Proclaiming the Truth: The Responsibility of the Muslim Community

This is no collateral task; it is the very purpose of the Muslim community’s existence. According to the Quran, the Prophets only proved themselves when they communicated their message in full form to their peoples; in the same way, Muslims can only prove themselves by communicating it to the rest of mankind: Apostle, convey what is revealed to you from your Lord; if you do not, you will not have conveyed His message. (Quran, 5:67) Just as the Prophets’ right to be called prophets is dependent on them conveying the message of God, so the Muslims’ right to be called Muslims is dependent on their communication of that same message: Say: ‘This is my path. With sure knowledge, I call on you to have faith in God, I and all my followers.’ (Quran, 12:108) The Muslims have been called the “best nation” in the Quran. This is due to the fact that the mission, which previously was entrusted to prophets has now been entrusted to them: You are the best nation that has ever been raised up for mankind. You enjoin justice and forbid evil. (Quran, 3:110) Clearly, if the Muslims fail to carry out this mission, then they forfeit their right to be called the ‘best nation.’ What is worse, they lose the right to be called followers of Mohammad (may peace be upon him), for they failed to communicate the message of truth with which He entrusted them, for it to be handed over to the rest of mankind. □ Keeping fast and breaking fast with lawful things Anas Ibn Malik tells about two women who kept fast, and sat with one another talking maliciously and complaining about others. When the Prophet heard about them he said, “They have not fasted. How can one have fasted who eats the flesh of humans.” Others have reported the Prophet’s words as follows: “They kept fast from that which God had made lawful for them, and they broke their fast with that which God has prohibited them. They sat with one another and ate the flesh of others.”