Care for our fellow human beings

Bismillahirahmanirrahim,

Alhamdulillahi Rabbil Aalimeen, Wal Aqibatu Lil Muttaqeen, Wasalatu Wassalam o ala Rusulihil Kareem,

Amma Baad,

Assalam o allaikum Wr. Wb Dear brothers, sisters and elders,

In the name of Allah, the most benevolent, the most merciful, the master of the day of judgement, who has blessed with the naima of this life and who has sent Quran for our guidance towards the successful path. The one, who sent His last messenger as a haadi to all mankind. Salutations be to this guide and the companions who transmitted to true knowledge of the words of Allah SWT

Come and witness this scene which the Qur’an depicts in the verse: “Sulaiman
gathered an army comprised of Jinn, men and birds; they were all kept under strictdiscipline. Once in expedition he was marching with his army when they came across a valley of ants, one of the ants said:

حَتَّى إِذَا أَتَوْا عَلَى وَادِي النَّمْلِ قَالَتْ نَمْلَةٌ يَا أَيُّهَا النَّمْلُ ادْخُلُوا مَسَاكِنَكُمْ لَا يَحْطِمَنَّكُمْ سُلَيْمَانُ وَجُنُودُهُ وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ



“O ants get into your habitation, lest Sulaiman and his army crush you under their feet without them noticing”.

So Sulaiman smiled laughing at their statement, and said:

فَتَبَسَّمَ ضَاحِكًا مِّن قَوْلِهَا وَقَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ



“O Lord! Inspire me to give thanks for the favours you have bestowed on me and on myparents, and to do such good that will please, and admit me, by your mercy among your righteous servants.”

Here it was; Sulaiman, the messenger of Allah, passing by among his range of troops comprising Jinn, men and birds, in order and harmony. You can imagine this great number of troops who were all under his command. Sulaiman went by a valley that was occupied by a community of ants; hence Allah named it the Valley of Ants. The kingdom of ants, like its counterpart the bee, is a complex organisation with differentiated roles for different sectors- a true division of labour. They enjoy working in support of each other with administrative, management and legal obligation on all. All this is achieved subconsciously and in impressive harmony; something that perhaps mankind fails to achieve despite what they have been given in terms of knowledge,intellect and comprehension.

As soon as one of the ants saw this formidable army it called out(its now immortal, instruction which the Koran has recorded):

“O ants get into your homes, lest Sulaiman and his army crush you under their feet without them noticing”

Yes the Koran has recorded this statement from a mere ant which we would barely be able to see…Why should these words be written down out of all words that are uttered? It is invariable that an endless number of words are said by the various creatures in this wide globe. But it is by Allah’s Divine wisdom that He has chosen to preserve the ant’s short statement.

Allah has preserved these words as they contain wisdom, justice, pure sincere advice, and consideration for the Prophet Sulaiman who was the ruler and king at the same time. It is also a reference to the right of society on the individual.

These, dear brothers and sisters, are noble and high values which are at the core of Islam.Within this short statement is an indication of the responsibility of the individual towards their community. The ant could have sought survival for itself alone, leaving behind each to fend for themselves, or face their fate. But it did not; it sounded a warning to them all, stating clearly what the threat was (“Lest Sulaiman and his army crush you”) and informing them that it wasn’t deliberate, but rather an inadvertent threat. The Ant knew that it was justice which came from Heavens that prevented such an event and further it was not in the tradition of Prophets to kill without right, even ants!

Just as (the ant) sought survival for itself, it desired it for the others too. It felt direct responsibility for their safety. Such has been the command of Islam as the Prophet has stated:

“Desire for your brother what you desire for yourself”

Islam asserts the individual’s responsibility towards the wider community. Every individual within a community is in charge of an aspect in life. The Prophet says: “You are all responsible, and each one of you will be asked about his responsibility”. Each Muslim must have a similar sentiment to that of the ant. Each one of us must sense that he is responsible for Islam, his community, in addition to the enjoining of good and forbidding of evil which is but another feature of the individual’s responsibility towards society.

One should not seek escape for himself alone or to be isolated from their surrounding.Allah says in the Qur’an:
“And watch out for a tribulation that will not inflict those who commit wrong alone”.

We, as individuals of this community have similar obligations upon us. We as individuals here will responsible for our roles here on the day of Judgement. We, as individuals here, will be held accountable for these obligations.

Caring about our fellow muslims is the first step to be closer to them. This is the blessed month of Ramadan and there is no better time to shake ourselves within and ask ourselves that we have a task to do. The work to take care of those around us. If we are breaking our fast, then the thought should come in our minds if the brother next to me has enough to break the fast. If we are to enjoy a bounty of Allah, the feeling should come within us if the muslim next to me has the same liberty to enjoy that bounty. The effort should be made to know more about the muslims we know so we can learn what situations they are in and effort must be made to help them in anyway we can.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Be as the Qur’an has told you about the ant and as the Prophet described the believers: Believers, in their bond and sympathy towards each other are like a single body. If an organ within it falls ill, the whole body gathers in support by staying awake.

Be like this one whole body.

Wama Taufiqi Ilallah Billah
September 29, 2006