In the introduction of the famous book "Hayat al-Muslimin" by Hazrat Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi (may Allah have mercy on him), a significant preface titled "Tashil-e-Muqaddamah" written by Mufti Muhammad Shafi (may Allah have mercy on him) is included. In this, Hazrat Mufti Sahib writes about the restlessness, anxiety, and deep concern of Hazrat Thanvi (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding the decline and downfall of the Islamic world and Muslims:
"Wherever a calamity befell Muslims or news of any distress arrived, he would begin to consume himself with grief just as a compassionate father would grieve over a calamity striking his biological children.
A dagger strikes someone else, but we writhe in pain, Ameer,
The pain of the entire world resides within our heart.
From this, one can estimate how a person possessing such feelings could find peace and rest in this era of tribulations? I myself have repeatedly witnessed that whenever a tribulation arose among Muslims that threatened their religious or worldly destruction, Hazrat's health system would become disrupted, and weakness and exhaustion would appear in his physical strength. During one such time of tribulation, he himself remarked:
'If the thought of the current state of Muslims and its consequences comes to mind before eating, hunger disappears, and if it comes before sleeping, sleep vanishes.'" (Reference: Hayat al-Muslimin, p. 7, published by Maktabat al-Mizan)
Those who have been blessed with the true reality of knowledge by the grace and mercy of Allah Almighty have always maintained this approach—they considered the issues of Muslims across the entire world as their own and remained anxious about them in every aspect. Dozens, rather hundreds, of such examples can be found among the elder scholars and pious elders of Islam.
In the context of this matter, today we must evaluate ourselves keeping the issue of Palestine in front of us: what is the level of our concern and anxiety regarding this most critical issue? Are we doing whatever we can? Are we praying for the people of Palestine in the same way we would pray if, God forbid, our own children, parents, or siblings were caught in some adversity...?
Supplication (Dua) is the weapon of a believer; use this weapon, and with a painful heart, with humility and lowliness, become a personification of prayer for your oppressed and subdued brothers.
May Allah grant us the ability and grant the people of Palestine deliverance from oppression and tyranny. Ameen.
-------- Written by Abu Muadh Rashid Hussain ----------
(Narrated)
اناس میمن پلانپوری
