Speech in the Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj Asy Syarif Celebrations 1433H /2012: Perspective of Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah on Social Reform
Introduction
Under the conditions that have stormed this country, it is necessary for us to say the words of Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah, “This is the assembly that intends to reform humanity, and what this country needs during these difficult times is people with safe Takwin Muhammadi.”
Since more than 150 years ago, most local community leaders in Egypt have understood that the national situation cannot stand on an individual person’s reformation regardless the extent of his ability and capability. Being open to the Arab Spring at that time, it resulted in many of these leaders growing their ideas to move the reform practices from individual works to collective works. Since that moment, Egypt has witnessed the establishments of new local assemblies such as welfare bodies and national organizations. They emerged along the assemblies that had been established over the centuries in the regions of Egypt; the Fiqh or Salafi assemblies as well as the Sufi assemblies.
Everyone was active with general reformations. Every individual from these assemblies systemized his ideas based on a specialized field of work. Indeed, every Egyptian man was fed with love for improvement and reformation, and learnt to sacrifice and give.
Main Content
Voices rose from the national organizations, calling out to people that it was necessary for them to start political reformation works. This stream of people who called for political reformation was divided into two factions:
The first faction saw the need to integrate politics with religion in order to expand politics based on the firmness of Islam in establishing states and their constitutions, where the Sultanate in Islam is the tool to fulfill divine justice and spread peace throughout mankind.
The second faction extended a wing for the establishment of Islam. Thus they utilized the establishment of Islam for political purposes, and deployed soldiers to wars for the sake of the Sultanate. They made strict and harsh speeches, issuing fearful threats to youths in suspicious groups and to youths who doubt the possibility of feeling safety, peace, justice and satisfaction in the Islamic community.
Although Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah is an assembly that does not practice politics and has no ambition to practice a specialized political reformation, we are convinced and we believe that Islam is shaped with reference of a complete human reformation. As the Amir for the Tribes and Families of Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah, I see that it is necessary for me to explain a portion of our Dandarawi Vision about this context of change in Egypt. It is a vision deeply based on the tolerance of Islam. At the same time, it is also based on its interactions with the contemporary situation that includes its demands and changes, but without compromising the firmness of Islam.
The Dandarawi Vision urges the need to change by looking at the situations of satisfaction, peace and sustainability. Thus social change becomes sustainable if it begins with an individual human, if it is based on knowledge and understanding, and if it stands on the will for freedom that drives its stages in peace. This sustainable social change focuses on two practices performed by individuals in the framework of a single assembly.
The first practice: Understanding the fundamentals of Al Irtibat with the person of Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam in every movement to unify and unite everyone who needs human consensus.
The second practice: Understanding the need to replace the human Takwin [Self-formation] of a Muslim with Takwin Muhammadi.
We shall elaborate on these two practices.
Indeed, our vision focuses around making people understand the obligation to Irtibat Iman and Intima’ with the self of Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, and begin with the will to Irtibat Iman and Intima’ that changes the human Takwin.
Many people accept that this Irtibat Iman and Intima’ changes the human Takwin, but they assume that this change has no effect on the community’s systems, and that it does not extend or contribute to any physical progress. Thus the question is whether illiteracy, poverty, hunger and conflicts can be solved by practicing Irtibat Iman and Intima’ with Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Solawatullahi ‘Alaih. Here, we say, “Indeed Al Irtibat with the self of Al Musthafa Al Mujtaba Solawatullahi ‘Alaih changes the human, then it is the human who changes his surroundings and creates his moment of civilization.”
Similarly, many people are convinced on the need for this Irtibat with the self of Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam. However, he requests for original sources of Aqidah for this Irtibat. We remind them of what has been mentioned in detail in our Watsiqah Baidha’:
That “since the beginning when the Last Messenger ‘Alaihis Solatu Wassalam was sent, everyone who embraced Islam as the religion of his faith knew that Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Rasulullah ‘Alaihi Solawatullah has two roles in the lives of every individual from his Ummah; the role as the Final Rasul whom through him Allah Jalla ‘Ulah establishes Islam, and the role as the Unifying Za’im whom through him Allah Jalla ‘Ulah unites Muslimin.”
And that “Allah the All-Majestic and the All-Honourable Subhanah has made the second role which is Al Irtibat with the person of Az Za’im Al Jami’ Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wassallam, to be equal in the Aqidah to the first role which is submission to his Risalah.” Thus whoever wants evidences and proofs, he should refer and return to our Watsiqah Baidha’.
Our Fikr Dandarawi has explained that Sayyidul Basyar Muhammad Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam is the one who unites the Muslim Ummah, places its social foundations, moulds the practices for the elements of a Muslim’s self-formation and fabricates the interactions for the visual projections of his personality, until he fulfills the oneness of his self and reaches to his perfections within the framework of a single assembly.
Fikr Dandarawi explains to us about four unifications that a Muslim achieves if he Irtibat with the self of Az Za’im Al Jami’ lil Muslimin Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam. Firstly, it is the unification of the four elements; body, soul, desire and mind. Secondly, it is the unification of the mother, father and children within one family. Thirdly, it is the unification of social statuses to build a cohesive community. Fourthly, it is the unification of racial ethnicities, families and tribes to establish an integrated Ummah.
We then move on to the second practice that drives towards social change which is understanding the need to replace our human Takwin with Takwin Muhammadi.
Some people are mixed up between loving deeply and practicing Al Irtibat. They assume that with love alone, he is able to walk on the path of Al Ma’iyyah Al Muhammadiyah Al Mani’ah [The Muhammadi Togetherness which Refrains from any bad actions and sayings], under the shelter of the banner of Az Za’amah Al Muhammadiyah Al Jami’ah [The Unifying Muhammadi Guarantee]. Here, we do not deny the effectiveness of loving Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam deeply, but love has a hidden representation. It may be present at one time, and may be missing another time. Possibly, it may be present during sessions of Zikr or during our conferences. Otherwise, it may be missing in the markets, interactions or disputes.
Due to that, the reliable love is the one in which Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam is the most beloved to a Muslim, surpassing the love he has for himself. This is the status in Islam that soars above Irtibat Al Iman and Al Intima’.
Indeed, the human Takwin that we are born with and that grows with time is in fact a Takwin mixed with both genetic inheritance and nurturing influences such as family, school, closed ones, companions and influences from informational mediums, internet websites and social media. This random Takwin does not unify families and tribes, build communities, protect states or integrate racial bonds.
Therefore, changing our Takwin with Takwin Muhammadi that Az Za’im Al Awhad [The Unique Za’im] Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam who unites the Muslim Ummah has moulded and fabricated after the Hijrah to Al Madinah Al Munawwarah is indeed an Islamic obligation based on the context of Aqidah as well as the context of human society.
Conclusion
We lastly say: A Muslim with Takwin Muhammadi is indeed an assurance for his community because after every prayer and at the beginning and ending of every session, he pledges to Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam and presents to him his oath that he will not cause any separation, segregation, division or dispersion to the assembly of his Ummah. He pledges to Rasulullah Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam and presents to him his oath that any difference in opinion, way of thinking, style of work, social status or racial ethnicity will not result in separation, conflict, boasting or distancing. Rather, everyone is his brother, companion, sibling and friend.
Indeed, a Muslim who has Takwin Muhammadi says in his pledge and oath, “As a pledge and an oath to walk on the path of Al Ma’iyyah Al Muhammadiyah Al Mani’ah, under the shelter of the banner of Az Za’amah Al Muhammadiyah Al Jami’ah.”
With this pledge and oath, a Muslim lives safely and becomes the source of safety and security for his community and his country, bearing the torch of sustainable human reformation to unite families, tribes, social statuses and countries in the arena of modern events.
I can only raise my hands, supplicating to Allah Subhanahu wa Ta’ala and His beloved Al Musthafa Sollallahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, to lift this adversity from this country, to gather us and protect us with the Barakah [blessing] and Nazrah [view] of His Beloved Al Musthafa Sollalahu ‘Alaihi Wasallam, and not to exclude us from the shelter of his noble Ni’al.
أَقُولُ قَوْلِي هَذَا وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الْعَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ. وَالسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ
This speech was addressed by Al-Amir Hashem ibn Al-Fadl ibn Al-Abbas El Dandarawy, An Naib Al Am for Sumuwwul Amir of the Tribes and Familes of Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah in 2012 and Head of the International Dandara Cultural Centres. Now, he is the current Sumuwwul Amir of this assembly. To understand more about the two roles of Rasulullah ‘alaihi Solawatullah, Al Irtibat and Al Usrah Al Dandaraweyah, please click here to read Translation of Al Watsiqah Al Baidha’ Formation and Model © 2013