Tag: Muslims

  • Choosing a sect

    The argument that just ‘professing to be Muslim is insufficient these days’ is patently flawed. Far too often the issue of following the way of the salaf versus being a salafi gets raised with the proponents suggesting that too many deviant sects or misguided schools of thought also profess to be Muslim.

    So here’s the issue for me. By worrying about what others will think of you based on the label you ascribe to yourself, you’re focusing your actions to be based on the acceptance of others, rather than concerning yourself with your standing in Allah’s eyes. Worse still, by insisting on creating a label for your flavour of Islam different from that of simply being a Muslim is simply creating another sect. 

    Consider this. Of the 73 sects that are mentioned in the hadith, 72 will be astray. Now let’s assume we create the ‘salafi’ sect as the 73rd sect. However, by creating it as a sect, it becomes bound by dogma, stigma, perceptions and interpretations. And as is the case with over zealous followers of such sects, when those over zealous ones acquire a senior status in the ranks of such sects, they often yield enough influence to contaminate the true teachings with their personal opinions, sometimes deliberately, and other times unintentionally simply because their words are misconstrued by those same over zealous followers. 

    At that point, all 73 sects would be astray and would therefore nullify the hadith referred to above. For this simple reason, I believe that being a Muslim and nothing else will always be enough. Learning and practising Islam according to the way of the salaf is the default disposition of any true Muslim. When questioned about the basis for our practises, we’re at liberty to quote authentic sources from the salaf, and in doing so, it would make us practising Muslims. So the 73rd sect is in fact everyone that practises Islam according to the salaf, and whether they choose to be labelled salafis or not is irrelevant. 

    Through simple laziness we succumb to needing to compartmentalise people so that it makes it easier to judge their worth without having to determine the merit of their actions. In so doing, we negate all their good the moment a single attribute of theirs identifies them with some group of misguided individuals. It is entirely possible for someone to be practising 90% of their deen based on the ways of the salaf, yet because something they do may be construed as sufi or shia, even though it is not shirk, they’re deemed deviants by those that indulge in the excesses of labelling Muslims. 

    I am a Believer, a Mu’min. And that, I know for a fact, is enough for Allah. So why would I want to contaminate my Imaan by labelling my rituals in my effort to get closer to Allah? Principles versus rituals. Insha-Allah we’ll understand the difference soon before it’s too late. 

  • Sheikh Google

    Many take a condescending tone when referring to ‘Sheikh Google’ but from what I can tell, Sheikh Google is exposing more disbelievers to Islam, and facilitating more reversions than any real life sheikh I’ve heard of. The risk of misinformation is no different than the potential of interested parties innocently contacting misguided scholars or imams in their search for Islamic knowledge. But again, it’s more a clever twist of words that makes it an attractive phrase rather than its genuine appeal to intellect and wisdom.

    Yet another example of the ‘scholars’ or students of knowledge misconstruing the medium for the content that is available through it. Also a really good example of extremism by dismissing an entire channel for education simply because some abuse it. That’s like saying that knives should be made haraam because some people kill and injure and rob others with it. 

    An absence of logic in the pursuit of scholarly titles is in fact a major disservice to the Ummah rather than a fulfilment of a calling to Allah’s path. 

  • Quote – Suhaib Webb

    We are like firemen, fighting about which hose to use, while the house burns down.

    Suhaib Webb (via thetruthsiren)

  • The strangeness of the self-proclaimed strangers

    I sometimes think that it requires a healthy dose of arrogance and pompousness to assume that I am from amongst the strangers that Rasulullah (SAW) has referred to. There are so many that profess to be on this path, that if each were to be believed, it would render the endless debates on Tumblr null and void, especially if each were actually correct. 

    Sifting through the opinions and interpretations of numerous scholars, ulama, wannabe scholars and others makes such a quest even more difficult. That is, the quest of determining whether or not I’m on the right path. The principles of Islam and characteristics of one who is inspired by the Sunnah is visible in sincere adherents across many different schools of thought, and even sects.

    The arrogance and condescension of some in their chosen forms of propagation of their views generally dissuade me from taking advice or guidance from them, which is a shame. It’s a shame because there is so much good that could be overlooked or dismissed because of the unpalatable nature of the attitude of those that may actually be in possession of valuable and beneficial knowledge. 

    I sincerely hope that Allah accepts me amongst these ‘strangers’ that are of meritorious character. But trying to determine, in my lifetime, whether or not I am a part of this blessed group will probably be a self-indulgence that will most probably result in arrogance before it benefits me with humility. So I’d rather live with doubt about my affiliations, rather than delusions about my merits. 

  • Cultural Appropriation

    cynicallyjaded:

    To me, it sounds like a desperate effort on the part of those with barely any roots to lay claim to a culture that they don’t understand, will probably never fully appreciate, will subscribe to selectively, and are using it purely as a tool to establish some sort of elitism because they lack any credibility elsewhere in their lives.

    Imitation is supposed to be the best compliment, so next time you see someone appropriating your culture, thank them. Their efforts will probably contribute more to the preservation of your cultural roots than your efforts to claim guardianship over something you probably had nothing to do with regarding its establishment.

    Of course, if someone is actively trying to alter the truth about the roots of a specific cultural practice, by all means correct them. But more often than not, the debates around this on Tumblr is about others practising some elements of a different culture that they don’t naturally belong to, and that is then misconstrued as appropriation. It’s not. It’s imitation or adoption, but not appropriation.

    In my mind, the Europeans going into Eastern lands, colonising it, destroying its historical records and recreating a new adulterated view about the sources of the knowledge and culture that they now claim to own, is cultural appropriation. Seems like most don’t understand the difference between imitation and appropriation.

    ap·pro·pri·a·tion/əˌprōprēˈāSHən/

    Noun:

    1. The action of taking something for one’s own use, typically without the owner’s permission.
    2. The artistic practice or technique of reworking images from well-known paintings, photographs, etc., in one’s own work.

    This entire debate about cultural appropriation, especially within the context of this wonderful global village that everyone is always happy to celebrate and be a part of, is superfluous.

  • Debatable debates, and questionable quotes

    After seeing a post this morning that was quoted to be from Hadith Qudsi, I doubted its authenticity which led to me browsing through the collection of Hadith Qudsi to see if it may have been a variation in translation or not. I couldn’t find it. The ‘offending’ quote was:

    I wonder at a person who preaches to people but not to his own soul

    If anyone has knowledge of the origins of this hadith, or if in fact it is a hadith, please let me know, but so far, it doesn’t appear to be hadith at all. It has a strong under tone of rhetoric, and in my limited knowledge (may Allah forgive me if I’m wrong) I’ve never known Rasulullah (SAW) to speak with rhetoric, so immediately this quote raised alarm bells. 

    However, the good that came out of this for me was being reminded about the following hadith:

    Book 1. Hadith Qudsi. Hadith 006.

    The Authority Of Al-Numan bin Basheer : I heared the messenger of Allah say : “That which is lawful is plain and that which is unlawful is plain and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which not many people know. Thus he who avoids doubtful matters clears himself in regard to his religion and his honor, but he who falls into doubtful matters falls into that which is unlawful, like the shepherd who pastures around a sanctuary, all but grazing therein. Truly every king has a sanctuary, and truly Allah’s sanctuary is His prohibitions. Truly in the body there is a morsel of flesh which, if it be whole, all the body is whole and which, if it be diseased, all of it is diseased. Truly it is the heart.”

    Reporters.

    Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim.

    I’ve italicised those words that I found most inspiring. What strikes me most about this is that it is a reflection of the numerous debates I witness on a daily basis, on Tumblr and in real life, regarding matters that are based on opinions or interpretations, rather than matters that are clearly halaal or haraam. Like this hadith states, “the lawful and the unlawful is plain”, so the extended debates we get into regarding who is more correct about interpretations is usually centred around issues that relate to preferred ways of doing things rather than what is outright forbidden or allowed. 

    This was highlighted to me in another hadith that I came across in the same collection, which reads:

    Book 1. Hadith Qudsi. Hadith 009.

    The Authority Of Abu Hurairah : I heared the messenger of Allah say : “What I have forbidden to you, avoid; what I have ordered you [to do], do as much of it as you can. It was only their excessive questioning and their disagreeing with their prophets that destroyed those who were before you.”

    Reporters.

    Related bu Bukhari and Muslim.

    Again, the italics are mine for emphasis. This excessive questioning is what leads to 99% of the debates we have on Tumblr and in real life. Every single occasion that I have personally witnessed where such debates rage, the underlying tone and manner of such debates was always driven by the egos of those involved in the discussion. I keep reminding myself that halaal and haraam is clear. So in that, there is no doubt. Therefore it makes sense that if there is doubt about something, the doubt would be regarding its interpretation or preferred method of implementation, but not about its validity as being halaal or haraam. So when someone insists that we are compelled to seek a deeper understanding of the inferences and meanings and interpretations behind what is plain, this hadith answers such endeavours clearly:

    Book 1. Hadith Qudsi. Hadith 030.

    The Authority Of Jurthum bin Nashir : The messenger of Allah said : “Allah the Almighty has laid down religious duties, so do not neglect them. He has set boundaries, so do not over step them. He has prohibited some things, so do not violate them; about some things He was silent-out of compassion for you, not forgetfulness, so seek not after them.”

    Reporters.

    A fine hadith related by Al-Daraqutni and others.

    But the most poignant of the ahadith that I came across in my search for the hadith that I found to be suspicious is this:

    Book 1. Hadith Qudsi. Hadith 035.

    The Authority Of Abu Hurairah : The messenger of Allah said : “Do not envy one another; do not inflate prices one to another; do not hate one another; do not turn away from one another; and do not undercut one another, but be you, O servants of Allah, brothers. A muslim is the brother of a muslim: he neither oppresses him nor does he fail him, he neither lies to him nor does he hold him in contempt. Piety is right here-and he pointed to his breast three times. It is evil enough for a man to hold his brother muslim in contempt. The whole of a muslim for another muslim is inviolable: his blood, his property, and his honor.”

    Reporters.

    Related by Muslim.

    Once more, italics are my own emphasis. The thought that this hadith left me with is that if we apply the principles of what is clearly stated here, by holding another Muslim in contempt because of their beliefs or actions, we’re doing either one of two things. We’re either deliberately violating the injunction of this hadith, or; we’re suggesting that in our view, the person we’re holding in contempt is in fact not Muslim. Isn’t this tantamount to declaring takfir on another? 

    I have been taught that debates should be had not to determine who is right and who is wrong, but rather to arrive at the truth. It’s rare these days to find anyone debating for the correct purpose, but instead we expend precious resources in time and energy focused on satisfying nothing more than our nafs under the guise of seeking to establish the truth with others. 

  • Being a Muslim in South Africa

    This is a view from a layman, an average Muslim, who was born and raised in South Africa. This is not the view of an academic, or a scholar, nor someone that holds any other identifiable titles as a Muslim, other than being one of the masses.

    Given the generalisations about Islam in South Africa, I thought it prudent to share some real life experiences and observations about living here as a Muslim.

    Islam was introduced into South Africa over 300 years ago by a Malaysian political prisoner that was banished to South Africa from his own country. He is commonly known as Sheikh Yusuf. He was largely responsible for establishing unity amongst the other Muslim prisoners or slaves that were brought to South Africa under the auspices of the Dutch colonisers back then. I’m not a history boffin, so suffice to say that this is largely accepted as the beginnings of Islam in this part of the world, in Cape Town to be specific.

    Muslims from India were also amongst the indentured labourers brought to South Africa by the British colonialists. They subsequently established the biggest Indian community outside of India which is in Durban, on the South African east coast. A thriving and very active Muslim community exists there these days. So from the two opposite ends of the country, the Shafi’ee madhab was entrenched in the lives of the Muslim community in Cape Town with a strong Malaysian culture, while the Hanafi madhab was entrenched in Durban with a strong Indian culture. 

    From these two areas, Islam spread throughout South Africa with mosques and communities existing in every major city and most rural areas as well. Offshoots of these communities have dabbled in Sufism and have largely focused on establishing community services and charity organisations. Many large and very beneficial organisations that provide and facilitate burial services, orphanages, mosques, madrasahs and other essential services stem from the Sufi groups. However, there is also an active engagement across all communities of all madhaib throughout South Africa that play an active role in establishing such structures and support systems for Muslims in their communities.

    The overall culture in South Africa is largely conservative with a strong focus on individual piety in the Indian communities, with a more overt community-focused culture in the Malay communities. Limited success has been noted in the spread of Islam to the indigenous black communities in South Africa, with this largely being blamed on the same conservative and insular nature that was engendered in the Muslim communities as a result of apartheid. One of the benefits, but also curses of apartheid was that it strengthened communities of similar racial backgrounds, but in so doing, also led to very little efforts focused on inviting other race groups to Islam. Hence the relatively stagnant pace at which Islam has grown in the country over the last few decades.

    There is a significant interest being shown by other race groups in Islam these days, with reverts becoming more common than ever before. However, the Indian and Malay sub-cultures often isolates reverts from the rest of the Muslim communities when it comes to social events, but not when it comes to integration in the mosques. It’s a strange mix that takes some getting used to. Not that I’m condoning it in any way.

    Generally, there is no shortage of bid’ah and bickering in many parts of various communities as is existent in Muslim communities throughout the world. But there is also a concerted effort by many to break the silence and the dogmatic following of tradition in the way Islam is practised here. Politically, Muslims enjoy freedom of religion and are able to practise Islam openly. The sight of women in hijab and niqab in shopping malls and public spaces throughout the country is not a rare sight at all.

    The Tableeghi Jamaat is active predominantly in the Indian community, and have their own mixed bag of successes and failures regarding the ideas and principles that they seem to propagate. But I guess this is true about many groups and not just them. Overall, for a Muslim, South Africa is generally a very tolerant place to live, and the Muslim culture is mostly embraced, except by some of the old school predominantly white Christian communities that still hold onto the ideals of the apartheid era. This can be seen in the hurdles and obstacles that need to be cleared before mosques can be established in predominantly white neighbourhoods, and even more so in the resistance that we get in requesting permission to recite the adhaan out loud. But the Muslim communities have been able to overcome many of these obstacles, even though at times it takes up to 8 or 10 years to get permission to have a piece of land rezoned for the building of a mosque. So our struggles in this space mirror those of Muslim communities in other western countries as well.

    There is a high prevalence of men, women and children that have memorised the Qur’an. There are also many established institutions that offer formal studies in Islamic subjects, mostly aligned with the Hanafi madhab in the form of Darul Ulooms. There is room for much improvement, as is always the case, but overall, Alhamdulillah, being a Muslim in South Africa is not as trying as being a Muslim in most other non-Muslim countries around the world.

  • Which version of Islam would you like today?

    Sadness is…seeing Islam being watered down on Tumblr in order to maintain follower counts and appease fans. Finding ways to make Islam more palatable to those that are deliberately looking for loopholes does not invite others towards Islam, but instead invites them to a new permutation of what used to be Islam. This is the slippery slope that got the disbelievers into the position that they’re in. Look around and you’ll quickly notice the trends. The clerical hierarchies, the supposed tolerance for unacceptable behaviour, the contortion of gender roles, the ‘intellectualisation’ of the Sunnah, the formalisation of the acquisition of religious knowledge, the abdication of responsibility in social commitments, and so much more.

    There is a huge difference, like night and day, between acknowledging our shortcomings in practising Islam the way it was intended to be practised, and trying to justify our shortcomings by assuming that some interpretations of Islam are incorrect so that we can condone our shortcomings. By the same token, there is an equally huge difference between practising Islam the way it was intended to be practised, and displaying an extremist view of how its rulings should be interpreted out of excessive piety. This is clearly reflected in the current state of scholarly pursuits because everyone feels a need to save Islam from incorrect interpretations but no one is willing to answer the question that begs to know what constitutes excessive questioning in terms of implementing the Sunnah. Something that I often contemplate, without arriving at an answer yet, is whether or not the actions of Rasulullah (SAW) was dissected to the nth degree by the first three generations, or was the dissection a response to the wanton deviance of those that followed?

    Determining this has resulted in pursuits that are blindly excessive in most cases, hence the disconnect between the scholars, the wannabe scholars and the layman. In response, the layman, tired of being constantly blasted with rhetoric and condescension for having a deficient Imaan, retaliates by trying to justify why their mediocre efforts are acceptable, if not more meritorious than the wannabe scholars. The wannabe scholars respond by lambasting everyone with labels of deviance, blasphemy and heresy. And so the chasm between the groups widen, and Islam gets bastardised into a flavour-of-the-month for whoever endeavours to justify their view for a misguided audience.

    Because of the wisdom of the current generation of ‘scholars’, we now have underdogs in the Ummah that see fit to establish their own institutions that promise to be more accepting and tolerant of the ‘deviants’ and those that are looking for loopholes. There are no loopholes in Allah’s laws. If you think you’ve found one, you’re either innocently ignorant, selectively obtuse, or downright deviant with insufficient sincerity to seek the truth. 

    Alas, my use of logic in trying to understand simple rules about being a Muslim will attract the venom of those that see logic as being a tool of those inspired by Greek philosophers because they (the accusers) are too blinkered to realise that Islam is logical in its practise, and divine in its faith. Every single ritual ever prescribed for us has a logical and practical purpose that either benefits us individually, or society collectively. And where the rights of society are impacted, such constraints will take precedence over individual liberties. But in the selfish atmosphere that we have engendered, it’s nearly impossible to even determine the rights of society any more simply because our focus is on individual piety only. We’ve lost the balance that Islam fosters, and instead have become obsessed with Islam as being a personal struggle and nothing more.