A Change in the Air (Insha'Allah)

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH – THE SOURCE OF MERCY – THE MOST MERCIFUL

                                                                    

THE WORD OF YOUR LORD DOES FIND ITS FULFILLMENT IN TRUTH AND IN JUSTICE: NONE CAN CHANGE HIS WORDS: FOR HE IS THE ONE WHO HEARS AND KNOWS ALL. (6:115) 

ALL PERMANENCE BELONGS TO THE ONE AND THE ONLY CREATOR AND EVERYTHING THAT COMES FROM HIM. ALL IMAGINABLE THINGS IN A HUMAN SOCIETY INEVITABLY EVOLVE OVER TIME AND CHANGE. A CHANGE IS REQUIRED EITHER TO ESTABLISH GOOD OR REMOVE EVIL. UNARGUABLY, WE DO FIND THAT THE MODERN WORLD SUFFERS WITH MANY ILLS AND EVILS AND THUS A CHANGE IS NECESSARY AND IN FACT IMPERATIVE. 

ALL FACETS OF HUMAN ENDEAVOUR HAVE EVOLVED. CONCEPTS, SUCH AS HARD LABOUR AND HONEST SUSTENANCE, ACQUIRING EDUCATION FOR THE BENEFIT OF SELF AND OTHERS AND ESTABLISHING A FAMILY AS AN STATEMENT OF LOVE TOWARD THE CREATOR AND HUMANITY HAVE UNDOUBTEDLY CHANGED WITH A DEGREE OF VARIATION IN DIFFERENT SOCIETIES. THE CREATOR SENT MESSENGERS WITH MESSAGES AND THE FINAL MESSAGE WITH THE MESSENGER, PROPHET MUHAMMED (PEACE AND BLESSINGS BE UPON HIM). THIS FINAL DIVINE MESSAGE, INTRODUCED TO MANKIND AS 'ISLAM OR THE QURAN', IS ETERNAL AND THUS THE CHANGE MUST COME FROM THIS ETERNAL REPOSITORY OF KNOWLEDGE AND WISDOM. 

THE WESTERN SOCIETIES SEEM TO HAVE DEVELOPED AN INTENSE INTEREST IN ISLAM. ALTHOUGH THEIR MOTIVATIONS MAY VARY, THEY PRIMARILY SEEM TO BE 'ECONOMIC'. WHEN STOCK MARKETS AROUND THE WORLD RAPIDLY RISE OR FALL, NEWS MEDIA INVITE THE PUBLIC TO EXAMINE CONDITIONS IN DIFFERENT NATIONS. BEFORE THE MARKET OPENS IN NEW YORK OR IN LONDON, THE ATTENTION OF TRADERS AND THE PUBLIC IS FOCUSED ON THEIR SCREENS TO WATCH PRICES OF STOCKS, BONDS, COMMODITIES, AND CURRENCIES CHANGE IN OTHER MARKETS. SUCH CHANGES THEN MAKE A TRADER IN CHICAGO AND AN ENTREPRENEUR IN JAKARTA, RICHER OR POORER, INSTANTLY. BOTH ARE THEN ASTOUNDED TO REALISE THAT THERE IS IN FACT 'ONE FINANCIAL WORLD'!

ANOTHER MOTIVATOR FOR THE WEST TO STUDY ISLAM SEEMS TO HAVE STEMMED FROM THE LIKES OF SAMUEL HUNTINGTON, WHO CLAIMS THAT THE WHOLE WORLD WILL SOON BE DIVIDED IN JUST TWO 'CIVILISATIONS',

ISLAM & CHRISTIANITY AND THAT THEY WILL CLASH. AS AN ACCLAIMED SOCIOLOGIST OF THE WEST, HE COMMANDS A SIZEABLE FOLLOWING IN THE SPHERES OF INFLUENCE AND SEEMS TO HAVE ALSO ACCELERATED HIS QUEST TO KNOW THIS OTHER CIVILISATION.

IN ADDITION TO THE SOCIO-ECONOMICAL-POLITICAL REASONS, THE STUDENTS AND ACADEMIA ARE ALSO TRYING TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND THE SPIRIT OF INQUIRY THAT LED INTELLECTUALS SUCH AS IBN SINA (AVICENNA) AND IBN RAZI (AVERROS) FOR THEIR MONUMENTAL CONTRIBUTIONS. THE WHOLE ENTERPRISE OF COMPARATIVE RELIGION STUDIES HAS BECOME AN ENTIRELY INDEPENDENT DISCIPLINE. IN A SINGLE CLASSROOM AT ALMOST ANY COLLEGE OR UNIVERSITY, STUDENTS FROM TWO OR MORE RELIGIONS CAN BE FOUND EXPLAINING THEIR BELIEFS TO EACH OTHER.

WHILE MUSLIMS CONTINUE TO FURTHER THE UNDERSTANDING OF THEIR OWN FAITH, THE PURSUIT TO UNDERSTAND OTHERS MUST NOT BE IGNORED. SOME MUSLIM WRITERS ARE ATTEMPTING TO DEVELOP ORIGINAL LITERATURE IN ENGLISH ABOUT NON-ISLAMIC FAITHS AND ISLAM IN THE WEST. STUDY OF SUCH ORIGINAL WORKS AND AN ATTEMPT TO UNDERSTAND OTHERS WOULD GO A LONG WAY. IT IS IN THE PURSUIT OF THAT UNDERSTANDING THAT WE CAN EFFECTIVELY CONVEY THE MESSAGE TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN AND TO THOSE WHO ARE OPEN TO EXPLORE AND UNDERSTAND THE TRUTH, WHATEVER THEIR MOTIVATIONS MAY BE. WE ARE OBLIGATED TO CONVEY AND THE ONE GOD OF ALL PEOPLE HAS OBLIGATED HIMSELF TO GUIDE THOSE WHO SINCERELY SEEK TO BE GUIDED.

CHANGE IS INEVITABLE. IT WILL HAPPEN WITH US OR WITHOUT US. IT IS UP TO US TO PARTAKE IN THE PROCESS OF THESE HISTORIC TIMES WHEN THE WORLD IS CALLING UPON PEOPLE OF ONE GOD TO TAKE CHARGE. LET US SAY BISMILLAH AND BEGIN THE MARCH TO CHANGE OURSELVES AND THE WORLD IN THE PROCESS. LET US DO OUR VERY BEST IN OUR OWN WAYS EVERYWHERE. LET EVERYTHING WE TOUCH, FEEL AND SENSE EMANATE THE BEAUTY OF ISLAM, INSHA-ALLAH.