The Islamic project did not emerge from a void on its first day, nor was its inception mere rhetoric or an act of luxury. Rather, its birth was a genuine response to an urgent need, a remedy for a chronic illness, and a soothing balm for acute pain.
The birth of the Islamic movement was a response to the call for Islamic unity at a time when the signs of division were eroding it, and hopes for the restoration of the lost Islamic caliphate had faded away. The launch of the Islamic project then was like a beacon of hope for those whose paths had diverged, oxygen for those struggling to breathe, and a lifeline for those on the verge of drowning. Unity of the nation was the most prominent feature of the Islamic project, its highest banner, and its clearest title.
The Need For Law
Furthermore, the birth of the movement was also a response to the nation's need for Islamic law specifically, and Islamic reference in general, in all aspects of life. Many of the nation's youth and leaders rallied around the Islamic project because they found in it their long-awaited guidance and their hopes pinned on a comprehensive Islamic reference and a unifying Islamic unity.
The Path to Advancement Requires Sincerity, Self-Reflection, Future Vision, Determination, and Taking Practical Steps
And indeed, the Islamic idea began to shine brightly, seeking unity for its nation, and a reference point to preserve its identity, protect its constants, and strengthen its bonds.
The methodology to achieve these goals was meticulously divided into educational and intellectual stages, aimed at identifying the qualified individual according to varied criteria of faith, intellect, psychology, ethics, and skills.
Then, the focus shifted to establishing the family on a solid Islamic foundation in its formation, path, means of protection, and the integrity of its productions and fruits.
Subsequently, the methodology progressed to the third stage, represented by the establishment of the Muslim community, realized through the adherence to Islamic principles in all aspects of life—its joys and sorrows, times of ease and hardship, in its markets, factories, shops, and streets, as well as in its mosques, schools, and research centres.
Then came the aspiration for the Islamic state, which is considered a natural outcome of the successful completion of the stage of the Muslim community. The state is seen as a natural product of the society's choices and its alignment to the methodology of Islam to the best of its ability.
Relative deviation
However, with the passage of time and the influence of geographical, climatic, and human factors, there occurred a relative deviation from those desired goals. They became faint in their clarity, intertwined in their means of achievement, while their supply of intellectual renewal and cognitive development weakened. There was also a failure to readjust correctly after the storms and upheavals it faced.
Restoring Islamic values to be the hallmark of the Islamic project owners is one of the foremost means for its continuity and success
After a century since its inception, the Islamic movement found itself at a strange crossroads, with bewildering paths, relentless winds, and countless losses in lives, ideas, resources, and spaces. What is the way out of this crisis? How do we envision the future of the Islamic project? Or, to be more precise, how do we see the future of the Islamic movement?
The path to revival is not impossible, but it requires sincerity, commitment, honest self-reflection, scientific foresight, genuine determination, and utilization of available means.
First and foremost, the Islamic movement must redefine itself anew, based on the realities of the present and the prospects of the future, benefiting from the experiences of success and failure.
It must realize above all that it is a movement of principles; its value lies in the principles it upholds. Its wealth lies in the message it proudly adheres to. Its guidance and salvation come from these principles, which are rooted in the divine reference—the Quran and the Sunnah—and their application to ourselves before seeking to apply them to others. Those who do not accept accountability will not succeed in empowerment, and those who disdain evaluation will inevitably become misguided. The principles are the carriers of the message and the establishment of the faith, they are the deep spiritual upbringing, the adherence to the rope of Allah, the source of guidance, mercy, and dignity, they are the abode of healing. The principles are embodied in the divine scholars, the sincere preachers, and in the magnification of the legal reference—beliefs, understanding, behaviour, and movement.
The crisis deepened fundamentally when the principles were scattered. “And he threw down the tablets and seized his brother by [the hair of] his head, pulling him toward him.” (AL-A’RAF, 150). The key to the solution lay in reclaiming the source of guidance and elevation. “He took up the Tablets whose text contained guidance and mercy for those who stand in awe of their Lord.” (AL-A’RAF, 150). No matter what resources the Islamic movement possesses, no matter what institutions it builds, and no matter how many energies and individuals it mobilizes, its success is measured by conveying the message in the most complete manner. Without that, there is no success. “if you do not, then you have not conveyed His message.” (AL-MA’IDAH, 67)
Reviving the Brotherhood of the Islamic Ummah on a Faithful Basis: A Brilliant Launch for the Movement in its New Awakening
Re-defining Self
In this way, every individual affiliated with the Islamic project redefines themselves as bearers of guidance for humanity, leading them from darkness into light, without seeking dominance over them or exploiting them for personal interests, benefits, or successes. Their enduring motto is: "What my Lord has provided for me is far better" (Quran, 18:95).
People's need for guidance lies in their need to regulate their concepts, ensure the soundness of their ideas, and make clear distinctions between constants and variables. Put simply, it's about presenting constants and variables in a more effective, appropriate, and exemplary manner.
People's need for guidance also lies in their need for values that go beyond mere names, titles, and forms. The field of action is still lacking in exemplary models and authentic role models.
The Islamic movement has been casting these guiding principles since political action, with all its noise, turned from a means of advocacy into an end. Advocacy became a means for political action, evidenced by the fact that when the two conflicted, advocacy was abandoned, and when politics suffered losses, advocacy receded. Advocacy is not merely a routine activity; it is the legacy of prophethood and the trust of carrying the message.
Despite Successes and Failures, the Islamic Movement Possesses a Surplus of Values to Propel It into a New Awakening
A true Hallmark
Therefore, the re-establishment of Islamic values as a true hallmark for the owners and supporters of the Islamic project is among the foremost means for its continuity and the keys to its success.
Moreover, the consolidation of the Islamic movement in light of the constants of Islam and its standing up to protect its principles stands out as one of the most significant strategies, especially in circumstances where nations challenge the fundamentals of our creed and infringe upon our sanctities, identity, and values.
Furthermore, the revival of the brotherhood of the Islamic Ummah on a firm basis of faith, regardless of titles, colours, flags, or ethnicities, also serves as a brilliant launch for the movement in its new awakening.
Despite all the successes and failures, the Islamic movement possesses a surplus of values that can be built upon and propelled into a new awakening. In fact, it may not be an exaggeration to say that any revival in the nation in the current stage cannot commence without benefiting from the vast reservoir of values and human resources that the movement has left in various regions and lands.
Returning to the Islamic brotherhood in its divine faith-based bond, pledging allegiance anew to Allah, becoming soldiers for His call, bearers of His religion's message, heirs to the banner of His Prophet, and repositioning to safeguard the constants, preserve the creed, and cultivate generations whose behaviour, appearance, and knowledge embody Islam, all qualify the movement to lead the new awakening. This is a certainty by the permission of Allah, and all we have to do is prepare ourselves for utilization so that He, glorified is He, may open the doors of utilization for us.
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