Tale Of Two Peoples
“Awakened by Injustice: Choosing Truth in an Age of Distraction”
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had… nothing before us.”
— Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities
We live in an age of illusion and distraction—forever chasing our own tails in pursuit of filthy lucre that ensnares, divides, and alienates us.
This famous opening from A Tale of Two Cities is as relevant today as it was during the French Revolution. We’re told we are better off than others. We’re told that technological advancement equals progress. We’re told to trust the experts without question.
The paradoxes in Dickens’ words reflect the duplicity, deceit, and hypocrisy that define our times.
Quran, Surah al-Baqarah, Chapter 2, The Cow, Verse 204
Arabic:
وَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يُعۡجِبُكَ قَوۡلُهُۥ فِي ٱلۡحَيَوٰةِ ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَيُشۡهِدُ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا فِي قَلۡبِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَلَدُّ ٱلۡخِصَامِ
Translation:
“And of the people is he whose speech pleases you in worldly life, and he calls Allah to witness as to what is in his heart—yet he is the fiercest of opponents.”
In our time, the Muslim world is filled with individuals who claim to believe, yet align themselves with oppressors—exposing the contradiction between their stated beliefs and their actions.
As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the battle between truth and falsehood is playing out on a global stage. Nowhere is this more evident than in the ongoing injustice, colonialism, and oppression faced by Palestinians.
Allah is exposing the hypocrisy of those who claim to submit to His will while denying their brothers in faith the right to land, autonomy, sustenance, and freedom.
As the world watches the gross inhumanity inflicted upon defenseless civilians—many of them children—some Muslim scholars, leaders, and educators remain silent. Their silence amounts to complicity, a tacit endorsement of the genocide of their fellow believers.
Quran, Surah al-e-Imran, Chapter 3, The Family of Imran, Verse 167
“And that He might make evident those who are hypocrites. For it was said to them, ‘Come, fight in the way of Allah or [at least] defend.’ They said, ‘If we had known [there would be] fighting, we would have followed you.’ They were nearer to disbelief that day than to faith, saying with their mouths what was not in their hearts. And Allah is most Knowing of what they conceal.”
The internal enemies of truth—those who pretend to uphold it while working against it—pose one of the greatest threats to Islam. They disguise their intentions, misguide the ummah, and lead many astray.
We must awaken to the tools of the modern age that manufacture illusion and distraction. In a world overflowing with information, we must be vigilant—cross-examining sources, discerning truth from falsehood, and rejecting the foolishness and lies that saturate our screens.
Let us use our time wisely. Let us choose our sources carefully. And above all, let us choose our leaders with discernment and integrity.