To Breathe as Believers in Islam

Life and Verbs

Life is filled with actions, and verbs are the actions that we do.

Without verbs, humans do not live. Verbs are what humans do. By having a life, we need to make actions—like breathing. As I am writing, I am taking an action by using language. I am doing. And as humans and vicegerents on earth, we should be positively acting, whether it be taking care of the self—for example, purifying oneself by sometimes doing Wudu (the spiritual water-cleansing action). All we are doing is living, but living is an action that makes us do lots of actions at the same time: breathing, hearing, seeing, and so on.

The Imperative Action to Take

We are all in the same predicament, as we all have to transact with money—which is a detriment to society and part of why the world’s existence will not be sustainable. So maintaining good companionship and togetherness, as well as avoiding loneliness, is very important for our wellbeing, whatever the Muhammadan prophecy may be. 

Let us all, make lots of Duas (Prayers), for Allah to deliver everyone, away from any unacceptable medium of exchanges, to transacting lawfully in Allah's sight. O Allah, Ameen.  

The Final Silent Option

We do not need to make too many great actions that we cannot cope with—like trying to take on the usurious monetary or banking system without a practically reasonable, strategy and plan. We can just knowingly and consciously breathe as believers in Islam, because it seems that the satanic forces of our times have, and are somehow increasingly gaining, too much control over humanity as first thought.

It must be said clearly: the monetary system was built on usury from the start, and this makes it haram at its core. Rebranding and calling it "Islamic banking" or "Islamic finance" does not change that reality, nor does it make transacting with it acceptable for any believer. 

The Advantage

The advantage we have on our side—being opposed to the satanic monetary and banking system anyway—is the reassurance from Allah in Quran Chapter 2, Verses 276 to 279, noted here:

(276) Allah obliterates riba but makes sadaqa grow in value! Allah does not love any persistently ungrateful wrongdoer.

(277) Those who believe and do right actions and establish the prayer and pay zakat, will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow.

(278) You who believe! Have taqwa of Allah and forgo any remaining riba if you are believers.

(279) If you do not, know that it means war from Allah and His Messenger. But if you repent you may have your capital, without wronging and without being wronged.

In a world where systems of oppression seem entrenched, the believer's quiet resistance is found in the simplest, most constant act: breathing with consciousness of Allah. Every breath becomes an act of dhikr, every moment of restraint from haram transactions becomes an act of jihad, and every prayer, every wudu, every sadaqa given instead of riba consumed becomes a step toward the reward promised in Verse 277: no fear, and no sorrow.