The Path to Reform in a Deteriorating Society
Mufti Ashfaq Kazi
The moral crisis through which our society is passing is evident to all of us. Material progress and technology have undoubtedly made life easier and more convenient, but values such as inner peace, the sanctity of relationships, mutual trust, modesty and decency are gradually weakening. Regrettably, even religious families and Muslim society have not remained immune to this situation.
Lying, backbiting, suspicion, jealousy, ostentation, extravagance, severing family ties, disobedience to parents, discord between spouses, and negligence in the upbringing of children are among the serious and destructive moral diseases that have found their way into our homes. Social media has further intensified this problem. Today, not only our tongues but even our fingers have become instruments of backbiting, slander, spreading false information and hurting others.
The Qur’an clearly commands believers not to backbite one another and instructs them to verify information before accepting or spreading it. A Muslim must therefore understand that Islam is not merely a collection of rituals; rather, it is a complete way of life. Along with prayer, fasting and recitation of the Qur’an, truthfulness, honesty, justice, modesty, patience, compassion and fulfilling the rights of others are equally integral parts of faith. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarded good character as an important measure of a person’s excellence.
The remedy for this moral decline lies in turning towards self-reformation. Reform must begin with an honest examination of our own selves. The Qur’an clearly declares that successful indeed is the one who purifies his soul.
The home and family are the true foundations of social reform. If love, respect, proper upbringing and mutual trust exist within the home, society as a whole becomes stronger. But if hatred, indifference and intolerance take root within families, social deterioration will only continue to increase.
The Qur’an repeatedly emphasises kindness towards parents, good conduct between husband and wife, and the fulfilment of the rights of relatives, orphans, the needy and neighbours. What we need today is to translate these universal teachings into practical life.
A husband should regard his wife not as a burden, but as his companion in life. A wife should appreciate her husband’s efforts and understand his circumstances. Parents should not prepare their children merely for worldly degrees and careers; they must also be concerned about nurturing their faith, character and morals. Likewise, children should regard serving and obeying their parents as a source of honour and blessing.
Our attitude towards wealth must also be guided by the fear and consciousness of Allah. Earning a lawful livelihood, maintaining honesty in business and employment, refraining from depriving others of their rights, avoiding deception and betrayal, and helping those in need should become defining qualities of our identity.
The Qur’an warns mankind against becoming absorbed in the race for an abundance of wealth and worldly possessions. At the same time, it teaches a balanced approach between this world and the Hereafter: seek the home of the Hereafter through what Allah has granted you, while not forgetting your rightful share in this world.
A Muslim should therefore pursue education, acquire skills, work diligently in business or employment, care for his health and family, and strive to build a better future. Yet, at every stage, the pleasure of Allah and accountability in the Hereafter must remain before him.
The same principle should guide our use of social media. It is neither necessary to view everything nor to respond to every comment, nor is it necessary to forward every piece of information that reaches us. Protecting our gaze, our speech, our time and our hearts, respecting the dignity of others, and maintaining courtesy even in disagreement are qualities befitting a believer.
True success does not lie in achieving fame, occupying a prestigious position or accumulating enormous wealth. True success lies in living a life in which a person strives to please his Creator without violating the rights of His creation. The Qur’an describes ultimate success in clear terms: whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded.
A Muslim must therefore firmly hold on to a strong relationship with Allah, regular prayer, attachment to the Qur’an, remembrance and supplication, lawful earnings, good character, service to parents, fulfilment of family responsibilities, maintaining ties of kinship, caring for neighbours, helping those in need, valuing time and regularly evaluating one’s own actions.
Instead of holding others responsible for every social evil, we must begin with ourselves. Parents should examine their own conduct; traders should review their business dealings; employees should recognise their responsibilities; employers should understand and fulfil their obligations towards their employees; teachers should focus on education as well as character-building; religious scholars should ensure that their actions correspond with what they preach; and ordinary Muslims should concern themselves with correcting their own shortcomings rather than searching for the faults of others.
Allah’s principle is clear and unchanging: He does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.
If we revive the teaching of the Qur’an in our homes, promote character and moral development in our mosques, nurture religious consciousness among our children, instil a sense of purpose in our youth, practise honesty in our earnings, and restore respect in our relationships, the true beauty of Islam will become visible through our character and conduct.
Islam does not teach us to escape from the world. Rather, it teaches us to live within it with purity, balance and responsibility. When our hearts are filled with Taqwa (God-consciousness), our dealings with honesty, our homes with love, our speech with truthfulness, and our lives with awareness of the Hereafter, the path towards dignity in this world, peace within our hearts and eternal success in the Hereafter will become easier.
May Allah Almighty bless us with guidance and grant us the ability to live by these principles. Ameen.
About the Author:
The author, Mufti Ashfaq Kazi, is a renowned Islamic scholar, religious speaker, Hajj educator, Shariah Advisor, author and columnist. He serves as Sadr Mufti (Head Mufti), Darul Ifta wal Irshad, Juma Masjid of Bombay, and is the Founder & Director of Family First Guidance Centre (FFGC).
The moral crisis through which our society is passing is evident to all of us. Material progress and technology have undoubtedly made life easier and more convenient, but values such as inner peace, the sanctity of relationships, mutual trust, modesty and decency are gradually weakening. Regrettably, even religious families and Muslim society have not remained immune to this situation.
Lying, backbiting, suspicion, jealousy, ostentation, extravagance, severing family ties, disobedience to parents, discord between spouses, and negligence in the upbringing of children are among the serious and destructive moral diseases that have found their way into our homes. Social media has further intensified this problem. Today, not only our tongues but even our fingers have become instruments of backbiting, slander, spreading false information and hurting others.
The Qur’an clearly commands believers not to backbite one another and instructs them to verify information before accepting or spreading it. A Muslim must therefore understand that Islam is not merely a collection of rituals; rather, it is a complete way of life. Along with prayer, fasting and recitation of the Qur’an, truthfulness, honesty, justice, modesty, patience, compassion and fulfilling the rights of others are equally integral parts of faith. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarded good character as an important measure of a person’s excellence.
The remedy for this moral decline lies in turning towards self-reformation. Reform must begin with an honest examination of our own selves. The Qur’an clearly declares that successful indeed is the one who purifies his soul.
The home and family are the true foundations of social reform. If love, respect, proper upbringing and mutual trust exist within the home, society as a whole becomes stronger. But if hatred, indifference and intolerance take root within families, social deterioration will only continue to increase.
The Qur’an repeatedly emphasises kindness towards parents, good conduct between husband and wife, and the fulfilment of the rights of relatives, orphans, the needy and neighbours. What we need today is to translate these universal teachings into practical life.
A husband should regard his wife not as a burden, but as his companion in life. A wife should appreciate her husband’s efforts and understand his circumstances. Parents should not prepare their children merely for worldly degrees and careers; they must also be concerned about nurturing their faith, character and morals. Likewise, children should regard serving and obeying their parents as a source of honour and blessing.
Our attitude towards wealth must also be guided by the fear and consciousness of Allah. Earning a lawful livelihood, maintaining honesty in business and employment, refraining from depriving others of their rights, avoiding deception and betrayal, and helping those in need should become defining qualities of our identity.
The Qur’an warns mankind against becoming absorbed in the race for an abundance of wealth and worldly possessions. At the same time, it teaches a balanced approach between this world and the Hereafter: seek the home of the Hereafter through what Allah has granted you, while not forgetting your rightful share in this world.
A Muslim should therefore pursue education, acquire skills, work diligently in business or employment, care for his health and family, and strive to build a better future. Yet, at every stage, the pleasure of Allah and accountability in the Hereafter must remain before him.
The same principle should guide our use of social media. It is neither necessary to view everything nor to respond to every comment, nor is it necessary to forward every piece of information that reaches us. Protecting our gaze, our speech, our time and our hearts, respecting the dignity of others, and maintaining courtesy even in disagreement are qualities befitting a believer.
True success does not lie in achieving fame, occupying a prestigious position or accumulating enormous wealth. True success lies in living a life in which a person strives to please his Creator without violating the rights of His creation. The Qur’an describes ultimate success in clear terms: whoever is saved from the Fire and admitted into Paradise has truly succeeded.
A Muslim must therefore firmly hold on to a strong relationship with Allah, regular prayer, attachment to the Qur’an, remembrance and supplication, lawful earnings, good character, service to parents, fulfilment of family responsibilities, maintaining ties of kinship, caring for neighbours, helping those in need, valuing time and regularly evaluating one’s own actions.
Instead of holding others responsible for every social evil, we must begin with ourselves. Parents should examine their own conduct; traders should review their business dealings; employees should recognise their responsibilities; employers should understand and fulfil their obligations towards their employees; teachers should focus on education as well as character-building; religious scholars should ensure that their actions correspond with what they preach; and ordinary Muslims should concern themselves with correcting their own shortcomings rather than searching for the faults of others.
Allah’s principle is clear and unchanging: He does not change the condition of a people until they change what is within themselves.
If we revive the teaching of the Qur’an in our homes, promote character and moral development in our mosques, nurture religious consciousness among our children, instil a sense of purpose in our youth, practise honesty in our earnings, and restore respect in our relationships, the true beauty of Islam will become visible through our character and conduct.
Islam does not teach us to escape from the world. Rather, it teaches us to live within it with purity, balance and responsibility. When our hearts are filled with Taqwa (God-consciousness), our dealings with honesty, our homes with love, our speech with truthfulness, and our lives with awareness of the Hereafter, the path towards dignity in this world, peace within our hearts and eternal success in the Hereafter will become easier.
May Allah Almighty bless us with guidance and grant us the ability to live by these principles. Ameen.
About the Author:
The author, Mufti Ashfaq Kazi, is a renowned Islamic scholar, religious speaker, Hajj educator, Shariah Advisor, author and columnist. He serves as Sadr Mufti (Head Mufti), Darul Ifta wal Irshad, Juma Masjid of Bombay, and is the Founder & Director of Family First Guidance Centre (FFGC).
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