Islam - Only Its Name
  Qur'aan - Only Its Text

"Say (O Muhammad!) If you love then follow me (i.e Muhammad) [Qur'aan]

“There will dawn an age over people when there will remain nothing of Islam but its name and nothing of the Qura’aan but its text.” [Hadith}

Islam is the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sunnah is Islam. Obedience to Allah Ta'ala is only via the avenue of obedience to the Rasool (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam). This avenue is termed the Sunnah. In the aforementioned aayat, the Qur'aan Majeed indicates clearly that without submission to the Sunnah of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam), love for Allah Ta'ala is not possible.

The Hadith cited above has attained full materialization in this present age. In view of the almost complete abandonment of the Sunnah. there remains nothing of Islam but its name and nothing of the Qur'aan other than its text. Everyone of the millions related to the Ummah of Islam claims to be Muslim. Everyone raises the slogan of Islam and everyone recites the Qur'aan. But. most Muslims know Islam only by name and are aware of only the text of the Qur'aan. The Sunnah is viewed as an alien concept, hence modernists and deviates present a plethora of baseless and satanic arguments to denigrate and refute the Sunnah practices and Sunnah attitudes which have come down in the Ummah from Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

Even Ulama have fallen prey to the inroads and impact of westemism and modernism. They too have become apologetic in their attitude towards the Sunnah. While the Ulama pursue Islamic knowledge, they possess only the external shadow. They acquaint themselves merely with the text. The spirit and the Noor of Ilm are not sought and never acquired because of the disease of aversion for Taqwa. Even among the learned the 'old' Sunnah practices and Taqwa are deemed to be misfits in this modern kufr society. It is for this reason that the Ulama have lost their bearings and are following public opinion. They take their cue from die masses.

The concept of the Sunnah is not restricted to acts of Ibaadat. Along with the masaa-il in the various departments of the Shariah, there are the attitudes of the Sunnah which the Mu’min has to incumbently introduce into his daily life regardless of the fiqhi (juristic) designation ascribed to the attitude or rule. Whether an act be Sunnatul Muakkadah or Mustahab, in so far as practical life is concerned, there has to be strictness in observance of all the actions and etiquettes of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) and the Sahaabah. The fiqhi categorization of the Ahkaam is not a license for laxity in practical life. Laxity and neglect are die products of deficiency in Imaan and weakness in love for Allah and His Rasool (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam).

The Sunnah or the lifestyle of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) has to be necessarily introduced in every dimension of the Muslim's life. The Sunnah attitudes should permeate Ibaadat, (Acts of Worship), social conduct, trade and commerce and all activities of the Muslim. In business, a Muslim is not allowed to assume the form of a hard-hearted money-seeker like a Yahudi. In war he is not expected to become a savage like the Kuffaar motivated by lust and greed. The attitudes of the Sunnah such as kindness, mercy, generosity and chivalry have to be displayed in all his activities.

The Sunnah demands that die entire life of the Muslim be devoted to Allah Ta'ala, even the mundane aspects of his pursuits. In this regard the Qur'aan says:

"Say (O Muhammad]) Verily, my Salaat, my sacrifice, my life and my death are for Allah. "

When everything of the Mu'min is for Allah Ta'ala, it devolves as an incumbent duty on him to search for the Sunnah methods and attitudes which he has to introduce in every sphere of his life. His involvement in trade and commerce is not solely for earning a living. Rizq is predetermined and sealed. Rizq is the responsibility of Allah Ta'ala. The Mu'min pursues his Rizq in view of such pursuit being a command of the Shariah. He therefore is under obligation to ensure that his operations are always subservient to the Shariah and adorned with the attitudes and etiquettes of the Sunnah.

Since Muslims have fallen headlong in an abyss of kufr emulation, the Sunnah appears strange and queer to them. They no longer can understand the meaning of Rizq being the responsibility of Allah Ta'ala, hence the numerous exercises to prove all the haraam methods of the kuffaar to be halaal.

The Ulama
While the Sunnah advocates caution, abstinence and piety, the nafs desires fulfillment and satiation for its dictates of greed and lust. Thus, we find even learned men who are supposed to lead the masses opening up wide avenues of corruption to allow the nafs to fully express its dictates. We therefore find the Ulama involving themselves in a spiritually destructive occupation of selling halaal certificates to addict Muslims to eating pies, chickens and other meat products processed by kuffaar. hi so doing they have sold their honour, betrayed their Ilm and abandoned their Office of Guardianship of Islam. Instead of being concerned with the Aqaaid and A'maal of the Ummah, they concern themselves with halaal certificates to bolster the commercial and monetary interests of kuffaar entrepreneurs. Instead of combating kufr, baatil, dhalaal and bid'ah in the way and manner of the illustrious Salf-e-Saaliheen, they emulate the styles of the kuffaar and waste their time and the money of the community in stupid radio stations deceiving themselves regarding the worth or worthlessness of their methods. Since they have lost sight of the Sunnah, they cannot see and comprehend the glitter and efficacy of the methods of the Salf-e-Saaliheen.

Only in Name
That Islam today exists only in name in most claimants of Islam is an undeniable reality. The recent anti-drug disturbances in the country are abundant testimony for this reality. The un-Islamic methods and activity perpetrated by Muslims in the name of Islam and under the slogans of 'Allahu Akbar' very conspicuously displayed that only the name of Islam remains. In appearance and demeanour the 'Allahu Akbar' slogan-shouters were no different from the gangsters involved in drugs and crime. The tactics employed by those who so vociferously laid claims to Islam are no different from the tactics of the drug lords and gangsters. While this despicable condition prevails among the masses, a more lamentable situation prevails in the ranks of certain Muslims who overtly align themselves with the Ulama Fraternity. In a Transvaal city a group of Ulama so enamored by the haraam methods of ignorant masses, took to the streets after Jummaah Salaat. They too followed the ignorant like sheep to hand over a silly petition. To crown their disgrace, the following day they sat at the feet of a murtaddah (a female renegade) listening to her speech on crime. When those who claim to be Ulama have degenerated to this exceptionally low ebb of moral corruption and misdirection, then we are constrained to remind them of the following Hadith of Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam):

"The worst of creatures on earth will (in later times) be the Ulama. Fimah will initiate from them and return to them.... "

Instead of being the Roohaani guides of the Ummah, these Ulama-e-Soo' have become the followers of ignorant laymen who are operating under the aegis of sinister forces. In fact, these miserable learned men cannot be classified as Ulama. Whatever little relationship they had with Ilm-e-Deen has been cast overboard. When Ulama fail to seek guidance from the Shariah, what can be expected from ignorant masses who have long ago lost their Islamic bearings?

Nothing of Islam, nothing of the Sunnah remains in these miscreants -among the masses and among the Ulama fraternity - who are following the kuffaar into the 'lizards hole - in their mad stupor of emulation.

Direction in the Sunnah
There is the direction of the Haqq in the Sunnah for the Ummah in every facet of life. The Shariah has a solution for all our problems. When Muslims set aside the guidance of the Sunnah and follow stupidly and blindly in the footsteps of the kuffaar, adopting their ways, methods and attitudes, it should be clear that nothing remains of Islam but its name and nothing remains of the Qur'aan but its text. Those - laymen and Ulama (i.e. Ulama-e-soo' or evil Ulama) who loudly howl Islamic slogans, but follow the kuffaar in total abandonment of the Shariah and Sunnah are spiritually and morally bankrupt, hence they fail to recognise their relationship with Islam. The methods of criminals do not become Islamic when perpetrated under the slogan of 'Allahu Akbar'. In fact such perpetration in the name of Islam is blasphemy.

Spiritual Bankruptcy
The state of spiritual bankruptcy existing in the ranks of the Ummah can be eliminated only by a reversion to the Sunnah - the pure concept of the Sunnah - as was understood, propagated and practised by the Sahaabah and the Salf-e-Saaliheen. The introduction of the Sunnah in worship, social conduct, trade and commerce, etc., is the only remedy for the ills of the Ummah. It is the only method for the revitalisation of the sacred bond with Allah Ta'ala.
Moral and spiritual bankruptcy of the Ummah cannot be cured by-conferences organised by ignoramuses and modernists who lack in entirety in Deeni comprehension. When Ulama grace such gatherings of the Juhhaal. it speaks volumes for the dhalaal (deviation) of such Ulama.

Even in Ibaadaat
The Sunnah - its spirit and attitude - is lacking in even acts of pure ibaadat. The ibaadat which has suffered disastrously in this regard is the Hajj and Umrah. The demeanour of prospective Hujjaaj and of all those connected with the institution of Hajj is most despicable. The Hajj has become commercialised. Numerous persons proceeding for Hajj do so purely as a sight-seeing tour. It is for this reason that they cannot be bothered with the rules of Hajj. Their actions clearly demonstrate that they have no concern for the actual Ibaadat of Hajj. Leave alone the spirit and attitude of the Sunnah which should permeate every step and moment of the Hujjaaj, most of them are even ignorant of the Faraaidh without which the Hajj is not even valid.

The same attitude prevails in Salaat. While the majority of Muslims no longer perform the five Fardh Salaat regularly, those who do adhere to this institution are generally ignorant of the masaa-il of Salaat. And, those who are aware of the masaa-il, are wholly deficient and even wanting in the Sunnah attitude necessary for Salaat. This same situation of ignorance, indifference and neglect pertains to all acts of Ibaadat.

The Consequence of this Attitude
The consequence of this un-Islamic attitude of the Ummah is Allah's punishment which has been imposed over the Ummah mainly in the form of kuffaar domination. Since spiritual and moral apathy, lethargy and indifference have deeply set in all strata of the Ummah in the masses, among the Ulama, die muballigheen and the mujaahideen - the inevitable results are only disasters, reverses and domination of the kuffaar. Allah's aid cannot be with a community who has turned its back on HIM and is looking askance for guidance at the kuffaar. Rasulullah (Sallallahu alayhi wasallam) said:

"Whoever seeks the pleasure of Allah courting the displeasure of people (in the process to please Allah), Allah is sufficient for him. And, whoever seeks the pleasure of the people, courting the displeasure of Allah (in the process of pleasing people), Allah casts him to the people. "

The only solution for this floundering and corrupt Ummah of Islam is to revert to the Sunnah and seek its guidance from only the Shariah. It is not sufficient to proclaim that we are Muslims, go to Musjid on occasions of festivals and shout slogans. When the Sunnah has been introduced into our ibaadat, businesses, politics, social relationships and in every department of life, only then will the intoxication of kufr gripping the Ummah commence to dissipate and disappear. Only then will the Ummah be able to free itself from the shackles of serfdom with which the kuffaar have enchained us.

Allah Ta'ala says in the Qur'aan Majeed:

"O people of Imaan. If you follow the kuffaar, they will turn you on your heels (away from Islam). You will then return as losers (losing your honour and your Imaan). In fact, Allah is your friend and He is the best of helpers. "

For their success and victory Muslims are not in need of any alignment with kuffaar.

By Mujlisul Ulema of South Africa
Editorial-Awake-Ramadhan 1417
Volume 5 No 8