In the name of Allah, the Beneficient,the Merciful

Whether you're a newcomer to Islam, a Muslim or Muslim Revert who is rediscovering true Islam for the first time, someone who is simply interested in the faith which claims over two billion followers worldwide, or a researcher, educator, student or writer, this website presents authoritative Islamic Answers to Questions about Islam from both Muslims and non-Muslims.

THE PATH TO SUCCESS
"Let there arise out of you a band of people inviting to all that is good, enjoin what is right, and forbidding what is wrong: They are the ones to attain felicity."

Hadhrat Moulana Muhammad Ilyaas (RA), founder of the Tableegh Jamaat, a worldwide Muslim reform movement based with its center of teaching in New Delhi - used to issue these instructions to preaching groups that were sent out to different parts of the world.

"Lower your gaze", he would tell them.
"Go out with thoughts of Allah in your heart and His invocations on your lips. Your journey will be easy if you advance in unison."

Four things are mentioned here: a serious outlook, a sense of responsibility, an awareness of Allah's greatness and unity. Any group which adopts these characteristics is bound to be successful, Insha Allah.

How important are these four things. It would be true to say that it is this awareness, this spirit which needs to be aroused in the minds of the people. THIS IS THE REAL TASK TO BE PERFORMED. Success both in this world and the hereafter is dependant on its accomplishment.

A nation and a social system, does not have an independent, separate existence, it exists only by virtue of the individuals that form it. The collection of individuals make up a nation, while their social system emerges from the way they act as individuals. If reformation has to come to a nation or a society, it has to be individuals who make up that nations who have to undergo the reformation.

Keeping this fact in mind, one can see that any reformation programme has to be targetted at individuals for it to be worthwhile. If society is made the target, one may seek social reform, but the result will be social chaos. What one is seeking on a mass level will only come about when it has been achieved on an individual level. Slogans raised in the name of social reform are meaningless without initial reform of individuals.

Each and every individual has to be imbued with deep faith so that his gaze is lowered in humility; embeded in his heart must be the awareness that he is answerable to Allah for his actions. Such is his consciousness of Allah's greatness that he, forever makes mention of the Lord.

If individuals acquire these qualities, the reformation is that people seek in society will automatically come to light, Insha Allah.

Source:  Jamiatul Ulama (Kwazulu-Natal)