Suleiman Hani – University Revolutions and Hypocritical Persecutions Remarks About EncampmentsforJustice
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Allah
commands us what is translated as, oh believers,
be mindful of Allah, have taqwa of Allah,
and let every soul reflect
deeply on what you have sent ahead for
your afterlife for tomorrow.
And have taqwa of Allah be conscious of
Allah obey Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala on his
terms, verily He is aware of all that
you do.
When we look to the stories of the
Quran, we find they are not there for
entertainment, they are there for lessons, these are
real human experiences.
Old and young for all walks of life
until the end of times. And the most
referenced prophet in the entire Quran, as we
know, is prophet Musa alaihi salaam Moses, peace
be upon him,
referenced explicitly
136
times.
You look to his stories and you find
a master class of dua,
constantly connected to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala with
every passage, every story, every hardship
constantly turning to Allah and asking for support,
for help and it's a reminder for us
it doesn't matter how strong you physically are,
you turn to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and
you're actually strong, You find your strength in
Allah
An example of this when he accidentally punched
and killed a man,
Musa alai Salam made dua and he asked
for forgiveness.
Oh Allah, my lord, I have wronged myself.
I have wronged myself, so forgive me, and
Allah forgave him. Allah is the oft forgiving,
the ever merciful. When he left the city
because they warned him they're coming after
you,
he left with fear, with caution.
You're escaping. You're taking measures. What happens? You're
making dua.
When he saw the 2 women who needed
help, he supported them and helped them out.
And then he went to the shade, meaning
of a tree.
And he made dua that I am in
need, my lord, desperate need of whatever provision
you can give me.
And shortly after this, as we know, he's
given a job employment, and he was married
off to one of these 2 women. So
Musa alayhi salaam is constantly churning to Allah,
making dua.
And we know what this was setting him
up for.
It was setting him up for an even
greater trial trial and challenge
that he had to go to Firaun, the
pharaoh who was considered one of the most
evil dictators and tyrants and brutal people in
history.
And when Musa alaihis salam went to Firaun,
Allah gave Musa alaihis salam Moses the signs
that he needed to prove he was a
prophet.
So anyone who is wondering, is there an
evidence? Yes. Intellectually satisfied, empirically satisfied, rationally justified.
So there was no lack of evidence. He
was given so many signs which is why
the magicians of Firaun
all submitted and became Muslim.
But Firaun himself was a tyrant,
a brutal man who killed literally butchered children,
babies
because he was afraid of a prophecy of
a young boy who would be born in
that place who one day would challenge him.
Supposedly, when you look at this story,
when people read this and they hear this,
they say, really would a dictator
be so paranoid
that they would have babies killed
and people are okay with that, they still
supported him?
Over 14,000 children were killed, Palestinian children were
killed, and you still have people supporting
what's happening.
And that's just in the last 6 months.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian children have been
killed in the last 75 years of occupation,
and you still have people who deny there's
a genocide.
Not a single president of an American university
has used the word genocide,
has condemned what is happening in Palestine,
has condemned the reality that the US government
is a part of it
because there is another element involved. So when
you see and we'll get to it in
a moment. When you see firaoun,
you're talking about someone who enslaved Bani Israel,
took any of the women that he desired,
and killed the babies of the city.
What kind of person would justify something like
this? The same kind of person who sees
a genocide today and refuses to admit there's
a genocide. The same kind of person who
claims there's something more important than protecting the
lives of innocent people. Those are the kind
of people who follow firaoun. It is not
the real followers of Musa alaihis salam or
Bani Israel, no. These are the arrogant people
who see sign after sign after
sign. They study history and they talk about
Bosnia and Rwanda, they talk about the holocaust
and slavery and they say how can people
have possibly stayed silent?
You have people who are silent in the
world today. You have people in fact they
are not just silent, they are pushing for
adding on to the genocide. They are pushing
for getting rid of all of Gaza. They
are pushing for a vision of taking over
more than just Palestine.
And this is the reality of the world
that we are in. So after firaoun was
given all of the evidences
that this here is a sign from God
and he denied all of the signs
then Musa alaihis salam made dua against him.
And this dua of Musa alaihis salam is
important for us in our experiences,
in our lives
today. So when Musa alaihis salam made du'a
to cut it off and translate quickly. He
said, my lord,
you have granted pharaoh
and his chiefs, his elite, the riches and
the materialism, the luxuries of this worldly life
which they abused and they used to take
people astray.
And then he made du'a. Notice again Musa
alaihi salaam constantly connected to Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala. No matter your situation, your test, you
don't see how it's going to be solved,
you don't see how an evil person will
be removed, you have to do your part
and as you strive you stay connected to
Allah. So he said oh Allah
all of these things that Musa that Fir'aun
has,
this wealth,
this materialism,
the military might that he has, oh Allah,
he's using it to take people astray.
So then he makes an additional dua
He said, oh Allah, destroy their riches.
All these things you have tested them with
that they used for evil and injustice and
violence, take it away from them, oh Allah,
and harden their hearts so that they never
believe until they see the painful punishment, meaning
that's what they deserve.
This is the reality of the world that
we are in today,
that there are people who have
military might
seemingly.
They have wealth. They have a lot of
money. And sometimes people see that and they
become afraid to challenge,
to speak up. It is the reason that
many university administrators and presidents and others are
afraid to say a single thing about genocide.
It is the reason that students who are
aware of this on campuses
are taking off all across the world with
this momentum because they have nothing to lose.
They are not afraid. In fact, they do
have some worldly things to lose but they're
not afraid for their jobs, they're not afraid
about donations
to their campuses,
they're not afraid about political connections that university
presidents oftentimes have. They're not afraid. So when
they see an evil that is so clear
cut,
no one can deny,
Naturally, what is the reaction of the one
who has a conscience? They're going to speak
up. They're going to address. They're going to
protest. They're going to do all that they
can. And the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
gave us a command in the very famous
hadith.
Whoever amongst you sees an evil, let him
change it with his hand, meaning take action
if you can.
If that does not apply, if you cannot,
then with your tongue meaning with your speech
say something about it condemn it don't remain
silent figure out what the wisest and most
correct thing to say is and then do
it
If that doesn't apply and you cannot
then hate it in your heart
that is the least degree of faith There
are different ways for us to implement changing
evil things and addressing what you see as
power and the reality is all power goes
back to Allah. We
say
all the time we say allahu akbar more
than any other phrase in salah do we
really believe it Or do we see wealth
and donors and do we see zionist influence
and say there's no hope? No, there is
absolutely hope because all power comes from Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala. So you think of the
prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam and how he
gave advice, a man comes to him and
he asks in the famous hadith,
What kind of jihad is greatest? Meaning what?
There are different forms of jihad. Some have
very strict conditions. You cannot take matters into
your own hands. They have to be applied
in a very specific way, and other types
are open. Meaning what?
Striving against your lower self, against your desires
is applicable for all Muslims across all times
in every single place in the world. That
doesn't change. You're always required to stop your
nafs. But here the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam
gave an example of a jihad striving or
struggling
that has a specific context. That one of
the greatest types of jihad, he said,
In one hadith, he said,
to say a word of truth
in front of an evil tyrant, an evil
ruler, a person of authority,
a person of power.
Today, people of power in this country,
power in quotes, of course, politicians
are afraid for their jobs.
They are afraid and they are talking about
allegiances. They're they're blind political parties. Who's going
to get them ahead? Who's going to get
them voted? So they are afraid to speak
up. Not all, but many. Today, you find
people in corporate spaces like Google and other
companies
suppressing their own employees.
They fired over 50 employees.
Why did they do something bad? They violated
some policy?
Because they protested project Nimbus the supporting of
a contract with the government in Israel that
is being used for military purposes
because they protested
something as bad as a genocide.
They were fired. Today students
oftentimes are thinking twice when they see a
few others The case is here and there
of someone getting canceled from a valedictorian speech
or students who are not getting jobs or
students in the last semester getting suspended. So
they're wondering and they're thinking, am I putting
my livelihood on the line? Do I really
want to sacrifice this? Is this the right
move for me? Is this the right step?
Students all across the world
and faculty,
students and faculty all across the world, not
just in the US,
are now at a point where the tide
has shifted enough.
And we have not seen on American campuses
anything like this in the last few decades
that has really affected pretty much the entire
country and now it is worldwide
where faculty are standing and protecting their own
students and the faculty are being arrested. I
came last night I was at Yale University.
I went last night to one of the
encampments that they had on campus. It was
at night, so it was peaceful at that
time. There was nothing happening. They were gathering
for a teaching. Talk about the actual history
of Zionism and occupation of Palestine.
And the majority are not Muslim. The majority
are not Palestinian, and it doesn't have to
be that that's the case. You have Jews
and you have Muslims you have Christians and
atheists have other people who are sick of
a genocide that has been taking place not
just for 6 months but in fact in
different forms for 75 years. Genocide is not
normal. Do you think do people think students
want to be sitting on campus all day?
Do people think it's comfortable that that's the
norm? No. But genocide is not normal. Going
about your everyday life
and enjoying it as though there's no genocide
in the world, that's not normal.
Defending genocide,
justifying what the IDF is doing, and the
entirety of the Zionist ideology has done.
That's not normal.
The reality of what's happening on campuses all
across the world,
The reality here is that people are sick
of the hypocrisy. They are sick of the
double standards. They are sick of someone claiming
human rights, but it doesn't apply to your
people because universities and western liberalism claims freedom
of speech.
But as soon as you start to speak
on behalf of Palestinians or behalf of anyone
who's oppressed in this country, as soon as
you start to address this reality, they say
not that kind of freedom of speech.
Universities and liberalism in general, they claim inclusivity.
We know everything and anything
is included in this concept of inclusivity
with a small exception here and there. They
say inclusivity. When we include Palestinian rights, they
say, not that inclusive.
These universities and these campuses say academic freedom.
When professors start to address the reality that
this is an injustice
and Israeli Jewish professors
are saying this is an occupation
of Palestine.
They say not that kind of academic freedom.
And they get canceled and fired and sidelined.
Freedom to protest? Yes. With guidelines and conditions.
Yes. There's the freedom to protest. But when
you start bringing in the police in different
in different parts of the country who are
trained or trained with the IDF.
And there are pepper spraying students and faculty,
and they're beating people. They're teasing students. If
you haven't seen some of the videos, they
are dragging people. They are, yes, interrupting students
who are praying and taking them while they
are praying Maghrib prayer. As they are doing
this, the world is watching, and other campuses
as they see this are saying we're not
going to be silent either and the reality
is as this takes off across the world
yes it may fluctuate
Things come and go, but the momentum is
there. And this momentum is important for us
as Muslims to look at and say there's
a few basic principles
we have to make clear.
We are standing with universal justice wherever we
are. It doesn't matter who's being oppressed.
This is not just a matter of Palestine
anymore. This is not just a matter of
a a genocide that is so clear.
Universal justice for us as Muslims means that
if someone is being oppressed in your vicinity,
if someone is being oppressed in your country,
if there is a military industrial complex, if
there's police brutality, if there's clearly racism still
embedded in the system, that we stand on
the side of justice. It's not about who's
on the other side. It's about where the
truth is. It's about what universal justice is.
It's about what Allah
commands. The fact that some presidents of universities
are sending the national guard should be alarming
for everyone in this country, should be alarming
to all of us as a community.
Because as these Zionist donors are wrapping gifts
and continue threatening these presidents and administrators
with these gifts,
our brothers and sisters in Gaza are still
wrapping their children.
They are still dying today. They are still
being killed just yesterday as well. And some
of you have seen the the baby that
was taken from the womb of the pregnant
mother who died in Israeli strike who was
killed.
The baby survived for just a few days
and today the baby died as well. May
Allah gather that family and all of our
brothers and sisters in the highest ranks of
Jannah, Allahu'ma Ameen. So what is our principle?
What is our message
for all the community members, old and young
from every walk of life? Not only are
we, yes, explicitly stating that we stand with
universal justice
and this is not a matter that is
limited to one group or ethnicity anymore. The
reality here is that the Nakba, the catastrophe
of 1948
is one of many issues,
one of many byproducts of Zionism.
Because the ugliness that has been exposed today
is not just about the genocide.
It's not just about the genocide.
It's also the reality that there are structures
in place here in which your voice does
not matter as much, in which they want
you to feel like your tax dollars don't
matter as much, in which they want you
to feel like whatever you protest at the
highest levels of government, they'll do whatever they
desire. They want you to feel like your
individual presence does not make a difference.
But wallahi, it is they them, they are
the ones who are afraid. Do you know
how we know this? Because every time you
find momentum on social media or on campuses,
you will hear the dogs barking. You'll hear
the dogs barking and claiming what? These are
anti semitic students. These are radical agitators. These
are Muslims this and that. These are extremists.
These are people who are paid to do
this.
And as they're saying this, the cameras are
looking at the Jewish students who are saying
not in our name. As they're doing this,
Americans of all backgrounds are saying not with
our tax dollars.
As they're saying this, people are saying where's
the radical violence you're talking about? It is
with the police presence that you find violence
not with the students and the protesters. So
of course, as we advise our students
to always stand with justice
and yes to advocate for peace
universally wherever you are.
Recognize that Allah
is aware of every single thing that happens
in this world, every minute decision and every
single moment. You may not see the full
grand picture if you will, but
every student is making a difference, and every
faculty member is making a difference and the
community members who are supporting the students are
making a difference and those who are standing
with the universities in terms of the the
protesters
they are making a difference those who are
making dua for them are making a difference
the parents who advise their children to be
brave they are making a difference
Allah
is
aware. Do not assume that Allah is unaware
of what the oppressors do.
He delays them for a day in which
their eyes will stare in horror. May Allah
always keep us on the side of justice
wherever we are. We advise the parents,
community members with your skill sets, the lawyers,
the, legal activists, the, community members, whatever your
background is, whatever you're able to do to
support students, especially on the major campuses in
Michigan today, do your part. Do whatever it
is that you can do
and advise wisely and advise sincerely. At the
end of the day, wherever there is an
injustice, we will stand and we will make
dua and we will pray and we'll take
all measures we can possibly take in terms
of a multifaceted strategy, all in the hopes
of being amongst those who are protected
with the divine support and the barak of
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in this life and
protected in the grave and protected on the
day of judgment when the infant speaks and
she's asked for what crime was she killed
and when the people of Gaza and Sudan
and East Turkestan and in America and all
around the world those who are killed innocently
when they speak we hope we're on the
right side of justice. We hope that we're
standing there and we're not afraid that we're
going to be included with the silent oppressors.
We ask Allah
to protect our brothers and sisters in Gaza,
to protect us from being distracted. We ask
Allah
to bring down his swift justice and his
relief and to, grant to our students success
and courage and bravery wherever they are and
the application of Islamic principles consistently across the
world. Allahumma Ameen seek forgiveness from Allah. He's
the offer giving, the ever merciful.
On that day,
everyone will be rewarded, every soul will be
rewarded for what it earned, for what it
actually did, and there's no injustice. These
are such heavy words.
Whatever hardship you go through, whatever hardship we
see and we witness, whatever is experienced of
pain and injustice
in Palestine and all around the world, Allah
is aware.
And the restoration of rights on the day
of judgement is unlike the restoration of rights
in this world.
For those who are waiting, they won't be
waiting long for their rights. They won't be
waiting long for paradise. For the believers, the
time will be very short on the day
of judgment and for the disbelievers will be
very long.
But as we address what's happening in this
country and the spark
that has, been kindled worldwide on campuses and
we encourage again the parents and community members,
old and young, to support the students and
to be very wise but to be present
in any way that you can.
We also are reminded
to look deep within and to ensure that
as you're advocating
for justice in Palestine and as you're advocating
for divestment from any kind of university or
corporate investments
in an occupation of 75 years And as
you're advocating for the protection of the freedom
of speech and the freedom of protest on
campuses
to make sure you are a person of
justice in your individual capacity, with your family,
in your corporate space, with your employees, that
you are a person of justice in your
organization, that you are a person of justice
with every word that you say in every
text that you send, That we are people
who look deep within and we are not
saying we wanna change the world but not
change ourselves. We wanna be part of the
process of change, changing ourselves so we can
change the world. May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
grant us justice and forgive us for shortcomings
and may Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala leave it
the affairs of our brothers and sisters in
every land and every place all around the
world. May Allah
grant us, courage and optimism and strength and
bravery to apply the principles of Islam wherever
we are.