On Elections, Allegiances, and Loyalty

Today, we're going to pause our series on Surah Al Baqarah, which we have almost finished, to give a few thoughts on the election that was held this past Tuesday. And we're not going to repeat the mistakes of some of the other masajid across the country, we're not going to tell you who to vote for, or who you should have voted for. We're not going to celebrate, because this party or this candidate one, and we're not going to lament because that party or that candidate one, we're not going to tell you that voting is haram, and that you're sinful if you did it. And we're also not going to tell you that voting is wajib and that you're sinful if you didn't do it. Instead, we're

going to give you some general principles from Allah's book Subhana that apply to everyone. If you voted or didn't vote, if you voted Republican or Democrat or something else entirely, if you're happy with the results of the election, or upset, these principles apply to everybody. Allah subhanho To Allah says in surah Al Imran Yeah, you're Latina, Armineh lotsa Turkey that will be thrown at him into an econ. Oh, you who have believed do not take as intimate friends, anyone other than yourselves.

Rather than focus on the technical ruling of voting. This verse draws our attention to the spirit of it. What are our expectations? What is our intention? What's going on in our hearts if we do this thing, and this verse tells us that no matter what course of action that you choose, or chose to pursue, it tells us exactly where our hearts should be at. Because we can mean well, we can have a good intention, even if we do something wrong. As long as we honestly thought we were doing the right thing. We have a reason to hope that Allah subhanahu wata, Allah will forgive us, even if we mess up. On the other hand, if we do the right thing, but we have the wrong intention in our hearts,

if we have the wrong spirits, then we will be blamed and potentially punished. Let's give an example to make it crystal clear. So Jude, something we do multiple times a day, getting down on your hands and knees to pray, you might have the perfect form, you might be facing the right direction, you might have cleansed yourself in the bathroom perfectly, you might be covering yourself perfectly. But if you're down on your forehead to show off,

your action is worthless. Worse than that, it's actually a terrible, terrible sin. But if you were doing your best, but it wasn't completely technically correct if you tried to find the Qibla. And were a little bit off, if you clean yourself the best that you could, but maybe you missed a spot on accidents, if you cover the best that you could, but you didn't realize that you had a hole over here and you're close somewhere. It's not perfect. But if you get down on your knees in humility and submission and your heart is moved, the tears start flowing out of love for Allah don't you think Allah subhana wa Tada is going to accept that from you and overlook your shortcomings. The spirit of

the thing is what matters most intention is key in the metamodel Binny yet, and this does not mean that we don't care about the *tier. Obviously we do, there is no excuse for being lazy. There is no excuse for going against something that is agreed upon in the city. But if we're talking about an issue where there is an acceptable difference of opinion, a modern issue that didn't exist at the time of the Prophet alayhi salatu salam, an issue of its jihad, instead of getting dragged back into a technical debate or discussion that most people frankly are not qualified to even participate in. It's more beneficial to talk about what should and shouldn't be going on in your heart. Whether you

choose to vote or not. Allah azza wa jal says here in Surah Al Imran don't take non Muslims as people are gonna

be a Donna is like a friend, but it's much much more than a friend. It's someone that you trust. It's someone that you rely upon. It's somebody that you have an intimate connection with someone you allow into your inner most circle, someone who can influence you.

If this person is not a Muslim

If they haven't submitted to Allah's Dean, then Allah saying you shouldn't do it. You shouldn't bring such a person so close, you have to keep them at a little bit of a distance. Now, before we continue, it's very important to understand what this doesn't mean. Okay? It doesn't mean that you can't hire the best person for the job. Everybody remembers the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he was making hijra, from the city of Mecca to the city of Medina. And they went him and Abu Bakar and they went to the cave, and they hid out in the cave for some days. And they had someone else that was leading them through the desert to show them the best way Who was it?

It was a man named Abdullah, even though right?

Was he a Muslim, he was not a Muslim. This is one of the most sensitive times in the in the Sierra of the prophet Isaiah, he set out to sit down.

But here he was, he was the best guide around. He was someone who was trustworthy, he wasn't going to violate that trust. And so the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam paid the right man for the job. He didn't look at his tribe, he didn't look at his group, he didn't look at his identity. He said, here's the best person. And here you go.

Sometimes we get burned by this in the Muslim community, we have a job to do, whether it's building a masjid or something else. And we mean, well, we want to do the right thing and say, You know what, let's give it to a Muslim to do. But not all Muslims are trustworthy. Isn't that true? Not all Muslims, May Allah guide them and us, not all Muslims are going to do the best job. Sometimes, unfortunately, we've reached a time in history where if you go to another Muslim for something,

they will be less likely to fulfill your rights than if a non Muslim had gone to them. That's true. And so this idea does not mean that we don't hire the right person for the job.

We hire the right person for the job, the person who's going to get it done the best qualified no matter what their belief is.

This idea also doesn't mean that every other Muslim or movement is trustworthy, we discovered that there are people within the OMA that will betray you sad to say, there are people that will

not fulfill their obligations to you. And this is a shame, and it's also a sin. But the IEA is talking about something else. The I didn't say that you trust every single person that comes down the road, if they're the same religion as you or if their name is Mohammed or Fatima, but it does tell us that we have to be cautious, we have to be cautious with people who don't share our faith, we can't be too trusting, at least not right away. When we look at politicians, whether it's at the city level, or the county level, or the state level, or the federal level, this idea is extremely important. You can vote for a politician, but don't take them as your Savior. Don't put all your

hopes in them. Don't expect too much from them. Unfortunately, these days, people of principle are few. And the people of popularity are many. What that means is that most people and this is the simple truth. Most people will do the right thing as long as it's popular, or if they stand to gain anything from it. But the second that they don't stand to gain anything from it. Or the second that doing the right thing becomes unpopular, even costly. Well then don't expect such people to deliver. We saw this within the last year, we had a homelessness crisis crisis here in Utica, we still have it.

But within the last few years, it was concentrated and very, very visible over here at Oneida square. And people don't realize that homelessness is a very complicated issue. A lot of times there are mental health issues involved. A lot of times there are drug addiction issues involved. And while we have homeless shelters in the city, most homeless shelters have conditions. They don't just take everybody. Many of the people that you saw out on the street, were turned away by the homeless shelters in the area for this reason or that.

In the middle of all this there was a church right there on the square across from Dunkin Donuts. That was operating what they call a warming shelter for the homeless. Now the difference between a warming shelter and a homeless shelter is that a homeless shelter is open 24/7 all day in night. A warming shelter is just open at night. And then it closes during the day. So this warming shelter was different. It was different because there weren't any conditions whatsoever. They did not turn anybody away. There were absolutely zero barriers. And that's why you saw so many homes

homeless people around Oneida square. Until a few months ago, they were taking advantage of those services. The problem was many people who own property around Oneida square, they didn't like it. Having so many homeless people concentrated in such a small area, there were problems that come along with that population you had squatting, you had substance abuse, you had trash, you had property damage. And the people who own the property, let the politicians know that they were not happy with what was going on. They wanted the homeless population out of there. At the end of the day, the politicians did not want to touch the issue. They didn't want to work with the church at

all, or even speak to them, because it became very, very unpopular to do. So. Maybe the politicians felt personally, like they supported what the church was doing. But politically, the cost was too high. And so they couldn't do anything. And they didn't. That's how it works. So you can't rely on them too much. That's the point. You can't have too high of hopes for them, they're not your friends. No matter how many backpack giveaways they show up to, no matter how many photos they take with you, you should assume that anything they do for you is because they think that it's going to get them votes. And anything that they don't do for you, it's because they think it's going to cost

them. If you realize this, then you can actually have a strategy and use it to your advantage. Look at what our Bosnian brothers did. Downtown with the Court Street message. They bought that for $1. For a single dollar. If you can deliver the votes, you can get things done. Look at what our brothers over in Dearborn, Michigan have accomplished when the school board was going to teach sexually explicit material to the young kids in elementary school. The parents showed up to the school board meetings in mass, hundreds of them and they told them look, if you guys don't change what you're doing, we're going to replace all of you, we're going to vote every single one of you

out. That's how it works.

That's a winning strategy.

a losing strategy, as Allah subhanaw taala implies, is relying on them as if they're your close friends. With a close friend, you can expect them to do something for nothing. And if you want to know who your real true close friends are, invite people to help you when you move from one house to another. See who shows up. whoever shows up. Those are your real friends and their show up. And they don't have any expectation that they're going to get anything in return if you make coffee Hamdulillah. But they're going to show up because they don't expect anything in return. Anybody else you have to pay? If you hire movers, that's different from inviting your friends, you're not relying

on their kindness. They don't love you. You don't love them. You're hiring them to do a job. It's business. And if you were to pay your movers upfront, before they did anything,

what's to stop them from taking the money and running? Without ever helping you move a single box? We would say that you got ripped off. You don't pay them until the job is done? Well guess what? It's the same exact thing with politicians. You don't pay them until the job is done. Don't just give them your vote because they invited you to dinner a few times. Or they showed up to the machine for a photo op.

Make them do something to earn it. First, I'll give you an example. We have some idle buildings all over the city and especially in this neighborhood. That grocery store right across the street is idle and empty. It's been abandoned for years. It looks terrible.

nobody's using it.

If we had that building as a Muslim community, don't you think we could do something interesting with that building? Don't you think that we could turn it into maybe a halal restaurant or a halal grocery store? Or a gym or a youth center or a school or something of that nature? I don't know. I'm sure many of you in the room have better ideas than I do. But the point is, it takes votes to get what you want. But we can't take the leaders or the politicians as bid on. We can't take them as close friends. We can't rely on their kindness. We don't bring them in too close Allah subhanaw taala warns us not to do that. And the believers should take heed. Aquila, Kali hada was stuck for

Allah Lee welcome Melissa. The Muslim equilibrium, the stock Pharaoh who in the hook for Rahim

Alhamdulillah he Allah Cerny was shook Allahu Allah tofi Auntie nanny or Sherwin La ilaha illallah wa Taala surely you can tell the militia and your shadow and an OB and I was at dinner Mohammed Abdullah Sudha who? Lani so Allahu alayhi wa early he was having when he was selling Mota Sleeman kathira.

On the same page of Al Imran Allah azza wa jal continues this topic and he cautions us that there are two type of people that you have to watch out for. He says in the same area as before La Jolla, Luna corncob. Ellen, what do I need to him? These people will not spare you any type of harm, and they love what brings harm to you. But a better Tilburg law I mean, FYI, him Well, Matt took me so Dora home Akbar, are they another Kamal is in quantum Tapi known, hatred has already appeared from their mouths, and what their breasts conceal is even greater. We have certainly made clear to you the signs, if only you will use your reason.

This is the first type of person I was talking about here, what Malcolm X used to call the wolf. The wolf doesn't smile in your face, he growls, he threatens you, you can tell pretty easily that this type of person is not going to help you in any type of way. There was a funny example of this the first time I met our former representative Claudia Tenney, it was at a rally that our Burmese brothers were holding. And the purpose was there was about to be a vote on a military budget that would have given aid to Israel. So I went there specifically to meet her and to encourage her not to approve this bill.

And I introduced myself to her and I said I'm the Imam of the masjid on Campbell Street. And her response to me was, there is no message on Campbell Street.

Now put aside for a second what that says about how we failed to make a name for ourselves in this community put that aside for one second. The fact that somebody just meeting me for the first time would tell me instead of asking me, Is there a message on chemistry, there is no message on chemistry, it is what she said, that tells me all I need to know. That tells me all I need to know about this individual. If they're not even ready to listen to the fact that I exist in a certain place. How are they going to be ready to listen to my needs and what and what we need from her as a representative. If hatred appears from their mouths, you don't expect anything else. You understand

that's the wolf. At the same time, this doesn't mean that we are tricked by everybody who sweet talks us. Allah subhanaw taala brings up this second type of person says hi and toma hola Ito Hey Boehner hum Walla you're gonna come what's up man? I want to build keytab equally here you are loving them. But they don't love you. While you believe in the Scripture. All of it. Why either cool can call you, man. Why are you there? Hello, Abu Ali Kemal Anna Amina Minagawa evil. And when they meet you face to face, they say we believe but when they are alone, they bite at their finger and their fingertips in rage.

This is what Malcolm X called the fox. Remember the wolf he growls in your face, you know he's your enemy. But the fox doesn't grow at your face. He smiles. He waits until you turn away he acts like your friend. But once you turn around, he's ready to attack and stab you in the back. Remember when President Biden said inshallah

some people in the Muslim community we're ready to give them the bail?

It shouldn't be that easy. Not everyone that smiles at you what's good for you? How can you tell then? How can you tell who was good for you? Allah subhanaw taala gives us away in the very next day. And Tim says Come hasna tune tests at home we're in so Sybil como se te fre hooba. If God touches you, it distresses them, they become sad. But if harm reaches you, then they rejoice at it. That's the easiest way. See how they react and this goes for everyone. If they're not celebrating your success, they're not on your side. If they are not troubled by your failure, then they're not on your team. Subhanallah sorry to say that we've reached the point where this is even true for

Muslims. We have Muslims whether online or in person that celebrate the failure of other Muslims or get sad and jealous when other Muslims succeed.

Even Imams

Even Misha even people in Dawa Yes, yes, it happens. Sheikh Abdullah and PT he used to tell us in Medina that one way that you can tell whether a day or a shake is sincere or not, is how they react when someone finds guidance from somewhere else.

Once in the prophets mesquite in Medina, there was a shake that used to teach. And he noticed that one of his students stopped going to his class. Some months later, they ran into each other. And the student told the sheikh, I found someone who explains the same book that you're teaching. He explains it better than you

in a less boring way.

The Sheikh was happy for his former student, he said Al Hamdulillah, I'm so glad that you found someone better than me to teach you.

That's what sincerity looks like. If that che wasn't sincere, he would probably ask to know, well, who is this other Sheikh?

Then maybe he'd go online and comb through his lectures and YouTube videos until he found some mistake somewhere. Then he'd make a refutation video and tell people the whole time that he was defending Islam. No, sir. You're defending your ego. A sincere Sheikh is happy when someone is guided even if the guidance does not come from him. an egotistical Sheikh isn't happy unless the guidance comes from Him and Him alone. Similarly, a sincere person will celebrate your success, and they will be sad when you fail. And the best we can say the best we can say about politicians and elected officials is that they do not lose any sleep at night. If we fail, they do not lose any

sleep at night if we fail. So we need to be clear in our hearts. We need to be balanced and we need to be cautious. Whether you vote or not. No matter who you voted for, stay awake, stay vigilant and make sure that your heart is attached only to Allah subhanahu wa Tada. And if it overwhelms you have the amount of money and the special interests and the political game games that the Muslims have to face today, here or abroad. Then here the end of this last idea and know that nothing is too great for Allah Subhana Allah that Allah azza wa jal will help us as long as we are obedient to Him and patients were in the hospital. What's that? Zaku Laya dororo Kincaid homeshare and if you are

patient and fear Allah than their plot will not harm you whatsoever. Indeed, Allah subhanaw taala is encompassing of what they do.