What Is the Duty of Our Time as Muslims in This Era?
Answered by Shaykh Irshaad Sedick
Question
What is the duty of our time as Muslims in this era? The Quran warns of severe consequences for neglecting obligations, as seen in verses addressing jihad, migration, and communal responsibility. Are we held accountable beyond fulfilling individual pillars of Islam, such as prayer and fasting? Is our obligation today focused on supporting the religion, strengthening the Islamic nation, and ensuring Muslims fulfill their collective roles? If neglected, does this put us at risk of punishment?
Answer
In the name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
The duty of our time as Muslims goes beyond fulfilling individual obligations such as prayer and fasting. While these are fundamental, Islam also emphasizes collective responsibilities that strengthen the community and uphold the religion. This includes supporting the faith, contributing to the betterment of the Muslim Umma, and fulfilling communal obligations (fard kifaya).
Quranic Guidance and Accountability
The Quran repeatedly warns against neglecting duties that have a communal impact, such as jihad, migration, and enjoining good and forbidding evil. For example, Allah (Most High) says:
“O you who have believed, what is [the matter] with you that, when you are told to go forth in the cause of Allah, you adhere heavily to the earth? Are you satisfied with the life of this world rather than the Hereafter? But what is the enjoyment of worldly life compared to the Hereafter except a [very] little.” [Quran, 9:38]
Neglecting such obligations can result in collective harm and divine consequences. This demonstrates that beyond personal acts of worship, every Muslim is responsible for contributing to the strength and preservation of the community.
The Concept of Collective Responsibility
Scholars highlight that communal obligations include:
- Supporting and educating scholars to preserve Islamic knowledge.
- Establishing justice and defending the oppressed.
- Promoting good governance and societal welfare.
- Strengthening the Umma in the face of external and internal challenges.
If these obligations are neglected, the community may collectively be held accountable, and individuals who have the capacity to act but fail to do so share in the blame.
Our Duty in This Era
In this time, the duty of Muslims includes:
- Strengthening the Religion: Supporting initiatives that teach and spread Islamic knowledge.
- Building Unity and Strength: Working to unify Muslims and address disunity that weakens the Umma.
- Supporting the Oppressed: Actively advocating for and aiding Muslims facing oppression globally.
- Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil: Encouraging virtuous actions and discouraging harmful practices in society.
Risk of Neglect and Punishment
The neglect of communal responsibilities puts Muslims at risk of punishment, as warned in the Quran.
However, the extent of individual accountability depends on one’s capacity and role within society. Those with greater knowledge, resources, or influence bear a heavier responsibility.
Conclusion
Islam calls for a balance between fulfilling personal obligations and contributing to the community. Neglecting these responsibilities weakens the Umma and incurs divine displeasure. Therefore, Muslims should strive to support the religion, strengthen the Islamic nation, and ensure communal roles are fulfilled, always seeking Allah’s pleasure in their efforts.
Allah knows best
[Shaykh] Irshaad Sedick
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Mohammad Abu Bakr Badhib
Shaykh Irshaad Sedick was raised in South Africa in a traditional Muslim family. He graduated from Dar al-Ulum al-Arabiyyah al-Islamiyyah in Strand, Western Cape, under the guidance of the late world-renowned scholar Shaykh Taha Karaan.
Shaykh Irshaad received Ijaza from many luminaries of the Islamic world, including Shaykh Taha Karaan, Mawlana Yusuf Karaan, and Mawlana Abdul Hafeez Makki, among others.
He is the author of the text “The Musnad of Ahmad ibn Hanbal: A Hujjah or not?” He has served as the Director of the Discover Islam Centre and Al Jeem Foundation. For the last five years till present, he has served as the Khatib of Masjid Ar-Rashideen, Mowbray, Cape Town.
Shaykh Irshaad has thirteen years of teaching experience at some of the leading Islamic institutes in Cape Town). He is currently building an Islamic online learning and media platform called ‘Isnad Academy’ and has completed his Master’s degree in the study of Islam at the University of Johannesburg. He has a keen interest in healthy living and fitness.
