Muslim Unite Sunni and Shia KHUTBAH : ARE MASAJID REALLY MASAJIDALLAH PART 4

 

THE STREET MIMBAR JUM'AH KHUTBAH (24 February 2012) webpage: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182501078290&ref=ts 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.

Committed Muslims...

 

Audio on http://www.islamiccenterdc.com/apps/podcast/podcast/200261 (02-17-2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vms8o45uA68       

 

ARE THE MASAJID REALLY MASAJIDALLAH PART 4

This day, Friday, is a day in which we speak the truth and we speak truth to power. This is part of our understanding of taqwa. We are expected to avoid Allah's punishment and Allah's power presence not these other transient and feeble powers around. We take this attitude and we locate ourselves with Allah's Prophet as we have been doing for many Jumu'ahs now. We spoke about the liberation of Makkah and what was left after the liberation of Makkah- was what may be called a mopping up operation. At Ta'if, the twin city of Makkah, remained resistant to Allah and His Prophet and the ongoing numbers of committed Muslims; but it was only a matter of a few weeks after the liberation of Makkah and At Ta'if itself, which was to Makkah what Quraysh was to Makkah, succumbed to this new Islamic reality. Now brothers and sisters, committed Muslims- the problem we have with our own selves is our inability to recast our collective (and) social efforts to see to it that Makkah is the Makkah of Allah's Prophet, (i.e.), the Makkah of freedom of conscience, the Makkah of freedom of thought, the Makkah of freedom of assembly, the Makkah of freedom of persuasion unlike what it has become since that time. It has almost reverted to its pre-Islamic times in our day, today; so the responsibility and the mission still beckons the committed Muslims to liberate this Makkah. What does Makkah mean? In order for us to muster enough motivation to do what has to be done we have to understand what this city stands for. We saw how the Prophet of Allah, in the previous khutbahs, embarked on what was to be the rest of his life's mission (i.e.) to free this Makkah from the powers and the authorities that were in control of it. The Prophet spent twenty-three years in this dawah; what did we observe or should have observed in the course of these years that culminated in the last year or two in the liberation of Makkah? But before that what happened? Let us try to take an overview of what happened?

 

On a couple of occasions the Prophet of Allah, (you know this from history and his seerah but you probably have not paid attention to its more significant meaning), under duress when the committed Muslims were persecuted asked or he instructed some of them to leave Makkah. There were two hijras during this time period to Al Habasha in Africa. Now, why didn't Allah's Prophet himself- after knowing the reception that the Muslims had in Al Habasha- go to the Habasha? Why didn't he leave Makkah, reposition himself over there and begin a movement from there back to Makkah? Why don't Muslims think of this? He could have done this very easily. He could have set up a shop over there, (so to speak). He could have said "this is a land of more freedom and the more justice than is the case in Makkah. The opportunities for us working here and then making a come back to Makkah is more convenient then to stay in Makkah." But the Prophet of Allah did not do that. He withstood, on principle, his ground in Makkah because Makkah is the cornerstone and the foundation for this mission that has been given to him and to us. We know that he had to spend many years after the hijra to Al Habasha inside Makkah struggling against all odds. We spoke previously of the character of this struggle. It wasn't a military or a militant struggle; it was a struggle to win over the conscience of the people. The Prophet of Allah wasn't saying "I want to rule over Makkah" when he was in Makkah. He wasn't saying that. All he wanted to do is have access to the minds and the hearts and the consciences of these people- that's all he wanted and they would not give him that. Because of that all of the pressure came to bear upon him until under the threat of death he left Makkah and he repositioned himself in Al Madinah where his support base was to be. In this context when we read an ayah that says

Hold on to what is revealed to you from your Sustainer; for sure you are on a Seerat Al Mustaqeem. (Surah Az Zukhruf verse 43)

Which tells us (that) had he opted for a more comfortable position by relocating to another territory or another land or another society it would not have been in the nature of sparking a popular movement that he is responsible for; which brings us to the nature of relationship of Prophet's with their societies.

 

Allah commissions a Prophet to do his will (and) it is within the dynamics of this Prophet and his own society that this movement begins. Makkah was to be for them at the time of Allah's Prophet (and) the committed Muslims of those times the refuge from a society which had become alien to them. The rebirth of an Islamic society from a jahili society was to be located in Makkah. Some people don't understand this. Today, scholars and learned persons and activists etc. etc. don't understand that. They don't understand what the centrality of Makkah means. They don't understand what a responsible Islamic individual is within his own society. They don't understand the way the Prophet went about mobilising the power factions in Arabia to make a final move on Makkah. When the Prophet in Hajj Al Wada' and the Muslims there- there were about a-hundred-thousand Muslims who were there in the presence of Allah's Prophet- when he finally succeeded in liberating and freeing Makkah from the Taghut and jahiliyah.

 

Remember, the first founder of Makkah was Ibrahim (alayhi as salaam). He was forced out of his culture and out of his society by his own people and he found his home in a place that we call Makkah. (There's) probably only two Prophets who had this dynamic of not having their own society Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Yusuf (alayhima as salaam). These Prophets did not have that social relationship which the other Prophets had with their own peoples. Ibrahim was forced out of his own society and he couldn't find anywhere on Earth where he could call home except Makkah. Prophet Yusuf, because of the asabiyyah of his own family, was alienated from his roots and spent the good part of his life outside of his own family and his own society. Other Prophets were sent to their own people.

... (Musa looking for a home and a homeland) wanted to move Bani Isra'eel away from Egypt... (Surah Al A'raf verse 105)

 

(Isa alayhi salaam) and an apostle to Bani Israeel... (Surah Aal Imran verse 49)

Unlike all of these Prophets tied to their own societies, the Prophet of Allah- the last Prophet of Allah

... I am Allah's Apostle to all of you... (Surah Al A'raf verse 158)

Therefore Makkah belongs to all of you. It's a home when people feel like they don't belong; when they don't have a home and they don't have a homeland Makkah is theirs. This is what was intended by Makkah-for Makkah to be theirs. If we understood our Islam- if we just had a basic understanding of our Islam the people of today's world who are called "refugees", the people of today's world who are called "stateless" the people of today's world who are called "displaced", the people of today's world who are called "undocumented or illegals" would have found a retreat in Makkah. Between this understanding and us there is a load of traditions. We don't hear in our Islamic homes- Makkah was controlled by Mushriks before it eventually was liberated by Muslims- can you back to your historical references and can you find anywhere in those sources and those references an ayah or a hadith that says a non-Muslim cannot enter Makkah? Challenge your own self! Today there's a law in that land that says "non-Muslims are not allowed to enter Makkah." Even though this law is not observed- you have people masquerading as Muslims and they go there. You have people pretending to be Muslims and they go there. You have Islamic Centres run by the rulers of that land who formally obtain a piece of paper saying "they are Muslims" and they go there. (Is there) anything we can find in the Sunnah and the Seerah of Allah's Prophet is that Mushriks should not perform the umrah and the tawaf around the Ka'bah. After the Prophet's Hajj or the time in which the Prophet sent Aba Bakr and Ali (radi Allahu anhuma) to Makkah no naked person shall circumambulate the Ka'bah and no Mushrik shall perform the Hajj. He didn't say "no Mushrik can be around Makkah itself." Where did this come from? You ask yourself- who did this come from? These are the traditions that have stifled and paralysed what Makkah is supposed to stand for. Allah says- these are ayaat seventeen through nineteen in Surah At Tawba. What are these ayaat saying?

Mushriks are not expected to... (Surah At Tawbah verse 17)

The word ya'mur has a physical meaning and a social or a psychological meaning. The physical meaning of the word is construct.

You can't expect Mushirks to construct Houses of Allah, meaning Masaajid, places where Allah is honoured in His full authority and in His power... (Surah At Tawbah verse 17)

You can't expect them to do that. Then the other meaning of ya'mur is to bring it to life, to have vitality in these structures. Now, one meaning does not have to contradict the other meaning; but the problem with today's average person is that he thinks this ayah means that they don't build Masaajid belonging to Allah. That's not the overwhelming meaning of the word. Literally speaking- a Mushrik can build a Masjid. You contract Mushriks- they can put stones upon stones, construct walls, finish the structure out and the Mushriks built a Masjid. It means

You can expect Mushriks to bring vitality, momentum, life- umr is a lifetime- into the Masaajid of Allah... (Surah At Tawbah verse 17)

Al Masjid Al Haram to begin with and then all other Masajid around. You can't expect them to do that even though the Mushriks of Allah's Prophet's time still honoured the rituals of Ibrahim. Allah is telling His Prophet and telling us

You can't expect these Mushriks to fulfil this role of vitalising the Masjid; they are witnesses against their own selves (or) they stand witnesses against their own selves guilty of kufr... (Surah At Tawbah verse 17)

So who are the ones who bring these Masaajid to life?

Those who are committed to Allah and the final day. (Surah At Tawbah verse 18)

Allah in this ayah could have said those people committed to Allah- that would include the final day and the Prophet of Allah and the Angels and everything else but in this scenario or in this context Allah had to remind us of the facts of life. People who neglect the Masaajid and the social spirit in them- the fact of the matter is- give lip service to a belief in Allah, but their actions and their character do not prove that they are out for a final day. How true that is today? People who run these dead Masaajid, these lifeless Masaajid are not in their moment conscious "hey wait a minute I'm approaching a final day here; there are some responsibilities that I am going to be asked about." They run this sometimes as a business, sometimes they just run it out of employment. No one is running this because, look, there is a responsibility to be found here and that responsibility is eventually going to show up on a day that is coming soon. That's not the attitude with these people who are in this Masjid and the people who are in Al Masjid Al Haram in Makkah. You see- aqama as salaah wa aata az zakah- the word aqama and ataa means that

... there is a social reality here in the Masjid that pertains to the congregation of people in their communication with Allah and in the way they distribute their wealth... (Surah At Tawbah verse 18)

There is a system in the Masjid! You go to these Masajid around- beginning with the Masjid in Makkah ending with the Masjid anywhere else or most places on Earth- where do you find the social spirit in the Masjid? An Imam in the Masjid has lost his course and his character. What's an Imam in a Masjid? He steps out of a Masjid (and) who is he? Is he still an Imam? Or is he an employee of an Embassy? Or a khateeb who collects a salary at the end of the month? Where is the leadership role in this Masjid that no longer has a social fabric to it? It's not Masajid. A Masjid that does not have a social fabric- aqama as salaah wa aata az zakah- indicating a social content to the Masjid.

... and only fears Allah and only stands in awe of Allah. (Surah At Tawbah verse 18)

Do you think they stand in awe of Allah? Do these people who are running the Masajid today, (we're speaking about the majority of them), place themselves in the spirit of these ayaat? (Do) they transfer the meanings to these ayaat to their daily conduct and the procedures and the policies by which they control these Masaajid? This question goes to you directly. Even after all of this provided do still have committed Muslims who meet this criteria in these ayaat Allah says

... after all of this, it might just be, that they will be guided. (Surah At Tawbah verse 17)

You can't assure yourself that you are going to be guided but imagine those who don't meet the qualifications and the qualities and the criteria mentioned in these ayaat?! Where are they? Allah says, it is like saying,

Do you equate those who offer water to pilgrims and those who take care of the physical structure of the sanctuary meaning Al Bayt Al Haram to those who have committed their live's efforts to Allah and to the final day and who struggle? These two sets of people, as far as Allah's concerned, are not the same, are not equal. (Surah At Tawbah verse 19)

There's a qira'ah that says the two words siqaya is changed to suqaa and imaara is changed to amarah with a taa-marbutah at the end. Do you equate not the act and not the policy of offering water and maintaining the physical structure but here in this other rendition of the ayah

Do you equate the individuals who provide water and the individuals who maintain the Masjid Al Haram to those who are committed and their commitment is translated into jihad, a struggle? You can't do that. (Surah At Tawbah verse 19)

Now, we ask you, if you read this ayah we have in Makkah today people who offer water, who are in charge of providing drinking water and water to be used for other purposes in and around Al Masjid Al Haram and we have their superiors- Allah is saying

Do you equate them with those whose commitment to Allah translates into a jihad? (Surah At Tawbah verse 19)

Where do we have these committed Muslims whose commitment to Allah translates into a jihad? These are two sets of people. You can't say that they are alike. So this ayah comes down very clearly on the rulers of Arabia who present themselves as the maintainers and the custodians and the guardians of Al Bayt Al Haram and it says to all of us don't think that they are even close to those whose iman causes them to struggle for the cause of Allah on a course to Allah. There were about seven or eight responsibilities in pre- Qur'anic and pre-Islamic times, pre- Muhammadi that were attached to Al Masjid Al Haram; the Prophet of Allah reduced them to two. Today, we have these rulers there who have gone back to the jahili days and they continue have the Muslim public believe that Makkah is their affair and we have no responsibility towards it- as if Makkah doesn't need any liberation. The question that still needs to be answered by you and me and by every committed Muslim in this world is where are we? What are we doing? How are we thinking? Are we even thinking of bringing Makkah back to where it belongs in the book of Allah and in the pattern of the Prophet? Or are we just free floaters in life shirking our responsibilities and making believe that everything is fine and nothing really has to be done. Our souls and minds have to be liberated in the process of liberating the House of Allah- Al Masjid Al Haram in Makkah Al Mukarramah.

 

Dear committed Muslims...

The land that we are talking about- that is dear in one way or the other to every Muslim- is a land right now that is surrounded with instruments of death, with militaries of war. No one wants to tell us this and no one wants to bring this to our attention but we should not be lazy minded. We should not be as incapable to understand what is happening. In that general area there are scores of military bases. There are nuclear weapons in and around the Holy Lands. How did all of this happen? It happened in the absence of our engagement with Allah and His book and His Prophet- that's how it happened. What do you tell your children? What do you tell the coming generation of Muslims if they wake up one day and they ask why are there all these military bases in and around our Holy geography in the world? What do you say? We have brought this upon our selves. It's not too late. It's never too late to correct a mistake or to correct a deviation. We, the Muslims, on this day of taqwa confess to the fact that we have been neglecting our duties; that we will redouble our efforts to make up for these many years and many generations of going AWOL from Allah. We will look these Islamic frauds in the eye and if need be we will take issue with them in the manner and with the morals that belong to us as committed Muslims. Aal Saud- the clan of Saud- should never be allowed to get away. They shed blood. They kill. They send troops. They finance armies to do what? To anchor in the occupations that exists and then to instigate a type of sectarianism that now they are stirring in certain areas in that geography that we are speaking about. This is the birth land of our character, of our historical presence- that's where emanated. We are responsible for it in our time and in our generation. Other people are not responsible for us. No one's going to do this if we don't do it. The least we can do is point to the frauds among us- the thieves in the temple. That's the least we can do. Stand for truth and stand for justice- the two sentences that distil the history of Prophets and their struggle. Don't be inferior, don't be apologetic, don't be defensive about who you are and what you stand for.

 

This khutbah was presented by Imam Muhammad Asi on the occasion of Jum'ah on 17 February2012 on the sidewalk of Embassy Row 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 seige.

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Muslim Unite Sunni and Shia KHUTBAHS: THE SEERAH AND POWER

 

THE STREET MIMBAR JUM'AH KHUTBAH (17 February 2012) webpage: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182501078290&ref=ts 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.

Dear brothers and dear sisters …

 

Audio on http://www.islamiccenterdc.com/apps/videos/videos/show/14882277-the-seerah-and-power- by-imam-muhammad-al-asi-toronto-06-05-2011 (06-05-2011)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JzM3eoivSWk         

 

THE SEERAH AND POWER

I would like to begin by thanking the hosts of tonight's event by placing me upfront thereby trying to satisfy you and me that they are giving me extra time. Where it's only half-an-hour whether I am upfront or at the end of the list it doesn't matter, I'll try to add another few minutes without trying to be inconsiderate of the other speakers who will follow me.

 

The first remark I have to make in this very limited time frame is that the seerah of Allah's Prophet is not a very easy subject to write about. I remember, many years ago, (I can't remember how many years ago but it must have been in the area of fifteen to twenty years ago), that brother Zafar had mentioned to me that he would like to have in addition to the work on the of the tafseer some type of input into the Crescent pertaining to the seerah; and I remember trying to politely decline his offer simply because as much as work on the seerah is needed it's simply, (I think), of the magnitude that exceeds even working on the Qur'an. Here we are not trying to draw comparisons or make a judgement. The matter is very simple. The ayaat of the Qur'an- the six-thousand and few hundred plus ayaat of the Qur'an are there. We know these ayaat. Every Muslim in the world knows these ayaat. They begin in the order of the Qur'an that we have today from Surah Al Faatihah to Surah Al Baqarah and Aal Imran and then they end with Al Mu'awwidhatayn or Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad and Qul A'udhu bi Rabbi Al Falaq and Qul A'udhu bi Rabbi An Naas. Everything in between are the ayaat of the Qur'an. There's nothing dubious about them, there's nothing argumentative about them. These are the ayaat of the Qur'an- finished! What is left up to us is to put our minds to work and to understand what these ayaat mean in the context and in the world that we are in. So let's get on with the task- as demanding as that may be. Now when you want to deal with the seerah of Allah's Prophet, here you have another dynamic at work that is sometimes very elusive because the hadiths of the Prophet or the works (i.e.) the historical books that we have inherited of the Prophet's lifetime- call it seerah (or) call it sunnah, it's your call; but when you come to this body of literature you get into something that is sahih and something that is da'if and something that is hasan and something that is manhul and something that is questionable and on and on and on. So who is going to sort this out? Good luck- brother Zafar. And if you're thinking of following up the work that you're doing because it really demands much more I think. This is my personal and humble comment on this. This is a task that demands a consolidated effort, of pooling the minds of the Muslims together from the different historical contexts that they refer to, from the different bodies of hadiths that has become their references, etc. etc. When you think about it objectively, this is beyond one individuals efforts. Nevertheless, that being said brother Zafar had gone ahead and worked his way, I think, in an admirable manner and put together I think a contribution to the seerah books and the seerah literature that we have, all of us. I haven't read the book from page-to-page but I think he did an admirable job in as far as being fair to the subject matter without isolating or alienating the different types of historical and fiqhi and hadith categorisations that we have been born into. Not many of us take the mental time off to think our way through the traditions that we were born into. This, I think, will help the average Muslim regardless of your background or your miniature cultures; regardless of all of those, this I think will be a very helpful and very thankful that we are here to celebrate, (in a sense).

 

OK, now let me try to give you a sense of what I just said in general (i.e.) what I am going to try to breakdown now more specifically when we look at the seerah of Allah's Prophet. We scanned through the different books, and there's plenty of them, even though they don't concentrate in particular on the issue of power and authority. This is one subject matter which has been left out of the writings of our respected scholars of the past and even until very recently who no one is really very much interested in thinking about the Prophet's decisions when they pertain to issues of power in society. We're going to have to break this down because many times I've been a listener like you and I've heard speakers speak about the issue of power and many times it appears to me that the issue of power alludes the average listener as sincere and as anxious as the listener is to understand what are you trying to say here. I mean I'm listening but there's no traction! I want traction. So to try to put this in a way that you understand a little more I'm going to be very simplistic. I'm going to say if there is an insect- let's pick on a mosquito. If there's a mosquito around you and that mosquito doesn't like you or that mosquito actually hates you, how concerned are you? Are you going to sweat because a mosquito is buzzing around and the mosquito really hates you? I don't think so. I think you wouldn't even give it a second thought- knowing that mosquito hates you very much; but it just doesn't register. The mosquito goes about trying to draw a little bit of your blood and it goes on its happy way and you go on your happy way and nothing has registered. But let's go from a mosquito to, (let's say), a rabid animal- a cat or a dog or something like that and that animal really hates you. Now at this point you are going to think "hey that animal could attack me and it might begin to bite my leg and maybe take a chunk of my skin out of my body." So right here, now that caught your attention. You go from a simple insect to a simple animal and then you go from a simple animal to a very sophisticated human being- a thinking human being with evil on its mind and that human being also hates you. He hates you in the depth of his guts but he doesn't appear that way. He shields this hostility that is raging on inside of him. He camouflages all of that with a smile, with a friendly approach. Now, in presenting these three examples the variable that exists between the insect, the mosquito and let's say the rabid dog is the difference of power. The mosquito doesn't have power. It is in its own way in a defensive mode. It just wants a little of your blood and it goes on its merry way so you're not concerned. Because there's no power there but when it comes to an animal beyond the simple mosquito you are looking at harm that's going to be done to you so here your antenna goes up and you're alert. You want to be safe. You want to preserve your life and your dignity. And the psychological factor's the same (i.e.) both these animals hate you and they want to work their nature against you. Then when you come to the most sophisticated form of life, which is your fellow human being who's around, who also may harbour this intense animosity and hostility inside but is very well qualified to camouflage it inside of him then you should be more than vigilant lest that person harm you, not you only as a person but could harm your collective human presence in this world. This is the issue of power. Consider what I just told you like seeds that I'm throwing out into your thinking capacity and take this with you (so) the next time when someone is speaking to you about power then understand power is really an issue that we live with. The systems (and) the establishments that are around may have the capacity to disguise it. They don't want you to feel what is going on. When they use the soft power (or) the vicious power- whatever power they use- in getting at you, undermining you, annihilating you in their own ways.

 

Now when we take a look at this we go back to the Prophet's time and let's assume that the Makkah that we are speaking about (i.e.) this is where Islam began, where the Qur'an was revealed, where the Prophet was born, the first contact of this heavenly message began its social struggle. Let's assume there was no power presence in Makkah. Abu Lahab, Abu Jahl, Abu Sufyan and the rest of the Abus had no power. Who would be concerned? Just like that mosquito we were talking about. Oh- they don't have any power so who cares? We can go about speaking about these ayaat and the Prophet quoting these hadiths (and) everything will be normal. But we know that wasn't the case. Nothing was normal. Why wasn't it normal? Why didn't the people of Makkah in their power structure and their power heritage not let the Prophet just say what was on his mind? Because there was an issue of power. They knew if they were to give the liberty and freedom of expression and freedom of conscience and freedom of communication to this person called Muhammad the son of Abdullah then something is going to happen to their power structure and therefore they were not going to let that happen. Was the Prophet aware of this? Of course he was aware of this. And if he was aware of this then that means we can begin to read and to understand and to consider his lifelong jihad or his seerah in light of this fact. So when these words came to him from Heaven beginning with

Read/Proclaim in the name of your Lord who created (Surah Alaq verse 1)

and

Oh you who are enwrapped or enshrouded, take a public position and deliver the warning. (Surah Al Mudaththir verse 1-2)

When these initial ayaat were revealed to him he understood that this is going to be an issue of powers that are conflicting with each other. The first integral component of this power contention is al wahdaniyah. All of us say at tawheed or all of us say wahdaniyah. These are words that we all use, (but) unfortunately we don't use them in the power context that we are speaking about here because the message that has come from Allah throughout Prophetic history is that power and authority belong to Allah. There can be no human being that claims that he or she as an individual or as a party or as a government or as a ruling class or as a political orientation- none or them- have the right to claim "they are the power of the land and the law of the land." This is an issue that makes for wars. So the Prophet understood this from the first communication that he received from on high. This is an issue of tawheed and wahdaniyah and therefore those who now enjoy positions of power and of authority are going to lose those positions. That was a very elementary, a very essential component of this new message that now has arrived in the Makkah of that time and of that place.

 

Another important component that generates a lot of hostilities from people who have wealth and have status and have power is that this message of Islam seems to equalise people regardless of your race, regardless of your social status, regardless of your ethnic background, regardless of your gender, regardless of all these other divisive issues that are around; unlike the world of discrimination and prejudice and class conflict and all of these. This message harmonises people together. So that person who had that position of power and looks down at the other person who is trivial or who is powerless- that's going to go. That is perceived as a threat. So not only did the Prophet understand that but also those people who were in positions of power, (i.e.) the elites of Makkah, understood that too. So here at the beginning there is a power clash that has not been worked out very clearly and very accurately in the resources or the references of our history. So now it is left up to us today to try to take a closer look at this. In doing so we find out that the first three years of the Prophet's life long jihad were years of secrecy. You may ask "why should there be secrecy?" The simple answer is that it is a power answer because he is dealing with a power establishment that feels threatened because of the content and nature of the wahy that was being revealed to this person from on high. The Prophet began this secret phase of his seerah without first having a power confrontation with his potential enemies. He began to communicate these words of the Qur'an to the immediate people around him in secret. If you think about it- if someone today is going to begin to do something away from the public eye it means it is something very important and it is something very dangerous, dangerous not in the sense that it is detrimental to it adherents (but) dangerous in the sense that it is a lethal development that will take on the established power structure around. So before the potential adversaries of the Prophet would show their true colours the Prophet began his communication of this Qur'an and the organisation of this Islam away from the public eye at the same time. Both of these were not left to the people around to know that they were happening. How did he begin this? Did he just, (in what today is called the liberal mind), go out there and say, (you know), talk to anyone out there who is willing to listen? Or did he practise his better judgement in trying to identify individuals who would be positively and faithfully committed to what he is going to tell them? Reading through these books of seerah you will find that he selectively, using his better judgement, chose on selective individuals to disclose to them what this Islam means, what this Qur'an is saying what is meant by revelation from God to man. And you see it turns out that when he did that he did not do that in a discriminatory manner- he was selective but not discriminatory. Who did he choose? The first one that we know of to have been apprised of this revelation was Sayyidah Khadijah (Radi Allahu anha), his wife; and then his cousin who was still very young- Ali ibn Abi Talib (radi Allahu anhu) and then his Mawla- Zaid ibn Haarithah (radi Allahu anhu) and then his best friend- Abu Bakr As Siddique (radi Allahu anhu). These were the first individuals who were favoured by Allah's Prophet, by Allah's Prophet's confidence to receive the meanings of this message from Heaven to mankind. Then, along the way in the dynamics of the months that followed- we're still under the three years. I don't want to use the word clandestine because you know you begin to think in other areas; and I also would like not to use the word underground even though it comes more to capturing the meaning of that stage or that phase but when it came to this organisation or organising away from the public eye in addition to these individuals we had some others who also joined this effort early on. There are some others and I'm not going to be exhaustive here, (I'm) just going to mention a few names and most of them came because of the influence Abu Bakr had within his circle of friends. One of them was Uthman ibn Affan (radi Allahu anhu), the other one was Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (radi Allahu anhu), another one was Abdur Rahman ibn Awf (radi Allahu anhu). Then, throughout these three years because of this power consciousness of what is at work here there was about fifty plus a few individuals who joined Allah's Prophet. Three years of not going public with this message won over around fifty dedicated individuals to this Prophet and his message.

 

When we take a look at these fifty individuals we find that they come from- you have to have a little impression of the tribal make up of Makkah. Tribalism in those days was like… You see, in today's world there's no tribalism. When you think of yourself, you don't think yourself as "Oh I belong to a certain tribe." What has substituted for tribe in our time is the issue of nationality. What nationality are you? So when we say tribalism in those times it's like saying today what nationality are you or in some instances, depending on the society we are speaking about, it could be what race do you belong to. So it is not like saying tribalism is something primitive. When we use tribalism in Makkah fourteen-hundred years ago it's not like it doesn't have its equivalent meaning in today's world. It does! So in those three years when the Prophet of Allah thought through this power configuration or the power world that he and we are living in he managed to bring together from the major national or power configurations in Makkah; from Bani Hashim even though Ali ibn Abi Talib was the only one from Bani Hashim in those formative years to have come into the Prophet's inner circle, in addition to that there were people from Bani Taim, individuals from Bani Asd, individuals from Bani Umayyah, individuals from Bani Zuhra. These were like power centres inside Makkah that came into the fold of the Prophet; in other words they relinquished their tribal character now and they gained a new social character. They became Muslims, they became committed Muslims. We see also that some of their wives- because one issue which is left out of much of seerah literature is the issue of gender, but here if we take a look at these first fifty or so individuals who became the committed core of Islam we find that some of them had their wives with them. There wasn't this saying "you cannot have your wife, she's a Muslimah. She can't attend meetings." These wives were going to Dar Al Arqam ibn Abi Al Arqam where they were forced to have meetings because one of the facts in the seerah which is not very much highlighted is that these Muslims who were building themselves up in an organised manner- the Prophet being the leader, the Prophet was the Imam, (so to speak) were forced to meeting in Dar Al Arqam ibn Abi Al Arqam. When people outside who were not Muslims began to sense "hey something is going on here." On occasions they would see the Prophet and his cousin praying in the Haram. Now the salah at this time were not the salah al maktuba or mafruda (i.e.) the salah that we pray today Al Fajr, Adh Dhuhr, Al Asr, Al Maghrib and Al Isha' wasn't there at that time. The salah that was there was only two rak'at , that's all they were- two rak'at in the morning and two rak'at at night. But they began to see that these prayers are some what different from the prayers that they were performing. So without the Muslims intending the public/the social eye now of Quraysh and Makkah began to sense that something is going on here. At one time in one of the shi'ab of Makkah Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas was with some of these other committed Muslims. He was confronted by some of these just average individuals of Makkah who questioned what are you doing here? What's this salah that doesn't totally agree with our salah? What's going on? Is something going on? So they wanted to prove this dynamic that was left away from their attention and then an altercation began and this was the first time that someone bled in this, as of yet, not accomplished power confrontation between two sides and two opposing camps. As a result of that these committed Muslims decided to meet at Dar Al Arqam ibn Abi Al Arqam away from the intruding and the suspecting eye of the Makkans. In these dynamics, (and there's plenty of them that are at work here), there's what is called al jiwaar or al himaya meaning that if a person from Bani Hashim like the Prophet and Ali- these two belong to Bani Hashim- because of that tribal set up of Makkah it was the norm of that time; there were no courts in Makkah, there was no legal system but you can say, (if we wanted to take the world of that time and try to place it in the world of our time), the law of the land there at that time required that a tribe protect one who belongs to it from others. So it was the responsibility of Bani Hashim and the responsibility of Bani Abdul Mutt'talib to protect Muhammad and to protect Ali. It was the responsibility of Bani Taim, (which was of the least of the power factions in this tribal set up), to protect Aba Bakr. It was the responsibility of others to protect their own if they were threatened by the others. The Prophet of Allah didn't annul this protection. He didn't say "we don't want your protection." As long as they were willing to protect him he was accepting that. He accepted that, that's why he lived out that tradition. It finally ran out of steam when they decided that we have had enough of this person and all of these tribal factions met and said this is the way we are going to solve this growing problem. This was after around thirteen years of this struggle in Makkah. They said all of us are going to meet and all of us are going to go to this persons house and we're going to pick each one from us to come down with his sword on his body and therefore his blood, (in their own words), is going to be dispersed among all our power factions therefore not one tribe is going to be responsible for the assassination of Muhammad. That's how they dealt with this issue but before it reached that climax the Prophet didn't see any problem with taking advantage or exhausting the laws of those lands that were protective of his right- in today's world his human right, his civic right and his political right to express himself. In today's world we have people who stumble. They're sincere Muslims and they've read a lot and they are anxious to do what is right and all of this but they stumble and they can't see (that) if there are laws in certain lands that are working for them OK fine- let these laws work for you because before and after all of this, this remains a power issue.

 

Another component that is not very much highlighted in the books of seerah is the component of the youth. Allah's Prophet gave certain responsibilities to youth, to young people. This is not highlighted. Ali was very young, Aa'isha (radi Allahu anha) was very young. Usama ibn Zaid ibn Haarithah (radi Allahu anhu) was very young. There were other individuals in this history who were young who assumed military, scholarly, civic duties when they were very young. Even people who in the normal course of things would be excluded from some responsibilities were in the time of Allah's Prophet given responsibilities. When the Prophet of Allah used to leave Al Madinah he used to deputise someone to be in charge of Al Madinah. We know from the books of seerah that that was a blind person- ibn Ummi Maktoum (radi Allahu anhu). The Prophet put a blind person to be in charge of Al Madinah when he's gone and when the rest of the able bodied Muslims had gone on a military mission. That challenges some of the conventional traditions that many Muslims may have (i.e.) "let's exempt this person because, you know, he's handicapped or something like that."

 

(I don't like to deal with this issue in a sense because it throws into your mind misunderstanding), I'm going to use the word, but please don't think of this as coming from the political and ideological background that it is used within. The word is social class- the upper class, the middle class, the lower class. When we take a very close look at the seerah of Allah's Prophet we find that the message of Islam was presented to everyone regardless of their class. There are social laws at work- sunan, a sunnah a social law.

Preceding you are matters of social laws … (Surah Aal Imran verse 137)

So why can't we learn? The Prophet of Allah, as I said without any discrimination and without bias, presented this message to whomever he thought will be responsibly receptive to it. When he did that (and) when we look at let's say the first fifty characters who joined him in this immense effort we see that most of them come from what we call today the middle class. It wasn't because it was engineered to be that way; it was because that's the way society itself would respond to it. This doesn't mean that everyone in the middle class is hunky dory, (as it were), everybody is fine and dandy. No. And it doesn't mean that the other extremes- whether it's the upper class or lower class are excluded. There were people in this group of fifty who were from the upper class. Uthman ibn Affan was from the upper class. Sa'd ibn Waqqas was from the upper class, wearing a gold ring, putting on elaborate clothes. So was Abdur Rahman ibn Awf. And there were those from the lower class. Like we said ibn Ummi Maktoum Zaid- Mawla Rasulillah, meaning Zayd ibn Haarithah, Umm Ayman, Bilal (radi Allahu anhum), and others. There's something in this social law that helps us out if we can identify it because when you come to think about it (and) look at the upper and lower classes- we're not trying to be unfair to them, we're just trying to be as objective as we can. When people come from affluent and very wealthy families and background the majority of them, not all of them, are spoilt. That's the word you can use- they're spoilt. They sort of don't have the backbone that is required to stay with this struggle and with this jihad until what is called the bitter end. Not all of them! There are some people who do come from that background and they try their best to do however much they can. Likewise, many of those who come from the lower classes, not all of them, (I have to reiterate and repeat this because sometimes people just want to draw quick conclusions. Don't. It's a little tricky), but many of those who come from the lower classes, their spirits are broken. They just don't have the motivation and the marathon spirit to go with this until the bitter end. In this coagulation of the human effort around Allah's Prophet we find that those who come from mid society were the ones who carried the responsibilities that later on withstood test of time.

 

Now some of us can skip this history and go beyond the Prophet and think about what happened in the years beyond that. We don't have time for all that right now. Let's concentrate on the years of the Prophet and learn from what he said and from what he did. One of the important, (I'll try to end it with this. I know there might be some individuals getting a little nervous), but one of the features of looking at the seerah is that many times we tend to quote what the Prophet's said. There's nothing wrong with that but what is lacking is we don't tend to study what he did. This you can say is the active absent component of the seerah. We don't study what he did. This is what is required in concentrating our minds on what the Prophet did, analyzing what he did because we say actions speak louder than words. OK- what were the Prophet's actions? Let' us focus our mind and our thoughts on his actions and give this some balance at least. A lot of people tell you- you go to Jumu'ah prayers, you go to lectures on Islam- the Prophet said this the Prophet said that. OK fine, as I said no one is arguing anything the Prophet said but please give this a semblance of balance. Tell us what the Prophet did and don't stop there; analyse for us what the Prophet did. That's what we need when we read the seerah and when we write the seerah. Please me what the Prophet did and what it meant at that time and how we can transfer that meaning to our time. That is what is needed. So the next time when you go to a Masjid or you go to an Islamic Conference or you tune into a khutbah try to think is the person just saying what the Prophet said or is he trying to explain to me in understandable terms and in practical and relevant meanings what the Prophet did.

 

I hope on that note I have communicated… Actually I came (and) I thought that maybe, (you know), to make up for past truncated presentations I'll be given some time to go into much more details that I have. Actually sometimes many of you ask- at least me, I have encountered this question many times- "could you actually tell us the names of those fifty odd individuals who were the core of that initial stage of Islamic da'wah at the time of the Prophet's first three years?" I have their names. I actually obtained their names and have them written down but just reading them will take about five or eight minutes or so, especially if you want to comment a little about who they are. I had much other detail about the stages of the Prophet's seerah but insha'Allah we'll leave that to another occasion.

 

Please, if I have made some type of inaccurate statement, it's your responsibility to bring it to my attention. This is not a contest here where I'm trying to present some ideas and satisfy an ego or something like that. We are here to try to work together in the spirit of Allah's Prophet. It's just sometimes we, (I don't know), human beings all have our soft spots. Sometimes in the privacy of my own self if I just remember the Prophet's hand, I become emotional- I don't know why. I hope I've related to you some of what he stood for. Thank you very much.

 

Wa salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

 

This presentation was delivered by Imam Muhammad Asi on 5 June 2011 in Toronto, Canada. 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 seige.

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Muslim Unite Sunni and Shia KHUTBAH : THE RITUALISTIC MISUNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM PART 5

 

THE STREET MIMBAR JUM'AH KHUTBAH (10 February 2012) webpage: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=182501078290&ref=ts 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.

Dear Committed Muslims, brothers and sisters …

 

Audio on http://www.islamiccenterdc.com/apps/podcast/podcast/195556 (02-03-2012)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=huxniQUh99A

 

THE RITUALISTIC MISUNDERSTANDING OF ISLAM PART 5

Allah says, and we want you to pay close attention to these ayaat

And say to them: do something for Allah will see what you are doing and the Prophet and the committed Muslims … (Surah Al Fajr verse 105)

And the ayaat proceed until the end of the surah- Surah Al Fajr. We have visited these ayaat before and as is the feature of Allah's words and phrases and meanings, they keep on giving extra meaning for those who keep on giving Allah extra efforts. This is the interaction or the interplay between Allah and we who within a certain range of dedication or commitment respond to Him- some of us more than others (and) others of us less than others. If you can- with all the experience and with all the explanations that you have in your mind and in your life- if you can come now to try to grasp another level of meanings of these ayaat. The first set of ayaat have to do with physical laws.

By the dawn. (Surah Al Fajr verse 1)

I or you or anyone in this world- with or without power, with or without authority- cannot impose our will on this daily phenomenon- al fajr.

And a selected sequence of ten nights. (Surah Al Fajr verse 2)

Does anyone control a night? Does anyone administer a day? These are physical laws.

 

For those who study mathematics there are odd numbers and there are even numbers. Is there anything else?

And the even and the odd. (Surah Al Fajr verse 3)

This is also a part of the physical understanding of the world that we are in.

And, now, the movement of the night. (Surah Al Fajr verse 4)

Whether it is the night of a twenty-four hour period or whether it is the night in the history of societies and civilizations. That is also something you and I (and) no other mortal human being can or could control. These are qasams/oaths. Then the question is

Can anyone in possession of their mind, of their thinking, of their intellect interfere with the most solemn words or with the most serious authority in (what you just listened to from Allah)? (Surah Al Fajr verse 5)

No one! When you and I and any thinking human being come to our selves we know that these are physical laws that have been applied from the beginning of history and will continue to be applied until its end. This is the first set of ayaat in Surah Al Fajr.

 

Then we come to the second set of ayaat in Surah Al Fajr. Here there's a shift from physical laws, which we have no influence over, to social historical laws. This is a new area that Allah wants us to focus out attention on. Here He is speaking about societies, civilizations, establishments, power structures; (there's) no physical laws here. Of course there are physical laws that apply to them in their own milieu but the focus of attention now is away from that and we come to the human being in his collective construct.

Have you not seen what your Sustainer has done with Aad? (Surah Al Fajr verse 6)

Suffice it here to know (that) Aad is one of these power civilizational, establishmentarian power structures that no longer exist.

This was a super power that had itself well established (Surah Al Fajr verse 7)

So Allah wants you and me who are reading these ayaat to consider, to observe, to learn what happened to these civilisations- a civilization that had a construction character to it referred to in these ayaat as al imaad. Imaad is the support system of whatever is built in a civilization and this support system they had obviously comes from physical knowledge. You can't have modernity and a civilization when you're void a physical knowledge in reference to the first four ayaat that we were speaking about. So Allah gives this access of information to people who understand these physical laws and then go on to misunderstand the social laws that go along with them; and that is why they are destroyed.

Aad had a support system that had no equivalent anywhere in any country. (Surah Al Fajr verse 8)

 

Then our attention moves on a historical line to another society of a civilizational and a modernistic feature. Here we are looking at another superpower, another superstructure, another super civilization in history. Where is it? What happened to it? Think Muslims! Allah is inviting you to think. These ayaat are not meant to be read to put you to sleep. These ayaat are not meant to numb your mind. They come to you to stimulate you.

Another feature of their civilization mountains become high rises. (Surah Al Fajr verse 9)

 

The Pharaoh, the Pharaonic system in Egypt, known in secular history books and in religious history books is another exemplification of how high and mighty superpower structures are. We mentioned this previously and we will remind you here that the physical demonstration of the Egyptian civilization in reference to Phirawn or the Pharaonic ruling class in addition to some of the other scientific breakthroughs that they had- the mummification of the human body; something that contemporary science in our current civilization construct and progress and technological breakthroughs still can't explain- so those who are in these fields of knowledge and science tell us. Then we had the pyramids.

And the Pharoah who has these fixed structures. (Surah Al Fajr verse 10)

And up until know we still haven't had scientists who can explain to us the function of the pyramids on the deserts of Egypt. We know that the Qur'anic wording of awtaad is the plural of watad and in many references in the Qur'an Allah speaks about mountains as awtaad and rawasi. So the human knowledge in the Egypt of the Pharaohs had progressed to such a degree that they realized that they needed stabilizers on the crust of the Earth. This wasn't just for cosmetic purpose that they built pyramids there because the ayah tells us so- dhi al awtaad  not dhi al ahram. So what comes from this physical demonstration of civilizational accomplishments? What's this supposed to mean to us? Listen to the ayah carefully. This is an oxymoron of sorts. On the one hand the Pharoanic system has what it takes in the physical world of sciences and of discoveries and then in the same breath (and) in the same line of descriptions how was their social policies?

but those were policies of aggression. (Surah Al Fajr verse 11)

Which tells you and I, (if we read and understand what Allah is telling us), that yes it is quite possible that we will have advanced technological power structures and with it we will have well established tyranny and despotism. Now the issue of social corruption in the lands that are ruled by these types of classes of governors and rulers. What is it?

A breeding of corruption, a multiplication of chaos, a spreading instability. (Surah Al Fajr verse 12)

What's the result? Aad, Thamud and Phirawn what was the end?

Allah poured upon then a lash of torment. (Surah Al Fajr verse 13)

What happens to them when they, with all of their accomplishments to their credit in the physical world, corrupted themselves by their social character- and this breaks down to their political polices, their economic schemes, their banking systems, their financial transactions and on and on? Their knowledge of physical knowledge did not save them from their abuse of the social laws. Obviously Allah wants us to think about these ayaat because today we have a Muslim mind out there (that) when you come and you combine social issues with Qur'anic ayaat (and) political developments with Qur'anic verses they can't figure this out! It's alien to them! If they are reading this book from Allah with objective and opened minds then they will know that all of these factors come together. You can't separate a personal being from a social being. Each one of us have these elements in us and that is why the following set of ayaat sort of go to the root of this problem. Remember, the first seven ayaat in this surah were physical laws; the second set of ayaat in this surah refer to social and historical laws; now we come to the third set of ayaat in this surah. Here we get to the core of the issue. The human being- you and I, al insaan- is used in reference to one person and al insaan is used in reference to one humanity. If you trace and trail this word in the Qur'an you will find that it interplays between the individual/singular and the plural. When it comes to this insaan in his personal character or in his social character

When this Insan, in his personal or social character, is put to test by His Sustainer; Allah puts this type of living entity to a test … (Surah Al Fajr verse 15)

What's the test here?

When this Insan is put to test by His Sustainer; His Sustainer honors him and gives him the leisures and the luxuries of life that makes him gentle… (Surah Al Fajr verse 15)

The word in the Qur'an (i.e.) it's as if the people who coined this word in the English language had access to this scripture; they say "a gentle man." The word gentle is the word na'amah. This is our human nature that speaks to us in our bosoms, in our internal self: we have riches, we have money, we have affluence we begin to think 

O: Allah has honored and dignified me. (Surah Al Fajr verse 15)

This is a test that you are in, (but) you are not observing the elements of this test! You're superficially judging because of al ikram and al in'aam.

O: Allah has honored and dignified me. (Surah Al Fajr verse 15)

Once again there are other tests in life.

There are other types of human beings and human societies that are subjected to a limitation of sustenance and livelihood and produce and productions, in other words, they're poor… (Surah Al Fajr verse 16)

How do they react? How to they respond? How do they reply?

… Allah, my Sustainer, has dis-honored me, has assaulted me, disgraced me. (Surah Al Fajr verse 16)

Please brothers and sisters- we are reading ayaat here that go together; don't fragment your understanding of these ayaat in the immediacy of following ayaat, understand them in the context. We're trying to explain and elucidate this context for you. The first set of ayaat- physical laws; the second set of ayaat- social laws; the third set of ayaat that we are dealing with here amount to something like psychological laws in our human nature, in our human disposition. This is our spontaneous answer to these trials and these tests in life. And then, what's the following word?

Absolutely not… (Surah Al Fajr verse 17)

This is a firm no to those two answers. Allah's saying no, that's not the case but why is it that our human nature feels this way and then thinks this way? There are theories and philosophies and ideologies extracted from the root meanings of this ayah. Allah says

That is definitely not the case … (Surah Al Fajr verse 17)

You're thinking that Allah has honored you just because you're rich and you, (the other human being or it could be the same human being if he is taken out of one context and placed in another one), just because you don't have the means and you don't have the wherewithal you say that Allah has defamed or disgraced you. You see- your problem is that whichever side you fall in, in this trial life,

… you don't honor the orphan. (Surah Al Fajr verse 17)

And along with the orphan are all status of life that are excluded from the fast lane of life.

You're not concerned with having a systemic concern for those who don't have a livelihood; you're not offering food for those who work and are still hungry. (Surah Al Fajr verse 18)

This is the problem with individuals and this is the problem of societies; it is the problem of power structures, it is the problem of civilizations. (Take a) look at the way these power structures- they devour the resources of society and the Earth and how they monopolise the fruits of labour and finances and monetary instruments. (It's) as if these ayaat are not speaking about ancient civilizations even though ancient civilizations were mentioned to us here; but they speaking about us today, the current civilizations that have mastered the physical laws and have bastered the social laws. This is what it's talking about. But do we have Muslims who are tuned in? Obviously not. We have a system of Masajid in this world who want to tune us out of these vital meanings. If we can understand Allah with these life-giving meanings we would have discharged our responsibilities.

 

Dear committed brothers and committed sisters on As Siraat Al Mustaqeem…

As you may have realized, by moving your mind in the context of these ayaat recited for you from surah Al Fajr, it's not out of order for a Muslim to speak about the world that we are in when it comes to a power perspective. This is not something funny in Islam. This is not an odd-ball presentation when a person speaks about these issues but unfortunately because the general Muslim public in the course of generations have been alienated from this depth of meaning (if) a person such as yours brotherly here who wants to open a contemporary issue in light of these ayaat and the Prophet's teachings of these ayaat some people think "well, this is not a khutbah." This is how alienated Muslims of today have become. Why is this not a khutbah? If we speak in today's world about an Islamic revolution that is on par with the civilizations or the social forces that are mentioned in the Qur'an- in the good verses of the Qur'an- why has this become odd, objectionable to some Muslims? If Allah speaks about the tyranny of Phirawn vis-a-vis Bani Isra'eel we can speak about that. When these ayaat in the first ten ayaat in surah Al Qassas speak about the tyranny of the Pharaoh vis a vis Bani Isra'eel that is fine; you can speak about that. It's a historical lesson. It is something that happened thousand of years ago. This is how the passive Muslim mind reacts and this is how the establishment want to brainwash all of us. When we come and we say we take the meanings of these ayaat, the Pharaoh and Bani Isra'eel, those who abuse power and those who are abused by power and we put it in today's world (i.e.) the equivalent of the Pharaoh today… Are we supposed to open up our eyes and detect and discover the Pharaohs of today or not? Banu Isra'eel, the Children of Isra'eel who were neglected, enslaved, indentured labour, third class citizens, discriminated against. Oh! You can see them in history, That's OK. That's fine because there is about three-thousand years dividing us from them or more but if you come and you want to detect the same type of people today- no you can't do that?! The secular world will tell you "this is mixing religion with politics" and the traditional religious world will tell you "this is a bid'a" and both of them- as in the previous ayah- are absolutely wrong. Allah doesn't want us to live in a dream world of historical past He wants us to learn the history of that historical past so that we can function according to His laws and His morality in today's time, in today's world. If a person who wants to speak about the Islamic revolution in Iran- this is another step. How dare you say these types of things because now there is a warfare against these types people who broke all of these innuendo, these accusations the stereotypes, the hypnosis of religion. They broke out that and offered their lives, (as should be the case with all of the committed Muslims), and withstood the cause of thirty-three years and still some Muslims feel "how can I speak about this subject when they are no ayaat and no ahadith to support my presentation?" The reason why you don't find ayaat and ahadith to support your Islamic sermon or your Islamic lecture about the Islamic revolution in Iran is simply because you've been brainwashed by an establishment, by those who have the structures of power in this world to go to the Masjid and listen to a lullaby khutbah and then leave back to real life without any positive character transition from the Masjid to real life. This is the world we are living in. On this day at this time- this is known as the day and the hour of taqwa. On this day we acknowledge the taqwa that has been sustained for thirty-three years; the taqwa of who are of Allah against all the sycophants who come out of the Masajid every year now multiply thirty-three years by fifty-two jumu'ahs every year and you will find that these Muslims, our brothers and sisters, have been going through hundreds of khutbahs that are supposed to be centred about the issue and the concept of taqwa at this time every week and we find only a scant amount of them who have gained this taqwa to speak truth to the power of the oppressors and the superpowers that claim that they can fashion the policies of the world.

 

Oh Allah we ask, we plead, we beg, that You give us the strength to step out of a defeated character and into a re-energized character- re-energized by Your guidance and by the teachings of Your prophet and by the sacrifices of Your devout and Your sincere subjects and servants.

 

This khutbah was presented by Imam Muhammad Asi on the occasion of Jum'ah on 3 February 2012 on the sidewalk of Embassy Row 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 seige.

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