To Alam

 

The Responsibilities of Muslims In a Multi-Cultural Society.

In the Name of Allah—the Most Compassionate, Most Merciful.  All perfect praise is to Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship except Allah and Muhammad ﷺ is His slave and Messenger.

The word “religion” according to Webster’s dictionary, means: The service and worship of God or the supernatural. The Arabic word used in the Quran to describe Islam is ‘Dīn’, which is often translated as religion.   The Arabic word ‘Din’ does not merely mean religion; it means a complete way of Life. Thus, Islam means a complete way of Life. Islam also means to acquire Peace by submitting one's will to his Creator: Allah. Many people have a misconception that Islam is a new religion which was born 1400 years ago. Islam is not a new religion; rather Islam is the only religion that exists since time memorial—since the first human being set foot on earth. Allah the Almighty states in the Quran: “And whoever desires other than Islām as religion - never will it be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.”  [Quran: 3:85].

A person who follows Islam is known as a Muslim. A Muslim is a person who acquires peace by submitting his will to Allah.

As for the subject of this article: “The responsibilities of Muslims in a Multi-cultural society” is concerned, it can broadly be divided into two major categories.

The actions/responsibilities and deeds related to himself.

The actions/responsibilities and deeds related to the non-Muslims.

The actions/responsibilities and deeds related to himself.

The actions, duties, deeds and responsibilities of a Muslim in multi-cultural/non-Muslim society which is related to himself is the same whether the Muslim lives in a multi-cultural society or a Muslim society. A Muslim who lives in a multi-cultural society is obliged to worship Allah alone and not associate any partners with Him.  A Muslim who lives in a multi-cultural society is obliged to perform Salah minimum five times a day. Yes, there are certain concessions granted. For example; the Muslim who lives in a Muslim society can find a Masjid at every corner of the street, which makes it obligatory for him to offer Salah at the Masjid. But, for a person who lives in a multi-cultural society, it’s difficult to find a Masjid to perform Salah, yet it’s incumbent upon him to perform Salah either at home, workplace etc at the due times. It is obligatory for a Muslim woman (Muslimah) to wear Hijab, irrespective whether she lives in a Muslim society or a multi-cultural society. In short, whatever is Fardh (obligatory) i.e. Hajj, paying Zakah, being honest, being just being dutiful to one's parents, growing the beard for a Muslim man etc is Fardh,  and whatever is Haram (prohibited) i.e. Riba (Usury), fornication, adultery, having intoxicants and drugs, eating pork etc, is Haram.

Whatever action is Sunnah Mustahabbah (recommended Sunnah) and Makrrooh (disliked), a Muslim can show some leniency towards them. For example; sitting/squatting while urinating is a Sunnah, but for the Muslim living in a multi-cultural society, it is difficult to find a lavatory with favourable facilities, especially due to the “modern” restroom systems. Hence, it’s permissible for him to urinate standing up. [Sahih al-Bukhari 2471]

The actions/responsibilities and deeds related to the non-Muslims.

The actions, duties, deeds and responsibilities of a Muslim in multi-cultural/non-Muslim society which is related to the non-Muslims can be further divided into three sub-categories as follows;

General dealings with the non-Muslims.

Special relationships

Dawah

a)  General dealings with the non-Muslims.

As far as general dealings with the non-Muslims are concerned, it is the same whether the Muslim deals with another Muslim or a non-Muslim. The same way a Muslim is prohibited to cheat another Muslim, it is prohibited for him to cheat non-Muslim. Allah says in the Quran “Weigh with justice, and do not give short measure.” [Quran: 55:9]. Allah also says “Allah does not forbid you from dealing kindly and fairly with those who have neither fought nor driven you out of your homes. Surely Allah loves those who are fair. Allah only forbids you from befriending those who have fought you for ˹your˺ faith, driven you out of your homes or supported ˹others˺ in doing so. And whoever takes them as friends, then it is they who are the ˹true˺ wrongdoers.” [Quran: 60:8-9].  Here, Allah is very clear, that He commands the Muslims to be just and kind to the non-Muslims who have not fought us for our religion and who do not support the people who fight the Muslims.

There are many examples of the Prophet’s behaviour with non-Muslims.  The Prophet used to visit their sick. It is narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Jewish boy used to serve the Prophet ﷺ and he fell sick. The Prophet ﷺ came to visit him. He sat by his head and said: “Become Muslim.” The boy looked at his father, who was also by his head, and his father said to him: Obey Abu’l-Qaasim (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him). So he became Muslim and the Prophet ﷺ left, saying, “Praise be to Allah Who has saved him from the Fire”. [Sahih al-Bukhari 1356]

The Prophet ﷺ used to accept their gifts. It is narrated from Anas ibn Maalik (may Allah be pleased with him) that a Jewish woman brought some poisoned mutton to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he ate some of it. The Prophet ﷺ used to forgive their mistreatment, and he told the people not to kill that woman who had put the poison in the mutton. In the rest of the hadith, it says: She was brought to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and he asked her about that. She said: I wanted to kill you. He said: “Allah will never give you the power to do that.” Or he said: “to me.” They said: Shall we kill her? He said: “No.” In fact, in the hadith of Abu Hurayrah in Saheeh al-Bukhaari (3169) it says that this was done with the knowledge of the Jews and that they admitted that they had tried to kill him with poison. Yet despite that he ﷺ did not issue orders that revenge be taken on his behalf, but after that, he executed her for the death of the Sahaabi who had been with him ﷺ and had eaten some of the poisoned mutton; his name was Bishr ibn al-Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him). [Sahih Al-Bukhari 2617 & Sahih Al-Muslim 2190]

As a caution, it is prohibited for Muslims to take non-Muslims as close friends/allies. It is permissible to have acquaintances with non-Muslims so long as they have an influence on you and you do not have an influence on them. [Based on Sunan Abi Dawud 4031]

b) Special relationships.

It is prohibited for Muslim women to marry non-Muslim men until they worship and obey Allah alone, and It’s prohibited for a Muslim man to marry a non-Muslim woman except the woman from the Jews and Christians who are chaste and modest (Muhsinat) until they worship and obey Allah alone. Allah says in the Quran: “Do not marry polytheistic women until they believe; for a believing slave-woman is better than a free polytheist, even though she may look pleasant to you. And do not marry your women to polytheistic men until they believe, for a believing slave-man is better than a free polytheist, even though he may look pleasant to you. They invite ˹you˺ to the Fire while Allah invites ˹you˺ to Paradise and forgiveness by His grace.1 He makes His revelations clear to the people so perhaps they will be mindful.” [Quran: 2:221].

c) Dawah.

Dawah is to call or exhort people towards the Truth and forbid all that is Evil. More particularly, Dawah is an invitation to an outsider (i.e. a non-Muslim). The right word to be used when inviting a Muslim towards righteousness is “Islaah”—which means to “repair”. Although the word Dawah is interchangeably used for Islaah, Dawah is more relative to invite a non-Muslim to the Truth of Islam. Dawah is Fardh on every Muslim, especially to those Muslims living in a multi-cultural/non-Muslim society.

Allah the Almighty has praised and honoured the Muslims as it’s mentioned in the Quran: “You are the best community ever raised for humanity—you encourage good, forbid evil, and believe in Allah. Had the People of the Book believed it would have been better for them. Some of them are faithful, but most are rebellious” [Quran: 3:110]. My dear reader, what we as Muslims must understand is that there is no honour/praise without responsibility. For example; in a school, the Principal has more honour than a teacher, and a teacher has more honour than a clerk, but at the same time the Principal has more responsibility than a teacher and a teacher has more responsibility. Allah the Almighty has honoured the Muslims as quoted above, and at the same time mentioned the responsibility as to encourage what is good and forbid what is evil (Dawah). Therefore, we cannot be called as true Muslims if we don’t do Dawah. There are severe warnings from Allah and His Prophet to us Muslims if we were to neglect Dawah. It was narrated that ‘Aishah said:

“I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: ‘enjoin what is good and forbid what is evil before you call and you are not answered.’” [Ibn Majah 4004].

If I were to ask you, that if someone were to abuse your mother (without any reason), what you do to him? You would reply: “I would hit him” and “I would kill him”. Anyhow, we all would say that the person who abused would be taught a lesson. That’s because we love our mother. If anyone were to ask a Muslim, “Who do you love the most?” the immediate answer would and should be Allah else he cannot be called a Muslim[1]. We as Muslims love Allah the most but have failed in the expression of these words. We as Muslims living in a multi-cultural society, come across people who abuse Allah the Almighty when the non-Muslims are committing Shirk. We see Buddhists worshipping a false modelled piece of cement and we see Christians substitute Isa (عَلَيْهِ ٱلسَّلَامُ) in place of Allah. I’m not saying that you should “hit” or “kill” the non-Muslim. These are all prohibited in Islam. What we have to is at least open our mouth and speak to them. Unfortunately many Muslims are scared that the non-Muslim will be offended and he will lose his friendship. Nowadays we have become keener to keep friendships with non-Muslims than the friendship of Allah the Almighty. Allah is Al-Waliyy, He is mine and your best friend.

Unfortunately, many Muslims living in a multi-cultural society wish the non-Muslims on their religious occasions. Such as by saying: “Happy Vesak”, “Happy Diwali” and “Merry Christmas”.  Leaving aside correcting them, we are partying with them by wishing them on their religions occasions. When you wish a non-Muslim by saying “Happy Vesak”, we are giving shahadah (witness), Nauzubillah[2], for their Shirk—for their abusing of Allah. We Muslims must at least open our mouth. Who are we afraid of? “Whoever allies themselves with Allah, His Messenger, and fellow believers, then it is certainly Allah’s party that will prevail.” [Quran: 5:56]. We must get rid of our inferiority complexes, join the party of Allah and at least talk and give Dawah to the non-Muslims. In the end, the Truth will prevail. “And declare, “The truth has come and falsehood has vanished. Indeed, falsehood is bound to vanish.” [Quran: 17:81]

May Allah make it easy for us to act accordingly with the above-mentioned responsibilities, and may Allah make us as Muslims who aid the cause of Allah!

 

 

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[1] Refer Quran: 9:24 and Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 15, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 44.

[2] It means: We seek refuge with Allah.