The idea that activism is *only* good if it is done spending three hours on one’s prayer mat and not out on the streets; mastering the fiqh of taharah, and not political theory or socio-economics — as a student of both the university and the madressah, and as someone who frequents both the Mosque and the Tavern, this type of divide is not only abrasive and counter-productive, it makes no sense! Why can’t one have both? Since when were they mutually exclusive? How wonderful is the couplet attributed to Ghalib: Let me drink in the Mosque, O Zahid (God-fearing ascetic) Or else, show me that place where God is not present! Reduced to the core, it seems both sides framing the discourse in the above manner are arguing for hardcore secularism. Both do not want religious people to get involved in civic life and socio-economic/political activism of any sort, except perhaps on their terms, which involves dividing the religious and worldly. (Paul’s eschatology, anyone?) Worst still are clergymen reducing the plight of Palestinians to sin — “it is due to their sin that Allah is punishing them”, thereby implying — if not explicitly stating so — that there is no need for all the protesting, charity and activism. Just stick to prayers, and sort out your own affairs. I guess these are precisely the sort of voices which made Marx utter something along the lines of “religion is the opium of the masses.” At a time when Marx thought the poor should rise for their rights, the churches were telling them to suffer instead, preaching them that poverty was preordained by God; it was their density to be poor and for the masters to be rich; it was the destiny of the rich to exploit you! Thus, it is the destiny of the Israelis to wreak havoc upon Gaza for the sins of its people. It is God’s destiny for them to be a lesson for us. We must now abandon sins and pray. *Nothing else.* I think everyone, religious or not, can see the folly in this line of argument. Allah al-Musta’aan. May Allah protect us and give us understanding of His deen. -via Mulla Uwais Namazi
Posted on: Sat, 09 Aug 2014 20:10:51 +0000