Understanding Usul Al-Fiqh by Abu Tariq Hilal - Abu Ismael al-Beirawi

Presently, the decline in the Muslim Ummah, whether it is political, economic, or intellectual, is due only one reason: the absence of Islam from our lives as a comprehensive ideology.

The societies in the Muslim world are organised by un-Islamic systems, sprinkled with a few Islamic rules related to marriage, divorce, inheritance, and „Ibadah; while, laws related to ruling, economics, education, and foreign affairs, have no Islamic orientation.

As an example, the educational curricula, to which the Muslims are subjugated, are not designed to create the Islamic personality, whereby the individual judges and evaluate issues of life according to Islam.

On the contrary, those who graduate from the educational curriculum in the Muslim World limit their belief only to the spiritual aspect of Islam. They view life based on pragmatism or benefit and consequently embark on actions rooted in these thoughts, while these actions should have been based on the Daleel from Islam.

Issues related to the Islamic „Aqeedah itself, such as arriving at the rational conclusion in the existence of Allah (swt), are omitted from the present day curriculum. This threatens to rip apart the very fabric which binds the Muslim Ummah together; the „Aqeedah. This threat comes in the form of a discussion of Islam as a philosophical idea or a religion dogma, lacking the ability to address contemporary problems and occurrences.

The impact of all this has resulted in a crippling effect on the presentation and comprehension of the Fiqh. People in the Muslim World view the Fiqh in the same light that people in the West view theological or divinity studies i.e. as an easy discipline, studied by either the “religiously” inclined or by those who are not smart enough to study the sciences or technology.

This view of the Fiqh is the direct result of the deviant educational curricula present in the Muslim world. These examples are not only related to the educational system; rather, they pervade throughout the entire society, since the entire structure of the society is un-Islamic.

In the midst of this environment, how can the Ummah once again flourish? After destroying the Khilafah and then granting us pseudo-independence, the Imperialists made sure that the Muslim lands would remain ideologically and intellectually occupied. They achieved this by creating a gap in our personality whereby we would believe in the Islamic „Aqeedah yet not view life based on it. Thus, losing the trust and confidence in the ability of Islam to solve our problems.

Consequently, it is not surprising that the educational curricula producing such confused Muslims are written by the international tool of our enemy, UNESCO, an agency of the United Nations.

Realising this, the highest priority of the Ummah must be to bring Islam back in our lives as a vibrant and comprehensive ideology. The total application and implementation of Islam will stop the current decline of the Ummah. This task must not be undermined or underestimated by the Ummah. It is a matter of life and death.

“O you who believe! Answer the call of Allah and His Messenger, when He calls you to that which will give you life; and know that Allah comes in between man and his heart, and that it is He to whom you shall return.” (TMQ Al-Anfal :24)

As mentioned earlier, we are fortunate to be from the Ummah of Muhammad (saw). This pride and honour should stimulate, motivate, and mobilise us to work to regain the rightful status of the Ummah of Muhammad (saw), as leaders of the World. An Ummah, which brings to life the Ayah:

“We have not sent you (O Muhammad) except as a Mercy to all the Worlds” (TMQ Al-Anbiya: 107)

This Mercy can only be presented to the humanity, when the Shari‟ah is implemented in totality, embodied in a state.