Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is Allah’s last Messenger to establish Islam on earth as guidance for humankind before the final reckoning. He was the leader of Muslim Ummah; their guide and role model.
Almighty Allah guided the Prophet Muhammad’s actions, both personal and public, so much so that he became the epitome of lofty, righteous conduct and character. The first Muslims emulated, imitated, and admired the Prophet by incorporating his actions completely into their own practical lives.
{Say: If you love Allah, then follow me} (Aal Imran 3: 31)
Allah’s acceptance to a believer, man or woman, is conditionally dependent upon the level at which he or she loves and obeys Prophet Muhammad. This means that one should show his love to the Prophet by adopting the Prophet’s habits, qualities and personality into his lifestyle.
Challenges of the Contemporary World
The Prophet’s Companions followed the Sunnah automatically and wholeheartedly.
Now, times have changed, and following the Prophet’s Sunnah in the everyday life has gradually become as some Muslims say “quite a challenge” for today’s Muslims. Here are only a few reasons for that:
1- Modernity
Advances in science, aviation, technology and industrialization have rendered life fast-paced and hectic.
Many consider it primitive to follow methods that are “obsolete” viz discovered centuries ago, instead of the result of some modern research, scientific findings or data study. It is a “modern” fashion, for example, to shave off the beard, instead of growing it.
2- Peer pressure and corporate culture
Everyone nowadays works for a living – even the elderly, women, teenagers, and sometimes children. Lives revolve around career rat races and corporate ladder ascension. People are reluctant to compromise on careers when practice of a Sunnah becomes an obstacle in them.
3- Pressure to ‘assimilate’
Muslims living in non-Muslim majority areas are constantly under the pressure to prove the steadfastness of their faith, or else relinquish it for the secular lifestyle.
4- Ethnic Culture and Tradition
Many Muslims who want to practice Islam face pressure from older generations of Muslims in their own geographical and ethnic environment. The older generation sometimes give preference to culture over the Prophet’s Sunnah.
5- Deviant Islamic Group
Unfortunately, some groups among Muslims have fallen into bad innovations in Islam. Bad Innovations are those religious practices that have no basis in Islam and it’s incompatible with Islam teachings; which the Prophet (Peace be upon him) did not endorse. Opposite to good innovation, which is compatible with Islam teachings.
Can Muslim Women Overcome These Challenges?
Overcoming the above challenges to stick to and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is an uphill task. A Muslim nowadays has to not just guard his or her faith from the onslaught of modernism and the prevalence of more fitnah (worldly allurements), but he also has to strive to prove, through his actions, that Islam is practical and easy to implement in all times.
Challenges of Muslim Women in the Modern Life
Muslim women are ardent followers of the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad as well.
However, those teachings of his Sunnah that are relevant to men are not supposed to be followed by women; the Prophetic teachings clearly marked the different requirements of the roles of both genders in society.
Successful Examples
Today, several Muslim women have carved a niche for themselves, especially in the field of dawah through communications media. They are wives and mothers, but also writers, journalists, doctors, lawyers and teachers. They are active in their community and in service of Islam.
Their hijab and other aspects of adherence to Islamic principles do not thwart them from being educated, proactive members of society.
1- Gain Knowledge of Islam
By learning Quran recitation (tajweed), mastering Arabic, studying Quran exegesis (tafsir) and listening to Islamic lectures by the qualified teachers of the ummah, a Muslim can keep himself steadfast upon his practice of Islam, including the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
2- Study Sirah (life story of Prophet Muhammad) and Hadith (verified prophetic traditions)
This can be easily done through leisure reading and listening to lectures. The more you know about the Prophet, the more easily you love and imitate him.
