peace

Terrorists abroad and Islamophobes at home are busy abusing Islam while building on each other’s hate. Both groups claim that God commands Muslims to kill non-Muslims wherever they find them. Jihad has been twisted, misunderstood, and misused at the hands of the thugs called ISIS and bigots called Islamophobes.

Islamophobia is real. You may have personally experienced it or know a family member, friend or acquaintance who has. This new racism must be made known and fought against. Here are a couple of ways to combat this phenomenon.

Does ISIS represent Islam as lived by the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings of God be upon him? This brochure makes it clear that the terrorist group does not.  

A large number of Imams have informed me that they use articles from Sound Vision's website for their sermons. May Allah accept it. In consideration of this, I am taking the liberty to suggest some points for your forthcoming Khutba.

“Afghanistan experienced three decades of war,” said Esmatullah. “I wish that one day we’ll be able to end war. I want to be someone who, in the future, bans wars.” It will take a lot of “someones” to ban war, ones like Esmatullah who become schooled in ways to live communally with the neediest of people.

Please pray for the success of those who struggle for peace, justice and freedom by right means. Please pray that God guides those who are using wrong means in struggle harming humanity, Islam and their neighbors. And may God guide all the oppressors to refrain from oppressing those seeking peace, justice and freedom.

The struggles of our past have shown that citizens have always moved America and the Ummah forward, whether it is poor people’s movements in America, or the Arab Spring. However, nothing can be achieved without risks and the willingness to sacrifice.