Seeing Advantages in Disadvantages

Transcript of the Talk delivered by Dr. Munawar Haque on Dec 8, 2018 on occasion of the Seerah Conference at AMDA

الحمد لله رب العالمين والصلاة والسلام على سيد المرسلين وعلى آله وأصحابه أجمعين

Assalamu alaikum everyone,

The topic I have been asked to speak on is: “Seeing Advantages in Disadvantages.” This basically has to do with having a positive attitude.  Out of the many factors that contributed to the revolution that established Islam as a way of life is our beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s demonstration of positivity under the most difficult and adverse conditions and circumstances. Positivity is what our religion teaches. Positivity is what our deen emphasizes.

The Prophet (SAW) was a master of positivity. In all his actions, he would radiate a positivity that transformed those around him. His ever-beaming smile would display optimism. He advised us to be hopeful and to be optimist, and not to lose hope and become pessimist. His sayings focus on positive attitude, behavior and action, and help us to be productive in all circumstances. He used to say:

بَشِّرُوا وَلاَ تُنَفِّرُوا وَيَسِّرُوا وَلاَ تُعَسِّرُوا

“Give glad tidings, and do not scare people away. Make things easy, and do not make things difficult.”  

Following the Prophet’s example, how should we, as Muslims living in the West, respond to the ever-growing challenges that we face in present day America and how do we cash in on the opportunities available to us?  How do we confront bigotry, racial discrimination and Islamophobia positively with tolerance and understanding and bring these things that are apparently to our disadvantage to work for our advantage? Let’s take Islamophobia for instance. Islamophobia reflects a social anxiety toward Islam and Muslim cultures. Generally, because of this the Muslim community across America is in a state of anxiety and despair.

Islamophobia often leads to violations of Muslims’ civil rights. Muslim advocacy groups such as the Muslim Legal Fund of America (MLFA) and Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) are among the leading organizations in the country addressing this issue.

You know, Satan breeds on fear. He wants us to be afraid of our neighbors, of our colleagues at the workplace, and for our kids at school.  This fear is somewhat real but more perceived. Allah asks us and reminds us not to be afraid of anything but Him. It’s okay to be vigilant and careful, but try to remind yourself and your family to put their trust in Allah, for Allah says,

فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي

“Do not fear them; fear Me.” (al-Baqarah, 2:150). 

We should not let the feelings of fear, pain, and anxieties obstruct us from doing good, establishing justice, and getting civically engaged. Allah’s plan is far better than anyone else’s plan.

 وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ

“And they plan and Allah plans, but Allah is Best of the ones who plan.” (al-Anfal, 8:30). The Qur’an reminds us: 

وَعَسَى أَنْ تَكْرَهُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكُمْ وَعَسَى أَنْ تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ لَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنْتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

“And it may be that you dislike a thing and it may (turn out to) be good for you. And it may be that you like a thing and it may (turn out to) be evil for you. Allah knows and you don’t know” (al-Baqarah, 2:216).

During the lifetime of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), when the adversaries of Islam began to see that their own family members had started to enter into the fold of Islam, they launched a malicious campaign to distort Islam and its teachings. Through misinformation and propaganda, they attempted to portray the Prophet of Islam as a poet, a magician, and a soothsayer just to build up a public opinion against him. They called him majnoon, meaning an insane person, and brought false accusations against him claiming that the Qur’an was taught to him and dictated to him by some human being.  They also said that the Qur’an was just fables of the ancients, and that it was an invented lie.  

These adversaries of Islam strived to create conditions that people would begin to accept anything said about the Prophet (SAW) and the Qur’an without independent judgment. All this was done to discredit him and his teachings. Islamophobia is also a deliberate effort to make people begin to have an unfounded fear of and hatred towards Islam and Muslims. It is interesting to know that most of the people who fall into the trap of Islamophobia or who have no true knowledge of Islam have probably never met a Muslim. Many Americans actually believe that Allah is a moon God – a different God than theirs, and that Muslims are required to kill non-Muslims. Such lies, myths, and misconceptions have to be corrected through proper education.

In a post-9/11 world, many Americans merge the mainstream Muslim majority with the beliefs and actions of an extremist minority. The beliefs and actions of the self-proclaimed ISIS or the ‘Islamic State of Iraq and Syria’ are fundamentally against the teachings of Islam. Typically, stereotypes depict Muslims as opposed to the West. But what do the world’s Muslims think about the West, or about democracy, or about extremism itself? A book called Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think authored by John Esposito and Dalia Mogahed is the product of a six-year study (2001 to 2007) in which the survey conducted by the Gallup Organization gives the views of 90% of the Muslim world.  

Contrary to the stereotype, most of the Muslims polled did not indicate that they hate the western way of life or its freedom. On the contrary, they admire the freedom of the press, freedom of speech, rule of law and technological advances of the West. This does not mean, however, that they want to ape the West in all aspects; particularly in the areas of family values and attitudes toward sex. Many Muslims voiced concern about the West's moral decay and the breakdown of traditional values. Interestingly enough, Americans voiced similar concerns. 

How did the Prophet (SAW) face up to the campaign of distortions during his Prophetic mission? Although he was on the receiving end, he took everything that was thrown at him and kept his spirits high. He did not react angrily, as do those people who are easily agitated when they are provoked and start trading insults with the opposite side. He was calm and collected in all his exchanges with the adversaries of Islam.

Within the Muslim community, with its long history, there are several instances where we have gone through a lot of persecution. The Prophet Muhammad (SAW) himself faced life and death situations in the early days of his mission. He and his companions were faced with the trials of being a minority within a city that hated Islam and Muslims. Yet, they overcame all obstacles, and showed the beauty of Islam to the masses. We have to work hard, be patient, and trust in Allah.

Let us also remember, that Allah does nothing in vain. Our being Muslim at this critical juncture in history is not without purpose. Our existence here is part of a divine plan, and the deeper our understanding of that plan, the deeper our realization of the tremendous responsibility we shoulder. Our situation presents us with overwhelming challenges. However, if we take up those challenges with even a fraction of the courage, determination, vision, and patience that Muhammad (SAW) displayed throughout his life, we may be blessed to change the course of history. We just need to be sincere, work in earnest, and have full faith and trust in Allah (SWT). 

We should know that there are numerous sincere people in our society among atheists, agnostics, humanists, and followers of other religions and belief systems who are in search of truth. The negative stereotypes and vicious propaganda against Islam and Muslims have dramatically brought Islam into limelight. People have become curious about Islam. They want to learn about Islam. And what is the outcome?  Besides a multitude of ordinary people, numerous elite among those who are in search of truth including clerics, judges, scientists, doctors, scholars, politicians, academicians, journalists, professionals, technocrats, artists, athletes, and celebrities have embraced Islam, and are continuing to do so. You have just to read their stories to know how they were captivated by the truth of Islam. There are hundreds and thousands of such stories published in the print and the electronic media.

 What are some of the positive ways to combat Islamophobia so as to see opportunities in an apparently disadvantageous position? Since Islamophobia is based on ignorance, education about Islam and Muslims is one of the most potent weapons against it. Educating our brothers and sisters in humanity about Muslims and their faith gives them an opportunity to interact with a Muslim face-to-face, often for the first time.

Interfaith allies are a key to improving Muslims’ standing in the U.S. Many people of various faiths have come out in support of Muslims, particularly when Muslims are under attack. The steps they have taken include: Organizing multi-faith vigils around mosques. publishing articles and letters in support of Muslims, holding counter-protests against Islamophobic demonstrations, encouraging congregants to visit mosques and build relationships with Muslims, welcoming Muslims into interfaith organizations and events, and so on.

A number of national organizations exist specifically to build solidarity between Muslims and people of other faith traditions. Multifaith encounters bring Muslims and people of other faiths together to build interreligious understanding and respect. Many mosques also engage in interfaith outreach. Open houses and interfaith iftars have become popular ways of reaching out to neighbors of different faiths and have met with great response. Much is being done by both Muslims and their allies to combat Islamophobia, but more needs to be done.

The Prophet (SAW) once said to Abdullah Ibn Abbas (RA), “Young man, I will teach you some words. Be mindful of Allah, and He will take care of you. Be mindful of Him, and you shall find Him at your side. If you ask, ask of Allah. If you need help, seek it from Allah. Know that if the whole world were to gather together in order to help you; they would not be able to help you except if Allah had written so. And if the whole world were to gather together in order to harm you, they would not harm you except if Allah had written so…”

This should be our attitude. There is no need to panic. We need to move beyond the cycle of panicked reactions to a crisis, and begin working more systematically to address issues concerning us and our fellow citizens. We should never feel that we are somehow less American or feel shy about our faith or identity. Muslims have made so much progress in academics, sports, politics, media, and professional fields. We should not downplay how far we have come. We should never ever underestimate our potential. Allah (SWT) has provided us with ample opportunities to prove who we are. We have just to cash in on them.

The diversity of our country is what makes it beautiful and strong. Just as we are feeling the pain and anxiety, so are other minority groups. We must reach out to them and give them comfort. We are taught to be caretakers of the earth and must ensure we are taking care of one another. We are in the battle of ideas – not a physical battle – but one of fighting racism and discrimination. Just as the Prophet (SAW) rallied his forces to meet the forces that were against Islam and Muslims, we have to rally to meet the forces of hatred and bigotry, head on; as a community, and we must do this through openness and dialogue.

We hope that we will be the agents of positive change, improving our state of affairs, eradicating hate and fostering love in the hearts of our fellow Americans.

ادْفَعْ بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ فَإِذَا الَّذِي بَيْنَكَ وَبَيْنَهُ عَدَاوَةٌ كَأَنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيمٌ

“Repel evil with what is better; then you will see that one who was once your enemy has become your dearest friend.” (Fussilat, 41:34)

We must work hard to make Islam relevant and a solution to the challenges our nation faces by making a moral commitment to oppose injustices that happen to any citizen regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, or political affiliation.  We should show empathy, love, and compassion to one another in these tense times.

Regardless of how easy or difficult our situation is today, it won’t last long. Through the grand depictions of paradise and hellfire, Allah encourages us to have a futuristic vision so that our focus is on the bigger picture. We have to positively transform our lives so that after having lived for a limited and appointed time in this world, we achieve salvation in the hereafter—our ultimate destination.

May Allah help us, bless us, and protect us all. May Allah bless America and the entire humanity; ameen.

• Prev
• Next