Imagine as Ahmed lands a ferocious blow to Mohammed's head then follows it with a devastating upper cut. Mohammed retreats trying to recover quickly as he feels the gold medal slipping away from his grasp. We are in ramadhan, when Muslims feel an even deeper sense of brotherhood towards each other, however, brotherhood has nothing to do with this ferocious contest. Right now, what matters is glory for the individual and his country - whatever the cost. This could be the welter weight boxing final at the 2012 Olympics in London and Ahmed is representing Morocco while Mohammed represents Egypt. Represented at these Olympics are athletes from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and most of the Muslim countries. Forget the poverty, unemployment and a multitude of problems facing these countries. Right now, it is all about the Olympics and reaching the pinnacle of a sport. Forget even about whether a London based Muslim athlete is allowed not to fast during the Olympics, a fatwa from some sheik has taken care of that.

The participation of Muslim countries in the Olympics raises several issues.

Nationalism

Abu Da'wud related that the Messenger of Allah (saaw) said, "He is not one us who calls for `Asabiyyah, (nationalism/tribalism) or who fights for `Asabiyyah or who dies for `Asabiyyah." Islam came and bonded people upon the aqeedah (belief) regardless of their race, colour or place of birth. Islam categorically forbids nationalism or tribalism. In recent times however, nationalism, an alien concept, was imported into our societies. While it is on the wane, events like the Olympics are used to stoke nationalist sentiments. National flags are waved high and rulers promise lavish gifts and praise for those who "make the nation proud" by winning medals. We are suddenly told that we are Saudi, Pakistani, Kuwaiti, Indonesian e.t.c. So an ummah that fasts the same month worships the same Lord and faces the same qibla is suddenly divided from their brothers next door because of borders drawn up by colonial powers.

In addition to being forbidden, nationalism prevents us from addressing our problems with the collective wealth, energy and resources that Allah has blessed the ummah with. So Afghanistan was left alone to face the US and UK invaders rather being helped by Muslims next door.

Distraction

While many of the Muslim countries have devastating levels of poverty, while Muslims in Burma face oppression, while people starve in Somalia despite the abundance of wealth down the road in the Gulf, while oppression reigns in Syria, and while many other issues confront our societies, focus during the Olympics turns to creating the next star athlete that will "make the country proud". After the Olympic spectacle is over, these problems remain. What is worse is that time, effort, and energy has been diverted from them to a sporting and commercial spectacle in a far off land.

Sport, which has several benefits for human health and recreation, has been repackaged into a huge commercial event that consumes most of the world during the Olympics, football world cup and other global events. Allah (swt) reminds us in Sura Takathur about distractions from His obedience and from working towards the next life. A Muslim is always reminded that life is too short to be spent on trivial distractions like the Olympics.

Aspiration

What are the aspirations of your average Olympian? To run faster than the next man or woman! These same aspirations are now promoted to some of the youth in many Muslim countries. Such poverty of aspiration even extends to those governing our countries so you see them indulging building grand monuments as if that alone marks the success of a people. So Dubai has built world's tallest building and Saudi Arabia has built the world's largest clock in Makkah. However, when the world meets to debate solutions to the global financial crisis, the cure for malaria, the creation of world class medicines or solutions to poverty, no one talks of even looking to Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, or any other Muslim country because our countries have little to offer in terms of solutions. Indeed, our societies look to the Western nations for solutions.

Under the Islamic Khilafah "Caliphate" system, the Muslim ummah pioneered and excelled in science and technology and created societies where people of different races and religions lived in harmony - something not replicated even in today's technologically advanced West. Under the Khilafah "Caliphate", society's aspirations were dictated by the Qur'anic injunctions which spurred Muslims to be the best at solving human problems so as to fulfil a greater goal of being a model society that conveys Islam to mankind.

The real Olympics

There is another Olympic games between nations. The real competition that affects the lives of people daily is the global race to outline, enforce and convey the best way for human societies to be run. The Muslim ummah, which was given the Qur'an as guidance for the whole of mankind, is largely absent from that competition because the Islamic state, which implements the Islamic solutions to societal problems, is absent from the world. Indeed, our societies have chosen to emulate the casino capitalism in the economic sphere, whilst copying democracy as a system of government and emulating other secular Western systems and values. The western dominated global media, western governments and their policies, militaries and global institutions are used in this regard. This has left the field open to Western secular capitalist nations to propagate their values, systems and vices leaving billions suffering the effects. Mankind now inhabits a world of plenty where starvation exists, a world where democracy means that small elites rule on behalf of corporate interests and where injustice reigns. Is it not high time that Muslims realise our duty from Allah (swt) to once again re-establish the Islamic way of life by re-establishing the Islamic state in order to offer mankind an alternative vision of living and to save billions from the yoke of capitalism and secularism?

"Alif-Lam-Ra. This is a Book which We have revealed unto you (O Muhammad) in order that you might lead mankind out of darkness into light by their Lord's Leave to the Path of the All-Mighty, the Owner of all Praise." [Surah Ibrahim :1]

Taji Mustafa
Media Representative of Hizb ut-Tahrir in Britain