Islām is Inherently Prejudicial...

Islām is Inherently Prejudicial (And There's Nothing Wrong with That)!!!

In general, Muslims and non-Muslims are treated differently in this life and in the Hereafter!

Allāh stated:
أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَن نَّجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَّحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ ۚ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ

"Or do those who commit evils think We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds - (make them) equal in their life and their death? Evil is that which they judge." [Sūrat al-Jāthiyah, 21]

It is unacceptable for non-Muslim women, other than those from the People of the Book, to marry Muslim men!

Allāh stated:
وَلَا تَنكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكَاتِ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنَّ ۚ وَلَأَمَةٌ مُّؤْمِنَةٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكَةٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَتْكُمْ ۗ وَلَا تُنكِحُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ حَتَّىٰ يُؤْمِنُوا ۚ وَلَعَبْدٌ مُّؤْمِنٌ خَيْرٌ مِّن مُّشْرِكٍ وَلَوْ أَعْجَبَكُمْ

"And do not marry polytheistic women until they believe. And a believing slave woman is better than a polytheist, even though she might please you. And do not marry polytheistic men (to your women) until they believe. And a believing slave is better than a polytheist, even though he might please you." [Sūrat al-Baqarah, 221]

And He stated:

الْيَوْمَ أُحِلَّ لَكُمُ الطَّيِّبَاتُ ۖ وَطَعَامُ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ حِلٌّ لَّكُمْ وَطَعَامُكُمْ حِلٌّ لَّهُمْ ۖ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَالْمُحْصَنَاتُ مِنَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ إِذَا آتَيْتُمُوهُنَّ أُجُورَهُنَّ مُحْصِنِينَ غَيْرَ مُسَافِحِينَ وَلَا مُتَّخِذِي أَخْدَانٍ

"This day (all) good foods have been made lawful, and the food of those who were given the Scripture is lawful for you and your food is lawful for them. And (lawful in marriage are) chaste women from among the believers and chaste women from among those who were given the Scripture before you, when you have given them their due compensation, desiring chastity, not unlawful sexual intercourse or taking (secret) lovers." [Sūrat al-Mā’idah, 5]

Division of Shirk into 3 Parts ?!?

Question: What do you say about the division of Shirk into three parts: Akbar, Asghar (minor) and Khafi (hidden)? 

Answer: A group from the people of knowledge make this division and that requires examination, the correct opinion however is that shirk is divided into two: 
1. Shirk Akbar (Major Shirk) 
2. Shirk Asghar (Minor Shirk) 

As for shirk khafi (Hidden Shirk), from it is that which is akbar such as nifaq as the munafiqeen show Islam but inside (hidden) they have shirk. And from it is minor shirk and that is of different ranks and degrees. And I have read that some of the latter day scholars have said dividing shirk into three parts that shirkul khafi is less than asghar.

And this statement without restriction is not correct and as has been said as shirkul khafi sometimes is major shirk and the person who does it will not receive the intercession of the Interceder or the Mercy of the Most Merciful and Allah has Proscribed for him an eternity in the Hellfire. Allah Says:
"Verily, whosoever sets up partners in worship with Allah, then Allah has forbidden Paradise for him, and the Fire will be his abode. And for the zalimoon there are no helpers." [5:72]

Responsibility of Muslim Scholars...

“…Muslim scholars are also responsible for our ordeal and for what has afflicted Islam. They are responsible for the sins and mischief caused by the colonialists and imperialists, by the rulers and governments and by the masses who are ignorant of and rebellious against Islam. 

These scholars are worthy of such accusations because they support imperialism or at least keep silent before its violence. They occasionally support the non-Islamic rule and compromise with it at other times. They have left the masses in their ignorance of the basic principles of Islam and in their unawareness of the conspiracies forged against Islam. 

They have detached Muslims from their religion, because they failed to indicate to the masses the judgment of Islam with regard to the colonialists, imperialists, and to the governments that aid and pay allegiance to them. As a result, the Muslim masses obeyed the pro-colonialist governments. Islam has been lost due to the silence of Muslim scholars, and the masses by turn, have been put in a state of loss due to the loss of their religion. The masses might have helped in reclaiming the loss because they believed that the Muslim scholars would not approve of anything unless it was in conformity with Islamic teachings and God’s commandment. 

Muslim scholars have closed their eyes, shut their mouths and plugged their fingertips in their ears, forgetting about Islam, and they have been asleep for centuries while the Muslim people followed them in their somnolence, believing that their Islam was safe and sound, or their scholars never would have kept quiet. 

Muslim scholars for long have disregarded their Islam. They have never censured any attitude violating Islam, nor tried to repel and revoke any injunction that ran contrary to the principles of Islam. They have never even convened a meeting to encourage the reinstitution of Islam jurisprudence.

The Violent Grave Worshippers !!!

The entire religion enters into worship, so when a person knows, is certain regarding what Al Ilaah means – that it means something worshipped and he knows the reality of what worship is, then it will become clear to him that the one who devotes an act to worship to other than Allah has indeed worshipped that thing and taken it as a god, even if he runs away from naming it an object of worship or a god, and then calls it Tawassul, intercession or what is similar.

A Mushrik is a Mushrik, whether he accepts or denies it, just as a usurer is a usurer whether he accepts or denies it, even if he does not call what he does Ribaa. The drinker of alcohol is a drinker of alcohol, even if he calls it other than its name. It has been reported in a hadith that the Messenger (saws) said, “Indeed, a people from my Ummah will drink alcohol, (and) give it other than its (real) name.” [Bukhari]

Changing names can neither change the reality of the person or the thing nor does the ruling that apply ceases. In Tafseer Ibn Kathir as mentioned that when Adi bin Hatim (ra) heard the statement of Allah: "They have taken their priests and monks as lords besides Allah" [9:31], he said to the Prophet (saws), “We did not worship them”, so the Prophet (saws) said to him, “Do they not make forbidden that which Allah has made lawful and you make it forbidden, and they make lawful that which Allah has forbidden and you make it lawful?” So he (Adi) said, “Certainly”, so the Messenger (saws) said, “That is your worship of them.” Therefore, Adi (ra) did not think that being in agreement with them in such an affair was tantamount to worshipping them, so the Messenger (saws) informed him that it was tantamount to worshipping them, even though they did not believe that it was an act of worship devoted to them.

Four Types of Diseases !

Imaam Ibnul Qayyim said: There are two types of diseases: Disease of the heart and disease of the body, and both have been mentioned in the Qur’aan. The disease of the heart are two types: 
[a] The disease of Shubhah (i.e. an affair of falsehood that is made to resemble truth) and Shak (i.e. doubt). 
[b] The disease of Shahwah (i.e. evil or vain desires or lewd conduct) and Ghay (i.e. deviation from the right path). 
Both of them have been mentioned in the Qur’aan. 

Allah stated regarding the disease of Shubhah: "In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allah has increased their disease." [2:10] 

Allah said: "And that those in whose hearts is a disease (of hypocrisy) and the disbelievers may say: What Allah intends by this (curious) example?" [74:31] 

And Allah stated about the one who is called to judge by the Qur’aan and the Sunnah, but he refuses and turns away: "And when they are called to Allah (i.e. His Words, the Qur’an) and His Messenger to judge between them, lo! a party of them refuse (to come) and turn away. But if the right is with them, they come to him willingly with submission. Is there a disease in their hearts? Or do they doubt or fear lest Allah and His Messenger should wrong them in judgement. Nay, it is they themselves who are the Zalimun (polytheists, hypocrites and wrong-doers, etc.)." [24:48-50] This is the disease of Shubhah (i.e. an affair of falsehood that is made to resemble truth) and Shak (i.e. doubt).

An update from a Sister on Camp Roj

During the past couple of weeks we have seen drastic changes in the behaviour of the guards and camp management. They are entering tents very frequently and whenever they want, and they are harassing us in the streets by threatening us with prison if we don't abide by the new camp rules. Many are unfortunately unaware of the conditions in the prisons and are therefore unable to understand why we are obeying our enemies.

Imagine being dragged into a dark room with no light or windows. All what you get to eat is some old pieces of bread with mold on it once a day. You're not allowed to speak to anyone. You're suffocating because of the heat and lack of air. You hardly get any water to drink. You're not allowed to use the bathroom. Now imagine that you have small children with you in this room, who are going through the same as you, without the enemies showing any mercy. In fact, you know they enjoy seeing your suffering, weakness and helplessness. On top of that you are slapped, beaten and stripsearched in front of your kids, while they are crying and screaming. They see nothing wrong with letting males be present while the awrah is being uncovered. It's hard to say if it's better for the kids to stay up to one year in the camp without their mother or to be in prison with her and go through all this with her. We really don't know what is more damaging to their physical and psychological health. And all of this is just a very brief description of the reality. It would take pages and pages to write down all the details.

Anyone who is caught with a phone or breaks any other rule here in the camp will from now on face prison for 8 months up to 1 year. Several women have been taken to prison these past couple of weeks, while their kids are left behind and the only thing we can do is sincere Dua.

The Quraan AND Muslim Unity !

Our Jewish, Christian & Shi'a brothers ???

Shaykh Nāsir alFahd was asked: what is the ruling on those who say: "our Jewish, Christian and shi'a brothers," as a form of da'wah. They interpret the verses in Sūrah ash-Shu'arā, and what is intended by that, as brothers in humanity? 

Answer: as for their statement considering the Jews and Christians as brothers; I have written a treatise before I came to prison regarding this in response against al-Qardawi. However, it did not get published because I did not finish it. This (interpretation) is corrupt, because brotherhood has 2 categories - there is no 3rd category for it.

1) Brotherhood in religion:

إنماالمؤمنون إخوة

Verily the believers are but brothers. [49:10]

2) Brotherhood with family:

وإلى عاد أخاهم هودا

And to the people of aad (we sent) their brother hūd. [11:50] 

Between them and those who they take as brothers; there is no unity in religion, nor common family ties. Thus, what kind of brotherhood do they claim?! Moreover, it is a negator of al-walaa and al-baraa. The evidences for that is too many to specify.

As for their evidences from Sūrah ash-Shu'arā, then it is an evidence against them. For two reasons:
 

Mutual Rivalry In Religious Affairs & Worldly Professions !

Imaam Ibn Qudamah said:

In most cases envy occurs between contemporaries, peers, brothers and cousins, because of the conflicting goals (or aims) of everyone which lead to discord and enmity. And due to this, you will find a scholar envying another scholar, but he will not envy a worshipper; a worshipper envying another worshipper, but he will not envy a scholar; a trader envying another trader and a cobbler envying another cobbler etc… because they have conflicting goals (or aims). The basis of this affair is due to love of the worldly things, for indeed the worldly things are restricted for those who compete for it; but as for the afterlife, there is no restriction within it, for indeed the one who loves knowledge and awareness of Allah, knowledge and awareness regarding Allah’s angels, Allah’s Prophets and Allah’s Mighty Dominion over the heavens and the earth, he will not envy others after being acquainted with these affairs, because they (i.e. those who are acquainted with these affairs) are not restricted by one another; rather one particular individual scholar is known by thousands of scholars and they rejoice due to the understanding he has.

This is why there is no envy between the (upright) scholars of the religion, because their aim is to acquire knowledge and awareness of Allah, which is a vast affair. Their (i.e. the upright scholars) goal is to acquire a high status in the sight of Allah and that which Allah has kept in the afterlife is unlimited, because Allah’s loftiest blessing is the pleasure of meeting Him, which can neither be prevented nor restricted, nor can some competitors in the affair make it restricted for others; rather harmony increases as the competitors increase; but if wealth and status becomes the goal of the scholars, they will envy one another.

The difference between knowledge and wealth is that wealth does not remain in the hands of one person; but as for knowledge, it settles in the heart of a scholar and in the heart of the one taught by the scholar, whilst still remaining in the heart of the scholar. Therefore, whoever contemplates on the Greatness of Allah and His Mighty Dominion (i.e. by pondering upon what Allah has created and the revelation He has sent down), it will become the greatest pleasure for him than every other blessing, because neither can he be prevented nor restricted in that. And he will not harbour any envy in his heart towards anyone, because if others were acquainted with what he is acquainted with, it will still not reduce his pleasure in the affair.

What do I do if I find out my Favorite Preacher is Corrupt ?

It is very traumatic to find out that the person you've been listening to for years has changed or is now expressing increasingly deviant views. 

If you recognize this deviance, consider yourself one of the fortunate ones. Most of the fans of the person won't even understand the problem because their entire source for learning Islam is the preacher himself. So these fans don't even have an objective measuring stick needed to know what is or isn't corruption. Their understanding of Islam completely depends on whatever the celebrity teaches. If he changes, they change.

I have gone through this trauma myself. People that I thought were upright scholars of Deen that I loved and respected turned out to be unabashed sell outs. It wasn't one or two "off the cuff" remarks that made me realize this, but an extended pattern of behavior, associations, and private correspondence. When I talked with the preachers in question about these issues, rather than assuage the worry, they compounded it by doubling down, excusing their behavior, making ugly accusations against me, accusing me of disloyalty, etc.

What I have seen is that when fans of celebrity compassionate imams find out about corruption and deviance, they go through the 5 stages of grief. 

"We hate disbelief, but not the disbelievers" !?!?!

Misconception of murj'ah: "We hate disbelief, but not the disbelievers !"

Shaykh Haytham Sayfaddīn absolutely destroyed this false lie by saying:
❝Allāh said, “So they said to their people, we distance ourselves from you and from that which you worship other than Allāh.” 

So this idea now that we say or some people, and even in this city, people try to spread this idea, that any beliefs we have about something being bad, it’s only to the action, and it’s not to the person themself, so if someone comes and throws the Qur’ān in the toilet, we (i.e. those people) say well that’s a very bad action, and it’s disbelief, but the person who did it, we can’t judge him, or we don’t have nothing to say about the person himself, even though children would know, what would make someone a bad person, what makes someone a bad person?

Student: Bad actions.

Shaykh: Bad actions, bad beliefs, bad statements, you know someone kills someone, we don’t say killing is bad, but he’s the best guy in the world.

Or some guy is a rapist and we say, we hate rape, rapists we don’t have a problem with, we’re okay, it’s okay do whatever you need to do, we don’t like what you’re doing, but you as a person, you’re the best.
If someone did that, you’d look at them as like they have something wrong with them, but then when it comes to Allah, what’s worse, swearing at Allāh or stealing?
 

Blind-following Scholars...

Blindly following Scholars is prohibited, and it is not allowed for anyone to accept the speech of anyone else without proof. Allah says:

"Follow what has been sent down to you from your Lord and do not follow any other awliya besides Him. Little do you remember of admonition." [al-A’raf:3]

"And when they are asked to follow what Allah has revealed they say: but we follow the ways of our fathers, even though their fathers were void of wisdom and guidance." [al-Baqarah:170]

Allah praised people who did not follow blindly by saying:

"So announce the good news to My servants – those who listen to the Word and follow the best of it; those are the ones whom Allah has guided and those are the ones endued with understanding." [az-Zumar:17-18]

Let not any person take for granted the blessing of Allah in that He may have guided him, and that as a given he is endued with understanding. Allah also says:

"And if you disagree about anything, refer it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you do believe in Allah and the Last Day." [an-Nisaa:59]

So Allah did not allow disagreement to be returned to anything other than the Qur’aan and the Sunnah of His Prophet (saws). It is also agreed upon by consensus of all of the Companions, from the first to the last, and consensus of all the second generation of Muslimeen from the first to the last, that it is not allowed to accept every single thing a person from them or after them says.

How to know if you are on the Straight Path ?

Allah says in Surah al-Fatihah [1:6-7]:
“Guide us to the Straight Path. The Path of those whom You have blessed…”
Every day, at least 17 times, every Muslim invokes Allah to guide him or her to the Straight Path.
What is the Straight Path?

Allah tells us in the next verse that it is the Path of those whom He has blessed.

Who are the ones whom Allah has blessed?

The scholars of Tafsir said that the answer to this question lies in Surah an-Nisa [4:69]:

“And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (saws) shall be with those WHOM ALLAH HAS BLESSED: the Prophets, the Truthful ones, the Martyrs and the Righteous. And what an excellent fellowship are they.”  
Therefore, the pre-condition for being a member of this elite group is obedience to Allah and His Messenger (saws). But what happens in a world when everyone claims to obey Allah and His Messenger — how does one ascertain whether or not one is on the Straight Path?

The following example illustrates the answer to this dilemma: