Part 3
By Basham Shaheed
Are we not the heirs of Umar, Ali, Khalid, Tariq, Sa‘d, and countless other men of courage and conviction? If so, where has that spirit of honor gone? How did we come to this state of humiliation, and why does it define our reality today?
The most damaging force weakening our Ummah and shattering our unity is the loss of purpose, the disappearance of the very goal for which this Ummah was created.
The mission of the Muslim Ummah has always been clear: to worship Allah Almighty and to guide humanity away from servitude to other humans toward servitude to the Lord of all creation. Unity among Muslims was never meant to rest on race, nationality, ethnicity, or tribe. It was meant to be anchored firmly in faith and da‘wah alone.
Yet the tragic truth is that the Ummah entrusted with this great and divine mission allowed itself to be consumed by empty and worthless worldly ambitions. These petty goals did more than distract us, they actively obstructed our higher purpose. The problem worsened when Islamic lands were divided into small, fragmented states, each ruled by weak and dependent regimes. Rulers obsessed with power, position, and personal gain replaced those who once upheld faith, justice, and responsibility. Their only goal was material wealth and prolonging their own lives.
This is the mindset that shapes young people and the next generation. It is a poisonous inheritance, passed from parent to child. The first lesson we must teach every child is simple but profound, never forget your purpose. You were created to worship Allah Almighty.
In truth, the illness of our Ummah today, and its only cure, is a return to the original path. It is to hold firmly to the divine rope, the Glorious Qur’an, and guide people back to the purpose for which Allah created them. In this section, and in the ones that follow, I will outline, in clear terms, the causes behind the weakness of Muslims.
1. Weakness of Faith and Action
The primary cause of our decline is the weakening of faith and the collapse of meaningful action. Today, many Muslims seek honor and dignity through wealth, status, or closeness to disbelievers. Anyone who looks for strength in the hands of creation, or worse, in the hands of infidels, has already suffered a serious fracture in belief. Where faith weakens, action falters, and failure becomes inevitable in both this world and the Hereafter.
The signs of this weakness are all around us. Mosques still stand, yet they are empty. The Qur’an exists in abundance, yet its recitation, reflection, and understanding have faded from daily life. Wealth is present, but sincere charity and spending in the path of Allah have become rare exceptions. In practice, the dominant concern is no longer obedience to Allah, but satisfying selfish desires. Love of the world has replaced love of faith, and fleeting pleasures have replaced devotion and worship.
When faith and action weaken, Muslims naturally appear weak in the eyes of the world. We begin to see ourselves as dependent on disbelievers in nearly every aspect of life. We submit intellectually, economically, and politically to the disbelieving world, accepting obedience and subservience as normal. As a result, we fall behind other nations in knowledge, strength, and capability. We lose control over our resources, fail to defend our lands, and remain trapped under the domination of historical oppressors.
Today, Muslims have lost real authority over their own affairs. Even those who sit alongside disbelievers in so-called international organizations lack the power or the courage to openly expose and condemn the crimes and injustices committed against Muslims.
