The Sunnah of Activism

The Spirituality of an Activist – The Why

The first question that Muslim Activists should ask themselves is WHY am I doing this?

WHY did I choose to volunteer for this event or this cause?

Clearly when one volunteers their services then you know that it doesn’t involve getting paid, while on the other hand activism goes beyond that to include multiple layers of risks and challenges, which nobody can truly pay you for!

One could find multiple reasons to join this line of work, such as a personal experiences or life changes that may have shaped our worldview, or an inherited passion from a personal friend towards a certain cause. For a Muslim, such reasons are valid as long as they conform to the dictates and demands of the Shariah and they are done seeking to please Allah ﷻ. We know very well that it is the sincere intention that causes our deeds to either be accepted and duly rewarded in the Divine Court of Allah, or otherwise be rejected because of our lack of sincerity and our seeking praise from people.

Allah highlights the importance of intention in Surah Insan [76: 8 – 10]

And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive; they tell them: “We feed you only for the countenance of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude, Indeed, we fear from our Lord a day austere and distressful’ …

The spirituality of Activism begins with the question of WHY, and continues to accompany us throughout the entire journey of activism which we wish to undertake.

إنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى، فَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى اللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ، وَمَنْ كَانَتْ هِجْرَتُهُ لِدُنْيَا يُصِيبُهَا أَوْ امْرَأَةٍ يَنْكِحُهَا فَهِجْرَتُهُ إلَى مَا هَاجَرَ إلَيْهِ

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: “Actions are (judged) by motives (niyyah), so each man will have what he intended. Thus, he whose migration (hijrah) was to Allah and His Messenger, his migration is to Allah and His Messenger; but he whose migration was for some worldly thing he might gain, or for a wife he might marry, his migration is to that for which he migrated.” [Bukhari & Muslim]

It is no wonder that this Hadith has been the introductory Hadith to so many famous Hadith collections. Having a pure and noble intention is the foundation of every Muslims deeds and actions. It is only a sincere intention that keeps a Believer grounded to his purpose and allows him to persevere through tough times and stand tall in the face of adversity and against the most difficult of challenges. It is only in the Hereafter that the Muslim will see and experience the value of his pure intentions when he sees the amazing rewards Allah has kept for him.

For Muslim Activists, we start every deed by considering the very end in mind, which is the moment we shall be presented in front of Allah on the Day of Qiyamah. The end is not when we raise our first million, get a certificate to honour our contributions, or open another branch of our organization. While these may be decent milestones and opportunities to celebrate success, the real deal for a Muslim is the day when we meet Allah, in the hope that our worship and services are accepted and appreciated by Him and His Greatness.

An early scholar, Yusuf ibn al Husayn used to say:

“Sincerity is the rarest commodity in this world, and many times I try to remove the thought of showing off from my heart, but it feels like it keeps growing inside my heart in a different format and colour.”

Ultimately this Hadith provides a powerful sequential blueprint. It takes us to the core purification of intention that gives every action of ours its true worth. It asserts that successful and transformative activism is not first about changing the world, but about reforming the self. The most powerful instrument for change is a sound heart.

This correct and pure intention was certainly a prominent quality found in the Messenger of Allah ﷻ and it was always found in everything that the Prophet ﷺ stood for.