Sorry sis. I misunderstood your post. I must have been wayyy over tired.

Please forgive me.

You are absolutely correct. It is widespread.
SubhanAllah.

May Allah protect us, ameen.

To clarify, I said the fitnah was not exclusive to the West, meaning that fitnah is prevalent in other regions of the world as well. May Allaah ta’ala protect us. Aameen. I think we delude ourselves if we think that the West is the embodiment of fitnah and ignore the other such trials and tribulations that occur ‘back home’, as you’ve mentioned.

Indeed, it [fitnah] is something that is widespread; this leads me to the current state of the ummah and its rectification. I think we all recognize we are experiencing a sad state of affairs, and the solution is not (as sister MuslimahWarrior previously alluded to) to blame others for this situation, but rather, to look intrinsically and focus on ourselves.

Shaykh Nasiruddin al-Albanee has said: “The best way to change the evil is for Muslims to repent to their Lord, correct their beliefs, and nurture themselves and their families according to the correct Islam, as Allaah says ” Verily, Allaah does not change a people’s condition unless they change what is in themselves.” (Soorah ar-Ra’d 13:11).

Tasfiyah wa Tarbiyah (Purification and Cultivation) is the key to returning to the glory of Islaam. Incidently, ‘Tasfiyah wa Tarbiyah’ is also the title of a book written by Shaykh Al Albaanee of profound insight, inshaaAllah I hope you all benefit fromn this work.

Wa Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu

BintAmina

That is not what I intended by my post, inshaaAllaah, I hope to clarify.

I should have substituted the word ‘criticism’ with comparison and made the statement general - not exclusive to the West - in order to convey my point more clearly.

Comparison, while it may not be needed to affirm your faith and raise your emaan, inshaaAllaah works to do so by default. What is this comparison I speak of? The same with which the sahabah used to look to their days before Islaam and the practices they had engaged therein and shed tears of regret, looking favorably upon their acceptance of Islaam and comparing the two realities; the same comparison with which we examine the status of the Muslim woman before Islaam and after its emergence, and how mashaaAllah Islaam raised her status; the same comparison with which one sees the wisdom behind the legislations set out by Allaah by witnessing its opposite – that of lowering the gaze, that of covering oneself, so on and so forth. It may be something you reach upon contemplation or discussion, but inshaaAllah they lead to moments in which you ponder upon the wisdom of Islaam and the Magnificence of Allah subhanahu wa ta’ala.

This is the type of comparison I was alluding to, inshaaAllah.

Moreover, the fitnah of ma’asiyyah is not exclusive to the West of course, but is a rampant reality – universally so (may Allah ta’ala protect us from it and may we give precedence to His worship – aameen).

Surely, Allah Most High Knows Best

Wa Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu

To realise that Islam is the answer, we don’t have to CRITICIZE others. First we look at our own faults before we look and talk about others whether they are muslim or nonmuslim. Who do we think we are to put down others for what they say and do when they(non muslims) don’t even know or realise what they are doing is wrong. Just because its wrong in the eyes of Islam, that doesn’t justufy for all. Because if they don’t know, they can’t implement it intentionally. We as muslims give them the message through wisdom, humbleness and with fear of Allah and the pleasure of Allah. Is this how we are suppose to give dawah? Honestly ask yourself this question and take some time to ponder it. Are we really eligible to say such things in this context?
Allahu Alem, but I surely don’t agree with it.

And I don’t think the WEST is the only ones that walk around half nude. These appearances are also WIDE spread in the East now as well. So why is that we criticise a certain nation for what it does and think that the nations we belong to are SO great? SubhanAllah.

May Allah guide us and give us the ablility, knowledge and taqwa in conveying these type of messages, ameeen.

In light of the comment directly above,

Those who live in the West undoubtedly see its ills and I believe the wisdom behind such a post lies in its comparison. For subhaanAllaah, we see and recognize such things and realize that truly Islaam is the answer, the answer to all such problems. I find it necessary almost to acknowledge such things, or at least make a mental note of it, for in this, one sees the superiority of Islaam.

“The beauty of a thing becomes apparent by its opposite” – this was relayed in a lecture on tawheed, for when we realize the nature of shirk and its evils we may truly appreciate the beauty of tawheed. Similarly, when we draw such comparisons between the West and the ideals of Islaam, how it would, inshaa’Allaah, eradicate the ills prevalent in the society; we raise the station of Islaam in our own eyes, giving it the honor it deserves, inshaaAllah.

However, I think we must distinguish between criticism by which we derive lessons and benefit and plain criticisms – the former allows us to reflect on how things should be, while the latter perhaps may not benefit at all, but instead simply leave a bad taste in our mouths. So inshaa’Allaah, if you are able to look at the situation from different lens, you may derive lessons from it. One such lesson as mentioned in the post that comes from the aforementioned observation is this – “Therefore, do not look to the people for what is right and what is wrong. Look to Allah (سبحانه وتعال), for the people will confuse you, and they themselves are confused.” Walhamdulillah.

Allahu ta’ala ‘alam.

Wa Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu

This is evident from the mass media, and the popular culture, from the songs (from Britney Spears - Oops I did it again… to Jay Z), from the movies, from the TV shows, soap operas (days of our lives, etc) and so on that dramatizes and glamorizes this sort of lifestyle.

The fact that it is no longer illegal to commit ‘adultery’; Infact that is not even the word used, rather the expression commonly used is much more gentle - ‘having an affair’ shows you that as a society we do not value fidelity in relationships.

If we did, there would be stronger punishments for those who break such laws.