Message for Friday - Muslims should be united against oppression & bigotry

إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ

G'd says in the Qur'an (49.10): The believers are but a single brotherhood. So make peace between your brothers, and rever G'd in order that you may receive mercy.

Muslims are obligated to resist or oppose another group of Muslims, who are perpetrating crimes or oppression. In the post 9/11 era, Muslim groups have issued fatwas, wrote books, delivered speeches and held press conferences addressing corrupt and oppressive elements within themselves, ranging from the Tunisian government to Al-Qa'ida. However, due to the immense pressure of being a targeted group that has sufferred from religious discrimination on several levels to hate crimes, many Muslims on an individual level have become timid as sheep when it comes to challenging the wrongs that are done against Muslims.

Statements are made such as:
"We are too weak to say or do anything..."
"I don't want any trouble..."
"What are they going to think about me if..."
"The government isn't going to help us, so why bother contacting them?"

This is even true with some Muslims today that their own co-workers and friends, who they have known for decades and know nothing but good things about, may come under scrutiny from law-enforcement or media. These Muslims with the "victim" mentality have become morally weak and will not defend any Muslim even when they are certain that he/she is innocent. This weak, victim mentality is not that way of Islam.

المسلمون يد واحدة على من سواهم
Prophet Muhammad (SAAS) stated, "The Muslims are one hand upon whoever harms them."

إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِن مِنْ أَهْلِ الْإِيمَانِ بِمَنْزِلَةِ الرَّأْسِ مِنْ الْجَسَدِ
"Surely the believer from the people of faith is in a position like the head of a body."

الْمُؤْمِن لِلْمُؤْمِنِ كَالْبُنْيَانِ يَشُدُّ بَعْضُهُ بَعْضًا
"The believer to another believer is just like a building in which one section supports the other."

Thus in America, Muslims must take a stand against agencies and corporations that seek to marginalize the community. The civil rights activists such as Dr. Martin King Jr. understood that taking a stand even at the risk of being beaten, going to jail or being killed was more honorable than being a passive victim. If an agency discriminated, he protested. If the bus company made blacks sit at the back of the bus, the bus fare was used for gas money to give to someone else or the bus fare was saved in favor of walking instead of giving up money to be humilated.

And surely G'd knows best.