Muslims of the present day generally see themselves as the victims of plots and targets of the violence of their “enemies”. The Quran rejects this theory, saying, ‘And never will God allow non-believers to harm the believers.’ (4:141). Then what is the reason for the Muslims’ present plight? In another verse the Quran, in response to this question, has this to say: ‘Whatever misfortune befalls you is of your own doing.’ (42:30)
Now the question arises as to what is the real cause of the problems being faced by the Muslims in present times. This is the answer given by the Quran: ‘O Prophet, deliver what has been sent down to you by your Lord. If you do not do so, you will not have conveyed His message. God will protect you from the people.’ (5:67)
The divine protection
This verse of the Quran makes it clear that the issue of the protection of believers is linked to dawah work. That is, if the Muslims perform their dawah duties, they will continue to remain under God’s protection. Whereas, if they neglect dawah work, this divine protection will be taken away from them. The solution to the problem of the Muslims cannot be found either in protests or in confrontation. The only solution to their problem rests in dawah work. No other strategy can be of any avail to the Muslims in this matter: only dawahwork guarantees divine protection for the Muslim Ummah.
The responsibility of muslims
According to the teachings of Islam, Muslims were bound to fulfil the responsibility of disseminating the message of God at a global level. A global infrastructure was necessary for the performance of this task, but Muslims failed to develop it. Then, God allowed the secular people to develop the necessary technology. This role for the secular people had been predicted in a tradition of the Prophet. According to this tradition, 'In the future God will certainly make secular people support this religion.' (Al-Bukhari).
The coming into existence of this global infrastructure through secular people, after the failure of Muslims to develop it, was exactly in accordance with this tradition of the Prophet. The Muslims were duty bound to understand this divine plan and to make full use of the modern infrastructure for global dawahwork. But, for certain reasons, they have failed to understand this divine plan and, on the basis of self-styled issues, have unwisely entered into rivalry with secular people — even going to the extent of waging war and indulging in violence against them.
Help from the secular people
This attitude on the part of the Muslims was totally against the divine scheme. Now, the only salvation for the Muslims is to revise their policies and plan their actions anew. They must regard other people not as rivals, but as mad‘u, or addressees. With the help of the infrastructure produced by modern civilization, they must perform peaceful dawah work at the global level. This is the only way for the Muslims. There is no other way in which their problems can be addressed. It is the duty of the Muslims to make everything else secondary to dawahwork. They must make dawahwork the sole mission of their lives. Only then will they regain God’s help. This will ensure not only protection for them in this world but also salvation in the Hereafter.
Maulana Wahiduddin Khan