SALAM JIHAD!
Posted On April 20, 2009
First and foremost, I would like to welcome all visitors to my blog. Â
This Blog intends to focus on the core issues relating to the whys, whats, and hows relating to the concept of and the call for a “Business Jihad”.
There is a critical need today, indeed, an unavoidable imperative for Muslims to find a formula and a way out of the extreme challenges facing the ummah. They must strive to succeed in this effort not only in order to find a solution to their own problems and survive, but also to enable them to play a constructive role and to perform their duty as Muslims to provide enlightened leadership in meeting with the extreme challenges facing mankind today.
For too long the ummah had suffered from the indignity of persistent poverty and powerlessness with all its painful and humiliating consequences. For too long they had virtually lost their social and economic dynamics and consequently been oppressed, colonised and subjugated. In their weakness they had, for too long, also abandoned their fundamental civilisational duty and obligation, that is, to prosper mankind and indeed extend God’s Mercy to all creation, as was the very raison detre of Islam.
The time has now come for this generation of Muslims to recommence the performance of their civilisational duties and obligations. They do have, however, to go about this in a well planned and carefully thought out, strategic manner with the right order of priorities. Muslims have long suffered from a history of repeated failures and catastrophes simply because they had not acted strategically and were too often focused on petty issues and distracted by agendas that, if at all, bring only short term gains that often result in serious long term disasters.
It is therefore imperative for Muslims, first and foremost, to give the highest priority towards the rebuilding of their own economic capabilities to free them from dependence and quickly achieve empowerment. The starting point is to accept the reality that today we all live in a business-driven, competitive world economic environment. In this economic climate, organised business has been one of the biggest contributors to general prosperity, as seen in the West. Higher incomes and wealth generated by organised business sustained over time had greatly prospered the West. Western prosperity had also consequently resulted in serious global economic disparities, marginalising the ummah together with the rest of the so-called “developing world”.
Organised business also has its negative dynamics, as were seen translated into the massive economic crisis or “meltdown” of September 2008 in the U.S. The full impact of the meltdown has still to be witnessed. Whatever the outcome, it will have very grave consequences on the global economic landscape for some time to come. Weaknesses notwithstanding, the fact of the matter is that the positive dynamics of organised business have, over the past two centuries, greatly contributed to the West’s economic surge and empowerment. (and consequently also the rest of the worlds’ economic betterment).
The call for Jihad is indeed a legitimate one whenever the ummah suffers from oppression and humiliation that subject their faith to existential threat. Their extreme poverty, subjugation, alienation and powerlessness today are indeed sources of such threat and this state of affairs has led many Muslims to extreme acts, including resorting to terrorism and violence. The call for Business Jihad, however, is a call for action to free the ummah from economic deprivation and the sense of powerlessness. It is a call for action to prosper the ummah through business methods – hence a Jihad of peace and prosperity.Â
The call for Business Jihad therefore is a solution that is consistent with the “Greater Jihad” as espoused by Islam. (See Al Quran, Surah Al Furqaan, 25:52).
Fundamental to this Greater Jihad is the call for fighting against the urges of the lower self for material things for their own sake, against greed, selfishness and endless pursuit to cumulate wealth for narrow self interest at the uncaring expense of others and the harm it causes.
Any enterprise aimed at empowering and mobilising the total energies of the ummah and seeking to focus and concentrate action dedicated to doing good in the way of Allah can be part of the “Greater Jihad”. Such acts as fighting poverty, prospering and liberating Muslims and indeed, all mankind, from exploitation, global economic oppression and subjugation is entitled to have access to the God-given Jihad calling.
Hence “Business Jihad” for a sustained struggle to achieve economic success and to spearhead civilisational renewal for today’s ummah!
Muhammad Ali Hashim
Johor Bahru, Malaysia
22nd April 2009
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Salam Jihad!!!
Sdr Mahmud
Thank you for your views, and being a member of the Kulim Group, let us together with all our colleagues, dedicate ourselves to this long and challenging Business Jihad journey with utmost patience, dedication and hikmah.
M Ali.
YB Tan Sri
Reading this blog is enlightening indeed. Muslims have been drowning in the lure and pretense of the western capitalism for too long.
Thank you so much for sharing with us Business Jihad and may Allah blesses your goodself with strength and honour in this journey towards creating a business environment based on the Holy principles of Islam and ultimately correcting the “imbalances”. True to what you have written, a business approach bereft of any Islamic strategem will plunge us deeper into the western capitalism dungeon.
Congratulations.
Sdr Syamsulamri
Thank you for your comment.
You are absolutely right. In these times when Muslims everywhere are strongly challenged, and in the context of change that seems to overwhelm almost all aspects and spheres of our lives, be it political, economic, social or spiritual, every Muslim will have to search his soul for answers and identify courses of action, so that he or she can do something about it as he/she must.
As one who was destined to play a role, together with thousands of collegues, associates and partners in the business and corporate sector, I have been extremely concerned about the deterioration in the state of the economic affairs of Muslims everywhere, and especially the Malays in Malaysia. Clearly, to me, at the root of our problems, among others, is the economic poverty and economic marginalisation of the ummah. Even in Malaysia, in spite of the fact that we are among the most developed of Muslim nations, the economic, social and political status of especially the Malays as Muslims, are in many respects way behind and if not addressed quickly and effectively, will be a threat to ourselves as well as to Malaysia’s future stability and cohesion.
Obviously, Muslims are losing out, among others, principally due to their not living fully up to Islam’s many basic teachings. As a simple example, Muslims are aware that 9/10 of Rezeqi (source of livelihood) comes from business. Yet many among us are either neutral at best about being involved in business, or more often supicious, or worse, (unfortunately involving a significant number of Muslims in our society), are outrightly hostile and strongly “anti-business” in outlook and worldview.
Hence “Business Jihad” is directed not only at getting the best out of Muslim businessmen, but also getting the larger Muslim society to be interested and concerned about getting more Muslims involved in business affairs. The least that all of us can and must do, even as daily consumers, is to vote with our Ringgit in support of business enterprises that can contribute towards alleviating the economic position of those at the bottom of the Malaysian economic pyramid, especially from among Muslims.
We should never underestimate the impact that this common effort can make. The long term effect of this mass effort, as Muslims are the majority in Malaysia, would also result in all of us contributing towards expanding Malaysia’s economic cake and sustain a higher level of economic growth for the long term benefit of all Malaysians.
Another dimension that Business Jihad needs to address (that should be of concern and should also get the support of one and all) is the urgent need today to correct the many wrongs - in fact to undo all the “mischiefs” that have appeared “… on land and sea because of what the hands of men have earned (by oppression and evil deeds)…” (Al Quran, Surah Al Rum, 30:41).
Once again, thank you for your interest and I am looking forward to continue with this dialogue, and perhaps contribute what we can towards building a better world through all forms of jihad!
Salam Jihad,
M Ali
salam,
Tan Sri M Ali
I read with pleasure this blog as I am strating to find it very much aligned to what I aspire. My congrats to Tan Sri. I came to know of it just last nite over Awani.
The struggle for the business jihad shall not only confine to the business community as the true concept of jihad must cross all area and discipline. Be it in the private sector (profit making community as most people would love to label it) or even in the public sector.
Much has been said but little has been put into real practice. The challenge for the Muslim world is getting very evident.
InshaAllah we meet again; in this e-communication.
tq
Salam ….
Masih kedapatan manusia yang berpendapat bahawa blog adalah merupakan alat perhubungan yang tidak berfaedah , sia-sia dan bersifat negatif . Oleh kerana itu , manusia yang berpendapat seperti ini telah mengambil keputusan untuk tidak mahu mengambil tahu atau mengambil bahagian apa-apa yang berkaitan dengan blog . Mereka amat membenci perkataan ” blog ” !
Namun begitu , saya tetap berpendapat bahawa blog juga mempunyai nilai yang baik dan positif jika kita berfikiran secara terbuka dan sentiasa mengikuti peredaran ” global village ” pada hari ini . Jika kita menyonsang arus , maka kita akan menjadi seperti ” katak dalam cermin ” atau seperti ” serigala dengan buah epal ” . Kita akan ketinggalan zaman atau kita akan terpinggir dengan sendiri dalam masyarakat dunia yang semakin mengecil dan dikeliling segala sumber maklumat yang sekadar berada ” di hujung jari ” .
Saya mengucapkan tahniah kepada Tan Sri Muhammad Ali Hashim , CEO JCorp kerana telah membina blog sendiri pada 20 April 2009 yang lalu. Saya yakin banyak maklumat akan Tan Sri kongsikan dengan pembaca di seluruh dunia , di samping menerima pandangan , kritikan dan cadangan daripada pengunjung blog . Tan Sri juga akan dapat berinteraksi dengan klien atau pengunjung secara terus di maya siber , yang akan memberikan satu impak yang besar kepada perjuangan Tan Sri dalam memperjuangkan Bisnes Jihad .
Saya berpendapat usaha Tan Sri sepatutnya menjadi ikutan dan pedoman kepada kepimpinan yang lain samada di KPJ atau KPJIC atau mana-mana organisasi .Di samping berkongsi maklumat dan ilmu , pendekatan ” Mesra Pelanggan ” dapat diterapkan untuk merealisasikan konsep ” Customer is always right ” dalam bisnes yang dijalankan . Semoga usaha ini akan dirahmati oleh Allah swt dan akan sampai kepada matlamat dengan penuh kejayaan . Tahniah Tan Sri Muhammad Ali !
Dear Syed Ali,
Thank you for your comments and encouraging remarks.
With the global crisis unfolding and exposing the real ugly side of capitalism (that has been there all along since capitalism first dominated our lives), it is indeed timely that we as Muslims translate our conviction that “Islam Is the solution” into reality.
This is no simple task and is indeed extremely demanding on all of us. We can, however, always fall back on the basics, namely the simple fundamentals of the teachings of Islam as well as learn from Islam’s long and glorious history of great past achievements. These great contrbutions were, to put it simply, the turnout of events shaped by action of great Muslims discharging their duties to strive in the cause of Islam for the mercy and maximum good of all mankind. Mostly, these efforts were undertaken in the spirit of Al Qur’an’s exhortation to Muslims to always strive and compete to do good or “fastabiqul khairat”.
The bigger challenge is to apply and adapt the same principles behind these methods to suit today’s circumstances, in a world dominated by man’s higher technological capabilities and massive organisational clout, both unfortunately not within Muslim ability to harness or control at this juncture.
Obviously the global crisis, now complicated by the threat of swine flu pandemic on a global scale, are clear signs that we are facing serious existential challenges. It appears that these technological and organisational capabilities, amassed and concentrated especially among global “Westoxicating” banks, corporations and MNCs, have been abused by many. This massive and highly organised force has unfortunately also caused extreme collateral damage and greater untold harm by diminishing humanity, nature, life and creation as we know it!
Let us give our best and our all in incrementally building our capabilities on this long Jihad journey together.
Salam Jihad,
M Ali.
Dear Tan Sri,
Salam and Congratulations ! You have launched a wonderful blog.
I must say your blog and the concept of Business Jihad has come at a right time, when the world is facing its worst crisis. It is time Malaysia and the world should look at this alternative as a viable one to overcome the greed of capitalism.
I have followed the evolution of this concept very closely, and am glad it is unfolding very well and has opened many minds. It is now a matter of assimilating and putting into practice the concept.
With your determination and support of your key people and employees, insyaallah more success will be on its way.
Salam & Regards,
SASA.
Dear JY,
TQ for your encouraging remarks and doa’.
Looking forward to your continued support & participation in this journey.
Wassalam,
M Ali
Dear Tan Sri Mohamed Ali
Heartiest congratulations over this blog.
Hope this blog will become a source of pride and learning for all .
This struggle is indeed very noble and may Allah gives you the faculty ,strenghth and grit to continue this journey for many good years to come
brgds
JY