If you’re one of those Muslims who only woke up yesterday to what’s going on in Muslim America, or a novice Muslim activist, then you don’t get to come in on the ground floor and pontificate to people what’s what, like you’ve mastered the terrain, all the while you’re just joining the party. You can’t do that on the street, in a board room, in a classroom or anywhere else. Nobody starts out at the top. Be a student, before you try to be a teacher. Be a follower before you try to be a leader. Stay in your lane, and wait your turn. Social media places everyone at the same level. The opinion of a complete idiot is often given the same credence and certainly the same airtime as that of a seasoned veteran, or an expert. although this is the new version of Muslim equality for some. This is not exactly the way it works.
Ranking is part of the religion of Islam. Everybody Muslim should know that, especially those who make a lot of noise. According to Islamic morality laws, each person deserves their dignity because that is the Sunna, and that is justice. However, we respect our elders, we respect knowledge and experience, we respect our Imams and our scholars, we respect time in the struggle and we respect those men and women who carried this religion, sacrificed and held it down before us. This is all part of the deen of Islam. We should have learned this by now.
These are important lessons for Muslims, not only do these lessons have to be taught, especially to our youth, again and again, these principles need to be actualized if we are to survive as a Muslim civilization. These parts of the Sunna are one of the most effective ways of countering mobism.
Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad
Shaykh Luqman Ahmad is an associate Imam an the Toledo Masjid al-Islam. The statements and sentients of this article are his own and does not represent any organization he is associated with.
The Imam can be reached at imamabulaith@yahoo.com
Imam Luqman Ahmad Mosque Without Borders 