On Hamza Yusuf

Riz asks Sheikh Hamza Yusuf about his growing role as bridge-builder between Islam and the west and the controversy that comes with it.

I think Sheikh Hamza Yusuf is quiet a misunderstood character amongst Muslims who know him. Aside from our Salafee brothers who have issues with everyone, there seem to be those who revere him to those who consider him a sell-out particularly since 9/11.

I agree with most of what he has said in this interview, but there are a few things which I don’t agree with, such as him quoting the hadith “rulers are as you are..” in response to the question about Muslim rulers and the ayah “Allah does not change situation of a people until they change what is within themselves..” were both used irresponsibly and out of context. Furthermore, towards the end he said there needs to be stillness in the ummah and co-operation between all people rather than revolution.

Firstly, the hadith: ‘As you are, rulers will be appointed over you’ is considered Da’eef according to Imam as-Sayooti. Imaam al-Manawi said in the Fayd al-Qadeer the Sharh of al-Jami al-Kabeer volume 5: he mentioned what Imaam as-Sakhaawi had said about the weakness of the hadith then he commented on the hadith that its meaning is:

‘If you had Taqwah of Allah and feared His punishment then rulers will be appointed over you who will fear Him and vice versa.’

So can we have Taqwa of Allah and fear His punishment if we do not enjoin the good and forbid the evil? Can there be a better enjoining of the good and forbidding of the evil then ordering the ruler to do good and forbidding him from the evil and changing him if he suspends the law of Allah? How can someone cite this hadith as an evidence despite knowing that the work to resume the Islamic way of life, enjoining the good and forbidding the evil, restraining the hand of the tyrants, rejecting them and changing them because they have suspended the Sharee’ah of Allah; all of these have many detailed evidences. And they are the incontrovertible proof against such people.

As for Allah azz wa Jal’s saying: “Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls).” Imaam al-Qurtubi, in his Tafseer entitled ‘Jami’u li Akhmaa il-Qur’an’ is careful, as if knew that a twisted meaning would be placed upon this Ayah:

“Allah informed in this Ayah that he does not change what is in a Qawm until change takes place from them, whether it be from them, or from their supervisor (of their affairs – leaders), or from he who is (appointed) from them… So the meaning of this Ayah is not that it was only revealed for individual punishment and to address nothing but progress from a sin. Instead, it has been revealed for the correction of others sins too. As he said (in the Hadeeth), “…It was asked, ‘will we be destroyed whilst the righteous are amongst us?’ He (saw) said, ‘Yes, if the corruption increases (beyond bounds) [Saheeh al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Zaynab bint Jahsh about the Ya’jooj]”

Without under-emphasising the importance of purification of the soul (Tazkiyyat un-nafs) it is important to understand that Islam obliges us to forbid the Munkar. We need to change ourselves and continuously work to improve and strengthen our nafs but this does not mean we neglect what Allah azz wa jal has ordained upon us, such as enjoin good and forbidding evil and working to create a change… to remove oppression replacing it with the pure laws of Allah ta’ala. These are not times for stillness, these are times to engage in the political struggle for the dominance of Islam according to the method of Prophet (saw).