Islamic Events
GPU 2008: Yasir Qadhi on Islamophobia [Video]
One of the highlights of attending this year’s Global Peace and Unity event, was to finally meet two of the MM shuyukh in person: Yasir Qadhi and Tawfique Chowdhury.
During the entire weekend, YQ’s was the only speech I made an effort to sit down and listen to (although, I was kind of ordered to do so – ahem!), and it was truly awesome, masha’Allah. It’s not often that sisters have the opportunity to meet such people, and they were both very respectful and freely offered their assistance in helping me fulfil some of my GPU ambitions (which mainly factored around filming stuff!).
Unfortunately, due to certain GPU policies, I was not allowed near the main stage area to record YQ’s speech (the press pass I was so psyched to have received, proved a little useless to be honest). However, I am sure it will surface on YouTube very soon, as the whole show was aired live on Islam Channel.
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In the mean time, Sh. Yasir was kind enough to donate a few of his precious minutes to recapping the basic message of his presentation, which concentrated on the rise of Islamophobia in the West, and how we as Muslims should respond to it.
First though: a few MM-related photos!
YQ teaching men how to be chauvinists?!
I knew there was something fishy about him…
The Al-Maghrib stand
YQ on Stage
YQ on the big screen – literally!
Sh. Tawfique being filmed spelling his name in sign language for SignLabs.org.
Coming to a screen near you soon, insha’Allah!
Okay, enough of all that… here’s the promised video!
—
Media Credits
- Photography: iMuslim (© All Rights Reserved)
- Video: Islamic Studios
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The Prophet (SAW) has taught us the best of deeds are those that done consistently, even if they are small. Click here to support MuslimMatters with a monthly donation of $2 per month. Set it and collect blessings from Allah (swt) for the khayr you're supporting without thinking about it.
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Abdul-Kareem
October 28, 2008 at 8:20 AM
I look forward to watching this speech because there is no question that Islamophobia is the #1 civil rights issue of today yet we unfortunately do not see civil rights organizations taking up this issue in the way that they should. This message needs to be spread more until more people understand why it is important to all of us. Jazak Allah khair to Shakyh Yasir for this
MR
October 28, 2008 at 10:18 AM
MashaAllah. JazakAllah khair!
Pingback: GPU 2008: A Follow Up « iMuslim
abu abdAllah, the Houstonian
October 28, 2008 at 11:51 AM
bismillah. digg the interview clip at youtube.
Organica
October 28, 2008 at 12:14 PM
Jazzakum Allah Khair for all your efforts to better our Ummah, Dr.iMuslim. May Allah reward you best and May he always be pleased with you and your awesome crew!
LYFTSOA
Amad
October 28, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Yeah doc, good job mashallah :)
AnonyMouse
October 28, 2008 at 1:33 PM
Looks awesome! :D
Umm Reem
October 28, 2008 at 2:14 PM
Dr. iMuslim…hmm…interesting name!
Jazakillah khiar for ur efforts!
Osman
October 28, 2008 at 2:38 PM
how was gpu in general?
iMuslim
October 28, 2008 at 3:17 PM
Ameen @ Organica! MtOFWSYLMLU… umm, did you get that? {grins}
Dr iMuslim… it’s just not right, I tell thee! haha
Osman, there was a reason I didn’t write more about the GPU… that’s because I hardly experienced it! I was only there to film key individuals, rather than cover the event itself. My impression from others I spoke to was that it wasn’t as great as previous years (this was my first time attending). Though it must be said that the organizers did work very hard to put it all together, may Allah reward them, and guide them to what is best for future events; and who other than Allah knows how many people benefited from the weekend, insha’Allah?
Amad
October 28, 2008 at 3:53 PM
Some other thoughts on GPU by Yusuf Smith…
Naima A.
October 28, 2008 at 4:34 PM
Jazakallahu khair iMuslim for posting this.
ibn alHyderabadee
October 28, 2008 at 5:13 PM
masha’Alah, looking pretty smooth in that sherwani….
you been working out?
I guess this talk was pretty much more or less similar to GPU 06
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4529915809587167584&ei=fH0HSZiAD4L8rALYkYn1AQ&q=gpu+06+yasir+qadhi
either way…hope to see it online soon insha’Allah
Nihal Khan
October 28, 2008 at 7:04 PM
That is an AWESOME shirwani :)
bint shan
October 29, 2008 at 10:57 AM
ASA, it says video no longer available. JZK
Abu Ninja
October 29, 2008 at 11:50 AM
A simple question to ask all those who promote and think the GPU is a good thing..
Please remember I am not trying to cause fitna, I am asking this question with sincerity and I dearly love some of the speakers who attended the GPU this year.
Question:
Would the Prophet sallalahu alahi wasalaam and his Companions like Abu Bakr & Umar attend and be pleased with an event which:
– Has free mixing?
– Nasheeds with music?
– Kufaar giving talks?
– Fasiqs [without beards] giving talks? – Remember classical ulamah would not even accept the testimony of a Muslim man who shaved his face.
– People telling lies to make people laugh even though the Prophet forbade this?
Simple question..
If the answer is no, then should we attend and promote it?
Some of my brothers maybe quick to label me an extremist for simply asking this question.. however its a sad state of affairs when the more you try to promote the sunnah of our beloved Prophet or practice the sunnah, you are seen as an extremist or stranger by fellow Muslims.
Well what can I say..
“Glad tidings to the strangers..”
abu abdAllah, the Houstonian
October 29, 2008 at 1:23 PM
bismillah. mashaAllah. one of the prior comments (bint shan) is incorrect, the video is up and running, alhamdolillah. but people may be having trouble for another reason — the whole page downloads very slowly compared to regular MM pages.
were the pics all hi-rez? as much as i like the pictures, perhaps a more normal resolution could be used on the page itself, and the pics could link to full-size-hi-rez versions?
anon
October 29, 2008 at 2:04 PM
abu ninja, i fully agree with you. HOW SAD THAT sh yasir qadhi and muhammad alshareef plus tawfique choudry were there, who cares if you dont agree with music etc you are still there, taking part with the conference, yes you are soley there to promote your institutes, but you know what, there are other way, GPU IS A DISGRACE AND ALOAD OF RUBBISH. GPU HAS NO GOOD.
Abu Ninja
October 29, 2008 at 2:48 PM
Akhee Anon..
I disagree with you when you say GPU has no good. MashaAllah when the people come they do benefit from our brothers like Abu Ammaar, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad alShareef. They go and give dawah, which is vital for the likes of those people who go to the GPU Conference.
So there is some benefit to be gained by those who attend. However, and this is my own personal opinion, that the average Muslims should not attend the likes of these events or support them financially. As personally, in my heart I believe that the likes of GPU and other similar shows/concerts, do not please Allah and His Messenger.
I advise all my brothers & sisters to listen to my brother Kamal el-Makkis excellent talk entitled, ‘The End of Music’ which can be downloaded from MuslimMatters which highlights the issue of nasheed ‘artists’ etc.
Also akhee, we should remember the hadith of the Messenger of Allah,
“Kindness does not enter anything except that it beautifies it, and harshness does not enter anything except that it disfigures it.
Allah knows best.
Abu Ninja
Abeedah
October 29, 2008 at 3:22 PM
May Allah forgive you for that statement.
AmatulWadood
October 29, 2008 at 4:17 PM
Brother i’m not going to answer those questions, but I’m just curious…what right do you have to call someone a faasiq? That’s a very powerful label to call a Muslim. There is no need to reach the extent of calling them faasiqeen…That decision is not up to us. We should make duaa that Allah guides us and them instead. Who knows where our emaan we will be tomorrow, or where theirs will be?
We should be careful in using these terms too loosely.
There is a beautiful lesson we learn from Lut alayhi salaam in surah Shu’ara. Allah ta’ala calls his people faasiqeen.
They said to him:
قَالُوا لَئِنْ لَمْ تَنْتَهِ يَا لُوطُ لَتَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُخْرَجِينَ
They said, if you do not desist (from giving da’wah), O Lut, you will surely be of those evicted! (26:167)
How did Lut alayhi salaam respond? he said:
إِنِّي لِعَمَلِكُمْ مِنَ الْقَالِينَ
Indeed I am towards your deed, of those who detest (it). (26:168)
Remember the status of these people and their description in the Qur’an: disobedient, intoxicated criminals who were destroyed in the worst way by Allah azza wa jal, and Lut alayhi salaam says what…I detest your deeds. He doesn’t say, I detest you, or you disgust me–he doesn’t direct the detestation to them, but to the evil deeds they are committing. SubhanAllah. Here we have a lesson in da’wah and akhlaaq. If he is speaking in such a manner to a people who are not even Muslim, not even near Islam, how should we be speaking to people who live by: la ilaha il Allah?
There was a man at the time of Umar radi Allahu anhu who was an alcoholic and he would constantly be caught and then lashed, and then he would go back and do it again until someone complained to Umar radi Allahu anhu and what did he do? Did he call him a faasiq, kaafir, mufsid? No, rather he radi Allahu anhu sent him a very simple letter only with the 3rd ayah of surah Ghaafir:
غَافِرِ الذَّنبِ وَقَابِلِ التَّوْبِ شَدِيدِ الْعِقَابِ ذِى الطَّوْلِ لاَ إِلَـهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ
The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment, the Bestower. La ilaha ila Huwa, to Him is the final return.
The man then repented and never returned to drinking again.
Maybe I am wrong, and please do correct me if I am….but there is no a need to use such terms to describe our fellow brothers.
wa Allahu ta’ala a’lam.
h. ahmed
October 29, 2008 at 4:20 PM
as salaam alaikum wa rahamatAllahi wa baraktuh
This post was about Shaykh Yasir Qadhi’s talk on Islamophobia. Why must some of us always look to ways to criticize our brothers and sisters for not having the exact same opinions that some of us may hold?
I am certain that the organizers/participants of the likes of GPU and other concerts/shows are JUST as if not MORE sincere than you are to the CONTRARY of what you have said
And Allah (swt) knows best.
ibnabeeomar
October 29, 2008 at 5:13 PM
that’s an important point to remember. another thing i think of is, ok granted there’s some bad stuff happening. but the thing is, no matter what we do/say, they are going to continue having that conference.
with that being the case, isnt it better that the aformentioned speakers attend and at least try to make a positive impact on that crowd? they could just as easily have some super crazy irshad manji types speaking there as well. plus, guys like muhammad alshareef, they arent going to get exposed to a crowd like this. maybe the crowd might like the speaker, and go and start listening to more of their stuff. i think we have to see these events as opportunities for dawah.
it reminds me of the hadith that a person who mixes with the people and puts up with their harms is better…
iMuslim
October 29, 2008 at 7:38 PM
I am the first to agree that GPU could do with a lot of improvements. According to YQ, they used to be a lot more conservative at the beginning… not sure why that changed.
But how many of those who complain about it, actually complain to those who can make a change? I.e., the organisers. And also, how many of those who complain actually go about providing a halal alternative?
It’s never enough to say: “this is bad”. You must follow it up with a way to make the good easy. So, for example, music is bad… what alternative would you suggest? I mean, say less people would attend if there were no nasheed artists invited… how do we keep them coming back? Maybe we could use other forms of permissible entertainment?
That isn’t sarcasm, I am really asking. I am no fan of music either. Plus, my brain hurt even though I was sat outside of the main hall, cos the concert was so loud!
As others have pointed out, there is plenty of good in the GPU, we just need to purify it, insha’Allah. Let’s actually come up with some ideas, rather than just pointing out the problems. This is the fourth year of this particular event, and complaining alone is getting very old… your complaints will be ignored if you don’t make the effort to engage with those whom you hold complaint with, and work with them to provide viable solutions.
I wish I had YQ’s full speech to show you guys, cos it was really helpful in many ways, masha’Allah. I am working on obtaining a copy, insha’Allah. If anyone else gets it first, let me know!
IbnAbbas
October 29, 2008 at 7:41 PM
agree with Abu Ninja. How can you achieve good and expect blessings of Allah by doing something thats not based on the Islamic teachings?
“I am certain that the organizers/participants of the likes of GPU and other concerts/shows are JUST as if not MORE sincere than you are to the CONTRARY of what you have said”
well….SINCERITY is not the only thing needed for an action to be accepted in the sight of Allah. It must also be according to Quran and sunnah.
Yes, its been 4 years since its going on but I havent seen/heard any improvements, but rather its getting worse each year.
ibn alHyderabadee
October 29, 2008 at 7:43 PM
the viodeo form the 06 gpu talk should work
ty again
Abu Ninja
October 29, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Just to clarify some issues for my fellow brothers and sisters, may Allah reward them for their concerns.
Regarding the sister and brother who expressed that I was wrong to use the term fasiq for those men who shave their beards, its important for us to remember that many GREAT classical ulamah of Islam held the opinion that any man who shaves his beard is a fasiq, whose testimony is also not accepted in an Islamic court. Also in our time, many of the major ulamah today, hold the same opinion that a man who shaves his beard is a fasiq, because he is OPENLY transgressing and sinning by shaving. Even Dr. Zakir Naik holds the opinion that any man who shaves his beard is a fasiq. So please my fellow brothers and sisters, let us not get offended when we simply call a spade a spade. Major ulamah of the past and present share the same view regarding the person who openly sins by shaving and are regarded as fasiqs.
A problem is that many people today are trying to present a diluted form of Islam. Where Muslims instantly get offended when you even use the term kafir for a non-Muslim. Subhanallah what Islam is this? One that tries to make concessions to please the disbelievers? Islam is that which our beloved Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalaam taught his Companions, may Allah be pleased with them all.
Secondly to my sister iMuslim, I have actually complained to the organisers of GPU and was given the reply, there are differences of opinions. Subhanallah, really? That is one of the reasons why I posted my questions? Those who say their are differences of opinions and justify the music etc, to ask yourself, would Prophet sallahu alayhi wasalaam and Umar Ibn Khattab be please with the GPU event? Khalaas its a simple as that. The problem is many Muslims know deep down inside the answer to such questions but still try to justify it, due to their diluted understanding of Islam.
As I already stated, it is a good thing that our brothers like Abu Ammar and Muhammad alShareef attend such events, an give dawah to the people. Personally id love for all the teachers from Al Kauthar and Al Maghrib to be be able to attend GPU and events of that nature to give talks, and educate the people.
Islam is not about free mixing and having nasheed concerts all in the name of Islam. It is in fact a dishonor to Islam in my opinion to present the view that such events are Islamic.
Allah knows best.
Abu Ninja
h. ahmed
October 29, 2008 at 9:08 PM
wow, u really think the scholars/organizers/participants do not believe they are acting according the the quran and sunnah?
We need to stop thinking that we are more ‘Islamic’ than another group just because they have a difference of opinion on a matter such as music, beard, free mixing (without any immodesty), etc.
Of course – if we personally believe that shaving is haraam, instrumental music is haraam, or being in a free-mixed environment is haraam – then by all means stay away from it – and u can give personal naseeha to others for the same (i.e. your friends in person, etc.). But as long as it is an issue of fiqh regarding something that is not haraam by the consensus of all scholars, we have no right objecting to it publically.
The event is titled Global Peace and Unity. If anything, lets work for ways to unite our ummah, and bring more Muslims together and not bring up issues to cause disunity and fitnah among people. Especially publicly on such a well read forum.
If you have issues with the event its probably best to contact the organizers and work for solutions with them, rather than criticize such a great event that Shaykh Yasir has praised as “the single largest convention of Muslims in the world”.
And Allah knows best.
anon
October 29, 2008 at 10:36 PM
I’m subscribed to Sheikh Yusuf Estess’ e-mailing list, and he is by far the most enjoyable and oldest speaker at GPU. This is what his e-mail said:
Abeedah
October 30, 2008 at 2:01 AM
Maybe I should’ve clarified as to why I was displeased with that statement. I do understand that legally, according to our ‘uleema a person who shaves would be considered a fasiq. In order for that person to be deemed a fasiq, they would first have to know all the ahadith, etc. and then refuse. The thing is, not many people know the beard is wajib and most people think it’s voluntary sunnah. Let’s make excuses for our brothers and sisters in islam and let us not be of those who point the finger so quickly.
Edit: Sr. AmatulWadood explained it well, mashaAllah.
abu abdAllah, the Houstonian
October 30, 2008 at 2:09 AM
bismillah.
easy answer: because a lot of Muslims are Islamaphobic… towards each other’s submission to Allah.
want the harder to accept answer?
how did groups like the Khawaarij ever get any of the traction they did get among Muslims? by appealing to pseudo-lofty aspirations of everyday Muslims. what were the reports during the time of Usman, radi Allaho anho? those people (among whom would eventually be the cursed assassins of Usman) fasted better than any person ever seemed to fast, they seemed to have more khushoo in salat than any other person, etc., etc. — they “excelled” in so many outwardly visible characteristics.
how do we know that their outward submission to Allah was undone by an inner rejection of Islam? doh! they assassinated Usman! despite the subsequent divisions among the sahaba — and nothing at GPU even deserves to be on stage with that fitnah — these Khawaarij, these supremely self-righteous men, they thought they could pass judgment on the companions of Muhammad sull Allaho alayhi wa sallam!
and among their self-deluded army were Muslims. i know that because history testifies that before the battle between the army of the self-deluded and the army of the sahaba, an emissary from those noble men convinced many of the former to return to the fold of Islam. and then the battle took place, and Allah gave victory to the Muslims.
the hardest part of this answer is that you have to ask yourself how Muslims ever ended up there — in the army of the khawaarij, having to listen to a sahabi remind them what it means to be a Muslim. and you have to, in my opinion, always be willing to ask yourself whether you’re ignoring the right advice and listening to the wrong advice. ask yourself — if, and i thank Allah for having saved me and you from that fitnah, if we had been in that evil camp, would you (or I) have had the courage to accept the truth and return to the Muslims?
inshaAllah, you and i will always challenge ourselves to submit fully to Allah. never assuming we have done enough in our submission. and i honestly believe that one of the mistakes of the Muslims who drifted into the Khawaarij camp is that they forgot the lesson from the hadith of Salmaan al Farisi and Abu Darr (was it Abu Darda?, may Allah forgive me for getting them mixed up so easily — radi Allaho anhum) — Salmaan guided his brother to what was better for him, to what pleased Allah more, to what the Prophet sull Allaho alayhi wa sallam endorsed. to what? to extra fasts? to extra-long qiyaam? to self-deprivation/isolation/khulwah?
no, none of those things was as good as participation in the life of his family and community. balance. such a simple word, mashaAllah. we’re in the middle of Nouman’s class, alhamdolillah (not alaa kulli haal, because the Decree of Allah is that all things must end, and I pray that He finds me happy with His Decree in all matters), and i would guess that there is much beauty expressed by “balance” in Arabic.
any mistake in this comment — including its excessive length — is mine, and mine alone. and any good of it is from Allah. i thank Him for His Patience with me, and i pray for me and for all of you that He will make every day of our lives from here to their Decreed ends a day of growing closer to Him. and i thank Him, too, for my teachers. O Allah, increase them and me in ‘ilman naafiyan, rizqan tayyiban, and amalan mutaqabbalan. ameen.
Abu Ninja
October 30, 2008 at 3:12 AM
h. ahmed said,
Actually akhee, I heard Shaikh Tawfique mention that music is haraam by ijma (consensus). An any scholar who has said that music is allowed in Islam has actually gone against the ijma of the Sahabah, Tabi’een and the Atba-Tabi’een.
Secondly akh, the principle you mentioned that you are not allowed to publicly object to any opinion which does not have the consensus of the scholars. I would just like to know akh, who has proceeded you on this? Which scholars hold this opinion? Im genuinely asking akhee as this is the first time in my life I have heard this opinion. An according to my knowledge, such an opinion has no basis in the deen.
Allah knows best.
Abu Ninja
Ahmad AlFarsi
October 30, 2008 at 9:24 AM
I thought that free-mixing IS haram by unanimous consensus of the ulama. Anyone have proof otherwise?
As for music, I think any lay-person, who is not a dhahiri (does not follow the dhahiri madhhab), who thinks it is a legitimate fiqhi difference is either ignorant about what constitutes a legitimate difference of opinion, or simply fooling themselves.
That being said… I did not mean to apply what I just said to GPU. InshaAllah, I pray that the good in GPU outweighs the bad of it.
Ahmad AlFarsi
October 30, 2008 at 9:33 AM
akhi, Abu AbdAllah, correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe it technically was not the khawarij who assassinated Usman, radhiAllahu anhu. Rather, it was those who were termed the “ahl ul-fitnah”, who were ideological predecessors of both the Shia and the Khawarij (who ended up going to opposite extremes of one another). Both the Shia and the Khawarij did not really surface until the rule of Ali, radhiAllahu anhu. This is my understanding from what I have studied of the fitnah which afflicted the early ummah. wa Allahu a’lam.
However, the khawarij DID try to assassinate Ali, Mu’awiyyah, and ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas, radhiAllahu ‘anhum. So technically, your point is even further emphasized since they attempted a triple-murder against three sahaabah (and actually did murder Ali, radhiAllahu anhu, as I recall).
Qas
October 30, 2008 at 10:03 AM
Average muslims are not going to this event bro. They are going to rock concerts, clubs, bars, etc. These kinds of events are FAAAR from their minds.
Abu Umar
October 30, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Returning to the theme of Islamophobia Scott Horton has a good piece on Palestinian-American academic Dr. Rashid Khalidi, the latest victim of McCain\Palin smear campaign against Obama: “The New McCarthyism.” Be sure to read the article and show support for Dr. Rashid Khalidi by buying his books (which are excellent by the way).
Abu Umar
October 30, 2008 at 1:29 PM
Dr. Juan Cole also has an excellent piece on Dr. Rashid Khalidi: “McCain Racism, Hypocrisy on Khalidi Issue.”
h. ahmed
October 30, 2008 at 3:57 PM
as salaam alaikum
In response to the following:
and
There is one thing disagreeing with holding the opinion of music being haraam – but there is another when adding that those who disagree with this opinion are fooling themselves or ignorant. Is that really necessary??
Here are some opinions allowing music (and instruments):
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503544202
http://www.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?pagename=IslamOnline-English-Ask_Scholar/FatwaE/FatwaE&cid=1119503545728
there are also scholars such as shaykh abdallah adhami, yusuf qardawi, and others who have publicly said music is allowed. And other scholars like Imam Siraj Wahaj and Dr. Ingrid Mattson who have appeared on popular Muslim CD’s of that of Outlandish and Native Deen, for example. They obviously wouldnt have appeared on the CDs if they thought the music was haraam.
also i would like to recommend the following article:
http://www.hahmed.com/docs/music_question_faith.pdf
again – im not saying that this opinion of music is more valid than the opinion that says music is haraam. Im just stating that a difference of opinion does exist among scholars! . I do not want this to turn into a debate regarding this issue.
and as far as the principle i mentioned earlier, the complete terms are as follows:
COnditions to publicly object to something
1. You have to know that what you are objecting is haraam by consensus of all scholars
2. You have to know that objecting to the thing is not going to bring about a greater harm
3. You have to believe that there is benefit in you objecting to it
And Allah knows best.
Ahmad AlFarsi
October 30, 2008 at 5:22 PM
note that i said lay people, who do not follow the dhahiri madhhab (the only madhhab which has ever allowed music), would be wrong to think this is a legitimate opinion. I specifically did not condemn scholars.
However, I believe quite firmly that it is not a legitimate difference of opinion. MuslimMatters has posted a piece by Sh. Haitham Al-Haddad stating why this difference is not legitimate and why IT SHOULD BE publicly condemned. See this post:
A Simple Matter of Disagreement?
Abu Ninja
October 30, 2008 at 5:30 PM
Akhee h. ahmed.. you missed my point entirely.. if you read what I wrote again you will see that I already acknowledged that there are scholars who say that music is allowed in Islam.. HOWEVER as I mentioned.. those scholars who actually allow music actually appose the consensus of the Sahabah, Tabi’een and Atba-Tabi’een. They are going against ijma!
Akh you also didn’t present any evidence for this strange principle you mentioned, that you are not allowed to publicly object to any opinion which does not have consensus of the scholars. Rather you instead just merely listed more conditions. I asked you akh:
1. Which scholars have preceded you on this principle?
2. Which scholars hold the opinion that such a principle is allowed in Islam?
Also akh, what is the evidence that justifies this strange principle you mentioned? Maybe akh, an this is just naseeah to you as your brother, you should actually go an sit with ulamah.
Its unusual how we have so many Muslims today who you see following their desires and following weak opinions, when the stronger evidence is – c l e a r l y – against their da’eef views.
Allah knows best.
h. ahmed
October 30, 2008 at 6:17 PM
as salaam alaikum wa rahmatAllah
I am just sharing a viewpoint. Obviously it disagrees with the article posted by Sh. Haitham Al-Haddad. My only defense is that Sh. Haitham is not any more authoritative than any of the other scholars that i have linked earlier and their opnions. And arent all those scholars and sources i provided ( there are many others) part of the ijma?
At this forum, I am not taking a stance either way (of either opinion) . I just wanted to present that other differing opinion.
This is the kind of rhetoric that i believe is unnecessary. Who are you- or we- or any one else here to say that the scholars who take a differing opinion are following their desires or weak opinions. They have their reasons for their opinions and they should be respected for it. That is all I am saying.
Is it not far more unusual how we have so many Muslims today who do not pray, do not fast, drink alcohol, have premarital relations, etc. let alone even feel comfortable at Muslim gatherings, masjids, etc. These Muslims are only following their nafs and desires. My only point by this is that instead of condemning Islamic events for having music or non-bearded speakers , (I am not defending music, or that men are allowed to shave), that we as a community need to be more inclusive of our brethren – and look for ways to unite more Muslims – rather than look for ways to divide us . Then individually, these positive changes (beards, stay away from music, [if u truly believe that] etc.) will come from within from one’s own stronger Iman and conviction to following the shariah.
As far as the source of the principle I shared earlier. I actually took those from my notes at a recent event I attended (by a reputable scholar) – and unfortunately i did not jot down the source. If i come across it I will share it iA. I sincerely apologize for the lack of source.
And of course – Allah (swt) knows best.
Abu Ninja
October 30, 2008 at 7:03 PM
No worries akhee, however could you please tell us the name of this reputable scholar who holds the opinion of the principle you mentioned?
Also akhee I think you me be a little confused as to what ijma actually is, ands its authoritative status in the deen of Islam.
Shaikh Tawfique has an excellent course MashaAllah called ‘ The Chronicles of the Shariah.’ I would highly recommend all my fellow brothers and sisters to attend it, as it hugely beneficial Allhamdulillah. It covers issues such as, Taqleed, Madhabs, as well as the issue of ijma in great detail.
IbnAbbas
October 30, 2008 at 7:38 PM
Assalaamu a’laikum
Yes, I know many shayyokhs attend the event but its not necessarily that the same shayyokhs agree with what goes on in the event. They only attend bcoz they can benefit the people and their presence at the GUP carries more weight than the lesser evil of music, free-mixing etc.
As far as I know, after contacting the organisors many times, no scholar is part of what goes behind the scene. They have never given a justifiable reason or mentioned anything about a scholars’ opinion backing up what they’re doing.
Abu Umar
October 31, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Glenn Greenwald on the vicious smear campaign against Dr. Rashid Khalidi: “Defeating McCain: ending not only neocon policies, but also tactics.”