit of a nobler objective, particularly refraining from the desire of this world and pursuing the desire of the Hereafter. He further says that the best and most perfect of zuhd is to give up everything for the sake of Allah. The next in grade is to give up this world to seek Allah^‘s Paradise.

Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim defines zuhd as: “An attitude that is the opposite of being eager and concerned about the life of this world. In the Arabic language, it means abandoning a matter while despising it and belittling its significance, so that one will exchange it for what is more significant.”

He further says: “I heard Shaykh Al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah say: ^‘Zuhd is abandoning what does not bring about benefit in the Hereafter. Wara^‘ is abandoning what you fear will have consequences in the Hereafter.^‘ This statement is one of the best and most comprehensive definitions of Az-Zuhd and Al-Wara’.”

Sufyan ath-Thawry said: “Zuhd in this world means avoiding hopes of long life, not in wearing thick garments (unlike what some people with superficial understanding of zuhd think).”

Imam Hassan Al-Basri said: “Zuhd in this world is not achieved by prohibiting the permissible, nor by giving away all of one^‘s wealth. Rather, it means being more certain in what Allah has in His hands than about what one has in his hands.”

Enhancing Zuhd in Ramadan

The best of teachers of mankind said: “The worst cavity one fills is one’s belly, if you must eat make sure you full one third of your stomach with food, one third with water and leave one third for air (i.e. leave it empty.)” [At-Tirmithi]

The beloved messenger would also encourage finishing our food so nothing is left in the plate to be thrown away, and he would encourage even licking the fingers (if one ate using hands), or giving your plate to someone else to do the same.

Another narration says that one should not leave even a morsel of food to be thrown away: “for you do not know where the blessing is.” [Muslim]

Compare these standards to our way of eating, particularly during Ramadan. Every known recommendation of the beloved Messenger is flouted. Food is extravagant and everyone attempts to fill his or her stomach to the brim. It has become an ironical joke that people gain instead of losing weight during Ramadan. The discipline and self-restraint of the day is more than compensated for during the lavish dinners. Taraweeh prayer is difficult and often skipped as a result of extravagant engagement with food. Worse yet, the left over food is sometimes thrown away carelessly.

Ramadan is a month of zuhd, and this pattern must change if the Muslims are to ever earn zuhd and spiritual as well as physical benefit from this sacred month. Some practical tips:

Eat measured, moderate amount of healthy meals in Suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and Iftar (evening break-fast)

When at some generous host’s place or at a restaurant, do not feel obliged to finish it all, and have the packed for you to eat later. Don’t be intimidated by un-Islamic pride – no morsel of food in your possession should be wasted. Food we eat is sacred in that it is given by Allah and is full of His blessings – this is our religious value.
Invite poor people in your community to break their fast with you; their respect for food and Allah’s provisions is often a good lesson.
Remember the Prophet’s advice on eating moderately – print it out and post it by your dining table if possible.
Particularly while fasting, prevent your heart from getting engaged in something of this world – food, clothes, celebrities, buildings, or people. An excellent religious teaching of some of our scholars is to cast down our eyes and say ‘Subhanallah’ (perfection is for Allah) whenever something of this world catches our fancy to the point of making us forget Allah.
Pick out audio lectures of scholars whose speech affects your heart, or recitation of the Quran by your favorite reciters, and make it a habit to listen to them attentively and regularly while driving or at home.

Remember the Saying of Allah (which means) “…the life of this world is but amusement and diversion and adornment and boasting to one another and competition in increase of wealth and children….” [Quran, 57: 20]

Source: Enhancing zuhd in Ramadan (islamweb.net)

Living Simple – Introduction to Asceticism (Zuhd)

[November 17, 2020] [Shaykh Farid Dingle]/in Article-General

An Introduction to Living Simple: Asceticism

Part One: Zuhd Literature by Shaykh Farid Dingle

In order to get through life with ease, the Early Muslims (salaf) focussed on certain key ways of living that would make it spiritually and practically easier and more fruitful. They coined a term for the different and variegated rules that they lived by, a term that summarised the system of living for the Next Life. They called it Zuhd: Unattachment in This World. For purposes of this article series, we have found the best match in terms of meaning to be asceticism. Other terms to describe Zuhd are unattachment or being unconcerned for worldly matters, or living simple. This is the first article from a series of articles and podcasts by SeekersGuidance scholar, Shaykh Farid Dingle.

About Zuhd Literature

Based on this theme, and exactly under this title, many Early Muslims wrote books collecting hadiths and wisdom of the righteous.

Abdullah ibn Al Mubarak (d. 181 AH), Imam Ahmad, Ibn Abi Dunya, Abu Dawud, and Bayhaqi besides many others compiled the sayings and practices of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the early Muslims regarding the universal approach to life.

One such work on this topic was that a very influential teacher of Imam al Shafii, Waki ibn al Jarrah (d. 197). Waki was a major hadith narrator and scholar of law (fiqh). To get a sense of what kind of a man he was, here are a few lines of poetry that Imam al Shafii composed after he asked him for advice on seeking Sacred Knowledge:

I complained to Waki of my bad memory

So he told me to leave off sin.

He said Sacred Knowledge is a light

And that the light of Allah is not given to sinners.

Waki was not just a scholar of Islamic Law (faqih), or just a hadith narrator (muhadith). Above and beyond his learning, he was someone who had genuinely internalized the spiritual teachings of Islam and become a beacon of light to the hearts of those around him – or rather a beacon of light for all posterity. Waki opens his work on Asceticism (Zuhd) with the words of Muhammad ibn Kab al Quradhi (d. 108), ‘When Allah wishes well for a slave, He makes him uninclined towards This World, gives him a proper understanding of religion, and opens his eyes to his faults. Whoever has been given these have been given the good of this life and the next.’

These three traits summarise the whole book and whole way of life of the Early Muslims (salaf): 1. a heart that is turned towards Allah & the Hereafter and away from the Devil & this life, 2. sound and objective learning in Islam, and 3. the willingness and aptitude to engage in personal change.

Letting Go of This Life

He then follows it up with another piece of wisdom from the Prophetic Companion Abu Waqid al Laythi that shows why exactly the Early Muslims (salaf) focussed so much on Asceticism (Zuhd). He said,

‘We searched all the deeds that could be done in this life, and never found anything more helpful in striving for the next life than being unconcerned about this life.’

The reason why this is so central to the Islamic way of life is that whilst we long for this life and its pleasures, we have to persistently contend with desires that pull us towards the haram: illicit sexual relations, amassing money in haram ways, the lust of showing off or belittling others, etc. As soon as we are able to let go a little, we give ourselves a fighting chance of keeping to the straight and narrow while still giving our bodies what they need. As Umar ibn al Khattab said,

‘You will never be able to work for the next life with anything better than unattachment to this life.’

Live a Balanced Life

Waki then clarifies a very important point: one being uninterested in this life does not mean one does not get involved, or even enjoy, this life. The point is that we use our time and opportunities in this life to maximize our benefit in the next life. Although this often means doing without, consuming less, and generally delaying our own gratification, it doesn’t necessarily mean we ignore our own emotional and physical pleasures. It means we temper them and use our emotional and physical pleasures for worship of Allah.

The Trade-Offs in the Face of Limited Time

The great jurist, hadith scholar, and ascetic Sufyan al Thawri states, ‘Abstinence in this life means working with the assumption that you will not live long. It is not about eating coarse food or wearing poor clothes.’ When you know that your time on earth is extremely limited, and your time in the next life is not limited at all, you “trade-in” whatever you can of this life for the next. Sometimes the trade-off means less immediate enjoyment, such as fasting, and sometimes it is not a trade-off at all: you literally get to keep your cake and eat it. There is a reward, for example, in celebrating Eid, getting married, or breaking your fast, even though there is no obvious and outward “abstinence” in these acts of worship. This is a very fundamental point indeed and makes a very clear and determined line between Islamic asceticism and asceticism as applied by many other religions.

Earn Allah’s Pleasure

The point is to take advantage of your life and not let your attachment to it lead you away from finding ways to earn Allah’s good pleasure. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, ‘Take advantage of five things before five things happen: your life before you die, your health before you get sick, your free time before you become occupied, your youth before you get too old, and your wealth before you become poor.’

Avoid Complacency – Life is Short

Another aspect of the way of Zuhd is not being complacent. Waki quotes the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) saying,

‘There are two blessings that most people sell themselves short on: free time and health.’ As the quote from Sufyan al Thawri stated previously The proper way to live life is to assume you do not have a lot of time. Complacency creeps in when we assume we have all the time in the world to get our obligations done, or to repent from our bad ways. Allah reminds of death’s eminence in the Quran saying, ‘Indeed the very death from which you all are fleeing is already coming to you.’ (Quran, 62: 8). And as Imam al Ghazali says, ‘Whoever wakes up in the morning thinking that he will be alive at night, or vice versa, will necessarily be plagued by some form of laziness or procrastination, and will only be able to travel forward at the slowest of paces.’

This sense of urgency is exactly what Mujahid, one of the greatest scholars of Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and law (fiqh), learned from Ibn Umar. He told him, as Waki and others narrate to us, ‘Mujahid! When you enter the morning, don’t assume you will be alive in the evening, and when you enter the evening, don’t assume you will be alive in the morning. Take advantage of being healthy before you get sick, and take advantage of being alive before you die. You have no idea what will happen to you tomorrow.’

Understand Life and Seek Basic Knowledge

In order to clarify what is meant by the opening words of Muhammad ibn Kab al Quradhi, Waki cites a hadith that delineates the way and point of studying Sacred Knowledge. ‘O Messenger of Allah,’ said one of the Companions, ‘teach me something really novel (gharaib)!’

‘Why are you asking about what is novel?’ he replied. ‘Have you applied the basics of knowledge yet?’

‘O Messenger of Allah, what are the basics of knowledge?’

‘Do you appreciate who and what the Lord is?’

‘Yes,’ he replied.

‘What have you done to honor His due.’

‘Such and such.’

‘Do you recognize the fact that you will die?’

‘Yes,’ he replied.

‘So what have you prepared for it?’

‘Such and such.’

‘Go and apply the basics of knowledge properly first, and then come and learn novel sacred knowledge.’

We can see very clearly that Sacred Knowledge in the eyes of the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) and in the eyes of the Early Muslims was nothing to do with glamour, self-gratification, or debating abstruse and esoteric theories of law, being or anything else. It was about an attitude towards oneself and others that were dyed and imbued by one’s deeds, fear, awe, respect, and love of Allah Most High.

Waki quotes another hadith to the same effect:

‘O Messenger of Allah, verily Allah has blessed all of the Muslims by you, so teach me something special [that no one else knows]!’

‘Are you going to apply what I teach you?’ the Companion replied.

‘Yes.’

‘Whenever you decide to do something, think carefully about its end result: if it is good, do it; if it misguidance, then don’t do it. Now go!’

It is in this very vein that Waki quotes Umar ibn al Khattab saying, ‘Understanding life (fiqh) is not something acquired by becoming old, rather it is a gift from Allah and provision from Him.’

Die Before You Die

As an acid test of sound and meaning Islamic knowledge, Waki cites another hadith:

The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) recited, ‘As for he whose heart Allah opens up to Islam, he is on a brilliant light from his cherishing Lord.’ Then he said, ‘When light dawns upon the heart, it dissipates and spreads.’

‘O Messenger of Allah, does it have any tell-tale signs?’

‘Yes, a lack of concern for the abode of delusion, turning to the abode of immortality, and readying oneself for death before one dies.’

This hadith sums up the method and results of this beautiful way of life and provides the checks and balances needed to make sure that one is truly going in the right direction.

First, there is a drive from within to make things right again with Allah. That light spreads and manifests in various aspects of one’s life making life more lucid and meaningful. The sign of this happening is taking the practical measures to fix things up before one dies.

This requires that one let go of this world a little, and it results in one letting go completely. Dying before one dies, so as to speak.

This is the theme of the Asceticism (Zuhd) literature. Easy words to read. Hard words to put into practice.

About the Author

Ustadh Farid Dingle has completed extensive years of study in the sciences of the Arabic language and the various Islamic Sciences. During his studies he also earned a CIFE Certificate in Islamic Finance. Over the years he has developed a masterful ability to crafts lessons that help non-Arabic speakers gain a deep understanding of the language. He currently teaches courses in the Arabic Language which can be found here.

The corresponding podcast is due for release soon.

Understanding Zuhd (Asceticism) in Islām

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim, Imām Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn

An explanation from the scholars on how to live in an ascetic manner whilst avoiding extremis.

Articles, Ibn al-Qayyim, Innovations in Worship, Muḥammad ibn Ṣāliḥ al-ʿUthaymīn, Riyāḍ al-Kanadī, Worship, Zuhd

[Q]: What is the reality of asceticism in Islām and what are the means by which I may live an ascetic existence which is also far from radical or extremism in this sphere?

[A]: The scholars have said that it is to abandon everything that holds no benefit in the hereafter. To the extent that a person abandons all permissible matters that lack benefit in the hereafter. A person is aided in the attainment of asceticism by contemplating this worldly life, that it is as a passing, transient home rather than a place of settlement. Also, that worldly possessions have not remained for a single person who has preceded you. As such, it shall never remain for you. As Allāh—the Most High—said:

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا لِبَشَرٍ مِّن قَبْلِكَ الْخُلْدَ ۖ أَفَإِن مِّتَّ فَهُمُ الْخَالِدُونَ

“And We granted not to any human being immortality before you (O Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم)), then if you die, would they live forever?”
(Al-Anbiyāʾ, 21:34)

That is, no one shall ever eternally abide in this worldly life. Also, one should be well aware that this worldly life is a place of loathsome disturbances and grief. A person may find happiness with a matter today, and tomorrow the very same matter brings him sadness. Thus, the one who truly realises the reality of this worldly life, intellectually and by means of his īmān, will behave ascetically with regards to it. Never favouring it over the hereafter. The Most High said:

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا ‎﴿١٦﴾‏ وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ

“Nay, you prefer the life of this world; Although the Hereafter is better and more lasting.”
(Al-Aʿlá, 87:17)¹

[Q]: We have heard a great many verses of the Qurʾān encouraging zuhd (asceticism) from this worldly life. If a person was to abandon certain business opportunities which are available to him, intending asceticism by means of this abandonment, is such a person deserving of reward for intentionally leaving these deals despite surmising them to be profitable?

[A]: Asceticism does not mean abandoning buying and selling because Allāh—the Exalted in Might—is the One who has ordered us to engage in buying and selling. He—the Exalted in Might—said:

فَإِذَا قُضِيَتِ الصَّلَاةُ فَانتَشِرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ وَابْتَغُوا مِن فَضْلِ اللَّهِ وَاذْكُرُوا اللَّهَ كَثِيرًا

“Then when the (Jumu’ah) ṣalāt (prayer) is finished, you may disperse through the land, and seek the Bounty of Allāh (by working, etc.), and remember Allāh much.”

Despite saying in the preceding verse:

إِذَا نُودِيَ لِلصَّلَاةِ مِن يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ فَاسْعَوْا إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِ اللَّهِ وَذَرُوا الْبَيْعَ

“When the call is proclaimed for the ṣalāt (prayer) on the day of Friday (Jumuʿah prayer), come to the remembrance of Allāh [khuṭbah) and ṣalāt)] and leave off business.”
(Jumuʿah, 62:9-10)

With what should we seek the bounty of Allāh after the conclusion of prayer? It is with buying and selling. So, there is nothing wrong with buying and selling. True zuhd is to abandon that which holds no benefit in the hereafter while piety is to abandon that which will harm one in the hereafter. If a person was to engage in buying and selling with the intention of seeking Allāh’s bounty, to find sufficiency in the sustenance provided by Him such that he is prevented from begging the people and showing mendicancy towards them, with the intention of spending his earnings to support his children and family, or intending to give some of that which Allāh has provided him in charity, then his engagement in business is actually representative of zuhd. Do not think that zuhd is for a person to wear ugly, dirty, ill-fitting clothing that is falling off of his body, or to drive a dilapidated vehicle, or refuse to live in a house that suits his situation. Rather, true zuhd is as Shaykh al-Islām or Ibn al-Qayyim have said: The abandonment of that which holds no benefit in the hereafter. So let this person buy and sell with these good intentions: refusing to beg the people, spending on his dependents, and giving in charity.”²

Ibn al-Qayyim said:

Zuhd does not mean complete rejection of wealth or belongings. As Dāwūd and Sulaymān (عليهما السلام) were among the most ascetic men of their time, despite what they possessed of wealth, dominion, and wives. Just as our Prophet Muḥammad (صلى الله عليه وسلم) was the most ascetic man that ever lived despite having nine wives. ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib, ʿAbd al-Raḥmān ibn ʿAwf, al-Zubayr, and ʿUthmān (رضي الله عنهم) were all among the ascetics despite the wealth they possessed. Just as al-Ḥasan ibn ʿAlī (رضي الله عنه) was ascetic despite being among the most loving among this ummah towards women and marrying them in addition to also being amongst the richest. Just as ʿAbdullāh ibn al-Mubārak was among the ascetic imams despite owning immense wealth. Among the best definitions of zuhd that has been said is the saying of al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī or other than him: Asceticism of this worldly life is not by making impermissible that which is permissible, nor by spending money needlessly. Rather, it is that one has more trust in that which is in the hand of Allāh than that which he himself possesses. And that the reward of being afflicted with catastrophe—if you are afflicted with it—is more desirable to you than its complete aversion from you.”³

Endnotes:
1. Source: Fatāwá Nūr ʿalá al-Darb 24:2
2. Source: Liqāʾ al-Bāb al-Maftūḥ 20:219
3. Source: Madārij al-Sālikīn (2:15)

Translated by: Riyāḍ al-Kanadī

Summary of “What the World Lost Due to the Decline of Islamic Civilization”

This book is of central conceptual importance in serving as a basis for the revival of the Islamic Civilizations. It explains the revolution which Islam brought to the world, and how the rise of Islam had beneficial impacts on spreading values of mercy, compassion, justice and tolerance, throughout the world. Similarly, the decline of Islam had adverse effects as these enlightened values were replaced by the darkness of ignorance which currently surrounds us. The history of humanity is seen from an Islamic framework, as the rise and fall of civilizations, governed by rules emanating from Divine Guidance and Justice of Allah, based on the laws explained in the Quran, but now forgotten by Muslims. The book is divided into Eight Chapters, which are briefly outlined below. Reading through this brief 2850w outline will give an idea of how the book is structured, and its central arguments. LINKS to: Urdu Summary & Urdu Book (shortlink: bit.do/zbksahan).

Chapter 1: Darkness in the World, before the Advent of Islam – The book uses historical details to show that darkness reigned everywhere. The empires of Rome, Persia, China, and India, were entrenched in power games, exploitation of the power and weak, perpetual wars, and could provide no hope of improvement for the future of humanity. The light of religion and philosophies which provide higher visions had themselves been corrupted, and held no prospect of providing guidance to mankind. All dimensions of human existence had become corrupt, and mankind had sunk to depths of darkness.

Chapter 2: The Advent of Prophet Mohammad SAW. The Mission of Islam was to provide guidance in every dimension of life, to restore humanity to the respect, dignity, and higher purpose for which man was created. This extremely difficult task was accomplished by the powerful message of Islam, realized in the life of the best of human beings, and translated from theory into practical and living reality with the help of the Companions RAA who became fully devoted to this mission. The first step of the mission was to reject false gods, and to re-acquaint the hearts of men with the One True Living and Responsive God (M’aarifat). After suitable training and sufficient efforts, the Companions learned that our God is Kind, Merciful, Compassionate, Responds to our Prayers, and is also all Powerful, with complete Knowledge of what is observable and what is hidden, as well as the past and the future. This knowledge created an inner spiritual revolution, and led to a complete transformation in their character. This transformation removed divisive tribal loyalties, pride, envy, and host of negative and harmful characteristics, and replaced them with virtuous characteristics like unity, justice, compassion, and social responsibility, which are loved by God. The community of the Companions was infused with a powerful sense of mission, to spread this precious treasure, in order to free mankind from the bondage of false gods and earthly powers, and bring them to the liberation of Islam, and worship of the One True God.

Chapter 3: Era of Muslim Ascendance – After receiving deep training from our Prophet Mohammad SAW, the process of spreading this revolutionary message throughout the world to all of humanity created a revolution in World History. Muslims rose to ascendance not for the sake of personal glory or wealth, but to liberate mankind from their chains, and to acquaint them with their kind, merciful, and compassionate God, who is all-powerful and all-knowing. The dominance of the Muslims created a civilization which was a Mercy for all Mankind. There were several unique characteristics of the Islamic Civilization which differentiated it from others:

They had received complete and perfect guidance from the Quran and the Sunnah regarding the good and the bad, the form and spirit of the law in all dimensions of human existence. They did not need to philosophize or speculate on these matters.
The training they had received purified them of the desire for worldly riches and fame. Instead, they sought leadership in order to serve humanity and guide them toward their own welfare.
They had absorbed the idea that all human beings are brothers, without discrimination by race, language, or geography. All were joined in bonds of love and fraternity within the Islamic civilization.
They had learned how to combine concerns of the Akhira (the world to come) with the concerns of Dunya (this world). They were not Rahibs – who sought to isolate themselves from worldly concerns. Instead they made engagement with this World the means of achieving closeness to God.

Because of these characteristics, the rise, ascendance, dominance, and spread of the Islamic civilization was a blessing for all of humanity. A living model of virtuous living attracted all of mankind towards it. Large numbers of people converted to Islam, not because of any compulsion, but because of the attractive characteristics of Islam. Those who did not accept Islam were nonetheless influenced by Islamic values which appeal to the hearts of men.

Chapter 4: The Decline of Islamic Civilization. It is difficult to determine or date the decline of Islam, since it is a multidimensional and complex phenomena. The ascendance of Islam was due to two principle characteristics. One was Ijtihad – that is applying the canonical body of Islamic teachings to the solution of ever-new and ever-fresh problems in a creative way, conforming to the spirit of Islam and also resolving the modern problem at hand. The Second was Jihad – that was the struggle to implement the teachings of Islam in our personal lives, in our communities, in the nations and the Muslims, and for all of humanity. These principles – the knowledge of Islam, and an engaged commitment to its implementation in the real world – were gradually abandoned by the rulers and the populace. The rulers strayed from the principles, and imported philosophies of Greeks – complex and sophisticated illusions – spread through the land. This decay emboldened enemies, and the Crusades struck at the heart of the Islamic world, capturing Jerusalem. Somewhat later the Tatars attacked and razed Badghad, and destroyed vast storehouses of knowledge by burning libraries and killing the scholars. In all times there were efforts at revival by many. The leadership of the Islamic world passed to the Turks and the Tartars, but after a period of glory, they also declined, becoming the sick man of Europe. Meanwhile, as the Islamic Civilization was going into decline, the Europeans were awakening after a long period of darkness and ignorance. (There can be no doubt that this awakening was due to Islamic influence, even though this is suppressed in European accounts, due to severe bias against Islam).

Chapter 5: The Rise of the West and its Effects.

Greek and Roman Roots: After the decline of the Turks, world leadership passed to the Europeans. To understand Europeans culture, and its effects on the World, we have to back to Greek and Roman culture, which was their heritage. Greek culture and philosophy was based on four central ingredients. (1) Focus on the observable sensations and rejection of the unseen. (2) Absence of Spirituality. (3) Emphasis on life of this world. (4) Extreme Nationalistic tendencies. The other source of European culture was Rome. While Rome was better organized militarility, and in terms of administration and governance, they were behind Greece in philosophy and culture, and have very flexible religious beliefs. As a result, their was no barrier to the pursuit of pleasure, which became the religion of the elites, destroying all concepts of moral conduct.

Rise and Fall of Christianity: The ascent of Constantine and his conversion to Christianity created a change by making Christianity a state religion, but this came at great cost to the religion. The official religion of Christianity was substantially influenced by other dominant philosophies and ideologies of the time and became a strange and incongruous mix of conflicting ideas. In particular, there was an extreme tilt towards renunciation of this world, and adoption of ideals so high as to be impossible for ordinary mortals. This is in stark contrast with Islam which teaches moderation, and encourage enjoyment of permissible pleasures of life. Setting impossible ideals led to widespread hypocritical behavior among church leaders – seeking luxuries and pleasures while preaching renunciation. This led to a split in the Church, and eventually widespread rejection of religion, first among the intellectuals and later among the general public. This led to the emergence of secular modernity, which is now the dominant religion of the West. This philosophy confined traditional religion to the personal sphere, and made materialism and pursuit of pleasures the purpose of human existence.

Emergence of Nationalism: The shattered unity of the Catholic Church, and constant religious warfare led to the emergence of Nationalism as a new source for uniting people into a community. Unfortunately, Nationalism is based on hatred and fear of the others, and pride and prejudice for one’s own – all of these emotions are strongly condemned and rejected by Islam. The rise of Nations, and the rejection of religion has led to the disappearance of morals on the international arena. The laws of the jungle prevail, where the power to destroy confers the right to destroy. On the world stage, in plain sight, millions of innocents are killed, hospitals, schools, power plants and factories are bombed, and countries reduced to ruins, without any moral outrage. With the heart and morals removed, only cold rational calculations of profit and loss matter, and if it is necessary to kill a million children to achieve your goals, this is permissible, according to modern Western morality. Today we see the effects of degeneration of moral standards in terms of increasing inequality, with trillions being spent on wars and destruction, while billions who could be fed, clothed, housed and educated with these funds are left to spend lives of misery and poverty

Chapter 6: Losses due to Western Leadership of the Word.

The world leadership of the West has lead to the spread of their ideas, philosophies, and ways of looking at the world. This has had extremely harmful and damaging effects.

The complete disappearance of religion from view. The questions of what happens after death, the definition of good and bad, Can there be higher purposes in life, above and beyond materialistic concerns – these have been removed from the public intellectual arena. As a whole the West has lost spiritual sensibilities; just as the blind cannot see, so those who consider spirituality as non-existent cannot develop sensibilities in this dimension. This has had grave consequences in terms of increases in destructive and barbaric behavior.
Whereas Islam created the desire to search for God, the West has defined this as a meaningless pursuit, and has turned the world to the search for Gold, as only meaningful purpose of life. In time of Islam, the public flocked to the scholars and Sufi’s in search of knowledge of the higher ways of the mind and the heart. Seekers of God are few and far between. Living intellectual and spiritual traditions which trained people for excellence and expertise are in danger of dying out, because they do not attract sufficient students.
The worship of Gold has become the central religion of the World. Everyone seeks to make more money, and respect for people is in accordance with how much money they have. However, as explained in Quran and Hadeeth, the search for Dunya is self-defeating, because as you get more, you desire even more. As a result, everyone is discontent; including millionaires, who still do not think they have enough money for financial security.
Massive decline in standards of morality throughout the world. The Western empire is built on colonization and merciless exploitation of all resources human and natural, with incredible cruelty and brutality – see Colonial Atrocities. As they say, “All is fair in love and war”, meaning that in pursuit of pleasure, and in treatment of enemies, no moral considerations apply. This is radical contrast with Islam. Since Jihad is actually a form of worship, extremely stringent standard of moral behavior are applicable to it from the early days of Islam. However, as the West led the way towards moral degeneration, the rest of the world, including Muslims, have followed in its tracks.
As the pursuit of pleasure and luxury became the purpose of life, putting in effort and hardship to acquire knowledge and experience, especially spiritual and moral, was abandoned. People started seeking the easy life, instead of learning austerity and self-denial required for the pursuit of deep knowledge. Even reading on a large scale, which is necessary to benefit from the vast collective past knowledge and experience of mankind, was abandoned.

Chapter 7: The Revival of Islam

We have seen that in the 6^th Century AD, all paths of guidance had been corrupted, and the world was heading towards destruction, the message of Islam came and created a revolution in history. The day and night effort of our Prophet Mohammad SAW transformed the Companions, and created a community which spread the light of Islam throughout the world. Their efforts changed the course of history, and their ideals enlightened the world. Gradually, decay and degeneration set in, and the light of the message began to dim within the Islamic Civilization. As Islam declined, the West gained power and ascendance over the world. However, the West had no Message or Mission regarding the welfare of the mankind. Their sole message was selfish pursuit of pleasure, power, wealth, under the savage laws of the jungle, with cut-throat competition as the mechanism for survival of the fittest. Today, the vast majority of the population in the planet is living in poverty and misery, downtrodden and oppressed, with no voices to speak for them.

The message of the West, pursuit of power and pleasure without moral constraints, is spread throughout the world, without any opposition. Today there is no ideological warfare going on – all have succumbed to this poisonous message. The continuous warfare which envelopes the planet is being carried out by the rich and powerful against the weak and powerless, according to the laws of the jungle. What is surprising is that bearers of the last message have also accepted these ideologies, directly contrary to Islamic values, and are enthusiastic admirers and supporters of the West. Today, an individualistic search for material welfare, wealth, and luxury, has become universally accepted. Muslims lead lives focused on the same goals as the non-Muslims.

In this era of darkness, if there is any hope of revival from humanity, it is from the message of Islam. Despite time and distance, the message which revolutionized the world is still alive in the hearts of the Muslims. The philosophies of the West have led to wars, looming environmental catastrophes, breakup of families and communities, billions living in extreme poverty while a handful hold extreme wealth. Islam offers the only solution the problems facing all of humanity today. But there are many preliminary steps required to effectively implement these solutions.

Allah T’aala does not change the condition of nations until they change themselves. The first step must be to create an inner transformation within ourselves. Spiritual progress depends on purifying our hearts of the love of worldly things, and re-awakening the flame of the love of Allah T’aala, His Messenger, and His Deen. It is not sufficient that a few individuals have these qualities; rather spiritual strength must be created on a large scale in the general public. Furthermore, self-sufficiency must be created to eliminate material dependence on the West. The most important requirement is the re-vitalization of flames of Islamic knowledge, based on the Quran and the Sunnah, which have been lost and forgotten.

Chapter 8: Arab Leadership. The original book was written in Arabic, and the last chapter was a special appeal to Arabs to revive those characteristics which led Allah T’aala to chose them, from among all the nations, to be the bearers of His Final Message. They sacrificed everything – homes, comfort, families, business – for the sake of this precious Deen. Their sacrifices enlightened the world and ended the age of darkness and ignorance. Syed Abul Hassan Ali Nadwi exhorts the Arabs to pick up this burden once again, as the whole of the Ummah is looking towards them for Leadership. Those hands which have built and guarded the Ka’ba are called upon to once again save humanity from the precipice it is facing by sacrificing their all to revive the traditions of Islam and to spread it to the world. This message remains just as powerful today as it was 1400 years ago, and awaits our efforts to understand and implement it.

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