US Presidential Election Reflection

Fear, shock, and gloom are emotions experienced by Muslims after the United States Presidential elections of 2016. Concerns about registering Muslims residing in the US, stop-and-frisk, banning Muslims from entering the US, and increased attacks on Muslims are a few of the topics dominating conversations in the Muslim community.

These threats should make us stronger in our trust in our Lord, increase our obedience to Him, and make us carry the dawah of Islam even more. We should remember that the increased hostility against the Prophet Muhammad (saw) in Makkah emboldened the Sahabah like Bilal, Abu Bakr, Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, and Abdullah ibn Masud (may Allah be pleased with them).

As history proves from the 2000 and 2008 elections, the US system of government, its self-preservation, its trajectory, and its policies will continue to remain the same without regard to the personality selected to lead. Had the 2016 outcome been “different”, the expectation of the Muslims should be the same.

Let’s recall the response of the Prophet Mohammed (saw) and the Sahabah to the social and economic boycott imposed by Quraysh for standing firm on the strong belief in Allah and persevering and engaging with the society. Three years of suffering from the boycott at the hands of the Quraysh reduced Muslims to eating grass and leaves from trees yet they persevered until Allah Almighty provided victory through one of the smallest and weakest of creations – the carpenter ant.

Let’s remember that by remaining firm on the Dawah to Islam, the early Muslims witnessed the conversions of many people to Islam, including some of Islam's biggest opponents such as, Khalid bin Waleed, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Ikrimah ibn Abi Jahl, Kab bin Zuhayr, and Suhail bin Amr.

It’s definitely not a time for despair! Our objective should never be acceptance into a society at the expense of our Deen. We must engage the society to present the message of Islam to our society upon Islam and only Islam.

Our engagement must be established upon our beautiful, profound, intellectual, spiritual and political Aqeedah from which comes our Islamic identity, Islamic values, and Islamic rules that manifests our complete way of life.

It is imperative we preserve Islam and our Islamic identity, our Islamic values, and preserve our connection to the global Islamic Ummah because we are indeed one Ummah! Our aspirations and obligations must be in line with our Aqeedah to always preserve our identity as exclusively Muslims and not dilute the beauty and mercy of Islam by associating nationalistic values. Remember our duties as Muslims is to be ambassadors representing Islam the way Allah (swt) defined for us with no deletion, no dilution or addition.

Preserve Islam as Islam! We must not allow the climate of fear, intimidation, and perceived economic or political benefits to compromise Islam.

Let’s remind ourselves with the Aayat of Allah (swt),

[وَلَنَبْلُوَنَّكُمْ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوفْ وَالْجُوعِ وَنَقْصٍ مِّنَ الأَمَوَالِ وَالأنفُسِ وَالثَّمَرَاتِ وَبَشِّرِ الصَّابِرِينَ * الَّذِينَ إِذَا أَصَابَتْهُم مُّصِيبَةٌ قَالُواْ إِنَّا لِلّهِ وَإِنَّـا إِلَيْهِ رَاجِعونَ * أُولَـئِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَوَاتٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرَحْمَةٌ وَأُولَـئِكَ هُمُ الْمُهْتَدُونَ]

“And certainly, We shall test you with something of fear, hunger, loss of wealth, lives and fruits, but give glad tidings to As-Sâbirun (the patient) (155) Who, when afflicted with calamity, say: "Truly! To Allah we belong and truly, to Him we shall return." (156) They are those on whom are the Salawât (i.e. who are blessed and will be forgiven) from their Lord, and (they are those who) receive His Mercy, and it is they who are the guided-ones.” [2:155-157]

[أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تَدْخُلُواْ الْجَنَّةَ وَلَمَّا يَأْتِكُم مَّثَلُ الَّذِينَ خَلَوْاْ مِن قَبْلِكُم مَّسَّتْهُمُ الْبَأْسَاء وَالضَّرَّاء وَزُلْزِلُواْ حَتَّى يَقُولَ الرَّسُولُ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ مَعَهُ مَتَى نَصْرُ اللّهِ أَلا إِنَّ نَصْرَ اللّهِ قَرِيبٌ]

“Or think you that you will enter Paradise without such (trials) as came to those who passed away before you? They were afflicted with severe poverty and ailments and were so shaken that even the Messenger and those who believed along with him said, "When (will come) the Help of Allah?"

Yes! Certainly, the Help of Allah is near!” [2:214]

Only when we accept full submission as slaves of Allah (swt) and accept that we are placed on this earth to be tried and tested, we can then fully comprehend our Islamic identity. Let’s be clear, that when we are overwhelmed with fear, shock, and gloom, relief comes only from turning to Allah (swt) alone.

Thorough Allah’s guidance and through perseverance, we gain the means and abilities to overcome any despair. Prophet Mohammed (saw) said:

«عَجَبًا لِأَمْرِ الْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنَّ أَمْرَهُ كُلَّهُ خَيْرٌ، وَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ لِأَحَدٍ إِلَّا لِلْمُؤْمِنِ، إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ سَرَّاءُ شَكَرَ، فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ، وَإِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ ضَرَّاءُ، صَبَرَ فَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُ»

“Wondrous is the affair of the believer as there is good for him in every matter, and this is not true for anyone but the believer. If he is pleased, he thanks Allah and there is good for him. If he is harmed, he shows patience and there is good for him.” (Sahih Muslim).

Allah (swt) says:

[وَلاَ تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ اللّهِ مَا لاَ يَنفَعُكَ وَلاَ يَضُرُّكَ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ الظَّالِمِينَ * وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ اللّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلاَ كَاشِفَ لَهُ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلاَ رَآدَّ لِفَضْلِهِ يُصَيبُ بِهِ مَن يَشَاء مِنْ عِبَادِهِ وَهُوَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ]

“Do not call upon any apart from Allah on those who have no power to benefit or hurt you. For if you call upon others than Allah you will be reckoned among the wrong-doers * If Allah afflicts you with any hardship, none other than He can remove it; and if He wills any good for you, none can avert His bounty. He bestows good upon whomsoever of His servants He wills. He is All-Forgiving, All-Merciful.” [10: 106-107]

and He (swt) says:

(وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بَالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللَّهُ لِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدْرًا)

“Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. Surely Allah brings about what He decrees; Allah has set a measure for everything.” [65:3]