PREJUDICE CAN MAKE THE GREATEST INTELLECTUAL GO BLIND! Jumuah lecture on Friday 6 April 2018 (19 Rajab 1439) at the Ahlul Bait (a.s) Masjid, Ottery, Cape Town delivered by Mowlana Syed Aftab Haider One of the major diseases of the soul which kills Taqwa is PREJUDICE ie. when you have an opinion or inclination towards a certain issue, person, or nation without any rational reasoning. This is when you insist on something for no reason, but purely because you have an inclination. You therefore bypass rational engagement. The Holy Quran introduces this problem of prejudice as one of the most serious challenges facing all the Holy Prophets (a.s) across the ages, when it came to them propagating their divine message. The Holy Quran presents various reasons why people resisted the Holy Prophets (a.s). However, the Holy Quran lists prejudice as one of the major problems. The result of prejudice is that you develop resentment against someone for no logical reason. You just don t like him, her, or them! Another result of prejudice which the Holy Quran introduces is where you follow other people. There is nothing wrong to follow other people, but 1 / 13
the problem is when you follow blindly (without reasoning). PREJUDICE IS ADMONISHED IN THE HOLY QURAN The Holy Quran places these 3 issues alongside each other: 1. Prejudice, which results in 2. Grudge or resentment, and also 3. Blind following of an individual or group of people. In verse 7 of Surah Nooh (chapter 71 of the Holy Quran), we read Nabi Nooh (a.s) narrates his complaint to Almighty Allah (SWT) by saying: 2 / 13
"And every time I have called to them, that Thou mightest forgive them, they have (only) thrust their fingers into their ears, covered themselves up with their garments, grown obstinate, and given themselves up to arrogance. This is exactly what prejudice is! You are not interested in hearing an argument. You are so stuck in your ways that you shut your ears, become stubborn and drown yourself in your arrogance! This was the attitude of the people towards the Holy Prophets (a.s). It is not as if they had rational, intellectual arguments against the Prophets (a.s). They simply had blind prejudice. Verse 23 from Surah Nooh is another example where the people simply said they will never leave their gods! Again, there is no reasoning in this statement of theirs. Instead, it is filled with resistance. PREJUDICE WAS A BIG HEADACHE FACING ALL THE PROPHETS (A.S) 3 / 13
This particular problem is visible in the case of the disbelievers who opposed the Holy Prophets (a.s). However, this disease of prejudice is common among human beings, and not simply restricted to those who resisted the Holy Prophets (a.s) and their divine message of monotheism. Most of the time, the justification is that our forefathers were like this and this is how it was always done! The Holy Quran challenges whether this argument can be accepted, because it is devoid of any logical basis. The argument of the Holy Prophets (a.s) was that it does not mean that you should continue the path of your forefathers if they were not following the path of truth. There is clearly no reasoning to continue perpetuating a wrong legacy purely because that is what your ancestors did. This prejudice becomes a very serious problem in our Muslim society. Resistance against the Holy Prophets (a.s) is not there, but resistance against the truth is certainly there! Truth has different levels. Truth of Tauheed (monotheism) is accepted by all Muslims. ISLAM IS TO SURRENDER TO THE TRUTH 4 / 13
The spirit of Islam and the divine message of the Holy Prophets (a.s) is to instil in us the spirit of surrendering before Haqq (Truth). Therefore, there are 2 definitions of a Muslim. The first is a diluted Muslim, who is someone born in a Muslim family and upholds the ritual and cultural practices, presenting a Muslim appearance without being able to present any intellectual substance to their belief. Then there is the second definition of a Muslim, which is presented in the Holy Quran as someone who does not resist when he is presented with Haqq (Truth). This person does not have prejudice. The Holy Quran explains that the problem of Satan was that he refused to bow before Nabi Adam (a.s), purely because of his prejudice cum arrogance. Satan said that he is created from fire while Adam (a.s) is created from clay, and he is therefore superior to Adam (a.s). Is there any rationality in this statement? What is the rational argument for fire being better than clay? It is nothing more than stubborn, blind prejudice which pushes Satan to believe he is superior. Prejudice appears in different forms. My forefathers were respected in society and they were good people whom I am very proud of, and because of this I believe that whatever they believed 5 / 13
and preached is correct. Is this rationality and logical reasoning? Clearly NOT! This becomes a stumbling block in accepting truth. RACISM IS A REPUGNANT FORM OF PREJUDICE HAMPERING OUR COUNTRY However, a Muslim in its true Quranic definition never resists the truth. If he/she finds the truth, they surrender before the truth! One of the biggest problems we face in our society and country is the scourge of racism. Racism is nothing other than prejudice when you claim superiority over others by virtue of the colour of your skin being different to others. Again, there is no rational argument involved. Instead, it is all based on you feeling that you are better because of your skin colour. This level of ignorance is the same logic of Satan which results in one resenting the truth. This spirit of surrendering before the Truth (Haqq) without any prejudice is crucial in being a real Muslim. Therefore, I always like to quote a British philosopher I met in my early days of studying. I asked him a simple question of when did he become Muslim. I can never forget his response, where 6 / 13
he said that he never became Muslim, but rather he is always becoming Muslim! He is constantly in the process of becoming Muslim, because he is learning something every day and improving through seeking truth every day. He says further that there is no place where he will stop, saying this is the best he has attained and shut the doors to his continued search for truth. This disease of prejudice is also explained overwhelmingly in Hadith in its various forms, such as prejudice based upon nationality, race, forefathers, cultures, etc. Indeed, these are all condemned. There is also a good prejudice, which is not actually prejudice, but let us refer to this way. The fourth Imam of Ahlul Bait (a.s), Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s) says that there is a good prejudice and a bad prejudice. He says bad prejudice is when you prefer the worst of your nation over the good of others, because they are from your nation! However, if you love your own nation without this sensitivity, then it is not prejudice. You will recall me discussing a month ago on this platform of Jumuah about Robert Subukwe, 7 / 13
whose philosophy of Pan-Africanism was to love being African. This is not racism. The problem is when your criteria for good and bad is based on nationality, race etc. The reason is because this is not based on any intellectual reasoning. So this is a reminder about the gravity of the disease of the soul, namely prejudice, resistance against accepting the truth wherever it is. WINNIE MANDELA HAS PASSED AWAY LEAVING A PROUD LEGACY OF STRUGGLE I would like to say that sometimes we need to admit and acknowledge people who may not follow what we believe, or share with us in Islamic ideology which we prove with sound intellectual reasoning. At the same time, they shine as human beings in certain areas which our Islamic value system promotes. They flourished as people who are concerned about the creation of Almighty Allah (SWT). We need to recognise and appreciate without any prejudice towards them. This week we lost a personality of this nature Winnie Mandela. As mentioned earlier about the explanation of prejudice by Imam Zainul Abideen (a.s), where you do not prefer your people over others simply 8 / 13
because they are your people, nor do you undermine others because they are not from your nation, despite them having some great qualities. This lady, Winnie Mandela, has a great spirit of serving the oppressed and underprivileged, without any doubt. She has amazing spirit of resistance against injustice and oppression. She spoke fearlessly to the oppressors, challenging them and stood up to them with fierce determination. She went through a very difficult life for the sake of the people of our country, South Africa. Therefore, it is indeed very important for us to recognise and to pay our homage to her. THE RELATIONSHIP OF RASULULLAH (SAWA) WITH PHILANTHROPIST HATIM AL TAI You cannot measure people without considering the environment, namely the cultural, social, political, and historical conditions ruling on them. You cannot judge a lady like Winnie Mandela with someone in another part of the world. It is important to recognise her for what she did in her own conditions and situation. It is crucial to recognise what she stood for. There is a beautiful example in our early Islamic history. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad 9 / 13
(SAWA) use to give great respect to a person who was not Muslim, by the name of Hatim al-tai. This man was known for his generosity and care for human beings, particularly the oppressed and underprivileged. Rasulullah (SAWA) dedicated special respect to this man, even though he was not Muslim. His daughter was arrested as a prisoner of war and brought before Rasulullah (SAWA). She mentioned that she is the daughter of Hatim and Rasulullah (SAWA) paid respect to her and instructed for her to be released. Her children became Muslim and were proud ambassadors for Islam, with their loyal support to Imam Ali (a.s) in defending the principles of Truth (Haqq) and justice. Rasulullah (SAWA) recognised Hatim with special respect, despite him not being Muslim. Therefore, it is important for us to also recognise people who serve our country where we enjoy the benefits of this land. We prayer that may Almighty Allah (SWT) forgive her shortcomings and grant the family sabr (perseverance) in this difficult situation. PALESTINE CONTINUES TO BLEED 10 / 13
There is a very serious issue developing in Gaza, Palestine. Last week, people marched courageously and the Zionist Israeli army attacked this march, killing almost 20 people mercilessly. The resistance of the people of Palestine and their stance for their rights and dignity is unwavering, while Muslim leaders have stooped to the lowest possible levels where this so-called leader of the Muslim world is openly recognising the right of Zionists to exist and have everything. He does not mention the word Palestine in his interview, while openly promoting sectarianism! Alhamdu Lillah, people on the ground are on a different wavelength. AYATULLAH KHAMENEI S GUIDANCE FOR THE PALESTINIAN LEADERSHIP I would like to draw your attention to that letter which Ismail Haniyeh, senior leader of Hamas, wrote to the leader of the Islamic Revoution, Ayatullah Syed Ali Khamenei, asking for guidance in this very volatile situation. Ayatullah Khamenei wrote back a beautiful response whereby he firstly reaffirmed their commitment to Palestine, saying that it is our Islamic and human responsibility which will 11 / 13
NEVER be abandoned. Secondly, he says that what is transpiring in the Arab world with its leadership selling their souls will make it an unforgivable crime for generations to come, if he bows to the pressure of negotiating the rights of Palestine with the Zionist enemy. Ayatullah Khamenei further emphasised in his response that the only path to freedom in this Holy Land is the path of resistance against injustice and occupation, instead of compromising with the oppressors, namely the Zionist entity. Again, on the issue of Palestine, we see open prejudice unfortunately, where this steadfast commitment to the dignity of Palestine is seen as coming from the foremost Shia leader. Someone commented on the statement of the Saudi Crown Prince on Israel s right to exist by welcoming it as a great achievement for us by the greatest leader of the Sunni world. This provoked an equally short-sighted comparison between the Shia position endorsed by Ayatullah Khamenei and what is claimed as the Sunni position endorsed by Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman. This prejudice only serves to polarise us further! We hope and prayer that Almighty Allah (SWT) 12 / 13
protects us from this blind prejudice which prevents us from distinguishing between truth and falsehood, regardless whether it comes from Shia leadership or Sunni leadership. 13 / 13