2015 05 08 Friday Prayer Brother Rodwan

Announcement

Brother Shaquille passed away in Bangladesh. Please make du'a for his maghfirah, inshallah.

The Adhan

Muslim Americans: Facing Danger and Discrimination

Are we not Muslims? Are we not Muslim Americans? Are we not Americans? So why is it lately that we Muslim Americans have to stare danger in the eyes? We are looked upon, brothers and sisters, in public as the enemy within. The sleeper cells — those who mean nothing but harm to America.

So what is it that makes a man speak ill of another? For no reason except their own formulated, preconceived ill notions. And what is it that makes a man look at another with gazing eyes of disgust and belittlement? For no reason except bigotry, hate, and ignorance.

Isn't America the land of freedom for all types? Brothers and sisters, we as Muslim Americans today are facing a hardship in this country. And since when — since when — do people care about what you wear in public? We walk in the malls and we see people with mohawks, tattooed ink, and often times with strange accents. So why is it that three people in Raleigh, North Carolina had to lose their lives? Is it simply because they spoke differently? Perhaps they dressed a bit different. Or maybe they walked a little bit different.

The Power of Words

People must understand, brothers and sisters, that words are powerful. Rasulullah, peace and blessings be upon him, used words to bring people together, creating a nation 1,400 years ago. And Hitler used the same words to bring about evil. Today, brothers and sisters, words are being used for cheap political scores.

But in my opinion, this is not an open season on Muslims. This is an open season on Islam. Let me repeat — this is not an open season on Muslims. As humans, we continuously change. Our ideas change. Our existence continuously changes. But I believe when someone targets your identity, which is constant — it does not change, it's your identity — and therefore it's an open season on Islam as a religion. It is not an open season on Muslims per se.

The Rhetoric of Islamophobia

One well-known elected official — and mind you, words are extremely powerful — said that Sharia law is an enormous problem in America. Really? In America? Sharia law? In America? It is an open season on Islam. It is not an open season on Muslims.

Another highly regarded, well-known elected official warned about dangerous Muslims who want to come to our country but not adopt our values, saying we should not allow them in. Where do they come up with these ideas? What are American values? Is it waking up every morning and making sure that we put food on our kids' table? What are American values? To be kind to your neighbor. What are American values? To be respectful to the laws of the land. Which Muslim amongst us is willingly, consciously going against any of this?

How about Jews who want to come to America, dress differently, and believe wholeheartedly in the Talmudic teachings? Conservative Jews who put on the yarmulke. What about Jews who wear clothing that is completely different than the average American Joe? Clearly we see them in the airports — often times with the big hats, the long bushy beards, and the round, dangling sideburns. And clearly you can distinguish that this individual is a Jew. Is he now denied coming to America because he happened to be a Jew? What about a Catholic who believes wholeheartedly in his own book, where he clearly puts on the biggest cross that he or she could find, and clearly shows that they are Catholic, or of those who are of the Christian faith — are they too denied coming to America because they have clearly displayed their religious symbol on their chest?

So why is it that an elected official will call us dangerous, and say to a minority community in America that they should not be allowed to come into this country?

David Yerushalmi said the Muslim peoples — those who are committed to Islam as you and I know it today — are our enemies. Do you pray your five daily prayers? Yes, you are committed to Islam. Do you fast Ramadan? You are committed to Islam. Do you pay your Zakat? Yes, you are committed to Islam. Are you the enemy within?

And what amazes me is that someone who is not even a Muslim is now an authority over Islam — where he can clearly distinguish us and says those who are committed to Islam as you and I know it are dangerous. That baffles me, brothers and sisters. That someone who is not even a Muslim would have the audacity to label us and describe us according to their whims and desires.

And there goes Pamela Geller — a lady who dared to come to our own city and put a wedge between us American citizens. This is what she said in a column published at the World Net Daily: that public schools had produced Gestapos like the Hitler Youth, who were violently imposing their leftist Islamic agenda. This is what she wrote in her book. People pay $34 and $50 to get her book and her DVD. And this is what she says about us — Muslims in this country — that our own children who are attending public schools are in the future being indoctrinated to be the enemy, because now they are being indoctrinated with their own leftist Islamic agenda.

Let it be known, hands forward, brothers and sisters — that any Muslim, he or she, who does not believe in Jesus, peace and blessings be upon him, is not a Muslim. And that's why there is so much ignorance out there in public. Let me repeat: a Muslim who does not believe in Jesus, he or she is not a Muslim.

A Personal Story: On the Plane to Portland

I flew to Portland, Oregon not too long ago, and the second I sat in the plane, the brother who gave me the ride to the airport rang because I was coming in late, and I answered السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ. Wallahi, the guy to my left literally jumped out of his seat — literally jumped, unbuckled himself. And apparently he was traveling with a friend to his left, so he says literally and physically, "Let's change places." So he moves to the window and his friend comes to the middle seat.

And SubhanAllah, as his friend was bending down to pick up his belongings to change seats, I noticed that he has the biggest cross tattooed on his back. I knew that this was going to be a long journey. And SubhanAllah, the very first thing he said to me: "Are you Muslim?" I said, "Yes, I am Muslim." He says, "Please forgive my friend. He has some friends that were killed overseas, and he's a little bit jittery because you spoke in Arabic. That was Arabic, wasn't it?" I said yes — it's the greeting.

And the first question he turned to me and said: "Why do you all Muslims hate Jesus so much?" How much ignorance is out there about Islam and Muslims? And brothers and sisters, I'm not pointing fingers, but the onus is on us — that we probably have not done something right somewhere, in order for someone like this individual to think that way. And by the way, mind you, this individual turned out to be a state trooper of all people.

Fear Mongering and False Narratives

It's fear mongering that is in effect about Islam. Michael Sibley — if you do not know who Michael Sibley is, it behooves us to go back and Google him. We must know what people say and do in order to demean the role of Muslims and to bring an ugly side of Islam into public. Michael Sibley, when he was caught, described himself as a self-described patriot who planted a bomb at a national park in Roswell, Georgia. And this is what he said: "Muslims are big trouble for us in this country. I wanted my fellow Americans to know that when this bomb went off, that a Muslim did it." He put the bomb and he put a Quran in the backpack, in a public park. Mind you, an American citizen — a child, a woman, or an innocent bystander — would have actually died, simply because an ignorant person like himself, who calls himself a patriot, is willing to kill people and say, "I wanted everyone to think that a Muslim did it." How much hate can you have in your heart towards a group of people?

Steve Emerson and David Horowitz, who are very good at exploiting fear about Islam and Muslims, everywhere they go they say there is a creeping Sharia in America. And I say again — what's your proof?

Brothers and sisters, how many of us Muslims are in America? Professor Ihsan Bagby at the University of Louisville, Kentucky — he traveled the United States, and the conclusion of his research is that there are only 3 million Muslims in America. Not 7 million. Not 10 million. Only 3 million. There are less than 3,000 masajid in the United States.

In order to change anything in the Constitution — mind you, to bring Sharia into the 200-year-old Constitution of the United States — you need two-thirds of Congress. You have to move mountains politically in order to change anything in there. And you mean to tell me 3 million people — less than 1% of the entire population of the United States — have an agenda of creeping Sharia to change the laws in this country? It's not true. It has never been true.

We are not even united, brothers and sisters, to come together to decide what day is Eid. What day is Ramadan? What day is the other Eid? Ask the professionals — when their manager asks them, "What day do you want off?" — "Well, give me a week and I'll tell you." And depending on which masjid that this individual goes to, that's the day they will decide which Eid. And we have seen it in big cities such as Houston, Atlanta, New York, or California — one masjid will have Eid and two days later another masjid will have it. Or one masjid will start Ramadan and the story goes on and on. And you mean to tell me this group of people is plotting to change the Constitution of the United States? Far from the truth. It's not real. It's nothing but hate and fear mongering about Muslims and Islam in America.

The 9/11 Stigma

The 9/11 stigma. Where were you on 9/11? I particularly know exactly where I was standing, what I was saying, whom I was speaking to, what I was eating, what I was drinking, and what exactly I was dressed. Each and every one of us has a very vivid memory about exactly where you were on that day.

Brothers and sisters, when 9/11 happened, every Muslim was baffled, upset, hurt, and afraid — just like any other American in America. We all said, "No way a Muslim could have done this heinous crime." We all in America were so much afraid, just like any other neighbor who was afraid as well.

Brothers and sisters, none of us in this congregation — or a Muslim in America in general, that I know or you would know — shook hands with Osama Bin Laden and gave him allegiance. Why is it then that we are being blamed for something that we have nothing to do with? Why is it that every time 9/11 is mentioned, we cringe, because someone is looking at us with a dirty eye and says, "You probably were a supporter of it." What is your proof that I was a supporter of a heinous crime like this? What is my ability to even be part of it? What is the ability of all Muslims in this country to even have the ability to do something like this? These were people who came into this country through our own borders — and none of us knew about it — and caused harm, because we did believe wholeheartedly in our system that it is not only open and democratic but also safe. You don't blame me. You blame someone else who did this. But not us who live in this country.

True Patriotism

And then we are blamed for not being patriotic enough. Patriotism is not a short and frenzied outburst of emotions, but it is the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime.

Simply put, in layman's terms: I do not have to put an American flag in front of my house, or on top of my roof, or a sticker in my car, or hang it up in my office in order to show everyone that I am patriotic. I don't have to do that. Because there are other Americans who hang a different kind of flag — are they patriotic? In fact, they have nothing but venomous words against everyone of color, immigrants or otherwise. They even hate Jews. They even hate another type of Christians. But yet they have, quote unquote, a different American flag. Are they patriotic? Of course not.

So I, as a Muslim American, do not have to, brothers and sisters, put an American flag and show my patriotism. But here is how I would show my patriotism — because wallahi, we are good to America. You see, every morning from our own congregation, a businessman or businesswoman wakes up and goes out to make sure that the wheels of our economy continuously turn. And every morning from our own congregation, from our own community, they go out to make sure that they take good care of those who are in need of health care. And every morning an educated person — a professor or an educator — leaves their home to go out and educate the young minds of America.

We are good to America. We have the highest educated per capita in the U.S. in any community. We pay our taxes that pave the roads and take care of the parks in this country. We pay our taxes that make sure that none of the bridges in this country fall. We are loved by the citizens. We have 7,000 Muslims serving the U.S. armed forces. And guess what? We win international competitions in Qatar in the name of an American Muslim — who not only memorized the Quran, but was the number one reciter in the world. A young man by the name of Idrees, from Texas of all places, from the Islamic Center of Irving. Who did he represent in the world? He represented America. How much more patriotic can you be?

I say Muslim American, and there is nothing wrong with saying that I am a Muslim American. There is a Chinese Muslim. There is a Nigerian Muslim. There is a Pakistani Muslim. There is a Bangladeshi Muslim. There is an Indian Muslim. A Jordanian Muslim. And a Sudanese Muslim. There is an Egyptian Muslim. There is an Asian Muslim. There is an African Muslim. There is a European Muslim. And there is nothing wrong with saying that I am an American Muslim. What else would you call me if I was born and raised in this country? Simply, the future Muslim generation of America — what would you call them? They speak an American accent just like any other child and are looked upon as American as apple pie.

We are Muslim Americans and we count. We have the ability and the right to be dealt with like anyone else. So why does 50% of America hate us?

Solutions: What We Must Do

I can stand here and recite the problems that face us, but we need solutions. And they are of the following.

1. Fear None But Allah

Brothers and sisters, fear none but Allah. As a Muslim American, fear none but Allah. Allah reminds us:

"You fear people, while Allah is more worthy to be feared."

Eleanor Roosevelt once said, "No one has the right to make you feel inferior without your consent."

2. Be Proud of Your Muslim Identity

And therefore, brothers and sisters, I say: be proud that you are Muslim. And tell the world — in the planes, in the airport, in the taxi, wherever you go — yes, I am a Muslim. If your name is Muhammad, please don't shorten it to Mo or Mike. If your name is Zainab, don't say "just call me Z." If your name is Radwan, don't say "just call me Rad." Why do we hide our fasting in the month of Ramadan, especially those who are professionals in corporate America? Why is it when we come to the elevator and there is another Muslim in a public building, or even in corporate America, who says السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ as if it's a secret code — say السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ clearly, and let everybody around you know. At the end of the day, what name did you put on your resume? Why hide your identity?

3. We Need Responsible Scholars

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 100; Sahih Muslim, Hadith 2673)

"Knowledge is not lifted from the breasts of men except by the death of scholars. So when the scholars die, people take ignorant heads as leaders, who are asked and give fatwas without knowledge — so they go astray and lead others astray."

I blame some of our ulama today with the responsibility of creating a vacuum, because they are not educating us Muslims on the issues that matter most. We think about things that have nothing to do with our daily lives as Muslims living here in the West, or even living back where we came from. And that's why the rise of the so-called ISIS, and Boko Haram, and whatever they may name themselves — claiming that they are Muslims — I proclaim from above this podium that they do not relate to Islam in any way, shape, or form. And if you think for a moment that they represent Islam, you are not only mistaken, but you need to check your knowledge.

How could it be that a group like ISIS would go and target Abyssinians who happen to be Christians — who protected the Sahaba? Al-Najashi — remember? Was he not the one who protected the Sahaba when they went to Abyssinia? These are the descendants of al-Najashi. And how dare you round them up and slaughter them like sheep, simply because they happen to be Christians? Boko Haram walks into a village in a poor country in Africa and they blow up everyone for no reason — boys, and girls, and children, and women, and elderly — and walk out. What kind of Islam are they proclaiming?

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari, Hadith 39)

"No one makes the religion difficult except that it overwhelms him."

And the hadith I spoke about before — the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, says: a day will come when knowledge will not be lifted from the hearts of men except because of the death of the ulama, and when they die they create a vacuum. It will be filled with empty heads, wrapping themselves in long beards, and they start to speak as if they are scholars — and people believe in them. The biggest problem that we are having today, brothers and sisters, is we have people go to YouTube and they have a very fast drive-thru, asking for fatwas. And that is wrong.

4. Act Like Muslims — The Story of the Physician's Family

How can we change this within our own selves? You see, brothers and sisters, a Syrian physician moved into a neighborhood in the Midwest. And one Sunday morning, his boys playing outside noticed that this elderly woman across the street was struggling with her grocery bags. They ran across to help her with the bags. As they walked in, they noticed that she is not only an elderly woman, but she was also a loner. Her house was in total shambles. Her backyard looked completely like a junkyard, and her front yard was not mowed. So they ran and cleaned everything, helped her, and reported back to their mother.

The following day, the mom cooked some food and walked across the street. She befriended this old woman. And when time passed, one Sunday morning the woman crossed the street and came to have breakfast with this beautiful family in their kitchen — only to turn to them and say, "You guys are the best Christian family I have ever seen."

Suffice it to say, when they explained to her, and this woman died at an elderly age, she not only died as a Muslimah, but she was also buried in the Muslim graveyard.

Talk is cheap. We must act like Muslims, wherever we live and wherever we work. Don't listen to these hollow drums of hate. They are nothing but venomous, empty words.

Du'a

Closing — Surah Al-Fatihah