At a time when others are having fun with what they desire according to their nafs (ego), but hey… there exists a group of strange (“crazy”) people who on the contrary are thinking (ed: caring) about the condition of the ummah which is all miserable and oppressed right now.

There are those who hurled negative statements at them, “Why do you have to think of others? Deal with your own affairs and improve your own self first!” They say.

Don’t you all know?!! The negative statements should be more suitable to be targeted at the people who like to gossip and talk spitefully of others (as infotainment), why? Because they are indeed the ones who “think”, interfere and blow up the aib (failings) of others.

We all know that the Qur’an says : " ..those who like to talk about the flaw of others is like eating the flesh of his dead brother."

Well, more about caring for others… yes, it’s true, our care for others is not baseless, we must in our actions be bounded by the shara’ regulations (Islamic regulations). Rasululllah SAW the perfect human being said:

“Whoever wakes up in the morning and focus only on his worldly affairs, then that person is useless in the sight of Allah; and whoever does not pay heed to the condition of the Muslims, then he is not from amongst the Muslims” (THR. Thabrani dari Abu Dzar Al Ghifari).

Now, our logics are telling us… if not from amongst the Muslims (the ummah of Muhammad SAW) then the opposite understanding is that they from out of the ummah of Prophet Muhammad SAW a.k.a kafir. Naudzubillah min dzalik!!!

It’s true that it is not easy to win the Shafa'at (Intercession) of Prophet Muhammad SAW! It needs sacrifices! It needs hard works! Isn’t it fair that sacrifices and hard works should be paid with paradise? Even in the simple task as eating, works are required (by chewing first) in order for the food to be digested easily.

Yes, this is Islam, if we talk about solidarity, Islam is in the lead in this matter!! The solidarity in Islam is very principled, unlike the solidarity of those who are narrow-minded and blind, solidarity only based on common nationality (nationalism), solidarity only based on common ethnicity (tribalism/chauvinism).

It is this kind of solidarity that is too awkward, to care only because of a common nationality/clan, so narrow and fragile. Narrow, because the care is limited by the boundaries of nationalism.

Fragile, because it can easily be destroyed and lost. The tie of nationalism/tribalism only exists when there is danger (attacks) and when the attacks that intimidate them are gone, their bondage will be gone and replaced by individualism and narcissism, like what are indisputably proven today.

Therefore, the narrow and fragile ties like nationalism, tribalism, patriotism and chauvinism are only suitable for whom? True, very suitable for the animals that do not have the capacity to think, that make them unable to differentiate the rights and the wrongs according to the standard of Islamic regulations.

Whereas, the concept of solidarity in Islam is extensive and strong. Extensive, because it is not limited by the boundaries nationalism, as long he/she is Muslim, even though he/she is located at the end of the world, he/she is still our brother/sister. Strong, because the tie of a common aqeedah is always there, whatever the condition is, whether it be during peaceful times or in the condition where the Muslim ummah are oppressed like today, where the tie of this common aqeedah becomes even stronger.

The issues of Palestine, Iraq, Afghanistan and other Islamic countries that are oppressed, are not their own personal problems but are the common problems of the Islamic ummah all over the world which we must think of and find common solutions to. And we all know that the “Sharia’ and Khilafah” is The Only One Solution.

What follows are some examples of scenarios how as Muslims we care about the conditions of the Islamic ummah today!

Try to imagine, is it “Strange” or not? At a time, say maybe it's 8 o’clock at night, when others are normally relaxing comfortably at home while watching the TV shows, gathering or chit-chatting with the family or friends. But, hey… these da’wah advocates are out of their houses instead, leaving their children and wives at home. And they are not out of their houses for enjoyments but to meet and make plans (ed: da’wah strategy) of how to formulate methods which are effective and efficient in awakening the society. Is it “Strange” or not?

Try to imagine, is it “Strange” or not? At a time, say maybe it's 11 o’clock at night, when others are sleeping soundly on comfortable mattresses and soft pillows, but, hey… these da’wah advocates are struggling against the cold of the night because maybe they have just gotten back from an assembly.

So isn’t it fair that paradise is the reward for the people who wants to sacrifice like this? Insha Allah the reward is paradise, as long as the niyyah (intention) is sincere for the sake of attaining the pleasure of Allah alone, for the sake of raising high the kalimah of Allah.

Is it “Strange” or not? In the last one third part of the night when others are in the climax of their pleasurable sleep (dreaming, snoring & slobbering). But hey… instead these da’wah advocates are having a One Night Stand (ed: meaning standing up at night for tahajjud, etc. Not the one-night social encounter).

They prostrate and their tears are flowing as a sign that they are grateful (shukr) and have fear (taqwa) of Him.

And they make do’a and perform munajat (intimate communication in secret) with the Lord — the God Who created the heaven and the earth and all that they contain. And the do’a that they supplicate to Him is not egoist which only prays for themselves and their families. But they pray so that those who have not awakened would be given awareness and hidayah by Allah, because they know that they are also the slaves of Allah who want to feel how pleasant it feels to perform ibaadah and serve Allah.

Is it “Strange” or not? At a time when others are unrestrainedly spending their money to buy whatever they want (consumptive). But hey, these da’wah advocates are readily spending their wealth in the path of Allah, for example by donating their wealth to produce bulletins, banners, pamphlets and organizing talks here and there without any pay.

Come on!!! Let’s think with the mind that Allah has given us. Don’t let our heads function only as a part for placing the 2 eyes, 2 ears, 1 nose + 2 of its nostrils and 1 mouth. If that is the only function, then what difference are we from the animals???

Have we not heard??? That there is a term, “humans are animals with wisdom”. So, if our intelligence is not used for understanding the laws of Allah, then those humans are not much different than animals.

In fact, Allah’s statement in the Qur’an is much more forceful, “that the humans who do not use their intellect to understand the laws of Allah are more strayed than livestocks.” Do we want to be likened or even called as more strayed than livestocks??? For the sane, the answer would certainly be: NO!!!!.

The da’wah advocates are the chosen people who could be the best part of the ummah and not the perfunctory part of the ummah.

Have we not heard Rasulullah SAW said: "Islam was strange when it began and will one day be strange again; Blessed are the ghuraba' (those strange people)". [H.R.Muslim]

Who are these strangers??? No other than the advocates of truth i.e. the advocates of the ideology of Islam; because it is only the ideology of Islam that is compatible with the fitrah (nature) of human beings, which is satisfying to the mind & calming to the soul.

Let’s pay a close attention and think deeply. Are the three criterions above existent in the ideologies other than Islam (Capitalism & Socialism-Communism)??? The answer for a human with healthy mind MUST be: NO!!!!.

LET US THINK!!! USE OUR INTELLECT TO UNDERSTAND THE LAWS OF ALLAH SWT. THIS IS AN INVITATION TO THINK…

LASTLY, I want to ask you all a question with reference to the hadith just now, don’t you all want to be the lucky people??? Therefore, my recommendation is BE THE “STRANGERS” above!!!

Wallahu’alam bisowab.