Crisis of the contemporary Muslim mind: the causes and cure
Fatwa No: 16800

Question

In the name of Allaah, the Most Merciful, the ever Merciful.
Will you please define the crisis of the contemporary Muslim mind, its causes and solutions? What is the role of upbringing and nurturing in solving the problem?

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds.  I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

The mind is a gift from Allaah The Almighty to man by which Allaah the Almighty has made man superior to inanimate objects and animals. It is because of the gift of the mind that Allaah The Almighty has assigned man to fulfill his religious obligations.

Competent persons for religious assignments are adults with full possession of their mental faculties. Thanks to the mind, man can distinguish between what is good and what is evil and between correct guidance and drifting astray.

Using the mind in the correct manner leads to the way of guidance and avoiding the way of deviance. There are many Quranic verses where Allaah The Almighty calls on His servants to think and reflect over the perished nations. When Muslims used their minds correctly, being truly committed to the teachings of Islam and sacrificing their souls for establishing Islam, the result was that Islam ruled in many countries of the world.

Thinking about the conditions of many Muslims today, one can clearly observe a crisis. Sadly, many Muslims have abandoned the Quran and the Sunnah. Imaam Maalik compared the Prophetic Sunnah to the ark of Nooh (Noah) : those who board are saved and those who do not will drown.

Many Muslims have forsaken their bond with Islam and seek guidance from disbelievers. Muslims have been tempted to indulge themselves in illicit pleasures and disreputable acts. The enemies of Allaah know that Islam is the predominant religion so they are doing the best they can to screen the light of faith from the Muslim mind, wishing to extinguish the light of Allaah. But, it is impossible for them to do so because Allaah The Almighty will perfect His light, even if the disbelievers dislike it.

Muslims have to be aware of the conspiracies being woven about them. There will always be a group of Muslims who fulfill the content of the verse that reads (what means): {And let there be [arising] from you a nation inviting to [all that is] good, enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong, and those will be the successful.}[Quran 3:104]

There is no doubt that victory and glory can be achieved through education, in the same manner that the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam , educated his Companions . Muslims need to learn their religion void of erroneous beliefs, detestable Bid‘ahs (innovations in the religion), and invalid personal reasoning which contradicts the Sharee‘ah texts.

Muslims need to be educated on how to make their minds subservient to the teachings of the Quran and the Prophetic texts. Moreover Muslims have to follow the Prophetic example, learn to love Allaah The Almighty and long to meet Him. It is only when Muslims have done this will they be able to turn defeat into victory.

May Allaah The Almighty restore to Muslims their former glory and power.     

Allaah Knows best.

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