Shift in Focus

they deeply care about the welfare of the Muslim community, as if any issue remotely related to the community causes them great unrest. But if you look closely, you will find that this expression of grief is no more than a formal condolence—offered not out of real sorrow, but out of the fear that others might complain. In their present, actual sphere of influence, they may lead superficial, irresponsible lives, yet they portray their post-revolutionary ambitions as if the era of the Rashidun Caliphate (The Rightly Guided Caliphate) will return anew. Look at how this misinterpretation has shifted the targets of their actions. The Quran has set for us a clear aim: establish God’s religion upon ourselves and convey its message to others. However, this interpretation has instead placed a different aim before them—“Strive to establish the Islamic system in the world.” As a result, attention has been diverted from both of these original aims. The focus is no longer on acting upon Islam in one’s own life, nor on conveying its message. Instead, all energy is directed toward finding ways to bring about a change in power so that Islamic laws can be enforced. In the same way that the mission of the Communist Party does not encourage its members to transform their personal lives, nor do they see mere propagation as a sufficient cause for mobilization, but rather