The world today stands in an abyss of exploitation, chaos and despair such as has never previously been witnessed. We see around us a situation dominated by the strong oppressing the weak, the rich exploiting the poor and the ignorant ruling the enlightened. The mess humanity face is a result of one thing - the absence of Islam; from the hearts and minds of people, and the systems which regulate their lives.
This state of affairs is epitomised in the Western world, whose inner city streets are characterised by affluence and homelessness in the same stretch of road. While some people drive luxury cars and live in penthouses, others have to scavenge in dustbins for food to eat. Old people can be seen wandering the streets with no money, selling their possessions just to raise enough money for a cup of tea. The control of basic necessities like water, gas and electricity lie in the hands of greedy individuals and companies, who charge exorbitantly for their services. These are all consequences of gross mis-management at a governmental level.
Indeed, corruption and exploitation in the political arena has become the norm throughout the world, even moreso in the so called ‘Muslim’ countries with their puppet rulers. Here, poverty is ubiquitous, and starvation, political oppression and crime have become like a way of life. Politicians lie and cheat in order to dupe the people into supporting them, while hiding their real ambitions of personal gain and the quest for power. Their concern for the welfare of the masses, with very few exceptions, is directed by their desire to maintain the status quo which they have created.
On a social level, we see that humanity has dragged itself to lower levels then ever before. It has come to the point where things which were once seen as abominations, such as homosexuality, prostitution and drug abuse, are openly tolerated and in some nations are even perfectly legal.
Sadly, this type of degenerate behaviour can be seen all across the globe. The shallowness and destructive nature of the Western Capitalist way of life, which has become the role model and the absolute standard by which the whole world judges its level of ‘civilisation’, is producing nothing but misery for mankind, the environment and even the animals.
Yet the arrogance of those who control the agenda - the governments, the politicians the media etc. knows no bounds. They justify their actions under the guise of slogans such as ‘democracy’ and ‘freedom’, which as we shall come to see, hold no reality and do not stand up to the test of reason. To cover up their tracks, those in authority have endeavoured to befog the minds of the masses, to prevent them from acknowledging the reality of the mess and decline around them. The problems of society are glossed over with a shallow, non-thinking mentality of cheap escapism and consumer gratification. Hence, the pre-occupation with films, sports, national lotteries, music and so on. These all exist to ensure that the people do not have the time, or the inclination, to contemplate the reality of their surroundings.
In fact, it is the nature of kufr, to promote falsehood and disguise the truth. The illusions and deceptions of modern day society are no different to those which were encountered by the prophets and messengers throughout time. All the prophets of Allah (swt), culminating in the last messenger Muhammad (saw) came to expose and destroy falsehood and to establish the truth.
In the time of Moses (as) we see that the Pharaoh used his court magicians with their magic tricks to enslave and subjugate the people, by deluding them into thinking that he was invincible, and had god-like authority. Allah (swt) said,
“They bewitched the eyes of the people and struck terror into them for they showed a great (feat) of magic.” [TMQ 7:116]
Moses (as) destroyed their falsehood with the staff that Allah (swt) provided him. Allah (swt) says,
“And we inspired Moses (saying) : Throw thy staff! And lo! it swallowed up their lying show. Thus the Truth was vindicated and that which they were doing was made vain.” [TMQ 7:117]
Today’s Pharaohs’ magicians are reborn as idols, pop and film stars and politicians who have the audacity to propagate the corrupted and exploitative Capitalist political thought. Their glossy words and cosmetic, superficial ideas try to hide the crumbling walls of a manmade, non- Islamic way of life.