Muslims are being persecuted, oppressed, stigmatized—waves of commotion everywhere. Muslims at the mercy of the Non-Muslim.
Wait…
Say what?
How did we get here? Once a great nation, now on our knees?
Or are we?
You ask Muslims today, “Where is the hotspot for success, business development and innovation?” Most would point to Silicon Valley in the San Francisco Bay Area, known for its conglomerate of entrepreneurs, techies and businessmen. We’re all familiar with Apple, Google and Facebook, the most prominent of Silicon Valley real estate; buzzing with value-added ideas that could at any time be cashed out into trillions of tangible dollars.
Valuable indeed?
Success?
On the contrary, how many Muslims businessmen today are familiar with Baghdad? Not the capital of a now crippled, war-torn country, but the center of scientific and economic development, innovation and the arts. A place where diverse Muslim scholars came together to lead the world’s foremost discoveries; their contributions being the very reason we are thriving as a modern civilization today.
We can make many comparisons but that’s not the goal. Rather, it is the hope that Muslim entrepreneurs and businessmen may take this away: no doubt, the Non-Muslims made many contributions towards what we have as modern civilization today. It also has to be said that much of these were done on the backs of Muslims who set the tone over the course of hundreds of years. You have a legacy that not only superseded the Non-Muslims, but also benefited them in many ways. The West suffered long under the clouds of The Dark Ages whilst Islam was glowing from The Golden Ages.
“Because Europe was reacting against Islam, it belittled the influence of Muslims and exaggerated Greek and Roman heritage. So today, an important task for us is to correct this false emphasis and to acknowledge the Arab and Islamic world.”—W. Montgomery Watt (1)
Here is a Western man who realized and acknowledged the contributions of Islam, yet till today, it’s still downplayed by the West. You just have to look at The Rand Report to witness their agenda under the auspices of democracy, freedom and human rights, all while the UN is watching.
In contemporary times, the contributions by Muslims, are negligible. Statistics that don’t even make for good reading. It is indeed time that we get out of this.(2)
Muslims know very little of their own rich history and it is no wonder, that when Muslim businessmen today think of models of success, their thoughts are filled with images of the contemporary Non-Muslim businessman. They have made the Non-Muslim way of life their own, in an attempt to integrate—to go “unnoticed” in pursuit of success. In fact, since the fall of the Ottoman Empire many Muslims left their countries and fled to the Non-Muslim lands of ‘milk and honey,’ per chance they’ll make a ‘better living.’ All while Allah and the Prophet emphatically reprimanded Muslims otherwise: instead to make hijrah to the lands of the Muslims. Because they (the Non-Muslims) will not fail to corrupt your beliefs and your Islamic way of life—exactly fulfilling what the Prophet said: “You will indeed follow the ways of those before you, hand span by hand span, and an arms length after another. Even if they enter into a lizard’s hole, you will follow them.” We (the Sahabah) asked, “Is it the Jews and the Christians?” He replied, “Who else?”(3)
So, is the definition of success the same for the Muslim as it is for the Non-Muslim? Most would define success along the lines of material, financial or positional gain; many doing “whatever it takes” to reach it—thanks to capitalism, and courtesy of the West.
“Business success has been discussed widely in the context of non-Muslim notions especially based on Western models where it hinges solely on material elements. The exploratory attempt on the concept of business success known as al-falāḥ from the Islamic perspective is hence crucial as it is seen as a more relevant approach that should be adopted by Muslimpreneurs in measuring their business success. Al-falāḥ is a holistic approach that covers a spiritual-physical relationship which provides a guideline on what Muslimpreneurs should actually achieve in their business. As a khalifah in this world, al-falāḥ primarily emphasizes the individual’s responsibility towards religiosity obligation in performing ibadah as the benchmark of true success. This is a reassuring finding that proves that good individual spiritual deeds can strengthen Islamic values in business practices specifically in entrepreneurial activities.”—Ummi Salwa Ahmad Bustamam, Exploring The Concepts of Al-Falāḥ (Success) In Business: An Insight From Muslim Experts
Muslims are different.
The Prophet said, “Be different to the disbelievers,”(4) so both our way of life and our model of success are different. Remember The Battle of Badr, when the Non-Muslims boasted one thousand strong and the Muslims just over 300 in number? What was the end result? The Muslims were victorious! The most important lesson here, is that victory came because of the correct belief in Allah, placing their trust in Him and following the Prophet with complete obedience. Allah will certainly cause the Muslims to be victorious, in the same way He did for them (aforetimes) and Allah is ever All-Powerful, All-Mighty (5). He is the One who provides for you a way out when you put your sole reliance in Him (6).
In the same way Islam gave new meanings and definitions to things, it has redefined success too (7). Success is having the correct belief about Allah and worshiping him through (the guidance of) the Sunnah (as it was understood by the first three generations) (8). When we act upon this with a constant strive, we too will achieve similar success. Then, and only then, would we have fulfilled our purpose of life (9).
So with a renewed understanding of your Islamic identity, and your purpose; all coming together as a complete way of life—like our predecessors enjoyed before and during the Golden Age—true success awaits us too. The formula for success is clear and simple. We are reminded of it day in and day out, by way of the Adhaan: “Come to success” (i.e come to the worship of Allah). Allah Azza wa’ Jal said:
“Among the believers are men true to what they promised Allah: among them is he who has fulfilled his vow [to death]; and among them is he who awaits [his chance]. And they did not alter [the terms of their commitment] by any alteration.”—Qur ’an, 33:23
The good news is that there will be another Golden Aged upon us soon and it will be another window of opportunity for those who seek to strive for this deen; these men will get fifty rewards of that of the Sahabah (10).
Allah Azza wa’ Jal says:
“Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, ‘When (will come) the Help of Allah?’ Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!”—Qur’ an, 2:214
Imam Ibn Jareer at-Tabari commented on this verse (an excerpt from a longer commentary):
“But you have not yet been shaken as they were shaken, i.e., you have not yet suffered extreme fear and terror at the hands of your enemy, so that you think that the help of Allah is slow in coming and you say “When will Allah help us?” Then Allah told them that His help was near to them, and that He would cause them to prevail over the enemy and defeat them…”—Tafsir, at-Tabari 4:288
I hope your contribution to life, business and society will stand you in good stead and that you’ll be one of the emerging heroes Islam will produce—once again. So take heart in following your own role models, following your own Islamic way of life and believing in your own abilities. In short, become the torchbearer this era is in much need of. Islam already gave you the power, honour and permission to do so.
Go Forth! #islamicrevival #muslimbusiness #muslimbusinessmen #islam #muslim #islamicbranding #islamicbrand #islamicbrands #islamicidentity #islamicdesign
Footnotes:
01. Islamic Surveys: The Influence of Islam on Medieval Europe; Edinburgh, England; 1972; p.84
02. https://islamqa.info/en/149636
03. Hadith, Bukhari
04. Hadith, Bukhari/Muslim
05. ”Verily! It is I and My Messengers who shall be victorious. Verily, Allah is All-Powerful, All-Mighty.” Qur’an, 58:21
06. Qur’an, 65:2–3
07. Qur’an, 24:55
08. Qur’an, 2:137
09. Qur’an, 51:56–58
10. Hadith, at-Tirmidhi