The Identity of the Modern Era
✒️ Mufti Muhammad Tasleem ud Din Al-Mahmoodi
Today's era is very fast-paced. New inventions, new news, and new problems arise every day. The internet, social media, modern technology, fashion, education, and business have changed the world. Apparently, this is progress, but along with this progress, many religious, moral, and mental evils have also arisen.
In this era, everything is needed immediately (patience is gone)
Self-worship has become common, religion is considered old and the world is considered new.
We should adopt the good things of progress, but stay connected to religion.
Introduction to the Traditions of Fitna
Fitna means: trial, misguidance, or something that removes a person from religion.
The Holy Prophet ﷺ said:
> "Fitnas will come like the darkness of the night, a man will be a believer in the morning and become a disbeliever in the evening." (Musnad Ahmad)
Meaning: It will be difficult to differentiate between truth and falsehood
Truth will be considered falsehood and falsehood will be considered truth
People will move away from religion
The only solution is: to acquire knowledge of religion so that we can recognize the fitnas.
Prominent Fitnas of the Present Era: Today, many fitnas have surrounded us from all sides, some of the important ones are:
Limiting religion to the mosque only
Calling the veil, prayer, beard a personal matter
Denying or doubting the existence of Allah, clashing scientific things with religion
Considering modesty as weakness, calling Western dress and style "modern"
Misuse of social media: waste of time, ease of sin, mocking scholars and religion.
Wrong interpretations of religion: slogan of "only Quran", denial of Hadith, self-made interpretations and fatwas, Muslim youth and intellectual attacks
Today, attacks are being made on the minds of young people:
Religion is being described as difficult and old, Companions, scholars, and the history of Islam are being made controversial, non-Muslim civilization is being presented as 'liberalism'.
If young people do not acquire knowledge and do not connect with scholars, these attacks create doubts in their hearts, the reality of Hindu festivals and Muslims
The festivals of non-Muslims like Diwali, Holi, Rakhi etc. are related to their religious beliefs. Islam forbids us from imitating any other religion.
The Prophet ﷺ said: "Whoever imitates a nation, he is one of them." (Abu Dawood)
We have to: live with good manners, but differentiate in beliefs, worship and rituals, it is not appropriate to participate in or congratulate them on their festivals
Current Affairs and Challenges of Muslims
Muslims are in trial in many parts of the world: innocent Muslims are being martyred,
Restrictions on hijab, azan, prayer, objections are raised on Islamic symbols, the media calls Muslims terrorists: protects the real oppressors
We have to: pray, help and create awareness for the oppressed, call oppression oppression
Ideal Character of a Muslim Youth
An ideal Muslim youth is one who:
Learns the knowledge of religion, values time, does good deeds on social media, studies the Quran, Hadith and Sirah, respects elders, teachers, scholars
If the youth are reformed, the future of the nation is improved.
We should take guidance from the following things to avoid fitnas:
The Holy Quran: The source of original guidance
Ahadith of the Prophet ﷺ: Practical interpretation of the Quran
Sirah of Sahaba and Scholars: A model of action
Scholars and religious institutions: A place to learn the correct issue
Dajjal and the Fitnas of the Nearness of Qiyamah*
The Prophet ﷺ called Dajjal a very big fitna.
Before the arrival of Dajjal, there will be a period of small fitnas:
Spread of lies, hiding of truth, lack of people of truth, today we are seeing Dajjali effects in the media, politics, and system.
Protective measures: reading Surah Kahf, acquiring knowledge of religion, piety and joining the Jamaat of Sadiqeen.
Today's era is full of trials, but the one who is patient, remains steadfast on religion, and acquires knowledge, is the one who succeeds.
Allah Almighty says in the Quran:
> "And those who strive in Our (cause), - We will certainly guide them to our Paths". (Al-Ankabut: 69)
Therefore: the intention should be pure, the action should be good, recognize, protect, and spread your religion