What is the correct path to changing the bad reality in which Muslims live?
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The questioner : Preachers are tossed about by different currents regarding what should be prioritized in changing the reality of Muslims today. Some believe the priority in da'wah is political awareness, while others advocate starting by forbidding the widespread evils. A group sees great importance in [missing text], and others see jihad. A faction advocates starting with individual education, as is the natural interpretation of the hierarchy of priorities in calling to Allah according to [missing text].
The Shaykh : Yes, and I add to what I mentioned that the question we are about to answer should also be heard, meaning it came first.
The questioner : That is the question.
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The introduction.
The questioner : Do you want the entire introduction?
The Shaykh : I mean, you don't want to hear it.
The questioner : We will follow up at the end of the session, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: All right.
The student : Later.
The Shaykh : Let us proceed a little, if Allah wills, to complete the answer to the previous question. It has become clear to us, clearly and distinctly, if Allah wills, that understanding Islam is confined to returning to the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. This is the path from the scientific perspective. Any group or any preacher who follows a different path in understanding Islam will not reach a true understanding of Islam. Now we come to the other aspect, which is considered the goal relative to the means. The means here is understanding Islam, so what is the goal of understanding Islam? We all know that the goal of understanding and studying Islam is to apply it and act upon it. Application certainly varies with the variation of the place, the context, or the person who will implement this Islam or part of it. Given that the goal of knowledge is action, the one who knows but does not act is like one who uses the means and wastes his time in it, yet does not reach the harvest of its fruit, which he is capable of plucking. He remains using the means without application, meaning without reaching the goal, the fruit. So the one who seeks knowledge but does not act is working; he is working in seeking knowledge and studying it. Therefore, what came in part of the question about publishing heritage is certainly a work. But the one who continues to do this type of work and then does not act upon what he has learned, even though he is able to act upon what he has learned, is like what is said in some military systems: "Stay in your place and move." He moves [missing text], but he does not move from his place. This is a very simple example of one who knows but does not act. You do not need me to remind you of some verses that forbid limiting oneself to knowledge without combining it with action, nor of the many, many Prophetic hadiths that warn against seeking knowledge without acting upon it. But my reminder to you is sufficient: the hadith of Imam Muslim in his Sahih, from the narration of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he stood one day in a gathering for Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him).
The Shaykh : Yes, and I add to what I mentioned that the question we are about to answer should also be heard, meaning it came first.
The questioner : That is the question.
The Shaykh : That is it.
The questioner: Yes.
The Shaykh : The introduction.
The questioner : Do you want the entire introduction?
The Shaykh : I mean, you don't want to hear it.
The questioner : We will follow up at the end of the session, if Allah wills.
The Shaykh: All right.
The student : Later.
The Shaykh : Let us proceed a little, if Allah wills, to complete the answer to the previous question. It has become clear to us, clearly and distinctly, if Allah wills, that understanding Islam is confined to returning to the Qur'an, the Sunnah, and the methodology of the righteous Salaf. This is the path from the scientific perspective. Any group or any preacher who follows a different path in understanding Islam will not reach a true understanding of Islam. Now we come to the other aspect, which is considered the goal relative to the means. The means here is understanding Islam, so what is the goal of understanding Islam? We all know that the goal of understanding and studying Islam is to apply it and act upon it. Application certainly varies with the variation of the place, the context, or the person who will implement this Islam or part of it. Given that the goal of knowledge is action, the one who knows but does not act is like one who uses the means and wastes his time in it, yet does not reach the harvest of its fruit, which he is capable of plucking. He remains using the means without application, meaning without reaching the goal, the fruit. So the one who seeks knowledge but does not act is working; he is working in seeking knowledge and studying it. Therefore, what came in part of the question about publishing heritage is certainly a work. But the one who continues to do this type of work and then does not act upon what he has learned, even though he is able to act upon what he has learned, is like what is said in some military systems: "Stay in your place and move." He moves [missing text], but he does not move from his place. This is a very simple example of one who knows but does not act. You do not need me to remind you of some verses that forbid limiting oneself to knowledge without combining it with action, nor of the many, many Prophetic hadiths that warn against seeking knowledge without acting upon it. But my reminder to you is sufficient: the hadith of Imam Muslim in his Sahih, from the narration of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), that he stood one day in a gathering for Mu'awiyah ibn Abi Sufyan (may Allah be pleased with him).
Source
www.al-albany.com
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.