Abdallah Oduro 1019

Alhamdulillahi rabbil alameen. We praise Allah, we seek His aid and we seek His forgiveness. We seek refuge in Allah from the evil of ourselves and the evil of our bad deeds. Whomsoever Allah guides, none can misguide. And whomsoever Allah allows to be led astray, none can guide. And I bear witness that there's no one worthy of worship. There's no God, no deity except Allah, the Exalted. And that Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, is his last messenger and servant.

O you who believe, fear Allah and die not except in a state of submission to him alone.

O humanity, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul, being Adam. And from that created his mate, being Hawa, Eve. And from that scatters many men and women. O humanity, fear your Lord. Have mindfulness of Him and do not cut off relationships with your relatives, your kin. Indeed, Allah is the ultimate monitor over you.

O humanity, fear your Lord and speak the truth. قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا In return, يُصلِحْ لَكُمْ أَعْمَالَكُمْ He will rectify for you your affairs and He will forgive you of the sins that you may have committed. And whoever obeys Allah and His messenger has indeed achieved the greatest achievement, the greatest success.

As to what follows, indeed, the best speech is the book of Allah, the Qur'an, and the best actualizer, the one to exemplify the Qur'an. The best one to do that was none other than Muhammad ibn Abdullah, peace and blessings be upon him and his companions. And of the worst affairs of our doctrinal system of Islam are the newly invented ones. For every newly invented affair in this situation of how we exemplify our love of Allah is an innovation. And every innovation is a form of going astray from the straight path. And for every form of going astray is in the fire of hell and we seek refuge in Allah from that.

Personal Encounters with Islamophobia

Years ago in the early 2000s, I had the opportunity to be in Manhattan. I came from overseas and I was in Manhattan. And the way I ended up there is a whole other khutbah. But I want to share with you an event that took place. Two events in particular that took place. One in Manhattan and one in Ghana, West Africa.

The first in Manhattan, I had the opportunity to pray in the Ground Zero Mosque. The mosque that was built post 9-11. The mosque that upon the intention of building it caused a lot of friction. Amongst the Muslims and amongst people that were non-Muslim that had no idea of what Islam was. And those that did had a perception, whether good or bad. In the end of the day there was friction.

I prayed Salatul Asr, the afternoon prayer. And upon my exiting the mosque, I see different kinds of people. And I say kinds when I mean kinds of thoughts or what was their perception or position in regards to the building of this mosque. But one stood out.

This individual was very tall. Had sunglasses on. Had a goatee beard. And he was screaming at the top of his lungs, claiming that we do not want y'all here. You are the reason for the Twin Towers. Why, how, you have the nerve to build a place of worship to further foster your terroristic activities. More so to foster your terroristic belief. There's a difference. Screaming at the top of his lungs.

Mind you, at the same time, there is a Christian with a Bible pacing back and forth. When I approached him, I said, how are you doing? He said, how are you doing brother? He says, God help you. My thinking is that he is not for the building of the mosque. But he was, as long as you're a person that's exemplifying the love of God, we embrace you. Sweating, black t-shirt on, sweating, pacing in front of the mosque back and forth.

There was a truck that the owner painted his truck to where it showed the Twin Towers. And he said, remember this day. While there were reporters going back and forth. People with chalk writing on the sidewalk. Some of them pro Islam and pro mosque and others against it.

When speaking to this tall person. I come up to him and I said, yes, sir, may I help you? Is there any concern? He says, yes, you and your people are the reason for the problems of what happened. Particularly what happened. Y'all need to leave. Leave this country. How could you have the nerve to come here and do that? How could you have the nerve to build a mosque in this place at this time? Whereupon I said, sir, I will do my best to answer any questions that you have. What are your main concerns? And as I do that, I shake his hand. I hold his hand and I make a gesture. Let's walk with a smile.

Understanding Islamophobia

Before continuing on to the rest of this story, I want us to embrace the reality of one thing that we all are aware of. And that is Islamophobia. Many of us have heard this term. Islamophobia. We hear the word phobia and Islam and put them together to understand. It is an irrational fear of Islam and Muslims. Irrational fear of Islam and Muslims.

Now that irrational fear didn't start with Muslims. Especially in the West. It happened to the Irish. It happened to the Jews. It happened to the Sikhs. It happened to the African-Americans. This phobia that takes place, we can say, is a human phenomenon. It's something that we as human beings, we do not like change. And if it's something to where that will require our academic laziness to where we do not want to learn or have the opportunity to learn about each other and embrace one another, it could be a means for our destruction.

So when looking at this term Islamophobia being that it is an irrational fear of Islam and Muslims for the purpose of manipulating those that have that fear. When we look at this, understanding this terminology, we see that this was done during the time of the Prophet ﷺ where he was otherized.

The Process of Otherization

What do I mean by otherized? This is the first step of those that try to implement and push this agenda of creating a false irrational fear of Muslims. A false irrational fear of African-Americans. A false irrational fear of people that are of a different skin tone. When they say, well they speak a different language. They act a different way. They are not normal. They are different. They otherize you in the beginning. They say you are not the standard.

They ask the question, are you Muslim or an American as though they are opposite. When they are polar different, when you are a Muslim as a religion and American as a nationality, you can be both of them and all of us are. When they pose these questions to create a certain image from the beginning, they otherize you. When they make you seem as though you are outside of what people accept by the way they respond to you, by the questions they ask, by the way that they deal with you. This is the first step to Islamophobia.

Demonization

The second is to where they demonize you based on that otherization. They say, look, the fact that they are different, this can pose a problem. This poses a problem. These Muslims are barbaric. They downplay their women, treat them as second class citizens. They say this term, Allahu Akbar, and whenever that term is said, it is to impose violence upon people. That is to where they demonize, otherize, demonize.

And mind you, there are elements that are used to fund these projects of Islamophobia. Even the elite of the Quraysh during the time of the Prophet ﷺ, used their money and their efforts to fund this anti-Islamic agenda against the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

What do we see with one companion? Being Tufayl ibn Amr al-Dawsi, the one that gave da'wah to Abu Huraira. This companion, before reaching Mecca, they started to propagate and tell him about this man named Muhammad ﷺ. They welcomed him with fruits. They welcomed him with money. They welcomed him with even women to further lie against the general message of Islam, the Prophet ﷺ.

When they otherize and then demonize you, they say, look, there's a demon. We have to do something about this. And the only reason we're doing this is to protect you. We see the demon. You obviously are convinced that this is a bad demon, a bad person, a bad way of life, a bad, and this is worst of all, doctrine. A bad doctrine.

The Example of Pharaoh

This is how Firaun manipulated the people that were with him. Against who? Musa ﷺ.

As Allah says in the Qur'an. When he mentions Firaun, what did he do? فَاسْتَخَفَّ قَوْمَهُ - فَاسْتَخَفَّ, خَفَّ from خَفِيف, means light. So Firaun manipulated the people. He fooled them. They didn't think in a heavy fashion. They weren't studying. They weren't being people that would look beyond the message of Firaun. The one that claimed that he was رَبُّ الأَعْلَى, that he was the Lord, their Lord. When he did this, فَأَطَاعُوهُ, so they obeyed him. Verily, they were the disobedient ones because they allowed themselves to be manipulated by Firaun.

Firaun painted this picture that Musa was a magician, that Musa was an evil person. And he says this in the Qur'an.

Look at this Islamophobic technique. He says, he tells his people, ذَرُونِي, leave me, leave me. Let me go and kill Musa. So as though he's already painted a picture that there is a bad enemy amongst us that is trying to create friction. He's calling you away from me because I am your Lord. Leave me, I will handle it. Don't worry, don't worry. I will handle it. ذَرُونِي أَقْتُلْ مُوسَىٰ So I can kill Musa and him calling on his Lord.

Look at the technique, calling on his Lord. As the prophets used to say, Worship Allah, my Lord and your Lord. When we talk to people of different faiths, we say no, the Lord we are calling to is the creator of the heavens and the earth. The same one that you call on generally, the one that created everything, this is who we're calling to as Muslims. But Firaun said, Let me kill this one that is calling his Lord. While he's calling on his Lord.

Verily, I fear that he will change your religion, your way of life, or that he will spread mischief on the earth. Look at this technique from Firaun. Firstly, he said, I fear. So if your Lord fears this, you definitely should be scared. I fear that he's going to change your way of life, your religion, دِينَكُمْ that which you always practice, whether religious or other than that. He is coming and he is a threat to that practice. And that threat will cause فَسَادٌ on the earth. أَوْ أَن يُظْهِرَ فِي الْأَرْضِ الْفَسَادَ In this point in time it was Misr, Egypt. He said, I fear that he will try to change your way of life or he will spread mischief on the earth.

Is this technique not used against Islam and Muslims? Is this technique not used? When we see this rhetoric is practiced and it's mentioned continuously to harbor this fear inside of people, to where people will have a fear if someone has a Muslim name or they hear the word Muslim, they are automatically turned off. And that turning off is a sign of their allegiance to someone or something or some system.

The Cost of Islamophobia

So when seeing the effect of this irrational fear that can be taken or that is attempted by many different elements, channels, think tanks, agencies to create and paint a picture about you and me. This is a problem. What is the cost of that?

The Institute of Social Policy and Understanding team together with the Bridge Initiative, which is a multi-year research industry that is in Georgetown University. They team together and they did something called the Islamophobic Index. Basically from zero to 100 will gauge what Muslims and what people harbor in themselves in regards to Muslims or in regards to a negative effect and bias towards Muslims.

They found that the highest numbers were with curtailing, number one, curtailing the rights of Muslims. Diminishing some of their constitutional rights in the name of what? Alleviating that fear of terrorism from the Muslim. Another one of them was shutting down the mosques. Not allowing them to be built.

What's sad though is that this was not only amongst non-Muslims. This sentiment was with Muslims also. This sentiment was shared by Muslims also. This brings forth a problem.

Our Response and Responsibility

So what do we as Muslims do with this reality of creating a bigoted false rhetoric against you and what you represent? Primarily the five pillars of Islam. Is there a legitimate fear of Islam when we look at the five pillars and the creed and practice or the creed of Islam? Or is it the mistake of certain people that yes, with their incorrect interpretations do we have a responsibility?

So when I grabbed the hand of this individual that was standing in front of the mosque and he was screaming at the top of his lungs against Islam and Muslims and how this ground zero mosque should be annihilated and should not be continued and we should voice our, we should make our efforts to end this project. I asked him, what is the main problem? Why are you so vocal?

Whereupon he said, I used to live in the Middle East. I know what they think. I know you people. Then he looks dead in my eyes. Takes his sunglasses off. I know you people. Whereupon I told him, Sir, with all due respect, I admire your concern for the safety of people. But we really have to educate ourselves. I lived in the Middle East for eight years. You can't tell me anything.

Sir, I studied in the Middle East for eight years myself. I studied Islam. I converted to Islam and studied Islam. And I can tell you that when I sat in these mosques, in the classroom, studying Islamic law, that they, every single day, refuted the idea of killing innocent civilians. Whereupon he was amazed and he said, we need more people like you. What are you doing?

The Power of Personal Contact

The contact with the people. Meeting people. Grassroots. Contact. Knowing people. Being a person that is civically involved. You have civic engagement. Whether you're a doctor, a lawyer, a carpenter, working at 7-Eleven. Whatever you're doing, what is your element of engaging the people to where, when they hear that this is Islam or this is a Muslim, they realize that, no, that's not the case. I personally know a Muslim and this is not what they believe. Or, if they hear something, they know that there is someone that they can ask.

This is very important for all of us and it is our responsibility individually and collectively in order to eradicate this Islamophobia. This was one of the things that the Institute of Social Policy and Understanding, when they did their research, they realized one of the strongest means of counteracting Islamophobia was a personal experience with a Muslim or Muslims. A personal experience. So when seeing this, it leaves forth the responsibility.

The Prophetic Guidance

And I want to leave you with one beautiful hadith of the Prophet ﷺ. Because this topic of Islamophobia can go on and there's numerous statistics that I want to bring to you all. But due to the lack of time, I want to stick with the wahi of the Prophet ﷺ. When we say wahi, it means revelation. What Allah has revealed to the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him. And we as Muslims believe that this is the means of guidance. This is the raw material. But it's up to you to take it out and to furnish it to where it is conducive to your culture and your habitat, where you understand where you live, how to properly appropriate and give this diamond to people, to where it can beautify their fitrah. It can beautify that natural characteristic that we as human beings, Muslims and non-Muslims, share together. That's what Islam is supposed to do.

(Jami' at-Tirmidhi, Hadith 1987)

When seeing this, the Prophet ﷺ said three forms of advice. And this is universal. But definitely, this is the process of eradicating Islamophobia. Firstly, the Prophet ﷺ told Abu Dharr al-Ghifari and Mu'adh ibn Jabal, may Allah be pleased with them. Two illustrious people. Two companions, disciples of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. He said, اتَّقِ اللَّهَ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ. Fear Allah wherever you may be. وَأَتْبِعِ السَّيِّئَةَ الْحَسَنَةَ تَمْحُهَا. And follow up a bad deed with a good deed, it will erase it. وَخَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ. And treat mankind with good manners.

Three Pillars of Character

We see with taqwa is your relationship with Allah. Firstly, you as a Muslim, when you want to approach these contemporary issues of things that may happen regarding Islam and Muslims, it's very important that you have knowledge of who you are and what you represent. And that is being a Muslim, your connection with God initially. The first pillar of Islam. And I say pillar because with a pillar is what everything stands upon. Without pillars, it compromises the structure of that thing. So when we look at Islam, the first pillar is your personal relationship with God.

Taqwa is mindfulness of Allah which leads to a level of fear. As one of the poets said, he heard from Omar bin al-Khattab, he said, leave off the sins, the small ones and the big ones, for really this is taqwa. Act as a person that is walking in a valley of thorns that is being aware of what may prick him or her. Do not belittle the small sins for every mountain is made of pebbles. Don't belittle the small sins to the best of your ability. And that leads to the second part, to the best of your ability.

We are human beings. We will make mistakes. At work you may say something that may assist in someone saying, yeah, see? See how the Muslims are? You may act a certain way. You may act out of character. We're human beings. That's why the Prophet ﷺ said, follow up a bad deed with a good deed, it will erase it. A bad deed acknowledging we will make mistakes. We will make mistakes. But follow up with a good deed. Reflect in order to connect. Have a reflection of what you've done. Here at Juma, when you go back to work, if you need to apologize to someone, be humble and apologize to them. Humility. Only you and Allah know and that person that you may have oppressed.

Thirdly, the Prophet ﷺ said, and treat mankind with good manners. And this is the highlighted portion that I want to capitalize on, this shahid. Where he said, treat mankind, خَالِقِ النَّاسَ لَيْسَ خَالِقِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ Treat all of mankind with good manners. حُسُن And حُسُن linguistically comes from beautifying something.

When you treat man nicely, man or woman nicely, it beautifies your character, therefore beautifying the relationship. Every single one of you when you leave today, see how you can beautify the relationship with your neighbor, with the person at the convenience store by your house, the gas station, the Walgreens, the grocery store, wherever, your co-worker, your employees. How are you beautifying the relationship to further from a grassroots level. Beautify Islam. Because with that, Islamophobia, with all of these engines that they use and turn on as a remote control whenever they want to use it to propagate this false fear of Islam and all Muslims, it will not affect the people, by Allah's permission. When we act as people with good manners and that good manners emanates firstly from taqwa and recognizing our mistakes.

So the eradication of Islamophobia there are many, but we want to concentrate on today. What are you as a Muslim doing when it comes to your relationship with people? Are you carrying yourself as someone that recognizes that God is watching you and that God is listening?

Remember Allah and He will remember you, and be thankful to Him He will increase you, and the remembrance of Allah is the greatest thing and Allah knows what you do. And establish the prayer.