A country’s capital rarely represents it.

Google a map of Turkey and while you’re at it, Google a map of the regions of Turkey that voted AKP. Here’s a little help:

http://www.iha.com.tr/iste-2014-yerel-secim-sonuclari-gundem-344902

Results are early but Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi (CHP), the Kemalist “Republican People’s Party”, won only 13 out of 81 provinces. AKP won a whopping 49 of 81 provinces between the 5 major parties running, AKP, CHP, BTP, MHP and BDP.

Istanbul, a Western tourist hub and Turkey’s unofficial de facto capital (Ankara is the official capital), may be what the Kemalists would like you to think represents the whole of Turkey, but the rest of the country is far more conservative and, in many cases, rural. Likewise, there’s more to Egypt than Cairo. The rest of Egypt is much more conservative than Cairo and their political stances are a lot less black and white than the news outlets may find sensational enough to report on. There’s more to Afghanistan than Kabul. The rest of Afghanistan is fiercely conservative and, regardless of what we think of the Taliban, they preferred them over any other alternative. They didn’t like them (nor do I), but they weren’t kidnapping their women and children like the warlords we’ve been supporting have done over the past 30 years. These are just two examples of how our media misguides us by presenting a small, often affluent, sliver of society in another country to spuriously represent the whole.

Nonetheless, the Kemalists’ CHP lost Istanbul to Erdoğan‘s AKP. Ouch.

“It doesn’t matter that our leaders are corrupt. YOURS better not be!”

This is patently absurd and ridiculous. We have presidents guilty of, and getting away with, impeachable offenses. We have a president who has presided over the NSA hijacking your smartphone camera and watching you take a shower as it rests on the counter. Yet, Erdoğan blocks YouTube and Twitter and we act like he committed genocide against peace loving Ewoks. Yes, blocking Twitter and YouTube was utterly stupid and a travesty for any free democratic society, but let’s look at our own government and put things into perspective. We Americans have perfected double standards and hypocrisy into an Olympic sport.

Democracy is when a society elects their leaders. It is not when a society elects leaders that America approves of.

Recent reports (concurring with reports trickling out since July of last year) indicate that we were the ones who funded the Tamarod protests in Egypt last year in the first place. Someone find that “Shut up your mouse, Obama” woman and let her know that Obama’s mouse is actually her friend.

So you can imagine what other “revolutions” we have orchestrated. As if the laundry list of democratically elected governments we overthrew covertly isn’t bad enough as it is. These recent reports support my personal theory, which I held from the beginning, that this farcical so-called “Arab Spring” is totally a concoction of our own intelligence agencies. The Arabs are simply incapable of pulling off something like that on their own. Hopefully, one day they will be without foreign manipulation but they definitely aren’t capable of it in their current socio-political condition.

What this all points to is that America needs to focus a whole lot more on interests within her own borders which have been morosely neglected. Our economy, employment, healthcare, crime, vice, social services, civil and constitutional rights are not in any state that we should even be involved in the affairs of any other nation that doesn’t directly impact us. We just don’t have the bandwidth for board games of global domination.

This is somewhat related to a serious issue that impacts the entire region. From the bungled and baseless war in Iraq to our covert ops orchestrating government overthrows in Egypt (successful) and Turkey (failure) we need to look at whom Erdoğan has been speaking out against and who has been behind each and every one of these overseas operations that are in no interest of the American people. Israel. Recipient of THREE FREAKING BILLION DOLLARS A YEAR of our American tax dollars. If they are “God’s chosen people” —who happen to have an undisclosed and unofficial nuclear arsenal that at up to 400 warheads would make them the third largest nuclear power in the world after the USA and Russia— they’ll do just fine without us. If they’re in danger after we cut the umbilical cord then maybe they’re not “God’s chosen people”. Maybe they’re just like the rest of us. And maybe, like the rest of us, they need to take care of themselves now and the entire planet shouldn’t be subject to their interests. Maybe the future of Turkey, and the rest of the world, shouldn’t need to conform to what makes Israel comfortable. Think about it and don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t change it.

A call to balance. Let’s see things in color.

What the Sisi-Morsi debacle in Egypt and the controversies surrounding Erdoğan’s strong-man politics have shown us is that practicing Muslims don’t always support Islamist parties and Secular-leaning parties often have practicing Muslims amongst their supporters. Yet again, we see that the motivations and proclivities of the masses are never as black and white as we are led to believe by an increasingly sensationalist media. Everyone loves The Godfather and Scarface, and loves to see that “tough guy” image in our leaders. But, hello?! Do you remember the end of Scarface? Tony Montana didn’t exactly sail off into the sunset with his little friend. Such attitudes rarely bode any better for politicians. We can’t protest Sisi massacring his people while remaining silent on Erdoğan refusing to address evidences of corruption and doing outlandishly bad things like banning YouTube, Twitter and Facebook to follow. Sure, Erdoğan stopping the Turks from Tweeting pictures of totally awesome Baklava isn’t as bad as Sisi handing out the largest mass death sentence in the history of every civilization of the galaxy, but injustice even on the smallest scale requires outrage from us regardless of how small and regardless of how wronged we, or those we sympathize with, have been. Heed this divine reminder:

“O People of Faith! Be those who stand up for justice, witnessing for God, even if it be against your own selves, your parents or your near and dear. Whether they be rich or poor, God is best a protector over both of them the same. So do not follow your own desires when meting out justice. For if you swerve or falter in that, know that God is most acquainted with what you do.” [The Qur’an 4:135]

Ibn Jarīr al-Tabariī relates in his exegesis of the Qur’an that Ibn `Abbās explained this verse thus:

“God commanded that they speak the truth even if it be against themselves, their fathers, or their sons. The rich are not to be preferred for their wealth, nor are the poor to be excused for their poverty.”

Note in particular “The rich are not to be preferred for their wealth, nor are the poor to be excused for their poverty”. From that, a breakdown can be deduced: Those with the advantage are not to be esteemed for their advantage and those without advantage are not to be excused for their disadvantage. Those in power shouldn’t be blindly respected and adored simply for virtue of being in power and the underdog should never be excused when he overcomes his oppressor, gets in power and then starts to betray justice or, worse, starts taking revenge.

Erdoğan, the world is watching you; but that pales to the fact that, above all, the Lord of the Worlds is watching you even closer. You can be the greatest leader the Muslim world has seen since the Ottomans whom you repeatedly invoke, or you can fall just like them when they lost their way. Which end of their history you resemble is up to you.

I am described as a dynamic, assertive, energetic woman. As a teenager, I did not necessarily want Islam to be a piece of my rambunctious identity. I was loud, crazy and fun and I saw piety and religiosity as opposite my most prized traits. At fourteen, my family decided we would visit Mecca for a holy pilgrimage. I was apprehensive; I feared that such a visit might make me somehow devout and that was the last adjective I wanted to use when describing myself. But going to Mecca was everything I never knew I needed. Seeing the Ka`bah transformed my life. And in an effort to maintain a connection with the Divine once I had returned back to high school, I began reading the Qur’an in the English translation.

Reading the Qur’an in the English translation changed me. The more I connected with it, the more I realized I had been blessed with my dynamic qualities so that I could channel them for His Sake by giving speeches and being involved with leadership and community activism. I became the student body president of my public high school and received an award of Student of the Year, presented by previous Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. I was involved in leadership activities with an ever-present hope of helping my greater society understand the beauty of Islam and the empowerment of Muslim women. I had been wearing hijab but now I began wearing it fully and taking pride in it as a symbol of my liberation. I experienced a newfound passion to study Islam because of the empowering message I experienced from the Qur’an, to me as a female, and I wanted all to know that Muslim women are truly liberated.

And so, I began to study. I started taking Islamic classes constantly. The classes I took were mainly from one particular type of methodology and they specified that they were the only authentic source of knowledge. I thus started shunning information from sources other than those I assumed were specifically approved by this outlook. I also started taking private classes with those I considered to be the most virtuous Muslim women. What I did not realize, however, is that I was associating religious understanding with rigidity. Those who were the strictest, I had decided, had to be the most pious. From these sources, I began to learn things I had never heard before, amongst which was that a Muslim woman should not really leave the home ((The way I was introduced to the concept of ‘and stay in your homes’ (Ahzab) was one in which leaving the house for any reason other than strict necessity was inappropriate. So for example, getting together with other sisters for lunch was not taught as commendable because it was not out of strict necessity. The concept of a Muslim woman’s haven being her home is present in our text but sometimes misunderstood in the way it is taught and often practiced. It is not a black and white issue, as it is often taught. My statement is not in reference to the women who choose the hardest job in the world and become stay-at-home moms, nor is it in reference to women who nobly choose to be housewives and focus on maintaining her home. This is not the place for further fiqh discussion on this matter, but I did want to make sure to clarify in case there may be confusion by readers. We pray to discuss this issue in a future article.)) and that women should not be outspoken, particularly in front of men.

The more I learned, the more I changed. I was no longer the energetic, excitable woman who shared her love of Islam with all those around her. Instead, I became insecure. I thought that God had not blessed me with all of my qualities so that I could help people around me see the beauty of Islam; I worried that God had given me these qualities to test me in life, to see how much of it I could contain, how much of it I could ensure would never be seen in public. I wrongfully realized this was one of my biggest tests; hiding who I really was so that I could become what Islam really wanted from me as a Muslim woman.

I also learned, over and over, that I was a fitna (temptation, test) for men. Muslim women who I thought were very reverent came to me to tell me I should cover my face, lest men have distracting thoughts because of my existence (this was to be in addition to the large jilbab (long body covering) I wore and the scarf which went past my torso and already covered much of my face). ((Note: I absolutely understand and respect women who choose to wear niqab (face covering) as a means of coming closer to God, as following the footsteps of the Mothers of the Believers (May God be pleased with them), or as the fulfillment of an obligation. My personal experience should not be taken as a generalized reason for which women wear niqab or other outer garments.)) With this newfound realization that I could possibly be the reason a man commits a sinful thought and that men and women should not speak unless out of absolute necessity, I stopped speaking to men as much as possible (including simply greeting my own male relatives, those who had raised me, who were not blood-related). Whereas I used to politely greet the men I would see on a daily basis at school, in classes or the security guards in the library, in an effort to help them see the beauty of Islam’s kind interactions, I now limited my speech to only what was absolutely necessary, and a greeting was not one of them. I was the President of the Muslim Students Association at my University because no other male or female would accept the role, so I tried my best to be as brief and mechanical as possible when having to communicate with men. I tried to cover my face as much as possible, a task that proved difficult because my mom, a strong woman, was shocked at my sudden transformation and feared I was completely changing who I was without understanding its consequences.

Her observations of me, those shared by my father and those who had known me since childhood, were of deep concern for my development and sudden, drastic changes. I had gone from a woman who drove to pray fajr and isha everyday in the masjid, from a woman who regularly performed spoken word and delivered public speeches, from a woman with an active lifestyle who held a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do, from a woman who was known for her leadership skills and ability to mobilize people, to a woman who shut herself in her room as much as possible and who constantly lived in psychological fear of becoming a form of temptation to men. I was not afraid of men themselves; I was afraid my covered presence could be the reason one of them had an un-Godly thought.

I, on the other hand, dismissed the apprehensions of those who knew me best and loved me most. As painful as it was, I felt this was the path I had to take up if I wanted to be a righteous, believing Muslim woman. And so I made excuses for those who voiced their concerns; I believed that they simply did not know what Islam really taught- even if many of them had degrees in Islamic law or had studied Islam for years. What they were trying to tell me was the opposite of what I was being told was “The Truth” in the classes I had begun taking and in the books and websites I had started reading.

Aside from the religious teachers who espoused the methodology to which I had ascribed, there was one Imam who recognized the difficult path I had put myself on. He personally continually checked in with me, reminding me of the differences of opinions, of the comprehensive nature of Islam, of the easygoing nature of the Prophet ﷺ. I saw him as my greatest spiritual role model and mentor, but I was entrenched in my personal outlook and had trouble changing my perspective and habits. However, I would cling onto his words as if they were the lifeboat of a person who was drowning. Even if I couldn’t get to coast at that point, I still felt like in the future, there could be a way back to shore. While it took time, his counsel planted seeds that stemmed and helped ground me in the stages to come.

It was around this time that I took a class in college titled Islam, Women and Sexuality. The only reason I enrolled in this class was so that I could defend Islam if necessary (you know, since I knew everything). In the class, I was suddenly exposed to information I had never heard before; the Professor introduced certain information on women in marriage, in divorce and in child custody. I had never heard of the issues she brought forth, but they sounded far from liberating. I had no tools through which I could defend my religion. All I knew was that I felt she was wrong, and that whatever scholar she had quoted was mistaken or misunderstood.

It was in that class, for the first time since I had decided I wanted to fully live Islam and dedicate my life to it, that my faith was challenged. I began to have doubts in Islam’s empowerment of women and I was afraid to speak them aloud because I feared they would become tangible. I knew Islam was the truth; the science in the Qur’an, the power of its message, the miracles of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his life, it all resonated so strongly in my mind and heart that I knew it was from the Divine. But it was painful to consider Muslim women not truly being liberated in what I considered the most liberating religion. So out of fear, I intentionally ignored my doubts and focused on what I knew brought me spiritual exhilaration, and that was memorizing the Qur’an.

By now, I had been reading the Qur’an in English for about six years. At this point, I could understand the basic message but I knew that if I wanted to understand it in depth, and if I wanted to become a Muslim scholar (as I did, bar the whole studying about women thing), I would need to learn Arabic. Thus, after college, I was blessed with going to Egypt to study Arabic and Qur’an. And there, it was the first time I finally witnessed what it was like for Muslim women to live in a Muslim-majority country, where there was no huge separation of religion in daily interactions and in life in general.

You see, when I learned about a Muslim woman’s true liberation being in her home, with her empowerment being her ability not to attract men, I really only saw those things in practice by certain groups in the mosque in my American hometown. I knew how to act in the mosque, but my interactions became a little more confusing when I was in any other public space. Yet in Egypt, I experienced something completely different; Islam present in social interactions throughout society. In Egypt, Muslim businesswomen interacted with male clients without awkward harshness and vice-versa. I saw normalcy in their society; spontaneous human reactions to harsh living, to jokes, to social issues. Muslim women in hijab, in niqab, in khimar, all were a part of the social fabric. My Arabic teacher was a lover of the Qur’an, a strong believing Muslim woman who covered her face and was a mother, and she passionately would remind me of the vital role of Muslim women in transforming society for the best and the need to sacrifice to be a part of the struggle.

In Egypt, I began to find myself again. My Arabic teacher, whose knowledge of Islam I deeply respected, helped me understand that conversation was necessary for me to improve on my language skills. Thus, I spoke to everyone, all the time, including men. I spoke to taxi drivers and asked them about their life stories, I stopped men from a physical fight when they were screaming over whose turn it was in line. I ran, shouting to intervene when I saw a man kicking a guy in the stomach, helped men take care of their families’ needs and travelled in microbuses full of men because I needed to get where I needed to go. I was never treated disrespectfully by men. I had to depend on them and constantly interacted with men and women of the Egyptian society to help me figure my way around and my dependency was returned with incredible kindness and professional respect. In fact, twice, when I heard two different men, on two different occasions, calling out to me, expecting that they were trying to hit on me, I screamed in their faces: “Astaghfirillah!!!” only to see their shocked reactions and realize that they hadn’t even noticed I existed and were just saying something to someone else in Arabic. Yet I, being naïve, expecting men to hit on me since I was fitna (remember?) and not really knowing Arabic, had expected the worst from them and was trying to put them in their places. ((I absolutely recognize the social problems Egypt has, but this article is focusing on my personal transformation through my interactions with Egyptians. Kindly keep your focus on that point.))

Additionally, learning Arabic provided me a gateway to Islamic literature that described Muslim women in the society of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him); a society in which dynamic Muslim women flourished. The materials to which I previously could access in English were often poor translations from the original Arabic, or information supporting only the viewpoint to which I chose to ascribe and in neither did I find descriptions of righteous women who had my personality and who interacted in society. The literature I used to read supported a certain paradigm, mixing culture with religion and supporting strict gender separation versus appropriate, kind collaboration. With this newly accessible material, I didn’t see the woman I had become; I saw the woman who I once was before I had become unrecognizable to my own self.

While learning in Egypt, I was incredibly blessed to continue learning from the Imam who worked with me while I was going through the changes I faced during my search for the meaning of women in Islam. It took time for his mentorship to sink into my heart and actions, but he continued to teach me Islam’s balance, reminding me that God describes us as, “a balanced nation,” ((Qur’an 2:143)) and that the Prophet ﷺ, “was not given a choice between two matters, except that he chose the easier of the two, as long as it was not a sinful act…” ((Bukhari)) He helped me understand that there is not necessarily one methodology that is “The Truth,” and helped me maneuver the differences of opinions amongst scholars, how they derive their legal verdicts and the influences that may impact their opinions. His mentorship was vital to protecting me from losing myself completely while on this journey and helping me find myself again.

My return back to America was marked with transformation. I finally acknowledged what I had first learned of the role of Muslim women had scarred me psychologically as I had immediately tried to change myself and my lifestyle to fit some sort of image I had been told was that of a pious Muslim woman, but was not necessarily so. I finally understood that the harshness I saw in whom I assumed were pious Muslims may have, in fact, been a misunderstanding of Islam as simply a set of regulations or Islam practiced under a different cultural backdrop than to which I had been accustomed.

And it is very important that I clarify that the way of life I assumed from what I learned was not completely due to what I learned or who I learned it from; I absolve them of my obstinate tendencies. My actions may have been rooted in a personal misinterpretation of what I learned, where I failed to differentiate the universals of Islam with its particular manifestations in a given culture, something that comes after deep study. And it is imperative to note that I am not intending to draw parallels between women who choose to cover their faces and stay at home most of the time with the difficult transition I went through. That is not at all true; all of those women contribute to communities in incredible ways, may God bless them all. Such awesome women deal with so many stereotypes from within and outside of the Muslim community already and it is not at all my intention to add to that stereotype. The issues I encountered were not because of covering the face and staying in the home; rather the issues were due to a mentality, a paradigm, a methodology that I was taught in relation to my role as a Muslim woman. This individual narrative is not meant to condemn that respectable lifestyle; my personal experience should not be used to generalize the experiences of other Muslim women.

In the years after my return from Egypt, I was blessed to interact with quality scholars who understood our Islamic texts and our American culture; whose wisdom and qualified research allowed them to teach Islam as related to Muslim women in ways that reflected the beautiful psychological, emotional and spiritual empowerment of women in the Prophetic society and how to best translate that practice in North America. I was also incredibly blessed to marry my hero and beloved husband, someone who comes from a wonderful family grounded in living the spirit of Islam. They, along with my own cherished family, relatives and understanding friends supported me through my slow changes and provided resources to help me find myself and the core values of Islam as they related to my life again. I mention this to explain the absolute necessity of supportive mentors and loved ones in order to sustain positive change.

Through these experiences and the support of loved ones, I found who I truly was again. I found Maryam; the dynamic, assertive, energetic woman who knows without a doubt that Islam is empowering, who wears hijab for the sake of God, not for the sake of men, and who understands that the qualities God blessed me with were not meant to be locked up and hidden, but rather to be used appropriately for His sake.

I understand that some of you may disagree with my reflections; I understand because I once felt the same way and fully am aware of how it was the only truth to me, and is for many. I still respect you for your perspective. Even if I now differ, you are my brother and my sister.

Yet I am approached, over and over, by youth and young adults who are confused, struggling to figure out who they are, and are doubting Islam in its entirety stemming from the very notions I mentioned above; they do not know who to speak to about the doubts that continue to persist, nor do they know what to think when they feel spiritually bullied. Those who approach me most are young women who are nervous about the way they hear Islam and women presented by religious figures and are struggling with doubts towards Islam’s empowerment of women in the face of religious guidelines that seem the opposite.

This article is geared towards that group of individuals. I am detailing my personal story because I did not hear one like it from another woman while I was struggling. What I heard was of women who became strictly devout and then eventually left Islam completely. Or decided they could no longer wear hijab or other related coverings and chose to remove them because they could no longer take it. While I was going through those stages, I used to wonder about those women, worrying that perhaps like them, my “eman (faith) wouldn’t be strong enough” and I too would change. Now I understand that such painful experiences may have left many a woman searching, seeking to find comfort and healing, yet feeling stripped of the only thing they could have ever imagined finding that security in- their belief.

And this brings me to important points which I believe are essential for any Muslim, male or female, to consider when learning women’s issues in Islam.

5 Tips for Rethinking Studying Women’s Issues in Islam:

1. Understand the context and that there are differences of opinion.
   • Understand the context of Qur’anic verses or Prophetic traditions. It may seem really confusing or in fact, quite opposite what we have learned Islam teaches. Before jumping to conclusions, first learn why it was revealed, why the ruling was given at that time and place, the wisdoms or the understandings that stem from that, and different interpretations from the scholars. But also understand that as a scholarly interpretation and not necessarily, “Islam’s one and only viewpoint on this entire subject.”
   • As such, know there are legitimate differences of opinions. All that I mentioned here: a woman’s place being the home, covering the face, certain marriage, divorce and custody laws- all of those things are legitimate opinions based on proofs derived by qualified scholars. Are they the only opinions? No. Are they “The Ultimate Truth”? No. Should they all be respected and appreciated as legal rulings derived from legislative texts? Yes. Do they all need to be applied to your specific life? That is something you have to research and, with the help of qualified teachers and loved ones, decide. ((Please note: this article is a personal narrative aimed to provide a perspective not often discussed in our community. The fiqh issues mentioned here are not covered at all in this article, as fiqh is not the focus. God willing, those issues will be covered in other articles.))
2. Find a mentor.
   • A Qur’an teacher or your masjid’s Imam is not necessarily a qualified legal scholar. Simply because a person is in some type of religious position, or seems “religious,” does not mean they are qualified to give you legal rulings, or that what they teach is applicable to your situation. Take your religious knowledge from those qualified and those who combine that qualification with a keen understanding of the social reality in which you live.
3. Learn about the historical legacies of Muslim female scholarship.
   • Muslim women have been scholars, muftiyahs (female of “Mufti”- ever heard they exist before?) and qari’ahs (female for “Qari”- or Qur’an reciter) for centuries. Some of the greatest male scholars, whose names are oft celebrated, like Hasan alBasri, Ibn Hajar and Ibn Taymiyyah, all had female scholars as teachers and contemporaries. We rarely hear about the women who taught all those men, but it does not mean they did not exist, nor does it mean they have to remain a secret or never exist again. It is up to you and me to change the way we view women’s interaction with scholarship in our communities.
   • Here are books and audio I have personally read and recommend or which have been recommended by those I trust:
     •  تحرير المرأة في عصر الرسالة – (Arabic only) for all those ayat and ahadith you’ve heard misquoted or in the wrong context, for which have placed doubt in your heart or mind.
     • Al Muhadithaat by Shaykh Mohammed Akram Nadwi- for thousands of examples of female hadith scholars throughout our history and so much more.
     • A Biographical Dictionary of Muslim Women by Aisha Bewley- to truly understand the vast range of positions Muslim women have occupied in Islamic societies throughout history.
     • A Glimpse at Early Women Islamic Scholars by Imam Zaid Shakir.
     • Audio: Dr. Umar Faruq Abd-Allah’s Women in Islam series
     • Audio: Abdallah Adhami’s lectures related to women in Islam.
4. Have a support group.
   • This is essential for feeling supported through what can be a long, confusing and sometimes emotionally painful process. (It took seven years for me to go through this process. It may take time for you, too.)
5. Understand that negative rhetoric or policies surrounding women’s issues by community and/or religious leadership should never be linked to the Islamic perspective of women in Islam.
   • If you hear something weird coming from a person in religious authority (ie: “If a woman gets her period while in Hajj, it’s a punishment from Allah for her sins.”): Be critical! Even Aishah (may God be pleased with her), more pious than all of us combined, got her period while on Hajj! So ladies, instead of doubting Islam when hearing things like that, remind yourself that many well-intentioned Muslim men (and women) are schooled in cultures where negative views of women dominates even religious circles and of course it seeps into religious knowledge. So study and actively work to help change our community narrative and understand that such rhetoric is exactly what Islam came to change.

If you have felt guilty because you had doubts, if you felt confused because you considered something in Islam (especially as related to women) oppressive, if you have chosen to distance yourself from the Muslim community because you simply could no longer take feeling intellectually, emotionally and spiritually judged, especially as a woman, I want you to remember something: God did not create you, as a woman, to punish you or to crush you or to make you less than men in His eyes. If anyone makes you feel so, then do not be the one who turns away from Islam or the community. We need your voices, especially, to help change the narrative many of our communities have when we especially address women in Islam.

Always remember: Islam does not aim to mute our personalities, rather, to enhance us. If we become unrecognizable to our own selves, we need to think critically on the messages we are accepting into our lives. The Prophet (peace be upon him) did not train people to warp into who they are not. Rather, he built people to become better versions of themselves. God brought you to Islam to help you progress towards a better version of your own self and to benefit humanity. Seek Him, study seriously under solid mentors, and be a means of transforming yourself and those around you for the best.

This article has been edited from its original publication in 2009. We pray for the ease and success of the Egyptian people and all those seeking freedom and justice throughout the world.

My parents were visiting me in Egypt. We flagged down a cab for ourselves to get to downtown Cairo. The driver was a young man who was listening to crazy loud music and smoking a cigarette. Within a few minutes, the smoke was too much to handle and we had difficulty breathing.

“Excuse me, would you mind not smoking?” I requested. He apologized and let his cigarette go. A few minutes went by and my dad looked at the driver and politely asked, “Qur’an?” My dad loves listening to Qur’an and was hoping he’d score the opportunity to listen on our drive. The taxi driver didn’t fumble to find the usual Cairo Qur’an channel to which most taxi drivers flip. Instead, he took out a tape and pressed play. We were suddenly blasting Afasy’s recitation of Surah Maryam. For the rest of the ride, the young driver began reciting the Surah, word for word, verse for verse.

Subhan’Allah (praise be to God), I thought. It’s not easy to recite every single word correctly unless you have memorized the surah or listened to it many, many times before. We reached our destination and I took out money to pay the driver. “Keep it,” he told me.

Wait a second, keep it?! The brother just took us from Madinat Nasr to Ramses – this is good money to turn down! We insisted he take it and he eventually did, apologizing for smoking and smiling humbly.

I felt like I had just seen the light of this man’s heart in action. The young man seemed to be so moved by the Qur’an that his entire face changed from the time I had originally requested the cab to when we departed. Subhan’Allah, how we have no idea how close someone really is to Allah, what their rank is with Him, and what their rank might be with him after only a few minutes.

Spotting Companions of the Qur’an was one of the most amazing experiences I had while living in Egypt. From brothers walking on busy streets with their masahef (plural of mushaf, the book of the Qur’an) open to review their memorization, to sisters running local businesses and blasting Afasy, to Khan Khalil bazaar owners listening to the recitation of Faris Abbad… SubhanAllah, I was blessed to spot Companions of the Qur’an everywhere!

But beyond this, there were three instances which really hit me and helped reinforce that those who love Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) and His Book are everywhere, that this Ummah is truly filled with people ready to live for the deen (way of life), regardless of where they are.

One time my friend’s two children really wanted to go to the Arcade, so we took them to play a few games. Being seven and five, both of them were super excited. The seven-year-old decided she wanted to ride an Asteroid ship. As the only customers for the ride, we entered the area and found the young worker around in his early twenties, sitting and working on his Qur’an. It was incredible to see his focus on the Qur’an while maintaining his work responsibilities. The arcade was nearly empty and we were the only customers in the area he supervised. Before we approached him, he worked on his Qur’an. Once we arrived at his station, his attention was fully dedicated to the girl’s safety and working the ride for her. Once the ride was complete and we walked away, he continued with his Qur’an since there were no other customers waiting for his service. He could have spent his time playing games on his phone, but he instead chose to invest in his relationship with the Qur’an. SubhanAllah.

Soon, my friend’s daughter had collected tickets from playing games and she was ready to cash in for her prize. As we approached the prize counter, I noticed there was a popcorn stand and the employee selling the popcorn was an older man reading. Suddenly I realized, subhanAllah, he’s not reading – he’s working on his memorization! Holding the Qur’an, this man, possibly in his sixties, was reading from the mushaf, then darting his eyes to the ceiling while he worked on the verse he had just memorized, and then he would glue his eyes to the mushaf again. Allahu Akbar (God is the greatest)! Two hard-core companions of the Qur’an in an Arcade, two companions who would never leave their Best Friend, could not bear to be apart from their Best Friend during work, and so they took their Best Friend with them! They spent as much time as they could enjoying their Best Friend’s companionship and reaping the benefits of being best friends with the Book that will stay with them in every instance in this life insha’Allah (if Allah wills), and inshaAllah intercede for them in the Next.

Sometime later I walked into an internet café and found two grown men dedicatedly playing a videogame. A few minutes after I had sat down, the employee of the café put on – that’s right, you guessed it – nothing more amazing than the Qur’an itself. Surah Kahf (Qur’an 18) was now surround sound in the café, and one of these two men, still deeply engrossed in the game, began reciting along with Shaykh Afasy’s recitation.

SubhanAllah, how few of us (unfortunately) may judge by deciding that places like Arcades, internet cafes with a focus on games, movie theatres, or other entertainment areas are not places of the Companions of the Qur’an? But these places, because of these people, may actually be filled with so many Angels racing to surround them, to write down their good deeds and to protect them. Perhaps it is because of these people that we too are being encompassed by Allah’s Mercy. Being a companion of the Qur’an doesn’t mean stopping life and work or never being entertained. It simply means committing to that relationship even while enjoying entertainment.

Many of us may not feel we have a strong friendship with the Book of Allah in this moment, but it is not too late! We can start RIGHT NOW, God willing! Here are just a few suggestions on how to begin incorporating the Qur’an into our daily lives, God willing, and make a friend who will always be by our side:

1. Recite ayatul kursi(Qur’an 2:255) after every prayer: The Messenger of Allah ﷺ (peace be upon him) said, “Whoever recites Ayatul Kursi immediately after each prescribed prayer, there will be nothing standing between him and his entering Paradise except death.” (An-Nasa`i and Ibn Hibban).
2. Recite Surat al Mulk (Qur’an 67) every night: It was narrated that Abdullah ibn Mas’ud said: Whoever reads tabarak allahi biyadihil mulk every night, Allah will protect him from the torment of the grave.
3. Recite Surat al Kahf (Qur’an 18) every Friday: Whoever recites Surat al-Kahf on Friday, light shall shine forth for him between the two Fridays. (Ibn Hajar, Talkhis al-Habir)
4. Last, but not least! Make a commitment to the Qur’an. How subhanAllah insanely cool would it be if we checked our Qur’an as much as we check our email? If we updated our status with the Qur’an as much as we update our status on Facebook? Make time for the Qur’an. Commit yourself to reading one, two, three, ten pages a day—whatever amount is easy for you—and try your best to read that small amount every single day. Reading a translation, if we do not understand the Arabic, will help increase your love and bond with the Qur’an as you will actually understand the message which was revealed FOR YOU from the Lord of EVERYTHING.

Imagine the sweetness we’ll find in our lives, God willing, when we make a conscious decision to make the Qur’an our Best Friend. This is the Book that, in response to Abu Jahl who said: “Say to Muhammad something that would convince your people that you oppose him,” Al-Walid ibn Al-Mughirah replied: “And what can I possibly say? There is not a single man who is more knowledgeable of poetry or prose than I, or even that of the Jinn, and by Allah, what he says (the Qur’an) bears no resemblance to these things. By Allah, what he says has a sweetness to it, and a charm upon it; the highest part of it is fruitful and the lowest part of it is gushing forth with bounty; it dominates and cannot be dominated, and it crushes all that is under it.” (Reported by al at-Tabari in ‘Jami’ al-Bayan’ 29/156)

The Qur’an is waiting for you! It’s ready for you! It’s your turn! Be ready for it!

Editor’s Note: This short story has been brought back for your enjoyment as it is one of the editorial staff’s favorite short stories.

By Ayesha Nasir

This is a fictional story which revolves around Percy Bysshe Shelley’s “Ozymandias” poem.

“Hey, Perce? Care to pass me that newspaper?” Bill asked, his eyes glued to the plethora of essays he was reading, yet very much aware of his surroundings.

Percy Bysshe Shelley looked up from his bowl of chopped carrots and soup. His eyes skimmed across the polished marble table.

“Of course,” he replied, reaching out for the freshly-printed wad of huge, white sheets. Some of the black ink smeared onto his fingers as he deliberated which movement of his arm would cause the newspaper to land directly in Bill’s lap.

Bill wasn’t amused. He cocked an eyebrow.

“Hang on a moment,” Percy muttered. He had spotted something on the front page; something that made his hands tremble and his heart skip a beat.

“What is it?” Bill asked, showing some signs of curiosity.

“This,” replied Percy, pointing at the newspaper and grinning like a man who had just unearthed the world’s greatest treasure. He flung the newspaper onto the marble-topped counter, allowing Bill to read the headlines which claimed:

EGYPTIAN STATUE RECOVERED FROM RUINS

Percy was somewhere far away.

“The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed”

*

In the afterglow of a now vanished sun, a figure quietly stood up from her crouching position by the River Nile. She was draped in a dark cloak which almost caused her to dissolve into the landscape. In her hands she carried a bundle, carefully wrapped, close to her chest. You could tell by her contorted face and fitful gasps that there was a struggle going on between her heart and soul.

Just like the mother of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), she turned to the sun that dipped into the western horizon and murmured a prayer to her Lord.

“Keep this child alive,” she gasped, unable to ask for anything more.

Gently unclasping the bundle, she placed it near the riverbank. When morning arrived she knew someone was bound to find her son. She hoped, dearly, that the ruling Pharaoh would never know of his existence, would never lay a finger on him.

*

Percy struggled at first. What he had heard of the ruins was enough to excite him but he could not explain? the strange attraction he felt towards Egypt.

“You’re not even an Arab, for heaven’s sake,” he scolded himself. He had read columns written from the Eastern world where people had begun claiming that the statue was of “the mightiest and most cruel” Egyptian ruler; someone rather familiar to the Pharaoh who prosecuted Moses.

A “kafir”, they called him.

Percy hesitated then scribbled down the information that was pouring in from all corners of the world.

“Disbeliever,” he translated.

*

The mother was right. Only a quarter hour into daybreak and the baby was taken in by the Royal Guards. These were men who reported directly to the Pharaoh. They were everywhere and they knew everything.

At first they thought the bundle to be forgotten clothes left behind by a bedouin. Only upon opening it did they realize tthat hey had stumbled upon human flesh–very much alive and hungry.

The Royal Guards were perplexed. Never had they been trained for anything like this. In their confusion, they carried the baby to the Pharaoh.

As fate would have it, the Pharaoh had recently lost all his sons to a war he had waged with a tribe far from home. He had won the battle but lost his sons.

Seeing the baby boy was a balm to all his worries for the fate of the empire. In a rare display of kindness, as selfish as it might be, he openly declared himself to be the father of the boy. His most recent wife, Sarone, gasped in shock yet she was forced to come to terms with this twist of fate.

The child was treated like a prince, for almost all believed him to be one. The Pharaoh noted with satisfaction all the telltale signs of royalty in the child: arrogance, disrespect for people lower than him in the social hierarchy, extravagance, and the almost obsessive inclination towards power.

“He will be the perfect ruler,” he murmured to his wife as they stod on the highest sand dune, watching the boy gallop on a velvety horse and disappear into the shadows of a sunlit horizon.

*

“Two legs of stone,” grumbled Percy.

“I beg your pardon?” exclaimed the elegantly dressed woman on his right. Her eyes darted to her legs which were primly and daintily clad in the best linen imported only recently from India.

“My apologies, that wasn’t meant for you,” said Percy, suddenly becoming conscious of his surroundings. He noticed the splendidly dressed people twirling around him, the haunting music, the blinding lights and the food. He took in the woman standing by him. Her cheeks were full, rosy, and carefully dabbed with a dash of rogue; there was a glimmer in her left eye, a mole near her perfectly shaped nose.

To his surprise the face turned into another face that had been haunting him, day in and day out. There was that look, the look of knowing you have everything you ever wanted, everything… perhaps even immortality.

“Half sunk, a shattered visage lies”

*

Ozymandias.

His name sounded so good, so royal, and so… expensive, even to his own ears. He chortled under the silk covers.

Wait. Who was it that dared speak his name in so careless a fashion? Who was it that slurred on the exquisite syllables, making them sound so ordinary? He jerked off the covers.

There before him stood his father. Ozymandias blinked. This can’t be. The man has been dead for months. Mummified since what, seven days?

“Ozymandias,” the Pharaoh said.

A ghost. It’s a ghost. A hallucination for all I know. It must be the drink I had brought in all the way from the nectarines near the Mongolian orchards. Never again, Ozymandias reminded himself. His father broke into his thoughts.

“You do realize that you now control every inch of what was my empire? The people bow to you, they accept you as their ruler,” said the old man, his voice thinning.

“Yes. I am the supreme ruler,” said Ozymandias, his voice ringing with absolute conviction.

The ghost’s eyes appeared to dim. What is that? Tears? Disgusting. Pathetic, really.

“You also realize that your time here is limited. Just like it has been for those before you, just like it will be it will be for those after you,” he said. The old man’s ghost looked so human that for a moment Ozymandias feared he had returned in flesh.

“Get to the point, old man! You take too much of my time and you know better than anyone that it is suicidal for a man to displease the Pharaoh,” said the young ruler mockingly.

“If I remember correctly, it was I who safeguarded you at a time when you were vulnerable. Had it not been for my kindness you would have been thrown into the Nile!” said the ghost.

“You needed me. The sons you had were killed in the battle. It was I who safeguarded your interests, your positions in the line of bloody men all too glad to become the ruler,” reprimands Ozymandias, getting up to pull back the silk curtains from the windows of his palace apartment. “See my kingdom. See what I have become,” he said to the ghost who shimmered in the sunlight.

“You do not understand…” began the old Pharaoh, defeat and fatigue evident in every syllable.

“I understand everything,” retorted Ozymandias his face bearing a vehement expression. “Who are you to question my place in the world? It is my world now. Not yours. You are dead.” His screams filled the air at dawn, screeching sounds of sheer hatred.

The ghost’s face softened. For a minute Ozymandias was struck by the simple realization that he had never seen his father, let alone a ghost of him, cry before. The shimmering figure opened its mouth to speak but as the Egyptian sun’s glare sharpened, it disappeared into nothingness.

“You are dead,” repeated Ozymandias, his face crumbling not from grief, but rather from anger. “Dead to the world.”

*

Egypt’s winters knew great cold. The cold was not present in the form of snow; rather it was emitted from within the palace walls which were made of baked bricks and clay of the best kind.

“I want my face all over the tributaries of Nile. How hard is that for you to carry out?” yelled Ozymandias at the four men in front of him. Three of them whimpered in fear and bowed submissively; they were new to this business and all they want was some fresh bread to take home.

“Yes, of course, my lord,” spoke the fourth one. “I am ready to give you my services.”

“I shall have you crucified if you do otherwise,” lashed out Ozymandias, coolly gazing at them.

Still the fourth sculptor stood his ground and met the Pharaoh’s gaze.

“As you desire, my lord,” he declared before exiting the palace grounds. He had a long month ahead of him in which he would find Ozymandias to be the sole occupant of his thoughts.

“I’ll be damned if I am unable to make this work,” he said to himself, realizing how much truth his words held.

*

Percy was feeling claustrophobic. He had been feeding himself with countless Egyptian tales, myths and beliefs. The mummification was what bothered him most.

“Imagine yourself being eaten by hundreds of hideous beetles and bitten by countless scorpions, Mary!” he exclaimed to his wife.

Mary shuddered, almost dropping her porcelain cutlery at the thought. For the hundredth time that day, she wished those lost ruins had never been found.

*

“It is ready, my lord,” said the sculptor with a fanatic gleam in his eyes. He looked positively crazy.

“About time,” replied Ozymandias approvingly looking over his shoulder. His voice was like silk, polished over years of a posh upbringing. Few would believe that in reality he had been brought to the castle as a weak, sallow orphan with huge circles under his eyes and stones tied to his stomach to keep away the hunger pangs. Even Ozymandias himself had long since discarded this secret, dismissing it as baseless.

“I wish to see it,” he spoke after an elongated pause.

“Now my lord?” said the sculptor, feigning surprise. He had expected this.

“Yes, now. No matter if it is turning dark. We shall take the steeds. The quicker we reach there, the better,” replied the Pharaoh, a crease appearing on his forehead. Addressing his advisor he said, “Get that Hankshah clan executed. I don’t want them to lay their filthy eyes on my precious statue.”

The look on his face was terrible.

“What an animal,” thought the sculptor, well-aware that voicing his thoughts would get him lit ablaze in the Pharaoh’s wrath. It was rather like blasphemy, he mused, considering how the Pharaoh called himself a god.

“I am your master, therefore I will reward you greatly,” said Ozymandias, addressing the sculptor.

There was no gratitude in that voice. Only pride.

*

It was in the darkest hours of the night when Percy checked the letters that had arrived at his doorstep. He had been dispatching letters to his Arab friends, particularly those who regarded Egypt as home.

One of the replies to his queries seemed to strike a chord. It was by a former classmate. Aasiyah wrote, “I can only quote the last Apostle of Allah. I hope this helps you in your quest. Peace from my side of the world.

It is reported that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said,

‘The best jihad is (to say) a word of justice before a tyrant monarch.’”

Lingering over the Arabic in her signature, Percy scribbled down a word in his notebook.

“Jihad.” Struggle, he translated.

*

“Where are you taking me?” demanded Ozymandias.

They had been traveling for hours. Even the steeds were experiencing exhaustion and wished to stop for rest.

“Just a little farther,” replied the sculptor, calm etched onto his face. Underneath the placid exterior, his heart was beating wildly; this was the moment he had worked months for.

“You fool, you said the same hours ago! Drive faster!” Ozymandias spat at him. He felt no fear or anxiety; only anger at the worthless sculptor. The Pharaoh was not known for his patience.

Ozymandias stroked his nose to distract himself as the sculptor bowed in affirmative and urged the steeds forward.

There in the vastness and eternity of the glimmering expanse of the night sky loomed a huge sculpture.

“And on the pedestal these words appear:”

“My name is Ozymandias, king of kings,” roared Ozymandias marveling at the wordplay. “Look on my works, ye Mighty, and despair!”

Ozymandias’ euphoria knew no bounds. By the light from the burning wood and the full moon, he turned his gaze upwards addressing a God he did not believe in.

“Despair!” he yelled, as if issuing an order. “DESPAIR!”

The sand dunes rebound his voice, casting his echo in all directions. He laughed like a lunatic. This was the greatest achievement yet. He believed that the earth would now remember him just like the heavens above would never forget him.

“I am invincible. Look at me!” called Ozymandias to those who would listen. “I do not show you, except that which I see. Look at me!”

For a heart-stopping moment the sculptor believed that Ozymandias was really a god. He shivered, remembering every curse and each discreet death wish he had directed towards his ruler. He remembered how he spent a year practicing, sculpting Ozymandias’ face to perfection and then smashing the rocks, once they were ready, with glee. He would start with the eyes first. Always the eyes. He remembered and feared.

Yet when the rising sun revealed the wrinkles on the Pharaoh’s face, his sagging limbs, and the obese structure of the man who claimed to be god, the sculptor could do nothing but stare.

“You are human. Only human,” he blurted out.

Ozymandias could not hear him over his screams of victory, of the sweet success he had immersed himself in. His mind’s eye had conjured up people all over the world standing before him on the empty sand dunes that stretched out for miles and bowing to him. Only to him.

“You will die,” the sculptor carried on as if under a spell, “you may have bracelets of gold, all the money in the land, and a dozen women in your bed but you are no god. You have lofty towers of clay, but those too shall fall and turn to dust. Where will you flee then? You claim to have power but you cannot even control the simplest of things, like blades of grass pushing their way through the soil.”

By now Ozymandias had become attentive. His mouth was hanging open. His senses took in everything; the daybreak, the sculpture and the man who made it with blood and sweat standing before him. Everything.

“The real God sends upon you every kind of torment known to man, and yet you do not repent. Floods, locusts, the frogs, vermin and even blood in the waters of Nile. Yet you do not repent. You are right when you say you are not human. You are the devil personified,” said the sculptor, pausing for breath.

Never would he know that he had already taken his last. Ozymandias, rage pouring from every vessel in him, struck the man down with his own sword.

Despite the sculptor’s hopes, Ozymandias was not silenced. Not yet.

“Whose frown

And wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command

Tell that its sculptor well those passions read

Which yet survive (stamped on lifeless things)”

*

At a reunion arranged at a short notice by his university, Percy noticed Aasiyah sitting in a corner, a gaggle of girls surrounding her, discussing the latest fashions from the British Raj in India. Upon seeing Percy, Aasiyah replaced the bookmark on the book she was reading and excused herself from the group.

They walked into the glorious September warmth of the outside world.

“What were you reading?” asked Percy after they had updated each other on their families and work.

“The Qur’an,” replied Aasiyah, smiling.

“Oh. I’ve heard of that. May I have I look?” inquired Percy.

Aasiyah hesitated for a split second. “It’s in Arabic. You wouldn’t understand.”

Percy was not discouraged. “Can you read some of it to me? Translate it, I mean,” he asked very seriously.

“Of course. Any topic in particular?” Aasiyah thumbed her way through the manuscript.

“Does your God speak of the Egyptians?” ventured Percy timidly.

Aasiyah’s face broke into a smile. “A lot.”

“Then I’d like to hear it please,” replied Percy earnestly.

Aasiyah’s voice trembled as she recited; it grew stronger as she got used to the words she believed in drifting across the rose garden they were seated in.

When she closed the book, Percy was in a place far away. Thanking her profusely, he came to a decision. He had heard enough. All that was left to do, he realized, was to write.

*

“Nothing beside remains. Round the decay

Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare

The lone and level sands stretch far away.”

As the pause between the quill and paper grew, somewhere from the distance he heard a woman’s gentle voice translate the message of God for him.

“And We cause to overtake them in this world a curse, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be of al-maqbuheen [those who are prevented from receiving Allah’s Mercy or any good; despised or destroyed].” (Qur’an, 28:42)

We had just finished dinner. A group of us American girls who were studying in Egypt had decided we would eat at a local restaurant and when we finished, we had twenty Egyptian pounds leftover from the pool of cash we had put together. Figuring out what to do with the money, one of the sisters suggested, “There’s that boy who sleeps outside that one grocery store! You know, he’s got that puppy! And whenever he’s with that puppy, he’s like the happiest kid in the world.”

I realized whom she was talking about. There was a teenage boy who slept on the grass across the street from the grocery store. There was no trace of family, money, or anything—just a boy and a stray puppy who kept him company. “Let’s give the money to him!” the sister exclaimed. With purpose, our group began to head over.

From the restaurant, it took us about twenty minutes to get to the location of the boy. But he was nowhere to be seen. His puppy, however, was there…and he was thirsty. The puppy had in his paws a closed water bottle that he unsuccessfully attempted to open. Imagine the torment of feeling intensely thirsty, staring at water in paw’s length, and not being able to access it despite immense struggles and efforts. Realizing his dilemma, we quickly opened the bottle of water we had and began to pour it out for the puppy. The puppy came immediately, drinking the water in huge gulps, and not stopping for some time. Finally, relieved, the puppy eventually ran off to play.

We did not find the boy that night. As we walked back to our apartments I began contemplating the situation. We had walked about twenty minutes in search of a specific boy. We could not find him, and instead we found a puppy in extreme thirst, making great efforts to access water. Allah, The All Wise, had written for us to have extra money, helped us remember the boy in that moment, given us the strength, ability and time to take the twenty minute walk to find the boy, and instead, guided us to a puppy who needed our help to drink water. Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala (exalted is He) had written for us, a group of foreigners from across the world, to have been in that place, in that moment of time, simply to help a puppy quench its thirst.

What about you, dear worshiper of God, who is struggling to please Him, stumbling upon blocks of heedlessness and difficulties? What about you who are trying to keep it together, find a job, get married, do well in school, deal with domestic issues at home or societal pressures all around? Dear believer who struggles to make your prayers, complete your fasts, lower your gaze and preserve your chastity—if that is the mercy that Allah, The Ever Merciful, has written for a small puppy, that He would subjugate human beings to simply help quench the thirst of a creature amongst His Creation…then what about the Mercy of Allah `azza wa jall on you, His struggling worshipper?

 “Therefore flee unto Allah…” (Qur’an 51:50)

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. There’s nothing here. We’re all doing fine. Send my greetings to everyone. Ma’asalama (Goodbye).”

Click…

AFP photo

Ask Syrian Americans about their conversations with relatives or friends back home and you’ll hear a similar story. Decades of brutal and repressive authoritarian rule have instilled and normalized a sense of dire fear amongst the Syrian people, so much so that they will deny blatant realities to preserve their safety and the safety of their relatives.

Last week, Jiddo was too upset to speak to us. His good friend’s son had been murdered by the regime’s brutal security forces and Assad’s personal militia (also known as the Shabeeha). Other neighbors were killed as well.  What pains me is that even if he wanted to describe to us what he was going through, we knew that there wasn’t much he could say to us over the phone.

Syrian security forces had surrounded my family’s town after cutting off electricity, phone, and water services.  They vandalized vehicles, destroyed personal property, and raided people’s homes, arresting hundreds of men and harassing their families.  The regime’s security forces also stole the bodies of the men killed earlier in the protests and refused to return them to their loved ones until they signed paperwork confirming that their dead kin were killed by “armed terrorists”.  Protesting towns across Syria have faced similar, if not, more atrocious fates: relentless and indiscriminate shelling, long-standing sieges, torture, and death.

It’s been more than three months now, and the numbers are a reminder of the growing humanitarian crisis in Syria.  More than 1,600 Syrians have been killed, and 15,000 detained. There are now more than 12,000 refugees in Turkey, and thousands more have escaped to Lebanon.

Many people questioned whether the “Arab Spring” would actually spread to Syria, but freedom is an attractive thing. And to think that the fire of the revolution in Syria was ignited by a group of schoolboys painting seemingly innocent graffiti on a wall!  On March 6^th, 2011, in the southern farming town of Daraa, the young boys echoed the message of Egypt, Tunisia, and Yemen:

Asha3b yureed isqaat al-nitham! The people want to topple the regime!

This act of innocent defiance led to their arrest by the local secret police and in keeping with Syria’s reputation as ‘torture capital’ of the world, the young boys were beaten, burned, and their fingernails pulled out before they were finally released to their families.  The Syrian people, seeing what can only be described as an open call to fear a blood-thirsty regime, erupted in protest.

On March 19^th, Syria witnessed its first major protests across the country. Protestors were indiscriminately gunned down by the regime’s security forces as they peacefully rallied for basic freedoms of life, liberty, and justice. The next day, as protestors and loved ones marched in funeral processions mourning the victims, security forces opened fire again and killed scores of innocent civilians.  Even hospitals were unsafe, as injured protestors risked being arrested if they sought medical treatment.  This has been the reoccurring cycle for the past three months.

Still, the weekly protests have continued, growing larger with each passing week.

The Syrian regime has not discriminated in its violent aggression between adult and child or man and woman. As a matter of fact, children have been deliberately targeted: arrested, abducted, tortured, and killed.  One such example is Hamza AlKhatib, a 13 year old boy who has become a symbol of the pro-democracy movement.  He was detained by the regime’s security forces during a peaceful protest and taken to a prison facility where he was tortured and mutilated, then killed and returned to his parents. Tens of children have been killed by the regime, and it is unknown how many are currently in detention.

Syrians however, are no strangers to this type of bloody crackdown on peaceful opposition. The massacre of Hama is still fresh in their minds. In the early 1980s, under the leadership of Hafez Al-Assad, the Syrian army massacred an estimated 40,000 people in response to an uprising against the corrupt government. Most of the victims were civilians. The Hama massacre is considered to be “the single deadliest act by any Arab government against its own people in the modern Middle East.”
History seems to be repeating itself.

The regime has gone at great lengths to stop the revolution.  Many Syrians have been forced to attend pro-regime rallies. As a government worker, a relative was forced to attend a pro-government rally in her town; otherwise she risked losing her job and the safety of her family. Many Syrian expatriates have reported being photographed and surveilled while attending peaceful rallies in support of the revolution, only to be threatened with the safety of their families back in Syria. Syrians in London received phone calls and visits to their homes by regime agents in the UK.

The Syrian news networks have become notorious for fabricating and denying the truth of events. In the midst of this crisis, many people have found humor in watching Syrian news networks, and comparing their lies to reports from other media networks and to the videos captured by Syrians on the ground.  Perhaps, what is more unbelievable is the Syrian government’s continuous denial of their role in the violence.

The regime’s tyrannical crackdown has only fueled the people’s resolve for a free Syria. The revolution has become increasingly organized. After more than 40 years of living under ruthless military rule, courageous Syrians have made their voices heard:

Asha3b yureed isqaat al-nitham! The people want to topple the regime!

It is only a matter of time before the dictatorship will come to an end.

There is no turning back.

How You Can Help:

1. Make du`a’. Du`a’ is the strength of the believer.

And do not think that God is unaware of what the evildoers are doing: He but grants them respite until the Day when their eyes will stare in horror (Qur’an, 14:42)

2. Spread the word. Educate others. Share articles and videos online through Facebook and Twitter. Write op-eds and letters to local and national newspapers.

3. Act locally but think globally. Contact your local representatives and tell them to support democracy in Syria and to call for the resignation of Assad’s murderous regime.

4. Show your support. Attend solidarity protests. Support news media that is providing coverage of Syria.  Thank them for their coverage.

5. Translate. Help translate the latest Arabic news updates on Facebook, Twitter, and other online sources.

6. Donate to help the refugees.

*This piece has been published anonymously for the safety of the author’s relatives.

“The fact is that God will not change the reality of a people until they change themselves.”

It is apparent to anyone who keeps up with world news these days that Muslims are standing up against oppression and tyranny. During my stay in Egypt, I can remember secretly conversing with some good friends I made there about the political reality they faced. I remember saying, “Come on guys, you guys are 70 million and he is one, why don’t you just stand up and take your rights?” This was back in 2005 and the response back then was something like, “You don’t understand—he and his cronies have this and that power and they will do this and that to us!” I reminded them, “No brothers you don’t understand, there is a big change that has happened in the last decade. The development of mass media and the global effect it has. If you stand up against oppression strongly without violence the world will stand by you.” Well it seems – by the will of God and His is the praise – that early this year there were other people with more revolutionary mindsets or that people like them were done just sufficing with praying for deliverance and changed their mind after they saw what happened in Tunis. Rather, they fearlessly took the means available to attain their rights. We pray God bless the future of Tunis and Egypt and we pray that He give victory to the Libyan people in their struggle against tyranny.

That said, albeit currently on a lesser scale, we as Muslim Americans are going through our own unjust persecution and it is getting more and more mainstream day to day. This is not the time for us to stand by or hope that it will blow over. There is a movement that is picking up national support among mass media, its viewers, and more significantly local and national government that demonizes orthodox Islam as un-American, anti-American and fundamentally evil.  This group is generally very pro-Zionist, right-wing Republican, and Tea Party oriented. This movement is working day and night to gain support. And with their influence in media and government many innocent, ignorant Americans are succumbing to their rhetoric. If they had their way, they would change the constitution to exclude Islam from freedom of religion.

A large part of this problem is none other than us, the American Muslims. There are two main issues that have facilitated the spread and acceptance of this anti-Islamic bigotry. The first is our reclusiveness in our centers, homes and restaurants. The reasons behind this is an article in itself, but the ironic gist of it is that the immigrants who imported this ideology thought they were preserving Muslims in the West when this practice has only alienated them as a small minority and opened up the door for any opponents to attack and vilify us. Another part of the irony is that this reclusiveness, rooted in a false fear of America and how it might corrupt us and our children, is quite contrary to the teachings of our faith. We are supposed to be unified by our faith with dignity; representing and propagating the final message of God to mankind. Had we been doing that properly then people would see the beauty of our faith and what it has to offer America. Like other faiths, we are rooted in compassionate service to mankind, helping the needy, promoting justice and human rights, stimulating a fair economy, encouraging democracy and honest hardworking leadership, and eliminating all social corruption.

The best way to deal with this problem is in understanding the teaching of the Prophet ﷺ (peace be upon him) who said,

“The strong believer is better and more beloved to God than the weak believer, yet all believers are good. Work hard in what is beneficial to you and seek divine aid. Do not be weak, feeling incapable.” (Muslim)

Let’s take a revolutionary look into the practical application of this hadith (record of the sayings or actions of the Prophet ﷺ) to our reality as Muslims in America. The Prophet ﷺ is telling us that being a strong Muslim is not just to do as Egyptians and Tunisians did for decades and pray that God will help them while assuming themselves helpless and weak. Being a strong believer is that we first seek divine assistance and then be dignified hard workers who aim to bring benefit to ourselves in this life as well as the afterlife. It is this sense of self-worth and respect knowing that God is with the oppressed that has brought an end to tyranny in Tunisia and Egypt.

So how can we American Muslims properly stand up against the lies and distortions of the anti-Islamic agenda? The answer is summed up in a 4 pronged solution:

1. We need to develop a comprehensive understanding of the message revealed to us. Sadly, the  follow-the-leader without question status-quo of understanding Islam is showing intellectual weakness across many parts of the Muslim world, especially here in America. This has led to most devout Muslims coming from the poverty stricken uneducated class while the wealthier, educated class is generally secular—respecting religion not as the ultimate truth of life, but rather as an ancient set of cultural traditions and beliefs with little relevance to the real world in which we live. Frankly, this is why so many Muslims don’t support the Islamic school system. We have to broaden our understanding of Islam rather than just memorizing verses, hadiths, and rules. We have to develop a common literacy that would equip the average Muslim with the necessary tools to deal with modernity in general and focused on dealing with the agenda waged against us. Our Mosques are quite dead and often the sermons and talks are indeed Islamic knowledge, but either uninspiring, presented wrong, or irrelevant to the stability and growth of the Muslim American identity. We have to balance the worldly life we live in now and a spiritual, eternity-focused identity.

2. We need to come to understand how things work in America historically and structurally, and stake our claim to a place in America. One thing that our immigrant community needs to do is realize the experience that our native Black community has in this department. Immigrant Muslims in America have mostly not grasped this or at least surely haven’t worked hard enough to be a respected part of the American reality. We have very little political participation or influence. Due to the sweeping and often forced expectation of raising doctors, or engineers, our presence in many other invaluable fields is very weak—like journalism, mass media management, national and local law enforcement, local and national government, economy, education, law, etc. While many people do have positions dealing with non-Muslims, rather than be ambassadors properly integrating, they seek to assimilate and stay under the radar, often changing their name and not representing Islam. Where is the dignity and self-worth?

It is high time that our communities fully embrace the influence of politics and take advantage of this Democracy. Every Muslim adult should be voting for the candidate that is best for society, Muslims and non-Muslims alike. We also need to have a strong presence in the lobby of those candidates who are specifically going to pay attention to our plight. This even falls under the category of zakat known as Mu’allafa Quloobuhum- bringing hearts closer to the Muslims.

3. We need to empower the native population. Whether it is to the native Muslims of conversion or the children of immigrants, it is about time we present Islam as what it is—a native religion and not something foreign or imported. If the native Muslims are covered by the above mentioned first advice then that makes them many times more suitable to present Islam according to the second advice.

We have to do away with the imported cultural mentality that considers someone in their late 20’s and even their mid-30’s as a “youth.” It is hindering our growth as a community. I’m not saying send your kids on their way at 18 because they are “adults,” but let’s at least empower our teens to be ready to take on life and responsibility and hopefully be mentally mature when they physically mature. Out of all the Companions of age and wisdom, the Prophet ﷺ chose Musab ibn Umair – a man in his early 20’s to head up their last hope in calling the people of Madinah to Islam and possibly to be a place of refuge for the oppressed Muslims in Makkah. He made that choice and was successful. Similarly, out of all the great leaders of experience in battle and wisdom, he chose a 17-year-old young man Usmah ibn Zaid to lead and command the most significant battle against the pending invasion of the Byzantine Empire. Once again he was successful and in this is a lesson for all of us. Lastly, we need to have confidence in the native Muslim community rather than deeming them and their scholarship tainted, weak or unauthentic because of their lack of “back-home-ness.” Once again within a short time of accepting Islam many Muslims like Hamzah and Amr bin al-`As were put to the forefront for the qualities they possessed.

4. We need to communicate our message to our neighbors properly. Every community needs to go through a deep training program on the nuances of disseminating our message according to a strong grounding in psychology and socio-cultural norms. One of the main keys to that is being able to articulate the message in English as we were commanded to do in verse 4 of the 14th chapter of the Qur’an (Ibrahim). We have this counterproductive religious pride in having a preserved revelation and often times we are wrong in our assessment and/or expression of that.

We have a lot of change to make here in America so that we may earn the respect which is undoubtedly due to us. We pray that the Almighty help us in our endeavor! Ameen.

Just ten days ago, we saw Hosni Mubarak step down from as president of Egypt. A few weeks before that, Tunisian president Ben Ali fled his country in the face of burgeoning protests by his people. Today, these popular movements have spilled over into Libya, Bahrain, Yemen and Algeria. While these events fill us with incredible hope and joy for the future of our Ummah, we must continue to pray and support our brothers and sisters who are struggling under intense tyranny.

On February 9, this website called for a global night of qiyam for Egypt. Alhamdulillah, the community responded; pledges poured in from Canada, Englad, Malaysia, Mecca, Egypt and across the United States, demonstrating our community’s capacity for unity in prayer through times of trial. Individuals, families, organizations, masajid and even other websites rose to the call; we ask that Allah subhanahu wa ta`ala accept all of your efforts, and continue to utilize us all for good. We would especially like to thank the Muslim American Society (MAS), Islamic Circle on North America’s Young Muslims (ICNA’s YM), and the Muslim Students Association of the U.S. and Canada (MSA National) for echoing this call to prayer and mobilizing their membership from across the country.

This weekend, it is time once again to make a pledge to stand with our brothers and sisters. On Saturday, February 26, we ask each and every one of you to organize a qiyam program to pray for the people of Libya. Reports from eyewitnesses, despite the state-enforced media blackout, speak of hundreds being killed in just a few days. This is more than enough reason for us to stand with our hands raised in the night, praying for the safety, victory, and liberation of the Libyan people.

At least 500 have died so far.

We recognize the entire region is erupting with similar struggles, so please include them in your du`a’ (prayer) as well. The media has not focused on the Libyan struggle in the same way it focused on Egypt; these qiyams can also be utilized to raise much needed awareness in our communities. Let us use these gatherings as a place to pray for the people of Libya, to share their story and to honor their struggle for human dignity. Once again, we ask that you please take pictures of the qiyams. These images give hope at a time when hope is needed.

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ described our ummah as a single body which ails as a whole when a part of it is afflicted. Feel this pain, and respond to it. Make the intention, sign the pledge (leave a comment under this post), and spread the call for a global qiyam far and wide, using every internet tool at your disposal. It is easy to fall into negligence when a struggle is prolonged and the media hype is not present. The response of iman is not based on media, it is based on principles. It is to stay the course, and be steadfast with patient perseverance.

Let us have another qiyam, for another nation of oppressed people, and let us renew the intention to change what is within ourselves, so that the Almighty may change the condition of our people. May we strive to make this qiyam even better than the last one, and may Allah (swt) ennoble each of us by using us for His sake. May He liberate our brothers and sisters in Libya and may He grant victory to all of the oppressed. Ameen.

“Or do you think that you will enter Paradise while such [trial] has not yet come to you as came to those who passed on before you? They were touched by poverty and hardship and were shaken until [even their] messenger and those who believed with him said,”When is the help of Allah ?” Unquestionably, the help of Allah is near.” (Qur’an, 2:214)

Wednesday, February 3, 2011

I write this message on the first day of being back in America having traveled from Cairo. It was with an incredibly heavy heart that I had to leave. When the protests started and the situation was uncertain, my husband and I had to make a choice: will we stick it out in Cairo, join the protests, and serve the cause of freedom and human dignity with our neighbors there? Or will we leave and try to the serve the same cause but in a different way in America? After istikharah (the prayer of guidance) and shura (consulting with others), the decision was to leave.

All the while, we prayed that if there was something Allah (subhanahu wata’alaI – exalted is He) wanted us to do for His sake in Cairo—if staying in Cairo was more pleasing to Him–that He closed off the means to return to America completely. And if what we could do in America is more pleasing to Him, then He closed off the means for us to participate in Cairo, and He makes the way to America easy and open. After the decision was made, we tried to plan our departure as quickly and safely as possible, and subhan’Allah I (glory be to Allah), it was easy and open, while message after message from the Egyptians and others that we know was consistently telling us to “go home.” Subhan’Allah, at the same time, I know a western sister whose father is a prominent international figure, and various factors in her situation pointed to the decision to stay in Egypt and participate with her brother, and see this thing through. I believe we were both guided to what was best for us. And yet, the great fear that I had and still have is to not betray the amanah (trust) of what we were destined to witness. Below are some scattered reflections on this experience and what we can take from it:

1. This is not an Egyptian issue, it’s an Ummah issue, and even broader than that—a human issue.

While millions around the world watch the news to see what is going on in Egypt, we have to realize how significant this struggle is to both the Muslim ummah and the world at large. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ (peace and blessings be upon him) taught us that this ummah is like one human body; when one part of it hurts, the rest of the body also experiences the pain. The protests that have erupted globally are a testament to the fact that our ummah is alive and able to feel. Another issue we have to keep in mind is the pivotal role that Egypt plays. Whichever way Egypt goes, there will be a ripple effect throughout the Middle East and the rest of the Muslim world. What started in Tunisia, spread to Egypt. Already Algeria has announced the end of their 19-year infamous emergency law, and Yemen is also protesting. This is a pivotal moment in our history; perhaps akin to the Badr of our times. The struggle for human freedom, justice, and dignity is one that must be honored and supported by every God-fearing Muslim. Therefore it is incumbent upon all of us as Muslims to not just look upon this issue as spectators, but as those who feel personally invested.

It is a human issue. Subhan’Allah, when I was in the airport I was talking to a non-Muslim woman who was heading to America. She told me that if it were not for her own daughter’s safety, she would have stayed and joined the protesters. She said something beautiful that stayed with me: “Every country that ever wanted freedom had to fight for it.” Another thing I was struck by was when I asked her what her plans were on return, she said: “I’m going to join the protests and efforts I can find in Texas.” She told me she had tried to start a business in Egypt, and her accountant had told her it would cost $15,000 plus bribes. The accountant also said the best business licenses were only given to people who had personal connections to Mubarak, and unless there was a way to get referred, there really was no point in trying. This non-Muslim woman taught me in a matter of moments that we should all, as human beings who honor justice and equality, have the drive to get involved, and speak out against the corruption and oppression in Egypt.

It is not for Israel or America to decide who the interim president will be when Mubarak steps down. I say “when” and not “if” because as far as the Egyptian people are concerned, getting rid of Mubarak is not a point of compromise.

We need to pressure our governments, no matter where in the world we may be, to call for free and fair elections in Egypt, and allow the people themselves to choose the interim leader. The interim leader cannot be someone associated with the Mubarak regime in any way. We must voice our opposition to any effort that undermines the people’s choice.

2. Courage is in rising above fear to do what is principled, with full tawakul in Allah (swt).

Last Saturday, we had Imam Suhaib and his wife over at our place in Cairo for lunch when we heard a call from the microphone of the masjid and some screaming in the street.  It was announced that thugs were let loose and looting different areas. The call asked for all the young men to come down and protect the neighborhood, their families, their wealth, and their honor. At that moment, we didn’t have any idea of how many thugs to expect. Would it be truckloads of men, would be in the hundreds, would it only be a few? Subhan’Allah I remember standing on the balcony listening to the announcement and my husband turning towards me saying, “I have to go.” He and Imam Suhaib went to the kitchen, grabbed some broomsticks, and headed into the street to help protect the neighborhood. I asked my husband later how it was that he didn’t hesitate, and went immediately into the face of the unknown. He admitted that in the beginning there is a moment of fear, but you just have to make a choice to overcome it, and be ready to face the consequences for the cause you believe in. Subhan’Allah, that incident is symbolic as to what happened on a much larger scale for the whole country. The news kept reporting that “the wall of fear has come down.” A few weeks ago, we could have never imagined people saying anything negative about Mubarak on the telephones which are all assumed to be tapped, let alone demonstrate in the millions. What changed was people made a choice not to be afraid anymore. They made a choice to take a stand and accept the consequences of that courage.

We heard that a young man who was part of the neighborhood watch on the other side of our neighborhood was killed by a thug who shot him in the head. It was assumed locally that the thug was working for the regime, as they are the only ones with easy access to guns. When people in the neighborhood discussed this incident, subhan’Allah they were not overcome by grief, sadness or fear. They answered solemnly, “Shaheed insha’Allah.” He is a martyr, God willing. The discussion that followed showed how people recognized that martyrdom is a price that will be paid in their struggle for human dignity and freedom. Some young men who were protesting wore white thawbs with signs on them, saying that this is the cloth they may be buried in. Azhari students and shuyukh also protested in Tahrir, recognizing that though al-Azhar is government funded, its people of knowledge will still speak against the oppression of the government. People were so overjoyed to see them they tried to carry them on their shoulders. It is really something to witness a people who have lost their fear and are relying on Allah. If this ordeal lasts a long time, it will be those whose struggle is based in their relationship with Allah who will have the patience to endure and stay strong.

3. Just as oppression creates many ills, hope in Allah and the freedom to practice can heal them.

Having lived in Egypt for a number of years now, one of the issues that people faced socially was the difficulty of getting married due to the economy. As the average age for getting married increased well into the 30s for men, so too did the social ills of harassment, leering, and cat calling. Yet, on my street the neighborhood watch was made of these same young men, some who would normally be seen hitting on women. In this environment, given the opportunity, hope and freedom to participate in a process that asserted their own dignity, these young men rose to the occasion. They were the chivalrous guards of the community, protecting and respecting the women instead of harassing them. At some point, one of them buzzed the apartment and addressed me as their sister, warning me to fill up water bottles because of a rumor that the water might get turned off. I felt safer on my street during the days of the neighborhood watch than any other time in Egypt. Some of these young men took extremely long shifts, lost a lot of sleep, and were still the first responders in the middle of the cold nights when false alarms went off. While oppression has the power to undermine manhood, the fight for human freedom and dignity has the power to assert it.

Another powerful image was that of the masajid and the small mussalahs being full for the daily prayers. People who never came for the regular prayers started to come regularly. As the masjid became a place of organizing and free speech, the community came together and spoke for once openly about all that was on their minds. The sweet taste of freedom of expression followed by the sweet taste of praying next your neighbors while the Imam makes qunut al-nazilah (the du`a’ when hardship descends) is something the people cherished. While oppression alienates neighbors, and makes people lose hope and even iman, struggling for a just cause brings people together, increases hope and even iman. Hearing different American students say that the masajid near their places were full for prayers was something that increased my hope as Allah does not change the condition of a people until they change that which is within themselves. I pray the iman rush is not temporary and that the Imams use these moments to emphasize the role of self-development and tarbiya in seeking success from Allah (swt).

4. The importance of having a “Fiqh of Priorities”

Freedom of religion, expression and assembly are all necessary elements of any just society. Muslims, Christians, and secularists in Egypt all understand this. While Egypt is a Muslim majority, I was happy to see that various Muslim groups took the inclusive approach of seeking justice and freedom for all. From makeshift clinics, to neighborhood watch efforts, to the protests themselves, everyone acted as participants and not as opportunists. When they were interviewed, they spoke about democracy and freedom. I compared this to some of the other commentators, who took these moments as an opportunity to claim credit and undermine the efforts of others. This is not a time to focus on differences. Salafis, Sufis, Tablighis, Ikhwanis, secularists, conservatives, liberals, Christians and others have a goal they all need to protect with their lives: freedom, democracy and the rule of law. With freedom, each group can participate, organize freely and call people to their da`wah. This is a time to unite on shared values–not get caught up in the blame-game. Once the people have won this struggle for a just and free government, they can debate all they want about the future of Egypt. It’s important to have a fiqh of priorities and not contribute to division during a time when basic human rights and dignity are at stake.

Since the events in Egypt unfolded, many of us have been waiting to hear what the scholars of Egypt think about the demonstrations. Alhamdulillah, today (after the internet was turned on in Egypt) some of the voices of the scholars have emerged.

Below I have translated the transcript of Shaykh Muhammad Abdul Maqsood, a famous scholar and da’ee (preacher) in Egypt, answering a number of questions presented to him regarding the current events.

Ibrahim Hindy
MA Candidate, Usul al-Fiqh
Al-Madinah International University

—

I have received a paper asking, in light of the recent situation in Egypt, a number of questions:

Question:

Is it permissible for us to participate with those who are demonstrating?

Answer:

Yes, it is permissible to participate with those who are demonstrating. This (action) does not fall under the category of Khurooj against the leader, which I have explained in great detail at a previous juncture, however I will explain it as well for your benefit.

In the Sharh of Sahih Muslim by Imam an-Nawawi, he commented upon the hadith which states:

‘Ubadah ibn al-Saamit narrated in the hadith of allegiance that: “We pledged allegiance to the Messenger of Allah to listen and obey…and that we would not fight the people of authority, unless we see clear and absolute disbelief, for which you have evidence from Allah.”

Imam an-Nawawi commented upon this by stating:

“This means, do not attempt to fight the people of authority and do not oppose them, unless you see from them clear evil which you know of from the principles of Islam. If you see this, then forbid them from it and speak the truth wherever you may be. As for Khurooj against them and fighting them, that is haram (forbidden) by consensus of the believers, even if they are corrupt and oppressive.”

The statement of Imam an-Nawawi clearly shows that he draws a distinction between forbidding evil with your tongue and speaking for truth, versus khurooj and fighting against the rulers.

So it is then permissible for you do aid those who have opposed this (clear) oppression and have attempted to remove it.

A person may ask “How can we help them when some of them (who are protesting) are not religious?”

The principles of this religion, particularly enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, proves that we should be in the aid of anyone who works towards establishing a good or eradicating an evil, even if they are corrupt themselves. This is because we all, collectively, are included in the statement of Allah: “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Qur’an, 5:2)

If the people you are cooperating with are corrupt, then their corruption is upon themselves. However, should they work towards establishing good or for the removal of evil then it is imperative upon us to help them even if they are corrupt.

Imam ash-Shawkani states in “Hada’iq al-Azhar:”

“It is compulsory to help (even) a sinful person in establishment of good or the eradication of evil, or in the limiting of a greater evil. Indeed, enjoining the good and forbidding evil has been established as one the most significant Islamic principles, and of the most important religious obligations. So whoever establishes (this principle) has indeed established truth. And whoever is in need of help (in enjoining the good), then it is obligatory to help them as it would be considered aiding (one another) for truth and justice and it would be considered a form of establishing the truth and not a form of establishing the sinful person (or his sins).”

And in this respect, (we should) help establish those of lesser evil and oppression over those of greater evil and oppression, and indeed this (practice) comes underneath the category of “enjoining good and forbidding evil.”

Therefore whenever we see a person working towards establishing good or eradicating evil, then it is imperative for us to work with them due to the statement of Allah:  “And cooperate in righteousness and piety, but do not cooperate in sin and aggression.” (Qur’an, 5:2) As well as what has been established in Sahih Muslim narrated by Abu Sa’id al-Khudri that:

“Whoever from amongst you sees an evil should change it by his hand, if he is unable to do so then he should change it by his tongue (by speaking against it), and if he is unable to do so then he should reject it in his heart – and this is the weakest of Iman.”

And I ask a question: Everyone who lived through the reign of (Anwar) Sadat and who has lived through this reign (i.e. that of Mubarak) – who would choose to live under the rule of Mubarak instead of Sadat? Without a doubt, everyone would choose the rule of Sadat.

In this time and reign (of Mubarak), not a single one of us has been ensured of our safety.

Question:

If we can’t be with them, in this situation, what should we demand?

Answer:

I advise you to demand what they are asking for. Demand what they are demanding.

A fiqh principle: harm increases. If it is not possible to completely eradicate it, then it is an obligation to lessen the harm, or oppression, as much as it can be suppressed. This is an obligation.

So demand what they are demanding, since the protesters are of different groups and the situation requires that all the people are united on a collective (or agreeable) call and demand.

Question:

If what the protesters are calling for is Islamically-legislated such as the end to brutality or (access to) food, but are not calling for the establishment of Islamic law, would it still be permissible to participate?

Answer:

Are these things they are demanding for from al-Ma’roof (the clearly good) or not? As long as it is for what is good, then help them with it, as we explained through the writings of Imam al-Shawkaani (rahimahullah).

Question:

What do you think of these events and what do you think of the future of Egypt?

Answer:

The future is in the knowledge of Allah (swt). However, it is important that we benefit from these events. And it’s important to remember the statement of the Prophet ﷺ as is recorded in Saheeh al-Bukhari:

“Allah gives respite to the oppressor, but when He takes him over, he never releases him.”

Indeed our existence on this earth is only for the sake of the establishment of the worship of Allah…so it is important to remember this goal of our existence, if you believe in Allah and in the Quran:

“And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me.” (Qur’an, 51:56)

So it is important for us to protect the Islamic principles and beliefs…and in this current time every aspect of our religion has been attacked.

There is also another point. Allah says:

“Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves.” (Qur’an, 13:11).

The people were struck by cowardice. They were overpowered by False Gods (Taghut) and their soldiers and they governed every aspect of their life. Imagine that if a person wanted to be promoted in their job, they needed to ask National Security (Amn al-Dawla)! If a person wanted to be a professor, research, travel or even swim – they had to ask National Security or the Police first. Everything was put in the hands of security forces; extreme oppression befell people. And yet the people were quiet.

So when people became concerned with change, after 30 years they brought down oppression in 7 days. Just 7 days! And they did nothing but leave their homes and stand in the streets and proclaim that they were peaceful. And as for the destruction that occurred, it is well-known that it occurred primarily at the hands of Security Forces who disguised themselves as civilians in order to put the country in panic and fear and cause the demonstrators to withdraw from what they are in.

But they stood their ground, and the people collectively stood for the safety of their homes and families. They took off the clothing of cowardice and it unleashed an inner power!

“That is only Satan who frightens [you] of his supporters. So fear them not, but fear Me, if you are [indeed] believers.” (Qur’an, 3:175).

When the person removes the clothing of cowardice and puts their trust in Allah and understands that the Heavens and the Earth is under the control of their Creator, then they unleash inner power. In just seven days, they destroyed the established oppression that had governed us for years. And we ask Allah for the truthfulness of our trust in Allah and to have good thoughts of Him.

And I am not concerned with who our leader is – I do not care about the removal of Hosni. Indeed the greatest benefit of these events is that no matter who the leader is, we will not be enslaved by the police and security forces again. The police had been terrorizing the public and putting them in a state of fear.

These are some of the thoughts I wished to share. I do not know what will happen in the future, but I hope that the youth, after standing up to oppression, will also return to Allah. And I direct this advice to myself first, and then to every Muslim.