The Information Jihad

            by Arshad Gamiet

Royal Holloway College/Univ. of London /UK.  2nd August 2002.

“As-salámu 'alaikum wa rahmatul láhi wa barakátuh!”  [Wait for adhán]

“A-úthu billáhi minash shaytánir rajeem.  Bismilláhir rahmánir raheem.

 I turn away from Shaytaan, the Cursed One. And , I begin, In the Name of Alláh, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa.

All Praise is due to Alláh, We praise Him and we seek help from Him. We ask forgiveness from Him. We repent to Him; and we seek refuge in Him from our own evils and our own bad deeds.

May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida.

Anyone who is guided by Alláh, he is indeed guided; and anyone who has been left astray, will find no one to guide him.

Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

I bear witness that there is no god but Alláh, the Only One without any partner; and I bear witness that Muhammad, sws, is His servant, and His messenger.

My respected Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

 I am very pleased to see that there are so many young people in Jum'a today. I have something very important to say to you, and to your parents. No doubt you are all relieved that exams are over, and the summer holidays have begun. You will be thinking of all the fun things you would like to do before going back to school or University. You may even have time to think about what professional career you might choose.

  Summer holidays are the ideal opportunity to reflect on issues that deserve our attention, but somehow we are too busy, or under too much pressure at other times, to give them much thought. When our minds are relaxed, and when we are enjoying life, it’s a very good time to think about the big picture; about our life, our work, our studies and our leisure time, and what we can do to serve Islám better.

 I am convinced that if you asked every Muslim today, whether Islám is properly understood in the West, the answer will be No. If you ask whether the mass media portrays Islám fairly, the answer will also be No. We are all aware that there has been a long and historical bias against Islám. These days it’s called Islamophobia, the fear of Islám, and in Western culture, it’s been around for centuries, ever since the Crusades. Every one of us knows the anger and frustration we feel, whenever our Deen is misrepresented or when we read a book, a magazine or a newspaper, or we watch a film or TV show that is hostile or, sometimes, just [innocently] ignorant about Islám.

 The big question is, what are we doing about it? We have been complaining for years. For how long are we simply going to nurture our sense of grievance? How much longer will we be content with the role of victim? If we want to stop Islamophobia and racism, we will have to start doing some hard work to put things right. We must stop complaining about the darkness. We’ll have to make an effort to turn on the lights. It’s high time that we learn to live Islám correctly and with confidence. We must also train ourselves, and our children, in the art of communication: how to relate to other people positively.

 The Ummah is desperately short of good scholars who are also good communicators, and we are short of good communicators who are also good and knowledgeable Muslims. Most of the time we have either one or the other, rarely both combined. Throughout the Muslim world, there has been an over-emphasis on the pure sciences when it comes to choosing a career. We have far too many engineers and technicians, and far too little thinkers, writers, broadcasters, teachers and scholars of philosophy, arts and humanities. Yes, we have some excellent individuals like Sheikh Qaradawi and Hamza Yusuf. But we need thousands more like them, if we want to effectively tackle the ignorance and bigotry about Islám in the west. Since September 11, there has been a huge increase in the sale of books on Islám and enquiries for speakers at functions and in the media. Even the BBC has made it known that they need more Muslims to join their discussions and interviews. Sadly, there are too few of us who can do this well, and there are not enough good books in English, and other European languages to meet the demand for information about our faith and our way of life.

 We need armies of Islamic thinkers, writers, media experts, politicians, lobbyists and teachers. With high technology so widely available, there should be a massive range of positive and authentic resources on Islám: Films, radio and TV programmes, newspapers, magazines and other print media, including Internet websites. The sheer volume of good material, and the sheer number of committed Muslims in public life, should make it hard for anyone to misrepresent Islám successfully.

 We also must engage more effectively with our neighbours in the wider community, and play an active part in local and central government. In short, we need to participate more fully as citizens to ensure a positive Islamic contribution to national life.  Islám is not a religion for the ghetto. Islám was not revealed just for so-called ethnic minorities. Alláh says very clearly in The Holy Qur'án:

 “Wamaa arsalnaaka illaa Rahmatal lil Aalameen.”

“And We have not sent you [O Muhammad], except as a Mercy unto all the nations.”

 And in the worlds of Sura Al ‘Imran, v110:

“Kuntum khaira ummatin ukh-rijat lin-naasi ta’ muroona bil ma’roof, watan hauna ‘anil munkari watu’ minoona billaah”.

 “You are the best of peoples evolved for mankind, You enjoin what is right and you forbid what is wrong, and you believe in Allah…”

 So there we have it. Quite simply: Prophet Muhammad sws was sent as a mercy to all the nations, and we Muslims who try to follow his example, should be the best of all the nations. Not because of our race or culture or language, but because we should enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong. What could be clearer and simpler than that, as a credo or mission statement?

 Brothers and Sisters, one of our biggest challenges today is to keep our sense of purpose and direction, amidst the many distractions that come our way. Technology has brought wonderful opportunities for communication and for variety in work and leisure time. But with it has also brought endless opportunities to waste our time with things that bring us no benefit at all. For example, the news on radio, television and in the papers, is often filled with intimate details of the private lives of other people. You can almost write a Ph.D thesis on David Beckham studies. The point is, there is so much information around, in all the media, and much of it is utterly useless to real human needs and for wider social benefit. Someone said that today we could study so much about so little, that in the end we will know everything about nothing. May Alláh, swt, spare us from such wasted and futile efforts.

Islám teaches us to keep our priorities focussed. Our lifelong quest for knowledge and independence should always be connected to what pleases Alláh. We should always seek useful knowledge. We should have no desire to seek useless knowledge.

 In my childhood my parents taught me a short and simple ddu'áh, which I will share with you today.

 “Rabbi Yassir wala tu-‘assir. Rabbi tham-mim bil hayr. Rabbi zidni ‘ilman war-zuqni fahman.”

 “O my Lord, make things easier for me, do not make things difficult for me. O My Lord, let my affairs end with goodness. O my Lord, increase my knowledge and grant me understanding.”

 May Alláh accept this prayer for all of us and for all Muslims.

 “Alhamdu lillahi Rabbil ‘Aalameen. Was-salaatu was-salaamu alaa Khairil mursaleen. Muhammadin-nabeey-yil Ummiy-yee, wa-‘alaa aalihee, wasah-bihee, aj-ma’een.

All praise is due to Alláh, the Lord of all the Worlds; may the greetings and peace be upon the best messenger, Muhammad, the unlettered prophet; and upon his family and upon all of his companions.

Ammaa ba’ad:

Innalláha wa malaaikata yusallúna alan nabi. Yá ay yuhal latheena ámanu sallú alayhi wasalli mú tas leema.

Behold, Alláh and his angels shower blessings on the Prophet. O you who believe! Ask for blessings on him, and salute him with a worthy greeting.

 Allahumma salli alá Muhammad, wa ala áli Muhammad, kama salayta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali Ibrahim. Allahumma barik ala Muhammad, wa alaa áli Muhammad, kama barakta ala Ibrahim, wa ala ali ibrahim. Fil ála meen, innaka hameedun majeed.”

O Alláh! Send your greetings upon Muhammad and his family,  just as you sent your greetings on Ibraheem, and his family. O Alláh, send you blessings on Muhammad and his family, just as you blessed Ibraheem and his family. In both worlds, you are praiseworthy and exalted.

Bismillahi wal hamdu lillaah, was salaatu was salaamu ala Rasoolul-lah.

 Dear Brothers and Sisters in Islam,

 The big battle for Islám is the battle for hearts and minds. When we decide we want to support the ‘Information Jihad’ we must be properly equipped. Often we may have to do many roles at once. It does not mean that if you are a computer engineer or a medical student, that you cannot also be a good communicator for Islám as well. In life we have to cope with many-faceted responsibilities. We must also be prepared for challenges and hardships. This is inevitable. Don’t we just know, that simply saying Shahadah does not guarantee an easy life. In fact, it’s quite the opposite. When we truly commit ourselves to Alláh, that’s when the real test begins. But Alláh also reassures us in the most comforting words in Súra Al-‘Imran v. 195:

 “And their Lord has accepted of them and answered them: “Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female; You are members, one of another: those who have left their homes, or been driven therefrom, or suffered harm in My Cause, or fought or been killed. – Truly, I will blot out from their sins, and admit them to Gardens with rivers flowing beneath; a reward from the Presence of Alláh, and from His Presence is the best of rewards.”

 If we reflect on these words, we will realise that every good action, however small, will insh-Alláh bring results in Alláh’s good time; providing that we do things only for Alláh’s pleasure. Our little community here has been serving the students at Royal Holloway for several years now, and we do it purely out of love and gratitude to Alláh.

Br Amr Shokry was very kind to compare us with the Ansars of Madinah, who helped the Muhajireen of Makka. As we know, it was a symbiotic relationship: the benefit was mutual. The Ansar gave safety and support, and the Muhajirs led by Prophet Muhammad sws brought their knowledge and experience to strengthen the community in Madinah. Just as we here try to help our students and visitors, we in turn benefit from their wisdom and experience. It is indeed a win-win transaction. Just consider how much we have enjoyed benefit from just one visitor, Br Amr himself!

 Tomorrow, Insha-Alláh, Br Amr Shokry and his family will be leaving us for the USA. They have been with us for just over one year. During that time, Br Amr has made an immensely valuable contribution to our small community. Not only has he delivered outstanding khutbahs on a regular basis, but he has also led the weekly halaqa on Friday nights, and he has run several workshops and seminars for parents, children and teenagers. He and his wife Rania have been good role models for all of us. They are a young married couple totally engaged in their faith, showing us how Islám can be a living reality, 24 hours a day, every day, every week, every month and every year of our lives. With a profound sense of gratitude to Alláh, we say to Amr and Rania, and their children Lena and Ahmad, our heartfelt salaams, our dua’s and good wishes will follow you wherever you are. Insha-Alláh, we will not forget you, and we hope that you will remember us and visit us often.

 May Alláh, the Glorified and Exalted, allow the seeds of 'Imán that He has planted in our hearts, to germinate and flourish wherever in the world HE chooses to send us. He knows what we do not know. Alláh is the best of planners. Our loss is America’s gain. We have every confidence that Alláh swt will soon send us more teachers and leaders like Br Amr and Sister Rania. And this small corner of the Ummah will continue to grow, to improve, and to offer help and support to students and visitors at Royal Holloway University. May Almighty Alláh accept our efforts and our prayers.

"Rabbana la tu'akhizna in-nasina aw akh-ta'na. Rab-bana wa la tahmil 'alayna isran kama hamaltahu 'ala-lladhina min qablina, Rab-bana wa la tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bih, wa-'fu 'anna wa 'ghfirlana warhamna anta Maulana fansurna 'alal-qawmil kafirin."

"Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us; Our Lord! do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people." (2:286)….

Ameen!           Aqeemus salaah!

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