The Crisis of Our Times

Islam has given its followers, and the humanity through them, the responsibility to act rightly, to alleviate the sufferings, and thus take mankind closer to their Creator, writes SYED IQBAL ZAHEER.

This month’s issue presents as a lead article – THE GREAT CLIMATE MIGRATION – which deals with the issue of migration happening in the central and southern America.

The issue deserves to be seriously dealt with by the inhabitants of the globe with great attention and care, because it promises to become an issue that will touch lives of not millions but billions of people, all over the globe, touching every country, big or small, rich or poor, in the East or West, industrially developed, or peacefully living in an agrarian pastoral economy.

Yet the issue does not seem to be able to provoke mankind to serious thought – or perhaps we need to say, any thoughtfulness.

Scientists, climatists, weather specialists, environmentalists, and other professionalists of the fields have been issuing warnings about what humanity is likely to face in the coming decades because of the changing patterns of weather, in which human activities seem to play an important and decisive role.

COVID-19 has exposed digital inequities globally and exacerbated the digital divide. But all that remains in black and while, on papers, that are stacked into library or data shelves, or yet stored electronically – and, that’s it.

Life remains unchanged.

The knowledge levels remain the same.

Politicians take no notice, administrators remain engaged in the tasks given them by the authorities. Other than this, nothing happens. In fact, nothing is said – or read – about the issue of life and death humanity faces. But Islamic peoples – over the world – cannot afford to remain ignorant of the issues facing the humans and the sufferings they are confronted with. Islam has given them, and the humanity through them, the responsibility to act rightly, to alleviate the sufferings, and thus take mankind closer to their Creator.