Who Is My Neighbour?

Arshad Gamiet/Stoke Poges Lane Mosque/Sat 23^rd April 2011

(This talk was arranged by the UK Islamic Mission, Slough Branch)

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

Al hamdu lillahi nahmaduhu wanasta’eenahu, wanastagh-firuhu, wanatoobu ilayhi, wana’oothu Billaahi min shuroori an-fusinaa, wamin sayyi aati a’maalinaa. May- Yahdillahu fa huwal muhtad, wa may- yudlill falan tajidaa lahu waliyan murshida. Wa ash-hadu an Laa ilaaha ill-Alláh, wahdahoo laa shareeka lah, wa ash-hadu anna Muhammadan ‘abduhoo warasooluh”

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

Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem! Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, haqqa tuqaatihee wala tamu tun-na, il-la wa antum Muslimoon.”

O You who believe, – Fear Allah, as He should be feared, and die not except as Muslims.

Ya Ay-yuhal-latheena ‘aamanut taqul-laaha, wa qooloo qawlan sadeedaa. Yuslih-lakum a’maalakum wa yaghfir lakum thunoobakum, wamay yu-til-laaha warasoolah, faqad faaza fawzan atheemaa.”

O You who believe, – Be aware of Allah, and speak a straightforward word. He will forgive your sins and repair your deeds. And whoever takes Allah and His Prophet as a guide, has already achieved a mighty victory.

In the opening verse of Sura An-Nisaa’, Allah says:

O mankind! Show reverence towards your Guardian-Lord Who created you from a single person, created, of like nature, his mate and from the two of them scattered (like seeds) countless men and women;― Be conscious of Allah, through Whom ye demand your mutual (rights) and (show reverence towards) the wombs (that bore you): for surely, Allah ever watches over you.`

My Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Before I begin my talk, I must tell you that I am not a scholar from some great Islamic university. I’m a rather ordinary Muslim who reads widely and who tries to understand his faith. I try to make sense of the world out there, and I’m here to share some personal thoughts and reflections with you. So, please take that for what it’s worth.

Who is my neighbour? What are my neighbour’s rights over me? What are my responsibilities as a Muslim neighbour?

These are very important questions, given the challenging times that we face as Muslims in Britain today. But I think we must first understand our topic clearly. Before we discuss our neighbours, let’s take a step back and first ask who am I? That seems obvious, I’m sure you’re bound to say: I’m a Muslim, but what does that really mean in practice?

Well, you might say, I recite my kalima shahadah, I pray and I pay zakaat and I fast during Ramadan and I go on Hajj and that makes me a Muslim. Fair enough. But is that all? Is it enough? Is it really enough to do these things to be a Muslim? If that is so, then why is it that despite having so many good Muslims around, we still have so many serious problems in our communities? We have problems of domestic violence, gambling, drug and alcohol abuse, theft, burglary, fraud,… you name it, we Muslims have it. I know this is rather unpleasant stuff and maybe some of us don’t want to talk about it. But I opened my talk with a verse from the Holy Quran which tells us to speak a straightforward word, wa quooloo qawlan sadeedaa..” Anyone who still thinks that these problems don’t concern Muslims is either misinformed or in denial.

I’ll give you some details about that in a moment. Ask yourself, if we’re doing enough, then why do so many of our non-Muslim neighbours regard us with fear and suspicion? Why are we Muslims 3% of the UK population, but 10% of the prison population? Did you know that? We’re only 3% of the total population of Britain, but a whopping 10% of the prison population! True Muslims should be zero % in prison, but there you are! We have 3 times more criminals than the average for British society. And just in case you think these are mostly young men wrongly convicted of political or terrorist offences, think again! These are cases of drug dealing, theft, burglary, gang violence, robbery and fraud. Brothers and sisters, we Muslims do have a problem!

According to Abu Shuraih: The Prophet sws said, “By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe! By Allah, he does not believe!” This was repeated 3 times. The companions asked:, “Who is that, Ya Rasool Allah?” and he answered, “The person whose neighbour does not feel safe from his mischief” – Sahih Al-Bukhari, Volume 8, Number 45

Remember that: We Muslims cannot be true believers if our neighbours live in fear of us, in fear of our evil deeds.

So what does it mean to be a Muslim, beyond praying, paying zakaat, fasting and going on Hajj? At least 17 times a day, when we pray, we say:

“Innas salaatee, wanusukee, wamahiyaayaa, wama-ma’tee, lil-Laahi Rabbil aalameen. La shareekala, wabithaalika umirtu wa ana aw-walil Muslimeen.”

“Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my life and my death is for Allah, Lord of all the worlds. No partners has He, and I am the first of the Muslims.”

Wow! That’s heavy stuff, brothers and sisters! Did you know that’s what we say every time we stand up to pray? That’s a huge commitment! To be a Muslim is much more than just saying shahadah with the tongue. We must also feel the shahadah in our hearts, and show it in our actions! Many times a day, we repeat the words of Prophet Ibrahim, alayhis salaam. We declare that our whole life and death is for Allah alone. Therefore, every waking and sleeping moment should actually be filled with an awe-inspired awareness of His presence. In everything we do, we must remember that Allah is watching, constantly. We cannot see Allah, but He sees us.

“Laa tudrikuhul absaar, wahuwa yudrikul absaar”

“No vision can grasp Him, yet His grasp is over all vision.” (Sura An-‘Am 6:103)

Allah knows and sees everything, and he holds us all to account. He will not excuse us for turning a blind eye to the problems around us. We cannot live in a bubble of our own imagined purity and piety.

A Muslim cannot go from home to the mosque, ignoring the problems of his neighbours who are in need. He cannot ignore the homeless, the drug addicts, the pregnant teenagers, the gang warfare and crime in his or her neighbourhood. He or she cannot go back home from the mosque, ignoring the poor, the hungry, the widow and orphan. We cannot say this is not my business. The poor have a right over us. The widows and orphans have rights over us. Our neighbours have rights over us. They are so important that during the Farewell Pilgrimage some companions like Abu Umama said, they thought the Prophet sws would tell us to include our neighbours in our inheritance. Islam describes neighbours as being from near and far, and in one way or another, every human being on earth is a neighbour. Here is Sura An-Nisaa in verse 36:

“Serve Allah and do not join any partners with Him: and do good― to your parents, to relatives, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near and neighbours who are strangers, the Companion by your side, the travellers and those whom your right hands possess: for Allah loves not the arrogant, those who are boastful and vain.”

The verse refers to neighbours who are near and neighbours who are strangers. It doesn’t say your Muslim neighbours only. We must do good to all neighbours, whether they are Christians, Jews, Sikhs or Hindus, or whether they have no religion. We are all human beings, bani Adam, children of Adam and Eve, created by Allah. If we truly love Allah, we must show respect and reverence to all His creatures. The differences between us are only small. We have many important beliefs in common.

One important belief in every major religion is the Golden Rule, which is also known as the Ethic of Reciprocity. Prophet Muhammad sws said that “A Believer is not a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself.” Most scholars interpret ‘brother’ in its widest sense, meaning all human beings, not just family brothers or Muslim brothers. Your Christian neighbour will tell you that Jesus, Nabi Isa, alayhis salaam, said “Do unto others as you would love them to do unto you. Love thy neighbour.” Your Chinese neighbours will tell you that Confucius said: “Hurt not others in ways that you would find hurtful.” Your Jewish neighbour would tell you that a student asked Rabbi Hillel to explain the whole Torah while standing on one leg. The Rabbi balanced himself on one leg, and said: “Love your neighbour as you love yourself. What is hateful to you, do not do to anyone else. That is the whole Torah. All the rest is commentary. Now go on and finish your studies!”

My dear sisters and brothers, we Muslims have so much in common with our neighbours’ faiths that we can build excellent community relations with them, if only we had the will, the desire to do so.

One of the great lessons Prophet Muhammad taught us is to treat others with kindness, even if they are not friendly towards us. We must be proactive, not reactive. We must set the peace agenda. We must not allow the hostility of others to draw us into conflict and transgression and to behave unjustly towards them. Again read Sura Al Ma-idah v. 8:

5:8 O ye who believe! stand out firmly for Allah, as witnesses to fair dealing, and let not the hatred of others towards you, make you swerve to wrong and depart from justice. Be just: that is next to taqwa [piety]: and fear Allah. For Allah is well-acquainted with all that ye do.

Our Prophet Muhammad sws was uswatul hasanah, an excellent role model throughout his life.

We all know the story of his neighbour who dropped rubbish on his doorstep every day. Did he get angry and lose his temper? Did he throw rubbish on her doorstep? Did he smash her windows, throw temper tantrums and call her kufaar? No, he did not. He simply cleaned up the mess without complaining, and carried on his daily business. One morning he found no rubbish there, so he went to visit his neighbour and found she was not well. Did he just walk away, or insult her or mock her and take revenge? No! He took care of her until she recovered. He was being a good neighbour. He had no time for bruised egos. He was setting an example for others. Allah softened her heart and she became a Muslim.

How many of us would treat a bad neighbour in this way?

When a silly cartoonist draws pictures of our prophet in Denmark, our ego, our lower nafs, al nafs al ammara bis sow, goes beserk. In our rage we lose our sense of reason. We take revenge on all Danish people, boycotting their products and burning their flag. Islam’s enemies know just which buttons to press to show Muslims in a bad light. When one deluded American preacher burns a few Qurans, some Muslims attack and kill aid workers in Afghanistan. We blame all Americans and all Danish people for insulting Islam. How crazy can we get? We forget that Denmark has always been one of the leading European countries campaigning for human rights. They supported the anti-Apartheid struggle in South Africa when other western countries were doing the opposite. We forget amazing Americans like Rachel Corrie, who was crushed to death by an Israeli bulldozer while she protected Palestinian homes from destruction. When we burn American flags we also insult Rachel Corrie, Muhammad Ali, Martin Luther King, Malcolm X and many other great Americans who inspired millions around the world. Where’s our hikma, our wisdom?

Brothers and sisters, in many ways we have confused ancient codes of tribal honour with the core values of Islam. Islam has nothing to do with our misguided sense of tribal behaviour. Islam came to liberate us from tribal warfare and ignorance. Sadly, some of us still have a long way to go. We must be honest with ourselves. We must hold up a mirror and take the advice of Caliph Sayyidna Omar, who advised us hold ourselves to account, before Allah brings us to account. We complain when some people hold all Muslims responsible for the 9/11 and 7/7 terror attacks. How can we then do exactly the same, by blaming all Americans and all Danish people for the actions of one or two misguided individuals? Are we really following the Prophetic Sunnah? Please, my dear brothers and sisters, let’s not be so hypocritical!

These days, we and our faith are constantly in the media spotlight, and mostly for the wrong reasons. But we shouldn’t worry too much about this. This is how it’s meant to be. Allah is fully in control of all His creation. History is still in good hands, it always has been: biyadikal khair. This is the challenge that Allah has decreed for us. We shouldn’t be afraid or defensive. We mustn’t behave like victims and adopt a victim mentality. This is Allah’s test for us. We shouldn’t panic. If we really want a slogan, we could say, “Don’t Panic, be Islamic.” Follow the Sunnah. Ignore the bad behaviour and temper tantrums. Seize the opportunity to show what Islam really is, by talking to our neighbours, explaining what the Quran teaches. This is a chance of real da’wah, calling others to Islam. Give them an English translation. Invite our neighbours to our homes, mosques and functions. Let them see Islam in practice. Let us be good living examples. We claim to be Muslims. We worship Ar-Rahman, the All Merciful. We begin everything we do in His glorious Names: Bismillahir-Rahmaanir-Raheem! In the Name of Allah, the All-Merciful, the All-Compassionate.” We follow his final Prophet Muhammad sws whom Allah Himself describes in the Holy Quran as Rahmatul-lil-Aalameen, a “Mercy to all the Worlds.”  Surely, if we are to be true to Allah and true to His Prophet, something of that Mercy, something of that radiance, that light, that luminosity of spirit, that golden afterglow will rub off on us? Surely, if we are sincere, truthful and generous-hearted Muslims, we can become guiding lights and good role models for our neighbours?

Brothers and sisters, I hope this explains a bit more clearly what it means to be a Muslim in Britain today.

Now, if you’ll allow me, I’d like to say a few words about our neighbours. We need to understand something of their background, their way of thinking, their hopes and fears so that we can relate to them in a positive and fruitful way.

Our British neighbours have memories of a great empire that ruled many Muslim lands. For 200 years, they were the white masters, and we were their brown-skinned subjects. Now we are equals, ex-colonial cousins living side by side. This takes time to accept. They also thought they were simply British, but then there was the European Union, so we all became Europeans. But some felt uneasy, so they looked for a comfort zone and became Scottish, Welsh, Irish and so forth. On top of this the EU expanded and we now have a huge influx of Polish and other East Europeans. There is something of an identity crisis.

We Muslims also have our own identity crisis. Are we British, Pakistani, Moroccan, Somali, Muslim or what? We don’t have time for a deep discussion on this topic. But it’s quite enough to say there is no real conflict in having many identities at once. Just as I can try to be a good husband, a father, a son, and uncle and grandfather, all at once, there is no contradiction. In the same way I can be a South African by birth, British by nationality, and Muslim by religion. No problem. No contradiction. The problem is only in someone else’s mind, if by British they mean you have to be a white Anglo Saxon Protestant or WASP. For short. We Muslims have to help our neighbours, take them gently by the hand, show them the common links between our identities. Being British and being Muslim also means being fair, being truthful, trustworthy, law-abiding citizens and helpful neighbours, being stoical, patient and dignified in times of hardship. What’s so different or difficult about that? In many ways, many British neighbours are closer to Islam than they or we realize. Many of them are more than 80% Muslim. All that’s missing is the shahadah. Sadly, many Muslims fall far short. That’s why we have so many more in prison than other communities.

Let us also understand that the wave of Islamophobia we see today is a merely a passing phase. It’s just another test from Allah. Islam always had enemies, right from the beginning, and probably right until the end, Yawmal quiyyaamah. Don’t worry. In hard times people look for scapegoats. Some politicians in shaky coalitions find easy votes by pandering to fear and prejudice. We must understand this and work hard to dispel the myths, to de-mystify Islam. We must show others what a beautiful way of life we are blessed with.

We have to step outside of our own prejudices, step out of our self imposed ghetto mindset. We have to understand that Allah has a reason for putting us here in this country at this time. We are to take responsibility for our neighbours, as good Muslims should. Our neighbours feel insecure, uncertain about themselves and their future. They wonder what part we Muslims have to play in their lives. It’s time for us to reassure them that we are not after political power or world domination. We have no hidden agendas. We may have come here for political asylum or for economic advancement. No problem with that. But we also have a duty to make our neighbourhoods safe and secure for everyone. That’s what being a complete Muslim, a true Believer, is all about.

Finally, I want to share with you one of my favourite verses from the Holy Quran, and one of my favourite Hadith from the life of Prophet Muhammad, sws.

Sura Al Hujuraat verse 13 says:

“O Mankind, We created you from a single (pair) of a male and a female and made you into nations and tribes, that you may know and respect each other (not that you should despise one another). Truly the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who is the most best in good deeds”

What an eloquent explanation for the differences between us and our neighbours! We are all like flowers in Allah’s garden, each with its own distinctive colour and fragrance, each one beautiful in its own right. Our differences are not a sign of weakness or division, but a sign of Allah’s infinite creativity, His artistry is there for all of us to witness with a sense of reverence and wonder.

As a teenager I remember reading a Hadith that had an immediate impact on my heart, so that I never forgot it. I still repeat it to my children and grandchildren. It’s one of my favourite Hadith:

Prophet Muhammad sws once said that a Muslim is one from whose tongue and hands other Muslims are safe; and a Mu’min, [a true Believer] is one in whom all of mankind has an asylum, a safe haven, for life and property.

Imagine that, my dear Sisters and Brothers. We Muslims mustn’t only be safe from each other’s harmful words and actions. If we want to become true Believers, we have to become the truthful, trustworthy, safe pair of hands that every human being can turn towards in times of need. What an honour! What an awesome responsibility!

I pray that Allah will help you and me in our lifelong quest to become not merely good Muslims, but true Believers, good neighbours, primordially upright human beings and people who can inspire others to be better citizens of this great country.

InnaAllaha, Yamuru bil adel, wal ihsaan, wa eetaa-i zil qurba; wa yanha anil fuhshaa-i, wal munkari walbaghi; ya-idzukhum lallakum tathak-karoon. (Sura 16:90),

“Surely Allah commands justice, good deeds and generosity to relatives and to others [including neighbours]; and He forbids all shameful deeds, and injustice and rebellion: He instructs you, so that you may be reminded.”

Fadth kuroonee adth kurkum, wash kuroolee walaa tak furoon [2:152].

“and remember Me: I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and do not reject faith.”

wala thikrul-Laahi akbar, Wal-Laahu ya’lamu maa tasna’oon.” [29:45].

“and without doubt, Remembrance of Allah is the Greatest Thing in life, and Allah knows the deeds that you do.”

Thank you all for listening so patiently. If there is anything useful in what I have said, all good things come from Allah. If there are any mistakes, the fault is mine entirely, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness.

I will try to answer your questions, and if I cannot, I ask those who know better than I do, to help us with the answers

As-salaamu ‘alaikum.