Summary of Lecture 2 by Hujjatul-Islam Shaykh Hamza Sodagar,
At the Ahlul Bait (AS) Islamic Centre, Ottery, Cape Town.

The lecture on the second night of Muharram began with a reminder of how the message of Imam Husayn (as) inspired the Iranian Revolution, and how the spirit of revolution continues in the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa. The term ‘Arab Spring’ is a misnomer, as it does not accurately reflect the Islamic reawakening being shown in these revolutions. It is vital to be aware of the happenings and become part of these events.

It is extremely important to understand the root cause of all the social ills that are plaguing these countries and the global society as a whole. The absence of Tauheed and the foundation of societies based on shirk is a primary cause of societal problems. This can be examined historically by looking at the history of the Prophets. The absence of Tauheed in the societies led to disharmony within them. Consider the people of Thamud, to whom was sent the Prophet Salih (a). The elite amongst them considered themselves superior to others, and considered authority to be theirs alone. Despite the Prophet Salih’s (a) exhortations to the people to believe in Allah (SWT) and alter their attitudes, they refused to do so, except a few, resulting in Allah’s (SWT) wrath being sent onto them. Another example from the Holy Qur’an that can be examined is that of Prophet Musa (as) and Fir’aun. Due to his shirk, Fir’aun considered himself superior to others, and his tribe superior to others. He caused divisions in the society, and oppressed the Bani Israeel. His actions eventually led to his destruction. The Arabian society, at the time of Prophet Muhammad (SAWW) is another example of a flawed society rooted in shirk.

The presence of shirk in modern society manifests itself not only through atheist expositions, but also through the manifestation of secularism. The division of religion and state has permeated into almost all countries, including (unfortunately) countries in the Muslim world. It is vital to transform this mind set to one that fully acknowledges that Allah (SWT) permeates into every aspect of our lives, and it is impossible to separate religion from the running of the state. Implementing such a viewpoint would lead to sustainable solutions for societal problems. For instance, instead of adopting a consumerist approach to eradicating poverty, it is important to consider that only Allah (SWT) controls sustenance.

The Iranian Revolution succeeded against huge odds, particularly because of the Revolution’s strong grounding on the tenets of Tauhid. For modern societies to improve, it is important that they base every decision on Tauhid and embed this in our hearts, and include this in every aspect of our lives. We need to continuously strive to make sure we associate nothing with Allah (SWT) and live for Him alone.