Mission of Muslim Ummah and Our Priorities

The Month of Ibrahim (AS)

This is the month in which our friends and relatives complete Hajj, commemorating the sacrifice offered by Ibrahim (AS). We link our faith back to Ibrahim, who represents the fountainhead of all the revealed, monotheistic religions of modern times. There are many facets of his life, but here we focus on speaking out against social evils.

The Struggles of Ibrahim (AS)

Old versus young — don't dwell in the past; learn from it to plan the present and the future.

• Looking at the stars, moon, and sun and rejecting them as divine (Al-An'am 6:74-78)
• Arguments with the tyrant king (Al-Baqara 2:258)
• Asking Allah to show him how He brings life from death (Al-Baqara 2:260)
• Destroying the idols (Al-Anbiya 21:58)
• Being thrown into the fire, and the fire cooling down (Al-Anbiya 21:69)
• Leaving his son and wife in the Makkah desert (Ibrahim 14:37)
• Being asked to sacrifice his son (As-Saffat 37:102)

The Mission of the Muslim Ummah

Allah gave us this name so that we become witnesses to humankind — witnesses by words and deeds, witnesses to Allah, not to any nationality, culture, race, color, or worldly gain, but only to Allah for the good of everyone.

We are reminded to pray regularly and give regular charity — not occasionally or however we feel, but in the way Allah wants us to, according to the Sunnah of His Prophet.

Finally, we are told to 'hold to Allah.' Holding on to the rope of Allah is holding on to His guidance, strictly following and obeying His commands — related to method and learning. Holding to Allah Himself is trusting His help, power, closeness, and love — personal, experiential, spiritual living rather than mere intellectual learning. As believers we should do both.

Allah is our mawla — our Protector, Guardian, Master, and Friend, the most excellent Mawla and the most excellent Nasir. We pray that we follow this mission of faith and goodness in our lives and bring goodness to the world. Ameen.

وَجَاهِدُوا فِي اللهَّ ِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِ هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَیْكُمْ فِي الدِّینِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِیكُمْ إِبْرَ اهِیمَ هُوَ سَمَّاكُمُ الْمُسْلِمینَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِي هَـذَا لِیَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ شَهِیدًا عَلَیْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ فَأَقِیمُوا الصَّلاَةَ وَآتُوا الزَّكَاةَ وَاعْتَصِ مُوا بِاللهَّ ِ هُوَ مَوْلاَ كُمْ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلَى وَنِعْمَ النَّصِ یرُ

“78. And strive for Allah, with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you, and has not burdened you in religion — the faith of your father Abraham. It is he who named you Muslims before, and in this. So that the Messenger may be a witness over you, and you may be witnesses over the people. So pray regularly, and give regular charity, and hold fast to Allah. He is your Protector. What an excellent Protector, and what an excellent Helper.”

Al-Hajj 22:78

Our Mission in Modern Times

It is time for action. We are living in strange times — everything America stands for is going down the drain, with open racism, immorality, and injustice. What are we as Muslims to do? Learn from the life of Ibrahim (AS).

There is both amr bil ma'roof (enjoining good) and nahi anil munkar (forbidding evil). We sometimes only concentrate on calling to good, as it is easier, and ignore the second part, forbidding evil.

The Danger of Not Forbidding Evil

If we stay silent, the punishment falls on all. If we do not preach, advise, enjoin good, and forbid evil, the curse of Allah can fall upon us.

وَاتَّقُواْ فِتْنَةً لاَّ تُصِ یبَنَّ الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنكُمْ خَآصَّةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللهَّ َ شَدِیدُ الْعِقَابِ

“And be afraid of a trial which if it were to fall upon you would certainly not fall exclusively upon the evildoers among you but would encompass them and others, and know that Allah is severe in retribution against those who oppose Him.”

Al-Anfal 8:25

Best of Nations

كُنتُمْ خَیْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِ جَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللهَّ ِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَیْرً ا لَّهُم مِّنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَكْثَرُ هُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

“You are the best community brought forth for men according to Allah's knowledge, enjoining good and forbidding evil, and believing in Allah. Had the People of the Scripture believed it, their belief would have been better for them; some of them are believers but most of them the disbelievers and are wicked.”

Al-Imran 3:110

Allah's Challenge to Rise

What is mentioned is a collective obligation (fard kifāya), not incumbent on every individual, but everyone should use their skills and capacity to speak out.

وَلْتَكُن مِّنكُمْ أُمَّةٌ یَدْعُونَ إِلَى الْخَیْرِ وَیَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَیَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَأُوْلَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُفْلِحُونَ

“Let there be a community among you calling to good and enjoining decency and forbidding indecency; those that call are the successful, victorious ones.”

Al-Imran 3:104

Muslims Are Protectors of Each Other

As long as we stay on this mission, we will protect each other — at least working among ourselves to save us, our families, and those around us.

وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِیَاء بَعْضٍ یَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَیَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنكَرِ وَیُقِیمُونَ الصَّلاَةَ وَیُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَیُطِیعُونَ اللهَّ َ وَرَسُولَهُ أُوْلَـئِكَ سَیَرْحَمُهُمُ اللهَّ ُ إِنَّ اللهَّ َ عَزِ یزٌ حَكِیمٌ

“And the believers, both men and women, are allies of one another; they enjoin decency and forbid indecency; they observe prayer and pay the alms and they obey Allah and His Messenger. Those Allah will have mercy on them.”

At-Tauba 9:71

Don't Be Silent

Abu Saeed Al-Khudri reported that the Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said: "Anyone of you who sees a vice must change it with his hand, and if he cannot, then with his tongue, but if he cannot, then with his heart, and that is the weakest of Iman" (Muslim). Let us not resort to this lowest level.

If you want to enjoy the bounties of this nation, take part in the democratic process — some who don't want to should not be living here.

Gratitude and Current Events

Doing good deeds — Shifa Clinics, disaster relief after Hurricane Harvey — is important, but we need to do more. One way to follow Ibrahim (AS) is to be thankful for blessings, shakiran li-an'umihi (An-Nahl 16:121). The current administration gives us plenty of opportunities to speak out, the most recent being the inhuman practice of separating children from their families.

Let us not speak only when Muslims are involved — many communities supported us against the infamous Muslim Ban. Let us join hands on causes we agree with to support the disadvantaged, because what afflicts another community can reach us tomorrow, and vice versa.

No Justice Without Being Just

The Prophet exemplified that one cannot practice justice and dispense equity if unable to respect the dignity of others. Not being willing to stand up to defend others' rights when violated only brings danger to our own survival.

A poem written by a Christian pastor at the time of Nazi Germany captures this: "First they came for the Communists, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up, because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the Catholics, and I didn't speak up, because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me, and by that time there was no one left to speak up for me" (Pastor Niemoller).

Bani Israel's Warning

Let us not become like Bani Israel, whose behavior the Prophet (PBUH) warned us against: "The first deficiency noticed in the children of Israel was that a person used to meet his fellow and tell him to fear Allah, then see him the next day and not tell him to stop evil, but rather be his close friend in eating, drinking, and sitting. As a consequence, Allah scattered them in the land and cursed them" (Dawud and Tirmidhi). Aren't we doing the same? What was abhorrent yesterday has become the norm.

The Prophet's Mission and Ours: Justice for All

The Prophet's call was for the religious, social, and political liberation of all people, not just Muslims or his own tribe or the rich and powerful. "The best among you is the best toward people." When we remain silent in the face of injustice, we are far removed from Al-'Adl, the Just — Allah.

How to Save Yourself

So if you want to be saved, we need to keep raising our voices against societal evils, whatever they may be.

وَإِذَ قَالَتْ أُمَّةٌ مِّنْهُمْ لِمَ تَعِظُونَ قَوْمًا اللهَّ ُ مُهْلِكُهُمْ أَوْ مُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا شَدِیدًا قَالُواْ مَعْذِرَةً إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَلَعَلَّهُمْ یَتَّقُونَ فَلَمَّا نَسُواْ مَا ذُكِّرُواْ بِهِ أَنجَیْنَا الَّذِینَ یَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ السُّوءِ وَأَخَذْنَا الَّذِینَ ظَلَمُواْ بِعَذَابٍ بَئِیسٍ بِمَا كَانُواْ یَفْسُقُونَ

“A community among them who neither transgressed nor prohibited it said to those who prohibited it, 'Why do you preach to a people whom Allah is about to destroy?' They said, our preaching is an excuse before our Lord. And when they overlooked what they had been reminded of, We delivered those who forbade evil, and seized those who did wrong with a grievous punishment for their wickedness.”

Al-A'raf 7:164-165

Don't Stay Quiet

We cannot be quiet just to keep the peace; we are a moderate nation. Sometimes the vices are not outside — they are among us: rumors, backbiting, derogatory nicknames, accusation, jealousy. Always offer advice and help, taking the initiative with mercy, love, and compassion.

وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَیَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَیْكُمْ شَهِیدًا

“We appointed you a balanced nation that you might be witnesses to the people on the Day of Resurrection, that their messengers delivered the Message to them.”

Al-Baqara 2:143

The Need for a Social Ethic

People who claim to be God-conscious are themselves staying quiet in the face of immorality. Religious consciousness is not possible without a social ethic; being a person of faith requires working for social justice and social good. Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Muhammad did not just immerse themselves in dhikr — they served Allah by serving their fellow human beings.

If we perceive that our faith or way of life is under threat, we have the right — rather the obligation — to raise our voices and engage in the political process to address the situation peacefully.

Ibrahim's Dialogue with Allah

وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَ اهِیمُ رَبِّ أَرِ نِي كَیْفَ تُحْیِـي الْمَوْتَى قَالَ أَوَلَمْ تُؤْمِن قَالَ بَلَى وَلَـكِن لِّیَطْمَئِنَّ قَلْبِي

“And when Abraham said, 'My Lord, show me how You give life to the dead.' He said, 'Have you not believed?' He said, 'Yes, but to put my heart at ease.'”

Al-Baqara 2:260

Ibrahim's Search for the Truth

Ibrahim went on to see the moon and then the sun rise and set, rejecting each as his lord, before declaring: "I have directed my attention towards Him Who created the heavens and the earth — a monotheist — and I am not of the idolaters."

فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَیْهِ اللَّیْلُ رَ أَى كَوْكَبًا قَالَ هَـذَا رَبِّي فَلَمَّا أَفَلَ قَالَ لا أُحِبُّ الآفِلِینَ

“When the night fell over him, he saw a planet. He said, 'This is my lord.' But when it set, he said, 'I do not love those that set.'”

Al-An'am 6:76-79

Raising the Ka'aba and the Argument with the King

"As Abraham raises the foundations of the House, together with Ishmael: Our Lord, accept it from us, You are the Hearer, the Knower" (Al-Baqara 2:127-128).

When a tyrant king argued with Ibrahim about his Lord, Ibrahim said, 'My Lord is He who gives life and causes death.' The king said, 'I give life and cause death.' Ibrahim replied, 'Allah brings the sun from the East, so bring it from the West' — and the blasphemer was confounded (Al-Baqara 2:258).