Islam has no priesthood. Yet amongst parts of the conservative Muslim community, particularly in South Africa, we have almost created one. I have seen ulama treated like rock stars. Feted, fawned over and placed on pedestals, with people behaving as though they are in the presence of someone almost beyond ordinary Muslims. Respect for knowledge is one thing.
Hero worship is another. It reminds me, in some ways, of the enormous power once exercised by the Catholic Church and its clergy. The institution became so powerful and its clergy so revered that questioning the priest could almost be treated as questioning the religion itself. At its worst, that kind of devotion could become almost cult-like. Islam was never supposed to work like that. We have no Pope, no priesthood and no religious caste standing between us and Allah SWT. Yet sometimes we behave as though we do.
BLIND FAITH KILLS ACCOUNTABILITY
Question the Maulana and suddenly you are a jahil. Your knowledge is questioned. Your intentions are questioned. Sometimes even your Islam is questioned. The man becomes bigger than the argument. We strongly reject the Shia belief in infallible Imams, yet some behave as though their own Maulana can never be wrong. They would never call him infallible, but look at the behaviour. His mistakes are explained away, his excesses defended and his insults excused. His followers rush to protect the man rather than examine what he actually said. That is not respect. That is blind following. And blind following destroys accountability.
RELIGIOUS CHAUVINISM
Then there is the religious chauvinism. A layperson asks a legitimate question. Instead of answering it, the response is: Who are you? What have you studied? How many years were you in madrasa? Of course scholarship matters. An alim has knowledge the layperson may not possess. But dismissing the person instead of answering the question reeks of arrogance, not scholarship. Being an alim does not mean everyone else must switch off their brains. If your argument is strong, answer the question.
LOOK AT WHAT WE HAVE NORMALISED
Some peddle hatred and constantly demonise and denigrate other Muslims and ulama with whom they disagree. The disagreement stops being about ideas and becomes personal. Vulgar language, insults, character attacks and labels. There is also a disturbing penchant for demeaning women. Women who fall foul of certain religious personalities can be subjected to disgusting language and even called prostitutes. This language is then excused because it came from an alim. It should be the opposite. An alim should be held to a higher standard of conduct, not a lower one. Then, of course, there is the visceral hatred of the Shia, pumped out over the airwaves and from lecture platforms. Theological disagreement is one thing. Constant hatred and demonisation is another. This is conduct unbecoming of an alim.
BRAVE AGAINST THE WEAK, QUIET BEFORE POWER
And here lies another contradiction. We can tear another Muslim apart over a theological disagreement but become strangely cautious around power, wealth and rulers. If your courage only works downwards, against people with less power than you, what kind of courage is that?
WHEN PEOPLE BECOME AFRAID
Then we come to something even more disturbing. There have been allegations of threats of violence from murids and followers against people who challenge powerful religious personalities. Mosques can be bullied and pressured into conformity. Critics are intimidated. People become afraid to speak. Many simply keep quiet because they know the abuse and intimidation that may follow. When Muslims are frightened to question an alim because they fear what his followers may do, something has gone terribly wrong. That is not healthy respect for scholarship. That is fear. When murids turn loyalty to a conservative scholar into unquestioning obedience, enforce conformity through intimidation and punish dissent, sometimes with the scholar’s nod and consent, devotion has crossed the line into a coercive cult.
THE COCOON
And perhaps this helps explain some of it. For decades, particularly during apartheid, parts of our religious establishment were comfortably ensconced within a Hanafi-Deoband cocoon. They knew that world, its debates, its language, its personalities and its boundaries. Then the world opened up. Suddenly they had to engage with a much bigger and more complicated world: politics, media, Islamophobia, war, international relations, Western governments, Muslims living as minorities, modern workplaces, social change, other Muslim traditions and people who simply do not share our worldview. Zionism. Hindutva. Christian nationalism. And sometimes they appear lost when forced to engage with that wider world. So what happens? Retreat to familiar territory. Attack the Shia. Attack another alim. Call the layperson a jaahil. Decide who is Ulama-ul-Haq and who has deviated. It becomes a deflection from the real problems facing the Ummah. The world is changing around us while we fight amongst ourselves over who has the right to wear the mantle of religious authority. That is not evidence of strength. It is symptomatic of weakness.
RESPECT IS NOT WORSHIP
Knowledge should bring humility, wisdom and restraint. A turban does not make vulgarity respectable. A title does not make arrogance Islamic. Years in a madrasah do not make a man infallible. And scholarship does not place anyone above accountability. Respect the ulama. Learn from the ulama. Honour the ulama. But do not turn them into rock stars. Do not fear them. Do not surrender your ability to think. And do not create a priesthood Islam never gave us. Because the moment the question changes from “Is he right?” to “How dare you question him?”, we have stopped defending scholarship. We have started defending power.
In our Deen, we have a principle that when it comes to all things, anything is permissible unless there is evidence to deem it prohibited with the exception of acts of worship. When it comes to anything outside of the realm of worship, it is neutral unless there is something that makes it prohibited or praiseworthy. So when you look at any political strategy, you’re not going to be asking the question about whether or not it’s prohibited on the basis of trying to prove whether Nabi ﷺ did it. You’re going to be looking at the implications of that action and if there are any explicit or ambiguous things that come with it that are in violation of the Deen OR if there are elements of it that serve a noble cause and this, if practised with the right intention, could actually be rewardable. Boycotting is one those things that you don’t need to prove whether it’s from the Sunnah but rather analyse the strategy and see how we can make it both useful and faithful.
Sometimes, some things do not have to be directly from sacred texts but from the natural sense of honour and protectiveness and dignity that Allah naturally puts inside us, within our fitrah that naturally makes you feel an aversion or an affinity to certain things. For example, if you were living in Makkah as a secret Muslim and Nabi ﷺ had already migrated to Madinah, would you still do business with Abu Jahal? With Abu Sufyan? Without an order coming from Nabi ﷺ, we would know inside of us that something feels wrong about this. Going to the marketplace and dealing with these people… something feels off without having to hear a single hadeeth of Nabi ﷺ. This should be a natural feeling within us for our brother and sisters.
An incident that comes to mind is something that happened in Madinah between the wife of Nabi ﷺ, Umm Habibah and her father Abu Sufyan. When Abu Sufyan came to speak to Nabi ﷺ regarding the violation of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, he entered their home and his daughter, Umm Habibah RA, picked up the mattress Nabi ﷺ would sit on in a way that she could sit on it but not her father, Abu Sufyan (maybe folded it in half). She knows what her father does to the Muslims, she knows her father is an enemy of Islam. Her father was bewildered and asked, ‘Are you protecting that from me or me from it?’ She replies, ‘No, I don’t find it befitting that you sit on the mattress of Nabi ﷺ.’ That wasn’t scriptural. That came from a place of dignity and honour for Nabi ﷺ just like how we should feel for our brothers and sisters who are persecuted by the enemy.
Moving on, boycotting is a form of character building. Yes, it’s inconvenient. Yes, it hampers your privileges. Yes, it means you may have to do things the long and hard way. But this controlling of the nafs will be beneficial in the long run. It’s a personal thing. It strengthens you spiritually because you didn’t feed into every whim and desire of your nafs. It’s a type of personal growth.
Thumama RA was a powerful merchant based in Yamamah from where the Makkans would buy their wheat. In his anger against the Quraysh, he put a stop on the wheat exportations to Makkah to the extent that the prices of wheat shot up, there was extreme hunger in Makkah. This was the first boycott from a Sahabi. Nabi ﷺ didn’t admonish him and him not saying anything is paving way to its permissibility. The boycott was only lifted when they wrote to Nabi ﷺ begging for it to be lifted and out of the kindness of Nabi ﷺ, the boycott was ended and Thumama RA restarted the exporting of wheat into Makkah.
The concept of reducing/removing sins will forever stand and we understand that there are wider ramifications to our sins. That is a personal thing between you and Allah and one that has to be worked on always and forever. Boycotting comes under the ‘body is like one Ummah’ hadeeth. Compassion, empathy, doing EVERYTHING we possibly can.
Nabi ﷺ didn’t explicitly go out in protests, didn’t petition, didn’t lobby…that doesn’t mean it is impermissible or that it doesn’t have positive results.
“I am struggling with intrusive thoughts, doubt and anxiety in worship. Am I sinful? Any advice would he helpful, JzkAllah“
Answer:
First and foremost, I want you to know that you are not alone in this struggle. What you are experiencing, intrusive thoughts, doubts, and anxiety in worship, is something many sincere believers have faced, including some of the sahabah.
1️⃣ You are NOT sinful, these thoughts do not make you a disbeliever.
I know these thoughts make you anxious and distressed, but they do not define you or your Iman. In fact, feeling upset by them is a sign of faith!
📖 The Sahabah once told the Prophet ﷺ:
“We have thoughts that are so terrible we would rather be burned than speak them.” The Prophet ﷺ replied, ‘Allahu Akbar! Praise be to Allah who has reduced shaytan’s influence to mere whispers!'”
(Sahih Muslim 132)
💙 This means shaytan whispers to believers to make them doubt themselves. But these thoughts are not yours, and Allah does not hold you accountable for them.
2️⃣ Creating these thoughts are shaytan’s trick, your job is not to engage with them, just learn to ignore them.
These thoughts only become stronger when you pay attention to them. Shaytan wants you to repeat wudu, repeat shahada, repeat salat until you feel so exhausted that you stop praying. DO NOT LET HIM WIN.
📖 The Prophet ﷺ said:
“Shaytan will come and say: ‘Who created this? Who created that?’ until he says, ‘Who created Allah?’ If this happens, let him seek refuge in Allah and STOP thinking about it.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 3276, Muslim 134)
✅ What to do:
– IGNORE the thoughts completely. Do NOT debate them in your head.
– Say: “A’udhu billahi min ash-shaytan ir-rajim” (I seek refuge in Allah from shaytan).
– Distract yourself immediately, shift your focus to Qur’an, dhikr, or any other task.
➡️ Remember: The less you engage with the thoughts, the weaker they become.
You might be getting these thoughts even in Ramadan despite shaytan being locked away, this is normal as shaytan lays down his traps and gets us used to listening to these thoughts even without him being here.
3️⃣ STOP repeating shahada, wudu and salat
I know it feels like you have to redo everything because of doubt, but repeating wudu and salat is exactly what shaytan wants.
📖 The Prophet ﷺ said:
“If one of you feels doubt in his wudu, let him not leave (his prayer) unless he hears a sound or smells something.” (Sahih Muslim 362)
✅ What to do:
– Do wudu ONCE, even if you have doubts, move on.
– Pray ONCE and do not repeat salat at all.
– If thoughts come, keep praying and ignore them.
➡️ If you fight the urge to repeat, it will get easier, inshaAllah.
4️⃣ Make salat a place of comfort again
I know salat has become a source of anxiety, but it is supposed to be your place of peace. Take small steps to make it easier:
– Keep your prayers simple and try to focus on one posture at a time.
– Listen to soothing Qur’an before salat to get into a peaceful mindset.
– Take deep breaths before praying to relax your mind.
📖 Allah says:
“And seek help through patience and prayer, and indeed, it is difficult except for the humble.” (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:45)
5️⃣ Seek assistance through duas & ruqyah.
📖 Allah says:
“And if an evil whisper from Shaytan reaches you, then seek refuge in Allah. Indeed, He is the All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (Surah Al-A’raf 7:200)
– La ilaha illa Allah, wahdahu la sharika lahu, lahu al-mulku wa lahu al-hamdu, wa huwa ‘ala kulli shay’in qadeer.
➡️ These will help ease your heart and push away these intrusive thoughts.
6️⃣ Sometimes, waswasah(intrusive thoughts) can be linked to anxiety or OCD, which is a condition many people face. If these thoughts are making life extremely difficult, it might help to speak to one of our therapists. There is no shame in seeking help.
💙 You are NOT sinful. You are NOT a bad Muslim.
💙 Allah is Most Merciful, and He knows your struggle.
💙 You will NOT go to Hell for thoughts you didn’t bring into your mind.
📖 Allah says:
“Do not despair of the mercy of Allah. Indeed, Allah forgives all sins…”
(Surah Al-Zumar 39:53)
➡️ Keep going, my dear brother/sister. You are stronger than Shaytan, and Allah sees your effort. 🤍
🌸 May Allah grant you ease, comfort and a heart full of tranquillity. Ameen. 🤲
1. Sihr of Separation This is very common form of black magic which aims to separate or make discord between two spouses, or stir up hatred between two friends or two partners. Allah says: (…and they follow what the Shayaateen (devils) recited over Sulaymaan’s Kingdom. Sulaymaan disbelieved not but the Shayaateen disbelieved, teaching the people sorcery, and that which was sent down upon Babylon’s two angels, Haroot and Maroot; they taught not any man, without they said, ‘We are but a temptation; do not disbelieve.’ From them they learned how they might divide a man and his wife, yet they did not hurt any man thereby, save by the leave of Allah (swt), and they learnt what hurt them and did not profit them, knowing well that whosoever buys it shall have no share in the world to come; evil then was that they sold themselves for; if they had but known.) (al-Baqarah/02: v 102) Jabir (RadiyAllahu ‘anhu) reported that the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Iblis would lay his throne on water and would send his brigade of demons. The lowest among them in rank is the one who is most notorious in stirring up fitna. One of the demons would, after a mission, come and say to Iblis, ‘I have done so and so.’ Iblis would reply, ‘You have not done anything.’ Another one would come and say: ‘I have not left such and such person until I separated him from his wife.’ Iblis would come closer to his demon and say, ‘How good you are.’” – (Muslim in An-Nawawi : 17/157) Symptoms of Sihr of Separation: 1. A sudden change in attitude from love to hate. 2. Exaggerating the causes of disputes between two people, even though they may be trivial. 3. Changing the mental image that a woman may have of her husband, or changing the mental image that a man may have of his wife; so that the man would see his wife in an ugly way, even though she were beautiful. In reality, it is the demon who is entrusted with the task of performing this type of Sihr is the one who would appear to the husband in her person, but in an ugly way. By the same token, the woman would see her husband in a horrible way. 4. The person affected by Sihr hates anything the other party does. 5.The person affected by Sihr hates the place in which the other party stays. For instance, a husband may be in good mood when he is outdoors, but when he returns home, he feels quiete depressed. According to Al-Hafidh Ibn Kathir, the cause of separation between two spouses through this Sihr is that each of them appears to the other as an ugly or ill-mannered person. – (Tafsir ibn Kathir: 1/144)
2. Sihr Al-Mahabbah / At-Tiwala (Love) Rasoolullah (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) said: “Ar-ruqa, at-tama’im and at-tiwala are acts of shirk (polytheism).” – (Ahmad) (1/381) According to Ibn Al-Athir, At-Tiwala is a type of Sihr which makes a man love his wife. The reason why this type of Sihr is classed by the Prophet (saw) as an act of polytheism is because those who have it done for them believe that it has an effect and does the opposite of what Allah (swt) has prescribed. – (An-Nihaya: 1/200) I would like to emphasise that the ruqyah (treatment) referred to in the above hadith is the one which seeks the assistance of Jinn and devils and consists of acts classed as polytheistic. However, the ruqyah which is based on the Qur’an and lawful supplications of Allah is lawful, according to scholars. It is reported in Sahih Muslim that the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) was quoted as saying: “There is no harm in using ruqyah as a means of treatment provided it does not consist of anything polytheistic.” 3. Sihr At-Takhyil (False Appearance of Objects) Allah says: They said, “Moses, will you throw something down or shall we be the ones to throw.” He said, “You throw!” So when, they charmed people’s eyes and overawed them. They produced a splendid Sihr. And We revealed to Moses: ‘Cast thy staff.’ And lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention. So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they were doing. So they were vanquished there, and they turned about, humbled. And the sorcerers were cast down, bowing themselves. They said, ‘We believe in the Lord of al-’Alamin (Jinn and mankind), the Lord of Moses and Harun. (7:117-122) They said, ‘Moses, either you will cast (something) or shall we be the first to cast (a spell)?’. It seemed to him under the effect of their Sihr that their ropes and stuff were sliding. (17:65-66) Symptoms 1. A fixed object would appear to be mobile, while a mobile object would appear to be fixed for the viewer. 2. A small object would appear large, while a large object would appear small for the viewer. 3. The false appearance of objects: Under the effect of the magic of Pharaoh’s sorcerers, ropes and rods appeared to viewers as real snakes.
4. Sihr Al-Junoon (Becoming Insane) Kharija Ibn Salat reported that his paternal uncle went to the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) and declared his conversion to Islam. On his way back, his uncle passed by a people who had fettered a lunatic in chains. They said: “We were told that your companion (the Prophet Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) has brought good with him. Do you have anything with which to cure our lunatic?” I recited al-Faatihah (the opening chapter of Qur-aan) and he was cured. They gave me one hundred sheep and then approached the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) to inform him of it. He asked: “Did you say anything other than this?” I replied: “No.” He said: “Take it, for by my life, some would accept in return for a false Ruqyah, but you have done this with a genuine one.” According to another narration, “the man cured him by reciting al-Faatihah for three days, day and night; whenever he finished reciting it, he would gather his saliva and spit.” Symptoms 1. Severe absentmindedness and forgetfulness 2. Confused speech 3. Bulging eyes and deviation of sight 4. Restlessness 5. Inability to do a task regularly 6. Disinterest in one’s appearance 7. ln severe cases, one can tell from a lunatic’s face that he does know where he is going, and he would probably sleep in derelict places
5. Sihr Al-Khumul (Lethargy) How this happens A saahir (sorcerer/sorceress) would send a Jinn to the targeted person, instructing him to settle in his brain and make him introverted and lonely. The Jinn would do his best to carry out the mission, and the symptoms of this Sihr would appear, according to the strength and weakness of the Jinn entrusted with the task. Symptoms 1. Love of seclusion 2. Absolute introversion 3. Constant silence 4. Anti-sociability 5. Absentmindedness 6. Frequent headaches 7. Quietness and constant lethargy
6. Sihr Al-Hawatif (Bad Dreams & Hearing Voices) Symptoms 1. The patient experiences nightmares 2. The patient sees in a dream as if someone were calling him 3. The patient hears voices talking to him when awake, but cannot see where these voices are coming from 4. The patient hears much whispering (Al-Waswas) 5. The patient is very suspicious of his/her friends and relatives 6. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself falling from a high place 7. The patient dreams of seeing himself/herself being chased by animals
7. Sihr Al-Marad (Illness) Symptoms 1. Constant pain in one part of the body 2. Epilepsy 3. Paralysis of one area of the patient’s body 4. Total paralysis of the body 5. Disability in of one of the sense organs
8. Sihr An-Nazif (Bleeding Following Menses) How it is achieved This type of Sihr affects women only. A saahir sends a Jinn to the targeted woman and instructs him to cause her to bleed. To do so, the Jinn enters the woman’s body and circulates in her veins and arteries with the blood. This notion of circulation has long been warned about by the Prophet (saw) in the following tradition: “Shaytaan circulates in man’s body like blood.” – (Al-Bukhari: Fath Al-Bari: 4/282) When the Jinn reaches a known vein in the woman’s womb, he stomps it so that the vein bleeds. This fact was also pointed out by the Prophet (Sallallaahu ‘Alayhi wa Sallam) when Hamna bint Jahsh asked his opinion on the issue of bleeding outside the period of menses, and he said: “Such bleeding is but one of Shaytaan’s stomping.” – (At-Tirmidhi) According to another tradition, the bleeding “is the result of Shaytaan’s stomping on a vein rather than from a normal menses.” – (Ahmad and An-Nasai) Therefore, according to both traditions, a menstruation that occurs outside its normal period is one of the Shaytaan’s stomps on one of the womb’s veins. According to scholars of Fiqh (jurisprudence), an-nazif refers to al-istihaadha (continuous menstruation), and according to doctors, it refers to bleeding. According to Ibn Al-Athir, al-istihadha means bleeding following a normal menses. This bleeding may last for months, and the amount of blood could be little or large.
9. Sihr of Impeding Marriage The Jinn has two options 1. If he can enter the girl, then he would cause her to feel uncomfortable with any prospective husband and; thus, turn him down. 2. If he cannot enter the girl, then he would use the Sihr of imagination, from outside. As a result, a suitor would see the girl in an ugly image under the effect of the Jinn’s whispering, and so would the girl. Under the effect of this Sihr and under the Jinn is whispering, a suitor, who would have initially agreed to the marriage, would decline after a few days, without any valid reason. In cases of a strong Sihr, a suitor would, upon entering the house of his prospective wife, feel very uncomfortable and see darkness before him as if he were in prison, and so would never return. During the period of this Sihr, the Jinn may cause the girl to experience occasional headaches. Symptoms 1. Occasional headaches, which persist despite medication 2. Severe tightness in the chest, especially between al-’asr and midnight 3. The patient sees the suitor in an ugly image 4. Absentmindedness 5. Anxiety during sleep 6. Occasional constant stomach-aches 7. Pain in the lower part of the back
10. Sihr regarding Sexual Intimacy Al Sihr Ar-rabt (Penile Erection Problem during intercourse), Al- ‘ajz al-jinsi (impotence) and Adh-dhu’f al-jinsi (sexual weakness) Ar-Rabt Al-’ajzal-jinsi (sexual inability / impotence): The man affected by this type of Sihr feels active and energetic about having sexual intercourse with his wife. His penis is even erected as long as he is distant from his wife. Nevertheless, as he approaches her, his penis shrinks and is unable to have sexual intercourse. It means a man’s inability to have sexual intercourse with his wife, whether he is distant from or near her, as his penis cannot erect. Adh-du’f al-jinsi (sexual weakness): A man can only have sexual intercourse with his wife after long periods. Sexual intercourse takes place for only a short time; after which the penis looses its rigidity. Ar-Rabt in Women (sexual frigidity) Just as a man suffers from ar-rabt (penile erection failure) and is unable to have sexual intercourse with his wife, a woman, too, may suffer from ar-rabt (frigidity). There are some types of rabt in women: 1. Rabt al-man’(obstruction): It occurs when a woman prevents her husband from having sexual intercourse with her by tightly joining her legs together and obstructing his penis from entering into her vagina. This reaction is automatic and beyond her control, but one young man whose wife was affected by this type of Sihr, criticised his wife for her response, so she explained that it was beyond her control. One day, she told him to put iron shackles between her legs to keep them apart before, starting sexual intercourse. He did that, but it was to no avail. Alternatively, she told him to give her a drug injection if he wants to have sexual intercourse with her. It worked, but only one partner benefited. 2. Rabt at-taballud (lack of sexual feeling): The Jinn entrusted with the mission of Sihr settles in the centre of sexual feeling in the woman’s brain and causes her to lose her sexual feeling, at the moment of sexual intercourse with her husband. As a result, she feels no sexual pleasure and does not respond to her husband. Her body becomes numb even if her husband does what he wishes with her. In this type of Sihr, the glands do not release the fluid which lubricates the vagina, and therefore, the sexual act cannot be achieved. 3. Rabt An-nazif (bleeding at the time of sexual intercourse): This is different from Sihr an-nazif in one aspect. While, rabt An-nazif is confined to the time of sexual intercourse, Sihr an-nazif may last for several days. In this type of Sihr, the Jinn causes heavy bleeding to the targeted woman at the time of sexual intercourse with her husband, and thus prevents the man from having sexual intercourse with his wife. One day, one man, who was a soldier, told me that whenever he came home for holidays, his wife would bleed as soon as he arrived home. The bleeding would last for the holiday period which was approximately five days, but would stop as soon as he went back to work.
PLEASE NOTE: Dear reader, after having read all the above symptoms, it is easy to start saying ‘I have such and such a sympton, I MUST be affected’. We would like to remind you that until you have sought Ruqyah from a trusted and shar’ee raaqi and the presence of Jinn has been confirmed, one should NOT self-diagnose.
Did you know that in Arabic, there are 12 levels of friendship?
For every level of friendship, there is an Arabic word to describe it. From Siddique to Khaleel, it is rare to find all 12 levels of friendship in one person.
1. Siddique (صديق) – a true friend; someone who doesn’t befriend you for an ulterior motive. The word “Siddique” is commonly translated as truth, so honesty and loyalty is at the core of this friendship.
2. 𝘼𝙣𝙚𝙚𝙨 (أنيس) – someone with whom you’re really comfortable and familiar with.
3. 𝙕𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙡 (زميل) – someone you have a nodding acquaintance with.
4. 𝙅𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙨 (جليس) – someone you’re comfortable sitting with for a period of time.
5. 𝙎𝙖𝙢𝙚𝙚𝙧 (سمير) – someone you have good conversation with them.
6. 𝙎𝙖𝙝𝙞𝙗 (صاحب) – someone who’s concerned for your well-being.
7. 𝙍𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙚𝙦 (رفيق) – someone you can depend upon.
8. 𝙆𝙝𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙚𝙡 (خليل) – an intimate friend; someone whose presence makes you happy.
9. 𝙉𝙖𝙟𝙞 (نجي) – a confidant; someone you trust deeply.
10. 𝙉𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙚𝙢 (نديم) – a drinking companion (just tea) that you might call when you’re free.
11. 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙞 (صفي) – your best friend; someone you’ve chosen over other friends.
12. 𝙌𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙚𝙣 (قرين) – someone who’s inseparable from you; you know how they think (and vice versa).
Five Questions Raised by the LGBTQ Community (or sometimes by innocent children due to lack of knowledge) from the lecture of Shaykh Yasir Qadhi, Texas.
1. Why does Allah SWT care if two people love each other, same gender or not?
To answer this we need to look at the Qur’an which explicitly mentions the story of Loot AS and uses the word Fahisha. There is “ijma” unanimous consensus that homosexuality is Haram, nobody ever disagreed with that from the Ummah, past or present.
We must remember anything that Allāh SWT prohibited is not only Haram but usually they are things that are harmful and detrimental for us.
Islam promotes opposite gender unions, via this avenue procreation is possible and family life with children is achieved by this. Even in the animal kingdom, we see naturally, the male is attracted to the female. If someone has same-sexsinner, but tendencies and struggles with this habit, they will be a sinner but it’s once you no longer think it’s Haram and be proud of your sin it leads to kufr/disbelief.
2. Why does it matter if two people sin in private? How does it harm Islam? Why do Imams and Preachers need to keep badgering us about it?
Firstly, let us establish some facts, nobody is knocking down your bedroom and nobody is invading your privacy. Every human is a sinner and those sins done in private still need to be preached against and the masses need to be educated regarding them.
What is an open sin?
Abu Huraira RA: I heard Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) saying. “All the sins of my followers will be forgiven except those of the Mujahirin (those who disclose their sins to the people). An example of such disclosure is that a person commits a sin at night and though Allah screens it from the public, then he comes in the morning, and says, ‘O so-and-so, I did such-and-such (evil) deed yesterday,’ though he spent his night screened by his Lord (none knowing about his sin) and in the morning he removes Allah’s screen from himself.” Bukhari
For example, if a person drinks alcohol, takes drugs or watches pornography (all done in private) we still have a moral duty to teach people the harms of these sins. Nowadays, sins are no longer private, due to a lack of modesty people are openly committing sins, sharing them (on social media), and then justifying them, we have “pride” over our sins, excuse the pun!
When you commit a sin and regret it, and show remorse you are in the realm of a sinner. But when you commit a sin and flout it, show off, and share it on social media to the point of justifying it then you are no longer a sinner, it is disbelief (kufr). The sin of LGBTQ is no longer a bedroom sin (maybe 20-30 years ago it was). We now have a whole month dedicated to it and millions are being spent to promote it, hence we will preach against it in public!
3. Why do religious people and Imams only talk about the the topic of LGBTQ? There are so many topics like racism, social injustice, and the broken health system. Is it because religious people love talking about sexuality?
We can answer this charge by saying that every sector talks about morality and sexuality in their own way and we Muslims have our way. Even liberalism speaks about their version of sexuality.
WhatAboutIsm
These sorts of questions come under the notion of WhatAboutIsm, don’t fall for it. This notion means to talk about one issue and not another. For example, a father tells his son to make sure you revise for your GCSE exams and pass. The son replies, don’t worry about my revision/exams, Dad. You just make sure you pay the mortgage and the bills and put food on the table! Naturally, the father will reply, what do your exams have to do with the mortgage?
In the same way, people criticise Imams by saying talk about one topic, not another. We see this a lot with workers from the Charity sector who always talk about Syria and Gaza and it’s only about Syria and Gaza, if an Imam talks about Domestic Violence they will say it’s irrelevant and not important. My short answer there are 52 Khutbahs in a year, one for LGBT, one for Syria/Gaza, one for DV, and so forth.
4. Islam teaches us about love, why do you preach against it? Two people love each and you tell us we can’t, isn’t this hate speech?
Nobody is against (halal) love, nobody is against caring for one another. Here we are preaching against the act of sodomy, there’s a big difference. Even if someone had a relationship with the opposite gender before nikah we would preach against it, let alone same-sex relationships which can’t be made halal through nikah.
When an Imam preaches against sin, any sin, it is to teach the masses that this is wrong and unethical. But if a brother comes to us in the Masjid and genuinely tells us he is struggling with the sin of LGBTQ then we will welcome him with open arms and help him to curb his desires, just like we help the alcoholic and the drug addict. Because we are all sinners, join the club! We all sin, maybe just in a different manner.
An article by a gay Muslim who explains his struggles and accepts it as a weakness.
If someone acknowledges they are doing wrong, we will help them. But when you take pride in your sin, how can we take pride in accepting you as our Muslim brother?
5. The LGBTQ Community is one that is a helpful community, they advocate justice and champion our civil rights. You imams with your religious rhetoric are fuelling hatred against them, which consequently leads them to get physically and verbally abused.
Getting help from someone is not a sin, whether they are a Christian or Jew or Gay. But appreciating someone’s help doesn’t mean we facilitate their sin. Read that again
Let us remember in the Seerah a man called Mutim bin Adiyy helped the Muslims but he also worshipped idols, the Prophet SAW appreciated his help and praised him after his death. If someone wants generic help we will help them no matter who they are, like feeding the homeless and handing out sadaqah, we will not ask people their sexual orientation. We will work together where we can.
The Qur’an says, “help each other upon goodness and piety and don’t help each other upon sin and transgression” (Surah Madinah). We will work with any community against racism, injustice and violence but we will not facilitate open sinners. We have a higher Lord SWT to answer to, it’s not a case of you scratch my back and I will scratch yours. No tit for that. Become men of principles.
Dear brothers and sisters, to conclude this topic, our Shariah teaches us purity and wholesomeness, it embraces modesty and shyness. Do not be ashamed of who you are, and do not be enticed by the path of others no matter how dazzling they look. Enter Islam in its entirety and follow the religion completely even if the whole world is against you and doesn’t understand you, we know we are following Haqq that’s all that matters, Allah keep us stead, Ameen.
27th November 2013 – Nazir Ahmed Satia (Allah drench him in his mercy)
Parents live forever. People say that when parents die, the world comes to an end. The house looks empty. But I feel that parents live forever and they stay with us. It’s us who forget them. The matter of fact is that a brother has the eyes of the beloved father, a sister has a pretty face like a compassionate mother, a sibling smiles like a dad, or a sister cooks like a mum.
Parents don’t die. They never leave us. They live among us. They live in us. We are the reflections of our parents. Despite their physical absence, they continue to live in us. When you want to remember your parents, when you want to see them, when you want to be with them, simply gather your siblings around you. You will find the mesmerising smile of the mother in one sibling, the soothing voice of the father in another. You will feel your parents very close to you. All around you. Deep inside you. The garden of love that parents cultivate and grow with love, from the time that you are born, with the hard work of their tears and blood; it will continue to bloom, unaffected by the cycles of tough weathers of life. They shelter us in tough times. But there are times, when we forget all their hard work and destroy the paradise that they built, with our selfishness, hatred, and opportunistic attitudes.
Parents don’t die. We put them to death. Love your parents. Love your siblings. Continue to feed the garden that parents cultivated with love and compassion so that it never stops blooming and blossoming. You will make your world a living paradise on Earth. A heaven that only knows love, compassion, care, respect and it has you with your loved ones around you.
Allah forgive our parents and have mercy on them, accept their good deed and grant them Jannah, Ameen
“We can only live in peace and harmony by talking to each other and learning about each other.”
The phenomenon of ‘Interfaith Dialogue’ has gained importance in the world for decades due to many reasons; therefore it is an urgent need of the time to scrutinise it under the lens of Islamic Shariah.
An essential principle that must be understood before understanding the reasoning here is that the concern of scholars when giving a verdict on something is the reality of the nature of that problem at hand; not what it is called. An example is Ginger Beer. It does not matter that it has the word ‘beer’ in its name. If it does not fulfill the conditions of a prohibited drink, then it is permissible. It would be a clear error if someone were to conclude that this drink is prohibited because its name resembles that of a prohibited drink. Similarly, an Islamic bank may call something ‘interest-free’. If the conditions of interest in Islām are fulfilled, then that transaction is prohibited, even if the company has used the term ‘interest-free’. So names and titles should not deceive us into rushing into decisions. This is a well-known fiqh principle agreed upon by the scholars. Similarly, is the word interfaith, before venturing into the topic, it would be better to first see how the concept of ‘Interfaith Dialogue’ is defined by scholars.
The term interfaith dialogue refers to cooperative, constructive and positive interaction between people of different faiths at both the individual and institutional levels.[1] It refers to a meeting of qualified members of different faiths in a formal setting to discuss religious opinions and practices they have in common, usually with the intention of expanding their common ground.[2]
Similarly, there is another term ‘Interreligious dialogue’ which is seen as a challenging process by which adherents of differing religious traditions encounter each other in order to break down the walls of division between themselves.[3]
In this way ‘interfaith dialogue’ is distinct from syncretism or alternative religion. But, this term is actually used by different people in different contexts as per their motives and vested interests. This is the reason that ‘Interfaith dialogue’ is criticised by some religious leaders as a conspiracy designed to merge all religions into one. Certain individuals and communities fear the loss or weakening of their religious identities as a result of engaging in dialogue and interacting with followers of other faiths.[4]
Background of Interfaith Dialogue
Understanding the people of other faiths around you has been a natural process of human life as no human society can live in peace until it behaves tolerantly with his neighbours. However, at some juncture of history, there have been organized efforts to bring different religions closer to each other or even to intermix them. The Emperor Akbar (1542-1605), for example, established Deen-e-Ilahi in Mughal India, a diverse nation with people of various faith backgrounds, including Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, and Christianity.[5]
Muslims, throughout their history, have been living with peace, tolerance, and coexistence along with people of other faiths. The Muslim societies have always observed religious pluralism and the people of other faiths have always lived under their rule very peacefully and amicably. Right from the era of the Prophet (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) up to the Ottoman Caliphate and Mughal Empire in India Muslims provide historical examples of generally peaceful coexistence with peoples of different faiths. The Jews, Christians, and other non-Muslim communities enjoyed full rights and lived shoulder-to-shoulder with Muslims.[6]
The wave of religious hatred and intolerance erupted after the Western powers started occupying and colonising the Muslim lands. In order to establish their sovereignty they sowed the seeds of differences among the communities of different faiths and beliefs.[7]
It was the time when the need for interfaith dialogue was felt as the world was made so chaotic by the struggle for powers, domination of materialism, and lack of spirituality. Later after the colonial powers shrank to their holes and much later when the Cold War between the US and the USSR calmed down, Islam again emerged as the first enemy of the West. The situation reached its height on 9/11 when the US was attacked by so-called Muslim terrorists. This state of affairs led many to think that Muslim and Western civilizations were going to clash.
At this juncture in time, the need for interfaith dialogue resurfaced with even greater gravity as this was the only way to avoid civilization clashes and prevent the world from destruction.
Concerns about the Motive of Interfaith Dialogue
Dialogue between individuals and communities of different faiths is a natural phenomenon that takes place at stages of multi-faith communities. The process of dialogue forces people to examine and reconfirm their own religious identity and strengthen their own beliefs while respecting those of others with patience and dignity.
Globalisation and the invention of modern communication facilities have reduced the world to a village and the fastest transportation means provided an opportunity for people to interact with each other as never before. In this scenario, interfaith dialogue can provide a platform to understand and cooperate with each other and move forward peacefully.
The prevalent idea of interfaith dialogue is based upon the following principles: followers of all religions are free to lead lives in accordance with their own beliefs; and the moral values inherent in all religions — especially patience, tolerance, and coexistence – are respected.
And in order to cooperate with the idea, in July 2008, a historic interfaith dialogue conference was inaugurated by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia in Madrid, the capital of Spain, with the objective of solving world problems through concord instead of conflict. The conference was attended by religious leaders of different faiths such as Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, Hinduism and Taoism.[8]
However, there are serious concerns about the motives and hidden agenda under the banner of ‘interfaith dialogue’. According to some, this might be a conspiracy of the enemies of Islam to weaken the attachment of Muslims to their religion as they see it as the biggest hurdle in the way of their imperialism expansions. Usually, such dialogues are arranged with so-called Muslim intellectuals who are not firm in their religious knowledge and belief and thus fall prey to the hidden agenda.[9]
These concerns are intensified by the dual policies of the Western powers and the contradictions between their words and deeds. On one side they supervise interfaith dialogue and on the other hand, they attack Islam and Muslims. The Prophet Muhammad and the Quran are blasphemed in their lands and they are not ready to punish the culprits. This has created doubts in Muslim minds that these ‘staged’ interfaith dialogues are not political strategies to serve their own ends.
Islam and Interfaith Dialogue
Nevertheless, the phenomenon of interfaith dialogue, whatever the motive behind may be, cannot be ignored by Muslims. If such dialogues will not be attended by proficient Muslim scholars it might be hijacked by incompetent persons who will consequently cause harm to Islam and Muslims. Therefore, it is the need of the hour for competent Ulama to take the lead and represent the true face of Islam. It is not only requirement of the time which cannot be overlooked; rather it poses great challenge that they have to face boldly.
In order to understand the view of Islamic Shariah about ‘interfaith dialogue’, it is imperative to learn the basic principles in this regard:
(1) Islam is the only Religion Acceptable to Allah: Though all religions of the world claim to be true, it is only Islam that stands as the final and perfect religion established on strong evidence and solid foundations. As Muslims, we must have a firm belief that Islam is the only religion acceptable to Allah and it is the only way of life that can guarantee the success of human beings in this world and their salvation in the hereafter. As the Quran says:
{إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ الإِسْلامُ}
“Truly, the (recognised) religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” [3:19]
“Whoever seeks a faith other than Islam, it will never be accepted from him, and he, in the Hereafter, will be among the losers.” [3:85]
(2) Syncretism or unification of religions is absolutely unacceptable in Islam: The ridiculous theory of Syncretism or unification of religions is unacceptable in Islam for reasons. The foremost among them is that this is unnatural and at no time in the history of mankind have they been adhering to one set of beliefs. It is so destined by Allah that people will never be converted into a single community, as He says:
“Had your Lord willed, He would have made all the people a single community. But, they will continue in their differences.” [11:119]
(3) Coexistence but not Compromise: The interfaith dialogue should be free from any kind of compromise on the part of religious rulings even to minor issues. A tolerance that prevents from speaking the truth or favour un-Islamic thoughts cannot be allowed. The Quran describes that the disbelievers wish Muslims to be flexible, but it is unacceptable:
{ودوا لوتدھن فیدھنون}
“They wish that you become flexible (in your faith) so that they should become flexible.” [68:9]
{ولا تركنوا إلى الذين ظلموا فتمسكم النار} “And do not incline towards the wrongdoers, lest the Fire should catch you.” [11:113]
The chapter al-Kafiroon (109) from the Quran was revealed in response to the proposal of the disbelievers to strike a compromise deal seeking Muslims to worship their Gods and binding them to worship Allah in return, but the Quran very emphatically rejected it and said:
“Say, O disbelievers, I do not worship that which you worship, nor do you worship the One whom I worship. And neither I am going to worship that which you have worshipped, nor will you worship the One whom I worship. For you is your faith, and for me, my faith.” [109:2-6][10]
Common Grounds for Interfaith Dialogue
Dialogue, or peaceful negotiation, is the path prescribed by Islam. The Holy Quran and the Prophet Muhammad (sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) set standards for dialogue with people of other faith. The Quran encouraged Muslims to talk to the Jews and Christian on matters which are common:
“Say, O people of the Book, come to a word common between us and between you, that we worship none but Allah, that we associate nothing with Him and that some of us do not take others as Lords instead of Allah. Then, should they turn back, say, .Bear witness that we are Muslims.” [3:65]
The Prophet Muhammad SAW advocated reconciliation with other religions. In Makkah in 615 CE, he sent Muslims fleeing persecution from the Meccans to find refuge with the Christian king of Abyssinia, current-day Ethiopia, as a signal of mutual trust with Christianity. Later when he migrated to Madinah, he signed a peace treaty with the Jewish tribes and later with the tribes of Makkah in 6th year of Hijra. He also had religious discussions with the Christians of Najran in his holy mosque. He also wrote letters to the rulers in and around Arabia in order to convey the message of Islam.
So, following the footsteps shown by the Quran and Hadith, Muslims can engage themselves in dialogue with the people of other faiths on the issues that form a common ground for them and which may help in promoting peace and enable Muslims to represent Islam to others.
(a) There is no Compulsion in Religion
First of all, Islam rejected forced conversion and gave people the full right to freely choose what they adhere to. Islam regarded freedom of expression as a birthright of human beings and termed force and oppression as unfair and forbidden. The Quran very clearly declares:
“There is no compulsion in Faith. The correct way has become distinct from the erroneous. Now, whoever rejects the Taghut (the Rebel, the Satan) and believes in Allah has a firm grasp on the strongest ring that never breaks. Allah is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” [2:257]
(b) Tolerance Towards other Religions
People have differences in belief, religion, culture etc, but while following their religion, they have to have mutual respect for others and discover a common bond between them, which shows them all to be human beings. Islam did not create any ill will and hatred in its followers about other religions and their leaders; rather it pushed forth their love and strengthened their relationship with other religions by various means. Sometimes, it admitted the greatness of the leaders and prophets of other communities saying:
“We did raise a messenger among every people, with the message.” [16:36]
It also forbade Muslims to blaspheme the sacred personalities of other religions saying: “Do not revile those whom they invoke other than Allah, lest they should revile Allah in transgression in ignorance.” [6:109]
The Quran presented a model of high-grade tolerance that it regarded all the prophets and messengers of the Jews and the Christians as true prophets sent down by Allah. The Quran says:
“Surely, We have revealed to you as We have revealed to Noah and to the prophets after him.” [4:163]
And, it regarded the original books believed by the Jews and the Christians as divine revelation from Allah:
“Surely we have sent down the Torah, in which there was guidance and light.” (5:44) “We gave him the Injil (Gospel) having guidance and light therein, and confirming the Torah that was (revealed) before it; guidance and a lesson for the God-fearing.” (5:46)
Thus it extended the hand of friendship towards Judaism and Christianity which were the well-known and prominent religions of the age. As far as other religions and nations are concerned, it declared that there were prophets from Allah to other nations and communities:
“And there was no community without a Warner having passed among them.” (35:24)
Concisely, it secured the honour of the sacred figures of other religions in the eyes of Muslims forever and stopped Muslims absolutely from abusing any religious leader. Thus, it established the foundation of universal brotherhood, sympathy, and tolerance which was extinct before the advent of Islam.
(c) Moral and Ethical Values
The moral and ethical values like justice and fairness, tolerance and patience, and good conduct have been much emphasized by Islam. These values can form a common ground for interfaith dialogue.
Here are some references from the Quran:
Justice and transparency: “But if you judge, judge between them with justice. Surely, Allah loves those who do justice.” (5:42) At another place it says: “Allah does not forbid you as regards those who did not fight you on account of faith, and did not expel you from your homes, that you do good to them, and deal justly with them. Surely Allah loves those who maintain justice.” (60:8)
Fulfilling Promises: “And fulfil the covenant, surely the covenants shall be asked about (on the Day of Reckoning).” (17:34) It asserted: “So, fulfil the treaty with them up to their term, surely Allah loves the God-Fearing.” (9:4)
Good conduct: “Good and evil are not equal. Repel (evil) with what is best, and you will see that the one you had mutual enmity with him will turn as if he were a close friend.” (41:34)
“Allah does not forbid you as regards those who did not fight you on account of faith, and did not expel you from your homes, that you do good to them, and deal justly with them. Surely Allah loves those who maintain justice.” (60:8)
“The recompense of evil is evil like it. Then the one who forgives and opts for compromise has his reward undertaken by Allah. Surely, He does not like the unjust.” (42:40)
(d) Dialogue as a means of Dawah
Dialogue can be utilized as one of the best means to convey the message of Islam to people of other faiths. Nowadays, non-Muslims have many misconceptions about Islam and Muslims which are caused by their insufficient knowledge of Islam. So this opportunity can be utilized to remove the misconceptions and to transmit the true spirit of Islam to the world. Islam is based on the principle of dawah which is another name for peaceful negotiation. The Quran itself describes how to make this dialogue fruitful:
“Invite (people) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good counsel, and argue with them in the best of manners. Surely, your Lord knows best the one who deviates from His way, and He knows best the ones who are on the right path.” [16:125]
Islam asserts that our conversation with others should be carried out wisely and in the most gracious way. Listening to their objections, the point should be made in such a way that appeals to their minds.
Conclusion & Summary
To sum up, these are the main points which should be kept in mind in order to understand the concept of Islam about interfaith dialogue:
· Islam favours divine revolution by striving for a society in which spiritual, ethical, and human values are cherished. Islam advocates an atmosphere where peace, tolerance, and respect prevail. It wishes to create an atmosphere where disputes are resolved without the use of violence. This is the desired world of Islam and such a world can be established only through peaceful dialogue.
· The phenomenon of interfaith dialogue cannot be ignored and left for incompetent individuals and institutions to misrepresent Islam and Muslims; rather it should be headed by proficient Muslim scholars.
· Interfaith dialogue should be fitted in the framework of Islamic Shariah and no compromise should be made on the part of religious fundamentals and its teachings.
· Through interfaith dialogue, the common grounds of ethical and social values can be explored which help in promoting peace, harmony, and tolerance.
· Interfaith dialogue forums should be used by competent Muslim scholars to represent the true face of Islam and to remove the misconceptions spread against Islam.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interfaith_dialog [2] What is Interfaith Dialogue? http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20110315104231AAnMRJV [3] Sandi Fults, What is Interreligious Dialogue? http://globalfaithinaction.org/what-is-interreligious-dialogue [4] Qazi Abdul Qadeer Khamosh, Conspiracy or cure? An Islamic perspective on interfaith dialogue, 27 April 2010 http://www.commongroundnews.org/article.php?id=27696 [5] Shaikh Muhammad Ikram, Rood-e-Kausar, p 85-131, New Delhi 2003 [6] For details see Civilization of the Arabs by Gustav Le Bon [7] Maulana Hussain Ahamd Madani, Naqsh-e-Hayat, Deoband [8] Saudi Gazette, 17 July 2008, http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/index.cfm?method=home.regcon&contentID=2008071712004 [9] Mufti Rasheed Ahmad Balakoti, Monthly Bayyinat, Sep 2008, Jamia Banuria Karachi [10] Muhammad bin Jareer Tabri, Jami’ al-Bayan fi Tafsir al-Quran, 22/662
Presented in a seminar on “Shariah Methods of Interfaith Dialogue” dated April 22-24, 2013 at Seminar Hall, Dept of Arabic, University of Delhi, Delhi. The Seminar was Organized by: ISESCO, Rabat, Morocco In Collaboration & Coordination of: Islamic Fiqh Academy (INDIA), New Delhi Dept of Arabic, University of Delhi, Delhi
