The Muslim Dilemma
by Mahmud S. Dean Aziz
Foreword
As Salam O Alaikum Wa Rahamutullah Wa Barakat
I extend the Islamic greeting of peace and pray that the love and choicest blessings of the Creator will always be showered in abundance upon you. This publication promotes Islam as ‘a way of life’ that embraces every facet of human activity in a progressive society. Islam is supported by five pillars the first and foremost being Imaan — Faith in one God, Allah Subhanna wa Taala. He is Sovereign and the heavens and the earth are his Dominions. His Divine Guidance in the Holy Quran gives man the basic knowledge to know, love and obey Him. It lights up the pathway for man to travel in safety towards his destiny. It enables man to seek and find abundant happiness and lasting spiritual fulfillment as he journeys through life serving mankind for the pleasure of the Creator.
Because we live in a world that has become hostile to the Islamic Faith every believer has a responsibility to engage in some damage control to erase the cause. Muslims should at all times be prepared to highlight and present Quranic injunctions that will encourage and promote good relationship between the believer and the non-believer. Islam can triumph as the panacea for the ills of our contemporary society if we publicly condemn the bigotry and fanaticism of the many radical groups and cults who volunteer to give edicts and speak in the name of Islam. Muslims today must take Islam out of the arid desert of the seventh century and bring it into the fertile valleys of the twenty-first century. They must enter the new age of communication and secure a berth in the frontline of progress to be able to participate on an equal basis with those of other faiths who are engaged with the future development of our society.
In the pursuit of righteous living Muslims have confined their Faith to daily prayers and the annual fast in the Holy Month of Ramadan. They have overlooked the fact that Islam is ‘a way of life’ that goes beyond these limitations. The Holy Quran, Chapter 2, verse 177 states:
لَیۡسَ الۡبِرَّ اَنۡ تُوَلُّوۡا وُجُوۡہَکُمۡ قِبَلَ الۡمَشۡرِقِ وَ الۡمَغۡرِبِ وَ لٰکِنَّ الۡبِرَّ مَنۡ اٰمَنَ بِاللّٰہِ وَ الۡیَوۡمِ الۡاٰخِرِ وَ الۡمَلٰٓئِکَۃِ وَ الۡکِتٰبِ وَ النَّبِیّٖنَ ۚ وَ اٰتَی الۡمَالَ عَلٰی حُبِّہٖ ذَوِی الۡقُرۡبٰی وَ الۡیَتٰمٰی وَ الۡمَسٰکِیۡنَ وَ ابۡنَ السَّبِیۡلِ ۙ وَ السَّآئِلِیۡنَ وَ فِی الرِّقَابِ ۚ وَ اَقَامَ الصَّلٰوۃَ وَ اٰتَی الزَّکٰوۃَ ۚ وَ الۡمُوۡفُوۡنَ بِعَہۡدِہِمۡ اِذَا عٰہَدُوۡا ۚ وَ الصّٰبِرِیۡنَ فِی الۡبَاۡسَآءِ وَ الضَّرَّآءِ وَ حِیۡنَ الۡبَاۡسِ ؕ اُولٰٓئِکَ الَّذِیۡنَ صَدَقُوۡا ؕ وَ اُولٰٓئِکَ ہُمُ الۡمُتَّقُوۡنَ ﴿۱۷۷﴾
“It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards east or west; but it is righteousness to believe in Allah and the Last Day, and the Angels, and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your substance out of love for God for your kin folks, for orphans, for needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer; and practice regular charity, to fulfill the contracts which you have entered into; and to be firm and patient in times of personal pain, adversity and throughout all periods of distress. Such are the people of truth and these are the God-fearing.” [The Holy Quran, 2:177]
Muslims have placed themselves in a time warp and must take positive action to escape and be free from this dilemma. This publication is a compilation of some essays on current topics with a few suggestions for all concerned Muslims to consider and use in their personal or group efforts to erase the misrepresentations and propaganda against Islam. This publication comes to you with the compliments of the Abdul Aziz Trust. May Allah (swt) bless the humble effort.
Mahmud S. Dean Aziz LL.B (Hon)
Attorney at Law — Legal Adviser
November 25, 2004