In the immediate aftermath of the attack on the U.S. ten years ago, I was catapulted into a position of spokesperson for a community. My history of criticizing American foreign policy complicated matters for me, given the almost inquisitional environment that began to arise in the U.S. since then. Some have attempted to present any criticisms Muslims make of U.S. policies overseas as evidence for their sympathies with the terrorists. Nothing could be further from the truth.
While many Muslims are profoundly troubled by the situation in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, and other places where Muslims have felt the brunt of brute force, almost all are disgusted to see the devastation unjustly wrought in Islam’s name as a response.
Richard Scheinin’s interview of me in the aftermath of 9-11, which appeared in the San Jose Mercury, still very much reflects my sentiments about the event. I think the entire piece, which covered a page of the Mercury and was quoted extensively throughout the world, still holds up today. I believe it is the view of most Muslims worldwide and reflects well the authoritative Islamic legal opinion. The Prophet Muhammad set down rules of engagement. Sven Lindqvist points out that the earliest humane rules related to warfare are to be found in Abu Hanifa’s formulations in the 7th century. Lindqvist writes:
It was Abu Hanifa, a leading legal expert of Persian origin, the founder of a school of law in Baghdad, who first forbade the killing of women, children, the elderly, the sick, monks and other non-combatants. He also condemned rape and the killing of captives.… A legal expert in Baghdad, [he] attempted to make war more humane by setting forth rules that were not accepted in Europe until several centuries later—rules that were still not accepted, in any case not practiced, when colored people were involved. [Sven Lindqvist, A History of Bombing (New York: The New Press, 2000), 9.]
In fact, it was Abu Hanifa who first codified these rules in a legal system, but all of the rules were taken from injunctions given by the Prophet Muhammad himself.
Thoughts on the extrajudicial execution of Usama Bin Ladin will be posted soon, in sha Allah. (But I’m extremely busy with several current commitments, so please be patient.)
“Surely God is with the patient.”
Abdul Hameed Posted on 07/29/2011
Aslamalikum Shaykh Hamza
I pray that this message finds you in the best of health. You are loved and revered much by family and friends and your words have inspired me much.
A key message I have taken from you is the need for us to start taking action instead of excessive talking. You inspired me to create the site http://www.amaal.co.uk which encourages the vying with one another in good deeds as you once advised.
May Allah SWT bless you and your family, preserve you and guide us. Ramadan Mubaarak.
Please pray for me, my family and my father who is currently unwell. Thank you.
Abdul Hameed
http://www.amaal.co.uk
ahmed Posted on 06/21/2011
Salam alaykum,
This is a private message to shykh Hamza. I hope you watch the following documentaries relating to muslim countries i.e Algeria, Morocco, Indonesia.
http://www.linktv.org/futureexpress
Through a ride on a train in these countries the society is explored. It shows the present state and paradoxes of muslims soceity between extreme modernism, extremism, ultra conservatism, age-gap, intolerance, secularism and so on. I hope you watch them and address these issues and methods to tackle them for i see that if these problems will continue, it will lead to hardening of hearts and more atheism of portions of our ummah.
samir razik Posted on 06/20/2011
Please post your next blog entry before you depart for Turkey! (a long entry would be appreciated)!
malika Posted on 06/12/2011
Salama’likoum,
Sorry, I don’t want to monopolise this blog as I notice I have left more than one message. This message is just about rectifyng myself.
I have just learnt that muslim are positive person. However, in my comments I have described negative pointd I had experienced here and there.
My apologise for that ! In the futur, I will make my best to notice good things and being positive otherwise I will not leave any comments.
May Allah forgive me and forgive us all. AMEEN.
Positive point :
I really appreciate the community in US. From the time when Malik Shabbaz was there until today. Seems that things changes mashaAllah. Even if I am in France, it has if I can live it.
In France, Al Hamdulilah I have a really good teacher MashaAllah, the best I have ever had. Al Hamdulilah, my dream came true. However, I don’t feel the community. I don’t say that there is no community. No.
I dream (another dream) about a community I can live with, work with, in good or bad moment always in mind that we are brothers and sister. I dream about feeling deeply the fact that Allah says we are brothers and sister.
Al Hamdulilah, I have Allah in my life. May Allah fulfil my other dream as long as my dream brings me to Al Firdaws Al A’la. AMEEN.
Salama’likoum
Malika
Yasmeen Karam Posted on 06/09/2011
I love the message you spread. You are very passionate about what you believe in and I think it would be great to have such an honorable man showing his support for the documentary called “The Light In Her Eyes.” The film preaches exactly what you do and is very inspiring. Please take the time to learn about it and hopefully you will help in gaining it support from your followers. http://www.facebook.com/thelightinhereyes this is the facebook page for it and http://thelightinhereyesmovie.com/ is their official website. Thank you for any support and help you can offer.
Yasmeen
malika Posted on 06/09/2011
Salama’likoum Cheikh Hamza,
Please let us know about your situation or please let your assistant or an admin know about your situation, it will insures us.
Anyway, we will make du’as for sure.
Don’t forget, we are part of family and each family member has to know the situation of one of them :)
Well, if what I have read is true then : “Tahour inshaALLAH”
May Allah helps us ameen.
Salama’likoum
hamid Posted on 06/07/2011
Dear Shaykh Hamza
As selam a lekum :)
I heard news that you fell while on your way to your office before your talk on Memorial Day Weekend. Inshallah, may Allah (sbut) grant you a speedy recovery, well-being, guidance and recovery. May He also give you a long life of health, prosperity and more talks and recorded sessions. May Allah (sbu) also guard and protect your family, sons, relatives and all the hardworking staff at Zaytuna College.
Amin, amin, amin ya-Rab-il-alamin!
jazakallah khair :)
waselam a lekum
hamid
H Rahman Posted on 06/07/2011
I have heard some distressing news that the beloved Sheikh has suffered from a concussion. I hope and pray that the Sheikh is not suffering too much and that he has a speedy recovery inshaAllah. May Allahswt protect him and shower his mercy and blessings upon him. Ameen
malika Posted on 06/08/2011
Salam Rahman,
Where did you hear that please ? Who tell you that ?
Salam
Malika
France
malika Posted on 06/06/2011
Oups je n’avais pas finis :)
Al Hamdulilah qu’il y a Allah ! Sublime Gardien de la Vérité !
Salam
Malika
malika Posted on 06/06/2011
Abou hanifa, Khalid Ibn Walid, Omar, Abou bakr, Hamza, Khadija and so on
Heureusement qu’ils existaient et heureusement que nos chers savants on travaillés dur pour conserver leur biographies et bien entendu notre bien aimé prophète.
Je dis heureusement, car très honnêtement, je n’aurais pas été musulmane et je n’aurais jamais voulu l’être si je n’avais comme exemple les musulmans d’aujourd’hui…
C’est juste extraordinaire de voir qu’ils réagissent exactement à l’inverse de ce qu’ils devraient.
J’ai pleins d’exemple tous les jours, ou presque.
Pas plus tard que ce week end, je parlais avec une dame de religion. J’essayais de lui enseigner ce que j’avais appris à mes cours de religion. Au final elle me rétorque un commentaire de ce type tout en riant “oh, on le sait mais nous on fait autre chose que ce que l’on devrait” Je pensais en moi même ” bien fait pour nous ! la situation dans laquelle on est !!” j’étais dégoutée !
Aujourd’hui, un autre scénario : je pars pour m’acheter mon repas. Je suis la prochaine à être servie mais que vois je ? un homme d’origine magrébine, de manière tout à fait naturel et normal se positionner devant moi pour se faire servir !! Je n’ai rien dit car je savais que la serveuse, qui n’était pas magrébine m’avait vu. Elle a donc fait abstraction de cela et m’a servie en premier. Ce crétin a regardé et a attendu ! Il m’a degouté ! Dégouté parce que c’est par des exemples comme cela que des non musulmans se plaisent à dire au Monde entier qu’on est soumise aux hommes. Or, niet !!! jamais !
Bref ! Qu’Allah nous vienne en aide ! On n’est pas sorti de l’auberge, c’est moi qui vous le dit avec des cas pareil !
Heureusement qu’il y a la science pour nous faire revivre les sublimes exemple qu’étaient Khadija
LauraStraightUp Posted on 05/26/2011
I love this. It is true, unfortunately, that Muslims are seen through a filter devoid of humanity…NOT fair. I meet them individually and enjoy them as friends and acquaintances and neighbors. If more would express a glimmer of what you have here, easily, without disrespecting the religion, it would be a blessing for us all. Including those of us who are judged by and condemned by others for associating with those who are of the Islamic faith. Those who can let that create a rift in our friendship because I can see individuals, not a cloned mass of killers, (which is so ignorant, period) are not people I consider my friends. I do, however, feel white supremacists, aryan brothers, neo-nazis, the KKK, and those radicals are worthy of vilification as much as those who take part in violent acts of terror, radical extremists, and violent jihadists, etc. I guess there will always be those who create pain and suffering for those around them, regardless of religion, origin, race, or creed.. as individuals or groups that hate feeds. I want to note something that was subject to criticism of your work but ignored by the poster above. Your unwillingness to see things in black and white. That is a character strength. Seeing things as all or nothing, in extremes, as black and white is exactly the kind of thinking that keeps people unable to see those like you and the lot of your fellow Muslims for who you are, not the group of extreme violent radicals you aren’t.. You’re obviously doing good things, Thanks for the enlightenment.
L.Brown Posted on 05/25/2011
AsSalaamu Alaikum Shaykh Hamza,
Spot on interview answers that still hold true today. I remember I was in the 11th grade leaving my German language class going to my History of Civilizations class when the towers were hit. I was only 33 miles away from that scene. We could see the towers from the roof of our high school. As muslim in high school, and now as an older youth, the justification to do such a thing whether it be a random muslim or Israel utterly destroying a Gaza community or American men and women pillaging and looting an the black section of a segregated Oklahoma town. Wrong is wrong. JazakAllahu Khairun! Your lectures were recommended to me when I just began practicing the deen. Your translation of the Purfication of the Heart was recommended to me by my wife. Again may Allah reward you immensely for your work inshaAllah.
AsSalaamu Alaikum
munawar Posted on 05/24/2011
Asalamualaikum Shaykh,
What is your greatest regret (figuratively speaking) from those days? What was the greatest opening in 2001?
CM Posted on 05/20/2011
Assalamu alaikum Warrahmatullahi wabarakatuh Shaykh Hamza
Jazakallah for the post,an important highlight. Take your time, we will wait. Current affairs is complex, the current wave of information dispersed through the media is full of half-truths and lies that are portrayed as irrefutable truth. They repeat propaganda to a level people get hypnotized into believing the bias. Easily achieved after traumatic events, our initial reactions are stereotyped, well moulded by the media, that do not give time to think it through, objectively. I like the way you take your time and people have to accept it. It is complex (current affairs) because the propaganda we face is two fold, from outside and inside. We live in an age where truth is tough to get. May Allah(swt) protect us all from deception and misinformation, may He(swt) clear the misty cloud created by the media and permit us all to see with both eyes, external and internal.amiin.
Till your next blog inshaallah,
Massalam
CM
Kenya
ZAI Posted on 05/19/2011
Thank you, Shaykh Hamza, for once again reiterating your position on this subject.
I was perturbed to read in Chris Hedges new article of the degrading harrassment you recently endured while traveling.
No doubt no two people agree on everything, and many of us brothers in the Muslim community disagree on plenty and especially tend to fall into disagreements about minutae…even bringing these arguments online…
It was sobering to read about the personal sacrifices and challenges you, Imam Zaid and other of our scholars endure for our sake out of love for this deen and our community, despite the fact that many of us sometimes give you a hard time over insignificant differences. So, I just wanted to say thank you and say I hope we all will keep in mind what you and other scholars do and continue to do for this community at expense to your own comfort…
UmR Posted on 05/19/2011
True that…
Khulood Posted on 05/18/2011
Looking forward to read Usama Bin Laden’s execution article.
Malika Posted on 05/18/2011
Salama’likoum,
Abou Hanifa, I have heard about him recently when my teacher explained me the origin of the 4 schools and the misundertood of people when they make bid’a (innovation) and they have as excuse something like “oh, I follow this school,” I mean one of the fourth.
What you mention is really interesting and it proves again that most of people around the world just don’t want to look for the source when they speak about islam by repeating what they heard here or there. As if they don’t have the capability and courage to say “hey, I can analyse things one my own, not necessary to swallow everything that happens”
The problem is that even if if we explain this or that, they just don’t believe us. An atmosphere of trust is necessary. Anyway, our effort is to expose clearly, that’s it…
Thanks again to help us learning our religion with science.
Salama’likoum
Malika
France
ps : sorry if I made mistake. English is not my mother tongue.
Khan Posted on 05/21/2011
Mlle,
Si vous l’y mettez en francais, je peux le traduire.
malika Posted on 06/06/2011
Hello,
Mon anglais est si mauvais que ça ? (joke) je plaisante.
A vrai dire, cela me permet aussi de pratiquer une langue étrangère, autre que le français, mais il est vrai qu’il est préférable que j’utilise le français. Ceci, afin d’éviter d’induire en erreur les personnes qui liront mes commentaires.
A partir de maintenant, je les écrirais en français. Je compte sur vous pour la traduction, je peux ? n’est ce pas ? je plaisante :)
Salam
Malika
taahir abdur-rahim Posted on 05/17/2011
ASA,
I just wanted to leave this …http://marifah.net/articles/Irshad_Arabic.pdf …written by Shaykh Muhammad Hasan al Khadim….
Mohammed Abbasi Posted on 05/16/2011
Excellent writings Sheikh Yusuf.
I love also the beautiful patterns on the sides – but just a little comment, blue would look more welcoming on the eyes as it relaxes – the red/violent colouring does not do justice to your blog.
Also it would be great to meet you again soon Inshallah and hopefully host you on behalf of the Association of British Muslims in the UK for a couple of speeches which quite a lot of young Muslims would find inspirational :)
My best to you and your family.
Zubair Salim Posted on 05/13/2011
Shaykh Hamza make dua for the muslims.
HEM Posted on 05/10/2011
It is acceptable for people to change their views on issues as life progresses. Growing is part of life`s journey and as we grow we start widening up or capabilities to accommodate further sides to an argument. What is not acceptable though is for people to start considering possibilities on changing their minds/views on something that is incomprehensible in nature and inhumane in core.
The views you held 10 years ago need no evaluation nor assessments. They are universal. They are not only part of Islam but humanity as a whole.
To be frank sheikh Hamza, I would have felt uncomfortable and a lot worried had your reflections on the interview ten years later been any different.
Your writings are always worth waiting for, so take your time.
All the best,
HEM
Imran Zeb Posted on 05/10/2011
Sir,
I hope by the grace of God this finds you to be well. May Allah Almighty protect you and your children;keep you well and increase us all in iman.
It has been 10 years since the events on Sepember 2001 and with the death of Osama Bin laden it seems the ‘war On terror’ has come full circle. My own journey to Islam has also reached a point. Sir, I was born with Nystagmus;an eye condition whereby my eyes shake thereby not alluring me to focus. Due to this I was often beaten in the mosque as a child;my eye condition led me to read/study the Quran slowly and the Imam took this to be a lack of interest on my part.
Sir, you introduced to me an understanding of Islam based on Mercy and Compassion, not one which holds a Manichean world view of ‘Us vs Them. You made Islam beautiful and compelling for me. I retook my Shahadah because of your teachings and several persons i knew and worked with in China have also converted to Islam.
Many persons today accuse you of a number of things. Your meeting with former President Bush;your unwillingness now to view things in a black and white way. I have been advised to avoid you’. It has been said that you are now a Perennialist. Thier slander of you bothers me deep for I do not find any such thing in your works. Maybe some of your language in your earlier works was not ideal but with time the fire of youth is tempered and we grow. Shiekh Muhammed Yacoubi (may Allah protect him and bless his noble father) once said, ‘the criteria to judge a great man is to see how many people he has bought into Islam’. Sir, I am here-with countless others stating, I am Muslim by the Mercy of my Lord on me and by the guidance and teachings of Shiekh Hamza Yusuf. 10 years on-keep doing what your doing
Jiayou!
Imran Zeb
Shanghai
omar Posted on 05/09/2011
Sheikh Hamza
As-salam o alikum!
Kindly provide some guidance on the matter of Hizb-ut-tahrir, as it is gaining immense momentum and popularity amongst the youth of today, however it lacks any Imam or Sheikh ascribing to it and it is also reported that Its founder was a deviant and compared to the Mutazilites further its aqeeda denies several hadith.
It is imperative that an Imam provides clear guidelines on whether the youth should follow such an organisation or not.
Jazak Allah Khair
Tahsin Posted on 05/08/2011
Dear Shaykh Hamza,
The philosophy section of your website says, “He believes that the framework for that system is provided for best in the sound Islamic economic teachings of the Qur’an and the Prophetic traditions and their subsequent derived laws as codified in classical Muslim commercial laws, which among other things prohibits the sale of debt and the increase of a money supply through fractional reserve banking. ”
Why don’t you ever talk about Islam and economics? Why haven’t you talked about Islam and Business in all your years? Why can’t i find one traditional source on Islam and the business world in contemporary times? I’m thirsting for sound information to guide myself by. I think a talk, book, blog is very much due.
Salam.
jan Posted on 05/08/2011
assalaamu alaikum. thank you for your post. we will all wait patiently for your next one. inshaAllah. best wishes.
Abdullah Kazi Posted on 05/08/2011
May Allah Bless you and put Barakah in your words and actions Ameen!
Abdullah Kazi
Ahlam Al-Kaddo Posted on 05/08/2011
Alsalamu Alaikum
I’m always looking for your writings and lectures which I wish to be in Arabic in order to understand every single word, because I am from Mosul, Iraq. We thank Allah to have person like you in our present day. (Barak Allah Feek). We are waiting for your comment about what you mentioned above.
Umm Yusuf Posted on 05/08/2011
Thank you…and I’m really looking forward to reading insh’Allah your views on the killing of UBL….
Sadaf Posted on 05/07/2011
Thank you for your insightful contribution, Dr. Hamza. But please refrain from making overgeneralizations about the thoughts and feelings of the Muslim community at large. I have noticed this quite often with your comments. For example, I’d think twice before passively agreeing to statements such as “almost all are disgusted to see the devastation unjustly wrought in Islam’s name as a response”. It might be true of the Muslims living in the West, but I can present you numerous Muslims in the East who understand those “responses” as nothing but retaliation. I believe it would also be more wise if you were careful with your use of the word “terrorist”. Its use seriously depends on the person’s ideology. I think it’s best if we are respectful of others’ point of view in the Muslim community even if we do not agree with them. I’m not here to defend any “radical” ideology, but I also do not approve of how you categorize or isolate certain groups within the Muslim community based on your personal, subjective understanding.
To give you an example, you had once referred to Taliban as a tragedy that happened in Afghanistan on BBC HardTalk. Despite being an Afghan, I am not in a position to make a statement about Taliban given the fact that I have not lived under their regime. But I can assure you that there are thousands, if not millions, of Afghans out there who support Taliban wholeheartedly. My mother who visited Afghanistan shortly after Taliban took over related the words of her relatives as “God has sent down angels”. Apparently, your judgment of Taliban was based on mainstream media to which I’d say, “nothing could be further from the truth”.
Ma’Sallaama.
Amara Hakak Posted on 05/07/2011
Great interview! Thank you for finally expressing the majority of Muslim people’s beliefs. Thank you for being our voice.
And I really can’t wait for your thoughts on Osama Bin Laden’s death. Do you think this killing him was the right choice or the way they did it (they killed some people from his family), the way they buried him, the way they acted towards his wives and children, the way American people are celebrating it and the way Obama gave his thoughts on all of this? What are your thoughts on all of this?
THANKS!
Nasser Posted on 05/07/2011
Looking forward to a balanced article that explores both terrorism done in the name of Islam AND atrocities perpetrated in the name of war on terrorism.
Samir Posted on 05/07/2011
Jazakallah for bringing to light the interview that took place ten years ago. It was very beneficial to read it again. Surprisingly almost everything you said still holds true.
Samir