The Prophet (sa) said: “The parable of the believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body. When any limb aches, the whole body reacts with sleeplessness and fever.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
While the capitalist system glorifies individualism, Islam emphasizes the concept of brotherhood or that of the Ummah. Islam came to Arabia, breaking the bonds of tribalism and establishing one bond on the basis of belief. Muslims, no matter from which country, race or creed, are united on the basis of their Deen – we feel love towards and the pain of the entire Ummah.
After the death of the Prophet (sa), the Ummah was part of one political entity, the Khilafah, which acted as a shield for the Muslims, until it was abolished after World War I and the Muslim lands were divided by the Kuffar rulers of that time: the French and the British, per the Sykes-Picot agreement. Throughout history, the enemies of Islam realized that the only time the Ummah was weak was when it was divided and fighting amongst itself. Today, the Ummah is divided by borders. Muslims are suffering economic hardships and facing oppression all over the world, from wars to famines, to ethnic cleansings. While the rulers sit in their glorified palaces, the people suffer, and the rest of us feel their pain and a sense of helplessness.
Instead of feeling incapable of helping, we must realize that one thing we can all do is voice our concerns: speak out against tyranny, speak up for the Ummah, call for our unity, remind people of our Deen and call the rulers to action. Everyone has different strengths and levels of influence, so we can leverage these and make ourselves heard. Some of us can write, while others can speak well. We must remember that power belongs to Allah (swt) alone and not let the fear of people stop us. This is becoming more and more important in today’s day and age.
While we strive to unite the Ummah once more by keeping the love alive in our hearts and making Dua for them, there are other practical ways we can help by donating our time, money and skills. Instead of sitting around, it is better to get into the trenches and roll up your sleeves for work. Here are some practical tips for what we can do:
1) Start a programme in your local Masjid. We can also easily start small scale programmes by associating them with our local Masjid. During the time of the Prophet (sa), the Masjid used to be the centre of community; unfortunately, in today’s day and age it has been reduced to a place of prayer. We can revive the Sunnah and start programmes for the poor from food drives to Halaqas where anyone can come in and learn about the Deen. Masjid can also be a place for storing clothes, canned/ imperishable foods and other necessities, so that those in need can always go to the Masjid and get their needs fulfilled.
2) Support locally established organizations. Look around in your own community for trustworthy organizations that work on bettering the life in your locality. Some well known ones are SIUT and Indus Hospital, providing valid health services. A big name in the country for education is The Citizen’s Foundation.
3) Support global organizations. For helping the Ummah on a larger scale, we can donate our money to well-known and verified global charity organizations, such as:
- One Solid Ummah, established in 2013 by Abdul Lateef Khaled, has been building infrastructure for the Syrian crisis orphans. It started small and has grown big, a reminder to us of what we can achieve when we put our mind to it and are sincere for the sake of Allah (swt). They have to date built villages, Masjids, schools and medical centers for orphans and families affected by the Syrian war.
- Muslims Around the World was founded by the late Ali Banat, a wealthy Muslim, who found out that he had a limited time to live, which changed his life – he used all his money to help Muslims around the world. His project is still running and a reminder to all of us about what is truly important in life.
- Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid are big and well-known names that one can always donate to.
- Launchgood – if you want to support small projects, instead of larger charities, then this crowdfunding platform for Muslims is the best place. With 8000+ campaigns to date, one can find a cause close to their heart to support.
Regardless of whether we affect the life of a single person or many, the goal should always be to be concerned about those around us, in our local communities and the world at large – our brothers and sisters in faith. Allah (swt) has given all of us some skills or assets that we can use for the betterment of this Ummah. We have to keep the flame of love for the Ummah burning in our hearts for the sake of Allah (swt).
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