To decide on a standpoint in this era that is bursting with confusion and
hardship is extremely difficult. In most cases, the news surrounding a certain
issue is abundant but to determine the truth about it is not easy. It is
probably even more difficult in our time, the time of confusion and the
emergence of many ruwaibidoh.

The Prophet s.a.w once said, “Verily, before the coming of dajjal
(antichrist) – in another narration: before the Last Day – there will be years
full with deceptions. At that time, the truthful ones will be accused as
deceptive, the deceptive ones will be regarded as truthful, the trustworthy ones
will be regarded as untrustworthy, the untrustworthy ones will be regarded as
trustworthy and the ones talking at that time will be al-Ruwaibidoh. The
companions asked, “Who is al-Ruwaibidoh?” The Prophet s.a.w said, “A shabby
person who talks about public affair (the masses).” This hadith was reported by
al-Imam Ahmad, Abu Ya‘la, al-Bazzar, Ibnu Majah, al-Kharaiti, and al- Hakim.
Al-Hakim stated that the isnad (chain of narration) is sahih (sound) and it was
agreed upon by Al-Zahabi.

In this era, if the ummah is not careful enough, they
will mistakenly hail many traitors as heroes or the defenders of the community.
Many of the untrustworthy ones will be inaugurated with various kinds of
honorary title while the trustworthy and the honest ones will be marginalized.
Only those with sublime souls are able make the right decision.

Thus, the Prophet s.a.w taught us many good du’a (recitations of prayer) for
us to use especially in challenging times like the present. Among the du’a is
from Umm Salamah, she said, “The Prophet s.a.w never went out of the house
without raising his eyes towards the sky and said, “O Allah, I take refuge with
you from going astray or being led astray, from slipping or made to slip, from
oppressing or being oppressed, from stupidity or being ridiculed.”” (Reported by
al-Nasai, Abu Daud, al-Tirmizi dan Ibn Majah. Ranked as sahih by al-Albani).

He demonstrated to us a good example and gave us a good reminder. Indeed, if
life is without Allah’s guidance, surely humankind will stray from the right
path. A person will probably go astray or be led astray by others. Or he will
probably slip from the true path or made to slip by others. He will probably
oppress others or other people will oppress him. Or probably he will act
stupidly or other people will cause him to act stupidly. O Rabb! Only You are
capable to give protection!

In this age, there are various kinds of news coming from many angles. They
are like lightning and sometimes even faster than lightning. The technological
perks we are enjoying now have transformed to become an inconvenience in life
that sets off feelings of chaos and ambiguity as well as causes disorderliness
in the world of information and fitna. It is to the extent that we even
occasionally fail to differentiate between rights and wrongs, unable to
differentiate between news that is fasik (sinful) or soleh (respectable) or
lagha (worthless).

Al-Quran teaches us (translated as): “O ye who believe! if a wicked person
comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, Lest ye harm people
unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done.”
(Surah al-Hujurat: verse 6)

We are living in a technological era but unfortunately, it is hard to
differentiate the users from the soleh and the fasik. Many present themselves as
soleh but the truth is, they are of the evil cluster who set off news that is
fasik and deceitful. Moreover, a lot of them are clouding our view by claiming
that all the accusations made by others against him are false and treacherous
but when he accuses others, it is always all true and righteous. All the while,
it is possible that all of them are putting on an act and they are nothing but
bandits and robbers.

If the news is sponsored by America and its allies then many respectable and
pious individuals will be blacklisted as terrorists. The Palestinians whom are
being slaughtered everyday are accused as terrorists only because they fight the
Dajjal Israel, the political God of the Americans. Similarly, any Muslim
community will be inaugurated as terrorists for fighting off invaders if the
invaders ally themselves with America. If their struggle does not receive the
blessing of America or is not based on the guideline blessed by America, the
faces of the sincere and respectable fighters will always be valued as hideous
by the media sponsored by America and the Jews.

Who knows how many Muslim souls who have not committed any crime are being
dragged into the guilty cage only because they detest the despotism and
hostility of America. Who knows how many ulama have been labeled by America as
terrorists and their governments are forced to take action against them although
they have not committed any obvious sins. The world of American media is full
with lies.

What is more, not all among our generation have the capability to
differentiate between authentic news that is portrayed in an evil manner and
lies that is clearly fabricated and false news that is narrated in a beautiful
manner. Thus, many people are victimized. Because of that, sometimes we are not
surprised when a religious and sincere Muslim community in the West or East are
worried or have a mental reservation or prejudice over a religious figure or a
Muslim political figure that is being revered by the media sponsored by America.
This world of fasik is really confusing us.

Life is as confusing these days. Who knows how many people are using the
religion to lie to others, how many turbans and long robes have been manipulated
to increase the sale of some goods or to collect donations that finally ends up
in their own pockets. Who knows how many religious speakers recite the religious
texts that are fabricated or manipulate the texts to increase their sales. How
many religious texts from al-Quran and al-Sunnah have been manipulated to gain
power and wealth whereas their political ambition and wealth is not aimed to
ensure the sovereignty of the teachings of Allah and His Messenger?

This issue is not new but it had begun a long time ago. Allah says
(translated as): “Then woe to those who write the Book with their own hands, and
then say:” This is from Allah,” to traffic with it for miserable price! Woe to
them for what their hands do write, and for the gain they make thereby.” (Surah
al-Baqarah: verse 79)

In the world of politics empty of divine guidance, everything is possible.
Lying is almost regarded as the pillar of politics and politics will not be
valid without it. For the sake of power, all kinds of lies are acceptable! I am
so amazed by the prominent scholar of this ummah named Sufyan al-Thauri
(deceased in 161H) who once said, “I have never witnessed austerity being
observed so little in others except in matters of governance (authority). You
will find a person who is ascetic in matters involving food, drinks, wealth and
clothing but when it comes to matters of authority he will defend it and make
enemies because of it.” (al-Zahabi, Siyar A’lam al-Nubala, 7/262). Thus, when it
comes to power, everything changes.

Politics that should have been treated as a mission to combine forces to
think about the wellbeing of the ummah and to plan for a more blessed future for
the community and country has changed to become an arena where everyone competes
to reveal each other’s shames. The sharpness in thinking that is supposed to be
used to develop the ummah is being used to trip each other. Insults, verbal
abuse and finger pointing have been decorating the pattern of a political system
inherited from the imperialists. This disease affects all political parties
including those using the name of Islam.

In the end, because of power, many principles and religious texts have been
forgotten. Thus, it is not surprising to know that Abu Musa al-Asy’ari r.a
narrated, “Two men among my people and I entered the apartment of the Prophet
s.a.w. One of them said: Messenger of Allah, appoint us rulers of some lands
that the Almighty and Glorious God has entrusted to thy care. The other also
said something similar. He said: We do not appoint to this position one who asks
for it nor anyone who is covetous for the same.” (Reported by al-Bukhari and
Muslim). Based on the principles of Islam, those who are obsessed with the
acquisition of power do not qualify to lead the ummah.

Obsession over power is the symbol of shallowness in understanding the fact
about life in this world and Hereafter. Probably, if this is mentioned to the
politicians, they will say, “In politics, that kind of talk is deemed not
sophisticated.” However, they forget that the system of politics centered on
power scuffle inherited from imperialist democracy that abandons the harmonious
system of syura in Islam, has dragged our politics into the mire of money
politicking, animosity, pragmatism that disregards righteous principles and many
other evils. The Prophet s.a.w said, “You people will be keen to have the
authority of ruling which will be a thing of regret for you on the Day of
Resurrection. What an excellent wet nurse it is, yet what a bad weaning one it
is!” (Reported by al-Bukhari)

In Islam, our duty is to mend the political landscape and not to be obsessed
with the desire to hold the political power in our own hands. When gaining power
becomes an obsession then friends will stab friends, companions will kill
companions, a coalition will break apart, those with different principles and
basis will unify and those sleeping in the same bed will have different dreams
and even have dreams about killing the partner. That is how politics is when it
disregards the divine revelation.

In Islam, it is forbidden to request for a leadership post unless it is in a
case of emergency when the situation demands for someone to acquire the post to
save the ummah. Even then, it has to be done with full submission and humbleness
to Allah SWT. The effort to gain the post is treated as an ibadah (act of
worship) in which its discipline and rule is well taken care of just as was done
by the Prophet Yusuf a.s.

Allah says (translated as): “(Joseph) said, “Set me over the store-houses of
the land: I will indeed guard them, as one that knows (their importance).” Thus
did we give established power to Joseph in the land, to take possession therein
as, when, or where he pleased. We bestow of Our Mercy on whom We please, and We
suffer not, to be lost, the reward of those who do good.” (Surah Yusuf: verse
55-56)

A pious believer has in his heart a notion that he is compelled to acquire
authority not because of his obsession with power but because of necessity and
the duty to guide humankind towards a life that is centered on the divine
revelation. It is not to take vengeance or to merely reduce the price of goods
or to eliminate graft.

Leadership duty is more than that. The duty of a leader is to take all of us
towards a plateau blessed by Allah, save the people from destruction in this
life and harshness in the Afterlife. Instigated by a conscious soul that is
close to Allah, with tongue that always reveres and praises the greatness of
Allah, intention and effort is established to amend affairs in governance. It is
not because of the desire for power and not because to accumulate wealth.

This can be seen from his personal life that is centered upon the divine
revelation and surrounded by pious individuals who obey the commands of Allah
and His Messenger and not surrounded by ‘suspicious looking’ individuals. If
this materializes, money politicking, blasphemy, exposing each other’s shame,
finger pointing and the end-justifies-the-means method that we see being applied
by the political ‘artistes’ these days will end.

We long for the political power to fall into the hands of individuals such as
these. Indeed, we have come to a time when total tajdid (revivification) must be
carried out to our political landscape that is getting more and more convoluted
and disorganized. We long for a political campaign that is harmonious and
reminds us of Allah and keeps us away from the obsessive desire for power. We
long for those who enter the realm of politics because they are driven only by
sincerity and not by the addiction on power. We long for those resembling ‘Umar
bin al-Khattab who prayed to Allah to take his life before he started to
mishandle his tasks. We long for characters such as ‘Umar bin ‘Abd al-‘Aziz who
cried all by himself worrying over the consequence if he failed in executing the
trust Allah gave him. We long for the sincerity and trustworthiness that
embellish the agility and dynamism in politicking. O Allah! We long for the
politics that receives Your divine guidance!