| THE STREET MIMBAR JUM'AH KHUTBAH (15 May 2009) webpage: www.geocities.com/khutbahs http://groups.yahoo.com/group/the_street_mimbar/ PLEASE e-mail Suggestions & Criticisms to khutbahs@yahoo.com It is in such a manner that We make plain our signs so that the course of the Criminals may become clear. | Bismillah Ar-Rahmaan Ar-Raheem. Alhumdulillah. Peace and blessings on Muhammad (sallalahu alaihi wa sallam), his Noble Companions and Family. Brothers and sisters, Committed Muslims… Audio on http://www.islamiccenterdc.com/khutbassermons.htm (24-04-2009) WHERE ARE THE MUJTAHIDS? We know that it is difficult to correct ourselves; one of the easiest things to do is to correct the other and one of the most demanding things to do is to correct yourselves- and it is more difficult to correct our social self because it takes more effort to do that. You may be able to correct your individual self, because that's within the parameters of your own potential and abilities; but if you want to stretch your potential and abilities to correct a larger body of people who share the same identity, have the same history and have lived through the same background and consequences, then the task at hand becomes more demanding. One of the issues that yours humbly tries from time to time to shed light on- the light that Allah has favored us with … infact a light from Allah has come to you…(Surah Al-Maa'idah verse 15) In light of this (or) with this light, we try to put own hand or finger on our own aliment, pain and disease and the issue here is that we Muslims have two things that are infallible- Allah and His Prophet- this is something we all agree on. Allah does not make a mistake His Prophet doesn't make a mistake and that means the book of Allah and the consensual (and)the agreed upon historical communication of this truth from Allah and His Prophet are no doubt beyond reproach- they are the final words on the issues of life. But what did we do? We had in our history, (especially in our early history), individuals/human beings who became scholars, fuqaha' and intellectuals who began to explain the words of Allah and His Prophet to us within the set of circumstances in their own time and they should be thanked and appreciated for what they did. The problem with us is we took their opinions from their generation, conditions and times and we made these opinions holy or infallible- choose the word that you like. So when we refer to them in the leftover traditional mind that we have, we are referring to something that is holy; and this is not the way it was meant to be. We need in our time those qualified, learned. Experienced, sacrificing, patient, Islamic ulema' and amileen who can produce for us within the circumstances, conditions and developments of our time the ijtihad that is required to understand what Allah and His Prophet expect of us- this is what is needed. Unfortunately what we have today (is) the type of self styled scholars who have memorized the Qur'an and hadith to whichever extent, but they don't understand the applicability of what they memorized to the real world around us simply because they are not involved in the real world around us. There is nothing that demeans Muslims when we begin from scratch, which we have to do today with whatever minds and merits we have to re-institutionalize this ijtihad that has been absent for over 1,000 years. We have to have enough confidence in ourselves to say that we are capable of having a body of learned scholars who can relate what Allah and His Prophet are telling us to what is happening in the world today. To put it in other words that some people can understand quicker- today we have an aliment in ourselves and it needs to be cured and let's say the Qur'an and Sunnah are the medicine- we have the medicine, it's the Qur'an and Sunnah, but we don't have the physicians who understand the medicine and the disease- that's absent in today's world. We have people who dispense the medicine, but they don't know where to put this medicine or the correct dose for this medicine and that's why we have what we have in today's world where ever you look around. It really doesn't matter, it's all over the place. We have minds and people who have cloaked themselves with the imagery of Islam who will not take this Islam beyond the certain 1,300 year old ijtihaad. (If) you ask them what's wrong? If we say that Islam is made for all times and climes, then why is it that you can't take this information to the time and area that you are in? What's wrong? It is not the presence of Allah's guidance that is responsible for the conditions we are in today, it is the absence of us- we are absent from this formula that is why Allah's guidance is not working. Let's be a little more specific about this. We know (that) many of you have heard or we hope that some where along the way in your life, in the past 20 or 30 years that you have heard this hadith at least once. It is one of the indications of the diseases in our social self that given the conditions and realities of today that we haven't heard this hadith more frequently because its meanings are so applicable and meaningful in the world that we are in. What does this hadith say? The Prophet is saying that the time is quickly approaching when the nations of the world are going to converge upon you the Muslims. This convergence of nations from all directions upon you is similar to hungry people who are coming to feast on whatever food is available… Now listen to this- when you take the 1st portion of this hadith, the Prophet is speaking about the political, military and economic facts of life today, but because we have frozen Islamic minds that refuse to bring this hadith into the conditions and circumstances of the real world today, they say "because you are going to begin to speak politics, economics or military issues." We're not speaking anything; we're just trying to understand what Allah's Prophet is saying to us. We see forces of Imperialism- the United States is the primary and central figure in Imperialism in today's world. (It) has 1,000 (or so, give-and-take) bases in the world, (depends on your definition of a military base). Where are most of those military bases? Here is where we begin to enter a grey area because it is not meant for us to understand the Prophet's hadith! Imagine if the information that is generated by thinking Muslims is going to identify the majority of these military bases in Muslim countries? Then, the Prophet's hadith is going to come to life; but because we don't have minds that want to activate the future meanings of the Prophet's hadith in our life it's just left within its general context. No one wants to be a little bit more specific about this. These hostile nations have descended upon you the Muslims as starving people would descend upon a table spread to eat to eat/devour/consume/plunder. Obviously, Muslims at that time didn't have the disease that we have today because the Muslims were not quoting saying "Abu Haneefa said this, Malik said that or such a scholar said this and such a mujtahid said that" they were living directly with the events and with the words coming from Allah and His Prophet. They asked; these were not dumb down Muslims who don't ask; these were Muslims interacting with meanings; their question to the Prophet is it because we are numerically few at that time? He responded frankly No; you're not… (Take a) look at us at this time. The meanings of this hadith explain the time frame that we are in. Are we numerically few? The Muslims in the world are not in the hundreds; we're in the millions and billions- there's a lot of us. The Prophet clarifies this even more- … rather, the truth of the matter is there's a lot of you. If you're speaking about numbers, you have high numbers in your side; but you are like the foam on the current of water... Can't you see how foam is? It can't resist the water; it doesn't have an independent direction of its own- it flows. World events are flowing is one direction and we, the Muslims, who are like foam (with) no weight, no independent character (and) no independent direction; we flow with the current and look at the currents today. At one time, when Fascism was big in Europe we had Muslims who can't think independently with ijtihad who began to build an Islamic argument for Fascism. Then came Socialism and then Muslims began to flowing with the current; Muslims began to build an Islamic (mind you) argument for Socialism. Then we have Capitalism- the remaining worldwide current and we have Muslims constructing an Islamic argument for Capitalism. The Prophet of Allah told us before and now that we are in the middle of this- where we are. … and Allah is going to extract from the hearts of your enemies the aura that you have... Muslims have an aura and status, but that's going to be taken away; meaning when this time comes no one's going to be thinking about Islamic power, Islamic militaries, Islamic self determination, Islamic independence, Islamic sovereignty- all of these are gone because we don't have the Islamic aura that belongs to us. (Take a) look at where we are today. If it wasn't for Islamic resistance, struggle or sacrifices… We've realized how they don't care much about Muslims. Just several years ago, when the Muslims were like a zero on the left- they don't count or figure in to the policies of this world, (so) "go and steal their petroleum. Who cares! Muslims don't care." They've been stealing it. "Put most of these military bases in the world in Muslim territories- who cares?" Who's factoring in Islamic will, Islamic independence Islamic social and political self determination? The Communist, Capitalists and Zionists were not doing that and now all of a sudden they have a new factor to reckon with. … and Allah is going to strike into your hearts something called al wahn. People were listening to this and they didn't understand this word al wahn and they asked and what is this wahn- ya Rasulillah? He answered literally speaking- the love of this world and the dislike of dying. That's the problem right there- the love of this world. (Take a) look at today- what's the love of this world? We can say consumerism is the main definition of the love of this world. Because of our absence from the real world. Just by memorizing ayaat and ahadith is not going to bring you to the presence in the real world that you are responsible for. Allah says describing us By nature you are the best Ummah… (Surah Aal Imran verse 110) OK- do we have more information (about) what makes us the best Ummah? Allah gives you the answer … provided you are interacting with people… (Surah Aal Imran verse 110) Not isolated from people; not indifferent to people; not defeated by people- that makes us the best Ummah i.e. when we are interacting on a social level. We're not talking about individuals, groups and cults; He's speaking about our general or sum presence in this world, but we've been converted into consumers. We take what's given to us! We're not on the initiative- interacting with the other societies in the world. These other societies themselves have the initiative and they have converted us to reactionary type of people; we consume what they want to sell us- the consumers that we have become. We Muslims have a lot of wealth. We can buy the best watch in the world. $50,000! We're not speaking fiction here. The rich Muslims in the world go and buy the best watches in the world. They pay handsome amounts of money for it and they put it on an unemployed wrist! What do you want the watch for? You're not reporting to a time schedule! You are not conscious of production! You don't have an industrial base that works on time schedules- what is all of this about? The irony is in front of our own eyes. This is where we are because we refuse to have Mujtahideen who are born in our world (and) who understand the circumstances, details and subtleties of the societies that they are in- these are absent and in the real world out there we don't have a vacuum- there's no such thing as a vacuum. Another hadith from Allah's Prophet, (and you probably never heard of this hadith). Why? Because it brings to mind the political, economic and military facts of life that are supposed to be expelled from an Islamic mind and mindset. Allah' Prophet says Allah has folded (so to speak) or has brought into focus the world for me and I've seen its Eastern-most regions and its Western-most regions and my Ummahs dominion shall extend to those areas of the world from the furthest East to the furthest West and I was given the two treasures- the red and the white. This is in reference to the natural resources that are found in territories within which Muslims live... (Take a) look at today's natural resources in the world. Wars are being planned and are in the making because of the natural resources that are geographically located within the Islamic hemisphere of the world. And the Prophet of Allah says … and I asked my Sustainer not to destroy this Ummah by a natural or consuming catastrophe... This could be like a general drought that continues for a long time or any other manifestation of a serious natural calamity. … and that Allah does not impose upon them an aggression from outside of themselves… meaning that Allah's Prophet is asking Allah not to have foreign enemies destroy his Islamic Ummah. … that will psychologically cripple the Muslims. And My Sustainer said "Oh Muhammad if I were to decree something it shall never be revoked. I have given you to your Ummah not to destroy them. I will not destroy them with this comprehensive natural disaster…" We know from reading Allah's words that there were other civilizations and societies that their opposition to Allah triggered natural disasters that ended such civilizations and societies- this is not going to happen to us. "… and I will not impose upon them foreigners/others who will attack and militarily destroy them and psychologically cripple them…"- this is not going to happen. We can see today's wars and occupations are not crippling the Muslims; they are generating a positive response. … regardless of the combination of forces coming from the different areas of the world…- that's not the way we will succumb; the inference here is we may succumb due to our own inabilities. We are the ones who are capable of bringing down our own selves! That is why it is very important- it's the issue of the hour- to open up our eyes, minds and conscience to our social self so that we don't succumb to the decisions that we are making and to internecine warfare that will bleed us into oblivion. Allah says … and be conscience of Allah's corrective power presence as much as you can… (Surah At Taghabun verse 16) Allah is not burdening you; … He is not placing a weight and burden over you that you can't tolerate… (Surah Al Baqarah verse 286) Have you seen he who designates his desires as his own deity or divinity… (Surah Al Jaathiyah verse 23) Whether these are personal, racial, sectarian or national desires- Allah says … who could be more off course than he who follows his own desires … (Surah Al Qassas verse 50) Brothers and sisters on a As Sirat Al Mustaqeem… We all repeat Guide us to or on the straight approach, path or course (Surah Al Fatiha verse 5) This is an imagery of movement. As Sirat is a course of action and movement. We don't ask Allah for so theoretical guidance or some abstract guidelines, we ask Him for what can be integrated into our life. A course that we are moving on and shall expire. Brothers and sisters, committed Muslims who are on this motion- the assaults and attacks on our freedom of thought and conscience have come from within us and from quarters and places beyond us. They don't want us to think and combine the knowledge that we should acquire to assume and resume our God-given responsibilities and objectives. To them, a Muslim society in slumber and napping for hundreds of years is a dream come true. It bothers those who are misinformed and misleading (but) who have our names and outward religious identity very much when we can begin to say "OK- we want to interact with our blocks of people in this world" as we are required to. You are by nature or by being the best ummah… (Surah Aal Imran verse 110) But there is a proviso or another issue here. … you are best when you are interacting with other… (Surah Aal Imran verse 110) This interaction can be a friendly/amicable interaction or it could be an interaction in which force is used. Brothers and sisters- it's not we, (the Muslims), who cannot tolerate the others; it's the others who cannot tolerate us. If we take the facts of today's world and reverse them- let's say an Islamic State in this world had 1,000 bases (and) the majority of these bases, (let's say 700 of them), are in the Christian or Jewish world. How do you think they would be conducting themselves regarding us? Would they tolerate that? No one can regardless of their religious definition- Muslim, Christian or Jew forget about that for a moment- any decent human being with a measure of dignity and self respect cannot tolerate forces of occupation in their lands. (It's) impossible! Why are we supposed to do that? Why are we supposed to remain silent about that? Then, when some other Muslims in the world begin to combine their commitment to Allah with the acquisition of the technology of the time, then they become global enemy number one! Don't you see (that) some people have a problem with an Islamic base in this world that is acquiring nuclear technology- why? The rest of the world has nuclear technology! Between the United States and Russia there are thousands of warheads; no Muslims have nuclear warheads! And when we are just combining our Islamic commitment to Allah with living in the real world, they turn all the tables against us and they stir all their vocabulary to defame us- why? That's nothing new- the Prophet of Allah was living his commitment to Allah and the real issues of his time and the same thing happened to him; we are not better than Allah's Prophet. We have to expect these accusations to come our way. Let us have the taqwa of Allah at this time on this day during these moments of devotion to Allah (and) let us have the courage to say that "we are sick." OK- let us be up front about this. There are some differences between those Muslims who say that "they are Shi'is" and those Muslims who say "they are Sunnis"- there are differences; but these differences should never ever become an element of division. Why do we have people nowadays who are presenting themselves to the public who are repeating the word "Sunni" so much times in their presentations and we have reactionary people who are repeating now, (more than anytime in the past), the word "Shi'i" to their congregations and listeners. We wish that they were invoking these words in an enlightened manner, but they are invoking these words in a divisive manner. This is the disease that we have in our body. We know (that) some people who claim to be the custodians of Sunnism and some people who claim to be the custodians of Shi'ism are not going to feel comfortable with this and let them not feel comfortable with this; if this is the truth let it take its course. Where is there in the Book of Allah, the Sunnah of His Messenger, the established history of the Sahaba and the A'immah a justification for division, internecine warfare (and) civil wars? Where does that come from? It comes from people who are right now hatching their plots so that Muslims cannot resume. The Muslims are on the brink of recapturing that Qur'anic description … you are best when you are interacting with other… and now they are scrambling all over the place. The President of Egypt says that "Shi'is should not be interfering in the national security affairs of Egypt." There's no Shi'is who are interfering with the national security affairs of Egypt! The Saudi government is going to launch a TV service in Jeddah in Persian- when were the Saudis interested in Persian? But they want to cover this up so "we're not doing this in Persian only we're also going to add Turkish to it, and in the distance future we will add the Malay language i.e. the language of the Muslims in Malaysia and Indonesia and add Urdu also to it." That's a very nice smoke screen for their intents and purposes. Now, there are people who have all of a sudden discovered, (due to the poisonous and divisive words of clergy who report to secular governments), "Oh, I know what a Sunni means right now." And what is a Sunni supposed to mean? It means that I am supposed to be an enemy of a Shi'i. These are the official things that are going on now behind the scenes. Officials are meeting from artificial nation states in Arabic speaking countries with their Zionist cohorts/equivalents and saying "look- both of us are threatened. Our common danger comes from Iran." Whenever, however and wherever do the Muslims find the justification to clamp their hands with the Zionists and say that other Muslims are their enemies?! The hysteria has become so high that one of the major Islamic personalities of that land- the Mufti of that land says that "Muslims should go in the hundreds of thousands if not millions to Al Quds." What happened to this philosophy of boycotting the Israelis? Why do they want hundreds of thousands of Muslims to go to Al Quds with Israeli visa stamps on their passports? Muslims are going to Makkah and Al Medinah and what are they able to do? If they go to Al Quds, what will they be able to do? Your Eminence- the major scholar in Egypt- explain to us?! But this is what happens when we can't think right and think through what Allah and His Prophet are telling us. This khutbah was presented by Imam Mohamed Asi on the occasion of Jum'ah on 24 April 2009 on the sidewalk of Embassy Road in Washington D.C. The Imam previously led the daily and Jum'ah prayers inside the Masjid. His speeches were revolutionary and thought provoking, and eventually irritated and threatened the Middle-East Ambassadors who control the Masjid. Finally, the Imam, his family, and other Muslims faithful to the course of Islam were forced out, into the streets. This khutbah originates from the sidewalk across the street from the Islamic Center, currently under siege. |
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