There’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now,
‘tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes?
– Hamlet, William Shakespeare
Salem Saif al-Mazrui grew up in Ra’s al-Khaimah, a beautiful part of the Arabian Peninsula, boasting some of the most tranquil desert scenes juxtaposed with majestic seascapes and mountains. It is an irenic place. It is also one of the most religiously conservative of the seven Emirates in the UAE. Though it does not have the natural resources of its sister Emirates, it maintains a profound connection to its religious and national identity, and has a warm and welcoming tourist industry.
Salem comes from the clan known as al-Mazari; they trace their lineage back to the most ancient Arab tribes of the peninsula. His name, Salem Saif, means “peaceful sword” and aptly reflects the archetypal character found in Arabia. The desert is a harsh place, and one must be tough to survive, but survival itself depends on others. Hence, the Arabs developed a code of ethics regarding guests whom they may not know well or at all. A stranger is always honored, but if he presents a threat, the desert Arab can quickly thrust aside his natural generosity, hospitality, and congeniality, and become the fiercest of opponents.
Salem was a 28-year-old military officer from a small village. His father was stricken with cancer and needed treatment. Since the United States has some of the most advanced treatment centers in the world, it was the natural choice for the family. Many Emiratis have studied in Texas and know the area, but more importantly, it has a world famous cancer institute that received a $150 million donation from the president of the UAE. One would also expect that, given the UAE’s largesse, the center treat their Emirati patients with heightened Southern hospitality.
So the dutiful son Salem brought his father to America in hopes of a healing. Little did they know how tragic things would turn out.
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Unlike some Muslims from abroad who come to America and gravitate to the glitz and glitter of nightlife, Salem was a committed Muslim who arrived on a mission – to serve his father in his hour of need, providing the emotional and familial support vital during arduous cancer treatments. They rented an apartment in a gated community, which for many people engenders a false sense of security in an increasingly fearful and desperate America.
A week into Ramadan, Salem and his father were on their way back from the tarawih prayers at the local mosque, and stopped by their apartment to pick up some sweets before heading on to dinner at a friend’s house nearby. Salem left the car idling and walked to the apartment with his father, both dressed in their national robes. At this point, two armed men accosted them at gunpoint, blocked their doorway inside the apartment, and demanded money. The bandits locked the two men in a room and began to rummage for valuables. But the desert men, with their profound sense of honor and natural courage, broke free and found themselves face to face with the two desperate and armed robbers.
Salem moved to defend his father; shots rang out; bullets pierced his chest. The men grabbed Salem’s wallet, fled the scene, and drove off in their victim’s Toyota Avalon, leaving behind a brave, young, Arab military officer, with a new wife and two-month-old child in his village back home, dead in a pool of his own blood. After police found the abandoned car and identified the fingerprints, an arrest warrant was issued for Corey Trevon Perry, 17, and his 18-year-old accomplice Detone Lewayne Price, both African-Americans. While the two were charged with perpetrating a heinous crime, they are also victims of another crime, that of a derelict America.
Police initially suspected it may have been a hate crime, given the rising anti-Muslim sentiments in America, but once the culprits were identified as African-American teens with prior criminal records, the theory was discarded, and the tragedy was relegated to a crime of armed invasion gone violently wrong.
Salem’s death came while he was in a good state, ready and prepared. He had come home from night prayers, was in the service of his father and family, and was planning to leave for the home of a fellow Muslim to share in a fraternal meal, even bringing a gift of sweets that he had stopped to pick up. He is no doubt, in my mind at least, a martyr. Our Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, said, “Anyone who dies defending his property is a martyr.” Unlike Detone and Corey, both Salem and his wife grew up in a society where the family is still central, where the community is still close-knit, and where caring and compassion are values that bind people together. Though the Emirates are not free of problems, basic communal bonds are still strong.
Salem’s murder should serve as a cautionary tale for both Americans and Emiratis. On the surface, it can simply be reduced to a random crime. But for those who believe in fate, there are much deeper implications. For the Emiratis (and other Arabs), it’s a reminder that America is no longer the land where many Arabs came to study in the 1960s and 1970s.
While crime has always been around and during some periods and places in America quite high, violent crime is becoming commonplace, and murder, which once made the front page nationwide for weeks, is now relegated to a back page story, if even that. And while violent crimes committed by the older population are down, teenage violence is higher than ever before. The recent riots in England and the sports violence in America are signs of societies that have lost their bearings. It isn’t that the moral compass is just not working – in some cases, it has been discarded all together.
Sociability is the essence of a society, what Ibn Khaldun referred to as ‘asabiyyah. When that social solidarity and common purpose get lost, people no longer feel a sense of camaraderie with their fellow citizens. We live in a virtual society, a society of ghosts haunting a once inhabited house; many text and twitter, but they no longer commune in prayer or pleasure.
Muslims must feel grateful that our Prophet, peace and blessings of God be upon him, put into place so many ways in which people are bonded. Just praying five times a day with a group binds us in social and spiritual solidarity. Ramadan, that great feast of friendship and family, is a time in which the community in its entirety is directed inwardly for a month, united during the day by hunger and joined at night by food and prayer.
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The breakdown of the family is the breakdown of society. The African-American family was the first casualty of an inherently racist system that too often punished black males, which led in turn to dysfunctional, impoverished, and deteriorating social conditions in black communities. The Black Church mitigated the breakdown but eventually proved incapable of stemming the tide. It was left to overwhelmed black mothers who did their best to hold together fracturing families in a rapidly collapsing social system that in many places today resembles war zones – Detroit is perhaps the most blatant example.
Minority communities are the canaries in the coal mine of American culture. The dominant culture consistently follows the trends that first show up in minority communities. In certain areas, great strides have been made, but the reality of inner cities today is far worse than before the civil rights movement. While we have elected an African-American president, the Congressional Black Caucus says little or nothing is being done by this administration to address the chronically high unemployment among African-Americans. Thus, socio-economic disparities between the races and the concomitant trauma are a long way from over. Wounds have not only failed to heal, they continue to fester, and communities far from being restored are deteriorating – think Katrina. Thus, it could be argued that the election of President Barack Obama has given many in white America the false impression that we have crossed an imagined threshold and are now magically a color-less society.
Far from it. The African-Americans of East Oakland, the South Side of Chicago, South Central L.A., and so many other ghettos have the entire deck stacked against them just coming into this world. It is a testimony to the human spirit that so many do so well. To blame the victim is to play the trump card of the oppressor.
When African-Americans are given the same opportunities as that of mainstream America, they do just as well if not better than their culturally dominant counterparts. But criminal and destitute environments breed crime, and statistically speaking, as highlighted by studies mentioned in Levitt and Dubner’s Freakonomics, it was only a matter of time before Detone and Corey would have a run-in with the law. Instead of beating a path to becoming president of the United States, or a doctor, lawyer, engineer, or mechanic, their nihilistic environments insured for them a tragic date with destiny on that balmy Houston night in the blessed month of Ramadan. The teenagers’ crime exposed everything that is wrong with America and revealed everything that is right with the Emirates.
Unlike the desert heat of Salem’s homeland, which makes people more inter-dependent and brings them closer, the urban heat of America’s inner cities alienates the youth and destroys their sense of community.
While the murder of Salem Saif al-Mazrui was merely a media blip in Houston and almost entirely ignored by the national news media, his death nevertheless traumatized an entire society in the Emirates. His community turned up in large numbers to pray in solidarity at his funeral, including the ruler of Ra’s al-Khaimah. While I was in the UAE recently, Salem’s murder made headlines in all the newspapers for several days, just as a murder would have been covered here in America when our country was comprised of tightly-knit communities with real families, not T.V. families, local churches, not mega-churches, real friends, not Facebook friends. Life revolved around neighborhoods without hoodlums, not “hoods” without neighbors, and there was social solidarity in both its black and white communities, despite their parities, differences, and inequalities. My ninety-year-old mother told me that when she was young, any murder, even that of a hobo, would have been front page news for days in San Francisco. Now it is a daily occurrence in most places that barely gets noticed. While many Americans think Muslims have no qualms about taking a life, the truth is that murder – political violence in a few destabilized places notwithstanding – is still quite rare in most Muslim countries. It is for this reason that I’ve always felt safe in Muslim towns, villages, and cities at any time, day or night.
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May God bless Salem and reward him for his filial piety, and for his fasting and night prayers; may He grant the young man a place among the martyrs of our faith. May God strengthen his wife and raise his child in faith and love, and give ease in the hearts of the family; and may He heal his father from his cancer by the blessing of the good deeds of the son.
As for the perpetrators, I am reminded of a Muslim brother who used to write me from prison. He was incarcerated because he was involved in a murder when he was just 18-years-old. He was a star athlete but happened to be in the wrong company that night, and for it he spent ten years in prison. After a lengthy period of correspondence with him, in which he acquired a great deal of Islamic knowledge, I wrote a letter to his parole board encouraging them to release him. He is now a thriving member of society, with a good job and a family, responsible and still pursuing sacred knowledge. After his conversion to Islam and the opening of his eyes, he could no longer recognize his former self: that fated boy in the car ten years earlier on that ill-omened night. The inner cities and many of the young who are disenfranchised, alienated, lost, and angry need Islam – not just any “Islam” but a sound understanding of our rich tradition and certainly not the disenfranchised, alienated, and angry identity politics posing as religion that is tearing apart Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and too many other places.
Hasan Abdul-Mateen aka Roland Posted on 11/27/2011
Alhamdullah, Alhamdullah, Alhamdullah! Sheikh Hamza May Allah the Great continue to bless our community with your keen insight and love. May He The Most Compassionate grant you and your family the very highest place in Jannah. Prase is Only for Allah! Thank you my Dear brother for your blog, truely it is an Oasis in the depraved desert of this land. May our Gracious Lord help us acknowledge His Generosity and His Abiding Favors. To you my Brother once more thank you and all my thanks is to those teachers you have have the awesomesly great privlige to study with. May Allah continue to Magnfy His Blessing upon you. May Allah grant our Beloved Prophet Peace Eternal and Blessings as Great as the Span of the Heavens and the Earth. May our Most Gracious and Most Compassionate Lord Supreme grant our communities real enduring realization of Islam and cause it tothe Light being our vehicle to once again love each other with sincerity. Ameen
I.M. Posted on 11/23/2011
Salamu ‘Alaykum Sheikh Hamza Yusuf,
I have much respect for you and I have benefited from your work tremendously. I also had the chance to meet you personally in Sacred Caravan 2010. My comment has nothing to do with this article. I am writing this comment to request from you a post on your opinions about what’s unraveling in the Middle East and all over the world really. I am confused about many issues, for example should people revolt against the hakim or not. This is a time when scholars should talk about the core of these matters and both educate and reenergize the ummah. Your insight and expertise are greatly needed ya Shiekh.
I enjoy your blog tremendously. It is not only educational but also beautifully written. Since I just finished my M.A. in literature, the power of words greatly affect me.
Jazaka Allahu Khairan for all your efforts.
Josh Posted on 11/16/2011
The Funny thing about capitalism is its ability to create a “need” for things one never really “needed” in the first place sadly. When reading about british colonialism in Africa and American Colonialism in other parts of the world, it is interesting to read about how the creation of goods and the need for those goods then dissolves the traditional bonds of a community. Often times the colonial oppressor will come in with lifestyles that show off wealth and prominence and then as was stated earlier by Hamza, those who desire wealth look to the wealthy. Divisions in community are then created by those who wish to obtain new wealth and what was once a peaceful community is then further divided by lines of who has what object and who is no longer willing to share what they once had. In the instance of the !kung in just a few short years, entire communities had fallen into complete distrust as those with only a few dollars more in possessions became social pariahs.
There is no perfect society. While I am not religious nor even muslim, I would think that through the lens of a religious man of any abrahamic creed, it would be insulting to god to say there ever was one that came to his brilliance. People are imperfect, something we’ll never truly grasp or understand entirely. We can always blame each other our each others culture. When a culture holds different values than another it becomes often difficult to understand where true morality lies. For instance, in the united states communities do exist, they are just subdivided. While Mega-churches have divisions in them, there are communities that exist within each congregation. Sports clubs, social groups, community theater and all other methods of getting involved in a community do exist. Hell even being a member of an inner city street gang allows you to belong to a community of some sort. Its not necessarily the fact that Americans don’t take part in communal life, but rather freedom of expression and action allow for slip ups. Americans are naturally suspicious of their government, as in their history it has been proven time and again they have every right to be. As such weapons are made more readily available to those who want them. I don’t think one can truly say that American’s as a people have lost their moral compass. Each day there are random acts of kindness committed all over. From a group of people lifting a car off of motorcyclist after the crash, to random individuals with financial wealth buying homes for the poor so they might have a place to live.
I don’t blame the robbers for shooting the man, however horrible the situation was. In the end this tragedy is a product of many cross cultural misunderstandings and some poor decision making on the sides of both parties (though we can certainly blame the robbers more, they actually killed an innocent man). First of all, in the states it is a horrendous idea to leave your car running almost anywhere. Also any person who has fought ever (especially a military man) should know how risky it is to attack individuals who are armed when you lack a weapon yourself. Someone is bound to get hurt, and when you bring fists to a gun fight, more often than not its going to be you. Also at play is a lack of cross cultural understanding. To many in gang culture, killing a person is seen as courageous and as giving you worth as a member of the group. Especially when the person you killed was attacking you. It shows your virility and strength as a man to not hesitate and to kill your enemies. However to almost any member of any other culture or subculture killing an unarmed person only shows cowardice. They could have shot Salem in the leg or a non-fatal area, but as i think Hamza is trying to argue they were morally bankrupt to be robbing Salem in the first place. But as i see it, they saw a threat to their lives and well being so they did what they felt they had to do (though again I agree it was absolutely wrong).
In the end, I dont expect to gain any converts here with this post. I understand that many reading this post probably think Im nuts or even worse, a moral relativist (which i kind of am). I guess my main argument here though is that there is no system of universal morality (even though there maybe things that almost all morality systems find universally repugnant) that can be applied to all cultures (though sadly my government tries to do this to foreign cultures all the time, something i find deeply regrettable). But also I guess I desired to share that the American community is not dead. In the inner city streets of Washington D.C. my own kung fu teacher, a black man found community in a chinese kung fu school. While his own brother fell to violence and gang activity, he grew up in the 70s with a community that protected him and taught him many valuable things including a system of morality that led him out of the ghetto and into a normal life. Eventually he was able to help his own brother, or his brother realized his own mistakes, again we are all just human. Even the best of us. This system is something he has shared with me, and while I am not chinese all of us in his school feel a deep connection to the deeds in actions of our predecessors. I dont think the America social experiment has failed, just like i dont think the Afghani or Iraqi attempts at ridding themselves of despots has failed (again another point that is arguable and something i really dont want to get into as i fear that any argument i might give here might lack a certain nuance and understanding of either culture), just that we are all moving off of what our ancestors gave us to move forward to a better life. Islam certainly is a way of finding morality and community, but it is not the only way. Thanks for listening my liberal western ramblings with patience. You may return to legitimate conversation now :).
Gee Chee Vision Posted on 11/23/2011
@ Josh I would just say that I’ve never really felt that Americans are being naturally suspicious of their government. I mean it is popular culture to believe politicians are crooks; that’s a recurring theme even in Hollywood. But generally the American public does not believe their government is capable of behaving in a manipulative or nefarious way. Every once and a while when we admit this to ourselves we tend to throw on a “what else is there?” band-aid patch. We have become a culture that finds everything wrong with others in attempts to turn the volume up over our own failings.
As of lately the levees of our naivety have begun to max-out. But look at the level of extreme & blatant misconduct on the part of our government for us to finally see that.
We were there in the 60s but just as pharmaceutical companies put more money into marketing than they do for research to develop medicine, so has our government placed more emphasis in the PR machine that for the most part has a tremendous effect on Americans as a whole. However the legacy of resistance within the African-American community inherently disregards the pc veneer.
Sevda Posted on 10/31/2011
Dear Shaykh Hamza,
“Sociability is the essence of a society, what Ibn Khaldun referred to as ‘asabiyyah. When that social solidarity and common purpose get lost, people no longer feel a sense of camaraderie with their fellow citizens. We live in a virtual society, a society of ghosts haunting a once inhabited house; many text and twitter, but they no longer commune in prayer or pleasure.”
How beautifully expressed! The inescapable irony for me as I read this post is that it is only through this virtual medium that I have glimpses into your sentiments, and am thus able to share a sense of solidarity with you and the victims of the tragedy about which you write. Infinitely better than nothing. As limited as it is as a form of sociability, your post reassures me that there are others out there – in this haunted, derelict house that make it feel like a home still.
You have given me hope: that in all of this inequality and indifference, a strong voice is being heard, calling for social justice. Sadly, leaders of our community are usually not the ones at the forefront when it comes to the defending the weak, voiceless, and invisible victims of our complacency. A tool in the hands of an ameteur is a dangerous thing, and though we have been gifted with the tools to be a means of assistance to those around us, we often cause more damage. Thank you again and again.
Yours,
Sevda
Mushtaq Posted on 10/02/2011
Dear all
I am writing in response to the email from Rashid. I am not remotely an acolyte of Sh Hamza and also get annoyed by the fawning behaviour of some. That said, let me point out to you that many of us are fed up with the tripe that comes out of the Middle East and Pakistan, in particular. Of the latter, I can’t think of a place more odious when it comes to the negative effects upon Islam; a place with Olympian paranoia; a place that is essentially the Uncle Tom of Wahabbi Saudi Arabia. You fail to note that it is the ISI that has been involved in many of the atrocities in Afghanistan and gives succour to groups that have been involved in the wanton murder of Muslims in Iraq. There are three places on Earth where religious lunatics may get access to nuclear arsenals: Pakistan, Israel and the USA. I am heartened to note that in the last example secularism may be on the rise. I’d rather have secularism hold sway than have more idiots besmirching the good name of Islam.
As for the example of the killing of al-Mazrui, it seems that it was a burglary gone wrong. Perhaps, if the two expats had not got involved in the fight then there would have been no killing. Either way, the two killers should get the death penalty. However, to extrapolate this tale beyond that to write a paen to traditional structures is somewhat weak. I do not think that Sh Hamza was making any comment about skin colour, or “dark skinned people’s” as Rashid states, but then Rashid is the type of autodidactic idiot we all have to suffer. I’ll bet he’s an activist, too.
Khan Posted on 10/04/2011
salam brother mushtaq
I’ve learnt considerably from Shaykh Hamza & continue to do so. In no way am i defending bro Rashid’s comments [i found them to be completely off-topic] but i will make a short comment on your post [no pun intended, i may not be checking this site soon again]
Just as fed up as you may be with the negative vibes coming from Pakistan & just as i hate to sound nationalistic; we in Pakistan too are fed up with silly assumptions people thousands of miles across the globe make not knowing whats really happening on the ground here.
You are fair to criticize the Pakistani establishment. Even in their case though, you have the good & the bad.. everything does not show up in the media. The ISI may have some horrific people in their midst but they also have people who may well be working for Islam [of which you know nothing]
Yes we have fanatics but its not just idiots besmirching the good name of Islam but its foreign trained forces who appear as Muslims .. they look & know more about Islam than you & i may do.. they preach in madrasas & prepare children for bombs..
Pakistan has its problems but others are helping make them worse.. [do some unbiased research on Raymond Davis !]
Dear friends Posted on 10/30/2011
We lose some of our dignity as Muslims individually and collectively when we call each other liars and idiots in public forums. Yes, there are liars and idiots in our community. There have been forever. But, one purpose of Islam is perfect character, for “us” and “them,” because if you’re keeping score, none of us are free of sin.
To the moderator of the website, please consider collating a set of Islamically-sanctioned adab requirements and posting them right above where people comment. Maybe with a box that says “I have read these directions” before a post is made (such as the comment policy/html used at the bottom of the following site: http://www.myshrink.com/counseling-theory.php?t_id=115). If simple directions are laid out and people still don’t follow them- maybe something more creative will work.
Personally, I found Sheikh Hamza’s article connecting a human face to abstract sociological constructs moving. Some people enjoy serious academic journals with charts and multiple citations. That’s a style thing. JazakAllah khayran for the article Sheikh Hamza.
Kamila Posted on 09/16/2011
MashAllah, it is a very deep and beautiful post.
Fatima Posted on 09/13/2011
This article brought me to tears. I pray for the soul of Salem and also that Allah ease the pain for his family. I must say though that Sheikh Hamza has a romantic view of the UAE. I know he has connections there and enjoys a warm welcome from the country. I lived there for six years and in the Gulf region for eight years total. The Gulf, including the UAE, is rife with human rights abuses, and violations of justice are common place. The UAE is no bastion of good values by any means. While there are positives aspects to UAE society, including the closeness of families there, I think the article would be more truthful without the denigration of US values in comparison to the equally imperfect UAE.
saad Posted on 09/13/2011
Salam on you brother Hamza!
Can’t we safely assume that we are merely witness to the happenings in this world ,and it is our prim duty to save ourselves first from the torment of fire?But to adopt this policy , wouldn’t that be selfish?How can one be simply focused on the Goal of eternity and not be selfish?
If ‘Akhira’ is the goal ,why not adopt the policy of being absolutely “careful” ,not leaving any chance for Nafs or satan to interven?But would it not be against the principle of “aitidaal”.How can one be “motadil” when his peak character and sincere effort can show only at extremes?
Muhammad Shareef Posted on 09/08/2011
as salaamu alaykum wa rahma
Yaa Sidi Hamza
Perhaps, the next time you visit the home of Salem, and if they are apart of the famous Mazrui family that we know stretch from the eastern Arabian peminsular all the way to Mozambique in east Africa, you might suggest that qualified members of his family come back to the US and visit the two felons in prison. Perhaps, if Allah ta`ala wills it, his family can be the cause of these two brothers becoming Muslim. As you rightly pointed out, there is no doubt that Salem died a martyr. If on the Day of Judgment, Saleem the martyr, his bereaved family and the two felons, whose hearts Allah opens to Islam as a result of the benevolence of the Mazrui clan you so eloquently described; could end up being a win win situation for everyone. Perhaps it can turn out to be one of those situations about which Allah azza wa jalla laughs. hanks for your post.
Sad Posted on 09/06/2011
Somewhere along the line, someone could have got there sooner, for the young men that is. Many missed opportunities pass us by. So much so that we forget to pray for our brotherhood of humanity. As a dear teacher has shared many a time, duas are not a last resort.
Thank you for the reminder. May Allah protect, strengthen and rebuild our families, communities, societies… world.
Imran Zeb Posted on 09/03/2011
Sir,
I hope this finds you to be well. Recently I travelled back to the UK where London and other cities were beset by violence and rioting whom the perpetrators seemed largely to be black. Now, in the aftermath of the stated event many have cited poverty and a ominous system which automatically views blacks as violent, thuggish and demagogues. I find this an over simplification of a much deeper and dubious problem. If we are to view events from both a macro and micro perspective certainly societies whereby success is measured by wealth and material want will certainly lead to an increase in crime as those without wish to be those with. (though the socio, cultural and economic dynamic of the USA is different from the UK in many ways I feel a juxtaposition can be aptly made). When News International will bug anyone just to get a story and when MP’ s expenses include extra houses, yachts and when wealth disparity is as it is in the USA then the poorer sections of society, who often tend to be minority communities will lash out in volatile ways. It is not a justification of their actions but an attempt to reach the underlying reasons.
When my wife was growing up in shanghai the lack of material goods and basic food stuffs created an environment where everybody, in material terms was fundamentally the same. However, the Opening Up Policy of Premier Deng Xiaoping ushered in economic groth of which in terms of China Shanghai has been the biggest beneficiary. This has created wealth disparity and in the following 30s since the enactment of the Law there has been a visible increase in petty crime, dishonest business practice etc. If you create a culture whereby material wealth by any means, don’t be surprised when people use ‘any means. In the post post modern subjective reality and morality that is the UK and USA we have spent a longer time sewing the seeds of social disorder and wonder why we are facing various issues. If I may also quote Hamlet, ” Something is only good or bad that thinking makes it so”.
The breakdown of the family is certainly central to why so many youth are without guidance. Now, the stats suggest that thus breakdown is highest amongst the black community and we must be responsible as people if we create a life to “man up”. Alas…
I have gone on too long, sorry
Please do dua for me and my family.
Loving yours
Imran, Shanghai
shibin Posted on 09/03/2011
Assalamu alaikum, Shaykh,
Very relevent article. Motivation for me and the world.
May Allah bless you to write and express more to empower the people around the world, in this age of fitna!
Baraa Alloush Posted on 09/03/2011
“Crime” in America is “tyranny” in the Arab world; two offspring of evil. Tyranny and injustice used to mean nothing in the Arab world but now I hope it is different, let’s hope that we get rid of crime in America and everywhere with the help of Allah, as for Salem Al-Mazrui’s murder; I feel that Allah wanted to bestow upon Salem and the protestors of the Arab revolutions in these troubled times a great gift: martyrdom.
Jazaka-Allahu Khairan
Waiting for your new blog post…
Baraa Alloush
Deir Ez-Zor, Syria.
Rāshid Posted on 09/02/2011
as salāmu ‘alaykum wa raḥmatullāhi wa barakatuh,
Thank you for clarifying that it is “angry identity politics posing as religion that is tearing apart Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, and too many other places.”
Personally, I thought it was the effects of Predator drone strikes, cluster bombings, destruction of power plants and water treatment facilities, ethnic cleansing, months and years (decades in the case of Afghanistan) of invasions by air featuring “smart” (read, “carpet”) bombing, uncounted missile strikes, tank invasions, hundreds of thousands of invading foreign troops on their soil killing tens of thousands, to well over a million (perhaps multiples of millions by now) innocent souls, littering the environment with millions of tons of Depleted Uranium (half-life 4.5 Billion years), creating a cancer/mutagen/birth defect-inducing hell-hole for a radius of a couple thousand miles, destroying masājid, the “pacification” (remember that term from Viet Nam?) i.e. leveling of entire cities and obliterating of whole societies, inducing chaos and wreaking utter havoc in the name of “freedom and democracy” that were actually tearing up these places. I believe then, in English, these are called ILLEGAL WARS OF AGGRESSION, a.k.a. GENOCIDE.
To call them anything else is, at best, a euphemism, more likely munāfiq.
One other minor correction, East Lost Angeles is not even remotely the home of the African American population. Just ask the Mexicans who live there. It is the home of the Latino/Central American/mainly Mexican American population in L.A. The ghettoes to which blacks have been relegated are South Central L.A., and the cities of Compton and Ingelwood, in the main. When you take it upon yourself to generalize about dark skinned peoples, whether to blame them for their plight, as in you did for Pakistanis, Afghanis, ‘Iraqis, and others, or to patronize them as not being morally culpable for their choices, as you did with the two armed robbers/murderers, perhaps you should do a little more due diligence as to facts.
Of course it is good to have compassion for moral transgressors. That is not to absolve them of their duty for moral discernment and decent action. I just wonder why your soft, compassionate heart does not open itself to the victims of U.S., U.K., Israeli, NATO, IMF and World Bank funded/demanded wars of aggression. One is forced to conclude that you believe these entities are “liberators” of the poor backward peoples in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and ‘Iraq and others. Strange masters you serve, indeed.
Just my humble opinion. Keep up the good work, ahem. Knowing you personally, I know you know these things are true. I just wonder why you continue to lie about them.
Not a “hater”, as your fawning acolytes would have it, but a lover of Allāh, His prophets, humanity, the sanctity of life, and honesty,
Salām,
Rāshid
nader ismail Posted on 10/30/2011
Your being awfully cynical Rashid
Madiha Posted on 09/01/2011
Salam All,
And what about the murders by the thousands committed by the Syrian governmental junta?? Does that mean anything to you? And please don’t accuse the Syrian protesters whom you called “hooligans” because they kicked out a stooge from the Ummayyad Masjid.
Hamza Posted on 09/01/2011
Salam alaykum Jazakallah khair for this article it reminded me of the following Hadiths:
children will be filled with rage (at-Tabarani, al-Hakim)
“Most of the hypocrites of my Ummah are the scholars!” (Musnad Ahmad – Sahih according to Ahmad Shakir)
We are witnessing Signs of Qiyamah Indeed the youth are filled with Rage and sadly we can raise pious youth is our homes etc but as soon as they go into society they get corrupted because the society has a bigger impact then the individual. The hour is close and the Fitna of Dajjal is here, Appearance and Reality is totally opposite and things are not what they seem pure deception by modern western civilization, I hope Inshallah that the Muslims wake up to the reality of this Deen as well as the reality of Fitan of The Jazira.
A good dhikr to say constantly in these Times is:
”Allahumma ya Muqallib al Quloob thabbit qalbi ‘alaa Deenik,” “O Turner of the hearts, make my heart firm upon Your Religion.”
Habiba Posted on 08/31/2011
As-Salamu ‘Alaykum wa-Rahmatullah wa-Barakatu
Another excellent post, Allah bless you and your family shaykh. May He increase you in ilm, hilm and rank. Amin.
This hadith is apt for our time:
Abu Hurayrah said, “The Prophet said, ‘The Hour will not
come until 30
“dajjals” appear, each of them claiming to be a messenger
from Allah,
wealth increases, tribulations appear and al-Harj
increases.’” Someone
asked, ‘What is al-Harj?’ He said, ‘Killing, killing.’
(Ahmad.)
Luqmaan Williams Posted on 08/29/2011
on the prayers. Ameen.
If Islam is truly transformative, then there should be a movement to move from the suburbs to the innercities and be examples to those whom you’ve discussed.
Otherwise, Islam and Muslims are just talk.
Nakia Posted on 08/28/2011
Just for some perspective, some of these broken families are Muslim. Boys grow up as Muslim or become Muslim in their teens or twenties, but never learn to be men. Then they think that marrying and reproducing will turn them into men, and when it doesn’t, they do the same as their non-Muslim neighbors. Some don’t even bother giving marriage an actual shot, marrying new converts and literally disappearing in the night, before the wedding cake is stale. These things would be considered the height of scandal in many places, but here, for many Muslim women, dealing with them is practically a rite of passage.
zahraa mousawe Posted on 08/28/2011
Shaykh Hamza does not show America always as ugly. In the T.V. show Rihla he presented splendid aspects in this country and I am an Iraqi and from amongst the people who still remember well good things about America I saw on that program. I doubt the possibility of seeing it elsewhere.
However, the American community do possess certain qualities that makes it a place filled with cruelty and crime (which is ugly) no one can deny how violence has spread widely in that country.
Sara Naqwi Posted on 08/28/2011
Salam,
This blog created such a deep impact because you created a beautiful, endearing picture of Salem, his background and his personality, simply by writing the meaning of his name. The news came as a shock, and I hope we all remember Salem’s family in our prayers, to give them patience and courage at this dark hour.
My cousin’s husband, in Pakistan, was recently murdered. He belonged to a group called Jamat-e-Islami, was the father of six, and was known among friends and family as a wonderful human being. When I spoke to my cousin, she wouldn’t stop describing his praises, and I didn’t know how to answer her. She has strong faith, mashaAllah, and has been extremely patient. But the fear that I live with is, if, God forbid, I undergo such an exacting trial in my life, or someone very close to me does, how do I respond? What do I say?
I listen to your lectures almost daily, and they have helped me tremendously into trying to shape my soul and actions. Your description of the Prophet (pbuh) along with Tariq Ramadan’s book, The Messenger, shakes and humbles me completely. I cannot imagine why people don’t burst into tears at simply the mention of his name. Yet I can; our hearts have become hardened. Despite our faith, most of us cannot help but look at the past as ancient history. It was a completely different world back then, and we don’t make the effort of stepping into it for comprehension.
On that note, I would like to request you to kindly look into writing about two things: 1) how to deal with a loved one’s death. You see, many of us are simple folk; we know technically what should be our response, faith teaches us that. But like I said, people *love* the Prophet, but do they *know* the Prophet? Similarly, I request you to write about 2) truly understanding the Prophet. What his beliefs were, what he stood for. Had he been present today, how many of us would raise our swords and kill in the name of Allah, verbally or physically?
Once again, thank you for keeping us informed with your blog and your knowledge. I look forward to learning from you for many decades ahead, inshaAllah. If you happen to know Salem’s family, please inform them that many many people are remembering and praying for him, and them.
W’salam,
Sara
Hamza Husain Posted on 08/27/2011
Thankyou ya Ustaz, May our communities continue to be guided by scholars like yourselves.
HEM Posted on 08/27/2011
Dear Sheikh Hamza, Asalamu Alikum,
From your choice of events, it does seem that Emirates and Emiratis hold a special place in your heart. From the many murders that take place in the U.S. and around the world, you choose to highlight the murder of brother Mazrui (God rest his soul) and discuss the circumstances surrounding his death.
I happen to agree with you on a lot of the things you wrote in your article. However, my only concern here is how do we discern under the current circumstances when to be merciful and when just?
In your account you gave excuses to what might have brought the two men who committed the crime to this state of being and these excuses are definitely legitimate. However, from an Islamic perspective, isn’t one accountable for his/her choices after a certain age and shouldn’t one be held accountable for these choices? Now mercy should be shown when needed and people always deserve more than one chance, no one is infallible. But where do we draw the line? I fear that we have become an Umma of psychologists that dig deep into people’s lives and try to understand their background and psyches ignoring the facts at hand. We know, Islamically speaking people should control their anger and though hard, it is doable, why do we then condone a whole generation’s act which I believe stems from anger?
What you did with the prisoner you wrote to represents a delicate balance between your ability to give that man what he needed and also his ability to take in what was given. Not all have an ability to make a difference in people’s life and not all people feel the need to change.
In short, my question to you is: how can one as a Muslim be fair and just to understanding others huge shortcomings and yet be dedicated to what his/her religion say about it. Is their a clash?
Many thanks and Ramadhan Kareem or rather Eid Mubarak.
HEM
PS and if I have completely misconstrued your article then please do excuse me.
Zeina Posted on 08/30/2011
I don’t think anyone is denying the fact that people are responsible for their own decisions and actions they take. However, I think that often times, our societies don’t recognized some of the social inequalities inherent in many of our communities that cause such young people to go down the wrong path. The usual response to events such as this is “put them in prison so that they may be punished for their acts” instead of really understanding what caused it — this is why many prisons don’t work well and have high re-incarceration rates, they don’t help people overcome their issues, they just ‘punish’. And truth be told, if we really reflected on WHY these young African Americans resorted to this type of violence, then many communities and governments would work harder towards alleviating inequality and injustice, offer minorities better opportunities and access to education and social services. This would reduce crime rates, if we just took care of people in our communities better – they wouldn’t need to resort to such acts. Individuals are often a product of their environments and many children are born into families and communities that push them towards drugs and crime. We need to understand these issues better, and help them instead of just pointing figures at people’s evilness. Obviously now, it’s not that simple and these problems are deep routed in much of North America. But, I don’t think anyone really grows up wanting to be a robber or a murdered, often times they are just left thinking that’s their only option.
Faysal Dahir Posted on 08/27/2011
As-salaamu `alaykum Shaykh Hamzah,
Recently, a brother who is active in the prison system in our state visited our mosque. He complained of the lack of outreach to our brethren in the prisons. Out of all the shuyukh here in our locale he could only mention one to be active. The need for those who can teach a sound understanding of Islam in the prisons was the main emphasis of his visit; that and the lack of support once they leave the prison.
When you’re a lone sheep it is very easy to find one self in destitution and end up in prison.
The UAE: Where Murder Still Means Something | 1st Ethical Charitable Trust Posted on 08/27/2011
[...] The UAE: Where Murder Still Means Something [...]
yara Posted on 08/27/2011
why do you always make america seem to be such an ugly place?
Syeda Posted on 08/27/2011
May be because he loves it so much that he cannot see anything going wrong with it. Think about it!
Ash Posted on 08/28/2011
Dude America IS an ugly place, if you don’t see the lies and deceipt of the People in power and Media then you’ve been eaten by the system..
America and UK alike..
Abdallah Posted on 09/07/2011
Dear Yara,
Before you judge too prematurely, please watch Rihla….!!!
Thanks.
Edris Khamissa Posted on 08/27/2011
Salaam dearest Shaykh Hamza,
May you be blessed for revealing the under-belly of our fractious societies.Poignant,deeply moving and didactic.May you continue to inform and inspire us .
The UAE: Where Murder Still Means Something | Just Another Voice Posted on 08/27/2011
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salahoudine Posted on 08/27/2011
ma chaalah
Usama Canon Posted on 08/27/2011
Salam.
Deeply, deeply moving. Thank you Shaykh Hamza.
K Abdussalaam Posted on 08/26/2011
ameen.
Thank you, Shaykh Hamza. This is much-needed encouragement to continue my sometimes difficult work with children like Detone and Corey. May Allah Bless them with Islam.
Yasir Al-Asadi Posted on 08/26/2011
Al salaamo aliakum,
Sheikh Hamza, I cried twice while reading your article. You have a beautiful style of writing, and subhan Allah I just feel good reading your words because I know the truth behind them and I feel like they are truly coming out of your heart.
I have deviated (nothing too strong but more like negligence) from the path a few times but Allah always brings me back by way of you…either through a video or an audio speech, or a book by you. I always pray for you and your family and hope from God to someday study with you even if just for a day.
Thanks again,
Yasir A.
PS I am living in Iraq now, and there really isn’t murder here like the kind that happens in the US. Like a terrorist bomb might go off every once in a while…but everyone knows its for political reasons and not actually hate amongst people. A case of armed robbery or murder like the one mentioned in the article is extremely rare in Iraq, especially by teens. If it does happen, it will be huge and make the news for at least a month.
Ihsan Qureshi Posted on 08/26/2011
Thank you sheikh for another great post, and reminder :)
Dawud Mordaunt Posted on 08/26/2011
Assalamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh Shaykh, a story that brought tears from my heart. I pray that Salem’s family live happily and with showers of blessings for now and into the future. Thank you for shedding love and light on the tragedy of a society that needs healed so much.
ZAI Posted on 08/26/2011
Truly a sad story and my heart goes out to the family at the center of this tragedy.
May Allah bless them and ease their suffering and give their son paradise, ameen.
Dear Shaykh I agree w/ you that systematic socio-economic racism has led to African-Americans being disenfranchised in many respects. Many of them are born into a poverty and general atmosphere that inculcates hopelessness and social maladies. It’s impossible to argue against that.
That being said, it has to be admitted that there are some problems within the African American mileau that only they can fix.
For example, what’s up w/ 70% of African American kids being born out of wedlock? The general statistics on out of wedlock births have also skyrocketed amongst all ethnic groups in the US, reaching about 50% at this point, but even then in the African American community the fathers of these kids are completely absent after the child is born. There’s no CIA agent holding a gun here telling these kids to have unprotected sex and kids out of wedlock, then telling the fathers to scram forever. Where is the honor and self-dignity in that choice?
Another example: what the heck is up w/ the use of the N word and the atrocious rap culture that celebrates bragging, violence, degrading women and a type of hedonistic enjoyment of wealth? What can the larger society do if people within that culture are willing to sell out to a music conglomerate for a dollar and pump out this garbage to their own community? What can the larger society do if even the adults in this community think this swill is appropriate for their own children?
There has to be some personal responsibility here.
My mom, for instance, is a teacher at a predominantly African-American school. But what is she supposed to do to bring the grades and test scores up if the family doesn’t care? The larger society can only do so much. At a certain point communities, and more importantly families, have to step up and take care of their business. These dead-beat dads and parents in general need to man-up.
Recently in Chicago, we had a problem with “flash mobs” robbing and ganging up on people downtown.
The perpetrators parents reactions to their kids being arrested was shocking: “Oh, you’re just arresting our kids ’cause they’re blacks and these neighborhoods are white. Where’re the police when it happens in Black neighborhoods?”. What kind of attitude is that? I totally agree with the sentiment that law and order is lacking in black neighborhoods and the city has done much less than a steller of developing those areas and offering a future to the citizens there. But it is NOT an excuse for what these kids were doing.
When racial disparities are pointed out in this fashion and legitimate issues are abused this way, it only lessens their seriousness and HARMS the fight against socio-economic disparities. It cannot just become an excuse. Man, if I’d been involved in this as a teenager my father would have told the cops to keep me as long as they wanted and asked if there was a waiver to authorize them to teach me a lesson..and if not my uncle woulda been waiting with the belt ready at home. Where are these parents for their kids? Not even a thousand Ramis at IMAN could help this situation if this is what the attitude of these parents is.
The problems you cited are totally legitimate and need to be tackled, but they cannot simply be reduced to excuses and the community needs to step up. A lot of Indians, Pakistanis, Afghans, Arabs, etc. have also come here and dealt with poverty, racism and the like. But I don’t see this nonsense going on to the extent that they do in African American ones.
My own community came here literally in a refugee wave. My family happened to be lucky in that my father was a student who had been here since the early 70′s, but most Afghans came here as poor refugees. We saw them struggling to rebuild their lives with NOTHING…even doctors reduced to selling junk at flea markets to make a living. None of them used that as an excuse to engage in violence, crimes or to have kids out of wedlock or to abandon their families.
A lot of the African American men need to man up already. Seriously, they should be ashamed of themselves what they are putting the children and women in that community through. There is no excuse for that even with racism, poverty or whatnot being realities. Even a person who doesn’t have money can spend TIME with their child and be a part of their lives.
I have to unfortunately agree w/ Bill Cosby and others IN the African American community here who are speaking up and say that although there is a structural racism still prevelant in America, there are concurrently problems within the community that the community itself has to tackle and there’s no excuse for not doing so. It’s no different from Muslims criticizing and complaining about the West this or India or Israel that, but doing NOTHING to deal with inherent problems in our own communities, cultures, nations, etc. At some point there HAS to be a personal responsibility and an introspective critique of ourselves.
Fremontstan Posted on 08/26/2011
This blog shattered my heart. I didn’t know about the story of Salem, may Allah grant him the highest paradise. Not only he received the honor of martyrdom, but he died in the month of Ramadhan, defending his property and died as a Muhajir, immigrant and a traveler.
After reading this blog I realize that we the Muslims in the West have an immense responsibility to reach out to the African-American communities and show the other side of Islam to them. We can’t sit and allow the not so fair and balance media represent their understanding of Islam, and if we don’t then they will.
Jazakallah khair to our beloved shaykh Hamza, may Allah increase you in every good virtue, and give you good health Inshallah.
AbuUmar Posted on 08/26/2011
As-Salaamualaikum ..
a very tragic story indeed. It’s sad that it was young african americans who committed this evil act for basically nothing. Unfortunately, from my experience, (as I’ve spoken to many young african americans who have gotten themselves into some trouble) they don’t know their history and have lost touch with the african american struggles. The younger generation is becoming more and more wild, with absolutely no regard for the sanctity of human life. But how are they to blame, when nobody has taught them the sanctity of life ? May Allah SWT guide the two, to Islam. Before, there was a certain respect for muslims, due to the “Black Muslims” social work in ‘ghetto’ neighbourhoods. This respect is being lost. WHY ? — Unfortunately the Muslims of the west are no longer involved in the grassroots social work that needs to be done. Muslims must be proactive in all sorts of social work. If we don’t show that we care about where we live, then nobody will care what can and probably will happen to us. Alhamdulillah, Allah SWT blessed the muslims with the sunnah of the Prophet SAW, and if we practice this then the people will automatically recognize that this is a Muslim and that they do good work for the community and insha’Allah this in itself will be a protection for the Muslims in the west. The key is the sunnah, not just the sunnah of our salaah, our hajj, or our dhikr … but the sunnah of social work and our outward sunnahs in appearance.
Anyhow, alhamduilillah i also believe that this brother was indeed a martyr. May Allah SWT give patience to his family and grant them the divine guidance that only HE can .. May Allah SWT guide the perpetrators to this beautiful deen and let them be examples for others.
Jazak’Allah Khayr for reading this ….
btw … America cannot save Islam. Islam needs no saving. Sorry if I misunderstood what you were saying with that… We need to live Islam, for ourselves and as examples for others. (not pakistani islam, or egyptian islam, or turkish islam… just islam)
Zulkarnine Posted on 08/26/2011
Salam, Sheikh Hamza, May god raise you in standing with him and envelope your family in his blessing. Fyodor Dostoevesky once said “While nothing is easier than to denounce the evil doers, nothing is more difficult than to understand them”, what happened Salem Saif al-Mazrui, rahimahu’Llahu ta’ala, may have already happened in the lives of the perpetrators, Corey and Detone. When the justice system , will throw away the key and put them in the dungeons for these youngsters to fend for themselves it will only add to the growing statistic of the prison population. Anybody now knows that america prison system houses almost 25%, of all the incarcarated people in the world. These two boys are nothing but raw material for more shows like Cops, First 48 etc. If more is not done to reach out to people in the margin, they will out of desparation take the whole society down .May Allah, help us to save the prople in the margin.
As for our martyr brother Saif al-Mazrui, his spirit is in an abode which no mind can fathom, no eye can see. While his family has to live with out a Son/father/husband figure, may god make this unbearable loss easy for them. Being a person who faced a similar situation when at a young age; I saw first hand the difficulty my whole family faced. May god make it easy for our brother’s family to bear the pain of his loss. May he raise his child in the model of his father, god knows we are in desperate need of true values a martyr. May god save us all.
csalem Posted on 08/26/2011
Salamu Alaikum,
Thank you so much for an insightful post. May Allah will bless you and your family. Please continue to post amazing blogs. Thank you.
Muhammad Harun (German) Posted on 08/26/2011
Hayyaka_llah, Sidi Hamza. May Allah give you tawfiq in your struggle!
abu faydan
Jan Posted on 08/26/2011
Thank u for your heartfelt post. This was a relative from my friend’s husband’s family here.
Abdulhaq Posted on 08/26/2011
Great article, aameen to your duas and jazaakallaahu khairan. Your last sentence is obviously a bit rushed and demands an essay of its own. Wassalaam.
Sofia Posted on 08/26/2011
Salaam Sheikh Hamza. Reading your article stirred the ever-present yet subdued emotions of wanting to do something to help the community we live in. But before we can help and teach others, we must first learn ourselves. How do we learn about the rich tradition of Islam? It seems as though delving deeper into the traditions of Islam requires education via a learned scholar, and such scholars are lacking in our time. Especially for women – so many times we want to learn more but are restricted by the fact that we are females and the amount of resources available are almost non-existent. If these resources do exist, they are extremely hard to find. If one wants to propagate the message of Islam to others, we must first be well grounded ourselves, and that includes going beyond only the 5 pillars that most muslims are exposed to. How do we learn beyond the surface?
Ersoy Posted on 08/26/2011
Imagine if an American was murdered in a muslim country – we would never hear the end of it – an American dies its the end of the world , a muslim dies and its who cares…………Sep 11 was 10 years ago and we are still are bombarded with reminders, memorials, tributes , monuments , blah blah blah……….How many sep 11`s are the Americans perpetrating on the muslims every month, yet that is simply `collateral damage`…..It is the duty of all muslims to wake up and start making a difference..
Zahir Abdul Latheef Posted on 08/26/2011
Excellent blog dear hamza Usthad!! It made me recollect all those good Arab faces that passed by. Those tough and welcoming people. Yes, they preserve their Arab identity even in these turbualant times.
Laila Black Posted on 08/26/2011
Unfortunately your story leaves out many things that someone must know about this country in order for the ideas to come together. First of all we have to address that “crime” is “crime” no matter who does it. your story almost sounds as if the young men who killed the brother from UAE had something against him, and were somehow beneath him because they weren’t Arab. Second, most young black men out to rob are looking for easy money and immigrants present good targets because as many living in the inner city know, blend in and survive. There are many stories like this one. Where immigrants run up against the remnants of Americas history of depriving young black men of employment and education, and of young black women who are disrespected and who are often mothers before they are ready and can’t raise young men at all. Is this a story of how America has failed the black man, or is this a story of how Arabs are victims to blacks? I also know that in the Emirates people of all races have no rights, and are beheaded, raped, hung, and thrown into prison and tortured for supposed slights alone. So in comparison this story is lightweight. but to bring it home, nobody deserves to die, and nobody deserves to be treated with anything less than humane treatment no matter their color, race, national origins, creed, religion. Being Arab doesn’t make anyone superior. Come to America and you can experience what it used to be, just be smart.
Sea-Bass Posted on 08/28/2011
Laila Black…. In defence of the Emirates, I have to say that you are somewhat mis-informed. My family and I have worked here for almost 5 years and I have never heard of a beheading in this country…. not ever! (I suspect that you are thinking of Saudi Arabia). Also to say people have “no rights” is a lazy argument….. Yes there is a ‘pecking order’ when it comes to rights of different nationalities….. (Emiratis at the top) and there are some sad stories of the way people are treated…. but what country is perfect? I can think of many failures of justice or personal freedoms in the USA, France (where I’m from) or any other country. I think this article was brilliant!!!!
Abu Huda Posted on 08/28/2011
Hi Laila Black,
If I can add something to what Sea Bass posted. The article wasn’t aimed at placing Arabs above Blacks by any means. In fact, Sheikh Hamza came out in defense of the difficult environment that these young males grew up in that may have led to this horrible crime. Instead, the scholar was trying to highlight the difference in cultures that share a communal bond (such as the Emirates, a bond that was planted by our Prophet, peace be upon him) and those that have lost such a bond, like currently in America. Moreover, he was explaining that the current social neglect, moral relativism, and self indulgence at the expense of your fellow citizen, that occurs now in America has led to violent crime and the complete disregard for it when it occurs. This is quite true, in America, the threads of our moral fabric are coming apart.
Also, like Sea Bass mentioned, you are terribly misinformed about the UAE, and if you assumed it was Saudi Arabia, still so. I suggest you travel there or talk to people who have actually lived there before you make public judgements about the country and its culture. I have been to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, I have relatives who are citizens there and ones who are not (and they don’t have US citizenship there either, more like Yemeni citizenship, quite low in the “pecking order”) and none has ever said anything other than good things about the life there and its justice system. I do hope that you look deeper into your comments about the UAE.
Thank you for reading my post…
Kaleem Hussain Posted on 08/26/2011
Asslamualeikum Shaykh Hamza Yusuf,
The story you have narrated has many similarities to the tragic incident that happened recently in Birmingham, where 3 brothers lost their lives defending local businesess in riots that spread up and down the country. I believe you have touched on a root or shall one say the seed of the core problem that faces many cities and neighbourhoods in the West. Is it only until a sense of moral solidarity, community civic pride, respect compassion for one’s fellow human beings is instilled in these youths, this spiral of criminality and opportunistic looting and killing will continue to hit the media headlines.
There are many deep rooted social and economic issues that lead to disenchancted youngsters resorting to such behaviour and ciminal acts. May Allah swt guide our communities to a path of justice, love and humanity.
Ramadan Kareem.
Kaleem
bkt900 Posted on 08/26/2011
Salaam Alaykum Shaykh Hamza,
Another excellent post. This tragic story only further highlights that the American Muslim community, now more than ever, needs to rise to the occasion and provide this country with some moral leadership. The churches and synagogues of today have failed miserably, and we must make sure that our community sets a higher standard.
Inshallah, America can save Islam, and Islam can save America.
Wasalaam.
Emm Posted on 08/26/2011
Beautiful Shaykh Hamza. God bless you and your family and keep you all forever enveloped in love and happynes. With Love. Emm
T.M.Kiani Posted on 08/26/2011
As-Salamu ‘Alaykum wa-Rahmatullah
All people die, and nothing could be more factual than that. Irrespective of whether one believes in a deity/creator/ultrapowerful-being or not, they certainly believe in death. However, what can be more noble than to die doing what is good, such as defending one’s father – subhan Allah. The worst would be for one to die doing anything that displeases Allah subhana-Hu wa-ta’ala, and hence never do what displeases Him for death is unpredictable.
I envy the death of Salem Saif al-Mazrui, rahimahu’Llahu ta’ala, for obvious reasons.
May Allah subhana-Hu wa-ta’ala bless all fathers with suchlike noble sons ans daughters, and may He bless us all to die doing what pleases Him.
yousra Posted on 08/26/2011
Salaam, I always learn a great deal from your blogs Shaykh Hamza. I read about Salem a couple of weeks ago and felt a terror in my heart sleeping at night in my apartment with my three children. I must admit that this fear will always be with me as long as I live in America and your concerns are truly my concerns. May Allah protect your family and the rest of the Ummah as well. Thank you