Remembering the Archbishop

Are we live in a shed on rajim Bismillah men are human hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala Sayidina Muhammad Ali he was so happy he married my beloved brother Sadat Malik rahmatullah wa barakatu.

Alhamdulillah without me always and forever we begin with the praise the thanks of Allah subhanaw taala insha Allah Allah, Allah we testify that this man worthy of worship besides Allah subhanaw taala and we send our greetings and our love so beloved Muhammad salallahu Salam despite some of your family, his companions and all those who follow his sunnah until the end of time. May Allah subhanaw taala bless us to be amongst them. mean I mean all hamdulillah

okay

okay, just

an apology we starting off as you can see the screen isn't working our PCs on switching on so I think the PCs they can already face to see them. But we're struggling technology wise on the shower anyone able to assist with a PC, please assistance also bad to begin with by like this, but we'll see a 35 therefore you bought incorrectly see a W 35. Silver fo you're not bought correctly, please can you just move your vehicle

never had to start the footwear like that. Now

Alhamdulillah it is the end of the last day of the year. And when I was thinking about what to speak about this afternoon is festive. Talk about heavy stuff, man, people are in the mood to not to get into deep discussions and we see me on holiday. But hamdulillah it's beautiful. That in spite of it's the last day of the it's a Friday afternoon, and people are in the masjid at one o'clock. Because we understand that I don't take holiday from my deal. No matter what I take holiday from school work, Islam, I'm always a Muslim. And I will be here in this mansion. And it's beautiful. While the rest of the world is partying. Everyone is in party mode right now. And yes, even the

Muslims will be partying in a halal way. But when it comes to this time, it is still Joomla. And this takes priority what hamdulillah and it just shows us the you know that Islam is first. The topic of today, you know, constantly screen is remembering the archbishop. And this has been a controversial issue this last week or so, around Islam and Christianity, we had Christmas do you give me Do you say Merry Christmas? Don't you say Merry Christmas? How do we interact with Christians? And then on top of that, Archbishop Desmond Tutu passed away. And as Muslims, we struggle with sort of a lot of questions, can I make dua for non Muslim to what level can I

interact? And so because it's on the minds of everyone else, it's something which we need to clarify, and maybe more so than just the issue of the archbishop and Christmas. It's about how do I live as a Muslim? In a poodle? A global village? How do I live and interact? What is the line between being a good friend and neighbor to my non Muslim colleagues? And what can I do and what can't I do? And why? What is that line? And it's important because Christianity is a season of Christian Christianity, a lot of conditioning questions, we also need to begin by reminding ourselves that there is no religion on earth outside of besides Christianity, that is dear and

closer to the Christians than Islam. No religion on earth,

promotes and says that you need to love Nabil Issa to be a Muslim. If you don't love to be Isa, you cannot be a Muslim. If you don't love me, Mary Maria, you cannot be a Muslim. We affirm that he is the greatest one of the greatest men that ever walked the face of the earth, that he's the Messiah. We don't even say Mohammed salah is the Messiah. We see now besides the Messiah, that he's alive, and he will come back again. And he will lead the world into by the promotion permission of Allah into an age of peace and justice that we believe unlike even some Christians, we believe in his miraculous birth without a father. He was born of a virgin. And we believe that his mother is the

greatest woman that walked the face of the earth. She was a Siddiqa. She's mentioned more times in the Quran than in the Bible said this before. We believe in the miracles that he's performed, even resurrecting the date Bismillah with the permission of Allah, and Allah even mentions the disciples the Haida Yun, Allah doesn't mention the Sahaba you know, in my name, or the Sahara besides Jose, the other one, but then Allah says in the Quran, oh Muslims, oh Abu Bakr be like the howdy Yun you emulate the example of the disciples of the visa.

And so, without a doubt, there is no religion that honors and respects Christianity and the Christians more than our religion. And it is important for us to let our Christian friends and neighbors know that how close we are to them in spite of our differences. There is no religion that is closer to them than we are. Now as Muslims, how do we love and interact with our non Muslim friends and neighbors? What can we do and what can't we do? And I thought I'd give a list of points of how to navigate this controversial issue because we've the problem I find

Ain't with life is people are black and white. It's either the person is good or he's bad. I can even talk to him. And he does my best friend. Why Shannon when I don't talk to him, I don't talk to him. How do I navigate we sometimes we can talk and be friends and love. And other times we keep our keep our, our distance.

We show number one.

We show kindness and goodness to every human being to every person, whether he's an atheist, whether they live a certain lifestyle, whether it's a drug addict, whatever that person is, as a Muslim, you give good luck to everybody. You're polite, you are truthful, you are kind to every single human being. And the evidence for that is when Allah said to Nabi Musa and speak to Iran, gently speak to him nicely, right, there's no one was then fit on the dunya. And it's no one better than that emotion that dunya. And so no matter how bad you think the other person is, you need to treat them with kindness. We fulfill the rights of every human being, even if they're not Muslim. So you don't

say, because this customer is a coffee, this is an atheist, I can show change him. Because yeah, that's a coffee, man. I don't have to do what I need to do. So every person is owed, you owe rights to them, your neighbor, with a Muslim, non Muslim drug addict, whatever they are, if it's your neighbor, you owe him a write off of neighbor, neighborliness, your boss, your your kids, your parents, my law predicted might be that your parents have a different religion, your kids might be able to follow protect, maybe a different religion, we still have the rights of family ties in that

we hope for the good of every human being on Earth.

We are not an insular community, we will only look for Muslim Rights and the well being of the Muslim community. Every single person on earth needs to live a life of dignity. And as Muslims we advocate for that, and we join hands with anyone who fights against oppression. Whoever the oppressor is and whatever the operation is meaning we join hands with the non Muslims. If the oppressor is a Muslim, then we join hands against that Muslim, if he's commenting oppression. And if the persecutor is a non Muslim, we join hands with him. If a church is being vandalized, we will speak out against that as much as if a masjid was being vandalized. Even Christian minority in the

world is being persecuted by Muslims. If the Palestinian, the Palestinian Christians, we stand with them as much as we stand with the Palestinian Muslims being oppressed.

And then when it comes to religions, we respect all faiths in the world. And especially as all religions are sacred, all religions have a level of sanctity in Islam, we respect it. And especially the Abrahamic faiths, in the Quran, Allah always refers to

it's a it's a it's a term of, it's not a derogatory term. Allah says, the people of the book The people of Scripture, people of learning people of knowledge, our refers to them with all the most incorrect beliefs, Allah still refers to them as Yeah, don't get up. And we know the Sharia has given them a special status. You can eat from the food, if it is within the boundary, that kosher food you can eat it. If you see that kosher stamp on me, you can eat it, so long as it's in line with the Halacha. Like what do they call it, the shadow, the shadow as well the Halacha and similar terms, and you can even as we know that the Muslim man may marry a practicing Christian or Jewish

woman, Allah has allowed this and he's not allowed without theta. And we should always look for avenues in building bridges with the Arabic kitab. In particular, Allah says in the Quran kuliah al Kitab say to that will get up to I know Eli collimating. So are in binary People of the Book of Judeo Christians come together with us on a common agreement. We let us put all the differences aside, stingy, please put that aside. We start off with Atlanta with the Illallah that you believe our Candyman, there's no one to worship besides Allah, the first commandment of the 10 commandments is that oh SR II and you have one God, let us agree on that. First, let us agree on that. So we

always look for errors in the Quran, Allah says, We agree on the things which we can agree, and we even honor and praise the good qualities we see in our Christian friends and neighbors of Jewish friends and neighbors. Allah says in the Quran span look at this, if I remember the context, we talking about a Archbishop that has passed away and people struggle. Can we comment on the good that he's done? Can we praise the good that he has done? Look what Allah says Allah says

that he then you will see then Acaba, Hamada, Allah says you will find the nearest people in a fiction to the believers meaning of the non believers, the closest people to the believers in love. Who are they? Alladhina Kalu in Nana surah. Amongst those who say we are in Asara, you'll find amongst the Christians Allah says they are the best of people when it comes to the Muslims. Why? That is because amongst them are sincere priests and monks that are not arrogant. You'd

Find people within the faith that are deeply religious and spiritual. Yes, they did not accept the Quran they do not accept the Nabisco Salem, but they live a level of morality. And they deeply love Allah subhanho wa taala. And so you'd find them the closest to Allah closest to the Muslims in affection. We also know and we're very proud to say this, that the night before Salam before you took some said the Muslims to Medina, the Muslims went to a senior and specifically the first place the first place Muslims were safe to practice our religion. Never forget this was within Christian Abyssinia.

Then abbyson chose

the land of Abyssinia because it was a Christian country because they it was a country based on Christian roll laws and Muslims could practice their religion without fear.

And they stood for justice before and we need to understand before Muslims could make Salah in Makkah, we made Salah in ever senior, many historians This is the first magazine on earth that was built was in Abyssinia. The Muslims were allowed to build a mansion every senior before Medina before Makkah. Subhanallah Can you imagine that? And this was because of the kindness of the Christians that were ruling. And and if we go a little bit more controversially, we also respect the places of worship of other faiths. We respect the symbols, we do not disgrace we do not mark at the symbols we don't draw caricatures, or vandalize the symbols of other religions. And we also affirm

that they have the right to worship even if we disagree with him. Even if we say this is sherek they have the right to worship. Now Subhan Allah How can you say that? Now these all Salam in Medina Masjid Al Nabawi, a delegation of Christians came from a area of Saudi called Metatron. From the south, they came to Medina, big delegation big Jamar like a Doublelift chama they came, they wanted to meet this man calling to be a prophet. When they came to Medina. They'd never hotel to stay in so that you stay in the masjid. You live in the masjid. And obviously, these were priests, so they're going to pray. They pray in the masjid now Subhan Allah, I don't think any medicine on Earth

would allow. A delegate will allow Christians to come here but if you say we're going to sleep over and then we're going to have our vacancy and the magic was, you know, there is a set crossing the line. This is a mosquito number we are gonna be allowed it. Also we know when Satan only conquered Jerusalem. And he allowed everyone of different faiths to come back. If the Christians were in control. And they really respected they said number was a man of morality. And when he came to the time of Juma, the priests, the Archbishop of Jerusalem, the head priest said, this is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the church, where they built the church on where they sit, nubby Issa was

crucified. That's like the Haram of Christianity, the church of Holy Sepulchre. So they sit down and say, You can pray here in the church, to say no says no. Why, if I pray here, it's going to become a mosque. Later on, the Muslims will take this church, we will take it and make it imagine, because this is where Omar made salah, he went outside, and he made Salah somewhere else, so that a masjid would be separate from the church. And until today, that church is still protected. It is part of the the treaty that, let's say, normal sign that no one will interfere with the church and with the practices and the all faiths. Now, if we were really anti shear, in terms of we break down every

church and demolish the church. We didn't do that. We did not do that.

So part of being a Muslim in a global society is we honor and respect the religion, the symbols, the places of worship, and the rights of those people to worship. But where we differ with him, we don't compromise on our beliefs. And we'll make it very clear what we believe and what we don't believe. As much as we allow, and we respect the right to worship. We also say very clearly Allah says Lakota tougher Alladhina Kado in Allah says, That surely the one who says Allah is part of a Trinity that's coming to disbelief.

And for the for the isn't

my mom in ilaha illa wa, Allahu Allah and there is no God except one Allah. And whatever Allah says, and if they do not give up this claim is they do not give up the Trinity.

All who have this believed among them and all those who disbelieved? Allah says they are liable for severe punishment. This is what Allah says in the Quran. We don't mince our words around that we say the Trinity is this belief in Allah subhanaw taala and even more so Allah says the caribou similar to that of Fatah naman who what unshackled out of the water, what are the headwinds and the money? What are the the havens want to split apart and the mountains want to collapse? And the earth wants to shatter? Why? Because they attribute to Allah a sun. This is a serious claim. So something small, so we say Christian friends or neighbors we acknowledge your goodness, we acknowledge the things in

your religion that we can agree on. We even acknowledge things that you excel over us. We

say that when you are pious and righteous, we acknowledge that. But when it comes to theology, we say that this is where we draw the line that we will never ever be okay with this, we will never participate in those celebrations. We will never condone those statements will never say, Well, you have a view, I have a view, we said Allah is one you say three. So let's agree on two, we never say that, we say that this is right and that what you saying is wrong for our perspective. We do not participate in the religious festivals. So when they are praying, we do not pray with them. We do not while we respect the symbols of Christianity, we never disrespected, we do not weigh it and put

it on our homes and weigh the decorations and report the celebrations. As much we also and thinking of the other side, we did not expect them to do that with Islam. We don't want you we don't require of you to be in the masjid and make Salah just allow us to make Salah give us the freedom to practice our religion. And that's enough Al Hamdulillah we don't expect you to be part of our our rituals.

And we do not express support wherever they should. Of course, we've not expressed support in that. Now, these are some of the guidelines. And I know many of us we work in a corporate world you have secret center cannot participate cannot participate. Can I say Merry Christmas as we sit never ever do we condone extortion. But you always have to show love and respect to your co workers and your friends and your neighbors. And so be be moderate and know what is permissible, impermissible your friend invites you to a wedding a funeral as we said, Go and show your respects. Go and show your decency as a human being. But when it comes down to we praying now to Jesus, you cannot raise your

hands and say I mean, you stand to one side respectfully and allow the ritual to happen without without you and that's okay that is permissible. Nothing wrong with that.

People ask, can we make dua for non Muslims panela as a loving non Muslims you have to make dua is part of being a decent human, that you make dua for the well being of every human being. Allah keep us all safe our health, our children, whatever harms my children harms the children. This is they are our brothers and sisters in humanity. And we make dua more than they say they dunya well being make dua for the guidance and Daya Yeah, Allah may everyone be guided to the Huck and the Siragusa team. I mean, what happens if someone dies at this believer? Now this is where the thing becomes a little controversial and it's in the case of like this. We know very, very clearly this doesn't

require anyone to give a * away it is in the Quran. We know when Abu Talib, the man with an abuse when loved so much died and he died this believer, the guy in the coffin, he said to Allah, I will continue making dua until you forgive I will. I will continue making dua and then what Allah say mechanically, maybe it is not appropriate for the Navy for the prophet, and the believers to ask forgiveness for the pagans for the machete again, even if they are your relatives, even if it's someone you love very much after it has become clear that they are the companions of the fire. You cannot do this now. They've made the choice. Now.

We don't know who dies that moment who dies on demand that last few moments that's between them and Allah, we only judge on the apparent if someone died apparently as a Muslim, we obviously make janazah on them and we make dua for that person. Someone dies apparently on this belief, we cannot now make dua for them. We also have a very important people don't know this, we do not ascribe Heaven and Hell to any person, even a non Muslim, we cannot say this person is going to join them. That is not for you and me to decide there is a Kiama must decide that Allah was decided in the Deaf camp. So we can all we can speak in generalities that a person who dies on Cooper, they are liable

for Jahannam and we call make dua for them. And a person who dies on Eman apparently the insha Allah eventually they will do to Jana and we make dua for them. We continue to make dua for the believers no matter how sinful they are, that Kalama binds them to us even in death. We must make dua for the Muslim no matter how sinful he was, maybe I will do our is the thing that's going to get him out. And so we cannot make dua for a person who died apparently on this belief cannot make dua for them. Can we commemorate them though? Can we speak well of them? Can we honor them? Can we dignify so we can make dua

for the archbishop, but can we speak well of him and learn from him? Is that permissible? Now let's see. Then. So Salem was sitting with the sahaba. And Janaza was brought, you know, came across and then at least we stood up didn't say anything. He didn't make a DUA, he just stood up this opposite Yaroslav, that's a Jew. There's a Muslim that sent me some stuff to the sahaba. Was he not the soul? Was it a human being that died? I'm just showing condolences and respect to the person in the family. Can we not show that so how about understood that we don't make dua but we can show our human respect. We can offer condolences to the family this weekend do more than that span a lot more

than that. There's a very interesting person in the time it'll be something called mu time and it will tell me that we don't sort of Eastern Jubei sobre la

Who is this man with a woman

who was a man who in the time of Makkah when Muslims were being persecuted he was one of the firmest supporters are going to be some wasn't a Muslim idol worshipping coffee, whatever you want to say you're gonna add all that that's true. But he supported the Muslims and he allow an easy to the Quraysh they have the right to practice their religion and you can persecute these people and he stood up against injustice in society. When the Muslims were being boycotted. No one could sell them food, they were starving. He would send food in the middle of the night smuggle food to the Muslims when Abu Talib died, and that's why they're not going to die. If he died, there was no one to

protect him now. There's no protection. He was like his passport, his citizenship was taken away from him, you could be killed. So there'll be solemn, US military men or you ask this man, would you give me your protection? You're the chief and Moto M said to his sons, get your armor Come with me. And in the middle of Makkah, with rim set to the leadership of the Kurdish? I am Muhammad is under my protection. And so the leaders of the coalition motoring are you protecting him as a follower, meaning you become a Muslim, Muslim. I'm not a Muslim, I'm still on the same religion, but I stand for social justice. So this is one with me is understand who he was non Muslim, but he stood for the

rights of humanity. And he felt that Muslims should have the right to practice their religion. When the battle of budget occurred with him had died, an unbeliever he died a pagan. And so there'll be some looked at the prisoners of war when the Muslims one brother, amongst them is Dubai, a Muslim son is a prisoner of war. And the Prophet says to Jumeirah, the Alon, you became Muslim afterwards, that if more time if your dad said one word to me, if he was alive, now, one word, all 70 of these evil criminals would be released, I would release all of them. If not interested in one word, now nothing is dead. Why would not be to say this about a dead man did did caffeine, to show that we

still honor and respect the good that he did, there is still a level of respect we give even the non Muslim after, after the interview, someone can speak well, of a disbeliever. After death, surely we can do the same. And so when we speak about this man, the Archbishop, it is We only say what it's true of him that he was one of the most beloved and respected people on the face of the earth. So after doubt, someone that the world looked up as a voice for morality, for justice, for equality, a person who spoke with conviction and sincerity, that he was a believer and a priest. And as I said, in the Quran, even though we disagree with the theology, a person who makes their life, the pursuit

of God is something beautiful. And we honor, we honor and dignify people of faith, and also the leadership of faith. If the pope comes here, we speak to him more than just anyone else. Because he's a person in pursuit of this pursuit of the truth, we can respect that every one of us are looking for the truth, we all want a relationship with God. And that is something that is is profound. We also know that he was a scholar, PhD. And as we know, we honor people of not learning whichever it is, if your PhD in economics or mechanics, whatever it is, we honor a person of knowledge wherever they are. And he was an advocate for learning for everyone. One of his passions

was everyone should have the right to learn. We know perhaps the thing that is most famous for was he was in the forefront. He was the face of fighting against the apartheid government. When the standing Church, the Dutch Reformed Church, the official church, you guys know more than me, the NP CAC, the official Church of South Africa was pro apartheid. He stood up against his own. He was a voice against his own. Now it's easy to speak, you know, against the government, but to speak against your own religious fraternity is very, very difficult. Your own fellow priests and colleagues to speak out against that's very difficult. And he spoke out not only for Christian

rights, or black rights for everyone, and it's very beautiful pictures of him hand in hand with Nazim Mala Ramallah and other faith based said part of our religion, our faith is that this thing is not the God is unhappy with us, Allah, whatever, whatever term you want to call the Creator, He will never condone this act of apartheid. And so on that, of course, you want even the Nobel Prize, the Nobel Peace Prize? What is also very beautiful is after apartheid, he was the head of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Now, it's very important. When injustice is done, there needs to be some kind of restitution, even though you say And subhanAllah, when we see the parallel with an abuser

salaam even said that there's no retribution, no one is going to be no deal, though. No scores are going to be settled now. But there needs to be a conversation about who did what to whom he was made the chairperson of this conversation, to promote forgiveness. And this Hala through that leadership allowed us to heal forgiveness is part of every faith, but even the sinner, even fear only had the right to be forgiven if you wanted to. So everyone, even the apartheid government, if they wanted to come about and have forgiveness, there is a voice for that. And he was the chairman of that. That committee. It was his

In fact, he coined the term the rainbow nation was his sort of his statement to say that we are forming a new country. And that is why every single one of us like motoring like the city about motoring, we all owe this man a debt, that we can practice our religion freely Subhan Allah, Allah subhanaw taala will be merciful and give whatever is due to everyone, we know that. But every single person who is a debt to the sacrifice of this man, and being a model voice, even after politics spoke out against this current government for the wrongs that he's doing. And he had a deep love and respect for Islam, deep love and respect. And that's why throughout the world when you travel, it is

a well known fact that this minority of Muslims here this 2% Tiny emotion of Christianity is the most honored and respected Muslim minority and partly because of leaders like Desmond Tutu that spoke favorably about our faith, our religion and respected us, and did a great service to our team. And we give that we say that very clearly.

Of the things he statements and I'm gonna give some quotes, now we overtime, give some quotes. He said, If you want, and we can live by these things, we can learn from it. If you want peace, you don't talk to your friends, you talk to your enemies, if you're gonna bring about peace, have a conversation with your enemies.

Hope is being able to see that there is light, in spite of all the darkness that no matter how bad things are, be optimistic. Without forgiveness, there is no future. My second favorite quote of him, and he added sense of humor. He said, When the missionaries came to Africa, they came with the Bible in the hand, and we had the land in our hand. Then the missionary said to us, close your eyes, let us pray. So we close the eyes. When we opened up, we had the Bible in our hand, and they had the land in the hand.

And this is his missionary, so So he's talking out against his own clergy. But that's what Christianity did to Africa. And that was beautiful to be able to point the finger at your own, that I will speak out, not just for my own speak about when when, when designers do it, we speak out when the the Hindus in India when we speak out, but when the Muslim governments do or we don't speak out, no, no, we speak out equally against everyone if it's wrong is wrong. And of course, the statement that he said very, you know, he said, he said, I know firsthand that Israel has created an apartheid reality within its borders, and through its occupation, the parallels to my own sort of Beloved,

South Africa, and apartheid and Israel is very, very painfully Stark and dependent. And he said, those who turn a blind eye to injustice, actually, you promote injustice, you perpetuate injustice, if you are neutral on situations of injustice, then you have chosen the side of the oppressor. You have chosen the side of the oppressor and we can live by these these statements and they're in line with our with our with our ethos. Now, leaving all that aside and went to India for this one question.

If someone who did not have the guidance of the Quran, and he did not have the example of Nabi Muhammad wa salam to guide him, could bring about such good on Earth, and could stand for so much good on Earth. And when he died, people can speak about the things he stood for. What about you and me? We have the Quran and the Sunnah.

Should we not be the face of justice? Should we not be the voice of morality? Should we not be the person that you look up to? Beyond your faith? Muslims, non Muslims alike can look Christians look at him and say, Look, this was a man, it was a godly men, a man who lived for a higher purpose. Why would we as Muslims is that much, rather, should we not be the ones that that are, you know, symbolize and embodies those principles. And people, no matter irrespective of your faith, they will recognize what is good there's a level of morality, irrespective of you a religious person or atheist, whatever it is, people will recognize truthful and goodness for what it is. And that is

what all of us when we stand up, and when we live our lives, stand up for that which is right. And when we die, yes, someone has passed away. At the end of the day, what really mattered. People talk about the kind of person you were. And think about that legacy as we enter into a new a new year, it's been a difficult year. May Allah grant Rama for those who have passed away during this year, every family has been touched with tragedy, my own family and last 12 months, I look around all our relatives that have passed away, high place in Jannah and forgiveness, many people are sick and struggling, may Allah grant them Shiva, we need to rebuild we need to rebuild. And so it New Year's

resolutions but nears make it part of your near that we will stand for what is right to bring some joy, some goodness in this dunya that is ultimately what happens. This is going to catch up with all of us. And when we die and people are going to speak about they might be a Joomla about whether or not maybe not the Joomla but maybe at some table the biryani table oxygen when they speak about someone so passed away. What are they going to say about you and me? What did we stand for? What are the quotes that we made? Who are the lives that we've touched? May Allah grant our life to be a meaning and nowadays to be upon to hate and Iman, mean just ask Allah spanker to grant you a a

blizzard 2022 May Allah forgive us for our shortcomings?

Be safe and be keep keep well Salaam Alaikum