Role of Muslim Men and Women in the US *

1. Role of Muslim Men and Women in the US* Seif Fateen MAS Columbus * This presentation is based on a lecture by Dr. Salah Soltan given in Columbus in January 2004 www.mascolumbus.org

2. People are like metals • Diamond and Gold • Increase in purity and strength in face of hardships • Iron • إن هذه القلوب تصدأ كما يصدأ الحديد إذا أصابه الماء، قيل: وما جلاؤها؟ قال: كثرة ذكر الموت وتلاوة القرآن • Indeed these hearts rust, like the rusting of the iron when water comes to it. It was said: ‘how can we clean it’. He said: ‘remembering death and reciting the quran’ • Dust • Goes with the wind and disappear in water www.mascolumbus.org

3. Systematic Acquiring of knowledge of this religion Working with this religion without selection Calling to this religion with all our knowledge Defending this religion with all our abilities Passing this religion to the coming generations Five Roles www.mascolumbus.org

4. 3. Calling to this religion [Da`wah] with all our knowledge ولتكن منكم أمة يدعون إلى الخير، ويأمرون بالمعروف وينهون عن المنكر وأولئك هم المفلحون ] آل عمران: 104[ And from among you there should be a party who invite to good and enjoin what is right and forbid the wrong, and these it is that shall be successful قل هذه سبيلي أدعو إلى الله على بصيرة أنا ومن اتبعني وسبحان الله وما أنا من المشركين ] يوسف: 108[ Say: This is my Way: I call on Allah with sure knowledge. I and whosoever followeth me - Glory be to Allah! - and I am not of the idolaters. www.mascolumbus.org

5. A Characteristic of the Believing Community "وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتُ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ يَأْمُرُونَ بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَوْنَ عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَيُؤْتُونَ الزَّكَاةَ وَيُطِيعُونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ أُولَئِكَ سَيَرْحَمُهُمُ اللَّهُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ [ 71 التوبة ] The Believers, men and women, are protectors one of another: they enjoin what is just, and forbid what is evil: they observe regular prayers, practise regular charity, and obey Allah and His Messenger. On them will Allah pour His mercy: for Allah is Exalted in power, Wise الَّذِينَ إِنْ مَكَّنَّاهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ أَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَءَاتَوُا الزَّكَاةَ وَأَمَرُوا بِالْمَعْرُوفِ وَنَهَوْا عَنِ الْمُنْكَرِ وَلِلَّهِ عَاقِبَةُ الأُمُورِ [ 41 الحج ] Those who, should We establish them in the land, will keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate and enjoin good and forbid evil; and Allah's is the end of affairs www.mascolumbus.org

6. Was Islam introduced to America? • “I’ve got an idea, let’s kill all Muslims.” Jay Severin [4/04] • “a religion which encourages killing” Paul Harvey [3/04] • “I knew my God was bigger than his. I knew that my God was a real God and his was an idol” Lt. Gen. William G. Boykin [10/03] • “This man was an absolute wild-eyed fanatic. He was a robber and a brigand.” Pat Robertson [9/02] www.mascolumbus.org

7. What is Da’wah? • Da`wah is an organized, a determined and a continuous effort to call the people of the land to the fold of their Creator and Sustainer, towards accepting Islam as a way of life and convincing them to the need and urgency of establishing the Deen of Allah in its entirety, with the sole objective to get the pleasure of Allah. • هُوَ الَّذِي أَرْسَلَ رَسُولَهُ بِالْهُدَى وَدِينِ الْحَقِّ لِيُظْهِرَهُ عَلَى الدِّينِ كُلِّهِ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ • He it is Who sent His Messenger with the guidance and the true religion, that He may make it overcome the religions, all of them, though the polytheists may be averse. [Q61:9] www.mascolumbus.org

8. Prevailing concepts of Da`wah • Deliver the message through individual contacts or through lectures in public • Da`wah in jails • Limited to distributing of literature, personal talks, and lectures • No arrangement to take care of the new Muslims when they come out of jail. • Distribute the flyers or Islamic literature in thousands at public places - markets, parks, sub-way entrances, public gatherings, playgrounds • whether some one reads it or throws it in the garbage. • Only deliver the message. www.mascolumbus.org

9. Prevailing concepts of Da`wah • Da`wah is limited to involvement in community work or Masjid-oriented activities • deals with the community’s immediate needs and problems • does not change the pattern of life, its objectivity and the system and does not bring change in the behavioral concept of the individuals or the community members. • forms self-sustained nucleus rotating with our own self-centered activities with little influence outside in the society www.mascolumbus.org

10. Prevailing concepts of Da`wah • Individual Da`wah efforts are followed till the Da`wah contactees take the Shahadah with great celebration, love and affection for the new brother or sister. • Usually, he or she is left with little knowledge of Islam, providing no mentorship and practically no help towards rehabilitation in his or her changed environment and making little effort in transforming him or her as a Da’ee. • Picking up some pieces of Aqeeda and emphasizing one or two aspects of personal Ebadah, ignoring the total concept of Deen. • This has brought the Deen itself to the level of a religion as it is understood in the West about Judaism and Christianity. www.mascolumbus.org

11. Features of Da`wah • Becomes an obligation on each and every Muslim and Muslimah when Allah’s Deen is no where to be found in a dominant position. • A joint and concerted effort to carry out Da`wah activities • In a planned and an organized manner. Should not depend on the mood and whims of individuals. • A well-structured Da`wah program, • Effective Da`wah literature • A team of dedicated and committed workers www.mascolumbus.org

12. Features of Da`wah • Da`wah is a determined effort to deliver the message of Allah, • even under adverse circumstances, • with Hikmah [wisdom] and • to remain cool and calm under all kinds of provocation with a grim determination to carry it out. • Da`wah is a continuous effort. • It is not a casual job. It is a life long pursuit. • It must be regular and be followed till the Da`wah contactees reject the Deen of Allah or accept it as the way of life. www.mascolumbus.org

13. Features of Da`wah • Da`wah must be the top most priority in the life of a Da’ee. • It needs fresh hours of life not the tired ones. • The beginning is to call the people to the fold of Allah. The end comes when the Deen of Allah becomes dominant in the entire spectrum of human society, • both in individual and collective aspects of life. • The prevailing short-cut concepts of Da`wah ignore the ultimate goal of establishing the deen www.mascolumbus.org

14. Da`wah to Oneself: to bring your entire life in obedience to Allah and His Prophet • “ O ye who believe, enter into the Deen of Allah in its totality…” [Q2:208] • It demands • “purification and reconstruction of thoughts”, removing all the inconsistencies in life, • building strong cohesive Aqeedah, • acquiring working knowledge of Islam, • building a dependable and trustworthy character, • demonstrating and manifesting Islam in all walks of life in personal dealings, behavior, commitments, • presenting an inspiring model of the Islamic way of life in practice. www.mascolumbus.org

15. Da`wah to Family – to bring family under directives of Allah and His Prophet • “O ye who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a fire where of the fuel is men and stones…..” [Q66:6] • Develop a family which professes the Islamic values of life: • showers love and affection upon youngsters, • respects the elders, • rotates around obedience to parents, • devotion and dedication to brothers and sisters, • care and concern for relatives, • making every effort to transform itself into a model home for neighbors, relatives and friends. www.mascolumbus.org

16. Da`wah to Society – to bring Islam at the doorstep of every member of the society • “ O ye who believe! Bow down and prostate yourselves, worship your Lord and do good, that haply ye may prosper. And strive for Allah with the endeavor that is His right. He has chosen you and has not laid upon you in Deen any hardship: The faith of your father Abraham [is yours]. Ha has named you Muslim of old time and in this [Scripture], that the messenger may be a witness against you, and that you may be witness against mankind..” [Q22:77-8] • Cannot apply Islam within yourself and your family, if the society around you is corrupt, full of filth and dirt, secular in nature and liberal in attitude of life. • Islam demands for you to make a tremendous effort to change the society. • Changing the society is a collective effort. You cannot do it alone www.mascolumbus.org

17. Requisites of Da`wah • Clarity of understanding and of vision • Working knowledge of Islam • The knowledge of the land, the people and their problems • Be a practical model of what he or she preaches, presents and advocates • Basic Da`wah literature • Preparedness to sacrifice time and resources for Da`wah efforts • To be an active part of an Islamic Movement • “ O ye who believe or have attained to faith! Remain conscious of Allah and be among those who are true to their words[who are truthful]”. [Q9:119] • An important reminder: “ Learning, [of Islam], practicing [building individual character] and preaching [Da`wah efforts] will go together. • Relate from me even if it is one verse. www.mascolumbus.org