Current Situation

Hardly anyone is oblivious to the regress of our societies from the mainstream headlines to the pinching of our wallets and raised anxiety from tariffs to deportations. Indeed, tectonic shifts in politics, economics, and social orders are underway with global powers tirelessly working to reshape the world order in yet another convoluted manner. At the heart of this chaos stands the United States – a land of confused people betrayed by political campaigns of the elites until the ‘orange man’ is given the reigns. The sheer misuse of basic state tools like tariffs and political mis-diplomacy has even experts wondering: Is Trump a genius statesman while we are the ones missing the plot – or – is he a bumbling idiot who makes foreign policies based on who he likes that morning? ¹

Either way – the Americans and the global population are fed up!  There is intensifying economic frustration from inflation due to the free-running printing presses that added trillions in paper money during the Covid-19 pandemic in the name of “relief”.² Immigration policies are being tightened as every country seeks to protect their borders and curtail any further loss of power.³ The man-made constitutions that promised rights and freedoms for all, are being shunned aside⁴ as frustration from disenfranchised citizens mounts on the Capitol Hills of the Western world. Genocides continue as if in perpetuity, while the global elites use their weapons of mass control to hide their bloody hands.⁵ As any falling empire has in the past, the United States and allies are using force to lengthen their waning power.⁶

In this midst of this dystopia and wide-spread protests, there are major ideological shifts that are ripe for change.  The 20^th century was shaped through major catalysts post-World War II with the United Nations being formed for political centralization (1945), the Breton Woods conference carved for a new economic hegemony (1944), the NATO alliance created for Western military domination, and others. 

After nearly 80 years, a similar re-shifting is anticipated from the rhetoric of global elites for the remaining of the 21^st century. And Muslims, neither in the East nor the West, can afford to sit as passive bystanders.

The Islamic Response

Firstly, we must acknowledge that every action happens by the will and permission of Allah ﷻ. Allah ﷻ says:

وَعِندَهُۥ مَفَاتِحُ ٱلْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْبَرِّ وَٱلْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِى كِتَٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ

[Al An’aam 6:59] – And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.

وَلَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ وَنَعْلَمُ مَا تُوَسْوِسُ بِهِۦ نَفْسُهُۥ ۖ وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ ٱلْوَرِيدِ

[Qaf 50:16] – And We have already created man and know what his soul whispers to him, and We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.

مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِى كِتَٰبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ…

[Al Hadid 57:22] – No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being – indeed that, for Allah, is easy…

And the Prophet ﷺ said in the famous narration of his cousin, ibn Abbas رضی اللہ عنه:

…“وَاعْلَمْ أَنَّ الْأُمَّةَ لَوْ اجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى أَنْ يَنْفَعُوك بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَنْفَعُوك إلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ لَك، وَإِنْ اجْتَمَعُوا عَلَى أَنْ يَضُرُّوك بِشَيْءٍ لَمْ يَضُرُّوك إلَّا بِشَيْءٍ قَدْ كَتَبَهُ اللَّهُ عَلَيْك؛ رُفِعَتْ الْأَقْلَامُ، وَجَفَّتْ الصُّحُفُ“

…And know that if the nation were to gather to benefit you with anything, they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already prescribed for you. And if they were to gather to harm you with anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already prescribed against you. The pens have been lifted, and the pages have dried.
[Sunan Al-Tirmidhi 2516 – Hasan Sahih]

If not a single leaf falls without His knowledge and permission, then what about the affairs of the world perpetrated by mankind, whom He is closer to than their jugular veins? There is indeed tremendous wisdom in the Creator explaining this reality to us. Previous generations have also faced pressure, persecution, and insecurity from powerful nations such as the companions amidst the disbelieving Arabian tribes. Successive battles, constant sieges, economic boycotts, deportation from their homes, and other challenges tested their faith such that it separated the hypocrites from the truthful.⁷ 

Similarly, these challenges are also unleashed to strengthen our resolve and prepare us for the role of leadership. Real development doesn’t happen in the comfort of beds, but rather in the hardships endured in interactions and undertakings. The being said, Muslims across the globe must take heed of these shifting winds as the world is pacing at a rate not seen in our lifetime. Technological advancements in AI, acquisition of digital wealth, development of autonomous defense systems, and other such measures all require a great deal of investment and dedication to compete.⁸ Although this is a big ask for our crippled economies and families barely keeping afloat, a further neglect towards long-term communal development will make matters worse. 

Just like the Western powers leading this shift into chaos are working tirelessly day and night, planning control over key geographical boundaries, securing needed minerals and metals, capturing fertile lands and water supplies, while also building underground bunkers as last resorts,⁹ so do we need to form alliances between our brethren for the greater security of the Muslims. Allah ﷻ says:

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ

[Al Anfal 8:73] – And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so, there will be fitnah on earth and great corruption.

It is high time that we hold our leaders (both political and spiritual) accountable as a global community and remind them to stand upon the firm foundation of complete monotheism. One that emphasizes obedience to Allah ﷻ in rituals and in interactive institutions.

أَفَمَنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ تَقْوَىٰ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرِضْوَٰنٍ خَيْرٌ أَم مَّنْ أَسَّسَ بُنْيَٰنَهُۥ عَلَىٰ شَفَا جُرُفٍ هَارٍ فَٱنْهَارَ بِهِۦ فِى نَارِ جَهَنَّمَ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ

[Al Tawbah 9:109] – Then is one who laid the foundation of his building on righteousness [with fear] from Allah and [seeking] His approval better or one who laid the foundation of his building on the edge of a bank about to collapse, so it collapsed with him into the fire of Hell? And Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people.

Greater Muslim Population Must Focus

Meta, X, TikTok, Reddit, and other social media have been strategically propelled into the social spheres in the last two decades under the control of the state powers for the express purpose of influencing thoughts. Its algorithms are designed to push whatever narrative suits the statehood while suppressing the real accounts impacting the masses.¹⁰ Just like the colosseum of Rome distracted the masses from questioning policies of the despots, so are the trillion-dollar industries of social media, sports, and entertainment used to keep us busy in immoralities and frivolity. 

With the passing of Ramadan a few days ago, the recitation of Qur’an should revive the hearts and channel our energy to the real purpose of our creation: to become the representatives enacting the justice of Allah ﷻ on His earth. While others unite upon the weak threads of nationalism, patriotism, or tribalism, let the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ unite upon the path of our forefathers, Ibrahim, Musa, ‘Isa, and all the Messengers who preached oneness of their Creator. Allah ﷻ continues the admonition of Bani Isra’il to us:

قُلْ يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لَسْتُمْ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍ حَتَّىٰ تُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةَ وَٱلْإِنجِيلَ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ

[Al Ma’idah 5:68] – Say to them: ‘People of the Book! You have no solid ground to stand on unless you establish the Torah and the Gospel and all that had been revealed to you from your Lord.

Do not let the algorithms on a 6-inch screen divide us from our brethren and waste our energy, education and experience to be used for leading mankind towards justice; a concept that has grossly been forgotten.

Our Spiritual and Communal Leadership Must Take Heed

It is imperative that our students of knowledge, scholars, Imams, and community leaders inherit not just knowledge, but also courage and empathy towards the implementation of justice that our Prophets exemplified. Allah ﷻ says:

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِٱلْبَيِّنَٰتِ وَأَنزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ ٱلنَّاسُ بِٱلْقِسْطِ

[Al Hadid 57:25] – Indeed We sent Our Messengers with Clear Signs, and sent down with them the Book and the Balance that people may uphold justice.

It is not enough for us to take the theoretical knowledge from The Book and The Sunnah, to regurgitate its spiritual message packaged in vessels empty of any institutional capacity. Rather, the Prophet ﷺ demonstrated the Qur’anic message by the establishment of a polity in Madinah, furnished with marketplaces of fair trade, weekly sermons of social development, equitable collection and circulation of Zakat funds, strategic arms of the military for defense and expansion of the Islamic system, and more. 

In contrast, instead of exerting maximum effort towards re-establishing the bygone institutions that were laid to rest with the demise of the Ottomans, we witness the following spectrum of “leadership”:

• Ones appeasing to the regimes in the East and the secularists of the West
• Ones engaged in pseudo-intellectualism in the warmth of their libraries while turning a blind eye towards public affairs
• Ones engaged in public affairs while devoid of knowledge such that their priorities are crooked
• Ones basking in wealth and fame by ignoring the ‘emperor with no clothes’ and appeasing their seminary clientele
• Finally, the minority who are striving to please Allah ﷻ in speaking the truth and risking their security, wealth, and worldly status.

Some Introspective Questions

Who do you think are the closest to the path of the Prophets and Messengers? Where are the councils of Muslim leaders in the United States who advocated for the election of Donald Trump in 2024¹¹ – similar to the elections of other despots in the past throughout the world? 

There will soon be calls of federal elections in Canada as well.  Are we going to maintain our reliance upon the ones who order the triggers pulled on our brethren in Palestine, Kashmir, Yemen, East Turkistan, Sudan, and Syria?

Let us reflect upon the statement of the great Hanbali scholar, ibn Aqil (d. 513 AH):

إِذَا أَرَدتَ أَن تَعلَمَ مَحلَّ الإِسلَامِ مِن أَهلِ الزَّمَانِ، فَلَا تَنظُرْ إِلَى زِحَامِهِم فِي أَبوَابِ الجَوَامِعِ، وَلَا ضَجِيجِهِم فِي المَوقِفِ بِلَبَّيكَ، وَإِنَّمَا انظُرْ إِلَى مُوَاطَأَتِهِمْ أَعدَاءَ الشَّرِيعَةِ.

“If you want to know the true position of Islam among the people of your time, do not look at their crowds at the doors of mosques, nor at their loud chants of ‘Labbayk’ at the pilgrimage site. Rather, look at how they align themselves with the enemies of the Shari’ah.”¹²

Seeing record number of worshippers at the gates of the major Islamic centers or a record number of people doing Umrah¹³ in Ramadan of 2025/1446 is not an indication of true Islamic progress if it comes at the expense of awry alliances and priorities¹⁴. Rather true Islamic presence is the continuity of applied monotheism (both beliefs and laws) that the Prophetic traditions graciously handed down to us.

This noble goal will be fulfilled along with its resulting victory from the heavens by realigning the communal herd and deconstructing the various systems of life such that it ignites the fire of revolution in the masses. The same masses who are ready to come out on the streets in the millions whether for the Palestinians, against the tyrants of Bangladesh, or the idiocy of the Trump administration, must be mobilized with clear divine guidance to call for the justice of Allah ﷻ. Only then, can we consider ourselves as the true inheritors of the Prophets rather than the ‘Ruwaybidah’ [degenerate leaders] that the Messenger ﷺ foretold¹⁵.

وصلى الله على محمد – والحمد لله رب العالمين

References

1.  Trump bemoans a portrait of him – but gets a new one from Putin. James FitzGerald (24 March 2025). “Trump was ‘clearly touched by it [the painting from Putin]’”. https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62xyrr20dxo  ↩︎
2. https://www.ibj.com/articles/cecil-bohanon-john-horowitz-yes-printing-money-during-covid-led-to-inflation ↩︎
3. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/new-immigration-levels-plan-1.7361972 ↩︎
4. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/27/who-are-the-students-trump-wants-to-deport ↩︎
5. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/23/israeli-oVensive-in-gaza-has-killed-50000-palestinians-sinceoctober-2023 ↩︎
6. https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/trump-is-no-caesar,-but-the-republic-is-collapsing ↩︎
7. Abu al A’laa Mawdudi.  Tafheem al Qur’an (5/343). Publisher: Islamic Publications (PVT) Ltd. ↩︎
8. https://reports.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Future_of_Jobs_Report_2025.pdf ↩︎
9. https://landreport.com/land-report-100 ↩︎
10. The Effect of Social Media on Elections: Evidence from the United States. Thomas Fujiwara, Karsten Muller, Carlo Shwarz. https://www.princeton.edu/~fujiwara/papers/SocialMediaAndElections.pdf  ↩︎
11. https://www.npr.org/2025/03/03/nx-s1-5249686/arab-muslim-voters-dearborn-hamtramck-trump-gaza ↩︎
12. كتاب الآداب الشرعية والمنح المرعية (١/٢٣٧). المؤلف: محمد بن مفلح (المتوفى: 763ه). الناشر: عالم الكتب.  ↩︎
13. https://gulfnews.com/world/gulf/saudi/saudi-arabia-records-highest-single-day-umrah-attendance-with-500000-pilgrims-1.500054743 ↩︎
14. Note that it is from the tricks of Shaytaan to delude us into thinking that the disbelievers will be accepting of the Islamic ideology if we appease to their systems and policies in exchange for handouts such as permits to build mosques or the permission to give the Athan on public loudspeakers or to allow us travel for Umrah or Hajj. The moment we demand interest-free mortgages by law or judge our marriages/divorces based on Islamic law or implement any other facet of Islamic law, there will be swift opposition. The purpose of highlighting this is not to belittle acts of worship facilitated in Non-Muslim lands, but to emphasize a push towards comprehensive implementation of Allah’s commands in Muslim-occupied lands where we can practice our faith without persecution. ↩︎
15. It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “There will come to the people years of treachery, when the liar will be regarded as honest, and the honest man will be regarded as a liar; the traitor will be regarded as faithful, and the faithful man will be regarded as a traitor; and the Ruwaibidah will decide matters.’ It was said: ‘Who are the Ruwaibidah?’ He said: ‘Vile and base men who control the affairs of the people.’”  [Source: Sunan ibn Majah 4036 – Hasan] ↩︎