How can Muslims return to their strength and glory?

The Shaykh : As for the other point I understood from the professor’s words, which is how we can restore to these Muslims their strength, glory, and honor, I answer with a very brief word. It is from the saying of some Islamic preachers today, and I am actually very impressed by this word. I advise all Muslims to make it their constitution in resuming their Islamic life, which gathers for them all good. This word, or rather this wisdom, is: “Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you on your earth.” “Establish the state of Islam in your hearts, and it will be established for you on your earth.” But the reality is that implementing this wisdom and making it a tangible fact requires, in Levantine expression, rolling up one’s sleeves. This is because when he says “establish the state of Islam,” the meaning of this phrase is that we must know what Islam is. I know this and I agree with the professor, even though he is in one place and I am in another, and perhaps you two can meet in the middle. I know that the Muslim youth today are lost, as he said, and confused. But rescuing them and saving them from this confusion is not by us, the Muslims, becoming a carbon copy of the disbelieving Europeans. Rather, it is by restoring to our hearts, our thoughts, and our bodies the Islamic life that the earliest generations (the Salaf) had, for which they deserved that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) granted them a wondrous victory without parallel in the entire world. If we want to be like that, we must realize this wisdom: “Establish the state of Islam.” We must understand Islam. Do we understand Islam through these modern studies, the study of mechanics, and other names I do not know, which I may not pronounce correctly? Then we do not know what the Islamic creed is, we do not know how to pray, we do not know how to pay zakah, we do not know how to perform Hajj, and much of what may be... the gray hair, or perhaps gray hair has overwhelmed him, and he has not performed Hajj to the House of Allah the Sacred even once. He may have made many trips to the lands of disbelief. Islam is absolutely not to be in this way. We never forbid, especially after the previously mentioned saying of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) , we do not forbid the youth to learn. But within the circle of Islam. The circle of Islam first means that this youth must be protected, especially when he resides in lands that are foreign to him in their beliefs, morals, and customs. He must be protected, otherwise what he loses will be more than what he gains. This is all I have as an answer to that.

The questioner : May Allah reward you with good...