Imam Suhaib wears a hoodie in solidarity with Trayvon Martin and gives a friday sermon (khutbah) about racism, civil rights, and the lessons we can learn from the unjust murder of Trayvon Martin.
About the author
Suhaib Webb
Suhaib Webb is a contemporary American-Muslim educator, activist, and lecturer. His work bridges classical and contemporary Islamic thought, addressing issues of cultural, social and political relevance to Muslims in the West. After converting to Islam in 1992, Webb left his career in the music industry to pursue his passion in education. He earned a Bachelor’s in Education from the University of Central Oklahoma and received intensive private training in the Islamic Sciences under a renowned Muslim Scholar of Senegalese descent. Webb was hired as the Imam at the Islamic Society of Greater Oklahoma City, where he gave khutbas (sermons), taught religious classes, and provided counselling to families and young people; he also served as an Imam and resident scholar in communities across the U.S.
From 2004-2010, Suhaib Webb studied at the world’s preeminent Islamic institution of learning, Al-Azhar University, in the College of Shari`ah. During this time, after several years of studying the Arabic Language and the Islamic legal tradition, he also served as the head of the English Translation Department at Dar al-Ifta al-Misriyyah.
Outside of his studies at Al-Azhar, Suhaib Webb completed the memorization of the Quran in the city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. He has been granted numerous traditional teaching licenses (ijazat), adhering to centuries-old Islamic scholarly practice of ensuring the highest standards of scholarship. Webb was named one of the 500 Most Influential Muslims in the World by the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Center in 2010.
‘…we cannot racially or religiously profile others’. As a Jew I’m more than just miffed at what the Koran and Hadith say about Jews. Peace to you; be well, brother.
Can you please be specific about what parts of the Qur’an and hadith you are talking about that have you “miffed”?
In answer to your challenge, here’s one example:
“Anas reported that while the Prophet went into a grove of date palms owned by Abu Talhah, with Bilal at his side, to answer a call of nature, the Prophet passed by a grave site and paused. When Bilal caught up to him, the Prophet said, ‘Woe on you Bilal! Do you hear what I hear?’ Bilal replied, ‘I hear nothing.’ The Prophet answered, ‘The inhabitant of that grave is being punished.’ Later, it was discovered that it was the grave of a Jew.”
From: Imam Bukhari’s Book of Muslim Morals and Manners, Translated by Yusuf Talal DeLorenzo,
Al-Saadawi Publications, Alexandria, VA, 1997, ISBN 1-881963-62-4.
Now then, I don’t know how you view this hadith, but when I picture this scene in my mind, I see something very rude indeed.
Peace br. Schavach,
He is not being punished because he is a Jew rather it was for the sins he committed.
The Prophet (peace be upon him)is known to have similar remarks about Muslims, too, who were sinful. On one occasion, he remarked regarding a Shaheed (martyr in battle)who was a convert. In concealing a booty that was not his, he was considered to have been unjust. The Prophet sm accepted dinner invitations from Jews, entered treaties with them and the most respected among them reverted to Islam because of the ways of the Prophet sm; additionally, Jews used to come to him to settle disputes between themselves and the Prophet peace be upon him used to ask them to bring “their” book to resolve their issues.
Jazak Allah Khair.
Ahmad Ali Could Be Trayvon Martin
http://www.thereligiousleft.org/2012/03/ahmad-ali-could-be-trayvon-martin.html
Asalaam Alyakum,
This was really… really wonderful. Thank you for sharing this moving khutbah.
Jazakallah khair
Jazakallah khair for the khutbah. Thank you for the reminders to look within ourselves and our own community before looking at what others say and do. We should always look in the mirror first before speaking or being judgmental towards others.
You can take the Sheikh out the Bay but you can’t the Bay out the Sheikh! Love the Hoodie Sheikh Suhaib, we all miss you here. Great kutbah mA.
AA,
What’s perplexing and unfortunate about this is the almost the “deafening” silence from the greater Muslim community. Where are the coalitions with African-American orgs that “we” tirelessly worked for after 9/11? As long as “our” community continues to operate on self preservation & only speak out on issues that are relevant to our own ethnic sensitivities (Syria, France attack, Shaima Alawadhi) we will see ourselves isolated from those org’s who have historically experienced prejudice & fought for equality.
Also, as America is starting to ask itself “once again” the race question, WE in the Muslim community need to have a very open & frank discussion of the ethnic/racial divide that have affected our communities.
Wa Salam