Is it Time to Build an Ark- Noah, the Prophet of the Flood

Is It Time to Build an Ark? Noah - The Prophet of the Flood

Imam Zaid Shakir

Introduction and Shahada Ceremony

We'll have a video to introduce Imam Zaid Shakir. This is a family that's going to make history. And we have to believe that. If we don't believe it, we'll never do it. We have to believe we're going to make history. We have to believe Allah does nothing in vain. And Allah didn't bring us here in vain. Please welcome Imam Zaid Shakir to the stage. And we have our second shahada for the night. We'll start the session with the second shahada, inshallah.

After that introduction, I'm trying to figure out how to act like a Jedi or something. As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuh.

This is our brother Mark here. And he is going to accept the shahada. So Mark, first of all, you're familiar with the basic teachings of Islam? Yes. Alhamdulillah. Come close to the mic. Yes. And no one's forcing you to become a Muslim? No. You're doing this of your own free will? Yes. Alhamdulillah.

So in front of this multitude of witnesses, the only thing between you and Islam is that you say the words of which mean, we'll say it in Arabic, we'll say it in English so you're conversant with what it means. I openly bear witness there is no god but Allah, and I openly bear witness that Muhammad is his messenger and servant. So are you prepared to make that declaration? Yes, I am. Of your own free will? Of my own free will. Alhamdulillah. Alhamdulillah. Then repeat after me. You're Muslim. Repeat after me.

Children's Session on Kindness and Anti-Bullying

Alhamdulillah, it's a great honor to be here. A few housekeeping items. Did the volunteers collect some papers from the children? No? That doesn't sound familiar? No? Okay, we had a session with the children, 8 to 11 years old, and they had an assignment. I don't think any of them did it. Second item, housekeeping, is during the retreat, a sister asked me to write a dua for her. And maybe sister's here. I lost, sister, if you're here, your email address so I can't send you the dua. So if you are here and you can see me afterwards, I can get the dua to you. I didn't forget. I just lost it. Third housekeeping item, a note from my wife. Oh, Allahu Akbar.

They summarized the eight ideas. So the children, and we'll talk about this a little later, in the course of the session, we had an open discussion about bullying. So most of our Muslim children are in public schools where they're usually a decided minority, and bullying of Muslim children is very much rampant. But we discussed how one can counter that and how can one project kindness. So here are some of their answers. Allahu Akbar.

And these were summarized by our young sister, Iman Sattar. So the first, they said, was to follow the golden rule. So they didn't call it the golden rule, but they said you have to treat others as you would like to be treated. So we wouldn't want to be bullied, so we won't bully anyone else. Secondly, to be kind. Third, to smile.

Fourthly, now these are 8 to 11 years old, to remove the hardships from others. Fifthly, to be friendly. Number six, to be caring. Number seven, you guys ready for number seven? Seven's a good number. Number seven, help people even if they hurt you. Number eight, be nice no matter who it is or how they act towards you.

So let's give a hand to the children in the children's section. Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar wa lillahi'l hamd.

The Mission of Prophet Nuh (Peace Be Upon Him)

So I have a confession. I stayed up half the night last night trying to write a speech consistent with the description in the program book. And after about four hours, I was actually doing it. I think three or four more hours, I would have completed the assignment myself. But when I looked at it and I read it over, I said, you know what, this isn't going to work. And so I redid the whole thing, just focusing me. And the reason it wouldn't work, it was a very academic presentation, and this isn't a classroom. It's a classroom of sorts, but it's not a classroom with a board and 15 people amenable to going into fine details about theological or historical or other issues. So I redid it.

And there are just a few points relating to the mission of Nuh alayhi salam that I want to build around. And those first, from the first couple of verses of the surah. We stop there, the first two.

"We verily, we've sent Nuh, Noah to his people to warn them, saying to them, oh my people. I'm warning you before a painful punishment descends upon you." (Quran 71:1)

"And then he said, oh my people, I am unto you a clear warner." (Quran 71:2)

So I start with this point to emphasize that Nuh alayhi salam recognized that he was doing the work of God. He was sent by God. We sent Nuh to his people. He understood who sent him. He understood that the nature of the message he was carrying was a message from God. And he was unflagging in his commitment to his message.

"He said, oh Lord, my Lord, I've called my people night and day." (Quran 71:5)

Night and day for how long? 900 years. Night and day for 900 years.

Religion vs. Ideology: Understanding the Difference

So he was unflagging, he was dedicated, he was devoted to the service of his Lord. He understood he was doing the work of God. He understood he was carrying a religious message.

So I start with this to say that nowadays, many people, through no fault of their own in most instances, brag that Islam is an ideology. You've all heard that. Islam isn't a religion, it's an ideology. And I think that when people brag along those lines, they really don't understand the implications of what they're saying.

What's the difference between a religion and an ideology? Both of them posit a worldview, a view of the world. Both as it is and in most instances as it should be. Both posit a program for the attainment, the implementation of that worldview, a program to bring about that view of how the world should be. That's what they have in common.

The principal difference between the two is that an ideology views power as rooted in worldly forces and human endeavor. So power is something I earn. It's strictly limited to whatever I can accrue according to my human resources, according to my worldly strivings and worldly endeavors. Whereas a religion recognizes the role of human endeavor in the attainment of power. But a religion understands that ultimately power comes from God.

Power Comes from Allah

So Allah reminds us as Muslims in the Quran:

"Say, O Allah, possessor of all dominion and power. You extend it to whomsoever you please and you withdraw it from whomsoever you please. You elevate whomsoever you please. You debase whomsoever you please. With you in your hand is all good. Verily, you have power over all things." (Quran 3:26)

So we recognize power comes from Allah. The consequence of a system that presents power as accruing solely as a result of human endeavor as opposed to one that recognizes power comes from Allah.

One understands that we are limited in what we might do to acquire power. Allah instructs us:

"So prepare what you possibly can of strength." (Quran 8:60)

So there are limitations. And the recognizing that there are limitations leads to a very, very grave consequence. And that is when an ideology prevails, there are no ethical limits to govern the acquisition of power. In other words, as Malcolm X said in his early years, By any means necessary. By any means necessary. The Muslim says no. And when Malcolm said that, he didn't understand the teachings of Islam. The Muslim says by any lawful means necessary. If the means are unlawful, the Muslim doesn't go there. That's power he or she doesn't need. Because they understand there'll be no barakah, there'll be no blessing in that power.

Worldly Goals vs. Otherworldly Goals

The second difference between an ideology and a religion. An ideology, this is an idea that grew up out of the French Revolution. And we don't need to tell you the attitude of the French Revolution towards religion. Especially those of you who go to U of T. No offense to the York people out there.

The second difference is that ideologies only have worldly goals. All of the goals emanating from an ideology are confined to this world. To gain power, to change a regime, to become the regime. To advance a program, to

control the means whereby we can dig up. Now they bring, mashallah, try to work it in, inshallah. To rip the world apart as Dr. Nasser was talking about with no ethical considerations.

Whereas a religion recognizes there are worldly goals, laudable worldly goals that we as humans pursue. But it also recognizes there are other worldly goals. And that we do not sacrifice the other worldly goals for the sake of the worldly goals.

This is beautifully expressed in the Quran. Allah in two verses gives us a picture of the ideologue and a picture of the person of religion. So he says:

"Amongst the people there are those who say, Oh our Lord, give us in this world. Give us power, give us resources. Give us control, give us leadership, give us domination. Give us in this world and that's the end of their concern. And what does Allah say? He will have no portion of the hereafter." (Quran 2:200)

"And amongst them are those who say, Our Lord, give us good in this world. Give us good in the hereafter. And ward off from us the punishment of hell." (Quran 2:201)

That's the difference between the consequences of ideological thinking and religious thinking. And as Muslims we should be very, very aware of this. Our affair is not confined to this world. Our affair transcends this world. Our standards of justice and determining what is just or unjust are not confined to this world. Our standards of justice transcend this world and go beyond this world. And this is very important for us to recognize.

The Hadith of the Two Men: Worldly Pleasure vs. Faith

Many of you are familiar with the hadith. And we'll translate the hadith. Where the Prophet discusses two people. One person was the person who had everything the world had to offer. He had power. Or she even. But he mentions a man. He had power, influence, wealth, vehicles. May Allah give each and every one of us good in this world. May Allah give us good in the next world. And may Allah ward off from us the punishment of hell.

As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullah.be he had horses and camels and whatever in those days. These days he would have yachts. And he would have fancy cars. And he would have chateaus and villas and condos and penthouses and mansions. Everything the world could offer. He'd eat the best of food. He'd eat the very best of food. Everything the world had to offer.

But one thing in this world he didn't get was faith. And it's related that on the Day of Judgment, he'll be dipped into hell for an instant. Boop! Just dip. Boop! That's the dipping noise. Boop! For an instant. And then he'll be asked by Allah, Did you ever experience any good in the world? No, wallahi no. La, wallahi la. No, I never. I swear by God. I never experienced any good in the world.

And then there'll be another person. As our Prophet informed us. Who was the most wretched person who ever lived. He didn't have anything. He had disease and hardship, starvation, difficulties. Difficulties on top of difficulty on top of difficulty. But the man had faith in his heart. And on the Day of Judgment, he'll be dipped

into Jannah for an instant. Boop! And then he'll be asked, Did you ever experience any hardship in the world? La, wallahi la. No, I swear by God. I never experienced any hardship in the world.

That man was a religious man. And religion gave him the power not only to endure with dignity the tribulations, the trials, the hardships of the world. But it also gave him the ability to understand and appreciate: I'm living in this world but not for this world. And no matter what happens to me. Whatever my fate might be. I have something to look forward to that is infinitely, indescribably greater than anything this world can offer me.

The Reality of the Hereafter

That is the power of religion. And that is a power we need in our lives today, brothers and sisters. What does it mean, as the Christians say, to gain the world and lose your very soul? And Allah asks us this question or presents this issue but in another way.

Allah says:

"As for the one given the book of his or her deeds in their left hand. They say, woe that I was never given my book and that I didn't know what's inscribed therein. If only death could have been the end of my affair. All of my wealth is of no benefit now. All of my wealth is of no benefit now. What is the use of ill-gotten wealth? All of my power has been stripped away from me. It's gone. It is perished." (Quran 69:25-29)

What is the use of gaining the world illicitly? What is the use of ill-gotten and ill-exercised power? It is useless in the bigger scheme of things. What is the use of gaining my wealth? It is perished. And then Allah says, seize him and strangle him. Then make him fuel for hell. And then wrap him in a chain of hellfire that's 70 cubits long to drag along in the pit of hell.

What good is the power that's illicitly gained? What good is the power that's illegitimately and illicitly exercised? It's of no use, brothers and sisters. And this is what religion teaches us.

The Power to Deal with Reality

Now, people will listen to this because we live in a power-centric, power-hungry age. As Dr. Nasser was mentioning this morning, they say, oh, this is some escapist dialogue and discourse. You just don't want to deal with the issues of the world. But this is what we're getting at, brothers and sisters. Where does the power to deal with the world come from? And if we're lacking that power, what are the substitutes that we use to try to compensate for it? This is one of the fundamental issues of our age.

So it's indeed ultimate. It is critically important that we have the courage to discuss issues in the world that are of relevance, not only for Muslims, but all of humanity. So we have to talk about American imperialism. We have to talk about Zionism and the ravages of Zionism. We have to talk about ecological degradation. We have to talk about the scourge of war for profit, and not profit for whole societies, profits for a very small, rapacious elite. We have to talk about these things.

Having Courage in Multiple Arenas

It takes courage, just as it takes courage to condemn the excesses and abuses that are destroying our worlds, it takes courage to stand up against the pollution that's destroying our minds and our hearts. We have to be courageous across the board, across the board.

Brothers and sisters, our children, as we said, are bullied in school. This was the number one topic that children wanted to talk about. I just stopped them, said, no, we're going to move on to another subject. And here's some of the things they said.

All right, now, did they just bring me this paper? Yes or no? Did I just reach down and pick it up? Yes or no? I'm going to read it.

Children's Anti-Bullying Strategies

Anti-bullying strategies:

• Be compassionate. Have compassion. Have empathy.
• Get a teacher.
• Use the golden rule.
• Have love in everything you do.
• Try to see why the bully is bullying.
• There's Muhammad Ayub. Allah. Takbir. Let's grab that.

Addressing Community Challenges

Brothers and sisters, our children are being bullied in schools. I know firsthand. I listened to them today a few hours ago. As a community, this is something we have to address because this is our future. And we can't have our children growing up insecure, lacking the confidence to live and to articulate the manners, the character of a Muslim.

Some of our women are feeling abandoned. And from various different directions. As a community, we have to nurture them. And it takes more than Sister Asma in Baltimore, Maryland, with her Muslim woman shelter. It takes more than that. It takes more than shelters. It takes a nurturing, loving, caring, compassionate community. The kind of community that these children were talking about. A community exemplifying the values that these children are talking about.

Many of our brothers feel frustrated with the new economy, new social roles, and economic realities. There's a lot of frustrations. And sometimes some of the brothers don't know how to negotiate that in a healthy way. We need to lend a helping hand to our brothers. We need to encourage them. We need to counsel them with patience. We need to provide the support that they need to be a strong, prosperous, confident Muslim man.

Many non-Muslims are afraid of us. We have to defuse those fears. They're legitimate fears. When they look at some screamings of some lunatics who are holding a head up and saying, this is what's going to happen to all of you. You know, what are they supposed to think? We need to defuse those fears. We need to let them know exactly what kind of people we are. And that takes interacting. That takes reaching out. That takes sacrificing. That takes the willingness to bear the abuse that we might hear from them because they've been informed by these caricatures of what a Muslim is.

Brothers and sisters, we have work to do.

The Power of Islam: Real-Life Examples

I'd like to conclude by saying, alhamdulillah, many times we get up here and we talk about Islam's quest for power in the modern world and what we need to be doing to become stronger and more powerful. I don't want

to talk about Islam's quest for power. I want to conclude by talking about the power of Islam. And this is all from my personal experience, things I've heard or have been conveyed to me by trustworthy people.

The Single Mother's Strength

I want to talk about the power of that single mother who has five or six children and she takes the shahada like Mark did a few minutes ago. And she puts on hijab and she goes into her work with her head up high. And she gets up at four in the morning to begin preparing breakfast for her children. And she gets them up after having taught them to pray. And she lines them up for prayer. And then she cooks breakfast and she feeds them. And then she gets in the car and she takes them to school or she goes out to the bus stop in the freezing weather. And she waits for the bus and she drops them off at school. And then she gets on another bus and she goes to work.

And she works and she does her job with dignity. And she bears sometimes the insults and abuses that are hurled at her with her dignity intact because she knows she can't walk away from this job. Because if she does, there's no one to provide for her children. There's no one to feed them. And she goes and she gets off and she goes and picks them up. And then she brings them to their various lessons. And then she tucks them into—she feeds them their dinner and puts them into bed at night. And then she has some quiet moments with her Lord before she turns in herself. And she thanks Allah for the blessing of Islam.

Despite the hardship the world has presented to her, she thanks Allah for the blessing of faith to help her to get up tomorrow and do the same thing over again. That's the power of Islam, brothers and sisters.

The Former Pimp's Transformation

We see the power of Islam in a former pimp. You know what a pimp does? I'm not going to tell you if you don't know the children in here. A former pimp who says:

"I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah."

And then he tells his wife, He said, listen, stay home. Because I was reading that the Muslim, the man is the provider. Now this man used to live off the exploitation of women. But when faith entered his heart, he said, listen, stay home. You don't have to go out there anymore. You don't have to deal with all those riggers out there running the rat race. I'll hold it down.

But because of his former lifestyle, he never went to school. He lived a life of crime and vice and exploiting people. He doesn't have a bevy of degrees to fall back on. So he has to work two or three jobs. Part time here, part time there. None of them with any benefits. But he does it. And he pays his bills. And he takes care of his family. And then he falls down on his knees and he thanks Allah that while he was once a person who exploited and abused women, he's now one who has the honor of being able to serve a woman. That's the power of Islam, brothers and sisters.

The Mother in Gaza

A mother, this is a true story. A mother in the Gaza Strip, after one of the bombardments, barbaric bombardments, who's visited by a Western journalist. And she introduced, she's a widow. And she introduces

her children, her eight children. And every single one has a physical remnant, a physical remnant that has resulted from the occupation and the brutalization of their people.

This is Ahmed. He has a piece of shrapnel in his leg from a fragmentation bomb. And Sara doesn't have a hand. She was hit by an Israeli sniper. And every single child she describes like that. And then this journalist excuses herself. And she goes into the kitchen. And she starts crying. And then the mother comes in. And she comforts her. She says, why are you crying? We're happy. That's the power of Islam.

The Family in Darfur

A family in Darfur, in a camp similar to the camp many of our Syrian brothers and sisters are in today. But not having to deal with the cold and the snow and the ice. Who's visited by some well-fed American relief workers. But she's a Muslim. She wants to honor them. So she smiles. And she goes and gets a little of the foodstuffs that she's gotten from a relief organization. Possibly for the organization that these brothers work for. And she makes them a simple meal. And she watches them eat it. And she smiles. And she's happy. Because she's been able to implement the Sunnah of Muhammad to honor her guests. That's the power of Islam, brothers and sisters. That's the power of Islam.

The Deaf Muslim Community

One of our deaf brothers and sisters, who watches his or her friends, leave Islam one by one. Because they can't find anyone to instruct them in the religion. They go to the Jummah. There's no one to interpret for them. They look at the Muslim program on television. And there's no one to interpret for them. And it would be good if the interpreter was up here. Because then not only the brothers and sisters there could see them. The people watching the live stream, who might be deaf, can see them.

But they patiently persevere. They don't leave Islam. They never question Islam. They wait until there are some services available. Because Allah has blessed them with a strong faith. And they don't care if they have to do without. They don't care if they're deprived. They don't care if they don't have any services. Because they have faith. That is the power of Islam, brothers and sisters.

Never Despair: Victory Comes Through Patience

So never despair, brothers. Never despair that Allah is with you. Never despair. Nuh, he called his people for 900 years. And he kept doing it, and he kept doing it. Because patience is a critical part of our religion. And indeed, after 900 years, he invoked the punishment of Allah and his people. To do justice to the story. But we have to understand, brothers and sisters, victory doesn't come from us. Leadership doesn't come from us. It comes from Allah. And it only comes to those who patiently persevere.

Our Prophet, he told us:

"Know that victory only comes through patience." (Sahih - Musnad Ahmad 2803)

And Allah told us in the Quran:

"And We made from among them leaders guiding by Our command when they were patient and [when] they were certain of Our signs." (Quran 32:24)

And there are two interpretations. One isn't relevant to us. It was the Prophets from the Bani Israel. So it's referring to the Prophets. The other one is. It's referring to Atba'ul Anbiya, the followers of the Prophets. And we are the followers of Muhammad, the last Prophet sent to humanity.

The Characteristic of Believers: Hope, Not Despair

And brothers and sisters, if we are patient, if we persevere, if we look beyond this world for our ultimate reward and our ultimate gratification, if we never despair, because despair is not a quality, it's not a characteristic.

"Indeed, no one despairs of relief from Allah except the disbelieving people." (Quran 12:87)

It's not a characteristic of believers. It's those who lack faith, who despair of Allah, who resort to desperate means, who go beyond the limits, the ethical parameters that Allah set to guide our behavior in every realm of human endeavor, including the ecological, as Dr. Nasser was talking about, in every realm.

Conclusion: Everything We Need is Within Our Hearts

It's only people of faith and belief. Brothers and sisters, we have within ourselves, within our hearts, everything required to be a great community. The only thing we need do is to patiently persevere, take strength from knowing that no matter what befalls us in this world, we have something beyond this world to look forward to that's infinitely, indescribably greater than anything the world could ever offer us. And we have faith.

May Allah bless us to be a religious community, not one that forgets its share of the world, but one that understands everything we seek in this world is balanced by what we seek in the hereafter. So we ask Allah that He blesses us to not be the people that our aspirations, our hopes, our strivings are not confined to this world alone.

But may Allah bless us to be amongst the people who say:

"Our Lord, give us good in this world and good in the hereafter and protect us from the punishment of the Fire." (Quran 2:201)

May