Ignorance Creates Fear and Prejudice
Alhumdu Lillah, a great way to end the weekend and start Dhul Hijjah, yesterday I met one of the UK’s most prominent and outspoken scholars. After a full weekend of watching our screens filled with videos of hate and Islamophobia from the far right, what better way than to end the weekend with a discussion on unity and peace within the Muslims community.
I have always admired Shaykh Asrar for his courage and strength in addressing the ills of the community and deep-rooted problems within the Muslims.
Hatred Begets Hatred
Unity within the Muslim community is paramount now, more than ever, particularly within the UK. I am and have always been a man of unity. Whether that’s between Indians and Pakistanis or Brelwis and Deobandis and the proof of this is I have friends and associates from both backgrounds. I treat people based on character and not their school of thought. We have haters within both schools of thought and we have weaknesses within both schools of thoughts, neither are perfect and neither are free from criticism.
Always Praise a Man for His Good
I live by that, I will always praise people for their good. Some of you may dislike me for sharing and writing this, but I understand that Shaykh Asrar in the past may have said or done things to upset people acting on impulse. I have done the same in public and private, but with age and maturity we all change our views and stance, that is a sign of humility. Never accepting you are wrong is a sign of arrogance and ego. Shaykh recently called out Tommy Robinson and asked for a debate, he confronted Peer Chuff Chuff and even addressed the drugs issue in Birmingham and put his own life at risk.
Darkness Cannot Drive Out Darkness, Only Love Can Do That
I don’t expect a revolution from a messages, but I do expect people to read and understand the importance of building bridges and breaking barriers within the Muslim community first and foremost and then with non-Muslims. I find it ironic how certain scholars praise the Christians and Jews when they do good (like attending a Palestine march), but they will not praise a Muslim scholar for his good work as he is from a different school of thought. Such scholars shouldn’t talk about unity nor talk to me about the rising of Reform. According to me, these scholars are worse than Reform, at least Reform are open enemies.
In Unity There is Strength
No doubt a lot of the hatred stems from scholars/Imams, this all boils down to personality. You get good Imams and bad ones (maybe a few ugly ones, lol). My advice for Imams is to leave polemics in the books and don’t air it on the minbar and brainwash the general public. Shaykh Asrar also mentioned this to me, he doesn’t like bringing debates and differences of opinions in public, he only attends as he is challenged. Finally, for scholars, don’t hate another scholar based on his view where there is flexibility, because that’s ego and the egos of men, particularly ulama will divide and destroy us.
Some of the things we disccused:
- Peer culture and fake peers
- Incorrect taweez with grids and Shaytan’s face
- Praying behind the Haram Imams
- Commonalities between Deobandi theology and Barelwi theology
- Praying in all masajid, despite fiqh differences