How Can the Muslims Reclaim Their Honour?

In the Name of Allâh, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

It was from the practice of the pious (Muslim) men and women who came before us that if they were defeated by an enemy, they would scrutinize themselves and would search for the cause of this defeat. As a consequence, if they found in themselves any opposition to the prophetic traditions in any matter, they hastened in changing it, following the Sunnah (prophetic traditions) and cultivating the Ummah (the Islamic Nation) accordingly.

The fact that they were fewer in number than their enemies proved to be of little consequence as after executing their plan of attack Allâh, The Highest, would aid them, thus actualizing what He, The Highest, mentioned in His Book:

“If you help Allâh (strive in the way of your Lord), He will help and strengthen you.”

These are some plans of action with regard to seeking to procure True Help (the Help of Allâh) for the Ummah if Allâh so wishes:

1. Strive and be earnest to desist and refrain from sins that you commit and find yourself continuous upon – and we ask Allâh to help us in abstaining from them.
2. Be observant of attending the prayer in the Masjid (praying with the people), five times a day, especially the Fajr (dawn) prayer (“Indeed prayer has been prescribed upon the believers … “).
3. Try to give charity to the poor and destitute people even if it is something very small, for indeed charity given in secret extinguishes the anger of your Lord.
4. Be mindful (O Sisters!) of being modest and covering yourself completely from now (according to the prescribed ways) and do not be of those who say, ‘I will start doing it from tomorrow’.
5. Be observant of raising your children with true Islamic cultivation, so that they may be like the children of the Companions, and may Allâh be pleased with them all. So that they may become a people better in the sight of Allâh than the people of today.
6. Increase your supererogatory prayers daily.
7. Encourage your friends and family to do good actions, advising them in a way that is good. Remind them that the Ummah is in need of them and remind them that all Muslims should strive to be like the Companions of the Prophet, may Allâh send His prayers and blessings upon him, in their thought and actions.
8. Act in the way that you have been commanded by Allâh in regard to preparing yourself and your children, spiritually, physically, and mentally.
9. Be observant about the sincerity of your actions, whether they be in regards to studying, working, or even planting something in the earth, and be of those people who learn about that which they do (so as not to base an action on ignorance).
10. Remind the Imâm in the Masjid to gather the people after the Maghrib (sunset) prayer and to read to them something from the Qur’ân or the Sunnah.
11. Help in spreading goodness by any permissible means that you are able to carry out.
12. Increase in asking Allâh to make you firm upon this path and be humble to Allâh.
13. Have trust in Allâh’s help for the truthful believers.
14. Do not despair from the long journey and it’s the difficulty, for indeed corruption has encompassed the Ummah for many years and is now in need of relief.

And in the end, if you find the Muslims gathering together to pray at the sound of the adhân as they do for the Friday prayer and you see that knowledge has become widespread and the religion has gained mastery over the land, then know,

O Muslim, that the True Help is at hand.