Khutbah #4 - 13/03/98

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim

Alhamdulillahi rabbil'alamin wa salaatu wa salaamu ala Rasulihi  

In Islam there is no distinction between religion and politics. Yet when one thinks of politics, certainly in this country, one thinks of heated argument. Certainly our parliament is set up that way, with two opposing sides and two sword lengths between them so that they can't injure each other. People talk of the power of argument, and think that it changes people's minds, but how often do you see a politician change his/her mind and change sides? Not often! Some religious people are the same, always trying to persuade you that you've got it all wrong and should be seeing things their way.

Muslims are no exception. They think that Da'wa involves not discussion but argument. Nothing against argument, it can be a lot of fun, but it doesn't usually change anybody's mind. It may be Da'wa but it's not particularly effective. "Man is the most disputatious of things" says the Qur'an in Surah 18 - known as The Cave.

I'm sure that you all know of Ahmad Deedat, who tells in one of his pamphlets somewhere about his friend, some Christian Bishop, whom he meets each year and invariably trounces in argument. But of course, the Bishop never converts to Islam - he just heads for his books to polish up his arguments for the following year. Argument is usually about polishing up your own arguments rather than accepting other people's. But they are friends. Disagreement doesn't disturb their politeness and generosity and affection for each other. In Qur'an, Surah 29 - the Spider, it says: "Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner … and say … our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered."

For the best Da'wa is not arguing and preaching to non-muslims, but showing them a living example of Islam. Then if they ask you why you act a certain way, if you know your Islam you can explain your reasons. Of course, Islam can stand up to the most rigorous intellectual inspection, but it involves so much more than our minds. We have a Deen, a Way of Life. We must translate our thoughts into actions. "So set your face steadily and truly to the Faith, God's original, upon which He originated mankind. There is no changing God's creation. That is the right religion; but most men know it not - turning to Him. And fear Him, and perform the prayer, and be not of those who join gods with the One God, those who have divided up their religion and become sects, each party rejoicing in that which is theirs." Says Qur'an in Surah 30 Rum.

We must beware of dogma when it divides. Unlike the rules of worship, or the laws of muslims society, Deen is so vast as to be indefinable outwith certain simple themes, and its language of communication is one usually understood by and shared with most other humans. Basic values like 'tolerance' are recognised by action not argument. Some ways of expressing values can be culturally defined, like modesty and politeness, but a non-muslim should really be able to recognise the muslim way of life without needing to have it pointed out and explained. If you are always happy and smiling, generous and helpful, honest and trustworthy, keep your promises, are concerned for and considerate of others, strong yet modest, does someone have to be a muslim to be able to recognise that? Who wouldn't find such a person worthy of affection and respect?

The Deen is a basic human language that we are here to live and learn, not just from each other's words, but from each other's actions. Qur'an says in Surah 49: "Oh mankind, We have created you male and female, and appointed you races and tribes, that you may know one another." And in Surah 30: "And of His signs is that He created you of dust; then lo, you are mortals, all scattered abroad. And of His signs is that He created for you, of yourselves, spouses, that you might repose in them, and He has set between you love and mercy. Surely in that are signs for a people who consider. And of His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the variety of your tongues and colours. Surely in that are signs for all living beings."

*****

We see the same temptation towards argument amongst ourselves in relation to the Prophet. We can rejoice in sharing what we know of the man in the completeness of his life, or get lost in division over the interpretation of Hadith. How many lose sight of the life context of the human being in their concern to treat his words as a legal precedent. What unites us, and what divides? The first time that I ever visited a mosque in the muslim world, the first question I was asked was "Are you Sunni or Shi'a?", but I had no interest in what divided muslims, I prefer to think that what unifies them is more likely to warrant my trust.

And surely all muslims should know not just what he said, but what he was like, his Example, his Way of Life. Think of the Prophet's trip to Ta'if. His early followers were being persecuted in Makkah, and he was in search of somewhere that the community could be safe and welcome. And in the event, they stoned him and drove him out of town, until bleeding and battered he and Zayd took refuge in a vineyard. And his reaction was to make a prayer, which Ibn Hisham reports as follows: "O Lord! To You do I complain of my frailty, lack of resources and my insignificance before people. O Most Merciful of the Merciful, You are the Lord of the oppressed and You are my Lord. To whom will you abandon me? To one afar who looks askance at me or to an enemy to whom You have given mastery over me? If Your indignation is not against me, I have no worry. But Your security encompasses me. I seek refuge in the light of Your countenance, which illuminates the darkness and by which the affairs of this life and the Hereafter have been rightly ordered, lest Your wrath alight upon me, or Your indignation descend upon me. It is Yours to show anger until You are pleased, and there is no other resource nor any power but in You."

Let us thank God for his example.