At-Tafkeer Wa At-Taghyeer (The thinking and the change)

From the archives:

Thinking about change is essential to the life because the stagnation of life and surrendering to fate are from the most dangerous pestilences which cause peoples and nations to perish, die out and to become forgotten in the course of events and time. For this reason thinking about change is from amongst the most important kinds of thought and this kind of thinking is not favoured by the sluggish and not accepted by the lazy because the cost of change is heavy and because those who are dominated by the norms see thinking for change as representing a harm upon them and a moving from one condition to another. For this reason, those who are declined and lazy fight this kind of thought whilst those who are called conservatives and those who dominate over the necks of the servants and their sources of sustenance oppose it and stand in its way. And for this reason thinking for change represented a danger for the one possessing it and it became the single most fought against type of thought in an unrelenting war.

The thinking for change, whether it relates to changing individuals or their condition, the societies, the situations of the peoples and nations or other areas or realities in need of change, must begin with the basis upon which the human lives and it must begin with societies which do not have a basis or are established upon an erroneous or false basis or where the realities and conditions are proceeding upon a path which is not correct or upright. This basis upon which the life is established is what elevates the life or brings it down and it is what brings happiness to the person or causes his anguish. It is what brings into being the viewpoint in life and in accordance to this viewpoint the person engages in the battlefield of life.

So firstly this basis is examined: If it was found to be an intellectual (rational) Aqeedah that is in harmony with the Fitrah of the human being, then it would not be in need of being changed and the thought to change this basis would not occur in the heart of any human or the mind of any person, as this is the basis upon which life must be established upon. This is because change only comes about when matters are not correct or in order, or when the error in it is clear to the intellect or the error stands out or is blatant before the feelings or sentiments linked to the human�s life energy. If the mind was certain in a decisive way about the correctness of a thing and the uprightness of a matter and life energy�s sentiments were satisfied and at ease, then thinking for change would completely cease to exist. 

For that reason thinking about change will not arise when the basis of the life is an intellectual Aqeedah that is in harmony with the Fitrah of the human being. If however the basis that the human lives upon and the basis upon which the society and the circumstances it proceeds upon is established, does not exist in origin or is present in an erroneous form, then it would be erroneous to think about changing anything before changing the basis or before changing the Aqeedah that the people believe in. As such, it was obligatory upon the Muslims who had experienced and enjoyed the intellectual Aqeedah in harmony with the nature of the human to bring about change amongst the people who had no beliefs or had corrupt beliefs which the intellect could not accept and were not in harmony with the human nature. It was therefore Fard upon them to carry the Islamic Da�wah to the people from amongst the non-Muslims and even if that led to Al-Qitaal (fighting) and engaging the disbelievers in battles i.e. with those who did not possess an intellectual Aqeedah in harmony with human nature.

The change must therefore begin with the Asaas (basis). If this basis changed and was exchanged with a basis which was definite in regards to its validity, correctness and truthfulness, then at that time the thinking about changing societies and their circumstances and situations would commence. Changing societies and their circumstances can only occur by changing the concepts, measures and convictions (Mafaheem, Maqaayees, Qanaa�aat). This is because if a correct truthful basis came into being it would then represent the fundamental measure or criterion for all measures, the fundamental concept for all concepts and the fundamental conviction for all convictions. So when this basis is brought into being it then becomes possible at that time to change the measures (criteria), concepts and convictions, and as a result it becomes possible to change the societies and their circumstances. This is because the evaluation of everything changes by it (the basis); the evaluation of things, matters and thoughts which leads as a result to the changing of the constituting elements of life. The thinking to bring change must therefore exist within the person or it must be generated within the person. Everyone who possesses an intellectual Aqeedah in harmony with human nature possesses the thinking to bring change, either with strength where it is latent within him or by way of change where he undertakes the thinking for change practically when he engages in the battlefield or arena of life.

In regards to thinking about change, it doesn�t mean that it only exists amongst those who feel the necessity to change their circumstances or thoughts. Rather it is present as long there exists a condition that obliges change and as such the thinking to bring change is not restricted to the individual person changing his circumstance or his situation and not to his changing of his society or people and Ummah. It is rather present in order to change other than him, to change other people, other societies and foreign circumstances. This is because the human possesses the innate characteristic of humanity and this obliges regard to be given to the human whether he is, whether he is in his own land or another land, his State or another State, and whether he is from his Ummah or from other than his Ummah. The human therefore attempts to bring change in every and any place that requires change. 

Thinking to bring change emanates from the depths of the person, it is driven by life�s realities and indeed it comes from a mere sensation of the life. Even though the forces who feel that change represents a danger for them oppose it, the thinking for change nevertheless is even present amongst those forces. This is because its presence within the human is an inevitable matter. However making the people think about change can either come by way of conviction or it can come by way of brute force. When change does actually happen or the value and worth of change is realised then the thinking about change becomes easy. This is because it restores the people�s sentiments in respect to the necessity of change and as a result it generates the thinking for change amongst them. It is therefore necessary for every Muslim to possess the thinking for change.