The Approach of Converting to Islam (6)

The Source: The Publication of the Muslim student union in America in 1977.

The Application of the theory

But how can this theoretical explanation for the rise and the fall of nations help us to find the way to take the society to the Islamic trend?
First: When heading to the Islamic trend must be planned, and that planning based on forecasting the future events, the Qur’anic explanation of the social change helps us to look beyond the features of the physical force for any nation in order to see the real factors that lead to its consistency or to cause its degeneration. We now know that the only way to ensure the continuation of Allah's blessings is to follow the path that Allah chose for His Servants. Any nation deviates from the way it will surely become weak, if it not suffers the full loss. No fortune, worldly, knowledge, or physical power - of any kind - to rescue it those nations from that inevitable fate “Do they not travel in the land, and see what was the end of those before them? They were superior to them in strength, and they tilled the earth and populated it in greater numbers than these (pagans) have done: and there came to them their Messengers with clear proofs. Surely, Allâh wronged them not, but they used to wrong themselves. Then evil was the end of those who did evil, because they denied the Ayât (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, Messengers, etc.) of Allâh and made a mockery of them.” [Surat Ar-Rum: 9-10].

Our duty is not to sit down and our hearts full of joy waiting for the inevitable fall of the deviant communities, no this is not the position of responsible people. Our duty is to warn those communities in a sincere, compassionate, and convincing way to help them recognize the similarities between their methods and methods that led to the fall of other communities. We shall explain to them in some detail the process that led to misery and misfortunes by deviating from the way of Allah, moreover, it ultimately leads to the fall or the total destruction of the society.

That position, which includes giving a sincere and convincing warning, must be our position towards all communities and nations, whether they belong to Islam or not. Our goal and duty is not to destroy the Western civilization and to build on its ruins, but it represents in exerting effort to save them and guide them to the right path. However, if those nations do not care about our warning or listen to advice; their fall would be inevitable, and then we have relieved ourselves from responsibility.

Second: It is more important to know that drawing near to Allah is the secret of success which we should aim at. We should strongly reject all the methods and tricks that may seem to be the way of success that may deceive the short-sighted people. If we mean that success is the possession of a group of people to power - and that often happens -, we do not need to seek the Islamic guidance to achieve that. However, if we want that the power should be in the hands of some people who use it to form and maintain a society that is supported with the help of Allah, then there is only one way to achieve this. Any group of people who want to be among the elite, it should prove first that it acts according to the guidance of Allah.

To be close and guided that is something hidden in the heart and it is not notable by other people but only to Allah. Allah looks into our hearts to see if we are worthy of His Help or not and as far as we are loyal to Him, we shall gain His Assist and Support. Thus, when the believers suffered defeat in the time of the Prophet in their battles against the infidels, Allah commanded them to look for the reason in their hearts. For example, the reason for their defeat in the Battle of Uhud was due to the fact that some of them desired some worldly benefits, and in the Battle of Hunayn the defeat was due to boasting with their number.
Therefore, we have to be careful not to be affected with by this deception, but if we are affected, we have to find the way to purify ourselves through seeking forgiveness, repentance, and doing righteous actions. Our sins are our real enemy, and sincerity is our real weapon that cannot be destroyed.

The emphasis on that point could raise some concern, thinking that this may be an invitation to a kind of negative Sufism and the denial of all public activities, particularly the political ones. It is also possible to lead us to erroneous conclusion that the willingness of the Muslim group to hold power is something sinful.
Therefore, I would like to emphasize that this was not my purpose, and I would like to add that this kind of concern is a result of a misconception to the relationship between our mental state, our actions, and our activities. Our effort to purify our hearts should not be conceived as a transformational act that obstructs or slows down our public activities, moreover, we should not avoid the public activities as mundane acts that are not suitable for pious people. The pure heart that recognizes the essence of Allah is a driving force leads us to the righteous mundane actions. The nature of our public activities is an expression to the kind of faith that lies in our hearts.
I announced previously that the method of a person to achieve a desirable objective depends on what he sees as the active causes and on his understanding of the relationship between these causes.

The atheists confine themselves to the natural causes and the humanitarian effort, thinking that those are the only real reasons for any effective change in the world. We add to those reasons, given that everything in this world is Allah's creation, Allah alone is the ultimate cause for everything happens in this world. Therefore, it is natural to include Salah, forgiveness, repentance, and doing righteous deeds recommended by Allah and avoid what He has forbidden in our system as effective reasons and a human reaches the rank of the righteous servants through those acts of worship. When we gain the love of Allah Who controls in the world, nothing can stand in our way.

This trend will seem strange when it is compared to the ideas and philosophy prevailing in our world. However, the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: "Islam initiated as something strange, and it would revert to its (old position) of being strange. so good tidings for the stranger.” [Reported by Muslim].
If we want to be on the path of Allah and gain His support, it is necessary - but not enough - to be faithful with pure hearts. In addition to the sincere desire to please Allah, we must add the identification of good acts and the methods that satisfy Allah that He considers as the best means to achieve the goals we set for ourselves, and that applies to our desire to achieve the Ideal Islamic state. Because the goal of the Prophet (peace be upon him) when he was in Makkah was to establish such a State, we must study the biography of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and his authentic Sunnah along with the Qur’an.