Bismillahir-Rahmanir-Raheem

There will always remain a group of

my Ummah standing on Haq

All praise and thanks are due to Allah Almighty for guiding us into Islam, and had it not been for the guidance of Allah (SWT), we would have never been guided.

In one of the shortest, simplest and most profound surahs in the Quran, Allah (SWT) declared that man (in the hereafter) would be at a great loss, thus a dweller of the hellfire. Allah (SWT), however, gave an exception to this general rule. Those who believe, do righteous deeds, enjoin one another to truth and enjoin one another to patience and perseverance indeed will be saved from the hellfire. Thus one's salvation is solely dependent upon those four things combined.

One could argue that the matter of belief and righteous deeds is something personal and hidden from people as no one could really open anyone's heart and measure how much Iman he or she has or how much good deeds he or she is doing. This knowledge is only with Allah (SWT). Analyzing the case of the Muslim Ummah (made up of those individuals who profess Iman) we find that collectively, as an Ummah, we lack it badly. A most humiliated and disgraced Ummah could not have reached this level of humiliation having real Iman and real conviction. In order for this Ummah to survive as a respected honorable community, the individuals that make up this community need to understand what Iman and Righteous deeds truly are. They must exert their efforts to attaining the real Iman, and that can be done primarily and most effectively by returning back to the Quran and by understanding each and every word of the Quran.

In the case of enjoining one another to the Truth and to perseverance and constancy, the wordings, Tawasee Bil-Haq and Tawasee Bis-Sabr point to a collective effort. As events unfold, holding onto the truth, individually as well as collectively, becomes harder and harder to endure. As the enemies of Allah (SWT) are prevailing to appear to be so powerful, the so-called scholars of Islam as well as Thomas, Pat and George are redefining Islam for us.

We have failed to produce at least one sizable country based on the true spirit of Islam. Due to the lack of a model of an Islamic state, our own people, Muslim scholars, are having doubts about Islam as a system. They are giving up on the idea that Islam can bring peace and prosperity to the people. One scholar writes: " It is therefore time to renounce the idea that Islam can survive and prosper only in an Islamic state run according to sharia, or Islamic law. Muslims need a secular and democratic state that respects religious freedom and human dignity and is founded on the principle that power belongs to the people."

We find similar views from non-Muslim scholars. One writer suggests, " For many of Europe's 12.5 million Muslims, now is the time to redefine Islam in the context of their identities as believers who were born and bred in Europe. The result is a kind of Euro-Islam."

These are the challenges we are facing today. This is not the first time in the history of the Muslim Ummah where Muslims are challenged and have gone through these types of trials and tribulations. The ideology of Islam has survived for 1400 years and will continue to survive until dooms day for no one could eradicate it from the pages of the Qur'an. Implementing and putting this ideology to practice is another matter. Nevertheless, the believers of this ideology throughout the ages have always stood shoulder to shoulder challenging all other ideologies. The believers have defended this divinely inspired ideology by enjoining one another to the Truth. They very much understand the consequences of standing up to the Truth. Standing in front of a tyrant and speaking the truth indeed brings the wrath of the tyrant upon the teller of the truth. These believers are well aware of the consequences. Telling the truth and facing persecution is far more superior than living a life stripped of respect, honor and dignity. The only successful tool to face any type of persecution is perseverance.

For us to be successful in Tawasee Bil-Haq (enjoining one another to the Truth), we must first realize and understand what Haq is. Allah is Haq, all the prophets and messengers are Haq, the Hellfire is Haq, the Paradise is Haq, and ISLAM is Haq.

In a hadeeth the prophet (SAW) said, " There will always remain a group of my Ummah standing on Haq (Truth)."

May Allah (SWT) include us among this group and aid us with His help to help His Deen, Ameen.

May Allah help us become of those who will have the real Iman, do the righteous deeds, Tawasee Bil-Haq and Tawasee Bis-Sabr . Ameen.

Wassalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,

Mustapha Elturk