– Alamgeer Hossain (President, Islamic Youth Federation)
Throughout the ages, falsehood has always created obstacles in the path of Allah. To obstruct the path of Allah, they have adopted various strategies — some of which were used in the past and are still used today, merely in a slightly altered form. Among the many methods used to hinder the way of Allah, one is to inflict such oppression and torture upon a believer that remaining firm upon faith becomes difficult, and others become afraid to accept the truth in such terrifying circumstances. A second method is to mislead people about religion and its followers by creating confusion and doubts in their hearts, causing them to develop negative perceptions about this divine way.
The first form of obstruction in the path of Allah is persecuting the believers. Throughout history, forces of falsehood and disbelief have employed this tactic. When the magicians in Pharaoh’s court witnessed the miracle of Musa (A.S.), believed in him, and embraced faith, Pharaoh threatened them saying that if they did not renounce their belief, he would cut their hands and feet on opposite sides and crucify them. The young men of the People of the Cave were forced to flee their homeland and take refuge in a cave simply because they believed in one Allah. The People of the Ditch (Ashab al-Ukhdud) were thrown into fire for accepting Allah as their Lord. Similarly, when Muhammad (SAW) began his mission of conveying the truth, those who embraced this true religion were subjected to the harshest forms of persecution. Bilal, Ammar ibn Yasir, Khabbab (RA), and others endured unbearable torture solely because they accepted Allah as their Lord. The persecution was not only physical — believers were sometimes expelled from their homeland, at other times socially boycotted, and even imprisoned. And this chain of oppression, which began in ancient times, continues even today.
Today, in India, believers are physically assaulted in the name of cow protection, for refusing to chant slogans like “Jai Shri Ram,” for praying openly, or for maintaining visible Islamic identity such as beard, cap, or hijab. They are persecuted even for writing or saying “I love Muhammad (SAW).” On the other hand, Muslims are being falsely implicated in cases of terrorism, imprisoned for years without trial, and through NRC, attempts are being made to brand them as foreigners and expel them from the country.
A recent study showed that one in two Indian Muslims fear being falsely accused in terrorism cases
The second method of obstructing the path of Allah is propaganda against the religion and its followers. This too was used in ancient times. When our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW) began inviting people to the Kalimah, he was labelled insane, a magician, a poet, and so on. The forces of falsehood used various means to spread these accusations. Today, in India, the media is being used in a similar manner against Islam and Muslims. Fabricated stories are repeatedly presented in such a way that people eventually accept them as truth. The media has created such a distorted image of Muslims and Islam that from ordinary Hindus to educated elites, many have begun viewing Muslims with suspicion and hostility. After the Red Fort blast in Delhi, numerous such incidents came to light. A Hindu woman on a train, upon seeing a bearded Muslim man, called the railway police saying, “I suspect that man, search him.” In Noida, Hindu locals stopped buying goods from Muslim shops. In various districts of Uttar Pradesh, Muslims are increasingly viewed as suspicious. All of this is the result of media propaganda and the hateful speeches of extremist Hindutva leaders.
Besides these two methods, another widespread approach to obstruct truth today is attacking the symbols of Islam. One of Islam’s most important symbols is the Masjid. Destroying this symbol of Tawheed and building a symbol of shirk in its place has become a common practice. One method is to declare a Masjid “disputed” by claiming a temple once existed there, then obtaining a court order banning prayers, and finally, in the name of “faith,” demolishing the Masjid and constructing a temple. Another method is to simply declare a Masjid “disputed” and bulldoze it. This “bulldozer justice” is not only applied to masjids but also used against Muslims by levelling false accusations and destroying their homes without due process. History bears witness that this “bulldozer culture” is not new—they previously used similar methods against Buddhists as well.
Bulldozers have recently become the symbols of injustice in India
When forces of falsehood obstruct the path of Allah in this manner, we must follow the way of the Prophets and their companions: in times of severe oppression, we must not retreat even an inch from our faith, nor compromise in any matter of religion. To remain steadfast in faith, we must advance further in the work of religion and adhere to its commands. The responsibilities Allah has placed upon the Muslim Ummah must be fulfilled properly. As the “best nation,” we must call people toward goodness, establish Amr bil Ma‘ruf wa Nahi ‘anil Munkar (Enjoining what is right and forbidding what is wrong), embody the truth through our character and conduct, uphold our Muslim identity, and be flag-bearers of justice. To establish truth, we must use our intellect and abilities and be ready to sacrifice our wealth and even our lives. Above all, we must maintain unwavering certainty that Allah will fulfil His promise. No matter how intensely falsehood tries to extinguish the light of truth through propaganda, Allah will make His light prevail—as He has promised in the Qur’an:
“They want to extinguish the light of Allah with their mouths, but Allah will perfect His light, even though the disbelievers detest it.” (As-Saff 8)
This religion will prevail over all man-made ideologies, systems, doctrines, and religions. Allah will certainly fulfill the implementation of the guidance and the religion with which He sent His Messenger. Allah the Exalted says-
“He it is Who has sent His Messenger with guidance and the religion of truth so that He may make it prevail over all religion, even though the polytheists detest it.” (As-Saff 9)
Another point to remember is that the plots of falsehood are like a spider’s web—appearing complex but in reality, extremely weak. Therefore, fear of falsehood can never enter the heart of a believer; a believer fears only Allah. The believer must firmly believe that everything besides Allah will perish — the oppressors will also perish, and so will their oppression. Thus, the persecution Muslims face today is not permanent; inevitably, there will be an end to this oppression, In Shā Allah.
May Allah grant us all steadfastness in faith and the ability to follow His religion properly. Āmīn, yā Rabb al-‘ālamīn.
