Mufti Menk – A Stern Warning

			Assalamu alaikum my brothers and sisters, it is normal to differ in opinion, it is normal to have a
disagreement, completely normal not to agree with others at times. Let's look at the companions of
the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. they differed with each other at times very strongly, but
they were taught and they practiced upon something amazing. They never ever abused another person
simply because they disagreed with that person. They never hurled abuse, they did not use bad
language to refer to anyone whom they disagreed with. They never insulted another person, they did
not engage in character assassination. Very unfortunately, we have not yet learned my brothers and
		

			sisters, at times we hear some of the scholars today disagree, and that's not bad to disagree is not
bad at all, it is normal. Instead of furnishing their opinions with the evidences and presenting
them to the public or to whomsoever it may concern, they prefer to insult those they disagree with,
to the degree that their own respect is compromised. My brothers and sisters, a heavy price is paid
when scholars insult one another. And this is why my advice to the general public, when we see
people differing in opinion, perhaps they may be right, they have a right to defer, they have a
right to present their evidences or their views. Absolutely. We need to be very mature about this.
		

			Remember, when they defer, they have not done anything wrong, but the minute they abuse, it goes to
show they are wrong. They are actually so wrong, my brothers and sisters, that they have left the
way of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, where he says a true believer will never insult never
be abusive. A true believer does not engage in that type of hurtful behavior. So my brothers and
sisters, when someone swears, and when someone becomes cheap in their language simply because
they've differed with someone, it shows their desperation. And it shows the fact that they don't
know what they're talking about. And therefore, they are so desperate in trying to get this untruth
		

			across to the people that they have resorted to the cheapest possible way, character assassination,
swearing, etc, deception. May Allah protect us. Once again, you may differ with me, really, I have
no problem. I still love you and I still respect you. But this respect is compromised the minute one
begins to hurl abuse and become so cheap that even the devil becomes ashamed of us, my brothers and
sisters, let this not be the way forward. We will hear at this time of difficulty and hardship,
where we find so much going on, where some people have chosen to save lives. And some people have
chosen not to even bother about lives. It's okay it is really fine. The public needs to listen to
		

			both opinions, perhaps there may be some who are engaging in what is known as religious blackmail.
Without knowing what is on the ground. They have simply tried to inflame the feelings and emotions
of people by making them feel a false sense of security, perhaps through religion, whereas the same
religion teaches that we should be saving lives continuing with the worship of Allah subhanho wa
Taala in the best possible way. Unfortunately, one group is saying that the other group is asking
the public to forsake the Almighty and the teachings of Islam. That is absurd. It is totally absurd.
We all care for the deen but some of us actually care for the lives of the people out there as well.
		

			Whereas the others,
		

			we differ with them, and I differ with them very respectfully. However, I don't appreciate their
abuse, the way they have taken people out of the fold of Islam simply for holding a different
opinion. Also based in evidence, my brothers and sisters, let history not repeat itself. We ask
Allah subhanho wa Taala to grant us protection. In fact, we need to learn from the earliest of the
oma the companions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Brothers and sisters if we call each
other names, those who are ardent followers of either side will take it to another level, they will
begin to hate, they will begin to create enmity, they will begin to abuse they will begin to
		

			actually physically harm and thereafter begin to kill.
		

			Don't laugh at this. It's already happening. So Panama people are threatening the lives of others.
		

			Others simply because they have disagreed with the opinion of their share. That is disgusting. That
is unacceptable. That is actually something that is so shameful my brothers and sisters we ought to
go back to the pure Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him differ differ by all means, but
the one who is correct is the one who is respectful and if both are correct, if both are respectful,
they are both correct in one way, but those who are not respectful and hurl abuse, I say it for the
last time, they have actually heard they have paid a disservice to the oma insulted the Sunnah of
the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him and strayed from the path of Islam. May Allah subhanho wa
		

			Taala guide us or help us at this juncture, this time when we're trying to save lives. And we're
saying, fulfill the duties unto you be it prayer, be it congregational prayer, whatever it may be,
but in a slightly unique way, for the time being. My brothers and sisters, let's not get so
emotional that we have to swear it goes to show the lack of intellect, the lack of wisdom, it goes
to show the lack of concern for the oma, are you just cared about yourself? Do you really think
you're the only one who exists on earth who has the right to look into the evidences and interpret
them? If that's the case, my brothers and sisters, we have to become more mature and we have to
		

			learn to respect each other, not just for our sake for the sake of Allah, but for the sake of the
future of this oma, thank you so much for listening. akula kolyada was Allah Allahu wa Sallim wa
barik ala nabina Muhammad