Distraction in Action — The Power of Confusion
By: Faisal Amjad
Tags: Politics, Islam, Media, Confusion, Terrorism

Possible Solutions and Strategies

This final part will go on to discuss our options. What can we do?

Identify and Filter Information

First of all, we need to realise there is two types of information:

Information for the masses

Information for the classes

It is an illusion, a facade, smoke and mirrors. I myself now have a policy of measuring a story’s worth versus the news coverage it receives. If it is something disproportionate and dominating our screens and lives — I completely filter that out — this is information for the masses, designed to indoctrinate and poison us. Because of the massive power we have afforded to the mass media, they have taken a stranglehold of our lives. We live under their control, at their mercy. Leave the herd mentality behind.

Limit your exposure to the propaganda

The way you can do this is:

Stop watching trash TV

Stop buying into external belief systems (my football team, my political party, my nation, my sect — these are all set up to divide)

Stop reading trash / glossy mags / newspapers

Don’t feel the need to be part of the debate.

If you do read or watch something, understand the spin and the context of article. Watch out for words like ‘believed to be’, ‘may have been’ etc — these are flowery words that don’t mean anything.

Understand that much of what is happening, has been prophesied.

“The Prophet said, ‘Just before the Hour, there will be days in which knowledge will disappear and ignorance will appear, and there will be much killing.’ ” [Ibn Majah; also narrated by al-Bukhari and Muslim, from the hadith of al-A’mash].

There is also a hadith which stipulates that in the end times, literature will be widespread, but little of it will be of any value. I think we can safely apply that hadith and see it playing out today.

We are almost certainly in the End Times, and as such, some increasingly strange events will be happening around us. Do not let your view of them be hijacked by the media narrative.

Even the Bible predicts in Revelations (12:9), “Satan, which deceiveth the whole world”.

That is exactly what will continue to happen. Be vigilant.

Learn about the Signs

Following on from the previous point, not only should you understand the times we are living in, you should also get to know the signs that are yet to come, by studying Islamic eschatology.

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf has essentially encapsulated this entire article beautifully into just two minutes, below. Watch it, now.

Learn Surah al Kahf and recite it every Friday

We are living in the times of Dajjal — where deception is rife. Recite it as often as you can, for protection. Abu Darda’ reported Allah’s Apostle as saying:

“If anyone learns by heart the first ten verses of the Surah Al-Kahf, he will be protected from the Dajjal.” [Muslim]

Study the tafsir and you’ll soon see the link between the two — it really is the surah to help us understand the modern age.

Use the Qur’an as your yardstick for truth.

The first ayat of Surah al Kahf, translates as:

“Praise belongs to Allah who has sent down the Book to His servant, and allowed no crookedness in it,”

No crookedness — i.e. nothing false at all. This is a Book which Allah has vowed to protect until the end of time. If there is something you know is guaranteed to be accurate and correct — then use this as your measure! If you see something that is not consistent with the Qur’an — it is a sure fire sign that it is invalid and inaccurate and incorrect.

Shaykh Zahir Mahmood gives an excellent analogy here — where he says the cause of sea sickness is when the ears send a message to the brain, saying something isn’t right (and balanced), but the message the eyes send to the brain tells it that everything is fine. So these conflicting messages causes the brain to be confused. What cures sea sickness is being on a completely flat, straight surface again where the confusion can be eradicated. The Qu’ran is that thing which will keep away this confusion, insha’allah.

Feed your soul and increase your spirituality

In this current system, it is not set up for the soul to be allowed to be nurtured, to thrive. The result is we are effectively eroding our own souls.

What does good nutritious organic food do? It gives us energy, makes us productive, creative, healthy. What does GMO, fructose based processed food do? None of the above.

What does being taught about entrepreneurship, real money, the importance of being debt free and money management do? Keep us independent and free to make our own choices. What does being lumbered with debt, working for someone else do? None of the above.

What does keeping family ties ensure? You have protection around you, keeping you safe and secure. What does breaking them do? None of the above.

What does spirituality, religion and excellent, selfless moral values do? What does selfishness do?

What does chastity and marriage do? What does lust, pornography, following one’s desires etc do? You get the pattern here.

Ultimately, they are at war with our humanity — but cleverly, letting us inject our own poison. We are attacking our bodies, our minds, our hearts and souls with our choices — with what we eat, what we do, with our relationships.

Spirituality is our way of becoming closer to God. The opposite of spirituality is actually materialism — one feeds the soul, the other feeds the self. It is no coincidence, that current status quo is that which promotes mass consumerism, mass gluttony, mass lust, has broken down family ties and promotes a ‘YOLO’, do what thou wilt, mentality. It’s because it feeds the self, which in turn starves the soul.

We need to bring it back, to not be so self-obsessed, to do charitable acts for our fellow man. Eat wholesome food. Invest in people and your relationships.

Become people of excellence and sincerity and trust in Allah.

Khalid Bin Waleed, at the battle of Yarmouk was heavily outnumbered by the Byzantine army — with conservative numbers suggesting 41,000 to 140,000. When he faced the mighty Persians, he had only 2,001 men against the superpower of the day. He won both battles, convincingly.

Why? He was fearless and fully believed that the help of Allah would descend. With Allah’s help, ANYTHING can be achieved, no matter how unrealistic it seems. If you are of substance, you are sincere, and you have tawakkul, Allah’s help will descend, no matter how bleak things may look.

Question Everything!

We have become too accepting. We should get used to questioning everything we are told!

What we receive is often doctored news to serve precise goals and objectives which are intended to further enhance the image of why you need the system running the way it is. Despite endless debate and discussion, why is it we NEVER get down to the root causes of an issue? We seem to be good listeners but poor thinkers. We need to start thinking for ourselves, again. Russell Brand makes this point very eloquently here.

Stop being Jellyfish!

Shaykh Hamza Yusuf made an excellent comparison in his ‘When Worlds Wither’ speech from a few years ago. In it, he talks about how jellyfish have taken over the ocean, they are multiplying in record numbers. And he said that it is sea life, imitating society. You see, the jellyfish does nothing but consume. It is a mindless, spineless creature, always eating. We have become human equivalents, constantly consuming — data, food, information, entertainment, possessions — who are too brainless to properly think, and too spineless to take real action.

Don’t become one of these…

Hence we must tap into our passions and take a little action every single day. Take responsibility and stand up for yourself. Get out of the consumerist mentality and start becoming more humane to fellow people — if everyone did this it would send shockwaves. Our human nature has been compromised by this constant self service and desire — it’s time to take it back!

Expect the attacks on Islam to get worse

The Prophet said:

“The people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their dish. Someone asked: Will that be because of our small numbers at that time? He replied: No, you will be numerous at that time: but you will be like the foam of the sea, and Allah will take fear of you from the breasts of your enemy and put wahn (enervation) into your hearts. Someone asked: What is wahn (enervation). Messenger of Allah?: He replied: Love of the world and dislike of death.”

You will see smear campaigns on seemingly moderate Muslim organisations and individuals, and new watchwords like ‘non-violent extremists’ come to the fore.

Abdullah bin Mas’ud narrated that the Messenger of Allah said:

“Indeed Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange as it began. So Tuba [good tidings] is for the strangers.” [At-Timirdhi] Someone asked, “Who are the strangers?” He said, “The ones who break away from their people (literally, ‘tribes’) for the sake of Islam.”

Know that this is going to happen more and more. It is a test from Allah and we must be patient. The sooner we ‘accept our ‘strangeness’, the better off we will be, insha’allah.

What we will naturally see around us, is a dilution of Islam.

The taming and binding of the religion is what the western establishment seeks. Religion is to be sterilised or neutralised and replaced by a pseudo religion that is purely passive, not active or political. And they may be successful, to a degree. After all, Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman said:

“The Prophet said, ‘Islam will become worn out like clothes are, until there will be no-one who knows what fasting, prayer, charity and rituals are….”

Whatever happens elsewhere, ensure you stick to the truth and hold fast to your iman, regardless.

Seek refuge

This essentially means to not engage and invite any more fitnah upon oneself. It is better to stay away from situations wherein even the temptation or the threat of fitnah exists, if we are able to do so. Abu Hurairah said, that the Prophet said:

“There will be soon a period of turmoil in which the one who sits will be better than one who stands and the one who stands will be better than one who walks and the one who walks will be better than one who runs. He who would watch them will be drawn by them. So he who finds a refuge or shelter against it should make it as his resort.” [Muslim]

Do not be deceived by fruitless debates

If freedom of speech was REALLY important as they say it is, it would be applied equally, across the board. Simple. Edward Snowden would not be on the run. Kids would not be sentenced for a rogue status on Facebook. To be honest, freedom of speech only exists with one particular type of victim. There are examples, from France alone where they have prosecuted or banned anti-semitic or anti-national articles, cartoons and even gestures — from the likes of Dieudonne, Nicolas Anelka, French rapper Monsieur R and even a fellow Charlie colleague! Even out of France, those bastions of free speech, Israel have asked the British media for apologies for antisemitic cartoons, and just recently, a BBC journalist is facing calls to be sacked for a ‘poorly phrased question’. If we are to believe what we read of Islamic terrorist groups such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, why oh why have they not attacked their auld enemy, Israel — ever? And hang on a minute, how comes France got attacked just weeks after Netanyahu threatened them on their recognition on Palestine. Canada has criminalised any anti Israeli criticism. Whilst we’re on the subject, how comes the Monica Lewinsky scandal that rocked Bill Clinton’s reputation came directly after he blocked a US loan to Israel, whereas previous US presidents, such as JFK had had many an affair with mistresses, even in the public eye (such as Marilyn Monroe) which didn’t defame him?

For the record, I am not insinuating anything at all. It’s just for impact. I am just speculating. But this is the point. Anyone can cast aspersions, and use flowery language to confuse and befuddle. That’s what the media are doing too. Do NOT take it as gospel. Ignore, filter, delete. It’s nonsense and designed to distract.

If of interest, this was a decent balanced article on the Charlie Hebdo subject.

Do not accept any information without evidence.

‘O ye who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, ascertain the truth, lest ye harm people unwittingly, and afterwards become full of repentance for what ye have done’. (49:6)

This is one of the most important ayats to remember in this age. Always always always ascertain the truth. We have established that these people are indeed ‘wicked’ and so as such, we should not accept anything as truth, until it has been fully verified. Otherwise we will indeed become full of repentance.

This is also an excellent quote on this issue:

“He who accepts an idea without supporting evidence, is like one who gathers wood in the middle of the night; he might take a snake for a piece of wood.” Imam Shaf’i

There’s a reason why the chain of narration system which help to verify hadith is so comprehensive and strong.

Rebuild your knowledge

Read books, learn about history (but always be mindful of sources) and learn survival skills. The aim is to build the right kind of content in your brain — the right kind of material which will allow you to thrive.

Photo by Jaredd Craig on Unsplash

If you don’t build your brain, it will be done for you by way of this poisonous osmosis.

Keep a Gratitude List

Don’t let your emotions be affected by what you see and hear. It is designed to subdue and depress and demoralise you. Instead, why don’t you start a list, adding one new thing every day of things that you are thankful to Allah for? It will keep your spirits up, and Allah always increases abundantly the grateful slave. This is an excellent video on this.

Don’t accept things on the surface

Remember, nothing is as it seems. It’s a puppet show. Remember appearance and reality are opposite.

Even if you see something on the news, such as a celebrity or MP or high profile figure is now in court, being trialled. Ignore it. It is just the illusion of some measure of faith in our justice system. Or alternatively, that resource has served its purpose. Or it may be a character assassination. At the end of the day it is the one lurking in the shadows who are the dangerous ones. I am aware this is a very cynical view, but as Muslims, concerning ourselves with the trivial is not encouraged anyhow. There is no harm in being over protective of oneself and one’s family.

Become Independent!

Author and expert on Leadership, Simon Sinek says:

“When we give people instructions, it creates dependence. When we give our people clarity and competence, it creates independence. The key to our organizations and teams becoming more proactive rests in the language we use.“

He was obviously referring to leadership and businesses, but the same can be applied to our leaders. They do NOT want us to become independent. They do not give us clarity. The system needs us as cogs, for it to run and for its forceful grip to keep its stranglehold on society. Therefore try and become as self-sufficient as possible. Can you grow your own food? Can you set up your own business? Can you become debt free? The path of least dependence and reliance is the best one.

Deprogram and unlearn what you think you know — keep an open mind

Forget everything you’ve learned. It is from the hypodermic syringe model of the mass media, injecting us with their narrative and rhetoric.

It is no coincidence, that when a country is invaded and taken over, the museums and libraries are attacked. Cut off a people from their history, so they cannot remember their greatness. Then divide them. Then put fear into them. Then they will follow whatever system you ask.

This is Colonial strategy 101 — and it still exists. As the world has become more sophisticated, so too, does the guile and cunning of the powers that be.

If there a survey done for the most evil leader in history, who do you think it would be?

My money (if I were a betting man), would be on Adolf Hitler coming top or near to the top. But the question is — why? How many of us were alive at the time? How many of us know, through unbiased, primary sources what he did or what he stood for? This is certainly not a defence of him — rather a point about the flaws of information in our times. The winners of wars, write the history books ,as the famous quote goes. Did you know these facts about Hitler? Whether or not they are true, just because something is ‘accepted as history’, it does NOT make it true. George W Bush, Obama, Netanyahu, Ariel Sharon are perhaps guilty of as many if not more deaths, and we have been present to witness them. But how will history paint them, knowing who controls the media?

Focus only on the Essentials

One of the quotes in the Kennedy Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts reads:

“The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie, deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic.” John F. Kennedy

The myth here is celebrated in modern culture: it’s someone who is informed, aware of current affairs and has an opinion. They champion pseudo-human values like freedom of speech and are all about the accumulation of more. Buy more things, do more things, always keep busy etc.

No. Why not try focusing on what is essential, initially and be willing to eliminate everything else. Saying no to the less important activities will allow you to give yourselves fully to the few things that really matter.

Forget what other people say, or the peer pressure of fitting in. It is a path that takes courage. It may require making the tradeoff between short-term popularity and long-term respect. But it leads to a greater sense of control and even joy. Decluttering and detoxing one’s life, possessions etc is liberating, and frees up your mind to do the thing it does best… THINK.

Become a leader

It is now clear that we cannot rely on our psychopathic leaders — so what does that mean? Leadership must move to the people. A bottom up approach. The revolution starts from within. Master yourself and you will automatically start to attract like minded people.

Become a Free slave!

Like it or not, we are slaves to many slavemasters. A slave to our culture, a slave to fashion, a slave to our system. We didn’t choose any of it. A slave to Allah, can NEVER be a slave to any system. This is what true freedom is.

Look with your heart and be someone of understanding

Learn to use intuition and your gut instinct. We are surrounded by so much misdirection and deception that often our natural fitrah, our heart is all we can rely on, as the mind and eyes can be easily deceived. This also means do not ignore red flags. If you feel something is not right… trust your gut.

Learn to build basirah and insight through the remembrance of Allah. Do istikhara if you are still not sure.

“They have hearts with which they do not understand, they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear. Those are like livestock…” (7:179) “He (Allah) grants wisdom to whom he pleases; and he to whom wisdom is granted indeed receives benefit. But none will grasp the message except men of understanding.” (2:269)

Recognising truth from falsehood in the era of dajjal cannot be done without hikmah.

Non-compliance

Finally, we talked earlier about Russians and their penchant for chess. To use that analogy, the most dangerous man is the man who stops being a pawn and steps off the chessboard completely — i.e. he stops playing the game. Be aware of what is happening, and do not comply with the nonsense.

Photo by Felix Mittermeier on Unsplash

The open mind, with true freedom to think for itself, is the ultimate act of terrorism.

The point of this article was to help recognise some of the tell-tale signs of deception around us, and what we can do to protect ourselves. To finish, this quote is very apt.