Revolution
For most young people of my age, the Egyptian and the Tunisian uprisings would be the first such major regime changing revolution of their lives… and I am happy to be able to witness them. Not only does it show the fragility of once seemingly invincible regimes but also that unless we, the people, don’t struggle for a cause we can’t get success.
..but does it mean that it is the people alone who can make the change? Was it the young man who burned himself in Tunisia responsible for this massive upheaval?
No, the people haven’t protested for the first time and there have been many Mohamed Bouazizi who did killed themselves being fed up of the oppression… then what is that made the change come about? It is in fact one of the reminders that without the Will of Almighty Allah(swt) we can’t bring about a change, we don’t have the power to do good or avoid bad without the help from Him(swt).
But His(swt) help comes only when we put our struggle towards that cause;
Surely Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change their own condition
Qur’an, chapter 13, Ar-Rad, verse 11
and when Allah(swt) has to bring a change He can bring it from the most unexpected corners and through whoever He wants.
So, to bring about a change we need to do two things,
- 1. Beseech Allah(swt) for help and
- 2. struggle towards that cause
Surely the turn of the events in Tunisia and Egypt has been a learning experience for the people that a change is possible, the only barrier being our inactivity, and for the rulers that if they are not on the correct path then Allah(swt) can remove them anytime He wants.
…but we should not start the celebrations, there are things to be done yet. The fall of Hosni Mubarak will be soon, InshaAllah, but there are foreign powers who’d try their best to put in his place someone who will be their puppet and will be equally worse. So the bigger challenge we have now is to quickly fill the vacuum left by him by a just ruler… someone who is pious, able, responsible and NOT aspiring to get to power for Islam forbids the appointment of people who covet power/seat;
It has been narrated by Abu Musa who said: Two of my cousins and I entered the apartment of the Holy Prophet (may peace be upon him). One of them said: Messenger of Allah, appoint us rulers of some lands that the Almighty and Glorious God has entrusted to thy care. The other also said something similar. He said: “We do not appoint to this position one who asks for it nor anyone who is covetous for the same.”
Sahih Muslim, book 20, hadith 4489
May Allah(swt) help the people against tyranny and oppressions and give us pious and just rulers. Ameen.
