The vanities of the time

As I child I found the religious practice of those present in my region bemusing and confusing. This continued until I met those who were enlightened with knowledge. This made me pursue knowledge for over twelve years (and counting). Sadly, I was never inspired by anyone from the indo pak region. Instead, I found most of the people and the speakers empty of the reality of what they were claiming to possess.


Smacking children and giving more than a clip around the ear was how most people grew up. After the children had grown up they looked at their past differently. It cast an unfortunate light upon it because the scars remained. They began to learn that Islam was not about a bearded elder smacking you. Nor was Islam wasting lifetime attacking groups for wrong beliefs yet not learning one's own belief!


There is a crisis in many masjids where people are atheists in our communities and no one even cares. Yet, they will continue to attack others but not learn themselves.


I looked at groups who argued with each with bitter eyes of contempt. I decided that groups who spent their time arguing were a waste of time. It was as if their religion was argumentation. I wanted to learn texts and learn what I was supposed to know. So I studied and kept studying until I became one of the people sought for knowledge. Had I remained on the path of others, I would be learning methods of argument not knowledge.


I look back at that time and realise that most people have wasted their entire lives by hating other groups. Their white hair does not mean they have learnt anything. It often means that they have learnt nothing. 

Maybe, its just me and I should stop comlaining because at least we have something. That is true but if we do not do anything now there will be little left for our children.


The masjids are a big waste of time. The elderly struggled to found masjids but as far as they are concerned, it is their property!? Then I ask is not a masjid for Allah? For this reason, I do not think there is a single masjid in the UK. They missed the point and it is just an old boys club. Many empty buildings have masjid in their name but are far removed from what a masjid should be. When will they ever learn? They will not ever learn and I have accepted that as fact.

The 'speakers' of the indo paks have wasted their lives and have made others waste theirs too. When someone comes to ask a question, it is as if they are mortally wounded and have their very existence questioned. Arrogance and ignorance are the order of the day. As they feast their greedy-guts on anything, they can find. Stealing people's money is what they do best. They are astray and lead others astray. Swearing, cursing, and then making others swear is seen as religiously permissible! How can this be! They are misguided and are misguiding you. A speaker should inspire you to goodness, not the opposite.


I thank Allah with my entire being that I was shown the path. Yet, there are many so far astray that they cannot be saved with speech. They have to make the choice. I cannot do it for you, as much as I want to.


Learn your religion. Work and use your time well by learning rather than fighting on Facebook. Argumentation is not a religion and neither is fighting trying to convince me on a matter. Once you learn your religion, you will see how many people are astray. You might not be able to save others but you can help yourself. Find an enlightened teacher. Not one who spends hours insulting other groups instead of teaching what he should. Do not allow yourself to be indoctrinated. There is a difference between indoctrination and knowledge.


Knowledge has a foundation and indoctrination is mere opinion. He might not be famous at all and that is actually better for you. Learn your religion. Learn everything that you should have learned as a child.


Know that harshness is a sign of misguidance. If you are learning with someone or meet a religious person and all he has is harshness. Then know it is a sign of misguidance. It might be just him or it might be his group.


Am I attacking one group? No, I am attacking whomever this applies to. Learn your religion and correct all your mistakes and live a good life in peace. Leave the silly people who slander and attack each other to their own devices. They are on the way out. Their audiences are dwindling as we speak. People are tired of their pettiness and want something real. Do not waste your life listening to those who have wasted their lives by cheating and now want you to waste yours. Learn your religion until you have no questions left to ask...

Sheikh Naeem Abdul-Wali

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Islamophobia part one to 

The Unislamic nature of Islamic businesses

Never thought that I would be writing about this subject but I feel compelled to do so. My experience with so called ‘Islamic’ institutions has been overwhelmingly negative. It does not matter what type of business it is; schools, madrasas or Masjids. The people can be from almost any group affiliation that you can think of. The experience is the same. From here on in we shall call them 'businesses' because that’s all that most of them are. 

There is a real sense that some are misleading the public. They have large banners of the name of the institution in which you would assume that things are being run with Islamic ethics. Often this is not the case and almost all my experience has affirmed this reality. Only Ronseal does what it says on the tin!

The names of the businesses are often derived from names or terms in Arabic. But the owners of the business do not realise that because of their bad actions some people curse the institutions. Which means something religious has been cursed and that is why I advise people to be careful when they are naming their institutes.

Many places are full of partisanship that makes the bricks cringe and yet they do not see it themselves. How? Only when one looks in the mirror can they see their big nose even though everyone else can see it all the time!

Often they are run in a ruthless manner by people who would sooner curse you in the streets than help you. As long as you are giving them money and funding their bank accounts they are unconcerned. Their houses and cars get bigger but they are not bothered if they have broken promises to the public that they claim to serve.

Instead of supporting scholars they chase them out of the community. But all the while desire acclaim for their presence even though they did not bring them there in the first place.

They like people to think that they are doing good but really they are forcing every issue to their advantage. They twist the religion when it suits them to attack you and offend you. Aren’t they so good?

Especially evil is when some of them see students who are progressing faster than they are so they put a stop to classes. Or do their best to disrupt the classes as much as they can until the attendance dwindles.

The sad fact is that some of you are sending your child to a 'business' in which the head of the school is the biggest bully. Many pay wages that are illegal but because the employee has accepted the contract it becomes law. If it was not for this illegal wage structure most of these businesses would have one teacher because that’s all that they could afford. That is why many places employ ‘uncles’ who are retired because they do not need to work to earn money! Pay peanuts and you get monkeys! Do not expect your children to learn anything from a monkey!

We have charities who raise funds for projects that never get off the ground and even worse than that the money never reaches the intending source! Someone has instead brought a flashy car with your zakah money!

When you speak to them they are rude and arrogant. To the point that they will reject advice. Rejecting advice is a trait of a disbeliever.

Masjids that are only interested in doing their own activities are mere big boys clubs. Most if not all masjids are big boys clubs who say what goes on in their masjids. The masjid serves them and has nothing to do with Allah (the Exalted). So do not expect any reward from something that is not done for Allah (the Exalted).

Is there a solution?

Well the sad fact is that many of these new institutions are carrying out work that no one else is doing. Then you ask yourself is it worth the risk? I’ll let you be the judge of that. You could, of course, take what you need and leave. As for exposing such people it is not worth the effort because they are so embedded in their way of thinking that they cannot even begin to consider that they are wrong.

Even though they think nothing of going onto websites to attack you but you should not that because that’s unIslamic! They expect you to have morals yet are devoid of any themselves! They lie and cheat but expect you to tell the truth!

All these types of businesses must be accessible to public scrutiny. They must publish all records of funds that enter the businesses and what funds exit. If they are to serve the public they must be held to public analysis.  And to be held accountable to where funds are going. Some legal enforcement may be necessary but unfortunately many charities operate in a backhanded manner.

If the public question the institution they need to have prepared answers. Rather than scream, shout and blame others. Often when you squeeze something you find out what is inside it.

Here we find that there is nothing but insults because you question their methods. The people running these businesses should realise that they are under the public spotlight yet how few of them care!

There is no real solution and that is scary. At the same time there are very good new institutions being founded. So we need to support those who are free from partisanship of any type that favours relatives because if we do that then we have simply become a party to the futile pursuits of serving our egos, rather than serving Islam.

Apologies to someone who is reading this by mistake and those that this does not concern. It really annoys me that these businesses continue but what is the alternative?

Or are we asking for too much to expect a level of professionalism that we have been accustomed to in non muslim organisations? This is not asking too much we should be better, much better but the opposite is true.

How awful is it that we turned something of value into something that is cheap and worthless.

Speak English!

The other day I was reflecting on the state of the masjids. We have some sincere people involved in setting up masjids and some who are not. This is normal and happens everywhere in life. 

 

We have spoken previously about the responsibilities of the masjids but now we rant at specific things.

There are scholars who simply do not believe that speaking English language is important. Those scholars who say we should speak Urdu only should not be allowed to preach in the UK. It should be mandatory for each masjid to have at least one speaker in English and do not come to me complaining that the youth are not interested in Islam. Of course they are not because you speak a language they do not understand!

Someone said well the youth follow bollywood films why can’t they follow the khutba? Do you need to know the language to follow a film? Essentially you can follow a film without knowing the language. 

Even if you accept this excuse, which I do not, religion means more than mindless entertainment. Although to call any movies nowadays entertainment may be stretching the definition of entertainment! (Most of them are just formulaic remakes of old stories told again and again with one film out of million containing any originality.)

If you stick to speaking Urdu then you have to accept two things. One: that the other groups will take the youth away because they speak English. Two: you will never reach the youth. So this perennial problem of the youth will remain as long as there are people who stick to speaking Urdu.

Allah (the Exalted) sent every prophet speaking the language of their people. So any person who claims that speaking English is not important has negated the wisdom of Allah (the Exalted) in this matter. 

Also ponder that the manners of the Prophet (may Allah bestow peace and blessings be upon him) he would not exclude others who did not understand Arabic. He used Persian words when speaking to Salman the Persian (may Allah be pleased with him). Why? So he feels comfort. Have we left the Sunnah when none of this bothers us? The answer is clear.

Also consider the fact that many converts are in the same position. They do not understand Urdu and are forced to listen to sermons which they do not understand. Now what would you do in their situation? Listen to someone speaking in Urdu or go to someone speaking English? The answer is obvious. We have left this great Sunnah of not making people feel marginalised. Thus making sure that many converts are left out in the cold.

There are also many other Muslims in our communities who are also marginalised because they come from other Muslim countries. You’ll be surprised to know that there are Arabs, Chinese, Sudanese and Malay Muslims in your area. They are all left out in the cold because of the instance of Urdu being the default language of their local masjid.

How can someone who is born in another place relate the problems of children from another place? Especially the contrasting worlds of the east and the west. They need answers of how to deal with the world and not simple condemnation of things you want them to stay away from. 

Even after all this if people refuse to speak in English then you have no one to blame but yourselves. Despite this you claim that those speaking in English are misleading people, why do not you speak English and set the record straight!

The way forward

There are a few solutions to these problems if we are willing to do something about it. 

1)      Have the Urdu khutba for a section of the community and the follow it up by a English khutba making sure both parties are catered for.

2)      One week have an English Khutba and another week have an Urdu one.

3)      Designate a certain masjid to have an English sermon.

4)      Have an Imam who is proficient is both languages to mix it up. Do some of both languages.

5)      Have the Khutba in Urdu and get someone to summerise or 

6)    (insert your solution)

We do not want to be very critical of people and masjid committees but if people are not serious about serving their communities then they should step aside. Let someone else do something for a change and see how they do because managing a masjid is not about managing costs it’s about serving the needs of the local community. How we failed to do even the least of serving anyone except 'bigging' ourselves before the communities. 

We may even have to go as far setting up our own masjids if we cannot work within the current set up. You have to consider going solo but there will be others who want to see a change in their communities, find them and start again.

If we do not act now then our children will inherit the same wretched problems that we face. Thus there will be no solution to this problem, ever.

Khalid Blankinship

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