Narrated Anas, a companion of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him):
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By preventing him from oppressing others." Sahih Bukhari 2444
Moreover, as a community we are like a brick wall. Each one of us is an important part and a building block of the whole community. If any one of us goes through some pain the whole community will feel it and get affected by it. We are supposed to take action and measures to relieve the pain of others. We cannot just sit back and relax and watch horrendous things happen to the oppressed section of the society. It can happen to any one of us as well. It can be our home, it can be our relatives and it can be us; may Allah save all of us from this tyrannous behavior of some biased people in the country. They are fueling the fire of hatred in the hearts of common, poor and needy people and through them they are igniting the violence against a selected section of the society to cause terror and to make them suffer in the worst manner.
We as Muslims should do things that are in our control and what we are capable of doing within our capacities and the resources that we can utilize. I hereby list a few things that each one of us can do on a personal level and can be of great help to the oppressed people, especially our Muslim Ummah, all around the globe. Many of us say that we are helpless and after all what can we do? It is beyond our capacity. But if we think and ponder, we can be of great help even while we sit in our homes. Those of us who can take practical action can reach out to those who need help. I see that many of our poets and writers are conveying the message and their condemnation of these injustices through their work. This is a great way to utilize your skills of writing. Some people are utilizing art to display what they think about the atrocities done to the people. All of these people are using their skills and their capabilities to do their bit in raising the voice against violence and letting the world know what pain is being inflicted on innocent Muslims around the world, especially in India, China, Palestine, Syria…
I thought of sharing with the readers some of those ways and actions that a layperson Muslim can do for helping the oppressed and for stopping the oppressors even while sitting in their homes.
• First and foremost we should start on a personal level and increase in asking Allah for forgiveness. We should beg His forgiveness for ourselves and for our Muslim community as a whole. Many Muslims have become careless about their religious duties nowadays; especially the youth class. We must increase in asking forgiveness of Allah and seek His Mercy multiple times a day with all our heart.
• Secondly, we should be really serious and dutiful toward our daily prayers. The first and foremost prayer of the morning (Fajr) is so important that the one who prays it is under the protective care of Allah. It is highly recommended that the Muslim men should go and pray in the mosques so that the mosques are not deserted. Allah sends down His Mercy on those who pray regularly in the Mosque. The reason why the haters of Islam and Muslims have become so bold and courageous in disrespecting Islam and Muslims is that Muslims themselves do not feel that pride in owning and adopting their religious obligations. When we will start feeling pride in our own religion and will wear it proudly on our sleeves no one will have the courage to say anything objectionable to our Faith.
• Thirdly, we should always keep our Muslim Ummah in our daily prayers. When you pray for yourself and your loved ones, you should realize that your Muslim community should also be close to your heart. Always keep them in your prayers.
• Fourthly, each one of us should make a conscious effort to get up in the last part of the night and pray Tahajjud. In this special part of the night Allah is close to His servants every night and He extends His hands and asks His servants to ask what they want. This is the golden chance to ask Him to relieve our Muslim ummah from the oppression of the vile people and their plots.
• We have been taught amazing duas that protect us from every bad thing or evil that can possibly harm us. As Muslims we must always guard ourselves and protect ourselves by using this shield of amazing duas of Morning and Evening.
• Lastly but very importantly, as Muslims we should not reciprocate violence with violence, rather we should show courage and stand firm in stopping the violence through proper and peaceful means. Keeping the iman or Faith strong can save us in difficult times. We should not keep fear of people in our hearts rather we should fear Allah more in all our dealings. We should make ourselves such good practicing Muslims that we earn Allah’s Pleasure and hence His Help in all our affairs. Be good Muslims, show good behavior toward neighbors, colleagues and all other countrymen. Try your best to ward off any hatred that comes your way. We are the followers of Islam, which is the religion of peace, hence we are the ambassadors of peace.
Pray that Allah opens the chests for Islam, lets it enter the hearts of one and all and gives the Tawfeeq to all Muslims to enter into Islam completely. Give us the courage and strength of Iman to face the trials of life and give us the understanding to help those in need.
