Today, 42 million people are said to be living with AIDS and in 2002
alone, more than 5 million people contracted the virus. Over 1 million people
in Angola are infected with AIDS. As a barometer of the current morals in our
technologically advanced yet morally backward society, consider that in 1970
there were only two known sexually transmitted diseases. Today, there are 25 known
major STDs. Approximately 15 million people contract an STD
every year and there are over 65 million people just in the U.S. alone who are
currently living with an incurable STD
(California Policy Research Center, Univ. of California). Islam is the only
system of living that has within it, regulations that hinder the prevalence of
the type of behaviour that cause these vile conditions. Islam demands that the
chastity of the man and the woman in society be guarded meticulously. There are
several layers of this profound system that, if implemented, prevents the
situations that our current societies find themselves in. Tell the believing
men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their
private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily,
Allah is All Aware of what they do. (24:30). And tell the believing women to lower
their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts
(from illegal sexual acts, etc.) and not to show off their adornment except
only that which is apparent and to draw their veils all over Juyubihinna (i.e.
their bodies, faces, necks and bosoms, etc.) and not to reveal their adornment
except to their husbands, their fathers, their husband's fathers, their sons,
their husband's sons, their brothers or their brother's sons, or their sister's
sons, or their (Muslim) women (i.e. their sisters in Islam), or the (female)
slaves whom their right hands possess, or old male servants who lack vigor, or
small children who have no sense of the shame of sex. And let them not stamp
their feet so as to reveal what they hide of their adornment. And all of you
beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful. (24:31) As
human beings, it is very important to remember that one of the things that
distinguish us from the animals is the fact that we wear clothing. It is an
honorable thing to cover the body for it, in truth, determines how civilized a
society is. Throughout history, humans who did not cover or barely covered at
all were considered backwards, barbaric, and uncultured. Now we live in a time
where it is encouraged to uncover and those who do cover themselves are labeled
‘backward’. Men and especially women are being convinced that to expose
themselves is freedom. Today, people have no shame in displaying to strangers
that which should be honored and protected. Most people would not go around
displaying their bank account numbers nor would they just leave their most
precious jewels and heirlooms laying around for everyone to see. So why when it
comes to ourselves, our wives, and daughters, do we allow any and every one to
see any and everything? Thus unleashing the beast in man who, when confronted
with more exposure than he is emotionally equipped to handle, begins to engage
in the type of illicit behaviour that brings the rape, death, and disease we
now find around us. Allah says, O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and
the believing women, that they should cast their outer garments over their
person (when abroad): that is most convenient, that they should be known (as
such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft- Forgiving, Most Merciful. (33:59)
O Children of Adam! We have bestowed raiment upon you to cover yourselves (screen
your private parts, etc.) and as an adornment, and the raiment of
righteousness, that is better. Such are among the Ayaat (proofs,
evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.) of Allah, that they may
remember (i.e. leave falsehood and follow truth. (7:26) O Children of Adam! Let
not Shaitaan (Satan) deceive you, as he got your parents [Adam and Hawwa
(Eve)] out of Paradise, stripping them of their raiments, to show them their private
parts. Verily, he and Qabîluhu (his soldiers from the jinns or his
tribe) see you from where you cannot see them. Verily, We made the Shayaatin
(devils) Auliyaa' (protectors and helpers) for those who believe not.
(7:27) In any society where sexual promiscuity increasingly becomes the norm,
the fabric of the society, the family, is gradually destroyed. In the U.S., 28%
of all children live in single parent households and of them, 84% live with the
mother. 79% of all pregnancies of women under 20 are unmarried teens. Condoms
and birth control are band-aid solutions that hardly work because to solve the
problem is to delve into the root of the problem. The root of the problem is
that morality has been defined by trends and trends come and go. We need a
system of morality higher than what man can produce. Humans have an internal
instinct that recognizes that there is One authority in our lives and that
obedience to him is the key to success. And (remember) when your Lord
brought forth from the Children of Adam, from their loins, their seed (or from Adam's
loin his offspring) and made them testify as to themselves (saying): "Am I
not your Lord?" They said: "Yes! We testify," lest you should
say on the Day of Resurrection: "Verily, we have been unaware of
this."(7:172) Racism and tribalism have been the cause of many conflicts
throughout the history of man. People who judge based on skin color or who hate
because of race or tribe are some of the worst enemies to mankind. Islam has
come to free us from the dangers of racism. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that
it is righteousness that distinguishes one from another and not the appearance
or tribe. “O mankind! We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a
female, and made you into nations and tribes, that ye may know each other (not
that ye may despise (each other). Verily the most honored of you in the sight
of Allah is (he who is) the most righteous of you. And Allah has full knowledge
and is well acquainted (with all things)” (Noble Qur’an 49:13) And among His
Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your
languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know (Noble
Qur’an 30:22) Islam is a program for life. Islam is designed
by Allah for us to practice in order to purge the evils from ourselves. When the
Muslims are commanded to gather for prayer, race cannot be a factor. The lines
of prayer are not determined by race. The Hajj (pilgrimage) of the Muslims to
Makkah forces the king to dress like the peasant. It forces the white man to go
through the same trials of Hajj as a black man. These forms of worship along
with the Zakaat and others, if properly implemented, can bring about true
change in the self and throughout the entire society. Islam, however, is a
religion of belief and action. To be a good Muslim, one has to be prepared to work.
Islam requires discipline and self-restraint. Islam is a
lifestyle of praying and begging to Allah in the middle of the night when
others are sleep. Islam requires one to fast to develop the strength to endure
the calls of hunger and the lower desires and to be able to resist unlawful
temptations. Islam is a lifestyle of acquiring knowledge. There are so
many aspects of Islam that one can spend his or her entire life learning
different things in Islam. Allah says in Qur’an,” It is only (those who have
knowledge) among His slaves that fear Allah. Verily, Allah is All Mighty,
Oft-Forgiving”(35:28). The Muslim has to have a thirst for knowledge of
this religion because in the knowledge of Islam comes the proper understanding
and implementation. Islam requires courage in the face of opposition and
ridicule. Since the beginning of the establishment of Islam, Muslims have been
under attack. Sometimes it is an ideological attack and sometimes it is an all
out physical assault. The Muslim, however, has to have the faith and the
courage to continue to believe and to practice no matter what others in society
may do, say, or think. If it is ‘unpopular’ to be a Muslim, then it is even
more important that we continue to be seen and heard practicing our faith. We
should remember what Allah says in the Qur’an… (They are) those who are
patient ones, those who are true (in Faith, words, and deeds), and obedient
with sincere devotion in worship to Allah. Those who spend [give the Zakaat
and alms in the Way of Allah] and those who pray and beg Allah's Pardon in
the last hours of the night (3:17). So do not become weak (against your enemy),
nor be sad, and you will be superior (in victory) if you are indeed (true)
believers (3:139). They intend to put out the Light of Allah (i.e. the religion
of Islam, this Qur'an, and Prophet Muhammad SAW) with their mouths. But Allah will complete His Light even though
the disbelievers hate it (61:8). Our world today
is plagued with so many ills that one may be tempted to lose hope and give in
to despair. What I have given is a brief summary of some of the benefits of
Islam and how Islam brings about true change in this society starting with the
individual and moving beyond to the world. There are many additional topics
that I did not cover wherein Islam has the cure in place, ready at our
fingertips and I encourage you to investigate further. If you have been
searching for answers to the above mentioned problems as well as others, I
encourage you to take a serious look at Islam. Remember, Islam requires action,
discipline, knowledge, courage, strength and patience… Dear reader,
are you hard-working enough? Are you disciplined enough? Are you smart
enough? Are you courageous enough? Are you patient enough?
Are you strong enough? In other words …ARE YOU READY TO TAKE THE ANTIDOTE?
Adapted from: elhaqq Islamic centre
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