How many times do we dare to ask ourselves, "˜Why are we Muslims?' It obviously provokes our faith and we lose our temper. But at the same time it helps us examine our inner self. With the result we end up pondering over Islam as a religion and Almighty Allah (swt) - the Creator.

To be perfect one should be very confident in saying that Islam was established consciously and deliberately to play as the guiding principle of a way of life. Islam meaning submission to the will of Almighty Allah (swt), is an Arabic word derived from "˜Salama' - meaning peace.

We need to distinguish and understand voluntary and involuntary birth. When a child inherits Islam, it is an involuntary birth. In a voluntary birth, an adult converts in a full consciousness. That is the reason that converts from other religions to Islam gain more attraction within a short period of time. They come up with full zeal and enthusiasm. Thus, deeds speak up and tell us about the personality. This is the high time of understanding for born Muslims that deeds are more powerful than mere words. But unfortunately, often, we escape from ourselves and pretend to be dumb, deaf and blind. Thus, succeed in proving our involuntary birth.
 
To be a Muslim means to live according to the will of Almighty Allah (swt) as ordained by Him in al-Qurân. Mostly involuntary Muslims live up with the misconception that accepting oneness of Almighty Allah (swt) will succeed them. But the fact is that Muslim constantly has to face challenges. It is equally difficult to know what Almighty Allah (swt) desires and then follow it leading to killing one's own desires.

To be a Muslim means to be both Allah-conscious and creature-conscious. To understand life and death, prophet Muhammad (saws) practically showed us the right path. He (saws) is the best example of Insan-i-Kamil for all. He (saws) became the model of righteousness by Allah-consciousness and a great and true leader of the Muslim ummah by creature-consciousness.

Islam is the fastest growing religion especially in the West because it denounces the theory of racial discrimination. So a Muslim is required to be quite clear with his thought and deeds.While being asked about the Creator and creation, instead of getting frustrated, one should play positive role in any way he/she can. More one gets frustrated and irritated, more he/she is in confusion and needs to recharge itself with the power of faith and come up with more practical and sold reasons.

Moreover, pondering over good alone is not a healthy subject while as pondering over both bad and good strengthens ones power of differentiating and thus can fill the holes of evils by good deeds. Again, analyzing everything Islamically is not a pathway leading to heavens but refuting enemies is the bold step to help Ummah.

Muslims are in a situation where they need to understand that Islam does not recognize ultra-spiritualism (who renounce all worldly things and mortify themselves as a duty) and ultra-materialism (who engage themselves only in worldly matters) but seeks to establish equilibrium.

Renouncing the world, of course, brings great progress spiritual but at the same time it kills the intellectual faculties leading to the death of a civilization. Materialism helps one to attain progress but at the expense of others. It encourages mutual conflicts, killings, engenders egoism and creating enemies. Thinking of itself and not of others is beastly.

To be a Muslim means to be actively obedient to Almighty Allah (swt), to engage in striving and be on a journey so that we can be just to others and ourselves as well. Faith and action go hand in had, and thus all human deeds are acts of worship if done according to Qurân and the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (saws), which proves that Muslims do not need to depend only on religious rituals for their worship.

Contemporary Muslims don't bother to look into the principles of Islam but hold Islamic law strongly for their defense at the time of solving issues. A simple example can help understand the above fact. When a couple gets married according to worldly affairs where dowry is the backbone, heavy and regular dowry strengthens the bond of relationship between the two families. But once something opposes the situations, Islamic clerics are called upon to apply Islamic rulings and solve the issue in their favour.

We must accept this bitter fact that Muslims all over are in disharmony and in danger, where Muslims need to enlighten themselves rather than indulge in debates over worldly issues in proving others wrong. Islam is the religion of Almighty Allah (swt) and not of clerics, royal families, upper classes, leaders and politicians. It is meant for the whole Ummah.

But Muslims all over have left Qurân and blindly follow terms dictated by other persons and not the Creator. Every Muslim should be well versed with Qurân and Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (saws), so that he/she can very well manage his affairs himself according to the Qurân and the Sunnah of the prophet Muhammad (saws).

Islam does not need any up gradation but Muslims are badly in need of an intellectual approach rather than intellectual killing. Gone are the days of grandma telling stories. This is the age where Muslims a need a break, a chance to become more vocal. We need to be ready to face intellectual challenges and participate intellectually. New World Order should just be an option for us to choose, we need to work for a Just World Order.

We don't need foreign authors to explain our terms. Everyone among us needs to be enough mature to enhance our understanding of the stereotypes. We need to lift the veil of fear, confusion, disorder, embarrassment, perplexity, misunderstanding, uncertainty, doubt, hatred, zeal, hesitation and short-sightedness and come up with more belief to refute humiliation, disgrace, shame, dishonour and degradation. Time really demands defeating terror, counter disorientation and cheating.

Muslims have no reason to feel proud of their past and be happy with that because our present and future are getting more bleak, miserable and despairing. To be happy and peaceful does not really mean to be happy over what one wants and gets it. A person can be happy only when he/she is in no need of any run further. Happiness is in not running anymore.

Lastly to define Islam is not only the religion of seventh century C.E. brought about by the last messenger of Islam, prophet Muhammad (saws), but submission to the will of Almighty Allah (swt) has always been the only acceptable path in the sight of Almighty Allah (swt).

(The writer is a Ph.D scholar and can be contacted at samina@bigsteponline.com)