I can see why the masjid refused to do Janazah prayer for this clown! But my question is… is this brother entitled to Janazah prayer and can the Masjid refused to do it? The following would suggest that the Masjid is correct in their refusal to participate.

Bilal Philips states in Funeral Rites in Islam “The funeral prayer should be held even for those known to be involved in corruption…, However, it is preferable that the scholars and pious do not join in their funeral prayer as a punishment for them and deterrent for others like them. The Prophet’s practice was to refrain from praying for those who committed major sins, although he did allow others to do so.

Abu Qatadah said
“If the Messenger of Allah(pbuh) was invited to lead a funeral prayer, he would ask about the dead person. If good was said about the person, he would get up and lead the prayer. But if other that that were said, he would tell the family, “It is your affair to deal with.” and he would not take part in the funeral prayer for that person.” (Collected in Musnad Ahmad and al Mustadrak)(authentic?)

This is a very sick and twisted individual…it is the line between righteousness and self-righteousness that allows a believer to turn his back on his fellow men. Subhannallah.. May Allah forgive us.

I also wanted to express my disappointment with this articles, as others too have echoed.

This terrible, terrible crime is a topic in its own right – that it’s been used as a premise to speak more broadly on the Muslims in a certain area is a sad one, and more specifically the generalizations and bad connotations that are – it seems – drawn to that group.

This story (the initial one you speak about) truly made my heart sink, subhaanAllah, and saddened me greatly. One would think that the story itself would follow on to perhaps discuss the implications of our sisters in niqaab in that area and others, truly sympathizing with their plight – or at the very least the crime at hand. But primarily the first 2 paragraphs were dedicated to the crime and the plight of our sisters in niqaab, and much of the rest of this article is dedicated to – quite literally – picking apart a certain community.

Moreover, what the succession of speaking of the crime and then speaking about the particular Muslims/masaajid in Philadelphia does – whether or not it is conscious association or not – is draw a link between the two. As if there is some association between the crime itself and that which is being propagated in these masaajid — which is a huge injustice, subhaanAllah. I realize this was not your intention, but when you mention a crime as such and then speak on the community, or to be more specific, consistently relaying the ills of that community – one may draw a link. To illustrate, a previous comment states:

“I hadn’t heard about this until I read this post, it makes me sick to my stomach. This is what happens when Aqeedah is taught as an engineering science of, “this group is right, this group is wrong.””

This is basically my previous point realized, and the injustice that will occur if you use a crime as a premise to speak about a community. The brother (above) speaks about the terrible nature of the crime — and then follows this by ‘this is what happens when..” going on to speak of the way he thinks they propagate Islam in that community! It is an injustice, in any scope, to draw such a link – or to attribute this crime to the brother’s understanding of Islam in any capacity. By no means, should anyone take from this article that this man is a product of his society, or rather, his Islamic society – and that his Islamic teachings had an influence on him such that he committed this act. We do not know the brother in any capacity, nor those in his company, nor his understanding of Islam – and are in no position to make such comments as ‘..this is what happens when …’ as if we are at all aware of the catalyst for this horrific crime. Surely, Allah ta’ala knows, and we do not know.

Wallahu ‘alam, I feel it has become a trend of sorts to bash certain communities, and wonder if people will ever tire of this. A hallmark of such discussions, too, I’ve noticed is not much benefit, for it seems people will list ill after ill after ill, and the next will follow, and the next will follow. Positive discussion is remiss from such spheres, it would seem. Moreover, there seems to be broad generalizations of a group under one label – surely we would hope people would realize that the small group of people you may have encountered which follow that methodology and perhaps have things about them which doesn’t please you, that you would not then stroke your brush with the entire group that follows that methodology in the similar way. We know this I’m sure, but I feel it is a potent reminder, as I feel we may forget this.

And lastly, truly by no means, are the basics of tawheed, a ‘superficial thing’, for tawheed is of the noblest of sciences and grasping its basics is upon us all.

May Allah ta’ala protect us, keep us steadfast upon this deen, and allow us to engage in speech which benefits.

Wa Salamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatu

Another brother told me of a story where a Muslim brother at an ATM had a gun pointed at his head from behind. When the robber-to-be took the wallet, he noticed that the guy he was robbing was a Muslim. “Assalamaalaikum brother, here’s your wallet back”. It was not ok to rob a Muslim, but it was perfectly ok to rob someone who wasn’t!

I believe your conclusion doesn’t necessarily follow here. Just because the robber did not want to rob a Muslim, doesn’t mean that he thought it was “perfectly ok” to rob a non-muslim. It’s very possible that the robber knew he was being sinful either way, but he had enough eemaan that if he was going to rob someone, at LEAST it wouldn’t be his brother Muslim. I’m not defending the action, but it seems you’re using this to show that the brothers in Philadelphia are taught that it’s okay to rob non-muslims as part of their “cultish mentality”.

Brother Amad, no ALL women in Saudia do not wear Niqab. As a matter of fact mutanaqibaat do not even look like the majority there.
Where did you “get” all in regards to them?

I grew up there, subhanAllah.

As if it already wasn’t hard for us women to wear niqab.. now some brothers are giving Islam even more bad name.. subhanAllah. This goes to show how we have to watch even our individual actions as it can have a great negative impact on the muslim society as a whole. La howla wa la quwatta illah billah. May Allah guide them to the haqq, and may this not make it harder on us sisters who wear the niqab, ameen.

Never thought it would happen in the west. It did happen in Jeddah when I lived there.. just never thought someone would do something so unwise without even thinking about the broader consequences. And the beard is even making brothers who really are practicing look bad because of this whole incident.. That being said, in summary it gives a bad image to anyone who wants to practice or is practicing.

La ilaha ilAllah.

Well, I don’t know why someone would do that.. but all I can say is that I am extremely hurt.. and would have been even if I was not a mutanaqiba right now.

This story is not new anymore. I have been hearing about it on NPR for the whole week. Tariq talked about it here. Fortunately, NPR hasn’t made it a point to tell us about the “Muslim connection” in the story. I don’t doubt that other news stat…

I would like to clarfiy one thing; I do not know the ‘salafi’ dawah operating in Philidelphia, but where i am from in the UK, Birmingham, alhamdulillah has a strong presence of ‘Salafi’ brothers and sisters, and i can certainly say that this double handedness is not ascribed to. I find that one of the points that is continually raised is that we have to abide by the laws of our land of residence, and cannot go against it with the excuse of it being run by the kuffaar, this includes the prohibition of robbing/cheating ‘the system’, given the premise that is based upon kufr.

I understood by what the author meant the over emphasised pressure upon conforming to an external image, which some percieve is done in the absence of the drive to impress the importance of cultivating ‘inner image’. But in the same instance, one cannot assume that that ‘salafi’ masijd is not disseminating the importance of adab etc, as it is up to the individual to take it on board or not. I am aware, even from where i am, there are really two types of ‘Salafis’; one that have made almost a sect, and on some levels yes a cult, and there is the others that just say ‘we are following the way of the salaf us’saliheen’ and do not asribe to a sect. Although i am at odds with the former, i can personally say that the dawah that i have been exposed to from it has been quite balanced, and have addressed issues of tarbiyyah and akhlaq. Which is why i do not understand the mentality to which brothers (and sisters) are ascribing to when they allow the victimisation of non-Muslims who have done them no harm? Yes, they are following their predecessors, but surely not the righteous ones!

The reason why this is happening is not because all they are given to study is a book of Tawheed, quite to the contrary. Rather it is due to the lack of understanding pertaining to Tawheed that one commits these crimes, including general sins that we commit day in day out. When one truly understands the Asma was-Sifaat, the beautiful names and attributes of Allah, then they benefit enormously. They would understand that Allah is Al-Aleem (the All Knowing), Ar Raqeeb, Al Baseer, and therefore this would prevent them from doing what they do. Tawheed needs to be continued to be taught, but it needs to be taught more holistically, otherwise we are only doing ourselves injustice.

Wassalaam

It’s truly saddening to hear of an officer losing his life like this. I pray that Allah grants ease to his family through this tough time.

I do agree with your point about the niqab. Indeed it is already seen with suspicion in some places and incidents like this one do nothing to bring more understanding of why some sisters choose to wear it.

As far as communities like the one you’ve described in Philly, what do you suggest are some ways to start changing things.? Like you said it takes time and consderable effort of course, but I’m wondering what kind of initiatives need to happen for change to occur in places like Philly and amongst people to at least start turning the situation around.