the purpose of his creation during his sojourn on earth. Secondly, that he has been created to live in surrender to his Creator. Thirdly, that he will be judged for his whole life, and for all of its consequences, even beyond life, after his earthly life comes to an end. Then he will be either rewarded or punished in accordance with his conduct. Fourthly, that his real destiny lies in the life that will follow this judgement, the Ākhirah. Hence he must be judged fairly and mercifully. Fifthly, that he must therefore be made aware of what his Creator desires of him, how he must conduct himself. Sixthly, that to meet this urgent need of man, God has always sent His Messengers to guide man; indeed, the very first man, Adam, was a Messenger.*
This, then, is the Divine law under which man’s ultimate destiny critically hinges on the successful rendering of the witness to the Truth.
The Responsibility of the Ummah
Once the Quranic discourse in this respect is fully understood, it should not be difficult to see how the Muslim Ummah as the successor to the Last Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, now bears the responsibility of witness before all mankind for all times to come.
Firstly, all the Messengers of God discharged this duty during their lifetime, the last of them being the Prophet Muhammad, blessings and peace be on him. The Qur’ān addresses him thus, defining all the duties entrusted to him:
O Prophet, We have sent you as a witness [to the Truth], and as a herald of glad tidings and a warner, and as one who calls to God, by His leave, and as a light-giving lamp (al-Aḥzāb 33: 45–6).
Secondly, the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him, was the Messenger to all mankind, and not merely to the Arabs, and for all times to come, by virtue of being the Last Prophet.
We have not sent you [O Prophet] but to the entire mankind, to be a herald of glad tidings and a warner; however most people do not understand (Sabā’ 34: 28).
Say [O Prophet]: O mankind, surely I am the Messenger of God to all of you, of Him to whom belongs the kingdom of the heavens and of the earth. There is no god but He. He gives life, and makes to die. Believe then in God, and in His Messenger, the unlettered Prophet, who believes in God and His words, and follow him, so that you might find guidance (al-A‘rāf 7: 158).
Muhammad is not the father of anyone of your men, but the Messenger of God, and the Seal of all Prophets; God has knowledge of everything (al-Aḥzāb 33: 40).
Thirdly, though the Prophet has died, the Book that he was given by God and that he delivered, the Qur’ān, continues to live exactly as he delivered it. On this point there is no disagreement, even by those who do not believe in his prophethood. This is a result of God’s promise.
Indeed, it is We who have sent down the reminder; and, indeed, it is We who shall truly guard it (al-Ḥijr 15: 9).
Fourthly, the need to witness God’s guidance before mankind remains as necessary and as urgent as ever. Therefore, being in possession of the last Book of God, free from any corruption, the Muslims stand charged with fulfilling this need. Their duty to witness is a corollary to the Prophet’s duty to witness, as the Qur’ān explains. That is why the duty of Jihad has been enjoined upon them, and has been made the measure and criterion of true Iman. Jihad does not amount only to waging war, but is primarily intended to discharge this duty of witness. Moreover, it has been made clear in the Qur’ān that this Ummah does not exist for its own self-interest or its own self-salvation, but that it has been brought into existence for the good of all mankind.
O believers, bow down and prostrate yourselves, and serve only your Lord, and do good, so that you might attain well-being. And struggle in the way of God as ought to be struggled in His way. He has chosen you, and He has not laid on you in your Din any constriction. Follow the way of your father, Abraham. He has named you Muslims, before and in this, so that the Messenger would be a witness before you, and you would be witnesses before all mankind. So establish the Prayer, give the Alms, and hold fast unto God. He is your Master. How excellent the Master, and how excellent the Helper (al-Ḥajj 22: 77–8).
Believers are those who [truly] believe in God and His Messenger, then hesitate not, and who strive hard with their possessions and their selves in the way of God; it is they who are the truthful ones (al-Ḥujurāt 49: 15).
You are the best community brought forth for mankind: you enjoin the right and forbid the wrong, and you believe in God (Āl ‘Imrān 3: 110).
It is important to remember that this duty has been laid down upon the whole Ummah, and is obligatory on every one of its members. But it is so important that, if every member of the Ummah does not perform this duty, it has been laid down that there must at least be one group among them who should take upon itself this task.
There must be one group among you, who invites to good, and enjoins the right and forbids the wrong (Āl ‘Imrān 3: 104).
The above reflections have been made with the intention of putting Sayyid Mawdudi’s discourse in its proper Quranic perspective. These, along with the notes appended to his text, should, inshā’allāh, help to illuminate his message with the light of the Qur’ān. For, he does no more than renew and repeat the call made by the Qur’ān upon Allah’s Messenger and the Muslim Ummah from the very beginning. The first message that came from God called upon the Prophet, and therefore his Ummah, to ‘read’ (iqra). The message that immediately followed – ‘arise and warn’ (qum fa andhir) – determined for ever that having and reading the Book must result in calling all mankind to their Creator and warning them of the consequences of rebelling against Him. The Prophet’s, blessings and peace be on him, last public act was to make his audience witness that he had fulfilled his own duty of witness to them.
Since this address was delivered, about four decades ago, the state of the Muslim Ummah has worsened. Although country after country has gained independence, at least in appearance, they have gained no honour, dignity and respect. The Muslim societies remain as indifferent to their duty as ever. Instead, they are dedicated to the pursuit of the same ideals as are non-Muslims. Modernization and economic progress are the goals on which all their efforts and energies are concentrated. These have become the new gods whom they worship. The results are there for all to see. They remain ridden by bitter internal strifes and divisions, poverty and backwardness. Muslim states, from one end to the other, are plagued by autocratic and despotic regimes which suppress the Muslim masses and their aspirations, deny them even fundamental human rights, even a share in governing themselves. Muslim blood still flows like water. Large Muslim minorities, as in the USSR, India, China, and Israel, still live as second-class citizens, constantly in fear of life and honour. In short, the Muslim Ummah remains afflicted by degradation and humiliation, ignominy and powerlessness.
At the same time, all the ‘cures’ applied by modernist, secularist and Westernized elites have miserably failed to improve their lot. Simply because, as Sayyid Mawdudi says, their condition will never change unless they begin to fulfil the covenant that God has made with them. The only redeeming feature, perhaps, is that during the last fifty years, as a result of the work done by such persons as Sayyid Mawdudi, many strong Islamic movements have sprung up, and a very large number of Muslims, especially the youth, are dedicating themselves to the mission of being witnesses unto mankind.
It is therefore time that we listen with greater attention to the call of the Qur’ān which Sayyid Mawdudi
