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A person who lives a life of piety minding his own business and not worrying about others has already fallen into the fitnah. Take the story of As-hab as Sabt (people of Sabbath) as mentioned in the Quran. Their community was split into three groups:

• Committing sins and mischief
• Silent observers who were living righteous lives
• Admonishers who boycotted the evil doers and advised them

When Allah SWT sent His punishment on them, both the sinners and silent observers were afflicted, and only those who were involved in dawah were saved.

And you had already known about those who transgressed among you concerning the sabbath, and We said to them, "Be apes, despised."

And We made it a deterrent punishment for those who were present and those who succeeded [them] and a lesson for those who fear Allah.(Al-Baqara:65-66)

O you who were given the Scripture, believe in what We have sent down [to Muhammad], confirming that which is with you, before We obliterate faces and turn them toward their backs or curse them as We cursed the sabbath-breakers. And ever is the decree of Allah accomplished.(An Nisa:47) And ask them about the town that was by the sea - when they transgressed in [the matter of] the sabbath - when their fish came to them openly on their sabbath day, and the day they had no sabbath they did not come to them. Thus did We give them trial because they were defiantly disobedient.

And when a community among them said, "Why do you advise [or warn] a people whom Allah is [about] to destroy or to punish with a severe punishment?" they [the advisors] said, "To be absolved before your Lord and perhaps they may fear Him."

And when they forgot that by which they had been reminded, We saved those who had forbidden evil and seized those who wronged, with a wretched punishment, because they were defiantly disobeying.

So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised."(Al-A'raf:163-166)

May Allah SWT save us from being like those who were punished. Rasul Allah SAW informed us of the following incident: "Allah SWT commanded Jibreel to destroy a city because of the evildoers therein. Jibreel said, "O Allah, there is a person in the city who has never disobeyed you." Allah said, "Destroy him as well, because he was not offended by their evildoing." (Muslim) Dawah to Allah SWT is an integral part our deen; it is not an extra or optional form of worship.

Allah SWT tells us in Surah Al-Asr, verses 1-3:

"By Al-Asr (the time). Verily! Man is in loss. Except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and recommend one another to the truth and recommend one another to patience."

Therefore, signs of people who have faith include the following:

• They do good deeds
• They unite with each other to perform good deeds
• They spread goodness in various forms
• They unite and do whatever is in their means to spread dawah to Allah SWT

Rasul Allah SAW has told us, "Convey (my teachings) to the people even it were a single ayah." (Bukhari)

Now read the following hadith and pay special attention to the ending: "Whoever of you sees an evil, let him change it with his hand; and if he is not able to do so, then [let him change it] with his tongue; and if he is not able to do so, then with his heart-and that is the weakest of faith." (Muslim) The least sign of having faith is to ache at the condition, dislike it, make du'a, and disengage with it completely. Below this, the person has no faith left!

In conclusion, if a Muslim is pious but does not care about his surroundings-family, neighbors, coworkers, society etc.-and does not do everything in his capability to invite them to the message of Allah SWT, this person is on a slippery slope. He is in a dangerous state and at risk of receiving the wrath of Allah SWT, even if he is a devout worshipper. A person like this has no chance of rescue from Allah SWT.

If we don't care about the society and the condition of the world around us and don't do anything to make it better, it means we will leave our young generations-our sons and daughters-with a heritage of corrupted, sick society which will destroy them. Can we then claim to have love and care for our family?

Last but not least, what about the responsibility Allah SWT has entrusted us with of carrying the deen of Allah SWT? Just look around and you will see what happens when we, Muslims, neglect our job and our duty.

Think and prepare the answer you will present to Allah SWT and what you will say to Rasul Allah SAW. Remember, if we are not engaged in dawah, we are actually acting like traitors to our families, to the future our nation, to Islam, and to mankind.

Where are the model Islamic communities with their own high-end schools and colleges, their own financial institutions, their own top of the line medical facilities etc? What are we leaving behind for our children? And what are we leaving them with? To do what? For what purpose?

Let's make tawba, and make an effort to try to correct whatever we can so at least we can say to Allah SWT 'we tried our best.'

For further understanding of this topic, read the following article:

Aina An-Najah-Where is the Safety?

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