2064: Return of the Caliph

By Abu Bakr Rawlins

2064 details a 50-year strategic plan to establish Islamic Shari'ah (divine legal framework) under the leadership of a rightly guided global Caliph (head of state).  Non-Islamic desires that are predominant in the world’s secular societies have led to social, economic, and moral degradati

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ummah Futures International
• Release date: Sep 11, 2018
• ISBN: 9781732793569

Abu Bakr Rawlins

Rawlins, a strategic planning consultant, has assisted rural and urban communities in developing, implementing, and evaluating successful community revitalization strategies. After more than 20 years of providing strategic planning services for governmental and non-governmental organizations, Rawlins is engaged in an exponential effort to spread Islam. Rawlins is the developer of the Miami-Dade Anti-Gang Strategy, featuring the award-winning "Walking One Stop," which has shifted the paradigm on how services are delivered to Miami-most challenged neighborhoods by bringing a one stop victim services center to the doorstep of residents traumatized by gang and gun violence. Rawlins co-authored, "Planning for Reentry: The 2004 South Florida Reentry Summit", which was used by The White House for its Office of National Drug Control Policy grantees across the country as a tool for developing comprehensive multi-agency ex-offender reentry plans. Governor Jeb Bush appointed Rawlins to serve on the Governor's Ex-Offender Task Force, which was the vanguard for unprecedented policy changes in reentry. Rawlins currently serves as the lead facilitator for the South Florida Reentry Task Force, which was honored with the "Outstanding Reentry Initiative Award" from United States Attorney General Eric Holder - an award given to only two programs across the nation. During his tenure as the executive director of Miami-Dade Weed & Seed (1997-2002), Rawlins received national acclaim when he was honored with the Federal Bureau of Investigations' "Community Leadership Award" from Director Louis J. Freeh. He served as the lead executive consultant for Project Safe Neighborhoods (2003-2012), a law enforcement and human services coalition that included scores of federal, state and local criminal justice agencies and more than 150 social and economic service providers all working together to reduce gun and gang violence in the Southern District of Florida. Rawlins is the Past President of the South Florida Muslim Federation, a coalition of over 40 Masajid and Islamic organizations serving approximately 100,000 Muslims. He has a Master of Science degree in Community Economic Development and his works have been highlighted in national and international publications.

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Trust

In God We Trust officially became the national motto of the United States in 1956.

The trust Muslims have in the laws of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala is inexplicably entwined with faith. If you truly trust Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, you must unequivocally believe that what He has ordained for mankind is what is indeed best. The Shari’ah divinely defines how we should live our lives with distinct boundaries set by the One Who Created us. We reject secularism because we know that religion cannot be separated from our public or private lives. Islam is just as much a political system as it is a total way of life.

So put thy trust in Allah, for thou art on (the path of) manifest Truth. (27:79)

And by the Verses (of the Qur’an) that separate the right from the wrong. (77:4)

And put thy trust in Allah and enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs. (33:3)

If Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala wants to do good for a person, He makes him comprehend religion [e.g. the understanding of the Qur’an and the Sunnah (legal ways) of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam]. If the Ummah of Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam establishes Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala’s Commandments (Islamic Shari’ah), no harm will come to them. No force on earth will be able to stop the Ummah.

If Allah helps you, none can overcome you and if He forsakes you, who is there after Him that can help you? And in Allah (Alone) let believers put their trust. (3:160)

O you who believe! Guard your own souls, if you follow (right) guidance. No hurt can come to you from those who stray. The return of you all is to Allah – it is He that will inform you of all that you do. (5:105)

Say, ‘Nothing will happen to us except what Allah has decreed for us; He is our Protector’ and on Allah let the believers put their trust. (9:51)

Ibn Abbas radiyallahu ‘anhu, the Prophet’s cousin, was born three years before Hijrah (the Prophet’s migration from Makkah to Madinah). Although Ibn Abbas radiyallahu ‘anhu was only a young man at the time of the Prophet’s passing, his constant pursuit of Islamic knowledge continued and he eventually became known as the most learned amongst the companions of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam. Ibn Abbas radiyallahu ‘anhu narrated the following:

"Once I was behind the Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and he said, ‘O boy, I will teach you a few words’:

‘Be loyal and obedient to Allah, remember Him always, obey His Orders. He will save you from every evil and will take care of you in all the spheres of life.’

‘Be loyal and obedient to Allah, you will find Him near (in front of you).’

‘If you ask, ask Allah.’

‘If you seek help, seek help from Allah.’

‘Know that if all the people get together in order to benefit you with something, they will not be able to benefit you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you. And if they all get together in order to harm you with something; they will not be able to harm you in anything except what Allah has decreed for you.’

‘The pens have stopped writing. And the papers have dried.’" (Sahih At-Tirmidhi)

For those who deny the Commandments of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and submit to their desires, they will surely face a terrible demise. There are people who dispute the Qur’an without knowledge and thus they are void of His Guidance.

And indeed it (this Qur’an) will be anguish for the disbelievers (on the Day of Resurrection). And verily, it (this Qur’an) is an absolute truth with certainty. So glorify the Name of your Lord, the Most Great. (69:50-52)

Why Shari’ah?

So why Shari’ah? Islam exposes the excesses, injustices, abuses, lusts, and desires of secular society all of which contradict what Allah has commanded for mankind. This is why most people do not want the Shari’ah established, but sooner or later, you will be held accountable. So why not get on the path of righteousness from now?

Say, ‘Then bring ye a Book from Allah, which is a better Guide than either of them, that I may follow it! (Do), if ye are truthful’. But if they hearken not to thee, know that they only follow their own lusts and who is more astray than one who follows his own lusts, devoid of guidance from Allah? For Allah guides not people giving to wrongdoing. (28:49-50)

One of the greatest marketing myths of our time is that the United States of America is the world’s most developed country. To the contrary, how can she be the most developed if she has not implemented Islamic Shari’ah?

The Shari’ah is based on the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and it defines righteousness and teaches mankind proper manners, how to relate to people, how to do fair business dealings. Anything and everything you can think of, Islam has prescribed the right way to do it.

The life of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam is by far the most documented life of anyone in recorded history; there are eyewitness accounts of nearly every aspect of his life. He did not do anything on his own accord; whatever he did during prophethood was with the guidance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.

Your companion (Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) has neither gone astray nor has erred. Nor does he speak of (his own) desire. It is only a Revelation revealed. (53:2-4)

In the Name of Freedom

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has given warning to those who drink alcohol and engage in illegal sexual acts (e.g. illegal according to the Shari’ah, like adultery and fornication). Are you willing to abandon these decadences presently undertaken in the name of freedom and begin establishing Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala’s Commandments?

He it is Who sent among the unlettered ones a Messenger (Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam) from among themselves, reciting to them His Verses, purifying them (from the filth of disbelief and polytheism), and teaching them the Book (this Qur’an, Islamic laws and Islamic jurisprudence), and Al-Hikmah (As-Sunnah; legal ways, orders, acts of worship of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam). And verily, they had been before in manifest error. (62:2)

Righteousness Defined

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but (true) righteousness is (in) one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask (for help), and for freeing slaves, (and who) establishes prayer and gives Zakat, (those who) fulfill their promise when they promise, and (those who) are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true and it is those who are the righteous. (2:177)

I have often seen the bumper sticker What would Jesus do? In the case of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam, what he did is spelled out in great detail with a chain of identified and credible narrators. If the narrator was questionable, the prominent transmitters of ahaadith discarded it or labeled it weak as strict criteria was applied to authenticate their compilations, as was the case with Sahih Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, and others.

So what will Isa ibnu (the son of) Maryam ‘alayhi sallam do when he returns? He will follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam – so what are you going to do?

The Qur’an and Sunnah are clearly enough of a strategy for Muslims if we follow them sincerely. Therefore, we need to be steadfast in pursuit of establishing the Shari’ah by first inculcating the Qur’an and Sunnah in our own lives.

Because Allah will never change the Grace which He hath bestowed on a people until they change what is in their (own) souls and verily Allah is He who hears and knows (all things). (8:53)

Is there any reward for good other than good? Then which of the favors of your Lord will ye deny? (55:60-61)

…O People, no prophet or apostle will come after me and no new faith will be born. Reason well; therefore, O People, and understand words which I convey to you. I leave behind me two things, the Qur’an and my example, the Sunnah and if you follow these you will never go astray… (Excerpt from Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam’s last khutbah)

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala will strengthen you as He did the Muslims in the time of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam and more recently in the example of the rapid spreading of Islam in the United Kingdom (UK). I recently heard one Sheikh mention that in the early days of Islam in the UK, a believer asked a scholar if it was permissible to eat the meat of the People of the Book, since at that time there were no halal meat markets. The scholar gave the fatwa that it was not recommended, although Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala clearly says that it is permissible. The hikmah is that if he recommended that Muslims buy their meat from Jews and Christians, then today we would not have an abundance of halal markets in UK because believers would have become comfortable buying from others.

The surge of Islam in UK is an example of how to achieve prominence in a non-Islamic society. If Muslims establish the Commandments of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, He will raise you up and make you leaders in your land, working solely for His Pleasure.

Jihad

The greatest jihad is the internal struggle that each of us is challenged by – do we follow Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala’s laws and the legal ways of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam or do we follow our desires? Western nations (and others) boast about democracy and freedom as the best way of life, but this is not true. Most people are enslaved by their desires. Sex is used to sell everything. Money is never enough – if the people had a mountain of gold they would want two. Their abundant wealth, power, and worldly status are only a test and a deception.

Fair in the eyes of men is the love of things they covet: women and sons; heaped-up hoards of gold and silver; horses branded (for blood and excellence); and (wealth of) cattle and well-tilled land. Such are the possessions of this world’s life; but with Allah is the best of the goals (to return to). (3:14)

The unbelievers spend their wealth to hinder men from the path of Allah and so will they continue to spend, but in the end they will have only regrets and sighs; at length they will be overcome and the unbelievers will be gathered together to hell. (8:36)

Nay, you prefer the life of this world, although the Hereafter is better and more lasting. (87:16-17)

Denial of the Truth

People who discredit the Qur’an and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wasallam have deceived themselves and they will have no protection against Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.

Is he, then, to whom the evil of his conduct is made alluring, so that he looks upon it as good, (equal to one who is rightly guided)? For Allah leaves to stray whom He wills, and guides whom He wills. So let not thy soul be vested in regret for them for Allah knows well all that they do! (35:8)

Nay, the wrong-doers (merely) follow their own desires being devoid of knowledge. But who will guide those whom Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala leaves astray? To them there will be no helpers. So set thou thy face truly to the religion being upright. The nature in which Allah has made mankind; no change (there is) to the work (wrought) by Allah; that is the true religion but most among mankind know not. (30:29)

And the unbelievers say to those who believe, ‘Follow our path and we will bear (the consequences) of your faults.’ Never in the least will they bear their faults, in fact they are liars! They will bear their own burdens and (other) burdens along with their own and on the Day of Judgment they will be called to account for their falsehoods. (29:12-13)

Jannah and Jahannam

People want it their way and they want it right away – they cannot wait because they love the glittering entertainment of this life more than the unseen eternal life of the Hereafter. Know that your limbs and private parts will testify as to what you used to do and you will be held accountable.

The Day that the enemies of Allah will be gathered together to the Fire, they will be marched in ranks. At length, when they reach the (Fire), their hearing, their sight, and their skins will bear witness against them, as to (all) their deeds. They will say to their skins, ‘Why bear you witness against us?’ They will say, ‘Allah hath given us speech, (He) Who gives speech to everything, He created you for the first time and unto Him were you to return. You did not seek to hide yourselves, lest your hearing, your sight, and your skins should bear witness against you! But you did think that Allah knew not many of the things that you used to do! But this thought of yours, which you did entertain concerning your Lord, hath brought you to destruction, and (now) have you become of those utterly lost!’ (41:19-23)

O my people! This life of the present is nothing but (temporary) enjoyment; it is the Hereafter that is the home that will last. (40:39)

Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala desires the righteous straight path for you. Islam frees people from their desires and directs their will to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. When you read the Qur’an, even in translation, Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala speaks to you directly and you begin to see that you are living in direct contradiction with what the Almighty has ordained. You then start applying that knowledge in your life and the shackles of desire begin to loosen. By establishing His Commandments, the doors of Jannah open, provided that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala showers His Grace and Mercy upon you.

Once you know the truth, do not turn back, otherwise you will be forever shackled by your desires in this life and in the Fire of Jahannam for eternity – do not let those whose faith is faulty take you away from the Straight Path. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala relates the response of the magicians after being threatened by Pharaoh for accepting the Lord of Musa ‘alayhi sallam:

They said, ‘Never shall we prefer thee to what has come to us of the clear signs from Him who created us! So decree whatever thou desires to decree, for thou can only decree the life of this world. For us, we have believed in our Lord, may He forgive us our faults, and the magic to which thou didst compel us, for Allah is best and most abiding.’ (20:72-73)

Liberation

Islam liberates people from the tyranny of their desires. Muslims are obligated to call people away from the façade of false satisfaction and call them to the reality of why we all were created – to submit our wills to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, but if you choose to follow your lusts and desires and not humble yourself to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, surely you will be doomed.

If you put your trust in Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala you will be