An equally dangerous conception if not more so is the idea that we should seek to only perfect ourselves and this will somehow lead to a radical change in the systems that are being implemented by the state. This is in direct contradiction with the call for the Khilafah and is in direct violation of the Shari’ah rules. They are also in direct contradiction with the very message of Islam and the aim for which Allah sent down the Deen to Muhammad (saw), which came to dominate over all other ways of life.

Islam was revealed to the Messenger Muhammad (saw) and he conveyed it to the people. He did not have in him even a tiny amount of selfishness as he sacrificed all to carry the Da’awah to the people. For none of us would even have smelt the sweetness of Islam had it not been for the Da’awah that came before us. The Sahabah had the best teacher who cultured them with the correct understanding of Islam. They likewise carried Islam to people through their sacrifice in the Da’awah, the fruits of which we witness today.

Among the most dangerous ideas which has affected the Muslims and made them shun the Da’awah for Islam, is to look down upon those who work to keep the Munkar out of society, and hold in high esteem those who do not concern themselves with other than the perfection of their own Iman.

In fact how could a person’s Iman be perfected if he only had Iman in part of what Allah revealed. Whose Iman is perfected who believes in the prayer and is motivated by it but disbelieves in the Zakah and so does not pay it? Allah condemns the ‘picking and choosing’ from his Deen. He says:

“Then is it only a part of the Book that ye believe in and do ye reject the rest? But what is the reward for those among you who behave like this but disgrace in this life? and on the Day of Judgment they shall be consigned to the most grievous penalty. For Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.” (TMQ al-Baqarah, verse 85)

So how can it be that some Muslims today can emphasise only some aspects of the Islamic Shari’ah and bring excuses to neglect the rest of Allah’s Deen, particularly anything that is more than just individual Ibadah.

To claim that Muslims can improve their situation by isolating themselves from the affairs of society is false. Equally false is the notion that Muslims should just encourage each other to improve the individual personal actions to perfection before starting to discuss the affairs of society. These claims help the Kuffar to control the Muslims as we remain weak, never able to control our own affairs as we remain ignorant of how to manage them and defeat the Kuffar’s conspiracies against us.

“And fear the Fitna (affliction, trial) which affects not in particular (only) those of you who do wrong, and know that Allah is Severe in punishment” (TMQ al-Anfal, verse 25)

The idea that Muslims should neglect calling the society to implement the Islamic rules in favour of performing individual Ibadah is warned of in this Hadith, as the selfish individualistic people do nothing to prevent the evil, but vainly concentrate on their own piety instead.

The Messenger of Allah (saw) was asked: “Will we be destroyed while there are righteous people amongst us?” He replied: “Yes, when the evil becomes great”.

The Prophet (saw) said, “Any people amongst whom disobedience occurs, and they do not change it, are not more honoured and more secure than the sinners from the punishment of Allah sweeping them”.

Ahmad and Tabarani narrated on the authority of Udai ibn Umairah that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said: “Allah does not punish the general public because of the wrong doing of specific people until they see the evil (committed) among them while able to stop it and they do not. If they do that, Allah will punish the specific people and the general public”.

Abu Dawud has narrated on the authority of Qays ibn Abi Hazm: “After Abu Bakr had glorified and praised Allah, he said: O people! You read this Ayah but you do not understand it:

“O you who believe! Guard your own souls: If you follow the right guidance none can hurt you from those who have gone astray” (TMQ al-Maida:105)

‘I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: “The people when they see the tyrant and do not restrain his hands, Allah will be about to punish them all”. And I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say: “Any people amongst whom sins are committed, and they could change them but they did not (change), Allah will be about to bring a punishment which engulfs all.” [Abu Dawud: Book of Battles/3775]

And this is how Abu Bakr al-Siddeeq (ra) had understood the importance of obeying Allah in this matter of speaking about the rulers who corrupt the society. Did Muhammad (saw) not tell us to take the example of the Sahabah as they were the best generation?

The Messenger Muhammad (saw) said: “The example of the person abiding by Allah’s order and restrictions in comparison to those who violate them is like the example of those persons who drew lots for their seats in a boat. Some of them get seats in the upper deck, and the others in the lower. When the latter needed water, they had to go up to bring water (and that troubled the others), so they said, ‘Let us make a hole in our share of the ship (and get water) saving those who are above us from troubling them’. So, if the people in the upper deck left the others to do what they had suggested, all the people of the ship would be destroyed, but if they prevented them, both parties would be safe” [Bukhari]

This shows the nature of ensuring that Islam is applied in the society and that is the means of protecting oneself and ensuring that the Deen survives. Hence the political mentality is something that every Muslim is required to possess and realise that he is responsible for looking after the affairs of the believers. This understanding is in direct contradiction with the corrupt concept of individual change only as the means of creating the revival in the Islamic Ummah.

The Messenger (saw) said, “There will be leaders over you, (who will do things) you recognise (as part of the Deen), and things you don’t recognise. Whoever recognised he would be relieved (of sin), and whoever denied (the wrong), he would be safe”.

Ahmad narrated on the authority of Abu Bakrah that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “If the people see the Munkar (evil, wrong doing) and they do not change it, Allah will take them with a punishment”.

How could we think that we would become better when Al-Bazzar and Tabarani narrated on the authority of Abu Hurayrah that the Messenger of Allah (saw) said, “You shall enjoin good and you shall forbid munkar, or Allah will empower on you the evil ones, then your best ones will call upon Allah and He shall not respond”.

Even this Hadith shows the error of the most pious people who neglect to command good and forbid evil and change the society.

Ibn Majah on the authority of Abu Saeed, Ahmad, Ibn Majah and Tabarani and Baihaqi on the authority of Abu Umamah, Ahmad and Nisa’i on the authority of the Tabi’, Tariq ibn Shihab all narrated that the Messenger (saw) said : “The best of Jihad is a word of truth in the face of a tyrant ruler”.

Imam al-Khateeb narrated in his book, History, and Imam Al-Khattabee narrated that Umar ibn Al-Khattab (ra) said: “By Allah,what Allah protects and prevents by the ruler is greater than what he will protect and prevents by the Qur’an”. May Allah be pleased with him. (The Hadith of Al-Khateeb is Narration number 14284 in Kanz ul Ummal by Al-Muttaqi Al-Hindi)

Al-Baihaqi narrated on the authority of Ali (ra) that he said “the people will not be straightened except by an Imam (Khaleefah) whether he is good or bad”. (Narration number 14286 in Kanz Ul Ummal)

Bukhari narrated on the authority of Qays ibn Abi Hazim that Abu Bakr (ra) entered on a woman from the people of Ahmas named Zainab. She said “Until when will we stay on this good matter (Islam) which Allah brought after the times of ignorance ?”. Abu Bakr said “as long as your rulers straighten on it”. May Allah be pleased with him. (Hadith number 2068 in Jami’al Usul by Ibn Al-Atheer.)

Al-Darmi narrated on the authority of Hayya ibnu Abi Hayya. She said...O slave of Allah (Abu Bakr): Until when will the ruling of Islam be like this? He said: “As long as your rulers straighten you”. (Ibn Katheer said this isnad (chain) is hasan and good)

Abu Nu’aim narrated in his book “Hulyat Al-Awaliya’” on the authority of Abdullah ibn Umar, who said “The people in the Ummah will not suffer even if they were oppressors and sinful, if the rulers were guided and were guiding. But the people in the Ummah will suffer and perish even if they were guided and were guiding if the rulers were oppressors and sinful”. May Allah be pleased with him.

Hence the Muslims should know that they are the guardians of the Ummah and that is the means of guarding themselves. There is no conception of individualism in Islam rather this is alien to the Islamic Ummah.

In fact it would keep the Ummah from realising the vital issue and re-establishing Khilafah and focus them purely around themselves. This is an extremely dangerous concept that in actuality would serve as an obstacle in the resumption of the Khilafah and would delay the Ummah from working for it.

Simply put how can someone create political change without working for it? How can we abandon the Ahkam connected to changing the evil that we see and accounting the rulers? How can we abandon working for the Khilafah and neglecting a portion of the Shari’ah rules?

Hence it becomes necessary to understand the Islamic methodology for establishing the Khilafah i.e. what has the Shari’ah rules laid down for the Muslim Ummah to follow in her quest to re-establish the Khilafah and bring the Deen of Islam back into life’s affairs.