Kamal El-Mekki – The Conspiracy Theory Mindset

			Alhamdulillah hearable alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah I mean, what he was so happy
		

			about, or haba today is about the conspiracy theory mindset.
		

			Why people believe in conspiracies, why Muslims in particular are prone to believing in them? What
are the harms, how to prevent this type of thought and how to help people who believe in digit
theories. And they range from anything from sports, to medicine to politics, you name it, there's
some kind of conspiracy theory behind it, from the moon landing to the assassination of JFK to 911,
to flat earthers, to COVID-19, and the COVID-19 vaccine. And with these last two in particular, you
can see how misinformation can harm and even endanger people.
		

			And in the age of information, lies and misinformation they spread much faster. So, first, we want
to examine why are conspiracy theories so attractive to people? What are the reasons people are so
attracted to conspiracy theories? The first is that human beings have a need for certainty and a
need for closure. How and why is so important to people that when there are no clear answers, people
look for their own or make up their own answers, because they need to know having closure is so
important to human beings being in the know is so important for human beings. An example of that
from the Sierra of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam. When the Prophet sallallahu Sallam first
		

			encountered jabril alesana he was so scared that he came home I sort of alone on her narrates
meaning later she's narrating your juphal for his heart is shaking from fear. And he, as you know,
said, Jim Maloney is a mere loony Cover me up, and he wants to stay in his bed covered and shaking
out of fear. then fast forward a few days later, he actually walks back to the location where he met
Jabri why, and in the beginning, you would imagine someone who'd be afraid to leave their bed, leave
their bedroom, leave their home, barely venture out into the streets, but because of wanting
closure, wanting to know what happened, what does this mean? What is this message? What does that
		

			make me? The need to know is so important in human beings that the prosthetic limb forgot his fear,
and went all the way to the mountain to look for debris and hoping to get some kind of answer. So
answers are important for people. And the need for certainty and the need to know causes people to
come up and accept any kind of explanation.
		

			Now, another reason why conspiracy theories are attractive to people is that not knowing gives
people a feeling of being powerless, and not having control. So any answer, whether good or bad, can
give the people that sense of control, the sense that I know what is happening. And so conspiracy
theories then offer an explanation. And to a lot of people that explanation is better than no
explanation.
		

			It is also attached to a desire to feel special for some people. The fact that I know what no one
else knows, or the whole world believes this, but I'm amongst the few that know what is really
happening. And so some people from their desire to feel special and and more knowledgeable than
others, they start to accept these theories. It is also related to being less educated in general or
being less educated in in a particular subject matter. And example, there is a video that is being
passed around on WhatsApp where there's a woman being vaccinated for COVID-19 and they interview her
right after
		

			vaccination, and she starts in the middle of speaking she starts to feel faint and she starts to
faint. And so the theorists are so happy saying this is proof that the vaccine is bad for you. The
woman started failing right after taking the vaccine. But did you know that fainting after any
vaccination is fairly common?
		

			There was one study where they found people fainting, a small number of people fainting after the
HPV vaccine, and the MC v four and the T dub vaccine. The ingredients of these three vaccines are
different. So the scientists that believe that the fainting is due to the vaccination process, and
not the vaccines themselves. If it was the vaccines themselves, it would be not that chemicals are
different. So why are they all fainting, and fainting itself, they mentioned is triggered by pain
and anxiety. And some people, the anxiety or the pain or both in the vaccination process causes them
to feel faint later on.
		

			But if people knew that information, they would know that that isolated video is not a that's not
proof. And it doesn't indicate anything this can happen with any type of vaccination, or any type of
shot for that matter.
		

			The other problem is that people don't examine all the evidence. So they tell you that COVID-19 is
caused by the 5g network. And then they show you the 5g network map. And this the map of the spread
of COVID-19. And they look exactly, almost exactly alike. So they say this is the cause of the
other. But of course, they're gonna look alike, because they're based on population density.
COVID-19 will spread in cities where there are many people, large cities where there's a dense
population, 5g towers will be placed in areas of large cities where there is a dense population,
they're not going to put 5g towers in the middle of the desert, or in the mountains or an open
		

			spaces where nobody's there. So that's the relationship between the two. But people only looked at
half the evidence, it didn't look at the full evidence. Now, Muslims in particular, are also very
susceptible to believing in theories, because we have a history of being lied to. People in their
home countries are used to the government constantly lying to them. And the news and their stations
are controlled by the government. So they're spewing out lies continuously. So they learn to
distrust the media. In the west in particular, we have seen for the longest time, the media deflate
and inflate numbers when it comes to Islam out, right, lying when it comes to Islam. So we learn to
		

			distrust what is in the news. And sometimes that distrust carries over to anything that is mentioned
in the news. So these are the reasons why conspiracy theories are so attractive to people. Now let's
examine why conspiracy theories are theorists are so adamant, and so firm on their position. The
first thing is called confirmation bias. This is where we only seek information that agrees with
what we already believe. And flat earthers are very guilty of this. And there are many flat earthers
around amongst the Muslim community as well, flat earthers. What they do is they accept whatever
information agrees with their idea that the earth is flat, and it is not a globe. But then they
		

			reject any strong evidence that disproves that theory of flat earth. So in a sense, they don't see
the other evidence. They're just by a bias to information and the only take information that
confirms that bias or that theory that they already have. And there are documentaries on this, where
they even interview some leaders in the flat earth movement or idea. And when it comes to evidence
that's very strong that the earth is round, they actually say this is problematic. And they ignore
that evidence. And they only mentioned the ones that agree with them that the earth is flat.
		

			The other problem or reason why people insist on these conspiracies is that they're inherently self
sealing. Any contradictory evidence is dismissed, because it's from the conspirators any evidence
that disagrees. It's from the other cap the other guys so we don't accept it. Earlier, we mentioned
that the like, we mentioned information about fainting from vaccines, that information actually came
from cdc.org, meaning the Center for Disease Control. So now someone who doesn't believe in the
vaccine or thinks that it's harmful, or that will kill you or that's fainting you because it's bad
and so on. Now that they know this information came from the CDC, they will reject it immediately.
		

			These information is useless now because the CDC are the vaccine people themselves. So it's self
sealing. We only accept information, our own information, and anything contrary is from those who
are against
		

			So how will you any How will you ever examine any contrary evidence? How will you ever give it a
chance because it's self sealing, you're just within this bubble now, and you refuse to look
outside, then anything from the outside any strong argument is from the conspirators. So you remain
safe in that bubble.
		

			And that will bring us to the next point that is related to this, that everyone is in on the secret
everyone is in on the conspiracy. We don't accept what medical doctors say, because they're all in
on it. They're all part of that camp. But the truth is, it's not possible for something like that to
be a secret. If COVID-19 was a conspiracy or done on purpose, or not really fatal, or not really
contagious, or whatever these theories are. It could this secret couldn't be kept by 1000s of
doctors around the world. And in Muslim communities. hamdulillah we have a lot of doctors, all of
them are in on it. Not a single whistleblower, not a single Muslim will just pull you aside and say,
		

			by the way, this is all fake. This is all false.
		

			Oh, when you say that to them, they'll tell you these doctors, they don't know what's really going
on. They're not informed, or they're tricky. They're just fooled with everyone else. So all these
doctors don't know that there's something going on in their own very field. But you have a degree in
liberal arts, and you figured it out from one Google search. It just doesn't make any sense.
		

			The moon landing was faked. There were 411,000 people, that's almost half a million people involved
in the moon landing. And if they were to keep this hoax a secret and first of all, why would they be
half a million people in a hoax like that? If it was all made in a studio? What do you need 100
people maximum? What do you hire half a million people. And then you swear them to secrecy and
studies with people letting out secrets show that with that number of people in three and a half
years, people would have started divulging the secret. But it's been over 40 years since that, since
that time period.
		

			So
		

			and we have this Masjid is just down the road from NASA, not even five minutes away from NASA, and
many in this room work for NASA, one of them without giving his full name. But Brother Mohammed gave
me a tour of NASA. And he his job used to be to calculate the trajectory, the entry trajectory or
angle of the space shuttle when it re enters or comes back to Earth. So if it's an according to flat
earthers, there's a dome. No one's ever been to outer space, you can't leave because there's like a
glass dome over it. So if that's the case, Brother Mohammed, what was his job? Then? Why did they
hire him and give him a salary and make him sit down for hours calculating something that doesn't
		

			even exist? Why would that be the case? Why all these employees and NASA to cover for a hoax and you
pay them and give them health insurance? For what? There's always this big lack of logic here? Why
would that be the case.
		

			And that brings us to what is known as the probe. proportionality bias. And that's it basically that
says the big events must have a big cause. Just like small events have a small cause big events have
a big cause, that it is not true. By the way, a small event can cause something big. But in the way
of thinking that is known as proportionality bias. People imagine that a big event must have a big
cause something as big as COVID-19 affecting the whole world, there must be a big conspiracy behind
the China must be trying to do something, Bill Gates must be trying to do something. Let's look at
the example of the assassination of JFK in 1963. That was a big event. And for many people, this big
		

			event couldn't have been caused by one man with one gun. So therefore there must have been a
conspiracy. And there were other standing behind the picket fence, and so on and so forth and so
forth. And by the way, how many of those people who believe in the conspiracy to assassinate JFK,
ever read the Warren Commission report? It's hundreds of hundreds of pages, how many of them read it
cover to cover? None of them. But the offer these explanations, there must be a big explanation for
this big event. Now, in March 1981, a man by the name of john Hinckley tried to assassinate than
President Reagan, he was a lone gunman. There are no conspiracy theories about this whatsoever. You
		

			know why? Because he failed. That's why there were no conspiracy theories. But if he would have
succeeded, people would not accept the idea that a small event can cause such a big thing. And they
would have immediately start to create conspiracies and theories and who was behind it and so on,
and so forth. So it's proportionality bias, the cause of an event is proportionate to it.
		

			effects. And by the way, with conspiracy theories, history repeats itself. 5g causes COVID-19. In
1889, when there was the global influenza outbreak, people blamed it on the electric light bulb.
Same thing, different technology. COVID-19 is a bio weapon. It's a plan by China to destroy the
West. In the 14th century, there was an outbreak of the bubonic plague, and people thought that it
was caused by the Jewish people. History repeats itself. Bill Gates wants to put nano chips in the
vaccine so they can control and monitor people. In 1918. People accused Bayer which is a large
pharmaceutical company of putting the Spanish Flu in aspirin. So history just keeps repeating
		

			itself. And the second hogben shala will see the dangers of these types of belief, Islamic
islamically or as it pertains to the Muslim community in particular, Apolo holy hava was the rule on
how the money will come into America, no festival, thoroughfare falls and Mr Vereen ask Allah
subhanaw taala for his forgiveness, Indeed, those who ask for his forgiveness for prosper
		

			hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah I mean, he was a Jemaine um about.
		

			So the problem with believing in many of these conspiracy theories islamically number one is that
you endanger people. There are many videos now of uninformed Muslims talking about the dangers of
the COVID-19 vaccine, some of them going as far as to say that it is haram to get vaccinated. And
our shefali gave hotbar fugen hours ago about the vaccine and how it's not haram and explained that
in detail, but these people are saying is haram even though it's not their place to make a fatwa,
the scholars never said it's Haram. But again, they know more than the experts in any field
including Islam. One video there's shows a Muslim man, and he is showing actual numbers of people
		

			who got the COVID-19 vaccine. And then they didn't feel well afterwards. And they were not even able
to perform regular activities. And it was actual information from a trusted source. But he never
mentions that that only lasted from one to three days, in some cases. That's it. He just mentions it
like it's for the rest of their life, they're unable to do anything. So where's the religious
honesty in that? The other thing is that the danger is that it will perpetuate this feeling of
weakness and helplessness in Muslims. Many Muslims feel that way anyways, that they're they're not
in control that they're Muslims are weak, Muslims are helpless. And these conspiracy theories, most
		

			of them, that's all they do. They just affirm that and they perpetuate that because theory after
theory will tell you how a few are controlling the masses and they're controlling us and they're
controlling the world. And there's nothing we are able to do we can do about it. And they're in
complete power and we're completely powerless.
		

			So they talk about the New World Order the Illuminati, which is just a few people that are unknown,
and they do whatever they want with the earth, or the Rothschilds are the ones pulling the strings,
all these theories. Have they forgotten Allah Subhana Allah says in the Quran, in order Illa you
will read ohama Yasha Omen a birdie one
		

			talking indeed the earth belongs to Allah. And he'll inherited tomb ever he wills of his servants.
And the final end is for those who have Taqwa. Likewise, a lot of uses Welcome cataplana visible
remember an all by Aretha Ava the Assad Assad the home that we have that the earth will be inherited
by our righteous servants to tell me that a few handful of people control the entire world and
nobody knows who they are is never ever seen them. The other problem is that the conspiracy theories
they creep into our religion. So the Illuminati are the ones who will pave the way for the danger,
they will facilitate the way for the emergence of the danger. Even the the Illuminati don't exist at
		

			all. There is not a shred of evidence that there's such a secretive group that controls the earth.
But if you look at the Hadith of the journal in detail, you will see that there's no room for the
story of the Illuminati in the story of the digit, no room whatsoever. There is no way they can help
them and there is no need for it as well. Most people don't even understand the story that the judge
so they think all these things are precursors are assistance of m and so on and so forth. But these
theories have crept into our own religion the conspiracy theories. Likewise they utilize religion
there is a very famous
		

			Muslim speaker who has very good knowledge of history and politics, but very poor knowledge of
Hadith and its meanings, and he re interprets what is the role of the British, the MA D, the john,
the New World Order microchips jujin judge to form a nonsensical narrative of the end of times, and
his lectures are incredibly popular amongst people. So from the solutions, number one, when you
encounter someone who believes in a ridiculous conspiracy theory, don't mock their belief Don't mock
what they believe in, because experts say that makes them dig in more, it just makes them more firm
upon their position, so you're not going to convince them by marking them. The other thing is, what
		

			people need to do what we need to do ourselves and encourage those who believe in theories to fact
check to fact check everything.
		

			Allah as witnesses for on either job among men and men, an omni I will hold up as our ob, if they
receive any news related to their safety or public safety, or fear, or their ob they spread it
immediately. Well overdue. Illa Rasool we're in our own cameraman home and if they had or they
should, and if they would have referred it back to the messenger sallallahu sallam, and those in the
places of authority amongst them laulima who live in a system between a home in home that those in
charge amongst them, they would have investigated and known the truth of the matter. What Allah,
Allah Allah come
		

			about to macheda in Laconia had not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy, you will have
followed the ship on except for a few. The other thing is to not give the spotlight to those who
spread conspiracies, and on WhatsApp, anyone who has a video about how the vaccine is bad for you,
or it's part of the global * of this or that people spread it even if they don't believe
it, they spread it by Why would you spread it? Even if you don't believe it? Why would you spread
it? What if you spread it to people and they started to believe it, and they were during this COVID
outbreak, they were some Muslims who were just at the forefront of spreading nonsense. And even
		

			their theories were not even intelligent. They're not even clever. But they were being spread and
invited on shows and Muslim programs to talk about their nonsense and to spread fear and to tell
people not to take the vaccine and so on and so forth.
		

			So with that we ask Allah to make us of those who recognize the truth as clear truth and follow the
best of it and to make us of those who recognize falsehood as clear false with and abstain from it
for lahoma
		

			coconut
		

			oil both Lila bolted on what is authenticity Naga la Manasa Jalla dunya Kumara homina Well, I'm a
lover Elmina well Elena Remo sirona Allahumma brim la Hello Matamoros Did you as a V robotic with a
V animal Celtic wait Murphy hibben maruf Wi Fi Allah monka s Mar da, sola Mubarak
		

			alameen wa The early he was here Jemaine Kumar, Sakuma Hong Kong la
		

			Let me read the announcements very quickly.
		

			First is a reminder to donate You can donate here physically or online at the monster.org chef who
leads class excellence and floors will be next friday so it's postponed for tonight will continue
next Friday inshallah youth phonology with myself tomorrow at 6:30pm on domestic Facebook page.
Sister Ana and mum Luke's Sunday class weekly Sunday class at 2pm for sisters only walking the
journey with the Quran. And please as usual, just stay where you are after the salah and the
volunteers will direct you when to exit