Yasir Qadhi – Orlando Shooting

			Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala Sayidina Muhammad Ali
he was married about in light of the incidents. Today we're going to have to pause our regular
series and just talk a little bit about the reality of what we have witnessed today. It is called
the largest mass shooting in the history of modern America. And there's no doubt that we're gonna
just we're just seeing the beginnings of the consequences. Realize My dear brothers and sisters from
a purely theological and physical and spiritual perspective, Allah subhanho wa Taala has told us
that this life is a life of tests, and our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has mentioned that
		

			you're going to be tested in many different ways. And in fact, he said that of the signs of the Day
of Judgment is that fit and are going to increase Phaeton in the Arabic translates as trials. But as
I have said many times before, the actual meaning of Phaeton and fitna is to sift through is to sift
through and that is why in classical Arabic, the goldsmith was the one who was called for 10. He's
causing fitna How is the goldsmith causing fitna because the goldsmith he takes raw gold and he puts
it into the furnace and he separates pure gold from the filth. So he's causing fitna to raw gold.
And now what happens when a person undergoes fitna you either go up or you go down, you become real
		

			gold or you become filth. So fitna actually uncovers the true you who you really are, you will
discover only in times of fitna and so a person who's a closet racist, a person who hates Muslims,
but he's polite to you at work. A fitna happens, all of a sudden the real him comes out. All of a
sudden he'll say things that I never believed this guy could say. That's the fitna sifting Liam is a
level habito Minotaur you. Similarly, the believer who perhaps you didn't think he'd had that much
Eman, but somebody makes fun of Islam in his presence and at work, and all of a sudden you see that
a man come out, and he defends alized religion and the messenger and he corrects the mistake that
		

			you've seen verbally. So you never know the fitna has the potential to make pure gold. But it also
has the potential to sift through the filth. And what has happened today is one more fitna that
every one of us is now going through Muslim and non Muslim, every single person in this country and
around the world. Now, we're going to have to decide which way are we going to go? Are we going to
become more better pure gold? Or are we going to go down with the filth and this reality the
brothers and sisters is a reality that unfortunately, is not the first time we had to talk about
this at San Bernardino. We had talked about it to the Boston bombing. And before this all the way
		

			since 911. And even before and the fact of the matter, we have said over and over again
repetitively, that the religion of Islam does not allow the killing of innocence that one injustice
does not allow another injustice. Allah azza wa jal explicitly says in the Quran, that whoever kills
an innocent soul, it is as if he has killed all of mankind. And our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam said, I did this I Bahati that anybody who kills a non Muslim with whom there is a treaty or
more, I hid a non Muslim with whom there is a treaty, that that person will not smell the scent of
gender, even though the fragrance of gender can be smelled from so many miles away. And dear
		

			brothers and sisters, no religion allows such evil to simply indiscriminately kill 50 100 people in
this manner, you don't have to be a religious person, even to understand the sad fact is that with
the very fact that we have to condemn is itself a sad reality. And this leads me to my second point,
once we have condemned, and once we have unequivocally said, this is not a part of our religion, we
now have to ask ourselves and ask the broader society. Why should I even have to condemn when any
other massacre and any other mass shooting is never condemned by the faith churches and the groups
that are associated with those mass shooters, when dylann roof perpetrated his massacre, and he
		

			killed eight or nine or 10 people in a church, and he did so in the name of his race, and he invoked
a cause that he himself believed in the very people that belong to that race did not have to issue
statements, the people that belong to that civilization did not have to dissociate because it was
understood that a crazy man is a crazy man, even if he acts in the name of a race or a civilization
or religion, the church that dylann roof used to go to did not have to come on CNN and talk about,
oh, what are they doing to counter radicalism and the sad reality is that we are not being judged
according to the same standards. We can
		

			Not even grieve with our fellow Americans, except that we have to as well condemned, and we have to
become on the defensive that this is not a part of our civilization. And we have to ask the broader
public, we have to be courageous enough to call a spade a spade. Why is it that anyone who goes
crazy of another faith community is the lone wolf? Why is it that they have a mental issue? And yet
for some reason, everybody in our community never has any mental problems? This guy is a mental
lunatic. There's no question about it, something snapped in his head, he did what he did. A sane
person does not do this. And if you read what we know, of course, is still premature, but there
		

			seems to be personal issues, he's gone through a divorce, his wife has left him etc, etc. Clearly,
there are issues going on. There are mental issues every single time a mass shooting takes place
from the broader public. And of course, the stereotypical mass shooter, as we know is a Caucasian,
male, Christian, every time this happens will lie. Within a few hours, we begin to hear about what
happened in his childhood went through a severe divorce, the parents had this he was involved in
this, you find some type of excuse to blame, other than broader culture, other than the society
itself. Yet for some reason, when a Muslim goes mental, it has to be the religion of Islam. Well,
		

			law here we are tired. We are tired of these double standards, and somebody's got to stand up and
call a spade a spade. We also have crazy people like you do we also have lunatics like you do. Why
is it that every time one of us does something, he becomes the representative and an ambassador of
the entire 1.6 billion Muslims. We have to point this out and say, with every single ounce of
courage and strength that we have enough is enough. I represent myself. He doesn't represent me.
Mainstream Muslims are represented in the massagin. We represent Islam over here. Every mustard in
North America is packed with people praying, what was this guy doing at a bar? What was this guy
		

			doing at a location in the nights of Ramadan that none of us are going to he doesn't even he did not
even go to the masjid. His wife said he was ex wife, he will lift his wife left him his ex wife said
he wasn't even religious. He used to drink whatnot has nothing to do with the dean yet just because
his name is a pseudo Islamic name. All of a sudden, he represents all of us, brothers and sisters.
We don't have to apologize for something we didn't commit. It's not my responsibility to apologize.
I condemn like I condemn every massacre. But we don't have to apologize for something that we do not
cause. A third point brothers and sisters is that a lot of people ask that they're asking us Oh,
		

			what is Islam stance on the lifestyle of that particular group and the and the the alternative
lifestyles of that bar, and this is a mistake to go down. It's irrelevant what that lifestyle was.
Islam does not allow the killing of a person because you disagree with them. Whatever the Shetty
says in an Islamic land. That's one thing that is theoretical. It has nothing to do with us living
here. Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam lived in Mecca for 13 years as a profit and greater
sins are taking place ship is being done in front of the Kaaba, there are animals being slaughtered
to idols in front of the Kaaba. Can you imagine there are 360 statues of false gods and our Prophet
		

			system does not lift a finger to harm any one of them. Our religion of Islam? Yes, indeed, it has a
full system for lands that have that system where it's a theoretical discussion for us living in
this land. There's no question that those laws are not something that we are importing here. We
understand and I've said this many times like the Muslims of Abyssinia understood that we want our
political freedoms to worship a law. So the whole question and we are being asked and bombarded in
the media is talking what is Islam stance on that alternative lifestyle? What does the Shetty I say
my advice to all of you don't even go down that tangent. It's irrelevant. It's irrelevant. This man
		

			did not act wanting to enforce the Sharia nobodies he never said that nobody around him said that.
And if in some later statement, we find out that this is what he thought that is his understanding
and interpretation. It is a mistake to go down this tangent and I gave a long lecture on this very
member when the Supreme Court did his ruling on on same * relations and I said look, this is a
part of the society that we live in. Like we disagree with alcohol we disagree with premarital
extramarital, we live and let live, okay, we speak what we want. We have the right to hold our moral
opinions, and they have the political and legal right to do as they're please. We're not enforcing
		

			our laws on them. They as well should not enforce their way of life on us simple Live and let live.
And I've said this multiple times, and hamdulillah the bulk of the oma 99.999% of us living here. We
understand this. If one person goes crazy and does something that should not represent the rest of
us. So do your brothers and sisters. If you're asked at work if your colleagues asks you what is
Islam punishment for such and such don't even go down that say it's irrelevant. This man is a
criminal
		

			No, he's a lunatic. He's a deranged lone person. Let's call a spade a spade has nothing to do with
the faith. You can believe something is wrong without wanting to harm or kill somebody. Right? And
if they continue to persist, you can say what do mainstream Christians say about abortion? That what
they say what they say does not mean they're going to kill the abortion doctors. What do they say
about abortion, that might be a theoretical issue doesn't mean you have to become physically
violent. So we decry this association of our shitty with this violence and what's happening in other
foreign lands has nothing to do with us Muslims here in America. The final point and of course, it's
		

			very important that it must be said is that brothers and sisters, whether we like it or not, our
religion is being smeared and attacked, and the acts of these crazy people are being extrapolated
for the entire faith. And what that means is, and we see this every single time this happens, there
is going to be a backlash or multiple backlash is, that is the reality. It is a bitter prediction,
but it is a reality and ask Allah protect me and you and all of our families and the whole Muslim
ummah. But the reality is that people are going to get physically hurt, people are going to be
jeered at people are going to be and unfortunately, the sad reality is these cowards typically take
		

			out their vengeance and anger on our sisters rather than on us. So this is a time to be extra
vigilant, it is a time to take extra precautions, especially in this month of Ramadan, when we are
leaving our houses late at night, and we're driving a typical episode all the time, brothers
especially Be very, very careful, take on as much responsibility as you can to go outside and do the
groceries whenever you take on that responsibility rather than your wife going out and hijab as much
as possible until things calm down as well. There are apps out there and I don't want to recommend
any particular app you do the research. But there are apps out there that are danger alerts on your
		

			on your smartphones, that you just press one button, and instantaneously, it will send a call to
either a loved one or 911 it'll send your position and you will start recording on your phone. And
that's another point that if at any point you feel threatened, your safety is paramount. Another
thing though, you can keep in mind if you're not worried about your physical safety is to videotape
what is going on these days almost all of us have a smartphone. If somebody began saying malicious
comments, harsh things, pull out your smartphone, it actually intimidates them because now they know
this is going to be recorded but only do so if you feel safe about yourself and your surroundings.
		

			You never know what the reality of of bigot or a racist person might become physical. But if you
feel that that is a legitimate tactic, then be aware that at hamdulillah videotaping is an
interesting and a smart weapon you can use so have that app download that app search for there
multiple apps is not just one app that are basically safety mechanisms that you just one button, you
press it and instantaneously, it will verify you want to send the call instantaneously, it will call
either a loved one or 911 and some apps even began videotaping right then and there. And I one
brother told me one app actually actually broadcast your video feed to some loved one so you can see
		

			what's going on. So these are necessary mechanisms for us to think about. And no doubt our safety is
of paramount importance. If however, you don't feel intimidated physically, but you find some
harshness may or encourage the brothers especially and sometimes even sisters if a woman says
something but there's no physical safety that you stand your ground with dignity and you learn to
respond with a passion that is legitimate and not intimidating to the other person when they smear
you. Don't smear them back when they make fun of you don't make fun of them back use this as an
opportunity to educate us this have the better hand Allah says in the Quran it in fact, let's see
		

			here I sent you say you respond to evil with good for either Lady baina Cobain who either was me,
you will find the one who was the worst enemy will become your best friend. So when when somebody
comes and makes fun of you makes this a smearing common. Go back where you came from, you guys call
all the problems and you assess the situation, you don't think there's a physical harm? As I said,
if there's a physical harm, that's your priority to get out of there. If you don't think it's a
physical harm, smile, say, Were you speaking with me? Did I do anything to intimidate you? And when
you smile, and you're genuinely polite, 90% of people be caught off guard, because they want you to
		

			respond with vengeance and anger. And that's not what our religion teaches, and use this as a
learning opportunity. Do you really think that all of us are responsible for the actions of a view?
Shouldn't I be judged on who I am? Do I judge you based upon what so and so and so and so has done?
Do I judge you based on what all other Christians or or Jews have done? So you can use intelligent
arguments. That's what Allah says what God did humility. He doesn't argue with them with the best of
manners, the best of luck. And brothers and sisters. I say this because you can't have a chef next
to you to have the intellectual debates all the time. You can't call it soccer.
		

			I call myself or somebody No, it's you, you, you're with your colleagues, not me, it's you with the
people that at Walmart at Kroger's, or wherever you go, that's you. If you're not going to stand up
for your fate for your children, then who's going to stand up, every one of us is going to have to
learn to try to embody the sooner, we're gonna have to learn to be a little bit extra brave about
our identity, if you're going to just want to hide your Islamic identity, what are your children
going to do? Brothers and sisters, as it is where a minority as it is where one or 2% of this land,
if even us are now embarrassed, and we stop preaching and talking about our religion, who is going
		

			to be left for our sake and the sake of our children, we're going to have to become brave. And by
brave here, I mean, be proud of our identity. Be proud of who we are, be proud of the fact that
Allah has blessed us with the best of all faiths and the best of prophets and the best of books, and
also the best of manners. So brothers and sisters, the long and the short of it. To conclude, no
doubt a tragedy has happened today. We condemn this tragedy, even as we condemned the fact that we
have to condemn it, because no other group has to condemn its own internal issues. We condemn this
tragedy unequivocally. But we point out with sadness that we appear to be the only group that always
		

			has to condemn and condemn and condemn. Today on CNN, a group of my colleagues and friends were
being interviewed by CNN. And the question was, why isn't your why aren't your mosques doing more to
preach against radicalization, automatically, the burden is on us. The presumption of guilt is
already there. What if we were to ask them? Why aren't your broader culture doing something about
gun violence? Why don't you stop glorifying, killing, killing, killing your movies or video games?
Everything, we can change the situation around and ask the exact opposite questions. But we are a
minority, they are the majority and survival though not everything is fair in life. The reality is,
		

			whether we like it or not all of our religion is being associated with the acts of and somehow look
at it. One man right now, last year, one man certain budget, and three years ago, one man in Boston,
look at the number of mass shootings taking place by average, Caucasian, white, and on and on and
on, and nothing happens. And the minute one man and statistically speaking, statistically speaking,
Alhamdulillah, the number of Muslim mass shooters is even less than the 1%. Technically it should be
or even less than that. But unfortunately, even when that takes place, the entire religion is
smeared. We can't dictate politics or media, but we have to learn to fight it within our realms. And
		

			that's why my final point was, if I and you both shy away, if we are embarrassed to be Muslim, if
we're not going to take on the bigots, then who's going to do that your circle of influence is
yours, not mine, your colleagues, your friends, the people that you see, that's your responsibility.
You're going to have to learn to be brave to put your trust in Allah and to try your best with
dignity with Allah with the courage that we learn from the Quran. From the seal of the prophets from
our own prophets Allahu Allah, He will send them to respond to evil with goodness and kindness and
the rest will leave to Allah subhanho wa Taala May Allah azzawajal protect us all and protect the
		

			oma and bring about a peaceful and and coexisting society which is located on set on morning