22/06/2024
22.6.24
Today, I was blessed enough to witness Mohamed Hijab in person at Universiti Malaya, after 7byears of watching his material online. Amazing session, to say the least. He did not disappoint. Absolutely mesmerising.
Here's the summary of what we've learned today: (credits to Mohammad Al Aubasani)
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Talk Summary
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1. Arnold J. Toynbee - referred to the islamic civilization as a sleeping giant
- a giant has lots of consequential power
2. Samuel P. Huntington: a critic of islamic civilization said : "if you had islamic unity the world would be a safer place" as power would be spread more evenly.
3. As America is currently a hegemonic power it acts as a bully, example the Palestinian conflict
4. Le****ns have the highest rate of domestic violence, researchers says the power is equally divided among the spouses.
5. Best way to defend our ummah is to gain strength. Unity is required for strength.
6. For unity we need to control jealousy and resentment, ( a lot of in fighting happens due to jealousy)
Example the story of the sons of Adam
{ لَىِٕنۢ بَسَطتَ إِلَیَّ یَدَكَ لِتَقۡتُلَنِی مَاۤ أَنَا۠ بِبَاسِطࣲ یَدِیَ إِلَیۡكَ لِأَقۡتُلَكَۖ إِنِّیۤ أَخَافُ ٱللَّهَ رَبَّ ٱلۡعَـٰلَمِینَ }
[Surah Al-Māʾidah: 28]
If you raise your hand to kill me, I will not raise mine to kill you. I fear God, the Lord of all worlds,
7. Jealousy is removed through gratitude, (western academia talks about the benefits of gratitude journaling)
Sit-down an enumerate the blessings of Allah.
{ وَءَاتَىٰكُم مِّن كُلِّ مَا سَأَلۡتُمُوهُۚ وَإِن تَعُدُّوا۟ نِعۡمَتَ ٱللَّهِ لَا تُحۡصُوهَاۤۗ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ لَظَلُومࣱ كَفَّارࣱ }
[Surah Ibrāhīm: 34]
"and given you some of everything you asked Him for. If you tried to count God’s favours you could never calculate them: man is truly unjust and ungrateful."
8. Imam Ghazali in Ihya ulum uddin dedicated an entire book/chapter on Jealousy, paraphrased: "when someone is jealous of someone else, they are not happy with the distribution of Allah"
9. Empathy demolishes resentment and hatred, i.e. wearing the other person's shoes. Empathy is also a strategic advantage. Non-ability to emphasise is a disability.
10. Forgiveness is a courageous and powerful thing to do. After forgiveness we move onto the next step.
11. Resentment just eats the person from inside.
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QNA
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1. Unity bit when it comes to different sects in islam?
{ ... وَتَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلۡبِرِّ وَٱلتَّقۡوَىٰۖ وَلَا تَعَاوَنُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡعُدۡوَ ٰنِۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ شَدِیدُ ٱلۡعِقَابِ }
[Surah Al-Māʾidah: 2]
"... help one another to do what is right and good; do not help one another towards sin and hostility. Be mindful of God, for His punishment is severe."
Context is King:
Very much dependent on context, we can unite even with non-muslims for goodness, like the Palestinian cause. But sometimes like marriage between sunni & shia might cause confusion for the child, so it wouldn't be recommended.
2. Difference between western understanding of gratitude and islamic understanding.
When talking about gratitude journaling in the west, there is no object of gratitude, leaving the gratitude incomplete.
Which is different from that in islam, where the ultimate object of gratitude is Allah.
Also,
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: He who does not thank the people is not thankful to Allah.
https://sunnah.com/abudawud:4811
3. People can be combative, we shouldn't try to get rod of that nature, but try to make an appropriate outlet. Example: Mohammed Hijab makes a obedience competition with his 3 children. And they compete with each other aggressively to be the most obedient to get the obedience belt.
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QNA continued
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4. The nature of the relationship between Allah and his subjects, humans?
He talked a lot,
The relationship is a balance between fear and hope (love). But love of Allah is the strongest emotion the Human can have.
Also,
Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, "(Allah wrote) 'My Mercy dominated My Wrath".
https://sunnah.com/riyadussalihin:419
5. Talking about the Right in Malaysia.
It is nothing compared to the far-right present in the west. The western far-Right are far more extremist and intolerant compared to the islamic Right in Malaysia.
Defeating thier claims that tolerance towards non-muslim moniroties won't exist in a muslim majority country.
6. How to be empathetic towards the IDF and Israeli ministers?
Empathy doesn't mean to agree, but rather it means to put yourself in the other person's shoes. For example, we can try to put ourselves in the shoes of a psychopath (IDF soldier) and empathise with them to try to understand thier motives and actions.
7. Question about freewill islamic understanding vs western understanding.
Long answer, Hijab said refer to this,
https://sapienceinstitute.org/wrestling-with-free-will-reflections-on-divine-and-human-freedom/
8. How to build unity in the home?
Step one, generosity. Being statically generous, example, Hijab rewarding his children for good behaviour such as the children are being generous with each other.
9. I forgot the question, but important points,
Don't intrept the enemy when he's making a mistake.
Also,
Don't intrept the enemy when he's helping you.
10. Regarding guidance, if you're truly sincere and ask Allah to guide you, Allah will guide you.
{ وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِی عَنِّی فَإِنِّی قَرِیبٌۖ أُجِیبُ دَعۡوَةَ ٱلدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِۖ فَلۡیَسۡتَجِیبُوا۟ لِی وَلۡیُؤۡمِنُوا۟ بِی لَعَلَّهُمۡ یَرۡشُدُونَ }
[Surah Al-Baqarah: 186]
"[Prophet], if My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I respond to those who call Me, so let them respond to Me, and believe in Me, so that they may be guided."
11. Visiting countries that oppress the Muslims.
Context is King: purpose of visit
12. Question Islamic Economic models:
Islam supports a free market
Hadith: "The people said: Messenger of Allah , prices have shot up, so fix prices for us. Thereupon the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Allah is the one Who fixes prices, Who withholds, gives lavishly and provides, and I hope that when I meet Allah, none of you will have any claim on me for an injustice regarding blood or property."
https://sunnah.com/abudawud:3451
Taxation isn't really a thing in islam, we have Zakat and stuff.
Islam is vehemently against Riba:
{ یَـٰۤأَیُّهَا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ ٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَذَرُوا۟ مَا بَقِیَ مِنَ ٱلرِّبَوٰۤا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤۡمِنِینَ }
{ فَإِن لَّمۡ تَفۡعَلُوا۟ فَأۡذَنُوا۟ بِحَرۡبࣲ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِۦۖ وَإِن تُبۡتُمۡ فَلَكُمۡ رُءُوسُ أَمۡوَ ٰلِكُمۡ لَا تَظۡلِمُونَ وَلَا تُظۡلَمُونَ }
[Surah Al-Baqarah: 278-279]
"You who believe, beware of God: give up any outstanding dues from usury, if you are true believers."
"If you do not, then be warned of war from God and His Messenger. You shall have your capital if you repent, and without suffering loss or causing others to suffer loss."
13. Using Philosophy for dawah
Firstly, we need to define what we mean by philosophy.
Oxford Defination: "the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline."
Regarding the earlier people, they went astray because they mixed a certain branch of philosophy with islamic aqeedah. Like the Mu'tazila
We today have liberal Muslims and feminist Muslims that mix liberal idealogies with islam.
We should avoid deluding islam with other ideologies. Logical arguments can be used for islamic dawah.
14. What should women prioritise in our day and age.
Firstly, both the husband and wife should prioritise worshipping Allah and taking care of the children. There is an extra emphasis on Motherhood for the sisters.
Feminist leaders in thier books like "The Feminine Mystique" by Betty Friedan, degraded the mother's station. And praised a working women.
When looking at the end results, he cited some studies, older aged women with families reported to be more satisfied with thier lives when compared to women with successful careers who showed regrets regarding not having families.
15. How to show tolerance to an intolerant?
Hadith: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Help your brother, whether he is an oppressor or he is an oppressed one. People asked, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! It is all right to help him if he is oppressed, but how should we help him if he is an oppressor?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "By preventing him from oppressing others.""
https://sunnah.com/bukhari:2444
Also should be taken into context whether they are family or close relatives and how to respond accordingly.
