INDEPENDENCE FROM THE ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE

Source : http://www.takaful-ikhlas.com.my/GUI/pdf/artikel_merdeka_eng.pdf

Independence from the point of view of a country is free from colonization. A country is considered as independent when it is governed and administered by its own citizen. Independence is the greatest gift for a country and its citizens.

Our nation will be celebrating its independence anniversary which marks the half century
period of Malaysia under the administration of its own people. Almost all places throughout the country have prepared their respective celebrations.

Today, as the citizens of Malaysia, we are proud with the advancement achieved by our country since we gained the freedom from the colonization of foreign powers. On the other hand, there are a lot of us out there who do not realize that although we are physically free, there is actually some form of colonization which has not been totally removed from out society. For instance, there are still many more who are still being colonized from the perspectives of thinking and way of lives. Whether we realize it or not, we merely ‘borrow’ some colonizers’ thinking, culture and way of lives.

Therefore, it is understood why many of our society members today try to imitate the colonizers’ way of lives and their thinking in their daily lives. They do not practice to be the best of followers given by Allah for mankind as mentioned by Allah:

آُنْتُمْ خَيْرَ أُمَّةٍ أُخْرِجَتْ لِلنَّاسِ تَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَتَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَتُؤْمِنُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَلَوْ آمَنَ أَهْلُ
الْكِتَابِ لَكَانَ خَيْرًا لَهُمْ مِنْهُمُ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَأَآْثَرُهُمُ الْفَاسِقُونَ

Meaning: You (followers of Prophet Muhammad) are the best of peoples being raised up for mankind; you enjoin all that Islam has ordained and forbid all that Islam has forbidden, and you believe in Allah. And had the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) believed, it would have been better for them; among them are some who have faith but most of them are disobedient to Allah. (Al Imran 110)

Please be reminded that the celebration of our 52nd independence should not be celebrated according to colonizers’ culture such as the incorporating the elements of dancing, singing, concert performances by certain artists, and free mingling between male and female teenagers.
An Arabic poet, Mahmoud al Wafa once criticized the Egyptian post-colonization way of lives in one of his poems:

ذهب الإنجليز الحمر و بقي الإنجليز السمر

“The reddish-skinned English has gone but the tan-skinned English are still around”

Today, many of our youths who will be our future leaders are more English than the English, and more westernized than the westerners. Malay Muslim culture is disappearing day by day whilst our eastern characters have faded. Good manners and politeness has not been considered as important anymore, while the nation’s self respect and the value of languages has dropped, Muslim and the Bumiputra’s power has reduced, the divine revelation and sunnah has not been practiced by many, and worst of all, our religion and faith is in danger. All of these happened within the independence period that is being celebrated on every 31st l of August every year.

Even though Islam has introduced the concept of religious freedom, way of thinking, politics etc, it does mean that human are granted the freedom to defy Allah. Many of our post-independence youths today are closer immoral activities like motorbike racing, taking drugs, loafing around, excessive entertainment, free sex party, drinking alcohol and so on. They do not practice independent mind and this will not changed if something is not done on how we celebrate independence.

The true meaning of independence from the Islamic perspective can be found from the words of an Islamic warrior Rub'ie bin A'mir during his meeting with a Roman warrior named Rustum:

الله ابتعثنا لنخرج من شاء من عبادة العباد إلى عبادة الله, ومن جور الأديان إلى عدل الإسلام ومن ضيق الدنيا
إلى سعة الدنيا والآخرة

“Allah sent us (Muslims), to free mankind, from human slavery towards the slavery to Allah, from religion cruelty to Islamic justice and from world’s difficulty to the pleasure of the world and the after world.” The true independence occurred when mankind is able to become the true believers of Allah and exempt their non-Islamic thinking and way of lives and only practice Islamic thinking and way of lives. The independence and freedom that we enjoy today should be
celebrated with thanks to Allah for with it, we are able to be the best of Allah’s slave.

Allah SWT said:

قَالَتۡ إِنَّ ٱلمُلُوكَ إِذَا دَخَلُواْ قَرۡيَةً أَفسَدُوهَا وَجَعَلُوٓاْ أَعِزَّةَ أَهلِهَآ أَذِلَّ ةًۖ۟ وَآَذَٲلِكَ يَفعَلُونَ

Meaning: “She (Princess Balqis) said: Verily! Kings (equitable to conqueror in current term), when they enter a country, the despoil it, and make the most honorable amongst its people low. And thus they do. (An–Naml Verse 34)

The verse above clearly described that freedom (independence) is not exactly like how some humans interpret it, which is free from colonization, or free to do anything offensive to fulfill their desires, but the true freedom was described by Syeikh Ahmad Khadrawaih as independence is “Perfection in true believing, gained from freedom (independence) and perfection is achieved by believing truthfully.

Therefore, will the meaning of independence be achieved if our demeanor, understanding, way of lives, way of thinking and dressing as well of administration is not in accordance to Allah’s order?

As Muslims, we must understand the true meaning of independence, in which freedom is not just the transition of administration from the colonizer, but there is a greater goal, that is freedom to be Allah’s caliph who administer the world in accordance and obedience to Allah’s orders. Allah knows best.