Mussadiq Ameen opens up his heart to the global Muslim Community.
Soon after my birth, I became too busy carrying the burdens that the world had put on me. The first burden was my studies, which I relinquished in the middle of my college days. I realized that the scholastic education cannot take me anywhere, if I lacked perspiration and self-effort. I was not ready to carry empty bowls in the form of degrees to beg for alms from some employees. Hardly could I find any guidance to develop myself – neither my parents were capable of guiding me nor the world could stop for a while to tell me how to proceed. Therefore, I wanted to make myself. Yes! Today, I do not put any academic qualifications beside my name, but I have learnt how to be loyal to my creator (Allah); I know what is good and bad; I know how to be kind and compassionate; I know I should never follow the ways of wrong doers; I have learnt how to be a self-employed and do successful business. Thus, I begin my journey all alone – but I know the ever compassionate Lord is with me all the time guiding me from within.
I am a devout Muslim born in an orthodox Muslim family in India, the home to the third largest Muslim population on this earth. I was born on 1, Rabee Al-Akher 1412 and when I draft this article, I am just 23 years old. When I was born, I was named Mussadiq Ameen. Long after that when I came to know what it meant, I was too happy since it read as ‘The Truthful and Honest One’. I realized it was Allah who blessed me with this name and therefore decided to be truthful and honest so that I shall truly deserve the name. As the first mark of discharging my services to Allah, I decided to abide by the Sunnath prescribed for true Muslims. I am venturing into a business with lot of ideas, zeal and enthusiasm. I am full of energy, but do not have a pie to invest. However, I strongly hope Allah will show me some way out and with the blessings of the almighty, I strongly hope I would climb up the ladder of success one fine day. This is all about my personal life in brief.
Archival photo
Once I took a break from my mechanical life to reflect on some truths, I was taken aback to find a hard reality – I mean the sorry state of the Muslim community today. I wished I could really do something to change this plight and wanted to radiate my thoughts to awaken a misguided community – the Muslim world that has gone astray and has lost focus on the right path towards success. Therefore, this article follows. I do not know whether I am wrong or right. I am but faithfully recording my thoughts in all honesty, objectivity and sincerity. My objective is not to offend anyone or any community. The sole purpose of this article is to awaken the slumbering Muslims and tell them what I have in the depths of my hearts. Thus I open up so that together with other fellow Muslims I knock the doors of a new world of opportunities for all Muslims to journey further.
Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), the greatest prophet of all times has given us a holy path in the form of Islam with the infallible guidance through The Holy Quran, the voice of the almighty. Quran is perhaps the most sacred of all texts ever composed and has been effectively guiding the lives of Muslims all over the world. Allah has showered His infinite blessings on us and has bounteously given all that we need and much more than what we can imagine. Being the inheritors of this holy tradition, we have been blessed with the greatest of the religions (Islam), the noblest of the prophets (Prophet Mohammed), the holiest of the sacred books (Quran), and the grandest of the titles (Muslims). What else do we need other than these blessings on this earth?
With all this, we do not see the names of Muslims among the top achievers in terms of wealth, educational qualification, scientific and technological accomplishments and achievements in any other fields that we can mention. I am really worried of this plight and actually wish to do my bit to see a positive change in the lives of Muslim community across the globe. I know that we are all powerful. If we wish to exert our energies positively, none can stop our growth. If we move towards constructive development, the day of redemption is not too far. The point is why does this not happen? We do not seem to progress both materially as well as spiritually. Why is this sad state of affair? The one and only answer seems to be ‘We have failed to live by the lessons of the Holy Quran’. Whatever the almighty wanted to speak to us, He has laid them down in Quran. We read it daily, but rather mechanically and not through our hearts; we do not let the high values and ideals of the Holy Book guide our decisions and way of life. Until we live Quran, there is no development or redemption.
Muslims make up a majority of the population in 49 countries. Nearly three- quarters of all Muslims (about 70%) live in these countries. Though Muslims are a minority group in India making about 14.4% of Indian Population, India is nevertheless a home to one of the largest Muslim Populations of the world. As per the statistics revealed in 2014, there are about 1.6 Billion Muslims around the world making up 23.2% of the total population of the world. India is home to 11% of the world’s Muslim population, the third largest after Indonesia and Pakistan.
It is rather a bitter fact that there is no unity among Muslims. When we have decided to divide ourselves in the name of sects and castes, then who is to be blamed? Look into this fact: not a single Muslim country on this earth enjoys complete peace today.
The challenge to our well-being does not come from outside, but from within our community. We inherit the greatest of religions and the greatest of divine assurance for the whole of our community. Though we have every reason to stay united, we have divided ourselves for flimsy reasons that are imaginary and far from truth. We seem to have forgotten to live in harmony; we have distanced ourselves from love and have given our heart in lease to hatred, greed, selfishness and avarice. Rather than focusing on our growth, we unnecessarily disturb others and intrude in their matters. Talk of terrorism, we have much of it; talk of crimes; they are rampant in our lives. Most of us give ourselves away to lavishness and end up with penury. We have gone astray; far away from the path we need to tread. Across the globe, Muslims are hated and not tolerated. People come to us only for the oil we have in abundance so that they can run their machines. At least Allah has blessed most of our countries with this liquid gold; if not, we should have been reduced to poverty across the globe long back.
I have been contemplating on how to work for the betterment of the Muslim community. I have been exploring the factors that have prevented us from reaching the top layer of the world. I am putting down all these thoughts in the form of printed materials, books and literature to be circulated via internet. I wish to strive hard for uniting the worldwide Muslim community under the name of Allah, the all powerful one. I know my aim is a noble one and Allah will bless my endeavor for sure. I want to help the poor Muslims in India. I want to open charity houses all over the nation to promote the welfare of our community. I wish to see that there is no single Muslim left hungry; I want to ensure that every single Muslim has ways and means to earn for their livelihood. I strongly hope that when raised from poverty and given the proper understanding of their weaknesses and strengths, Muslims can find their day. The day when we can find the Golden Era for the Muslim community unfolding on this earth is not very far.
If I am hated for presenting my genuine and objective thoughts, I am rather helpless. I know I am being too much brave in stating what I see and understand. I have just begun the long journey that I wish to tread. I am young both physically and mentally. I have a noble mission. I know that Allah is guiding me with each of my thoughts and actions. I know I am doing the right thing as per the dictates of my conscience. Therefore, I will never rest or sit back being afraid of what I wish to do in my life. I will keep beaconing our community till the last Muslim joins under one umbrella. I know I will succeed in this mission since I am following my heart. If you feel I am right in what I say, then join me now and here. Let us gather momentum to work out our way further. If not, I know time will let you join me in due course. I will certainly wait for you for any length of time. I have just made a beginning and more will follow since I am constantly working on it . . . (with Allah’s guidance from within).
(23 year old Musaddiq Ameen is from Chennai, who voluntarily left his studies, and is doing business in trading and manufacturing of leather goods and is planning to be a manufacturer of electronic goods such as pen drive, memory card and many more…)