It has become apparent in our time that the Ummah is suffering from afflictions, which have caused it to lose its balance. These afflictions are:

The State of Weakness:

This state has been described to us, and we have been warned about it clearly and explicitly, leaving no excuse for ignorance. Thawban , one of the Prophet’s  servants, stated that the Prophet  said:

“Soon the nations will call one another against you, just as people call one another to eat from a platter of food.”

A man asked: “Will this be because we will be few in number, O Messenger of Allaah?”

He  replied: “No, you will be large in number, but you will be ghuthaa’a like the froth scum on the surface of a body of water, and Allaah will remove from the hearts of your enemies their fear of you and shall place in your hearts wahn.”

Those present asked: “What is wahn O Messenger of Allaah?”

He  replied: “The love of this worldly life and hatred of death.”

[Saheeh hadeeth due to a multitude of routes of narration in the Sunan of Aboo Daawood Book 37, Number 4284]

The following hadeeth clearly explains this condition of wahn:

First: Our enemies, the hosts of Iblees and his servants, have tried to hinder the progress of the ummah and take from its territories when they see that wahn has set in and inflicted us. Ever since the dawn of Islaam until today, the kufaar and mushrikeen from amongst the People of the Book have continued in their endeavor against the Muslims. They have always sought out ways to render our people weak. They have even attempted this in the very city that was established and fostered by the Prophet . This is clearly illustrated in the story of “The Three that were left behind” (see Surah At-Tawbah (The Repentance) Verse 118).

Ka‘b bin Maalik  said:  “… As I was walking in the market place of Madinah, I saw a farmer who was a part of a trading caravan from Shaam selling some of the foodstuffs that he had brought with him. He was asking as to where he could find me and was then directed to me. He then handed to me a letter from the king of Ghasaan. Being literate, I began reading it. It said: “To proceed: We have received news that your friend (Muhammad ) has spurned you. Allaah does not wish for you to remain in a land of disgrace. Come to us and we shall take care of you.” [Agreed upon]

O Muslim, ponder and reflect upon how the people of disbelief, those encircling the territory of the Muslims, receive news of what is occurring within our lands. They sit in wait, seeking an opportunity to unleash their assault. This can be clearly shown in the following examples as well.

Second: The nations of disbelief call one another and gather in alliances in the pursuit of destroying Islaam and that which it calls to, its adherents and their lands. You can see this vividly in the Crusades and the First World War. In the First World War, one of the main objectives was the dismantling of the Khilaafah. To implement their goals of destruction, the nations of disbelief organized themselves first into an association, then into a larger general body, becoming increasingly organized until they established a New World Order.

Third: Verily, the lands of the Muslims are the source of many of the earth’s natural resources. Therefore, the nations of disbelief wish to strip us of our lands and control these resources. As such, we see that the Messenger of Allaah  described them as if they call one another to a feast. Each of them seeks a large share of the regale.

Fourth: The nations of disbelief partake in the bounties of our lands, without any fear of complaint or reprisal. These assets are then taken away either ‘peacefully’ or by force.

Fifth: The nations of disbelief shall see our lands as being soldiers and scattered pieces of land. This is expressed in the hadeeth of the Messenger of Allaah  that is reported by ‘Abdullaah bin Hawaalah , who said that the Prophet of Allaah  said:

“You shall be regiments and soldiers. A regiment in Shaam, a regiment in ‘Iraaq, a regiment in Yemen.”

I asked: ‘Choose for me which I should join?’

He  said: “Go to Shaam… Surely, Allaah ‘Azza wa Jall has guaranteed the protection of Shaam and its people.”

Rabee‘ah, one of the sub-narrators, states that he heard Aboo Idrees Al-Khiwalaani report this hadeeth and then say: “What Allaah vows to protect none can destroy.” [Saheeh]

This clearly portrays the present situation of the Islaamic world. It consists of countries having no control over anything: whether their own internal affairs or those external to them. They gain their freedom, protection and strength from the nations of disbelief.

Sixth: The nations of disbelief are no longer concerned by, let alone in fear of, the Muslims. The fear that was once present in their hearts is no longer present. The terror that previously caused the hearts of the nations of disbelief to shake and tremble is no longer of any significance - if present at all.

Allaah says in the Qur’aan: “We shall cast terror into the hearts of those who disbelieve, because they joined others in worship with Allaah, for which He had sent no authority.” [Surah Aali Imran (The Family of Imran) Verse 151]

The Messenger of Allaah  says: “I have been given victory due to the fear our enemies have of us, which precedes us the distance of one month’s travel.”

[Narrated by Al-Bukhaaree (vol. 1, pg. 436 – Fath) and Muslim (#521) from the hadeeth of Jaabir ibn ‘Abdullaah ]

This is a specific attribute assigned only to this ummah. This is established in the hadeeth of Thawban : “And Allaah will remove from the hearts of your enemies their fear of you.”

Seventh: Another important issue is that the ummah is not strengthened by its numbers nor by its weapons. The strength of the ummah is in its ‘aqeedah and with those who uphold tawheed. Have we not heard the Messenger of Allaah  say: “Verily, you will be many in number” And do we compass the following lesson that will remain relevant in every time, when Allaah said:

“And on the Day of Hunain, when you rejoiced at your great number, but it availed you naught.” [Surah At-Tawbah (The Repentance) Verse 25]

Eighth: The ummah is not paid any heed to, as the Prophet of Allaah  said: “You will be ghuthaa’a, like the froth scum on the surface of a body of water.”

The proofs and signs that we have just mentioned are significant for the following reasons::

1. The body of water completely controls the ghuthaa’a that is upon its surface. Such is the state of the ummah in these days. It flows along with the nations of disbelief, completely under their influence and control.

2. The ghuthaa’a contains things that are of no importance to mankind. Such is the state of the ummah today. The ummah has abandoned the actions that have always ensured its prosperity, especially enjoining the good and forbidding the evil.

3. The ghuthaa’a passes and leaves no trace. Allaah will always bring forth the good from the evil and raise a people of righteousness whom will be a source of inspiration and goodness to mankind.

4. The ghuthaa’a will constantly carry impurities. Such are the false ideologies that have crept into the philosophies of many Muslims as a result of foreign religious indoctrination.

5. Since the ghuthaa’a is under the complete control of the current, it is not known to where it is being carried. The ummah may not be aware of the plans that have been made for it by its enemies, yet it follows the call of any and all individuals, without assessing the worth of that call.

Ninth: The ummah in this day and age has made this worldly life its primary pursuit and objective. For this reason they have become afraid of death and what it will bring. They love this worldly life they are immersed in, completely forgetting the importance of preparing for the Hereafter. This was one of the things that the Messenger of Allaah (saws) feared for his ummah.

‘Abdullaah bin ‘Amr bin al-‘Aas  narrated that the Prophet  said:

“ How would you be, O people. when Persia and Rome would be conquered for you?”

‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin ‘Awf  replied: “We would say as Allaah has commanded us and we would express our gratitude to Allaah.”

Thereupon Allaah's Messenger  replied: “Nothing else besides it? You will compete against one another, then you will envy one another, then you will plot against one another, and then you will hate one another. Following this you will go to the impoverished Muhaajireen and cause them to oppose one another.” [Saheeh Muslim Book 42, Number 7067]

For this reason we see that when Persia was conquered, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattaab  began to weep and said: “No people were given this except that they began to fight one another.”

Tenth: It must be made known that the nations of disbelief will never destroy the Ummah. Even if they were to all come together in that pursuit. In another hadeeth narrated by Thawban , we see that the Messenger of Allaah  said:

“Allaah compressed for me the whole of the earth allowing me to see its east and its west. My ummah shall surely spread throughout the world. I have been given the two treasures, the red and white (gold and silver, the treasures of the Persians and Romans). I asked my Rabb not to destroy my ummah with drought. I also asked that He not send an enemy against them from other than their own selves nor one that will take away their unity and strength. My Rabb said:

’O Muhammad! When I decree an order it cannot be rejected. I have granted you your request on behalf of your ummah, that they not be in a state of drought. I will not send upon them an enemy from outside them who will take away their unity and strength, even if all the nations came against them. This state will remain until they begin to destroy one another and to curse one another.’”
 

Taken from: al-manhaj.com