In our time, we mourn the unraveling of the values and virtuous behaviors that were once firmly rooted in Muslim societies. True, these societies were never angelic in conduct, nor were completely free from flaws and corruption. However, the overall prevailing norms were admirable. Wealth, honor, and lives were largely safeguarded in Islamic communities, where the authority of religion and conscience often outweighed that of laws and regulations. Traditions, often derived from the foundations of Sharia, had the authority of legal codes.
People's homes and shops were left open without locks, mosques thrived with worshippers, and endowments served the needy, addressing poverty, illness, education, marriage, and other societal needs.
This raises the question: Where are we today compared to the past?
The authority of conscience has now been sidelined, materialism has invaded our lives, and noble ethics have deteriorated alarmingly. What is the cause of this ailment? And what is the cure?
Widespread Ailments
We must highlight the ailments that have infiltrated educational institutions, invaded service sectors, and allowed bribery to spread across countless departments. Hypocrisy and immoral behaviors have become rampant.
The family unit stands on the brink of collapse. Alarming rates of spinsterhood and divorce are widespread, while the tales of abandoned and street children are distressing. I will not present statistics here, as they are readily available on official platforms for those interested.
We can, however, sorrowfully acknowledge the unraveling of the bonds of faith, which are the societal guarantees for upright conduct and indicators of a community's integrity. Scholars have dedicated works to encouraging their preservation.
When we describe this bleak reality, we are not saying that people have become completely corrupt, that evil prevails everywhere, or that there is no hope for reform. On the contrary, the cords of goodness remain intact. The seekers of Allah are countless, and the multitudes standing at the door of the Most Generous, hoping for His mercy and fearing His punishment, are still present.
Reviving Religious Sciences
The genius term “Revival of the Religious Sciences” coined by Abu Hamid Al-Ghazali (505 AH) was transformed from a concept into a behavioral program. The futile debates among different factions in study halls and research circles, which sometimes spilled into public life, led the Ummah into a maze of fruitless disputes.
Al-Ghazali sought to guide the Ummah toward aligning itself with the message of Islam, steering it away from theoretical debates on sciences that stimulate the mind but harden the heart. He aimed to integrate theoretical knowledge of worship with the practice of worship.
The science of Islamic theology became preoccupied with a mountain of quotations, analogies, and terminologies. Sheikh Muhammad Al-Ghazali described this by saying: “When you read the foundational books of Kalam (Islamic theology), you flip through long pages without finding more than sparse Ayahs or Hadiths scattered like isolated flowers in barren soil.” (1)
Even among scholars, disputes arose between Sufis and jurists. Dr. Mahmoud Qassem remarked that Jurisprudence and Sufism should have mingled, jurists should have embraced Sufism, and Sufis should have embraced jurisprudence. (2) However, the conflict revolved around status rather than a race to guide people to Allah.
Institutional and Individual Responsibilities
Transforming the course of nations takes decades or even centuries. Just as it is difficult to plunge nations into ruin overnight, it is equally challenging to restore them to the right path once they deviate from it.
The steps to restoration require multiple aspects and the involvement of various institutions—religious, economic, educational, and others. Additionally, individual efforts and initiatives to safeguard society from deviation or to bring it back to righteousness are essential. This duty is a personal obligation, as offering advice is a right every Muslim owes to their fellow Muslim. Commanding good has varying levels of responsibility, and one must fulfill at least one level according to their ability.
Steps Toward the Desired Restoration
Among the most important foundations to restore society to the right path:
First: Reinforcing the Six Pillars of Faith: The six pillars of faith have become weakened in society, starting with belief in Allah. It is essential to revive this belief so that Allah and His pleasure become greater in a person's mind than anything else. This is achieved by glorifying His symbols and being mindful of Him both in private and public. This is the essence of teaching Aqidah (Islamic creed), which aims to magnify Allah in the hearts of believers and reject whims and desires.
Next comes the other pillars: belief in the angels, who represent the perfect model of selfless creation. They wish only good for creation, do not compete for status, nor envy humans for their ranks. Despite their immense power, they do not become tyrannical, and their proximity to Allah does not lead to arrogance. They are the ones who supplicate: “Forgive those who repent and follow Your way and protect them from the punishment of Hellfire.” (Ghafir: 7) This is a model to emulate and embed in our lives as much as possible in sayings and actions.
Belief in the scriptures follows; they are the guiding lights to Allah, the fortresses against distorted thoughts, and the defenses against those corrupt truth and beautify falsehood.
Likewise, belief in the prophets, for their way is the only path to Allah. Belief in the Hereafter, considering it as both a destination and a point of departure, governs our actions and abstentions.
Belief in divine decree, both good and bad, ultimately fosters scientific thinking. This pillar seeks to mature human awareness about the significance of understanding that Allah has created everything with a measure—that is, with laws. Righteous conduct and virtuous policies, in line with these divine decrees, lead to a refined society and advanced civilization. Conversely, evil conduct and malicious policies result in societal decay and civilizational decline. (3) Clashing with Allah’s decrees results in misery and ruin.
Second: Reviving Education as a Moral Mission and Civilizational Project: Education is one of the most critical pillars for ensuring a return to righteousness. It is the tool for shaping minds and building awareness. Ignorant nations are vulnerable to cultural and economic penetration, transforming from active and productive entities to fragile and consuming ones.
An ignorant person does not grasp the value of things, making them akin to grazing livestock, consuming whatever comes their way. The cost of dealing with the consequences of their actions far exceeds the expense of educating them.
Society must create an environment that supports and motivates learning and innovation, instilling in individuals a love for education and a passion for knowledge. Nations that recognize education as a civilizational mission will always resist regression and defeat.
Third: Restoring the Four Pillars of Morality: Patience, Chastity, Courage, and Justice
- Patience: Leads a person to endure hardships, suppress anger, refrain from harm, and practice tolerance, gentleness, and deliberation without haste.
- Chastity: Encourages abstaining from immoral and vile acts, promotes modesty, and prevents indecency, stinginess, lying, backbiting, and gossiping.
- Courage: Fosters self-respect, noble ethics, generosity, and bravery.
- Justice: Ensures moderation in all moral traits, balancing between excess and deficiency. (4)
In this way, morality becomes a fortress that guards against collapse and aids in revival and progress.
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(1) The Creed of a Muslim, by Muhammad Al-Ghazali, p. 12.
(2) Islamic Philosophy, Dr. Hamed Taher, p. 91.
(3) Objectives of Islamic Education, p. 230.
(4) Madarij As-Salikin (2/294).
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