With regards to faith, in every era we witness a period of revival followed by decline. Usually the revival follows a period of intense suppression or generational neglect. The decline occurs when the next generation forgets the struggles of the last.
Like life itself, faith is cyclical. It comes and goes, ebbs and flows. Both individuals and society must know that if you don’t strive to keep your faith alive, it will leave you. If you let it whither and die, it will. Like a garden, it must be nurtured and tended with care.
A faith made repulsive is like a garden paved over with concrete, made desolate and bare. For many, that is exactly what has happened. When we forget, “La iqra fid deen: there is no compulsion in religion,” we will see people abandoning it in droves.
Faith must be kept alive. If its driving impulse is truthfulness, then we must be truthful. If mercy stands at its core, then we must exude mercy. If justice is its calling card, then we must be just, even against ourselves, or our families, or the influential, powerful and wealthy. As that passage goes on, “For truth stands out clearly from falsehood!”
All around us, in some quarters, we see faith in decline. Amongst communities once thought to be defined by traditional faith practice, it is everywhere being abandoned. And yet elsewhere it is on the ascendency. Perhaps all of us should be heedful of this warning:
O believers! Whoever among you abandons their faith, God will replace them with others who love Him and are loved by Him…
Quran 5:54
There is no guarantee that because you were a great Muslim nation once that you will remain one forever. If you abandon faith practice, don’t be surprised if it is taken away from you. Perhaps the faith you proclaim but do not practice will be handed to your enemies instead.
Are we just? Are we honest? Are we merciful? Are we charitable? Are we humble? Are we kind? Have we brought the characteristics of faith to life in our lives and communities? Is our revival real, or is this our decline? Allahu a’alam. God knows best.
Last modified: 7 August 2023
