Don’t Hide, Follow the Light
By Zaid Shakir | 2026-01-16T05:41:26.964765+00:00 | Topic: Iman
Don't Hide, Follow the Light
By Imam Zaid Shakir - MASCON 2018
Opening Prayers and Salutations
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. And peace and blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers, our Master Muhammad and his family and companions.
And peace be upon you. Our Lord, all praise is due to You, as it should be for the glory of Your Face, and for the greatness of Your authority. Exalted are You.
And we praise You, as You have praised Yourself. And peace and blessings be upon the Master of the Messengers, his family and companions. And peace and blessings be upon you.
O Allah, I seek refuge in You from being misguided.
Understanding Our Collective Struggle
Six or seven people were killed. So hate crimes are not isolated to Muslims. We should always remember that, so that we understand we're all in this together. We're all in this together.
Be that as it may, the reality of prejudice against Muslims, discrimination in the workplace, hiring discrimination against sisters who might wear hijab, et cetera, these things are real and we pray to Allah for relief. We ask Allah for relief. We ask Allah for relief. We rely on Allah that Allah will sustain us and suffice us in this climate.
Where We Stand With Allah
But one thing, brothers and sisters, especially our young people, one thing you should know, we should not care at the end of the day, what Tom, Dick, and Harry thinks about us. We should be concerned about where we stand with Allah. Where we stand with Allah. Because if we stand, if we're right with Allah, we will be right with Tom, Dick, and Harry, Sally, Jane, and Mary.
Because Allah tells us in the Quran:
"Indeed, those who believe and do righteous deeds - the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection."
That those who believe and do righteous deeds, the Merciful will make love in the hearts of the people for them. If Allah loves His servant, He informs the angels and He tells the angels that I love so-and-so and go to the people of the earth and tell the people of the earth that I love so-and-so and you love them and their hearts will be filled with love.
The Path of Mercy
And if we're right with Allah, we'll be right with the people. And this is a manifestation of Allah's mercy. Allah, His mercy extends over everything. His mercy extends over everything. And so again, we have to make sure سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ that Allah in that verse, He doesn't say - سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ - He says إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ الصَّالِحَاتِ سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمْ الرَّحْمَنُ وُدًّا.
So brothers and sisters, it's important for us to be merciful.
(Source Name)
"The merciful will be shown mercy by the Most Merciful." (Sunan Abu Dawud 4941, Sunan al-Tirmidhi 1924)
The merciful people, the All Merciful will show mercy to them. And so سَيَجْعَلُ لَهُمُ الرَّحْمَنُ وُدًّا - again, this is الرَّاحِمُونَ يَرْحَمُهُمُ الرَّحْمَٰنُ .associated with our mercy
So brothers and sisters, it doesn't matter if some think tank in Washington DC that's making a lot of money demonizing Muslims. If you're merciful to your neighbor, if you're merciful to your coworker, if you're merciful to your fellow students on your campus, if you're merciful to the people you interact with at your place of employment, then Allah will make mercy. His mercy will extend to you and the hearts of the people will turn to us as a community in mercy. And we have to believe that.
Preparing for Life's Tests
Now saying that doesn't mean that we're not going to have tests. It's very important for us to emphasize to our young people because one of the problems in general in our country has been overprotective parenting, overprotective parenting, where we try to shelter our young people from the realities of the world. And so in many instances, they grow up thinking everything is peaches and cream. Everything is good ship lollipop. And then when some difficulty comes, they might not be psychologically prepared for it.
No, this world is a place of trial and tribulation. This world is a place of tests. Allah reminds us constantly in the Quran:
"[He] who created death and life to test you [as to] which of you is best in deed - and He is the Exalted in Might, the Forgiving."
And Allah says:
"Do the people think that they will be left to say, 'We believe' and they will not be tried? But We have certainly tried those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make
evident the liars."
Do people think they'll be left alone merely saying, believe and not be tested. And We tested those who preceded them.
The Tradition of Testing
Our Prophet was tested. The early Muslims were tested. Muslims in the face of the Mongol hordes were tested. Muslims in the face of the Crusades were tested. Muslims in the face of European colonization and imperialism were tested. This is the way of the world. Allah says He's going to test us as He tested those who preceded us.
Our Test is Light
And believe me, our test is light. Our test is light. We have Islamophobia in this country. If you're in Gaza, every few years, you have bombs raining down on your head. And between those interims, all sorts of lesser forms of abuse, both physical and psychological. If you're in Yemen right now, you have bombs and missiles raining down on your head. You have faced the threat of starvation and cholera for young people and malnutrition.
What is our test compared to their test? So we shouldn't be people who despair. We should be people of shukr (gratitude).
"If you are grateful, I will surely increase you [in favor]." (Quran 14:7)
Yes, there's difficulty, there's tension, there's discrimination. But what does it compare to people in Palestine? What does it compare to people in Yemen? What does it compare to people in Myanmar or who in Bangladesh now with very little to live on? What does it compare to people in Afghanistan? Two generations almost of continuous warfare. What does it compare to people in Somalia who try to rebuild their country and then there's another scheme imposed upon them to rip their social fabric apart for over 30 years now?
Gratitude as Our Foundation
What are our tests compared to the tests of those who we are brothers and sisters of in this ummah? We should be in a state of gratitude, brothers and sisters, because only then will we be able to come together as a unified, inspired, visionary community to do something meaningful for all of those Muslims suffering in other places. This is our challenge.
If you give thanks, I will increase you. (Quran 14:7)
And that increase will be our ability to assist our brothers and sisters in meaningful ways. That's the way of the world.
Understanding the Nature of Tests
"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger and a loss of wealth and lives and fruits, but give good tidings to the patient."
This is a beautiful verse because it explains our reality. بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ - some fear. So we're afraid a little bit, but we're not too afraid to gather in this conference in peace and brotherhood and sisterhood. Our sisters aren't too afraid to go about their business wearing hijab and jilbab in safety and security by and large. We're not too afraid to organize our students, to organize Muslim Student Association chapters all over this country.
Why? Because the fear is not going to be overwhelming. For Allah says:
"And We will surely test you with something of fear and hunger."
بِشَيْءٍ مِّنَ الْخَوْفِ - something of fear, and hunger. And some Muslims are challenged with hunger right now. But most of the members of this ummah are well fed. We're well fed and then we feed the world. The world is eating our food.
You go to London and you have Shawarma over here and you have Chicken Tikka Masala over there. And you have Baba Ghanoush over there. And you have Mansaf and Maqluba over there. And you have Samosas over there. And you have Adana Kebab over there. And the Muslims are eating those foods. You go to the Muslim's land.
So, whatever challenge you have brothers and sisters, in addition to what's been mentioned:
Patiently persevere during the trials. (Quran 14:7)
Maintaining Our Dignity
Don't lose your dignity. Don't hang your head. Pick your head up.
"And who is better in speech than one who invites to Allah and does righteousness and says, 'Indeed, I am of the Muslims.'''" (Quran 41:33)
Who is better in speech than one calling to Allah? Call people to Allah.
Our Mission in a Time of Despair
People are suffering. Our country is suffering from what are called the diseases of despair. What are the diseases
of despair? Suicide. 123 suicides every day somewhere in this country. And how many suicide attempts every day? 4,000 suicide attempts every day somewhere in this country. That's despair. A massive crisis of opioid abuse. That's despair. Alcoholism. That's despair.
The Muslim is the one who's supposed to offer people a way out. But if we're so ashamed of our religion because some people are saying we're so terrible. If we're afraid to reach out to people because we think who wants to listen to us? They just think we're a bunch of terrorists. It doesn't matter what they think. Who do you think you are? Who do you think you are?
Rejecting Internalized Negativity
We can't allow ourselves to internalize that negativity. We can't allow ourselves to internalize those lies. We can't allow it, brothers and sisters, because if we internalize that negativity, we can't bring this positive message to people.
During the past six days, myself, I gave three shahadahs over the past six days. And my understanding is someone who wants to take shahadah right now is going to come to the stage when I'm done and take the shahadah, right?
And myself, I'm a convert. I converted to Islam. I wasn't born into a Muslim family. And I know that this religion, which saved my life, can save the life of a whole lot of other people out there, but they're waiting for us to come to them and invite them. Invite them into the house of Islam. Invite them into the family of Islam. Invite them into the love and the warmth that you're experiencing in this conference today.
We Are the Life Rope
As you go through the halls, the peace and the serenity, the brotherhood, the sisterhood, people are dying for that, brothers and sisters. And we are the life rope. We are the life rope. We have to throw it out there because they're waiting. May Allah give us tawfiq in that regard.
The Prophetic Teaching on Tests
Don't be surprised though by tests. Our Prophet, he mentioned, he was asked - Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: I asked, "O Messenger of Allah, which people are most severely tested?" He said: "The prophets, then the next best, then the next best. A person is tested according to his religion. If he is firm in his religion, his trials will be more severe. If he is frail in his religion, his trials will be according to his religious commitment."
Who, he was asked by Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas, who are the most intensely tested of the people? And the Prophet, he said, the prophets, and then those closest to them in faith, those closest to them in faith. People are tested according to their faith.
So if you're being tested, say alhamdulillah, perhaps Allah, perhaps this test is because of my faith. Don't run away from the test. Embrace the test with patience.
The Wonder of the Believer's Affair
"How wonderful is the affair of the believer, for his affairs are all good, and this applies to no one but the believer. If something good happens to him, he is thankful for it and that is good for him. If something bad happens to him, he bears it with patience and that is good for him." (Sahih Muslim 2999)
Shukr and sabr, these go together. Life is a combination of good times, easy times, times to be thankful, shukr, and test and tribulations, time to be patient, sabr. So when these ulema discuss these, Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah, he has a book, it's not called Kitab al-Sabr, nor Kitab al-Shukr, Kitab al-Shukr wa al-Sabr.
Imam al-Ghazali in the Ihya, he doesn't have Kitab al-Sabr, Kitab al-Shukr wa al-Sabr. They go together because they are an expression of how a believer moves through this life, moves through the peaks and the valleys, the peaks and the valleys. May Allah give us tawfiq in that regard.
Allah Has Not Forsaken Us
And in my few last waning moments, brothers and sisters, let me share something with you. We have to be positive, we have to be strong, we have to forge on despite the obstacles, and we have to firmly believe that Allah is with us. When times were hard for the Prophet, how did Allah console him?
"By the morning brightness. And [by] the night when it covers with darkness. Your Lord has not taken leave of you, [O Muhammad], nor has He detested [you]."
Your Lord has not abandoned or forsaken you. Your Lord has not abandoned nor forsaken you. Allah is with us. Allah is with us. He's with us in the good times and He's with us in the bad times.
Understanding Our True Identity
So we have to forge on and we have to understand we have work to do. We don't have time to listen to nonsense that we know is nonsense. We're gathered here in peace and tranquility. We're gathered in this conference hall. Not a single fight.
And you know why there's not a single fight? Yes, because we're Muslim brothers and sisters but even brothers and sisters, you know. There's not a single fight because there's not a single drop of alcohol being consumed. That's my community. That's my community. There's not a single drop of alcohol being consumed. That's who we are as a community.
Our Communal Work and Responsibility
And so brothers and sisters, we have serious work. I believe that amongst the work that only we as Muslims can do, joining with others. But we bring a communal element and we bring a spirit and we bring a brotherhood and sisterhood that transcends race. It transcends gender. It transcends age. We bring a communal spirit that brings us the power necessary to do two things.
The Age of Human Responsibility
We are in an age that's called the Anthropocene, the age of the humans. And one reason this is called the age of the humans as opposed to the Holocene, the geological period that preceded it is because human beings now have the ability to destroy this earth. We have the ability to destroy this earth.
Two things, through war and weapons of mass destruction culminating with nuclear weapons and through destroying the natural environment that sustains our life. Brothers and sisters, we have to be about the work of ending the scourge of war, ending the scourge of war that says in this modern world, so it's one thing if we have bows and arrows, it's one thing if we're throwing spears at each other. But when we can drop barrel bombs from the sky as happened in Homs and Aleppo and the suburbs of Damascus and destroy entire neighborhoods of innocent civilians, we have to say war is wrong and we're going to stop it.
The Economics of War
They say, you wanna understand war? One of the great popular poets of our society, the late Gil Scott Heron, he said, just ask them, when you ask them what they're fighting for, they'll never mention the economics of war. When you ask them what they're fighting for, they'll never mention the economics of war.
Thank Donald Trump for one thing. Thank him for one thing. Thank him for being honest and open with the Muslims. Like he said, we're gonna have a Muslim ban. He's out front. And so you can organize against it. He's not saying we love Muslims and then on the side, he's being the bomber in chief like Obama.
Extrajudicial Killings
Obama killed Anwar al-Awlaki, an American citizen with no trial, extrajudicial murder. Obama killed Anwar al-Awlaki. Okay, he said Anwar Jihad. Okay, mashallah. What about his 16 year old son, Abdur Rahman, who did nothing to no one? Why was he extrajudicially killed? What about 16 year old Tariq Aziz in Waziristan, who was organizing his community to oppose the drones constantly buzzing above their head and was killed, an innocent 16 year old boy. That was Obama. That wasn't Trump.
Trump is out in the open. I don't like you and I'm not faking it. And Trump was honest when he said the economics of war, we're selling weapons to the Saudis to bomb the Yemenis because it means American jobs, honest and straight up.
Our Moral Stand
So we should say, if it means American jobs, I'll eat grass. I'll eat grass. I'll be unemployed. I'll live in a tent before I work in a job, making a bomb to kill innocent children halfway around the world so I can have a job. To hell with your job.
That's the spirit we have to have because a powerful force is aligned against us and us meaning innocent humanity. And so we have to push back with power. To hell with your job. To hell with your bombs. To hell with your bombers and your fighter jets and your nuclear submarines. Take it to hell with you because if you don't repent, that's where you're going.
Environmental Responsibility
And don't think it's impossible and that we have to bring that same spirit to working for clean energy. The dirtiest energy now, the dirtiest oil, shale oil and tar sands, that if we exploit it all, it will destroy our environment. We have to be committed to these causes, brothers and sisters, if we're committed to the future of our children.
The Example of Abolishing Slavery
And people say it's impossible, it's so big, industrial complex. Let me remind you in conclusion. In the latter half of the 19th century, and 18th century, 1700s, slavery was the most profitable enterprise in the British Empire. And the crops that were being cultivated in the British colonies in America, king cotton, and in the Caribbean, white gold, sugar. And slaves were being brutalized. If someone said, and that money was going to the king and the queen, that money was going to Oxford, that money was going to Cambridge, that money was going to powerful institutions.
And if someone said, within 50 years, there will be no more slavery in the British Empire, they would have said impossible, that can't be done, impossible. But there was a young man, so people were working at it. There was a young man named Thomas Clarkson. You can read about this in a book by a University of California historian, Adam Hochschild. Bury the Chains, Bury the Chains.
The Power of Individual Commitment
A young man, a student named Thomas Clarkson wrote an essay in Latin. He entered an essay contest. And his essay was on slavery in the British Empire and the brutality of slavery. And as he started to do his research, he became more and more outraged by those brutalities. And he committed himself. So he wrote his essay in Latin. He became an activist, working for the abolition of slavery.
Young man, college age. And he translated, he had his essay translated into English. And it became the foundation of creating the consciousness that would translate within his lifetime into the abolishment of slavery in the British Empire.
Our Muslim Thomas Clarksons
So don't say it's impossible. We need our Muslim Thomas Clarksons, Aisha and Ahmed, Mustafa, Fatima, et cetera, to become passionately committed to the future of this world. Passionately committed to the end of the destruction of our Muslim people. Passionately committed to the dismantling of the military industrial complex. And if we believe it, and then we dedicate our lives to it, we can do it. It is not impossible.
Because nothing is impossible with Allah. If we commit ourselves to clean energy, then I'm not going to drive a gas guzzler. I'm not going to be deceived.
Living Our Values
Now, I know if you're from wherever, Karachi, or you're from Khalil, or you're from Cairo, you're not driving some big monster SUV that you drive in America because you have three babies. We have three babies. It's time to get an SUV. You're driving a Toyota Corolla. You're driving a Fiat. And you're cramming your whole family into that Fiat.
If we could do it in Karachi and Cairo, and we can do it in Baghdad, and we can do it in Tunis, why can't we do it in America for the sake of this planet and the future of our children? We have to stop deluding ourselves that we have to engage in all of these destructive practices because that's what people do when they're of my socioeconomic status.
Mercy for Our Youth
Your socioeconomic status doesn't mean anything to Allah if it's not representative of the values of this religion and mercy to our future generation. He is not amongst us. She is not amongst us who doesn't have mercy for our young. Let's be merciful. Let's get to work.
Conclusion: Rising Above
Let us ignore all this nonsense about Islamophobia, pick our heads up, and get busy.
As-salamu alaykum. As-salamu alaykum.