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The Noble Prophetic Household:

1- The greatest household after the household of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, is the household of the Cloak, whom Allah has purified and cleansed thoroughly.

Ali ibn Abi Talib is the gate to the city of knowledge, the valiant lion who disperses battalions, who fought for the interpretation just as he fought for the revelation. His love is faith, and his hatred is hypocrisy. His soul is tied to soul of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his family. His wife is Fatimah, the noble pure one, and their sons are the masters of the youth of Paradise, Hasan and Husayn, peace and blessings be upon them, in the number of His creations, the pleasure of His self, the weight of His throne, and the ink of His words.

In my view, the Mother of the Believers, Khadijah, peace be upon her, belongs to this esteemed household.

2- The Hadith of Thaqalayn, which is mutawatir (transmitted through numerous chains), indicates that they will never separate from the Noble Qur’an, which is the second weighty thing. This is a perpetual matter, continuing from one generation to the next, one era to another, an essential and true news, and Allah Almighty has not commanded us to adhere to nonexistence.

3- The members of the Household, peace be upon them, are of varying ranks: among them is the mujtahid imam (who is also of varying ranks), the knowledgeable scholar, and the common person. The consensus of the first type is a binding legal proof and does not separate from the Noble Qur’an. Thus, the agreement of the mujtahids of the household, peace be upon them, is a binding proof, and each imam individually is a part of the proof, and their collective consensus is the complete proof.

4- The mujtahids of the Ahl Bait are divided into three categories: the highest is the complete, standing, and calling imam, who commands and forbids like Zayd, the Pure Soul, Husayn al-Fakhi, al-Hadi, al-Atrosh, and others. Next are the imams who call for the pleasure of the family of Muhammad; they are callers who command good and forbid evil and did not call for themselves. Some of them were in the second rank and then later called for themselves. The third category is the moderate imam, who is a scholar and a righteous person, moderate and concise.

May Allah’s peace and blessings be upon all of them.

Q: Can my friends and I share in sacrificing an animal for Eid?

A: In the context of blessings and rewards, It is permissible to share a sacrificial animal if it is a camel or a cow, including buffalo. One cow or camel can be shared by seven people. This is based on a narration by Jabir, who said: “We sacrificed a camel at Hudaybiyyah with the Prophet ﷺ, with seven people sharing it, and a cow, with seven people sharing it.” [Reported by Ibn Majah].

However, for sheep or goats, they are not to be shared. One sheep or goat suffices for one person and their household, no matter how many people are in the household. This is in terms of sharing the reward between them. Ata ibn Yasar, said:

“I asked Abu Ayyub al-Ansari: How were the sacrifices during the time of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ? He said: ‘A man would sacrifice a sheep for himself and his household, and they would eat from it and give some to others, until people began to boast, and it became as you see.’” [Reported by al-Tirmidhi]

Allah knows best

Suhaib

Often, I meet Imams who have not prepared for the transition into retirement. Here is a check list that should help.

1. Seek Financial Advice: Engage with financial advisors who understand both personal and religious finances. Even a short-term consultation can help navigate potential investment and tax issues.
2. Earn Enough Now: Make sure you are paid enough to retire. Often Imams wait until its too late; they have not thought or budgeted in a way that helps them retire. Talk with your employer now to ensure, inshallah, a succesful retirement.
3. Plan Your Retirement Lifestyle: Begin thinking about your life post-retirement. Whether it involves continuing community service at a reduced pace, or pursuing personal interests, having a plan is essential to avoid feeling lost.
4. Acquire New Skills or Certifications: Consider enhancing your qualifications with skills that are beneficial in retirement, such as counseling or teaching, to maintain an active role in your community.
5. Understand Your Retirement Benefits: Be clear about where your retirement income will come from, including community support, savings, or other pensions, and when you can access these funds.
6. Be Conservative with Retirement Savings: Protect your financial future by managing your retirement funds conservatively, especially considering market uncertainties.
7. Learn About Required Minimum Distributions (RMD): Understand the rules and tax implications of withdrawals from your retirement accounts, ensuring compliance and financial stability.
8. Utilize RMDs as Housing Allowance, If Applicable: Investigate whether you can use RMDs as a housing allowance to benefit from tax savings, adhering to IRS regulations.
9. Prepare for a Long Life: Plan your finances to support a longer-than-average lifespan, ensuring you do not outlive your resources.
10. Make Wise Decisions on Social Security: If eligible, strategize the timing of your Social Security benefits to maximize your financial returns.
11. Plan for Healthcare Costs: Recognize healthcare as a significant retirement expense. Explore eligibility for programs like Medicare and budget accordingly.
12. Decide Where to Live: Consider relocating for better access to family, healthcare, or reduced costs. This decision should balance financial practicality and personal happiness.
13. Budget Wisely: Adapt your budgeting strategies to reflect changes in income and expenditures during retirement.
14. Live to Die: Recognize the inevitability of death with hope in Allah. Embrace this reality by living a life that prepares you for meeting Allah, which can bring peace and purpose to your retirement years.
15. Leave Students Behind: Ensure you are mentoring successors who will continue your religious and community work, preserving the dīn.
16. Prepare Your Shar’iah Will: Have your will drafted and reviewed by a qualified lawyer to ensure it is compliant with both Islamic law and your country’s legal standards, reflecting your wishes accurately.
17. Negotiate Transition Plans with Your Board: Engage with your board 5 to 10 years before your intended retirement to plan a smooth transition. This approach prevents conflicts and ensures that responsibilities are transferred seamlessly to your successors.

I hope checklist offers a thorough guide for Imams, covering financial, legal, personal, and communal aspects to facilitate a comprehensive and comfortable transition into retirement.

Islamic belief strikes a harmonious balance between Allah’s unassailable will, which transcends time—it was, is, and will be—and human agency that is temporary, surrounded by the infinite will, as ordained by Allah.

The believer understands the necessity of action yet acknowledges that every deed and outcome ultimately lies in Allah’s plan. This inspires unwavering devotion to Allah, where actions are simply the fruit of this love. Consequently, no small effort goes unnoticed, and no grand endeavor is a cause for intoxication. The primary concern is aligning with Allah’s will through Shariah compliance. When this alignment occurs, silence becomes speech, a pebble becomes a mountain, and a drop turns into an ocean!

This is historically evident. When colonial occupiers invaded the Muslim world, they sought to dismantle civil society, only to later charge those societies of barbarism to justify “administrating” them. Their focus often rested on the ulema, whom they tried to suppress, sometimes banishing them for decades. Yet, upon their return, these scholars emerged stronger, often with broader support.

The lesson: Asna may have been silenced, but Allah’s command took the microphone, reaching millions. Reflect on this verse: “You did not throw it. We threw it,” and be brave, devoted, and with Allah.

I hope conventions like @icnaofficial others will give the main Saturday night speeches to her. I am happy to give my time to her.

Suhaib Webb

Ibrahim ibn Adham passed by the market of Basra, and the people gathered around him. They said, “O Abu Ishaq, why do we pray, but our prayers are not answered?” He replied, “Because your hearts have died due to ten things:

1. You have known Allah but did not fulfill His rights.
2. You claimed to love the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), but you abandoned his Sunnah.
3. You read the Qur’an but did not act upon it.
4. You ate from Allah’s blessings but did not offer thanks.
5. You knew that Satan is your enemy, yet you did not oppose him.
6. You knew that Paradise is real, but you did not work for it.
7. You knew that Hellfire is real, yet you did not flee from it.
8. You knew that death is real, but you did not prepare for it.
9. You woke up from sleep but busied yourselves with the faults of others, forgetting your own.
10. You buried your dead but did not learn from them.”

Over the last week, I have been to five direct actions on campuses across the country and interacted virtually with three others. The students demonstrating for Palestine liberation presented a stark contrast to the portrayals by some media outlets, politicians, and counter demonstrators.

Here are some things I gleaned from spending time with them.

1. Well-Informed and Insightful: Contrary to being diamissed as young, ignorant, and misguided about Israel, the occupation, and Palestinian suffering, I found the students to be extremely well-informed. Through direct conversations, talks, and meetings, their knowledge and clear demands impressed me, and I often learned from them, gaining insights that supported my role as a theologian and advocate for Palestinian liberation. They know what they are talking about.
2. Mature and Strategic: The characterization of these students as immature and lacking strategic, long-term vision is unfounded. My experiences on campuses showed discipline, organization, commitment to the Palestine, and eagerness for difficult but necessary conversations for tangible change. They displayed an organization and structure that refutes the notion of youth as inadequate. Additionally, many demonstrators are acutely aware of the history and potential legacy of this moment. I saw no evidence of outside support, another accusation to suck the idea of utility from the moment, but saw in some cases, students, many never trained in direct actions, driven to discipline and focus by the obvious failure of American leadership to honestly engage Palestine; as well as driven by their awarness of Palestinian suffering and misery.
3. Rooted in Faith: The claim that Muslim demonstrators are detached from Islam and engaging in prohibited behaviors or coalitions that sacrifice their commitmemt to faith is inaccurate. In all instances where students requested my presence, they asked me to share as much as I could, lead prayers, and even set up a night vigil. This moment’s dynamics are well understood by the Muslim students, who display a mature grasp of their coalitions, extending beyond traditional religious settings to unify diverse groups under the cause: End the occupation! Divest now. This may be one of the most significant coalitions involving Muslims in recent years, again showcasing their maturity and discipline. It will come with mistakes, but give them a break. To be brave and slightly error
   Is better than no effort in the name of dogma and the truth. This is the earth, not paradise!
4. Agents of Peaceful Change: Accusations of these students being violent and troublesome do not hold. In the context of movements for change in the USA, there’s “good trouble” and “bad trouble,” and I support the former, aligning with the prophetic tradition of being spiritual agitators. At these campus gatherings, which I attended with my children, we experienced peaceful activities like blowing bubbles, chalk and learning songs of Palestinian joy and suffering. I saw no violence from demonstrators. The real aggression came from law enforcement, pro-Israeli factions, and selective punitive measures by administrations. When rage is justified and right, it is good and prophetic.

Last Friday, on the UT Campus, after I finished my sermon, a man approached me. He said, “I’m a student at UT. I was arrested, manhandled, locked up, and violated. Imam, I’m scared, and I’m Jewish.” Looking into his eyes, I saw tremendous hope mixed with fear. He continued, “I am scared I’m going to lose everything, but I will keep Palestine at the forefront. Can you support me if my life goes awry?” Moved, I assured him of our support. As I left the campus, I reflected on this brave generation. Rather than being criticized, their courage and impact should be acknowledged. This week alone, some administrations committed to hearing and acting on grievances, and some decided to divest from Israel, which continues to disregard international law and perpetrate land theft and ethnic cleansing against Palestinians. It is not the students who should be blamed. It is those who blame them.

Friday Sermon Idea In The Context Of Student Encampments For Palestine

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السلام عليكم و رحمة الله

As we witness the brave sacrifices that young Americans are making in their advocacy for Palestine, I am moved to share reflections that help those charged with giving the Friday sermon this week. Feel free to use this, add to it, or subtract.

Title: “Youth & Giants: Lessons from Dawoud and Struggles for Justice”

Summary
The story of Dawoud (David) AS, detailed in the Quran, offers us profound insights not just about confronting tyranny and fears, but also about the virtues of youthful courage and moral resolve in facing modern challenges.

Points To Plant

1. Historical Echoes in Todays Struggles:

• Dawoud (AS), as a young shepherd, confronted the towering Talut (Goliath) with faith and a simple stone. His victory, which Allah (SWT) recounts in Surah Al-Baqara, “And Allah gave him the kingdom and wisdom and taught him from that which He willed” (Quran 2:251), underscores the importance of righteous intent and divine support over sheer might.
• Inspired by Dawoud’s example, today’s youth challenge the modern ‘giants’ of injustice—policies and unjust systems. Their actions remind us of the power of a morally driven voice.

1. Contradictions Exposed by Youth Activism:

• As educators and mentors, we observe our students grappling with the inconsistencies within institutions that profess to uphold justice. Their peaceful demonstrations against the silence on illegal settlements in Palestine, and their resilience against institutional penalties for their activism, reveal the crucial role of integrity in leadership.
• The dire state of educational facilities in Palestine starkly contrasts with global educational values, shedding light on the hypocrisy some leaders exhibit. Our students’ activism urges a return to principled guidance and fairness.

Additional Thoughts for Those Encamped:

1. Support Each Other: Please take care of yourselves and each other. The journey you are on is lengthy and challenging. Prioritize self-care and foster mutual support to maintain your strength and commitment.
2. Embrace Love and Reject Injustice: Hold firm in your rejection of evil and injustice. Although many of you are far from family and face unexpected opposition, let love and empathy be your guiding forces. These are not only your shields but your sources of strength.
3. Think Long-Term: Look beyond immediate challenges and envision how your efforts can lead to transformative change—rebuilding, healing, and improving our communities and nation.
4. Avoid Extremes: Stay vigilant against influences that may seek to distort your message or lead you toward unproductive extremes. Remain steadfast in your principles and focused on constructive outcomes.
5. Observe Religious Obligation Know that your success gained without tauhid and worship is worldly. Extend it to the Hereafter by staying Shariah compliant.
6. Share Islam As people are waking up to being lied to about Palestine, they are also realizing that they were lied to about Islam. Share the beauty and balance of Islam, opening a door to guidance.

Conclusion:
Inspired by your courage, we are called to support and guide, not merely as leaders but as fellow advocates for justice. Together, let us inspire a legacy that embodies dignity, compassion, and enduring change—principles that Dawoud (AS) championed and that you are upholding through your commendable actions.

I hope this helps. Any other points to add?

Suhaib Webb