Speech delivered by Ml. Nadvi [rh] in Burma (1961)
The following is a translation of an urdu lecture delivered by Hadrath Maulana Abul Hasan Ali Miyan Nadvi [rh] at Burma [Rangoon] in the year 1961 before the military coup in 1962 – The year in which the troubles for the Muslims living in Burma, began.
My friends! This life is perishable, EVERYTHING of this life is perishable! One’s wealth is perishable, honour is perishable, rule is perishable. Let the rulers listen! – That this reign of theirs will come to an end! Let the wealthy listen that their wealth is going to ditch them! Let the healthy amongst you listen that their health will pull a fast one on them!
That thing that will FINALLY remain will be the name of Allah!
And the efforts put forth in the path of Allah!
And the sacrifice given for the sake of the Deen of Allah!
And the striving and the struggle [for the sake of Deen]!
This time is very precious, this time is very very precious that is passing now. And if you take take time off from your work and businesses and inculcate the work of tabligh and guidance first and foremost in your lives and for that you put in efforts, then Allah barik ta’la in its reward will grant you this country in this world and in the hereafter will grant you… PARADISE!
And if you don’t do like this, then REMEMBER that you won’t be able to live in this country!
I’m not saying all this in the guise of a ruler or a politician but in a light of all that, that Allah Subhanahu wa ta’la has granted the Muslims. I’m saying you in that light that your living in this country will become difficult IF you don’t work for Deen with steadfastness.
And when such efforts are secured then your businesses and factories will be safe, remember, the instruments for safety are only…
For the Muslims in ANY country, the instruments of safety are only that they strive and struggle for the sake of Deen and make the Deen so strong, that for that country’s inhabitants, Allah himself takes the responsibility of their safety and Allah himself will take the responsibility of their assistance and then there are no problems whatsoever.
Here in this country, Burma, since some days that we are staying in – Here the most intelligent work to do, the most important, foremost work to do and also the need of the hour is to put in efforts for the sake of Deen, the governmental work here is this.
The biggest politics of this place is this.
The wisest thing to do here in this place is this.
And this work here is the work which will profit you the most.
That in this country, decide that for 10 years…for 10 years or 20 years here you have to spread Islam and protect the beliefs and faith of the Muslims and then if this becomes a buddhist state…..Burma, then think how much more your responsibilities will grow.
Till now its a secular state but Allah forbid if it becomes a buddhist state, then if you don’t take care for the Deen yourselves and don’t make intentions and determinations for the sake of keeping intact your faith and for that… don’t strive and struggle…
Then there’ll be nobody who will come for your help.
And there’ll be no direction from where help for you will be forthcoming.
Anyways now, the government is impertinent, non-assuming.
In the matter of governance, it is buddhist, but yet Muslim at heart [meaning a secular government]. But when it becomes a buddhist [even in ideology], then for the security of your Deen and for attaining superiority in your Deen, and for education, and the struggle for education – All this is your responsibility and a religious duty you’d have to fulfill, and apart from you, nobody else will be responsible for this religious duty.
This is the need of the hour.
If Allah has given you any understanding, even if you keep a broad understanding [of Deen], then keeping your eyes open and with a bit of concentration, understand what I’m saying that your living in this country without Islam will NOT be possible.
In these times, the most intelligent and good thing to do for Islam, and for strengthening Islam and for spreading Islam, and for keeping the faith strong in the hearts of Muslims and for keeping them true and firm Muslims, just one time, rise up for this cause, and for just one time do this work like crazy and…immerse yourself yourself in the work deeply and wholeheartedly.
That, that every Kalimah reading Muslim here becomes such a strong Muslim, that the biggest of the earthquakes…..the biggest of the cyclones and the biggest of the calamities cannot uproot a Muslim from his place.
Strive to achieve this – reach out and spread yourselves in the WHOLE country…reach out to the villages, spread the word of Allah, keep calling upon the words of faith, keep calling upon the oneness of God [Allah, Tawheed], keep calling upon and openly spread the teachings of Islam, advice them that the teachings of Islam need to be adopted, that Islamic names should be kept and…continued to be kept.
Make them aware of polytheism and its rituals and how they attract the wrath of Allah.
Tell them that the death of a Muslim is in adopting polytheism.
Tell them that the death of a Muslim is in taking part in polytheistic practices, polytheistic rituals.
Tell them that the death of a Muslim lies in taking part in such things.
Tell them that it is as if someone drinks a cup of poison – there is nothing more dangerous than that. Put the HATE of disbelief [Apostasy] in their hearts, put the HATE of idolatry [Shirk, kufr] in their hearts, place the horror of polytheism, idolatry in their hearts.
If you become unwary of this work, them remember I’m telling you, I’m making you aware and I don’t know if this talk will be remembered or not, but whoever amongst you now is listening carefully or anyone who remembers – RECALL my words.
I’m NOT a man who can look into the future, I’m not that saintly kind of man who’d know what’s going to happen after 10 years or so but this matter is so widespread and so very out in the open that it is like…. as if when someone see’s black clouds hovering in the sky with strong winds accompanying it, he’d say…he’d predict… it’s going to rain, and when it rains – nobody calls that person… a saint just because he foretold that it’s going to rain… because looking at the obvious signs and overcast conditions…even a child would have said the same.
In the same way, I’m informing you too… that tough times are going to come, for the sake of Allah, do not give such importance to your worldly work as you have been giving before, and for now, strive and put in efforts for Deen.
And give out a WAR – CRY in favor of the teachings of Islam, and for piety, and for the unity of God.
Give out a WAR – CRY in favor of the teachings of Islam and unity of God from one corner of Burma to another corner. Meet with every single Muslim and say to him that this is Deen, this is faith, that this is disbelief and this… is idolatry.
Put the hate of idolatry in his heart and in the hearts of the children, and create avenues of learning for children and reach out to such far off places and villages whose names you may never ever have heard of before.
Reach out to even that single Muslim even if he might not know a word of Urdu or who stays by himself all alone in a hut across the banks of river, reach out to such a person too, plead with him, and enjoin him:
‘O my good man! You are a Muslim, you have to live as a Muslim and die like a Muslim”.
Make him such a person that apostasy shouldn’t come within sniffing distance of him.
Make him feel so reassured [on his faith] like as if he is staying in a fort made of steel.
For this work [of tabligh], there is still some time left, but I don’t for how long, but right now there is still some spare time left. Now if you make good use of this time and put in the efforts, then Allah willing, from Allah barik ta’la, the seat of Deen will remain here, and not just that, even centres from where the growth and propagation of Deen happen – may open up.
And because of its blessings – your businesses and factories, your respect and your honor, and your women and your children will be protected.
Source: theijtema
Courtesy: www.everymuslim.co.za
