An-Nahdah
(The revival): As we have said An-Nahdah is a modern Istilaah (terminology) and
has been put down to express a specific reality which is the moving of a nation
or people or individual from one condition to a better condition. However what
condition do we mean? It has become evident to us that the abundance of
educated people and graduates, the increase in wealth or resources and the existence
of many affluent people does not mean (the realisation of) Nahdah? Therefore
what is this transformation or moving whose existence is an expression of the
existence of Nahdah within a nation, people or individual?
This
is the crux of the matter to determine that which distinguishes one nation from
another. And what is the difference between a revived people and a declined
people? What is the measurement that distinguishes between a revived person and
a low or declined one? What distinguishes one individual from another whilst
both of them are human enjoying the same faculties and specificities and both
of them strive to fulfil their needs and satisfy their hungers? Despite this we
describe one as being an elevated person and the other declined whilst paying
no regard at all to his outer appearance, the size and shape of his body or the
colour of his skin. Having said that we are certain that the judgement that we
have made upon them is a correct judgement and that it is a true judgment upon
that is applied upon the person’s reality.
This
is because we do not judge him except after witnessing his conduct and after we
have seen his behaviours and interacted and dealt with him. So that we do not
pronounce a haphazard judgment upon him and do not describe him falsely then
his conduct, the manner that he regulates his relationships and proceeds in
life is the mirror that makes evident his true reality and it is the definite
proof that we rely upon in making our judgment. In this way we are able to
describe the people as being elevated or declined built upon their conducts and
behaviours and this description would then be applicable upon the person’s
reality without excess or negligence. It is possible that we read the works of
a certain author, or hear the speeches of another, or listen to a lecture of a
lecturer or sit in a gathering of a certain person and as a result we could be
enchanted by these writings or our hearts affected by these speeches. We could also
denounce what came in the lecture or condemn what was mentioned in certain
discussions however despite this we are not able to describe him from what we
have heard from him or read from him.
Rather
we describe what we heard and what we read so the description is for the
lecture and not the lecturer or the talk and not the speaker. As for the
description of the lecturer, author and speaker then this is not arrived at
unless we see or witness from his behaviours, conduct and actions that which
allows us to make a judgement upon him. As such the one who defined Imaan
(belief) as: ‘The belief in the gardens (Janaan), the pronouncement with the
tongue (Lisaan) and the acting according to the Arkaan (fundamentals)’ or as:
‘That which is pronounced by the tongue and affirmed by the acts’. This is because
the definite proof and true mirror applying upon his image in its true reality
is that which is reflected in his conduct, behaviours and actions and none
other than these. As for the statements and written works then these represent
no more than an indication that acts as an incentive to monitor or follow up
upon that person to understand his true reality. Allah (swt) states: And of the
people is he whose speech pleas es you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to
witness as to what is in his heart, yet he is the fiercest of opponents.
And
when he goes away, he strives throughout the land to cause corruption therein and
destroy crops and animals. And Allah does not like corruption (Al-Baqarah 204-205).
And He (swt) said: They say with their tongues that which is not in their
hearts (Al-Fath 11). And He (swt) said: O you who believe! Why do you say that
which you do not do (As-Saff 2). As for confirming and verifying the true
reality then Allah (swt) said: And say: Perform acts for Allah will see your
deeds, and [so, will] His Messenger and the believers. (At -Taubah 105). As for
passing judgement over speeches that we have heard, articles and books that we
have read and discussions that we have listened to then these represent a
collection of thoughts which are judged according to the manner that thoughts
are judged.
Thoughts have specific rulings, principles and
criteria that allow the correct thought to be distinguished from the thought
that holds no value and for the shallow thought to be distinguished from the
deep thought. Therefore when we pass judgement on a book, article or lecture we
do not pay attention to the person giving the lecture or the writer but rather
we pay attention to the thoughts and concepts that he has produced in terms of
the words and meanings and without being affected in the least by the
personality of the writer and knowing him. We make a judgement upon these
thoughts and concepts built upon solid criteria and specific principles which
exist specifically to understand the truthfulness of ideas and concepts and
their correctness. Therefore the judgement upon a person is not arrived at
except by knowing his conduct and behaviours and the judgement upon a person in
terms of being elevated or declined would be judged through his behaviour which
is different from the judgement that is made upon beliefs, thoughts, concepts
and news. That which applies to the individual also applies upon the society because
the society is a group of people who have permanent relationships that exist
between them.
These
permanent or continuous relationships is what transforms this group of people
into a society and without them the group would have remained merely a collection
of individuals like those found travelling together on a journey on a ship who
are not called a society. The importance is therefore placed upon these
relationships and the judgement upon the society is based upon these permanent
relationships and it is not based upon suffering and deprivation or the
enjoyment of riches and luxuries that are present. So the relationships are the
true mirror that reflects the true reality of the society and it is these that
regulate the life of the people and by which the customs and traditions are defined.
By examining these relationships and taking note of how the people conduct
themselves in accordance to these relationships and their interests then we
make a judgement upon the society in terms of the society being sound or
degenerate so that we can ascertain that the society is elevated or declined.
In this evaluation there is no place for considering the abundance of the
educated, cultured and graduates or the growth in trade and industry, or
economic flourishing and the existence of obscene riches.
Rather
the consideration rests in the foundations that have made the society a society
meaning that the consideration lies in the thoughts and concepts that dominate
the society and by which the people’s interests are arranged in accordance
with. This is in addition to the sentiments of displeasure and contentment that
these thoughts and emotions have generated and the values and high example that
the people believe in, and then the general system that regulates these relationships,
organises them and preserves that which the people have agreed upon. In this
way the relationships represent the true mirror that makes clear the true
reality of the society and the description of the society would be built upon
that perceived reality as a true description. Therefore if there was harmony
between the public or general custom and the system where the thoughts and sentiments
were the same as the system we would say: This society is harmonious and that
there is complete harmony between the citizens and those responsible for the
citizen’s affairs.
And if the relationships were good and the
sentiments were good, the values high representing a high example and that
those responsible took care of these affairs, then we would say: ‘This society
is an enlightened one and it is a revived society’. The opposite is also true
with a society where the relationships are in conflict and contradictory, the
thoughts are scattered and fragmented built on a dull sensation and differing
sentiments which hold hatred towards the regime and undermine it, the people
are ruled by iron and fire, the mouths are gagged, necks are tied and sources
of sustenance are cut and where selfishness and apathy dominate.
In this case how would we describe such a
society? This is the reality of all of the societies in our Islamic world
irrespective of what they contain in terms of universities, colleges,
educational institutes and schools and regardless of what these societies
possess in terms of numbers of educated people, graduates and those holding
higher educational certification, and irrespective of what Allah (swt) has
bestowed upon these lands in terms of natural resources and riches. Regardless
of all of this, these lands are still called the third world and the people are
described as being backward. The examples for this are many and clear. There is
not a natural resource or treasure except that we have a lion’s share of it. So
we have oil, natural gas, various minerals that are beneath the earth, agriculture
and cattle in their many forms, a plentiful supply of sources of energy, onyx
and marble amongst other valuable rocks and materials in addition to much more
that Allah (swt) has bestowed upon us, all of which no other nation or people
possess the like of.
On
top of this we have a huge working man force and a large number of them carry
certificates and are specialists in every field but have been driven to fill
vacancies all over the world, whilst seeking a living and dignified life. We
have all of this and yet the reality of these societies has not changed in the
least and they have not elevated to a fitting level. Indeed they remain in the
abyss of decline and have reached rock bottom or near rock bottom. All of this
is because these matters do not represent the basis of revival or the basis by
which a society moves from a condition to a better condition and state, and because
these do not reflect the basis upon which a society is established. They do not
represent the components of a society because the formation of a society rests
upon its components and the components of the society are the bases that the
permanent relationships are built upon and what regulate them.
As
such the formation of the society rests upon the knowledge of what it contains in
terms of thoughts and concepts, and what emanates from these in terms of
sentiments and values. Following this is the knowledge of that which regulates
the relationships in terms of systems and laws. There is no relation in this to
the natural resources or other matters in regards to the formation of the
society and in relation to explaining its values and the level that it has
reached in terms of elevation or decline. And by taking a close look to these
societies which exist in our Islamic world we find that in addition to the
intellectual decline, dull sensation and contradictions within the people as a
result of attempting to reconcile between that which exists within the people and
that which regulates their relationships, and the poisoning of their thoughts
by the Western thoughts, in addition to all of this there is a difference or
contradiction in relation to the system that is applied upon them which has
made anxiety and confliction the basis of their lives.
This
has led to those who are in charge of implementing the system to resort to
suppression and force by use of iron and fire to compel the people to submit to
the system and to run their relationships and conducts in accordance to the
laws that have been enforced upon them despite being contrary to their Aqeedah and
thought. The people then began resorting to hypocrisy, desperate measures,
plotting, weaving conspiracies or even seeking assistance from Shaytaan to get
rid of the situation they found themselves in and to remove their dominance
over them. The situation (today) remains the same in terms of domesticating and
taming the people and humiliating them until they accept that which is
implemented upon them. This is the reality that the societies in our Islamic
world are suffering from, corruption and confliction in the thoughts, weakness
in sensation and differing sentiments or emotions with hostility existing
between the people and the regime, so that those in authority became the number
one enemy to the masses.
How
do we view this reality in relation to the statement of the Messenger (saw): Verily
the Imaam alone is the shield, he is fought behind and protection is found in
him. (Muslim, Al-Bukhaari, Abu Daawood and An-Nasaa’iy). And his statement
(saw): The best of your Imaams are those whom you love and they love you, you
make supplication for them and they make supplication upon you. The worst of
your Imaams are those you hate and they hate you, and you curse them and they
curse you. (Muslim, At-Tirmidhi and Ad-Darami). Al-Insaan (the human being): This
study concerns the human and understanding his level of elevation or decline
and the way of ascertaining that emanates from his actions and behaviours
whether this applies upon an individual or a group, as the study relates to the
human in his capacity as a human being. Therefore it is essential to understand
this human upon his true reality, so that we can know when he is declined and
when he is elevated.
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