Yasir Qadhi – Permissibility Of Protesting In Islam

			This weekend on Saturday, there will be inshallah hota. Allah, even the largest March ever, for our
Palestinian brothers and sisters in Washington DC in front of the White House. multiple groups and
organizations have
		

			endorsed this project and we're going to be having, we hope Insha Allah, hundreds of 1000s of people
marching in protest of our government's policies in support of lifting the genocide, lifting the
sanctions, lifting all of these negatives and calling for a ceasefire and more than this, And
Alhamdulillah many of us will be participating and speaking. And for those of you who are able to
go, I do encourage every single American Muslim American citizen even regardless of your faith, this
is our country, this is our tax dollars. We need to sacrifice if it requires playing tickets, you're
able to do this if it requires flying the same day, the marches from 12 to four, you can fly in the
		

			same day and fly back the same night, no problem, but we need to show and if you sacrifice,
inshallah hooter, Allah, this is an act of worship. It is an act of worship, to protest to
demonstrate that this is not happening with our approval, we are against what is happening here. And
then hamdulillah Al Hamdulillah, the support has been overwhelming. We have a number of famous
people, VIPs, celebrities, politicians, show you all of them will be coming and be speaking in this
in this protest. Now, today's hot data is linked directly to this protest because I need to bring up
the awkward reality always this happens. And in sha Allah we hold by dialogue, we educate people,
		

			the awkward reality of the pushback from within our own community of the sentiment from within our
own ranks, that this should not be happening.
		

			As soon as the announcement went forth, and I knew this would happen immediately move these and what
not certain amongst them. Protesting is haram
		

			you're not allowed to go and do this. It is against the Sunnah.
		

			There is no precedents in the Shetty and they quote Imams and move this from around the world. By
the way, no mainstream item in North America believes this and even globally Alhamdulillah most Rola
ma understand, but as usual with utmost love and respect, there are those that have different
viewpoints. So it is important that we address these issues directly in a hopefully respectful
manner. It is not my goal to be demeaning I respect the position. So I'm going to mention four of
their main points that why they think this is haram and respond to them academically respond to them
with evidence and delete. That's what we how we dialogue, simply saying haram and anybody who
		

			disagrees is moved out there. It doesn't do much let's talk and go back and forth in a calm manner.
The first point that they say is the deepest point and the most they think the most, you know,
powerful point. They say protests are not allowed because they are not sanctioned by the Quran and
Sunnah. They say quote me and evidence that shows Allah subhanho wa Taala allows us to protest that
shows the prophets as Adam said, go and gather in the streets and hold signs and rallies. You
understand this evidence, there's nothing to support protests. So in response to this summary Lama
have tried to derive from the Quran and Sunnah evidence for protests, and they have their things. So
		

			for example, I'll give you one of their examples. When I'm going to talk about the Allah 100
converted. For the first time, the Sahaba from doubt will have come, they were publicly able to
proclaim their Islam, and they according to one report, marched, obviously the Arabic doesn't say
March, but I'm saying from download or come to the carrabba. And they prayed publicly for the first
time, because Ramadan Mahatama, his conversion was so powerful that it gave them a voice an impetus.
And so they came from Donald or come in a whole group. And they proceeded and they prayed for the
first time publicly. One of them commented, look, this is an evidence of protests, the responses.
		

			This is not actually protesting per se, they're actually finding Riza. But the response to the issue
of what is the evidence is actually the premise is wrong. Listen to this carefully. I don't need to
prove that protests have Quran and Sunnah evidence, you need to prove that protests are haram.
		

			You see, this goes back to a fundamental point, which I need you to pay attention to
		

			the defaults in how we convey the message. The default in the mechanism of
		

			Reading Islam. The default in arguing with non Muslims in explaining the teachings of Islam is you
utilize the means that are the most effective. You don't need to find precedents. I don't need to
prove to you that it's halal. You need to prove to me that it is haram. So the whole question
there's no evidence to say that this is allowed is mistaken. Because I don't need to prove to you
that this is halal. You need to somehow prove that this is haram because ALLAH SubhanA wa Taala lays
out generic guidelines. The most explicit verse in the Quran is in the end of Surah Tannehill Oduro
Isla Serbia Rebecca call to the way of Allah notice Allah says three things number one, Bill Hekmati
		

			with wisdom. Number two, while most important has sanity and advice that is Heceta hikma wisdom mo
wherever is moving speech that is hacer una mujer EBA is rhetoric that brings about an impact and is
useful more adult that has center then stage three wotja deal whom an argue with them bility here
ACEN in ways that is the most effective. Now, deconstruct this bit by bit this verse, Allah did not
specify actual techniques, Allah specified adjectives call to the way of your Lord, what is number
one with what with hikma wisdom now wisdom changes from culture to time to place. Murray allotted
escena using speech that is effective, that is powerful. How one talks the words one uses the
		

			examples that one gives, Are these not something that varies from time to place to culture. I'm
speaking to in English Why don't these people say you cannot preach Islam in English because the
process is never preached in English. They don't say this. Why don't they say this because they
understand that the mechanism of effective means the way of bringing about change I don't need to
prove to you that the process of did it because Allah gave us an open license. Call to the way of
your LORD with Wisdom. Everything that is wise do it. Allah did not restrict us call to whatever
your Lord exactly like this. No been hikma more either till Hassan with more ever with rhetoric that
		

			is good rhetoric and speech. If if I were to give you the whole top of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam, even most of the Arabs in the audience would not fully understand the words are
different. The rhetoric is different. The style is different modern Arabic hood bas are different
than hood was 1400 years ago because language changes rhetoric changes will slew of changes. So when
we understand that Allah did not restrict the exact methodology, it is a mistake to say, oh,
protests are not from the Sunnah they are haram. What are you going to say next? We cannot record
and put it on YouTube. Why the why is that YouTube haram? The very mechanism where their Messiah are
		

			saying it is how long it is recorded on video is video how long because that's how long What are
you? By the way, some people just say this, you probably know this right? Back in the 70s. The photo
was given in the 60s, the microphone is haram you know this back then all of these were given. So
with utmost respect, I'm not trying to mock but to Allah Who are our youth are confused. I need to
be blunt here. This is the same mentality of not accepting reality of change. There's nothing wrong
with the mechanism of Dawa and in fact, the fact of the matter the Sahaba demonstrated this, the
reality of compiling the Quran in one book, how did it happen? Even a Bacara the long felt the same
		

			sentiment, I don't want to do it or say we must do it. Even if the process of dinner did it. This is
how we preserve the deen. So the goal of preserving the deen is there the mechanism was not there.
So the even the compiling of the Quran, the way the governments operate, how top ran the government
is not the same way how the process of did it how the first Oh my Yes, it is not the same way how I
did it. This is how change occurs. And there's nothing wrong with this. We embrace positive change,
and we use the most effective means. Now imagine, by the way, if somebody were to say that we must,
for example, even when we're waging legitimate resistance and war, if somebody says oh, you cannot
		

			use modern weaponry, we must only use bows and arrows and swords. Can you imagine somebody saying
this? Nobody says this, but it's the same mentality. While law he it is the same mentality. So just
as we understand it is ludicrous if we're engaging in actual warfare and there is legitimate
warfare. If somebody were to say you cannot use modern
		

			weapons because the Prophet system didn't use modern weapons, you must go back to what he used.
Who's gonna say this? Nobody. So when nobody says that they're similarly when it comes to Dawa when
it comes to effective mechanism when it comes to preaching when it comes to effecting change, I
don't need to find precedents in the Sunnah. All I need to do is this effective, is it wise? Is it
something that is going to bring about change? And as long as it is not inherently haram, as long as
there's nothing inherent, obviously if it's haram, if I'm using alcohol and drink, obviously is
haram. But if there's nothing haram, that I don't need to prove to you that it is prophetic, you
		

			need to prove to me that it is against the Quran and Sunnah. So the question is wrong, ie, there is
no precedent, it's how long that phrasing is wrong. You understand this point, right? That's the
first point we get, we got rid of this that you are not allowed to present into this manner. The
default Everything is permissible until you prove to me that it is how long so this is the first
evidence here. The second thing that they say they say, Okay, how long do you want us to show us is
how long we'll show you. It's how long? The second point, they say, look at how many groups are
coming together. You have groups that might have good in them. But you also have groups that are
		

			endorsing these protests that might be with people that are non Muslims with groups that are non
Sunni with ideologies that are against the Quran and Sunnah. In other words, the people who are
going to come to the protest, and that's true, not all of them are mashallah practicing Muslims.
Some of them are non Muslims. Some of them are socialists, some of them are communists, some of them
have different ideologies of sexuality and gender, you get the point what I'm saying here, right,
you're gonna have groups that are coming, that are not necessarily in line with our Shediac. So
these guys say, Okay, fine. We agree. Point number one, but how about our second point, our second
		

			point is you're bringing together groups of people that are not upon how they are upon button, and
you allying with them is an endorsement of their Balton you are agreeing with these people in their
communism socialism, LGBT, whatever it might be. The response to this is once again very simple.
This notion of guilt by association is not Islamic. It is not logical. And it is not the lived
experience of life that even you live by Oh critic, or critic, where do you work which company he
will say I work for company, which company give me a company, any company?
		

			Amazon, okay, we say to this person, you work for Amazon, in your office, everybody mashallah has
become was Amanda developers, but Namazi?
		

			In your own headquarters in your own floor? Everybody is Moutoku Perez, God?
		

			Or is there a person of other ideology? Is there a person who has different belief? Is it all but
that's Amazon, we say Ah, but you are coming together for something that is halal. And the person
next to you, you are not required by Allah to vet every single person next to you. If your coworker
your colleague is a Christian is a Jew is a person of this background atheist agnostic. Does that
mean your job is haram?
		

			So when you can understand for your money, that you're going to do this, then allow us to do it for
a greater cause than your money? Neither from the Quran or sunnah, nor from logic, nor from common
sense reality is there's something called guilt by association, simply because we come together with
diverse groups of people. That's how society runs, how else are we going to build schools? How are
we built, hospitals build highways, groups come together, we pay taxes together, and the government
does this for us. The fact that we come together is not a tacit support of everybody would come
together with only if we come together for bothin. ie the platform is button, then it becomes
		

			button. You understand this point? If the platform is I want to support you, no rejection of Allah,
I want to support alternative sexualities. We say no, no, no, we cannot do this. But if we're coming
to build roads, and one person is a non Muslim, another person is agnostic. Another person is a
Christian, another person's a Muslim have a different background. They're coming together for
building a generic road is nothing wrong. Allah has commanded us in the Quran, what I want to
Allenbury what Taqwa all of you come together there is no restrictions on who it is. It is in the
plural. All of you come together on any project of beer and Taqwa and do not come together.
		

			Upon evil and upon transgression, and this is demonstrated in this era multiple times, the classic
example given is, of course, the Hijra itself. When the Prophet SAW Selim literally got the help and
paid somebody who's a non Muslim, Abdullah, he paid a person who's not even a Muslim to guide him
from Mecca to Medina, in a secret route. There's more blatant or explicit examples of seeking help
from people that are outside of our faith, when a will thought he passed away. And the Prophet
system was told by his other uncle, Abu Lahab, get out of Mecca. What did the process of do? He went
to other tribes? Why was the entire life? Why was it the other tribes have minute? And he said to
		

			them? Can you take me in as one of your own and allow me the protection of calling to Allah? He
literally asked them for political asylum. This isn't the zero. Now is anybody gonna say, Oh, he's
asking asylum from the pagans. This is far bigger of a cooperation than us on a neutral platform, by
the way, because he's literally saying to them, I'm going to be a part of your tribe accept me, he's
in our, in our vernacular, in our languages, like applying for citizenship. It's literally the same
thing. Because the Quran expelled him, he doesn't have citizenship, right. That's why he had to go
to Medina. So he's going to other tribes. And he is saying, who will adopt me Who will give me that
		

			political loyalty? Now, if somebody's going to say that cooperation is an approval of their shit,
because none of these tribes were Muslim, none of these tribes were Muslim, obviously not. So if we
can understand that coming together for a greater good is not an endorsement of everybody who comes
together. This is something that as I said, there is no evidence in the Quran and Sunnah. For this,
it goes against logic, like we don't, I don't vet every person who does something good. You know
what somebody comes into your shop and makes a purchase when we come together for any cooperation,
and it goes against our lived experiences. So this point is also rejected. Our goal here in this
		

			protest, is to bring the maximum number of taxpayers to demonstrate to our own government that we
don't like this policy in order to do so we're not asking your Aqeedah and we're not endorsing your
lifestyle. We're simply saying on this one issue of fairness, clean, all of us are in agreement.
There's nothing wrong with this. In fact, this is wisdom. And this is common sense. So this is also
rejected. Then they bring a third point, and they say, okay, okay, fine. That's fair enough. Then
the third point, how about the fact that there's evil taking place in the rally itself, there's
going to be some people that are going to be drinking, there's going to be men and women mixing
		

			together. Now I know some of you are going to be wondering, but I'm not joking. This is what is
said. This is what is said by a number of people that it is haram to go to protests because some
people will be doing haram at the protest, there might be shut off at the protest. There might be
men and women that are you know, mixing together or you know, close by, you know, the bodies are
closed by whatnot. And the response to this again, I'm trying not to be too harsh or too sarcastic,
but which country are living in?
		

			Which country are you living in? Such that mashallah Tabata kala you never see any shop anywhere?
You never see men? What what Corporation Do you work in? Such that please tell me there's a hijab
between you and the other genders. So if it is halal for your risk, to go into places where men and
women are interacting, all of a sudden for fettucini becomes haram. Again, the process of lived in
Makkah, there was fire show taking place in Mecca, there were idols in Makkah, what are you going to
do with the evil is there you try your best to abstain evil in your life? The listen to this
carefully, the presence of evil and you being in the presence of evil doesn't make you evil?
		

			You seeing evil, the process is seeing the pagan idols, he's seeing the idols does that affect you?
What are you going to do? You have to live your life so you do your best to avoid the Haram in your
personal space for to Allah Hamas to talk to him. The presence of evil at a protest does not make
the whole protests evil. And also, by the way, just the mere mixing of men and women we have to be a
little bit more explicit or blunt here and there's more detailed talks that I have given that others
have given even in the time of Medina, the souks did have a little bit of interaction between men
and women. Yes, I agree with you. It's not to the level of complete, you know, in and out but still,
		

			it is how life is lived in all societies and lands. There is no land that is complete gender
segregated doesn't work that way. This is a figment of the imagination. Yes, we try as much as we
can in our massages in our private gatherings. But the world is not our clean house that we can you
know implement it. So this issue does not make the whole protest haram the final point will mention
		

			And this is set by again, some of our I don't doubt their sincerity. But again, we do doubt,
frankly, their understanding of reality, frankly, but again, utmost respect to them. I know that's
harsh, so I apologize if it does sound harsh to them, but it is what it is, in my humble opinion,
they say fourth, fourth and final point, they say, protesting is a sign of utmost humiliation and
weakness, though
		

			and the real way to save Philistine depends on which group you ask, some will say Khilafah and some
will say, struggling for the sake of Allah.
		

			Struggling,
		

			okay, so they say protesting is vital, it is humiliation, and all of you are sellouts. The real way
forward, we must establish the Hereafter. And until we establish the enough, you're all a bunch of
cowards, or the real way is struggle. And until we struggle, you are all a bunch of sellouts. You
can't even say the word struggle in public. The word is jihad. I'll set it. So the problem with this
Okay, fine. You think this is the only way Bismillah Who's stopping you?
		

			Bismillah show us but until you do, so.
		

			I have no option.
		

			firstly, secondly, I have spoken about this in a lot more detail online and in other topics.
		

			The groups that constantly talk about hate offer, I politely disagree with their analysis. They
haven't studied history, their perception of Khilafah it's almost like a god stop for the love for
saying this but will lie not enough I will solve everything that can offer this to you okay, we lost
philosophy and under the philosopher and we regain full steam in the time of Salahuddin in spite of
the Khilafah and I can say more blunt, but study history, their perception of what the Khilafah can
or cannot do is false number one, number two even Islamically I have given more detailed talks the
Khilafah is no doubt a useful idea and concept but until it is established, what do you want us to
		

			do? How are we going to bring about change? And then the concept of struggling and Jihad I have no
qualms saying that when and where a person or an entity or group can defend physically there is no
question that is the default. But when and where it's not the ideal. What can be done in Makkah
people were killed in front of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Eosin and Sumaiya were torn
to shreds and Makkah had at least 100 Sahaba if the process and wanted to they could have banded
together and done night assassinations if they wanted to do could have banded together and fought to
death is not the time or place you want to quote me brother. I will quote you or they be you want to
		

			quote me brother I will quote you 13 years of MCDA and persecution when the process and passes by
yes and and so my yen says saw baranda Yasa be patient or family of acid I can't do anything right
now your places in Jana, there are times and places to struggle to do jihad. And right now I am not
the person you want to if you think you are I'm not gonna say anything. Well, Allah I will not say
anything but show don't criticize those that are doing other things. That's why by the way, I have
never criticized any movements of the federal students to this day. I haven't because who am I to
criticize that's be you know, their tactics and whatnot. It's not my job to criticize people that
		

			are persecuted. So I'm very clear in what I say what I don't say, but I'm not in there. I'm not
behind those walls. I'm over here. What can I do over here? It is not wise for us over here to
engage and talk of political hate offer in America. It's not even Islamic. In my opinion. I've
spoken about this in more detail. And as for jihad, again, the UAE require Khalifa you require all
of this requires a whole different set. Until that happens. I'm not against it, if that was actually
happening somewhere legitimately. But until that happens, what can we do? And so my humble pushback,
all you guys are doing is criticizing and not doing anything in the process. So stop criticizing
		

			those that are trying to do something and either do something yourselves or at least let us do what
we are doing. Final point I want to mention here is that actually, I am sympathetic, believe it or
not to the notion that protests are not the most effective. I actually agree with this. But there's
nothing else we can do. I have said from the beginning, the number one step to bring about change is
internal. I've said this our own relationship with Allah subhanho wa Taala strengthening our iman
strengthening our prayers bringing about our family and friends to be better Muslims. That's the
number one but after that, what is number two? What can we do in a
		

			America, what can we do? And then I say, don't be so fatalistic, please study American history, no
massive change has happened at government level, except that it was preceded by what? By Protest
after protest after protest. And I'm sorry to be a little bit blunt here, but many of us haven't
born and raised here. So we don't really study American history. I understand that. Go talk to your
high school kids that have gone through history here in America. How did the Civil Rights Movement
become effective by mass protest? How did the Vietnam War come to an end go read what happened? The
Vietnam War, this government was gung ho about the Vietnam War. For over a decade, they spent
		

			billions of dollars invading Vietnam on false pretense. How did it change? Because the people, the
masses, the students, look at, go read your history, what happened at Berkeley and other campuses
where students said, we're not going to fight this war, Muhammad Ali went to prison because he said,
I'm not gonna go to Vietnam, mass protests in the millions in front of the White House. And the
government had to buckle under the pressure, even movements that we don't agree with the LGBT
movement, for example, abortion, how did it come about mass protests, mass protests went in front of
the Capitol, millions of people. What happens when you have mass protests is that the people begin
		

			to hear what's going on, and you appeal to the masses. That's why it's called a mass protest. And
then the government officials understand if I want to be reelected, I had better appease these
people, because that's my reelection campaign. So I'm sorry. Firstly, I agree that protests are not
the primary mechanism, but I'm sorry, don't be so fatalistic, to say that it is a little and hawan.
On the contrary, I don't like linking something from the theater to mass protests because I don't
agree with that directly. But the concept of raising your voice when something evil happens, that is
something human to do, if you see your wife and children killed, if you see your your your
		

			companions being murdered, you're just going to sit there and say nothing from the Sierra when the
Prophet system was literally tortured by the Quraysh. In the Quran, it says Abu Bakr comes running
Abu Bakr, raising his voice in front of the Kaaba and saying it's quoted in the Quran, a telco to
Luna Raju run and your code or obey Allah. Are you going to kill a man simply because he says La
ilaha illallah Abu Bakr jumped in the fight Abu Bakr protected the body of the Prophet system
himself is in this era, and that he was beaten almost to death. I'm not saying this is a protest.
I'm not using that. But I'm saying the concept of Boubacar sees the Prophet system surrounded sees
		

			Abuja Hill punching hitting what do you think Abu Bakr is going to do? He jumped in he shouted with
his voice, a taco Toluna Raja and your cholera be Allah. So when you cannot do a laugh when you
cannot do jihad, what can you do? You raise your voice you speak the truth. You try to influence
other people throw out the serum multiple times when even when on the hilltop, others he's being
told by when he was a non Muslim, he was told by one of the Muslims Have you no shame. Look what you
are doing. You are speaking out again. Please Don't misquote me. I'm not saying that is protest. But
the concept of raising your voice, the concept of speaking out this is prophetic. What did the
		

			Prophet CISM say? Whoever can change evil should do so with what hand I cannot right now help with
my hand. If you cannot what is stage two? This is what we're doing. This is exactly what we're
doing. And what makes it even more imperative is every one of us in this audience, even those that
are not US citizens because you live here. It is our taxes. Well, law, he we should feel a sense of
guilt. And this guilt is Islamic. I feel guilty. That guilt should motivate me to go on record,
loudly and publicly in front of my Congress in front of the White House. That's what we're gonna do
this Saturday, and say not in my name, and say this is criminal and say This is unjust, the least my
		

			conscience should do because this is my tax dollar. I don't care if it's 1% or 20%. It is less than
1%. But even that 1% is too much even that 1% It is too much for my conscience. How can I remain
quiet? I must speak up and if all of us speak up and we continue to speak up in sha Allah hota under
the tide will change. It is changing already Generation X the younger generation the Reuters did a
survey more than half of the younger generation is sympathetic with Palestine against Israel more
than half already the problem is the older generation is the exact opposite. But guess what, within
510 years what will happen to this younger generation they will become the voting they will become
		

			the the voting bloc. So victory
		

			We is promised, our job is to keep on pushing our job is to do what we can. And therefore, with
utmost respect, I say to those naysayers to those amongst us who problematize this, I'm sorry, but
you're just wrong. Really, you're just wrong here. I agree, actually, that it is not the most
effective. But until we find the most effective, it is the only thing we can do, and it is not
ineffective. It's not falling on deaf ears. If we get if we get maybe a million people, and we are
we hope in sha Allah male, if we got a million people, one of the largest marches in American
history, if it's going to happen, then Subhanallah and if we get even half a million, a few 100,000
		

			hair, okay, it is what it is. But it's still at least on the Day of Judgment, I can say Oh Allah, I
spoke the truth loudly and clearly. This is not happening in my name, I am speaking against it, my
conscience is clear, I will preach and teach I will affect other people. And at least on the Day of
Judgment, we can say we did our part that's the least that can be said. So sisters and brothers,
those who are able to those were able to do so expect Allah to reward you to spend money on I know
buses far from here, by the way, more than 25 states their massages are hiring buses all the way
from you know, Chicago, Minnesota other places they're people that are driving you know, all the way
		

			to DC so many communities that Hamdulillah we have gotten the word people are sponsoring buses I
know from Texas that's a bit far because it's you know, two days to drive but come the day before or
or you know, take flights or whatever but please spread the word tweet and retweet this is going to
be the largest protest in American history in support of fellow slain if you can be there do so if
not at least spread the word make dua and don't stand in the way of those that are trying to do
something may Allah subhana wa Tada help our sisters and brothers because and allow us to speak the
truth does akmola carcinoma take one hour to live what I got
		

			you in Mussolini now almost Lima D one meaning I will not mean it will quantity now look on it the
more slowly Dino slaw the bond the one Slav ina will solve your art the one before she before she is
		

			one voice up no one was watching it one downside BP now one downside the party was slow on me now
was all in
		

			one heavy Lina photo gentleman one Hatfield law D was that good enough. Guess
		

			what's going on? I don't law hula.
		

			Now Lena