My Advice to the Ulama

MY ADVICE TO THE ULAMA that they should stay aloof from politics and focus on the reform of the Muslims, awakening the true spirit of Islam in them and producing Islamic literature according to modern standards that would promote an urge to discover Islam among people. To perform this role of intellectual leadership, they must possess a deeper understanding of the times and the capacity to engage in ijtihad, creative interpretation of Islamic sources and their application in changed circumstances. Then they will be able to engage in scholarship, reform the minds of the Muslim ummah towards right thinking and undertake dawah work, conveying God’s message to people. Another essential task is that of inviting people to God. This task is so vital that if it is abandoned, the whole Muslim community will lose all value in God’s eyes. When this task is left undone, all other tasks, if undertaken, will prove to be ultimately futile and can never result in Muslims gaining respect and honour. A Quranic principle is that with every problem, there are opportunities. Although Western political dominance appears as a problem, they bring new and powerful opportunities to convey God’s message to people with them. Had the Ulama understood Western thought deeply, they would have welcomed