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Stay in your lane!

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LONG READ..but essential reading:

“The number of Muslims who don’t stay in their lane, speaking about things they are not qualified on, or ready for, is growing fast; it’s like a viral breakout, a disease which has become endemic amongst us.

Social media really has become a fitnah for them. It gave a platform to those who should not be on it.

Perhaps they were saved from clubbing or dating or doing drugs etc, and instead started “practising” only to become addicted to another drug which is even worse: speaking without knowledge, “educating” without being educated, “warning” when ignorant, typing because they simply can, and so on.

Once one is bitten by the bug of fame and attention, it is near impossible to go back. You think you can start talking about usul because of a few classes you take, and you think you can talk about bid’ah because you can pronounce the letter ‘ayn – in fact, they always seem to have a great letter ‘ayn, right? – and you think you can teach when you are wholly ignorant of the Shari’ah, and you think you can try and explain matters when you don’t even know the Arabic language, let alone all the sciences that follow.

Is this status about YOU? Yes it is. I don’t need to mention one name as a flag-bearer of this disease when I aiming this at 50 of you who try and do the same but at varying levels of success. If you’re thinking “it’s me he’s talking about”, then you’d be right. If you’re feeling paranoid right now, you should be. Because I *am* talking about you. Yes I’ve read your statements. Yes I also have a personal account on social media too and see and read what everyone else is talking about on my friends and liked lists. You shouldn’t have gone there in the first place. This is what happens. If you rise like a balloon, full of gas, then expect someone to pop you when you talk nonsense or try to come across as someone you’re not and mislead people. Is that me judging you? Sure thing. Hatin’ on you? Absolutely. Forcing you to only stick to what you’re good at. Correct.

You wanted to give da’wah? Your keeping silent for a good few years will be the best da’wah you will ever give. You want to be an activist? Get off FB and actually get active and help someone. We don’t need any more heroes online. The world doesn’t need you. Believe me, it doesn’t. Your style isn’t so new, and your approach isn’t so unique so as to justify the masses being exposed to an ignoramus. There is a huge difference between sharing content from qualified people and reminding folks that way – a great and encouraged thing – and you trying to do reminding from your own pocket and not knowing what you’re talking about.

And sometimes, you *will* know what you’re talking about, but you should remain silent. Just to learn the system. Just to learn the skill of patience and humility. It will serve you well later when it is time for you to lead.

I studied for nearly seven years – that’s full time, not part time classes, and that’s proper studying, not “practising” and living as a Muslim – before my teacher told me to go public with da’wah. My mouth and my fingers were quiet during that time. I studied for another seven before I had the belief and support from my teachers that I should have an opinion that is worth listening to. It’s taken me another five years to realise that opinion isn’t worth much at all, wa Allahu’l-Musta’an.

Son, just stay in your lane. Please. For your own sake.”

(Shaykh Abu Eesa Niamatullah via his FB page 4/1/2016)