Salam Shaykh Webb,

I know this article is a couple years old, not sure you’ll have time to respond.

I was wondering this as well, its something that kind of has been in the back of my head, similar to what Dawood said. Which is like, you were making an analogy that working in corporate America/professional fields is a blessing, cuz similarly thats how islam spread back in the days like in Iraq for example…

But at the same time, what if those companies you are working for and directly/indirectly contributing to mass oppression in Muslim countries? Worldwide riba, etc. Of course Islam is an understanding religion and we can’t be hermits, but same time always wondered about this.

Back in the days, I’m (assuming) those places the early Companions went, were not trying to destabilize their own home countries…by being cogs in the wheel aren’t we contributing in some way to our own civilizations demise (not that I exactly view it in a ‘the clash of civilizations’ manner.

Would appreciate some guidance as I feel the inferiority complex which you speak of (if I understood it correctly, feeling alienated from society due to trying to guard oneself from the fitnah)

Thank you for the wonderful website.

I mean, when you get tested more, sometimes you’re not going to score well all the time, but that’s how you’re going to move up to the next grade, you know. Like in school. But that should be ok. You get nowhere if you only take first grade tests your whole life. Right?

Alhamdulillah.

Well, you know a wannabe student of knowledge like me will always ask for more ilm.

Jazaka Allahu khayran for everything.

-Dawud

Dawoud:

Asalamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Again it seems that you are not in touch with many things that are happening on the ground nor have taken a fair look at the body of work many students and scholars are putting out?

-Jihad (thereby indirectly encouraging terrorism…)
A number of concepts from Hijrah to misundestood texts (dar al-Harb and so on) are found here on this site, the Ilm Fest this year dealt with this topic directly, over the last 4 years I recorded a total of around 10 hours of material, presented in front of a large number of Muslims in three different states addressing this and I know that Imam Zaid and others, Dr. Jackson, have as well. We are planning on translating some current fatwa on this in the future.
-Zuhd and Poverty (the undeniable type in early Islam)
It was dealt with in this article below and, unless your forgot, a lecture I did based on the work of Ibn ‘Attaullah that you praised, and more recently 2 series of free lectures given here: Muhasibi’s text (7 hours) as well as Ibn al-Qayim’s ighthat Lafhan. Last year I read Muhasibi’s text in almost every halaqa I taught in Egypt.

For the correct understanding of zuhd see Ibn al-Qayyims madarij al-salikin as well as muhasib’s text mentioned above.

-Ahlul Bayt
You got me on that one. Although I did series on Mothers of the Believers a few years ago, I know that a number of sheikhs have talked about this and witnessed this while back in the states.

One thing to remember is that it is always easy to point the finger at others. Know that none of us can handle everything. Perhaps you should take up these important ideas, develope them and work to increase people’s unerstandings?

SDW

SDW: My mistake, I thought it was written. Should’ve picked up on that, since Part II sounded much like an old talk of yours.

Tbh, I don’t really have a conclusion. I’m just wondering…

My question is basically, just asking about how can the poverty, abandonment of the dunya Sahabas like Abu Dharr al-Ghifari willingly preferred, can be achieved in North America? If you could perhaps address that in the future it would be nice, since this is simply something I am wondering about. You could maybe address it here: http://forums.almaghrib.org/showthread.php?t=38503

3 things our shaykhs rarely ever talk about:
-Jihad (thereby indirectly encouraging terrorism…)
-Zuhd and Poverty (the undeniable type in early Islam)
-Ahlul Bayt

There could be many reasons why they don’t…but they are major themes in our religion that get very limited discussion- if none at all.

-Dawud

wa alaykum al-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Dear Dawood:

I’m saddened to see someone like yourself rushing to such conclusions. I’m not sure how much, and how well, you read the post? It was not written, as you noted above, nor was it given overseas. It was a speech given in the heart of San Jose, Ca.

I would encourage to read it again, along with part two, and then provide your feedback. I can say without any doubt that you have not understood what was said.

Yours,
SDW

Assalamualaikum bro,

I’m waiting for the Sheikh’s reply to this but was curious what part “[sent] the message there is nothing wrong with piling up wealth and anyone who would try to escape this, well, they are just plain crazy”?

I read this and it didn’t sit well with me. I think at mainly you were talking to Middle Eastern mentality, the messed up free-loader mentality in poverty stricken Muslim countries, and generally speaking to the masses of Muslims. So I can understand the audience you wrote it for, but I have some concerns and questions:

Is Zuhd in Corporate America possible? Is it only possible, as the slant of this article states, when you have wealth? What exactly is faqr? I don’t fully understand asceticism but I wonder…did it ever exist in North America? Does it still? Are we better off being rich and thereby trying to improve the image of Islam by pursuing media control? How does that compare to other rich Muslim communities in the ummah, now and in the past?

Overall, this seems to be sending the message there is nothing wrong with piling up wealth and anyone who would try to escape this, well, they are just plain crazy. This seems really biased, and I recognized too many of the narrations, quotes and references, because I’ve heard them from other American speakers, and that makes me concerned collectively, the shaykhs seem to call to the pursuit of the dunya. From the little I know, extreme poverty is not encouraged, such as begging, but zuhd and poverty is encouraged enough to be sufficient for one’s bodily rights and rights the family has upon oneself, i.e. searching for work and pay day to day, and not exceeding that should on day and it be a cause of trial on Yawmul Qiyamah for it.

So returning to my main question:
How can we achieve the reality of zuhd nowadays? Especially considering the make-up of our society and how the economy and employment works…? Labor work comes to mind, yet most Muslims today are educated, professionals…All to often we hear comments about moderation and not going to the extreme, and also of how zuhd is in the heart, one can have it without enduring poverty but I wonder how much pushing this line of thinking is just an excuse poised by shaytan’s whispers?

P.S. I’m also irked about you encouraging “corporate america” because that is what has resulted in the military-industrial complex that fuels American oppression overseas, the prison-industrial complex which fuels racism, crime and inequities in the system, economic problems, etc. but thats a different discussion for another time.