The Opportunities & Challenges Facing Muslims in the West

Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

Brothers and sisters, I have traveled 5000 miles I want a stronger response as salam Wa alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh

Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Mala Nebia badda Maberry it is my distinct pleasure and honor to address all of you today. It makes my heart so happy to see this convention to see Muslims in this land Alhamdulillah I am pleasantly surprised by not just the quantity and the quality, but also the enthusiasm, the diversity of the crowd in front of me, brothers and sisters time is limited. I want to jump straight to the topic. But I want to begin with a question.

Firstly, an easy question, what year is it right now?

2023. I want you to think and imagine

what will Islam look like in Australia? In 2123?

What will Islam look like 100 years from now

2123.

And that's not that far away. By the way. You know, these little kids running around here, you know, the little children martial, they're making all the noise. 2123 is the generation of their grandchildren.

Three, three generations that sits 100 years is three generations. So these little kids running around the babies in the auditorium, literally their grandchildren is 2020 2123. So, what will our community look like 100 years from now? That is the question. Every one of you needs to think about almost on a daily basis. You need to imagine envision, you need to aspire and dream.

As somebody who travels the world as somebody who studies history, let me tell you, that you Australian Muslims truly have amazing potential. You have potentials that in some ways everybody has pros and cons every community we in America have our strengths and weaknesses. And you in Australia have your strengths and weaknesses. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Muslims in Australia are more than 3.5% of this country. MashAllah Tabata kala you guys have already beaten us in America, Masha, Allah, we in America, you know how much we are less than 1%. Less than 1% You guys are here, Australia, you've already surpassed Canada, you are almost almost up to England, UK. And

you will surpass UK the way that Islam is growing, and from what I've read in the last 10 years, your statistics have already doubled almost in the last 10 years your community has doubled in size. Therefore, if things remain as they are, then my inshallah are the hope and aspiration by 2123. In sha Allah, Allah Allah at the very least in sha Allah 20% of this country will be of an Islamic identity and background one out of five insha Allah to Allah, that's the vision and goal. That's the lower side, by the way, insha Allah, we need to preserve our identity, we need to make sure our religion and heritage is going to be passed down. What do you imagine and envision in terms of

institutes in terms of misogyny, in terms of infrastructure, I hope inshallah Tada that in 100 years from now, you will have not just dozens, but 1000s of massagin across this country. I hope that in sha Allah Allah, you will have institutes of higher learning Islamic universities, seminaries, colleges, where your local children, your grandchildren, they don't have to go overseas to study Islam, they can study it over here, they can become trained on a map and clerics over here. In order to make that vision true. Once again, we need to start thinking right here and now how that vision is going to be established. I was so happy to see so many politicians come and greet you in this FM

convention Masha Allah Tabata card every single level at the federal level at the local government, the mayor's Alhamdulillah some of them have a Muslim background already brothers and sisters you have impacted in ways that we haven't done in America, even though your community is newer than our community, but it Hamdulillah you guys have done amazing work dumping and strides. So what then is going to happen in 100 years, Allah knows best but here brothers and sisters, the question arises

That's in order for all of us collectively to achieve such grandiose visions. We need to start planning right here. And now.

We need to imagine and daydream. Imagine the most ideal circumstance and then plan for those circumstances. Unfortunately, all too often, we as in a Muslim community are not thinking three, four steps ahead. A lot of times we're simply reactionary. When something happens when an Islamophobic incident happens when a nasty politician comes then and only then do we react. No, Muslims should not just be reactionary. We need to be leading the way. We need to be true visionaries like our Prophet sallallahu, I think he was setting them was therefore my request to you today, I'm going to give you certain points. My request to you today is to literally plan ahead.

Listen to this point carefully. The planning we do in this audience, the Muslims of this country and the Western world. The planning that we do for the next 30 years, is going to shape Islam for the next 300 years.

You and I are in a unique time and place, unique era, unique generation. Most of us in this audience, most of you have chosen Australia as your land. You have left a civilization, a country and ethnicity. You have left a nation state and you have adopted another nation state. You are unique in this regard. Your children and I am one of those children because I was born and raised in America, your children are not going to have this hyphenated identity. Your children will be fully and thoroughly a part of this land. Just like I consider myself to be an American, even though my father and mother came from Karachi, Pakistan, but I've never lived in Karachi. I've never lived in

that land. Yes, I speak Urdu. Yes, I wear kurta shower, sometimes I love biryani, Alhamdulillah, but I don't identify as a Pakistani. I know I am Pakistani. I speak to people to the vodka later on. Kobe goes crazy about Nia. But my children do not speak to

my children have never once visited Pakistan. I have visited many times, but my children haven't. And we tell our youngest daughter, this guy, he goes, No, that's your country, not mine. You go back, I don't want to go back. What I'm trying to say and impress upon you is you have made a choice, a conscious choice. There's nothing wrong with that choice. It's a good choice overall. But that choice has repercussions. That choice has repercussions. And you have this generation need to think long and hard about some of those repercussions, about maximizing the potential that is positive and minimizing the negative repercussions. That's your choice and generation. And again, I

speak to you again on a personal level that my father was one of the first to come to America from Pakistan. 1962 way back before I was born, and Alhamdulillah I thank Allah for my family, my upbringing. When my father came to America 1961 62 He came, there was not a single Masjid in America. There was not a single Islam in Houston, let me say in Houston, there wasn't there wasn't other places in Houston. There was no MSA Muslim Student Association. There was no Sunday school, there was nothing. In fact, when he came, he came to study pathology and medicine. He came to do a master's degree. He didn't come to do anything religious. That's not why he came. But when he came,

he realized he needed to preserve his Islamic identity. And so he was the first one to begin the MSA, the Muslim Student Association on campus. You know, it's a I don't know if you guys have it in Australia, but it's a student organization on campus that is meant to protect your Islamic identity. He's founded the MSA. Then when he married my mother brought her over my I was born children born he realized you know what? We need to have a masjid. We don't have a masjid here. He didn't come to America to build massages. That's not his vision. He came to do a Master's and PhD which he did. He came to get a good job which I'll Hamdulillah he did. He came to better his life which Alhamdulillah

he did. We thank Allah I thank Allah that he brought us to this country to the country of America gave us a better opportunity. But he also realized that now that I've given my children a better economic opportunity. They no longer have the safety balances the checks and balances of society back home. They no longer have the environment, the ambiance that we had back home. And so he realized he needed to begin

He knew he needed to start institutions. And and Hamdulillah he started the first Masjid founded the first Masjid in Houston. I still have memories of it back in the 70s Praying in that small little, you know, it was a rundown, you know, facility but now it's a massive multimillion dollar but back then it was just a converted house. Those are my first memories praying in the message over there the first Sunday school I remember vividly still over there it was just in the backyard shed it was just one of those converted you know, aluminum buildings whatnot. What do you call them? The the the

the ones that the

portables that's what it is the portables Yes, that's where my first Sunday school was right literally aluminum portable, that's what it was. And he was the first person to start read Salah in 1963 This is an interesting story. By the way, I'm just going to tell you this to show you how society changes 1963 As a graduate student, Masters student he wasn't married I wasn't on the scene. I'm not at all not saying I wasn't an artist. 1963 He tells us this story and it's so iconic because this is the story of Western Islam. This is the story of all of us, America, Australia, England or Canada. This is us here the story 1963 He says that I didn't wanted to pray read Salah there was no

eight the first three so he decided to do eat read without her read without her in 1963 and he sent out you know a message to the Muslim students to show up on the first Sunday after eat by the way they couldn't forget Moon fighting and Moon sighting forget they had they had to wait until Sunday to pray eat because everybody's busy and work everybody's busy and struggles they don't have the luxury to take off whenever it is. So on the Sunday he goes a grand total of three people showed up for eat Salah three people. There is no Imam there is no chef they look around they say you call this you lead eat Salah my father had never let us lead on his life. Never given a husband his life.

Well you call this you have to lead Santa. So in 1963 he was the first person to lead lead Salah in Houston, Texas, one of the largest cities in America now has one of the largest, you know, groups of Muslims in America three people fast forward 45 years. Allah blesses me to study in Medina, I come back to my hometown of Houston, Texas. And now we have more than 150,000 Muslims Alhamdulillah in Houston, Texas, and we have to rent the largest convention center for eat the largest convention center. It's called the George R brown Convention Center. And there's other aides in the in the community as well. But this is the one larger street and I came back that year and they asked me to

lead read Salah and I was humbled to be able to lead read Salah my father was sitting in the audience that that year. And I said 45 years ago, my father was the first to lead or eat Salah in this city. And there was a grand total of three Muslims.

Never in his wildest dreams could he ever have envisioned and imagine that his son is going to grow up in Houston graduate engineering work at Dow Chemical give that up and go study Islam overseas for 10 years come back a trained on him and shall come back a train cleric and then lead read Salah not with three people. But now a grand total of 35,000 people in the one city of Houston, Texas

in one generation,

in one generation from three to 35,000 dream brothers and sisters dream, Aspire envision imagine the most beautiful image you have and then work towards it. Because the potentials we have in these lands, Canada, America, Australia, England, they are unrivaled potentials, we thank Allah we thank Allah for the amenities, the freedoms, we thank Allah for the opportunities of these lands, such amazing countries, they don't care where you came from. Your politicians just welcomed you on stage. They don't care your ethnicities and backgrounds. And the fact of the matter. I'm sorry to be blunt here. That's not the case where we came from. Let's be brutally honest and acknowledge the truth. If

you work hard, if you're honest, if you're talented, these countries will embrace you. They will welcome you they will let you be who you are. We thank Allah for those freedoms, we need to grasp those freedoms and take advantage of them doesn't matter where your background doesn't matter the color of your skin. If you show talent if you contribute these societies welcome you with open arms. So why why then do we not follow our faith and embrace those opportunities? Why do we not show the best of what it is?

means to be a human being. That's what our religion that's what our Shetty out is all about. So brothers and sisters, my kin My advice to all of you summarize in seven points Inshallah, I'm going to summarize the vision that I have and seven points. My advice to all of you is as follows. As I said, we need to have this vision, we need to have this understanding that we are here in sha Allah to Allah for the long run. So, let us begin. First and foremost, my advice to you all, let us learn from history. Let us learn from history. You Australian Muslims are not the first frankly, frankly, you're somewhat on the end of things, American Muslims, British Muslims, Canadian Muslims, they have

preceded you, you know this, that works to your advantage, how so, don't make our mistakes. Don't make our mistakes. Learn from what has happened in other lands. In fact, we are not even the first as well. We want to look back 100 years, look forward 100 years, let's look back 100 years as well. Let's learn from the history of Western Islam. Now, if you look at the Western world, pockets of Muslims migrated to different lands, some of them fizzled out, no longer are there. And some of them are thriving and flourishing. It is essential that we learn from their mistakes and their positive experiences. Let us look at for example, South America. At the turn of the century, 100 years ago,

10s of 1000s of Muslims in the Ottoman Empire, Syrians, Lebanese, others and others. They migrated to South America to Argentina, Colombia to a number of places in South America, Brazil, 10s of 1000s of Muslims.

The sad reality is,

by and large, they have no remnants left.

They're gone.

There is no truth. The Muslims of those countries now are the modern immigrants like me and you, the descendants of that first batch

wiped out as if they never were there. In fact, one of the most iconic stories, and you can look this up Wikipedia and Google, look this up. The President of Argentina,

Menendez, the president, Argentina, the 90s. His great grandfather was one of these Muslims, the president of Argentina of the early 90s. His great grandfather was one of those in the Ottoman Empire, that he came to this country. And slowly but surely this, I forgot his name now Menendez, he was born with a Muslim named Mohamed, he was born with the Muslim name, but there is no Islamic identity zero, no salah, no Quran, no nothing. So when he's in college back in the 50s, he changes his name, takes on a Christian name, and, you know, forgets his Islamic identity and to his politics, slowly but surely, he then becomes the president of the country. Alhamdulillah the good

news by the ways that when he retired, he passed away two years ago, his children told us that on his deathbed, a few weeks left, he really embraced Islam started reading the Quran, he said the shahada and in his will, and you can look this up in his will, he said, I want to be given a Muslim burial and be buried in a Muslim graveyard Hamdulillah. In the end, he returned back, but still his entire life, he did not identify as a Muslim. And as I said, the fact of the matter if you look at those 1000s that came even in America, by the way, we have batches that came to America in the 1910s 1920s. Right, and the majority of their descendants, the majority of them, they are no longer

identifying as Muslim. That is the sad reality. Now, if you look at another country, and at Hamdulillah, I just met some of the brothers from that country, South Africa. South Africa, is an amazing success story. South Africa, a thriving Muslim minority, South Africa, well integrated South Africa. It was the first western country to produce aura and who fought back in the 60s and 70s. In the 70s. They have kirra competing at the global level of competition amongst the Global Scholars of Quran in the 70s they produce pura we in America only this last decade, can we produce Coura that are competing at the global level this decade inshallah you guys soonish Allah will also be

producing very soon, but South Africa and I remember my I visited South Africa many times my first visit 2005 I believe it was long time ago, I visited South Africa first time and I was just shocked positively, like wow, masha Allah, fourth generation and very strong in their Islamic identity. And I met an elderly lady she has passed away she has written an autobiography, and she was

reactive in the community. She was 93 years old when imagine 2005. So her grandfather migrated from India. Imagine she was 93 in 2005. Right? Her grandfather migrated from India to South Africa. So she was born in South Africa. And she knows that her grandfather came, I asked her you know, Auntie Ji, can you please tell me? But at that time I hadn't really studied after that I studied on my own and what she said is absolutely correct. I want an anecdotal information auntie, can you tell me why and how did Islam managed to thrive in South Africa? Such that Masha, Allah, everywhere, you know, there's Muslims visible, there's Quran, there's HIV, there's everything. Whereas in south of South

America, and even in North America, the first batch that came, it's not there. You know what she told me immediately, instantaneously, she said, When my grandfather came, the first thing that he did was to build a school for the children.

And I remember studying in that school, I said, Well, we Auntie, you studied in that school? Because I know from my studies that in 1900, India, women were told that was their culture is not Islam, that they should not be studying in the school. Yet your grandfather's coming from India, and he's wanting you to study in the schools, Madras says Islamic education. He is founding Islamic Institute's founding an institute and putting you in there. And she said, Yes, my grandfather realized, if we don't educate the women, if we don't educate the mothers, how do we expect the children to be upon Islam

Subhanallah one of the most profound and yet simple realities, Islamic education from brothers and sisters, Madeira says for the future generation. So my first point to all of us here is to learn from history. Don't make the mistakes. And once you said this, immediately, it began, in my mind, an intellectual journey of reading and research. She's absolutely correct. When the Muslims came to Brazil, to Colombia to Argentina, some of them founded some mustards, none of them built a madrasa. None of them built a madrasa. The same goes for North America, in the 1910s and 20s. The first Masjid to be built 1930 or something in Idaho, right. And in Canada, 1927 as well, the first Masjid

to be built, but the the descendants of those first people, generally speaking, were not able to maintain the faith. Why? Because they they thought Islam is only rituals, and they forgot about education. If you make Islam only rituals, and you don't teach education, madrasa Islamic Studies, or clap tarbiyah, you don't show the ambience of Islam, then how will Islam be passed down, learn from history, learn from other civilizations, learn from other western lands and take the best and don't make the mistakes that they have made. Point number two brothers and sisters when it comes to the future of Islam in Australia, and learn and going exactly from this point, point number to

concentrate not on individuals, but on institutions, build institutions that are going to outlast you and me build institutions, institutions that are of all types. Of course, at the forefront, we need messages that's without a doubt. But Will Allah He along with messages, we need centers of learning, we need mashallah youth camps like our Shadi is doing, we need to preserve the identity of the next generation. We need Islamic schools where our children grow up with an ambience of their values and a clap and their morality. So aim for institutions and not just individual personalities, institutions, outlast me and you. So come together and have an Institute have a vision have

something that's going to outlast you. So that insha Allah to Allah Islam can become a viable reality in this land. Point number three, point number three.

Be proactive, be proactive in taking on leadership roles in all segments of society. And this is something that I need to be a little bit blunt about brothers and sisters, many of us who came from other lands, many of us who come from other countries. We are taught to be docile, we are taught to be apolitical. We are taught to be disconnected from society, Mind yourself, raise your family and don't get involved in the public. And perhaps the reason for this is frankly, sometimes we're coming from repressive regimes. Sometimes we're coming from dictatorships where

or things might happen if we try to bring about a change or something. And so by and large, many of us it is in our own, you know, DNA if you like to be extremely cut off extremely apolitical just to take on your own family and your own risk and your own job, and that's it. But I say to you, no, no, no, no, no, no. If you want Islam to thrive, and you want your community to flourish, you cannot be absent in the public sphere.

You must be proud of who you are, and take on leadership roles in any segment you have a passion for I'm not just talking about religious leadership, no civic leadership, leadership and giving back to the community leadership and teaching and professorship leadership in business. In every segment of this society, you must be at the forefront. And this is one of the biggest perks that the Western world offers us the perk of being who you are, and also contributing back to society. The Sierra of the profit system teaches us brothers and sisters, the Sierra teaches us that we should be at the forefront of every positive engagement. We should be at the forefront of every contribution to

society. Go back to our life, the life of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam for 40 years before the revelation came down for 40 years before the Quran was revealed. What was he doing? What was he doing for 40 years? There was no theology. There was no rituals. What was he doing? We all know what he was doing. He was called a solder Amin before anybody said Dr. Rasulillah. Jana, Viola. He was known for his charity. He was known for his compassion. He was known for taking care of the poor. When it Kroc came down, Gibreel hugged him, he went back, went back home, the middle Anita throny. What did our mother Khadija say? Our mother Khadija, what did she say? She said, By Allah,

Allah will never harm or hurt you. For I know you to be a good man, I know you that you feed the hungry, I know you that you sponsor the orphan. I know you that when a stranger comes, you give him our own roof to sleep to sleep in our own house. I know you're helping every positive cause.

Brothers and sisters, our profit system for 40 years was establishing credibility with the community. Everybody knew him. Everybody loved him. The fact of the matter I'm sorry, to be blunt here. Many of us Muslims will want to be anonymous. We don't want anybody to know us. We're even ashamed of who we are. What type of Islam is this? We need to be at the forefront of every positive issue. Anything and sometimes by the way, those issues might not be politically correct. Let me give you an example of South Africa again, South Africa, apartheid. Do you know that one of the reasons why the Muslims of South Africa are so respected is that large segments of them supported the

indigenous people against the apartheid system? They were a part of the anti apartheid movement. I visited South Africa multiple times the last time I went, I wanted to go to Robben Island. Do you know what Robben Island is? Robben Island is where Nelson Mandela was jailed for 27 years in solitary confinement. Wallahi I could not even begin to imagine 27 years. I landed on Robben Island. I took a special tour to Robben Island. As soon as I landed on Robben Island. I was shocked. Am I see what I'm seeing there was a masjid on Robben Island. And I said to the guide Hold on a sec. It's not what I think it is. There's clearly a minaret there's a crescent, there's a there's their egos.

Yeah, that's the grave of you know, Sufi Sheikh so and so, you know, he was imprisoned by by the apartheid regime so many years ago, and he died on this island. And that's his cupboard over there. And the Muslims built a masjid next to it to pray over there as well. I wanted to the cell that that Nelson Mandela was in for 27 years. I swear to you brothers and sisters, it was literally smaller than this stage here. Literally what is left of this stage, it was smaller than I'm not exaggerating my closet in America, my bedroom closet was larger than the cell he occupied for 27 years and stuck for the last stop for Allah Yanni. Just a bucket for his personal needs. If you get my point here,

you know, that's all there is there and one small window you have to get on your toes to look outside to see a little bit of greenery. 27 years he was there. I walked into that cell I was shuddering. My skin was on end here. How could you do this? But you know, a lot of people don't know this. Do you know who occupied the cell next to his

it was a Muslim.

Because next to him, alongside him supporting him. Were the Muslims of South Africa. And that's why Nelson

Mandela always had a huge soft spot for the Muslim people for the Palestinian cause, because he knew that the Muslims helped him when he needed that help that brother died in that jail that brother died in that jail. Next to Nelson Mandela. My point being, and sometimes it's politically incorrect, because back in the 70s, back in the 60s to be anti apartheid, you're standing against the superpower, you're standing against the people in charge. But see, Islam teaches us our promises and teaches us You must stand up for the oppressed, you must stand up on behalf of the weak, you must stand up on behalf of those who don't have a voice. Because even if today you are persecuted,

tomorrow, you shall be rewarded in the afterlife. And even in this life, because we stand on the side of truth and justice. So in this country, I'm coming as an outsider, I don't know all the details. But I understand there's a massive, you know, vote coming up soon, that is going to be for the positives and local indigenous people Wallahi brothers and sisters, as an outsider, please forgive me. But we must stand up and speak the truth, we must stand on the side of the oppressed. That's what our religion teaches us. We need to be visible and disregard not because of PR, not because we want our picture in the newspaper. But because that's what it means to be a Muslim.

Because when you speak the truth, and when you are role models, you might suffer in the short term that people might not like you today. But when you stand for truth and justice, that is how your reputation your credibility, and your courage is established. Even if you die in jail, like Nelson Mandela's friend did, even if things happen to you the long term, this is what our faith requires us. That's why our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was so beloved to all of the people because they knew he spoke the truth, even if it was against his interests. So we hear in this country and all over the western world, whenever there's oppression, whenever there's injustice, we cannot

afford to just be silent. Again, let me be blunt here. I speak as an American, I don't know your country that well. But in America, we have so many problems of police violence, of drugs of racism. I speak as in America, I don't know what's going on over here. A lot of Muslims in my country, they think, Oh, that's not our problem. That's their problem. Our problem, for some reason, always deals with 5000 miles away, and Iraq here fell asleep, you know, refugees, whatnot, brothers and sisters. Hunger is not a Muslim or non Muslim. It's a human problem. Racism is a human problem. Poor health care is a human problem. If you're not going to get involved if you think that's not my business

Subhanallah what what where is your iman in Islam? Where is your study of the Sierra of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, you must be visible contributors to your own society, your own country, your own economy. This is my second point here. You cannot be silent spectators be a part of this country and land because your identity your children's identity is not dependent upon where your grandfather's are buried. It is dependent upon where your grandchildren will be born. Embrace this reality. I am an American, you and your children are Australian, embrace it, welcome it and contribute back if you want your religion to flourish over here. Point number three, my time is

almost up. I know brothers and sisters. Let me just quickly wrap up because I know

the next day the next session is going to come so I don't want to eat into the other speakers. The other speakers time that point number three that I have over here on our list. Point number three, is that one of the problems that we have as a Muslim community and again,

I have to be a little bit explicit and allow me to be so ally, I'm not trying to cause any controversy. But I want you to think I want you to think about this issue. One of our problems as an immigrant batch here is that all too often we bring problems from overseas over here into our lands, ethnic problems, racial problems, sectarian problems. And we replicate the pettiness back home over here.

Let me just be blunt. If you want Islam to

flourish and thrive, if you want your great grandchildren to be proud to be Muslim, you must abandon the backward mentality of the pettiness and sectarianism. You must give up the racial identities and the sectarianism that is rampant back home. Our identity is that of Islam and Muslims. We don't care after that you can agree to disagree on a polite level on this on a dignified level. I'm not saying all come together under the same understanding, I understand. sectarianism has its issues, but I'm saying learn to disagree with civility. Learn to disagree with them.

manners, learn to agree to disagree, do not spread hatred of other people do not spread sectarianism against other interpretations of Islam live and let live. Because what we have in common, what we have in common is far, far more important than the petty issues that divide us. And I'm saying this bluntly, here, allow me to be again, because I have we have serious issues across the western world. And he preacher, any preacher, who comes preaching hatred of other people, and the preacher who comes and puts down people because they pray different. They have an abstract theology that's different. I'm sorry, these are not preachers that should be mainstream, marginalize them. We don't

have the luxury of hate over here, not that they have over there as well. But especially over here, we don't have the pettiness of dividing one another. We're already a minority and amongst us, you're gonna get irritated, oh, the guy prays like this, instead of this, the guy believes this instead of that SubhanAllah. Don't we all believe in the same God? Don't we all face the same Qibla? Don't we all read the same book? Don't we all bow our heads in the same direction. So then we need to move beyond this and learn a mechanism. Again, I am a theologian. My expertise is in theology. I understand theologies are tricky issues. I'm not saying we're all the same. I'm saying learn to

disagree amicably. That's what I'm saying, learn to tolerate diversity, you're not going to eliminate that diversity. You're not the people who came from a different understanding, they're going to follow that understanding here. But we have to come together for the greater good when there's an Islamophobe politician when a policy is being passed is going to be harmful to all of us. I don't have to interview you. What do you believe about this abstract theological issue so that we're on the same side? No, hatred is something that should unite all of us to fight against that? Can't we understand this reality? So we have to be proactive in this regard? And also brutally

honest sisters and brothers?

How can we possibly still have racist tendencies Wallahi it is sad. It is sad that even within one nationality, this person comes from that village and I come from this village. Oh, that person he comes from that slight ethnicity and I come from this ethnicity, brothers and sisters. Racism is something that is a Satanic sin. IBLEES had it a bliss had that sin. Our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa salam came to eliminate all types of racism. We need to forget about having some type of negativity in our art against somebody who's of a different ethnicity. By the way, nothing wrong with having a sense of happiness of your own. You know, I'm happy I eat biryani no problem. Okay, I

thank Allah for spicy food. No problem with the items here but I thank Allah for spicy food. But the problem comes when you look down at other people, there's no problem liking spicy food. I like spicy food. But when you think that you are better than somebody else, right? Well, Allah He that is an Islamic problem. And it is a human problem. We need to eliminate Masjid that are based on an ethnic identity. Doesn't matter if you're Bosnian, if you're Pakistani, if you're Indian, if you're out of if you're Palestinian, if you're a bunnies, we are all Muslims. We don't have a Pakistani masjid and a Bosnian Masjid. We have one Masjid all of us come together for the worship of Allah subhana wa

Tada. We need to be very clear about this. Do not perpetuate those types of stereotypes amongst your children. Teach them to embrace all diversity. This is one of our strengths. Look around you look around you look at the diversity of people look at how many countries they come from. This is one of our main strengths here, not just as Westerners as Americans, Australians, especially as Muslims, we thank Allah for this diversity. So don't perpetuate those stereotypes that unfortunately still exist in our ranks. And inshallah the final point because I know my time is up. So the final point that I have brothers and sisters is the following. I said seven, but time is limited, have to jump shot.

And maybe for the second lecture, I'll summarize some more points. My final point.

What is our mission as Muslims in any land? And again, this is a very sensitive question. I'm sorry, but I have to be blunt, because we don't have the luxury of beating around the bush here. There are some people that have bizarre missions and visions and I have to disagree with that. They think that our job is to convert everybody Our job is to do this and that no, I'm very blunt, very blunt. Allah is explicit in the Quran. Our job is not to convert. Our job is to demonstrate what it means to be a Muslim conversion is on them. If somebody wants to or not, that's on them. Our job is to convey not to convert. You don't believe me read the Quran.

In nama alikhan Bella widen herself. Allah says a Fanta to Korea who nurse at a Korean woman in You cannot force people. This should not be a part of our vocabulary are part of our vision. What is our vision? What is our mission? What are we doing here? We are doing what Allah has told us to do quantum higher on Metin oxygen leanness, you are the best aroma that has been brought for people. Why? Because you command what is good, and you forbid what is evil. And you believe in Allah, you demonstrate morality, you demonstrate ethics, you demonstrate religiosity. So in a world where people have turned away from God, you show what it means to believe in God. In a world where people

have lost morality, you show them what is morality, Allah subhanho wa Taala gives us our mission statement in the Quran. What is that mission statement Lita Kulu shahada than us so that you can be witnesses unto all of mankind? Okay, what is a witness? What is a witness? A witness is somebody who speaks the truth, regardless of what the consequences are. That's our job, to speak the truth, to live the truth, to act the truth. Our job is to demonstrate the best of humanity, the best of our religion, the best of our craft, to the people around us. When the people around us look at us, they should see the most honest people, the most trustworthy people, the most compassionate people, you

know what they should see, they should see the flock of our prophets, Allah, Allahu Allah, he was setting them in all of us. Now I know that's a big thing. You're gonna say, but I'm not qualified to do that. And I'm going to say you're right. I'm not qualified and you're not qualified to take on that entire collective role. But, but an infinitesimally small amount of that o'clock, it should be coming from me and you, when people see us, they should recognize this is a man of God. This is a woman of God, they should recognize I can trust this person, they should recognize this is a person who has compassion, who has care who has Amana, who has slipped, I go back to what I said. 20

minutes ago, the prophet system was called Amin before he was ever called Rasul Allah. He was called a Saudi before anybody said Jana be Allah. Where is the suit and Amana in us? Where is that in us? So our primary job in this land, and this is how we will preserve Islam in this land, is to live the teachings of our faith to act in accordance with the mercy of the one who was sent as a mercy to all of mankind to live with the clock of this religion to embody the values of our faith. And when we do so our children will see the role models that we're going to become. That's the number one mechanism to preserve Islam. And with this, I conclude you're not going to preserve Islam by brainwashing

indoctrinating your kids, you're not going to preserve Islam by having them memorize, you know, all of their different suitors and whatnot. No, no, no. And by the way, these are sociological surveys, the number one mechanism to preserve faith is living a compassionate, family based orientation of faith, family values, the mother and father living the faith, embodying the faith, demonstrating the faith. When you live in accordance with Islam, your children will absorb those values. So we begin, we concluded with where we began, we want to see Islam flourish. 100 years from now, the way to do that is to begin with yourself, to begin with yourself, and to make yourself the vision of what you

want your great great grandchildren to be. Because how you live your life is going to trickle down to how your great grandchildren are going to live their lives. Brothers and sisters, let me conclude in sha Allah to Allah by asking all of you to come together to demonstrate to demonstrate that truly, we want the best for humanity. We want the best for our religion, we want the best for the people around us. We want the people to hear and testify that we love our Lord, we love our Creator with all of our hearts. So I want you all to join me in a unified tech be and Allahu Akbar that is going to show the world that we are people of faith, people of character, people have a cloud people

who love God with all of their hearts. So we're all going to come together for you and it to be and we have 2000 people in this audience. So we're gonna have a tech bill that is going to echo in sha Allah Allah for three generations our great grandchildren are going to hear of this thick beard Are you guys ready?

Guys, I came from America. I need a louder tech be in tech.

One more time with all of your hearts and minds. We want your great grandchildren to hear this

is awkward, Allahu

Allah, you wanna catch?

Either

I'm gonna

be Ms. De Heaton doll Seanie when she

told me what to feed

Sunday, what

feels go Ruby to me.

Journey tassa down

down