The 1979 film The Message, directed by Moustapha Akkad, tells the story of the inception and eventual rise of Islam. It has many poignant scenes, but one that stands out is when a Yemeni merchant makes his way into Medina only to find the streets empty, with all the shops open and their goods freely on display. He turns to his slave and greedily says: “You could fill your pockets very nicely here, no merchant is minding his shop.”
Fiction, you might say – it’s only a movie. Yet in 1998, I saw the very same phenomenon of empty streets with my own eyes, in a district called Beir-a-Baid on the outskirts of Sana’a in Yemen.
Islam has received a lot of bad press as of late, and in the thick of this negativity it may be difficult for non-Muslims to see the good in this religion. But good there is, and you don’t have to delve too deeply to find it. One very positive aspect is that which I alluded too above: under Islam, societal security is paramount.
Nobody likes to live in fear, but 21st-century Ireland is such a fearful place for many. The elderly are petrified of leaving their homes; women are stalked, abused and raped; and crime is rampant. The crime lords and drug barons thrive, and there isn’t a thing that can be done under the present system.
But under Islam, this would simply not happen. For we do not follow a system that is based on the shifting and often subjective opinion of the majority; instead, we follow the immutable law of Allah. Something that was deemed a criminal offence 1,400 years ago is still considered criminal today. Under Islam, the security alluded to in that film is not only a possibility – it’s a reality.
Capitalism – a system that sees the poor squeezed dry for the benefit of the rich – is also something that Islam would change. In this time of recession, where ordinary Irish people are being burdened with taxes to salvage the bankers who got us into this mess in the first place, many are witnessing the evil of capitalism.
Islam is far more egalitarian; under Islam the taxes paid into the system would be used for the benefit of everyone. One need only look into Islamic history for evidence of this working. During the time of Caliphs Umar and Ma’moon, the wealth was freely distributed to the point where no poor person was found. Imagine what that would be like today, and you have Islam.
However, for a system like this to work, there needs to be fair and just governance. Can we as Irish people say that of Ireland today? Can we say that our leaders care more for their electorate than they do for their own nepotistic circles?
The Prophet Muhammad said in an authentic hadith: “If there is any man that I have taken anything from his wealth, then here is my wealth, take from it what I took from you. If I abused anyone’s honour, then this is my honour, take from it in retaliation. The best among you is the man who has something he deserves from me. He can take it from me or forgive it.” Can you picture the former, present or any Taoiseach saying this?
It is also narrated in Bukhari, Muslim and Tirmizi that the Prophet said: “The best among you is the best in judging and returning rights to people.”
You see, Islam really does have a lot to offer, but you can also clearly see why it’s in the interests of some people to keep that from you. I encourage you to investigate yourselves.
Liam Egan is South East branch manager with MPACIE (Muslim Public Affairs Committee Ireland).
