Code of Conduct #13 Teamwork

Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh are hamdu lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah.

So we now reached the end of our book Al Hamdulillah. We are now in the 12th and final of the principles of the Code of Conduct of the diary. And I want to thank all of you who stuck with me for this entire journey. Hope you found this beneficial. I hope you're able to take from this principles that you can apply to your life that will inshallah enhance your Dawa bring baraka to your life and help you to be more effective in the field of Dawa. Our final principle that we are going to discuss today is the principle of the r1. of working together with others teamwork, cooperation,

taken from the verse of the Quran, Allah subhanaw taala says, what are our new eligibility? What duck wha wha wha No, it's me. Well, one, work together for righteousness and piety, and do not work together in sin and evil.

One of the most important things that we need to do in the Dawa is to network with other do art, and to work together for the sake of Allah subhanho wa taala. And there's a lot of obstacles to this in a modern world.

In an age of individualism, in an age of everyone wanting to do things their own way, there is a temptation to go at it alone, who am going to be my own boss, I'm going to do my own thing. And no one's going to tell me what to do. And I'm just going to focus on my own Dawa.

And this may sound appealing, especially if somebody's young, it may sound appealing, I'm just going to do my own thing. I'm going to be my own boss all the time. And when it comes to business, that may be fine when it comes to

being independent financially, that may be fine. But when it comes to the Dawa, it is a team effort. It is something that is amplified when we work together, compared to when we work on our own.

Now, one of the reasons that some people may choose to work alone and be alone is that they are afraid of being betrayed. They are afraid of getting hurt, they're afraid of other people, harming them in the part of Dawa.

And this is a reality, it happens to all of us. It happens to anyone involved in Islamic work that at some point in your life, somebody that you trusted betrays you, either out of jealousy or malice, or because they ended up being a hypocrite, or because they went astray. Whatever the case may be, this is something that may happen.

But as a believer, you still have to be a part of the society and try your best to work with others. Even though there is a potential of someone betraying you down the line. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, The believer who mixes with people and is patient with their harm has a greater reward than the believer who does not mix with people neither is impatient with their harm. This means that there is more reward in being part of society, working with others striving for automatic unity, being part of the Ummah, being part of a collective, even though there is a potential that people may harm you in the process, there is more reward in that than being alone,

being isolated, being entirely on your own, working by yourself.

So as do art, we want to strive for that which is best that which is most rewarding. And that means working with others. And I know dealing with people can be difficult, people can be annoying, they can mess up your plans to get contradict you. They may even betray you, you may think it's just easy to just do my own things. It may be easier to do your own things, but you're not going to have the same impact as you would if you work with others. And

not only will you not have the same impact, but more importantly, it's not the sooner it is not the sooner to work alone. The Sunnah is to be part of society and to work together with others. And we know that the Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam from the beginning, he surrounded himself with people who he worked with very closely with people who amplified his Dawa, who contributed to spreading the word of Islam. So if we look at for example, how Yatra became Medina Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam is in Makkah preaching his

Islam and he spends most of even on a two year trip to preach to the people of your trip which ends up becoming Medina. Right at the same time his own cousin Jaffa is in Amazonia preaching in Amazonia. So the Dawa is is a team effort. It's not just one person doing the Dawa. If the Prophet of allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the best of people chose to work with others, to have other people involved in the Dawa, to not just go at it alone, then we shouldn't be doing it alone, when we work alone. Number one, there is more potential for the devil to lead us astray. Because it is is easier for the wolf to catch the lone sheep than it is to catch the one that's in the flock. So when

we are together, we protect each other from the traps of shaytan. When you work alone, it is easier for Shakedown to come and catch you and lead you down the wrong direction. Furthermore, on our own, we may not have the time, or the skills or the resources to do everything that we want to do. But when we work as part of a collective, we can support each other by supplementing each other's weaknesses and boosting each other's work. So for example, you may be good at public speaking, but you may not be good at editing a video or putting together a website, or promoting something online. You can work with people who are good in those areas. And together, you are able to accomplish more

than if you just worked on your own.

So our Dawa will not reach its full potential if we work alone. To be effective, we must work with others. But this is challenging. This is very difficult when you work with people, you will find that they may disappoint you. Or worse than that they may betray you they may harm you.

And this may make you want to give up working with other people. We know that when of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa salam was leading the community of Medina, they were hypocrites in Medina, there were people in Medina who betrayed him and cause harm to his community and harm to his family. Yet he continued to be part of society, he continued to work with the community, despite the fact that these people existed amongst them.

So my advice, if you are afraid of betrayal, my advice is to follow the prophetic methodology. The advice of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when he said Habib Hobeika, Hamid Mamba, that be moderate in your love for your friends, because they may become your enemies one day, and be moderate in your enmity for your enemies, because they may become your friends one day. What this narration means is that you shouldn't love someone so much, that if they betray you, it's the end of the world. And you shouldn't hate someone so much, that if they had to become a good person, you cannot forgive them. You cannot move past to happen. You should be moderate in your feelings and not

allow your feelings to override the Dawa. And we see this happening on both sides today, right? Some people love somebody so much, that no matter what they say wrong or do wrong, they are supportive of them. And this is not healthy.

And this can lead to great problems down the line. On the other side, we've seen in recent times, that someone may convert to Islam who you hate, instead of giving them a chance to become righteous instead of giving them a chance to learn the religion and to absorb the teachings of Islam and to change their lives. That immediately from day one negativity, trying to push them out of the fold of Islam, trying to declare them hypocrites because you can't get past your personal hatred for that individual. This is an Islamic so be very careful. Do not allow emotions to get in the way of your data. Yes, work with others, but be modeled in your

in your relationship with others you will find that some people may be in your life at one point in your life and another point in your life you live in estranged from each other. So you should not be too emotionally attached to the people you work with. You should love them for the sake of Allah. But that love should not become to a level where if they had to disappear from your life or harm you or betray you that it becomes the end of the world. Rather, you should remain focus on what matters most which is the pleasure of Allah and serving Allah's deen and working with others for the sake of Allah, not for the sake of your ego.

Also remind you of Surah to answer right answer in which Allah subhanaw taala gives us the formula for success in this world and the next and the formula for success in this world. And the next is to believe and to do righteous deeds. What the Waso Bill hotkey what the watch will be sober, to help each other

For the sake of the truth and to help each other be steadfast, this means it takes a team effort to stay on the straight part. This means that the part of salvation is not a part of loners. It's a collective, it's people working together for the sake of Allah, for the sake of truth, people helping each other stay on the street by people helping each other guide to the street by people helping each other be patient. In difficult times. This is meant to be a OMA that works together, not an OMA that works in Lone silos. So be very careful of this temptation to go at it alone. When you are alone, it is so easy for you to be caught up in the traps of shaytan. Or even if that

doesn't happen, you never reach your full potential, because there's only so much that you can do on your own. But when you work with others, you are able to amplify your efforts for the sake of Allah.

The second problem that that comes up with working with others and another reason why some people may prefer to work alone is the issue of dealing with differences of opinion.

So perhaps you decide that you want to work with somebody else. And from day one, you realize that you have differences, it may be differences in Fick it may be differences in Aqeedah, it may be differences in Dawa methodology and strategy, in your vision in your goals. What do you do, when there is differences of opinion in the field of Dawa? Well, the first thing that you have to accept is that this is natural, and this is normal, and this is part of life. You cannot work in the field of Dawa, or any in any field without coming across and dealing with people with whom you differ.

And you need to set your boundaries regarding what types of differences you are willing to overlook. So and still work with people? And what types of differences are a red line? Right, what types of differences are something that you cannot overlook? This you cannot work with that person?

The reality is you will have differences. But differences are of levels, they're not all the same. Many people aren't able to recognize this right? So they may treat a fake difference of opinion, on the same level as an Akita difference of opinion. Or they may treat a difference between the Aqeedah mas hubs as the same as a difference between a whole sunnah and I'm a bidder.

And

firstly, you need to educate yourself in this area, I do have a separate course and Aqeedah to to Harvia, which I highly recommend you do after this if you haven't done it yet already. In that course I do clarify the broader framework Oberholtzer novel Gemma and what type of differences are within the photo sunnah and which types of differences are not? But

my personal guidelines that I have used, when it comes to dealing with differences of opinion, is as follows. When it comes to the people that I will work with in the Dawa as long as they fall within the broader framework of our health, Sunnah wal Jamaah, then I'm fine with working with anyone. Doesn't matter which madhhab they follow doesn't matter which movement they are associated with which school they study through, as long as they fall within this framework, then they are someone who I am willing to work with

if they fall outside of the framework of a wholesaler. So perhaps they are modernists perhaps they are she are, perhaps they are involved in some strange,

innovative group. In that case, I would not work with them in the data. But perhaps, on political issues, we may work together if it's necessary. Right? Again, there's there are levels to this and there are layers to this. As for who I would allow a platform to teach in my own Institute's it would be someone who's understanding of Islam is similar to mine doesn't have to be exactly the same. But similar to mine in our differences are on secondary issues.

It's important that you take the time to study Aqeedah to study Islamic beliefs, to study fake or to study Islamic laws to understand what kind of ft love is acceptable, and what kind of the love is unacceptable.

And when you figure out

what is acceptable differences of opinion and what is not. And sometimes it's not always clear but

When you at least have a broad framework to work with, then it becomes easier for you to figure out who you should be working with, and who you should not be working with.

And this is something that a lot of people struggle with today.

Unfortunately, in our times, many people, especially

if they're just new graduates from some Islamic system, or the other, some Islamic Institute or the other.

A lot of new graduates have a very sectarian mindset. And

they are unwilling to work with anyone that they have the slightest difference of opinion with.

And this causes a lot of friction in the Dawa a lot of problems in the Dawa. In general

I find it very strange that people will this associate with someone simply over a difference on a matter of fake especially when it comes to fake with Akita I still understand you talking about once believes in Allah

and Qadr and the prophets understand that that's a much more sensitive area, and people are a lot stricter on who they would associate with when it comes to differences in Akita. But when it comes to fake a fake has, has been for the bulk of our history, a speculative science, one that was never meant to create barriers between who you would unite with and work with.

The only time

that I would disassociate with someone over a fake issue is if they are now going against Joomla. They're going against the consensus of the OMA. And by Joomla. I don't mean that someone claimed each bar. I mean, there actually wasn't a difference of opinion before this time. Right, this concept of HMR.

I have a separate video where I discuss it in details in my caution who shouldn't fake

it mark means the consensus it means something that the Ummah has agreed upon, where there's no differences of opinion, right when there's no room for differences of opinion, you see, Islamic law is divided into things that are definitely got eight things that are clear cut, there, there is no room for differences of opinion. And the bulk of fake is zani speculative, it is an interpretation of the Quran and interpretation of the Hadees and understanding of the Hadees a logical deduction,

anything that's speculative, there is some room for difference of opinion within a

range of opinions.

Anything beyond that becomes an innovation, a change to the religion itself. So,

for example,

if someone has a difference of opinion, would you on whether, let's say whether a woman should cover their faces or not, right? We know historically, there has always been a difference of opinion amongst the scholars of fake on whether the face of a woman is overall or not. So whichever of these two opinions, someone follows, they're still following a legitimate opinion. And you should respect that. And that should not be a reason to dis associate with someone. Right.

On the other hand, if someone comes with a new opinion, and innovative opinion, a modernist opinion, for example, we now have some groups in the West claiming that the hijab is cultural and women don't need to cover their hair. This is innovation. This is changing the religion. This is contradicting the Iijima of all of the mazahub of the UK.

This is unacceptable. I personally would not work with someone who holds that opinion, because that is an innovative opinion that falls outside the framework of what is acceptable.

And we need to be careful Another

mistake that people are falling into in this area is that instead of weighing opinions, in light of Quran, sunnah in your minds in light of the principles of fake, we now have a new mindset amongst Muslims that's causing them to this associate with fellow believers on a faulty framework. And that framework is liberal versus conservative.

understand something this framework of liberal versus conservative is a non Muslim framework. It's not an Islamic framework.

But what's happening today is that

if someone is more on the liberal side, and they you're a scholar

mentioned an opinion that sounds more conservative, they immediately assume that that person is conservative and conservative in all the opinions on all issues, and they will have nothing to do with them.

Likewise, somebody who may be on the conservative side, may hear a scholar mention an opinion that to him, it sounds liberal. And he assumed that that scholar is a liberal and he's liberal in his approach, and he's liberal in all his opinions, and he wants nothing to do with him. Well, in reality, the scholar himself is not thinking in terms of liberal versus conservative. He's thinking in terms of Quran and Sunnah. And Quran and Sunnah will lead you into different directions with different issues. So it may be that the strongest evidence on one trick issue sounds more liberal. And the strongest evidence on another big issue sounds more conservative, because he's sticking to

his principles and his methodology and his framework. His fic is going wherever the evidence leads. But because people are stuck in this mindset of seeing things as liberal or conservative, they are misreading his opinions in light of their own worldview, because they don't understand fit.

For example, this happens to me all the time.

Because I live in South Africa, and I work for an American organization, I find myself dealing with two opposing worldviews. South African Muslims tend to be very conservative in the understanding of Islam, and view any opinions that they see as outside of that conservative understanding as definitely wrong.

American Muslims tend to be on the opposite end, they tend to be very liberal in the understanding of Islam, and they see any opinions that contradict that liberal worldview as being too conservative. So I find myself in a strange position, then in my local community,

people think I'm too liberal.

And

when I'm working with the broader international community, people think I'm too conservative.

In reality, I'm just trying to follow the Quran and Sunnah. But because people are stuck with these worldviews, they aren't looking at anything from Quran and Sunnah. They're looking at it as liberal versus conservative. So for example, when someone who has this idea that Islam is very strict, and unless you are that strict, then you're not a good Muslim. A part of the strictness in their mind is that men must wear a soap and a turban at all times, otherwise they're imitating the West. So when someone from that mindset sees me in a shirt and pants, they immediately assume oh, he's a liberal, because he's not dressing like us. But hold on, I'm just following the Quran and Sunnah I'm covering

from my navel to my knees. I'm dressing modestly. I'm growing my beard. My pants is about my ankles is no silk. There's no goal I'm trying my best to follow the Quran and Sunnah. The Quran sunnah, doesn't say you have to dress like that. But because he's interpreting the world in this way. He's views this as liberal, right? Likewise, when they see that I see for example, I say that women are allowed to go to the masjid and pray Salah behind the men. They will say, Oh, this is a liberal understanding. Now it's not. It's following the Sunnah. actually study the Sunnah. This is the actual sunnah. But because again, the mind is only focused on conservative versus liberal. They see

this as liberal. So then people who are that caught up in just everything being haram.

You can hold one or two opinions different from them, and they write you off as too liberal. On the other hand, I find when I talk to an American audience, and I say things like the man is the head of the household say, Oh, this guy's too conservative is too conservative. I have I say the woman have to observe a job or it's best the best job in a woman can do is be a stay at home mom, Oh, this guy's too conservative.

Again, we need to get out of this mindset. This framework of liberal and conservative is not our framework. Our framework is Quran and Sunnah. And sometimes the Quran and Sunnah seems to be on this side. Sometimes it seems to be on that side. In reality, it's in the middle.

So if someone is of the opinion, if someone says, for example, that women are allowed to pray in the masjid behind the men, he's following Quran and Sunnah. If someone says that men should lead the household and women should listen to the husbands. He's following Quran and Sunnah. You need to stop thinking of things in terms of liberal and conservative and start looking at things in terms of Quran and Sunnah. And as long as the opinion that the other person is following falls within the framework of acceptability, you should not be

judging the opinion as liberal or conservative, you should be simply accepting that this person has a different opinion from me, that is within the framework of what is acceptable.

But now people have become so caught up in this mindset, there are some people online who interpret any opinion that they don't like. They interpreted as a sign of not just the opinion being liberal, but the person being liberal, the organization being liberal, then having a hidden liberal agenda, they go into all these conspiracy theories, because they cannot understand and they cannot fathom that someone could arrive at a different conclusion from them by following Quran and Sunnah.

This is a problem. So we need to pull ourselves out of this mindset of looking at things from Western worldviews. And we need to analyze the opinions presented to us in light of Quran and Sunnah.

And we need to learn to accept other people's opinions even when we disagree with them. So I've seen Muslims who

would call each other extremists over following actual legitimate fake opinions. And I would see Muslims we would call each other liberals over forming a legitimate Islamic opinions, because they don't understand the framework and what what is an acceptable opinion and what is not.

So be very careful about this. I highly recommend studying, studying Akira studying the principles of IQ, retraining your mind to think in terms of fic and Aqeedah. And not in terms of liberal versus conservative so that you can have a correct understanding of the religion and not be interpreting it in terms of an Islamic worldviews.

The final point that I want to discuss related to working with other people is how and when do we draw the red lines.

So

in the same verse, it says assist each other in righteousness, it also says do not assist each other in sin and hostility.

So we should not be helping people commit sins, we should not be helping people call towards misguidance we should not be helping people to oppress or harm anyone.

We also need to look at the people we work with in terms of

what are they calling to write this will help you to figure out your red lines. Because as long as someone falls within the broader framework of a whole sunnah wal jamaa, and they are calling to Allah.

And the opinions even if you strongly disagree, the opinions are within the framework of valid opinions, then you should just let them be and you should work with them.

You shouldn't make this a issue that you break ties with other Muslims over.

But if someone is calling to innovation, is someone is calling to themselves. If someone is using the Dawa, just to become rich and famous. If someone

is calling towards starting their own cult or sect,

then yes, these are people you should not be working with. Now, you shouldn't jump to the assumption that somebody is doing this. But sometimes when you're working with people over a long period of time, these things begin to slip out and you begin to realize Hold on, I suppose it's not as sincere as I thought they were.

Right. So in the beginning, and the beginning of any workplace relationship, or Dharwad relationship, they should always be hosting one, assuming the best of the other person and working with them. But it may be that when you work with someone for a while, you begin to see the reality of who they are. And sometimes that reality proves to be ugly.

So beware of working with these people. Beware that after working with people for a while, you realize hold on these people aren't really doing the right thing. They're not really calling to the right thing. You're not really interested in the pleasure of Allah.

You see about something else.

And this is when you should step away and decide how not I'm not going to work with this person. I'm not going to be associated with this person, because clearly, it has become clear to me that what they are doing what they are calling to, is incorrect.

So we should avoid working with people who call to clear misguidance who call to changing the religion, when it becomes clear to you that someone is a modernist, who is trying to change the religion to suit Western ideology and the following opinions that fall outside the realm of Excel

stability, and you try giving them Naseeha. And you tried reasoning with them, and you try showing them a better way. But they are adamant that this is their core,

this is what they are working towards.

That's when you should say, Hold on, I can't work with you anymore.

Because what you are calling to what I am calling to, it's very different.

We should also avoid working with people who preoccupied themselves with destroying the lives of others.

Even if you feel that what you working with them on is outside of that, because the ill effects of the other projects may leak into our own. For example, if you know of a brother, whose whole mindset and and methodology is just attacking people and slandering people and calling people names, and ruining people's reputation, for you to work with him, especially if you are someone of high reputation in the Ummah, for you to work with him, justifies all of that, in the eyes of 1000s of people. And people will begin to think of you also as being like him, or at least justifying his methodology. So be very careful about working with people

who are building their careers on destroying the lives of others.

Teamwork is a fine line. It's a fine line where you don't want to fall into isolation. But you don't want to associate with the wrong people either.

So you need to have goosenecks done in the beginning, you need to be open to the idea of working with anyone

assuming the best of others, while maintaining clear red lines, when it becomes clear that somebody has crossed the Red Line, and you've offered them Naseeha, and you've tried to fix it and it doesn't work, then yes, you should stop working with that person. That doesn't mean you should be publicly attacking them. That doesn't mean you should be harassing them. It doesn't mean you should be slandering them, but you should at least distance yourself from them, so that your name is not associated with their name. And you are not seen as supporting the quality of misguidance.

It isn't always easy to figure out who you should and should not work with. The general rule is to begin from a good place and to try working with everyone.

And it takes wisdom and experience to figure out who should I work with? Who should I not work with?

This is again, why it's important to have mentors and advisors that you can turn to and ask and ask for advice. Should I work with this person? Is this a good idea? Is this a bad idea, especially your teachers, those who are senior in the Dawa, those who are senior in the field, it's important to seek the advice before working with someone, especially if that person

has a negative reputation that could end up affecting you.

So to conclude, the final

quality of the data is that anyone involved in Dawa should be open to working with all of those who are involved in the Dawa for the sake of Allah.

And you should begin from a place of husana of assuming the best of others and working together for the sake of Allah. If you discover that somebody is

not doing it for the sake of Allah, somebody is calling to misguidance somebody is calling towards themselves. Somebody is a

figure who is destroying the Dawa from within somebody is a hypocrite. If anything like this

becomes apparent to you.

And you try speaking to the person you try reasoning with the person you tried offering them private Naseeha but they don't listen,

then you should

separate from them, and stop working with them.

But in general, try your best to work with everyone. Build a network of Obama and do art around the world who you work with, and be of benefit to them, and allow them to offer you advice and work together as much as you can understand that when we work together, we are able to accomplish more we're able to amplify each other's work. We're able to reach new audiences, we are able to make up for each other's weaknesses. And yes, this also means working with people who you have differences of opinion word because at the end of the day, differences of opinion are completely natural and normal. And it's not the end of the world to have a difference of opinion with someone so not allow

that to stop you from working with people. But if that difference now falls outside the scope

But I hope sooner Well, Jamal, in that difference now becomes detrimental to the Dawa. If he now becomes a form of harm a form of misguidance then yes, you should separate from that person and avoid working with that person. But the default, the default should always be trying to work with others while maintaining good, good thoughts about them.

I hope you found this beneficial JSOC I'd love to hear from awkward Awana and hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen