{"_id":"668da0ac0b76658b4c233d8d","title":"What is the Islamic obligation we have here as Muslims in the West to our Muslim brothers and sisters under oppression?","question":"With everything that’s going on with our brothers and sisters in Gaza, Sudan, etc. what is the Islamic obligation we have here as Muslims in the West? While we can’t physically do anything unfortunately, we will all be judged in the Akhira for our actions and I want to know how we can maximize our actions in the sight of Allah?","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"Concern for the Ummah\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Every Muslim worldwide, regardless of their skin color, language, or ethnicity, has an obligation to view themselves as part of a global Muslim community, the ummah. This identity and membership should take precedence over all other identities and affiliations. Our primary self-identification should be as Muslims belonging to a global community. This sense of belonging and brotherhood demands that we stay vigilant about the well-being of our fellow Muslims around the world. \\n\\nThe Prophet (peace be upon him) once stated, \\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"Whoever does not care for the affairs of the Muslims is not one of us.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\\" He also said, \\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"The believers, in their mutual mercy, love, and compassion, are like a body. When one limb is in pain, the rest of the body experiences sleeplessness, fever, and restlessness.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\\" [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/bukhari:6011\"},\"insert\":\"Bukhārī\"},{\"insert\":\" and \"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/muslim:2586a\"},\"insert\":\"Muslim\"},{\"insert\":\"] It is not sufficient to merely be aware of the circumstances facing our fellow Muslims, nor is it enough to sympathize or empathize with them. Instead, we must regard the injustice and oppression they endure as if it were inflicted on our own collective self. \\n\\n\\nProviding Assistance\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"The Prophet (peace be upon him) also underlined the analogy that \\\"\"},{\"attributes\":{\"italic\":true},\"insert\":\"believers are akin to a single structure, reinforcing one another.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\\" [\"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/bukhari:481\"},\"insert\":\"Bukhārī\"},{\"insert\":\" and \"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://sunnah.com/muslim:2585\"},\"insert\":\"Muslim\"},{\"insert\":\"] Hence, it is incumbent upon us to provide support to each other according to our capabilities. At the very minimum, we can all offer prayers for our fellow Muslims. Furthermore, our collective efforts should extend to financial contributions, provision of food, medical supplies, participation in relief initiatives, and offering assistance to refugees and victims to the best of our abilities. \\n\\n\\nPromoting Awareness\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"It's imperative to raise awareness about what is truly happening, expose the crimes being committed, educate people about the historical context of current events, and challenge the false, inhumane, racist, one-sided narrative that has been propagated by politicians and the media for decades. We should call out the blatant hypocrisy of the Western world, which frequently preaches justice and human rights but often ignores, conceals, or justifies similar atrocities when they affect certain groups.\\n\\nLearning from History\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"We need to conduct a deep and critical examination of the past to understand how the ummah ended up in this situation and address the root problem. The oppression of our brothers and sisters in Palestine is a symptom of a deeper, more extensive issue: our disunity. The occupation of Palestine did not occur until we became divided and fought amongst ourselves while aligning with foreign powers. This was done in the name of independence, not from a foreign occupying force but from our fellow Muslims. We must learn from our past mistakes, rectify them, and ensure that the next generation does not inherit these errors.\\n\\n\\nFostering Unity\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"To address every source of disunity, whether racial, nationalistic, socio-economic, ideological, political, or religious, we must work together and overcome obstacles. This requires a sincere commitment to change on a personal level and communal level. We should be prepared to put aside personal differences and work toward the greater good.\\n\\n\\nReligious Education\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"To make meaningful changes, a proper understanding of our religion is essential. We must acknowledge that there is a general lack of understanding of our religious teachings, despite the abundance of information. This is due to centuries of decline, exacerbated by the abandonment of our scholarly tradition and authority.\\n\\n\\nPersonal Transformation \"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"Religious education is only the beginning. Without personal transformation, real change cannot be expected. True change won't come from top-down leadership; it's the responsibility of every individual to initiate change within themselves. Only through personal transformation can we have a lasting impact on the broader community. No amount of internet content, impassioned speeches, or emotional displays can bring about genuine, long-lasting change. \\n\\n\\nLeading by Example\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"We must remain committed to the principles of justice and human dignity that our religion teaches us. This means standing for these principles regardless of the identity of the victim or aggressor. We should avoid harboring hatred toward an entire religious group and instead focus our criticism on the injustice being committed and those involved or complacent in it. We must not become like the oppressors; we must lead by example.\\n\\n\\nRelying on Allah\"},{\"attributes\":{\"header\":1},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"While working for meaningful change, we must place our trust in Allah alone. We should not rely on any individual, organization, or government for assistance, as our protests should primarily aim to raise awareness and highlight hypocrisy. We must have complete faith in Divine Justice and Wisdom. Instead of viewing our brothers and sisters in Palestine as poor, helpless victims, we must see them as courageous, unyielding heroes and martyrs. Our sorrow and tears should be for the rest of our ummah and the world, which has remained passive for nearly a century while an entire population has been exiled, massacred, and dehumanized. We must not perceive those who sacrifice their lives in defense of their faith, families, and land as dead; they are alive and well; it's the rest of humanity that has truly died.\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"\\\"O you who believe, seek help through patience and the prayer; verily Allah is with the dauntlessly patient. And say not of whoever is slain in the path of Allah they are dead; Rather they are alive, but you are not aware.\\\" \"},{\"attributes\":{\"link\":\"https://quran.com/2/153-154\"},\"insert\":\"[2:153-154]\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fff0b76658b4c232b60","tag":"Worship: Other","count":54},{"_id":"668d9fde0b76658b4c23277c","tag":"Contemporary Life: Politics","count":35},{"_id":"668d9fe80b76658b4c2328bd","tag":"Worship: Dawah","count":24}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:42:20.458Z"}