Yasir Qadhi – To Protest Or Not to Protest An Islamic Analysis

			This weekend on Saturday, there will be inshallah Huhtala even data other 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 plane 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
that 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 Insha Allah we hope 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 precedent in the Shetty and they quote Imams and move these around the world. By the
way, no mainstream item in North America believes this and even globally Alhamdulillah most Allama
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 in evidence that shows ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada allows us to protest that
shows the prophets of Saddam 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 summer Allama
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 the examples. When I'm going to talk about the law 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 Kaaba, and they prayed publicly for the first time, because
Ramadan hottub his conversion was so powerful that it gave them a voice and impetus and so they came
from Donald or calm 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, their responses. This is not
		

			actually protesting, per se, they're actually finding Erza. 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 held on.
		

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

			the defaults in how we convey the mess
		

			sij the default in the mechanism of spreading 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 subhanho wa Taala lays out generic guidelines. The most explicit verse in the
Quran is in the end of Surah Nahan or drew Isla Serbia Rebecca call to the way of Allah notice Allah
		

			says three things number one, Bill Hey committee with wisdom number two, while more Ableton has
sanity and advice that is her center, hikma wisdom more wherever is moving speech that is has center
more evolved is rhetoric that brings about an impact and is useful material that has center then
stage three wotja deal home and 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 more or equal to the center 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 you 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 live your Lord exactly like this
		

			no bill hikma more either till Hassan with more ever with rhetoric that is good rhetoric and speech.
If, if I were to give you the hilltop of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, even most of the
Arabs in the audience would not fully understand the words are different. Their rhetoric is
different. The style is different modern Arabic hood bas are different than holebas 1400 years ago
because language changes rhetoric changes will sloop 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 machines are saying it is how long it is recorded
on video is video how long cuz 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 petrol 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 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 Abu Bakar the along felt the same sentiment, I don't want to do it or said
we must do it. Even if the process of doing it 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 Bob ran the government is not the same way how the process of
did it how the first OMA Yes, it is not the same way he 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 in 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, it's haram now, but if there's nothing
		

			haram, then 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 precedence is haram. 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 haram. 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, oh 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 a Samandar developers rock Namazi.
		

			In your own headquarters in your own floor, everybody is Motoki, Perez, God
		

			or is there a person of other ideology? Is there a person who has different beliefs? He's an old but
that's Amazon, was he 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 held on?
		

			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 and 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 we
build 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 will 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 know, 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 are our new
Allenbury with 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
		

			objective beer and Taqwa and do not come together upon evil and upon transgression. And this is
demonstrated in the seerah 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 irritate, he paid a person who's not even a Muslim to guide him from Mecca to Medina in a
secret route. There is more blatant or explicit examples of seeking help from people that are
outside of our faith. When Abu Talib 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 he
		

			anti life? Why was he the other tribes of Mina? 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 a zero. Now, is anybody going to 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 shirk, 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 leader, 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 cola? You never see any shop anywhere?
You never see men? What what Corporation Do you work in? Such that please tell me there's Bucha
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 Makkah, there were idols in Makkah, what are
you going to do with their 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? Are
		

			you seeing evil? The process of them 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 has to talk to him. The presence of evil at a protest
does not make the whole protest 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 has lived in all societies and lands. There is no land
that is completely 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
		

			will protest how long 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
voted
		

			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 voodoo. It is humiliation and all of your sellouts the real way
forward, we must establish the Hereafter. And until we establish the Inaba, you're all a bunch of
cowards, or the real way is struggle. And until we struggle, you're 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 philosopher 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 the enough it will solve everything that can offer this the killer, okay,
we lost philosophy and under the philosopher and we regained Philistine 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 to hit alpha 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 on
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 salallahu it who was selling me acid
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, they 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 Yassa and so my yen says sagrada 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 and the movements of the federal Salinas to this day I
haven't, because who am I to criticize that's, 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 Khilafah. In America, it's not even Islamic. In my
opinion. I've spoken about this in more detail. And as for jihad, again, do you require a 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
		

			On, but after that, what is number two? What can we do in 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 priests 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, go, 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, were 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 vital 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 companions being murdered, you're just gonna 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 Runa Rajan and your coder Robbie 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 prophecies
		

			I'm surrounded sees Abuja * 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 throughout the serum multiple times when even are one of the hakab 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 protests. 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 Wallahi 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 Who
to Allah 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 devoted
		

			They will become the voting bloc. So victory 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 we hope inshallah 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 who are 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 the 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
had 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 Fidel 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 in
Gaza and allow us to speak the truth just like my locker cinematic when I have to live what I get
		

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