Zia Sheikh – ICI Neighbors Week
AI: Summary ©
The importance of friendship when it comes to Islam is discussed, as it is often misunderstandings and negative comments about Islam. The five pillars of Islam are discussed, including belief in oneself, praying in a private cubicle, fasting, praying at work, and being friends with non-Muslims. It is emphasized that individuals need to be friendlier towards non-Muslims to avoid negative comments and misunderstandings.
AI: Summary ©
Alhamdulillah wa salatu wa salamu ala Rasulullah, Assalamu
alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
Today inshallah I'm going to be talking about
the importance of friendship when it comes to
dawah and calling people towards Islam.
Statistically we found that many people have misunderstandings
and misconceptions about Islam and a negative perception
of Islam.
But at the same time, if we look
at the numbers, most of these people that
have a negative image of Islam have never
actually met a Muslim.
So what that tells us is that people
that know Muslims and are friends with Muslims
and deal with Muslims, they generally have a
favorable image of Muslims.
The lesson that we learn from this is
that we need to be very outgoing when
it comes to making friendships with people and
showing our akhlaaq.
One example that I always give is that
we often talk about the five pillars of
Islam as being the fundamentals of the religion.
But at the same time, if we look
at those five pillars, those five pillars are
mostly concentrated within ourselves or within our community.
For example, the Shahada, which is something which
is personal, our faith, it is between us
and Allah SWT.
The Salat, we either pray in the masjid
or we pray at home.
And even if we pray at work, we
pray in a private cubicle.
Fasting, it's a month of Ramadan and that
is again between us and Allah SWT.
Hajj, we perform in Mecca and only Muslims
are allowed to go there.
Zakat is usually distributed amongst only the Muslims.
So from those five pillars, we cannot see
any one of them that show that interaction
between Muslims and non-Muslims.
So when and how are we going to
have any type of interaction with non-Muslims
is when we befriend them at work or
outside.
Basically, it's important to have these kinds of
relationships so that the avenue is open for
dialogue.
Many people have a misunderstanding about a verse
of the Quran in which Allah SWT, He
tells us يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا لَا تَتَّخِذُ
الْيَهُوْدَ وَالنَّصَارَ أَوْلِيَاءٌ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءٌ بَعْضٌ وَمَنْ
يَتَوَلَّهُمْ مِنكُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ مِنْهُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِي
الْقَوْمَ الظَّالِمِينَ In this verse, Allah SWT seemingly
is telling us that people of faith do
not take the Jews and the Christians as
Awliya, as close friends or allies, because they
are allies to each other, they are close
friends to each other, and whoever befriends them
is actually from amongst them.
Indeed, Allah SWT does not guide the wrongdoers.
So in this verse, actually, it seems that
Allah SWT is telling us not to befriend
the Jews and Christians.
But as with all other Qur'anic verses,
we need to understand that there is a
context and a background to a verse and
why it was revealed.
In this particular case, this verse was revealed
about the hypocrites and the munafiqeen that used
to go around to the Jews and Christians
and tell them that you need to be
allied with us just in case the Muslims
find out about us, and then once they
find out about us, then we're going to
be in problems.
So at that time, we want you to
be with us to fight against the Muslims.
So when we understand this verse in that
context, it shows us the verse in a
completely different light.
Now, keep this point in mind that if
Allah SWT is allowing Muslim men to marry
women of the people of the book, Jewish
and Christian women, as long as they are
muhsanat, fortified protected women, then how is it
that Allah SWT is also telling us not
to befriend them?
It doesn't make sense.
And also Allah SWT is allowing us to
consume from the zabeeha or the meat which
is slaughtered.
If we are sure and certain that it
was slaughtered by a Jewish person or a
Christian person, how is it that it will
be allowed if we're not allowed to befriend
them?
So if we understand these points, then it
makes us understand clearly what those particular verses
are about.
We need to make sure we are friendly
towards non-Muslims.
We need to make sure that we show
our akhlaaq and our manners to the non
-Muslims.
We need to make sure that our friendliness,
it permeates through the community and society, and
people know us and realize that this Muslim
is a friendly person.
This Muslim is a good person.
This Muslim is a generous person.
And all the negative things that we hear
about Muslims in the media, these people have
nothing to do with them.
Once we do that, and once people realize
these things, then inshallah, the way for giving
dawah becomes easy and we can invite people
towards Islam very, very easily.
I pray that Allah SWT gives us, myself,
and everyone who's watching, the tawfiq to understand
and practice what has been said and heard.
JazakAllah Khayran.
Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.