The king said: “Bring him to me. I will select him exclusively for my own service.” So when Joseph spoke to him the king said: “You are now one of established position, fully-trusted by us. Joseph said: Place me in charge of the treasures of the land. I am a good keeper and know my task well. Thus did We establish Joseph in the land so that he could settle wherever he pleased. We bestow favour, out of Our Mercy, on whomsoever We please, and We do not cause the reward of those who do good to go to waste. (Qur’an 12:54-56)
“Go both to Pharaoh; he has transgressed all bounds. Speak to him gentle words that he may remember or fear”. They said: “O our Lord! We fear that he may hasten to do evil to us or that he may play the tyrant”. He said: “Do not fear; I am with you, hearing and seeing. So go you both to him and say: ‘We are two messengers of your Lord; therefore send the Children of Israel with us and do not torment them; we have brought to you a sign from your Lord; peace be upon him who follows right guidance. It has been revealed to us that the torture will come upon him who rejects and turns back’” (Qur’an 20:43-48)
In both instances quoted above in the Qur’an we can see that prophets were advisers of despots and kings, let alone democratically elected presidents.
First of all, there are a few things to clarify here.
- Hamza Yusuf will not be an adviser to Donald Trump. He (Donald Trump) doesn’t have time and frankly won’t show any interest in meeting with Hamza Yusuf one on one.
- Hamza Yusuf will be 1 of 10 people. He’s 10% of a 100% team that will form a council or a commission and this was selected by Mike Pompeo U.S Secretary of States, former head of the (CIA-Central Intelligence Agency).
- Hamza Yusuf and the other 9 people on the commission will advise and report to Mike Pompeo and Pompeo will condense this information and give it to Donald Trump.
So in reality Hamza Yusuf is an adviser to Mike Pompeo (Former head of the CIA) than he is someone who brushes shoulders with Donald Trump, plays golf with him, and chills out at Mar A Lago.
Now going back to the text of the Qur’an we can see that Prophet Joseph (Yusuf) was a slave. Prophet Joseph (Yusuf) was no way shape or form in a position to overstep his bounds with the King. Being appointed ahead of finance is different than being pointed to an adviser on foreign policy, or the military, and so forth.
Whereas Moses and Aaron were free men. Allah (swt) commanded them to speak gently with Pharaoh. Moses and Aaron both showed signs of trepidation as they knew that Pharaoh could have them killed. Yet, even so, Allah (swt) commanded that they speak to him gently and that they speak truth to power.
Yet, it should be remembered that when the call was not heeded we find:
“He and his soldiers behaved arrogantly in the earth without right, and they thought that they would not be brought back to Us. Therefore We seized him and his soldiers and flung them into the sea. To see how the end of the wrongdoers was. We made them leaders who invite to the Fire, and on the Day of Resurrection, they will not be helped. We followed them up with a curse in this world, and on the Day of Resurrection they will be among the hated.” (Qur’an 28:42)
So we can see that from the perspective of the Qur’an to be on a panel of advisers or even to be in the service of despots and tyrants is:
a) Not wrong at all.
b) Does not mean that you yourself are involved in tyranny and oppression.
After all, every despot, king, the tyrant has had cooks, chefs, gardeners, people who make the garments, etc. Surely they are not all involved in fitna and fasaad.
THOUGHTS ON SHAYKH HAMZA YUSUF BEING AN ADVISER TO MIKE POMPEO
Personally, Shaykh Hamza is always speaking in public how he wants to avoid discord and disunity. He is a smart man. He should have known that taking on such a role or position would create discord in the community.
What do the women who work at Zaytuna say that Shaykh Hamza who claims Islam and the Prophet (saw) honoured and cherished women is now on a panel of advisers to a man who reports to a person who says: “Grab ’em by the P$#@!” That same president is also facing a suit from a woman who claims he raped her when she was 13.
With the Jeffery Epstein connections unfolding and Acosta resigning, welcome Shaykh Hamza to the Trump White House!
Donald Trump is on record to have called women:
dogs, slobs, fat pigs, and disgusting animals.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Y9_LJj7A68
However, the audience erupted into cheers!
There are some in our Muslim community who believe that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf doesn’t owe anyone an answer. That he’s a law unto himself. Well, I think in this case it would have been a very smart move by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf to do a video (that would go viral) and inform the public about his decision to be an adviser to Mike Pompeo.
- What his purpose is for joining Mike Pompeo’s team
- What his aims and objectives are.
- What he feels he can contribute.
The fact that he didn’t was reason enough for many lukewarm fans to lose heart. Even avid sycophants of the Shaykh are starting to question these moves. The Trump administration’s actions at the border, as well as the ‘Muslim Ban‘ certainly would have people in the Muslim community conflicted as to such move by the respected Shaykh.
SHAYKH HAMZA YUSUF THE HUMAN BEING
Another thought is this. Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is a human being. He has a wife and five children. He is the president of Zaytuna College. I am quite sure that Zaytuna College is in need of funds. I am quite sure that Shaykh Hamza wants to make sure his children have comfortable lifestyles.
I am not trying to justify but spending 20 years studying “traditional” Sunni Islam in the deserts is not very appealing on many resumes. He does have a nursing degree. What I am trying to say is that other than the role that he is doing which depends heavily upon being funded by people who are engineers, doctors, lawyers, hedge fund managers, accountants where else can he get funding for his organization from?
So from a financial perspective throwing his lot in with the U.A.E government and aligning his world view with that of the rulers there makes strategic and financial sense! It’s not like every time Imam Zaid Shakir or Shaykh Hamza Yusuf gave a plea via YouTube, Instagram, etc during Ramadan for funding and support that suddenly millions of dollars started pouring in.
Also, keep in mind that though they are not competitors in terms of “traditional” Sunni Islam, look how many organizations are out there asking for your money to keep alive their institutions, traveling expenses, living expenses, making sure their children get elite educations.
It is an extremely competitive market and when Muslims in the United States is barely 2% of the population funds are tight! The same applies to Muslims living in the U.K and Australia.
The very human and strategic thing to do would be to throw one’s lot in with the Hamza Yusuf/Bin Bayyah gravy train. This would serve a two-fold purpose.
- Find funding for one’s own organizations
- Claim to local governments that you are spreading, (traditional peaceful, non-political Islam) which can then be used as a cover to battle any and all forms of other Muslims groups that one does not agree with. (Rather those groups be violent or not.)
SHAYKH HAMZA YUSUF HIS POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY.
I would encourage everyone to watch this interview. It was very well done. The thing that I respect about Shaykh Hamza Yusuf in this interview is that he laid bare his political philosophy. His world view is no longer shrouded in obfuscation but laid bare for everyone to reflect upon.
(A note on the video above I have the video upon request in case it gets scrubbed from the internet).
Shaykh Hamza in the interview did make a slight gaffe by calling the interviewer a ‘Malay’ rather than a Malaysian. The interviewer was quick to graciously correct Shaykh Hamza and then quickly change the subject.
@9:03 I didn’t like Shaykh Hamza’s placating of the political right by trying to downplay Islamaphobia. Islamaphobia is a very real issue! He (Shaykh Hamza) is correct in saying that the government has a legitimate fear of radicals and those who can destabilize a society, However, to simply brush aside growing paranoia about the increased visibility of Muslims in society is really missing the mark.
@12:40 During the discussion Shaykh Hamza touches on two things. One of which is a theme he has been on ever since 9/11. “Who speaks for Islam?” He has been decrying the fact that the Catholic Church has a magisterium and/or a Pope whereas we Muslims do not have.
The irony of this is that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is currently (though not in the past) but currently siding against those who would like to establish a Caliphate (at least for Sunni Muslims). He instead believes that Islam should be represented by a scholarly class. The problem with this perspective is that traditionally this scholarly class (depending upon sect) would anathematize other Muslim sects.
In fact, during the interview, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf was humble enough to admit that they can’t pretend to speak for the entire Muslim world and that there are competing narratives on Islam. His focus is on those narratives that promote violence and terror, which as he says has been with us down through time.
So what Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and others are currently trying to do is create an echo chamber in which U.S foreign policy aligned with several Middle Eastern states now becomes that authority for the Muslim world. They hope to accomplish this through a network of scholars and teachers in the Muslim world.
Something else worth taking note is where Hamza Yusuf says,
“Every religion has to have, in other words, if it has a normative tradition something that says this is what the religion is because then if it doesn’t it becomes completely fuzzy and meaningless”-Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
Now that has some interesting implications for Perennialism. Maybe someone very capable like Asrar Rashid could take Shaykh Hamza up on this. Wouldn’t that be an interesting discussion!
There is another interesting admission by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
When it came to extremist radicals he said that Malaysia had a handful of people. India had less than 30 whereas Europe had several thousand!!!
Malaysia -handful
India-less than 30 (this is the land of Deobandis, Ahl Hadith, Brelvis) btw…
Europe- several thousand!!
Now, why is that?
@15:43 Shaykh Hamza Yusuf says, “The Qur’an prohibits attacking the sensibilities of other people’s religions.”
Yet, Shaykh Hamza Yusuf turns around and says, ” Hinduism is specific to the Hindus this is very much an ethnic religion.”
If Shaykh Hamza Yusuf were to say that in Singapore it would create an uproar. He can say that in Malaysia where Muslims are the majority. But that statement itself is not being sensitive to the sensibilities of Hindus who actually do see their faith for the whole of mankind.
So this portion was a bit awkward as it seemed as if Shaykh Hamza Yusuf was trying to make the argument that Islam is uniquely universal but couldn’t quite deliver.
I mean the great commission of Matthew 28:19 “Go into the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.” is certainly universal. He (Shaykh Hamza) also seemed to stumble when he got to Buddhism.
I don’t mean to knit pick like this but I believe this is a symptom of not trying to convey the message of Islam to Non-Muslims and losing that touch of a da’ee when one is busy with the socialites and elites trying to build bridges on that level. You have to be so extra cautious of everything you say. Allah (swt) knows best and may he give the Shaykh taufik!
The best part of this interview begins at 18:50 Shaykh Hamza’s Political Philosophy. Quite revealing.
First of all, I really commend the interviewer for having the courage to ask Shaykh Hamza the question. So Shaykh Hamza was asked about his defense of autocratic governments. In particular his comfort with the government of the U.A.E.
#1) Shaykh Hamza Yusuf says that governments are a blessing from God! Amen! I couldn’t agree more. He is spot on that this is the case. The last thing any of us what is anarchy. In fact, there are a few mechanisms that hold a societal structure in place. Availability of food, water, shelter, electricity all of which if we didn’t have things can quickly spiral out of control.
#2) Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s examples of failed states is dubious at best. Yemen, Syria, Iraq, Libya. One of those countries was invaded by a foreign power and had its infrastructure destroyed, two of those nations received bombings from NATO forces, and the other three, have been at the mercy of foreign agents and actors. So I don’t know if those are failed states due to their own devices or external. Those are not good examples.
“The best of governments are those that tend to respect their citizens or subjects”-Hamza Yusuf. “The worse of those (governments) are those that disregard the sensibilities of their own population.”-Hamza Yusuf
Very well said!
“I’m not happy with tyranny. I’m not happy with the abuse of the populations but I also understand the complexities of the world.” Fair enough!
Shaykh Hamza also mentioned that who is going to advise these governments and if he had an opportunity to engage the Chinese government he would. So in other words these people, and world leaders, good, bad, or ugly they need advice!
#3) “The Gulf states, the U.A.E the vast majority of the population is fine with the way the government is.”
Now I think that in this instance that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is overstating his case again. Think about this respected readers. When Shaykh Hamza Yusuf touches down in the airport in Dubai or Abu Dhabi who do you think he meets?
He is rushed from the airport to his place of accommodation. From his place of accommodation to the conference area and back. Surely you don’t believe that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf wonders the dusty outskirts of Dubai and mingles with the local population asking questions about their happiness?
Did it even occur to the Shaykh that maybe people are happy because they are not homeless, they have job security, and that they are a very wealthy nation? Their basic needs are met. In fact, I doubt most people there think much about the government at all. So it has less to do with the type of government and more about the issue of the physical, mental, emotional well being of the society.
Another interesting admission by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf @ 22:45 he says, “I actually like constitutional Monarchy as a form of government. I probably would have been a loyalist in the American Revolution.”
This is interesting on two counts.
- That he could see himself as being someone like a Benedict Arnold that betrayed the United States to a foreign power is frightening.
- He prefers a constitutional monarchy as opposed to an absolute monarchy or a feudal monarchy.
The bloody history of constitutional monarchy.
Now for someone who is promoting a platform of non-resistance to governments, stability, and obeying authority it is puzzling his choice of constitutional monarchy.
Constitutional monarchy actually came about by the awaam (the masses) rising up, revolts and revolutions. The people who were being oppressed by absolute monarchies demanded to be treated better. They demanded more rights and not to be stepped on.
The point here is that this ideal form of government that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf is in love with was born from revolutions, violent upheaval, and outright rebellions against authority!!!
So having a family with erudite education and upbringing, holding one’s finger up while sipping tea, common language, ethnic group, and often a state religion was not enough to keep people happy.
That should be food for thought for Shaykh Hamza Yusuf and those who romanticize tradition and authority. Basically, people didn’t want to be pissed on by those in authority. It’s not rocket science.
@23:18 “What the British Did to the Irish is horrible, 700 years of terror BUT… at the end of the day the Irish are using Roberts Rules, they have a Parliament you have to look at the positives.”
WoW! I mean he makes a great point but the thing that you Shaykh Hamza sycophants and those of you with speckled stars in your eyes every time the man speaks has to realize is that is quite a revealing statement! “700 years of terror but look at the good it brought.“
I mean think about that statement think about it long and hard. Take all the time that you need. Is that a statement of the “ends justify the means”?
Do you understand that groups like ISIS? Al Qaeda and so forth actually advocate exactly that! That is some frightening political discourse from Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
Tyranny and oppression but in the end, it yields fruit! ISIS might as well put that quote on their official web site. “700 years of terror in Syria and Iraq BUT in the end, you get a Khalifate.”
What is that Chinese proverb Shaykh Hamza likes to quote? “May you live in interesting.” May you live in interesting times indeed!
@23:30 he makes another interesting point. He likes stability and he likes the idea of a family that transcends time.
In other words, it’s not entirely outrageous what’s going on inside Shaykh Hamza Yusuf’s brain. Look at the 2nd Democrat debate in the United States of America in 2019 what an absolute circus this is and you might want to agree with Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cX7hni-zGD8
So you have 24 candidates running, they only have 30 seconds to respond to pressing issues like nuclear proliferation, human impact on the environment, immigration, the economy, and the networks encourage them to spar. They talk over each other. It’s an absolute train wreck.
However, as pointed out above people had all those things that Shaykh Hamza talked about in the past. However, two things eventually happened.
- The masses were treated like garbage by the families that ‘transcend time’ or
- Their kingdoms and empires were invaded by other people who had families that ‘transcend time’, and those invaders treated the masses like garbage.
So Shaykh Hamza Yusuf may not be aware but Americans are getting sick of the left/right dichotomy. Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders and Andrew Yang represent support for people who are NOT TRADITIONAL MAINSTREAM because it’s not working.
There is a path forward in the U.S and its representative Democracy. We are a Republic. In the case of the United States, we can have debates held by non-profit organizations. We can have focused discussions that allocate more time to the speakers. We can have all candidates swear off super packs. This would be a great start for anyone who is sincere in changing the political landscape of the United States.
This again brings us to another point Shaykh Hamza Yusuf made elsewhere that rulers with money cannot be bribed. What?! You mean to tell us Shaykh Hamza that people who have 40 different sports cars don’t have a desire to have more? Really? Kingdoms and Emperors and Monarchs didn’t order the invasion of other lands for resources and wealth and slaves? Really?
These people are just completely satiated? Shaykh Hamza Yusuf I love you my guy but c’mon! You know better! Deep down in your heart, you know better than to say things like this!
@23:58 comes another interesting admission from Shaykh Hamza Yusuf.
“I don’t think the Prophet (saw) established a form of government. I think he established a government. I don’t think he established a fixed form of government. I think that’s left for the people themselves to decide for themselves how they want to be ruled.”
Now at this point, I honestly thought I was in another dimension listening to another Shaykh Hamza Yusuf from another dimension, another reality perhaps.
Did Shaykh Hamza Yusuf just say….
“I THINK THAT’S LEFT FOR THE PEOPLE THEMSELVES TO DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES HOW THEY WANT TO BE RULED.”
THANK YOU SHAYKH HAMZA! THANK YOU! ALLAHU AKBAR! Solid gold right there folks!
So now will you and your cohorts and colleagues and others please stop calling us common folk “ruffians” and stop calling Democracy ‘mob rule’?
If that’s what we chose for ourselves and that is the destiny some societies carve out for themselves than so be it!
So now Shaykh Hamza Yusuf what if people in Egypt don’t want to be ruled by Sisi?
What if people in Saudi Arabia actually end up not wanting to be ruled by the King?
What if people in Turkey don’t like Ergodan? What if they want a change?
Do we really need 700 years of terror as long as it establishes social cohesion? Who’s expense does it come at?
So we don’t have concerns for the identities and tribal cultures of the people of Papua New Guinea or the Amazon forest?
This hallow vision is an apathetic Islam that rings as hollow and void for me as those who call only for a legalistic understanding of the religion. May Allah (swt) help us!
@25:00 Shaykh Hamza Yusuf also quotes Abdulmalik Ibn Marwan “Government is a tree that must be watered with blood.”
So does Shaykh Hamza Yusuf not realize that oppressed people who are desperate and have no armies to defend them have. People, who have nothing more than a toothless U.N do they not have the right to that same sentiment? “Government is a tree that must be watered with blood.”
Some times one’s very existence is a tree that must be watered with blood! May Allah (swt) support you people of Palestine!
SHAYKH HAMAZ YUSUF JUST 2 DECADES AGO (26 YEARS AGO) THE FRUIT OF “TRADITIONAL” ISLAM
(A note on the video above I have the video upon request in case it gets scrubbed from the internet).
Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson) Adviser to former CIA director Mike Pompeo was asked about his feelings towards the United States.
@1:20 he was asked: Is Islam a threat to the United States?
Answer: “As far as a threat goes? Absolutely! I believe that we (Muslims) are a threat. I do believe that. If your Islam is not a threat something is wrong with your Islam. If you don’t believe that read the Qur’an because everywhere the Prophets (Anbiyya) went they were persecuted. Why? Because they threaten the existing social structure.” -Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson) Adviser to Mike Pompeo.
@1:40 “America is not beloved as far as I’m concerned. I think this is one of the most treacherous countries that ever existed” -Hamza Yusuf (Mark Hanson) Adviser to Mike Pompeo
The interesting thing is that there is this echo chamber in some halls of power that views the Ikhwan Ul Muslimeen (Muslim Brotherhood) and any Muslim group that would like to see Muslims have political and economic power as threats.
Yet, “traditional Islam” aka Sufism, allegiance to a Shaykh is non-threatening and the “real” Islam.
Yet, is it not interesting that Shaykh Hamza Yusuf had these types of views and perspectives and his Islam was watered in the deserts of Mauritania via the very “traditional Islam” that they are telling decision-makers and policymakers is the peaceful, multi-cultural, non-violent Islam!
Shaykh Hamza Yusuf wasn’t taught by Salafis. Look how radical he is here (by the standards of today). So keep this in mind. Radical is to speak out against the establishment. Regardless of your beliefs.
Radical used to mean people who strap bombs to their chest, advocate armed rebellion and hijack planes. Now the definition is being expanded to include those who speak out against the system, advocate for reform and change, want democratically elections in certain regions of the world, which to choose if they want to boycott Israeli products or not, or who advocate for the people of Palestine.
So the Shaykh Hamza Yusuf who has said:
“That he could see himself as a loyalist serving a foreign power against those seeking to undermind the U.S as a Republic”
and the Shaykh Hamza Yusuf who has said that,
“America isn’t beloved to him and it’s one of the most treacherous countries that ever existed.”
and that
“Democracy is mob rule”
is now the guy Mike Pompeo (a Zionist) appoints to advise him on human rights in the Middle East! Eye-opening indeed!
“700 years of terror but hey you get stability.”
“And when it is said unto them: Make not mischief in the earth, they say: We are peacemakers only. Are not they indeed the mischief-makers? But they perceive not.” (Qur’an 2:11-12)
What an interesting pair of verses from the revelation of the Lord Most High!
That there are people who perceive themselves as agents of peace but they actually are making mischief and worse of all is that there is a veil over them that they do not perceive this! May Allah (swt) safeguard us!
May Allah (swt) bless, guide, and protect Sheikhna bin Bayyah, Zeeshan Zafar, Hamza Yusuf, and all our Muslim brothers and sisters involved with the Rand Corporation, The Council on Foreign Relations, NGOs and government think tanks. If any of them have been threatened by people in power may Allah (swt) place them and their families in safety.
If however, they have not been threatened by any government or institution or coerced by people who have geopolitical designs on other nations and peoples than may Allah (swt) also continue to bless, guide and protect Sheikhna bin Bayyah, Zeeshan Zafar, Hamza Yusuf and all our Muslim brother and sisters involved with making the world a safer place for all of us. Give them insight into building bridges between peoples and give them strength and wisdom to help make the world a safer better place for all of us.
With Allah (swt) is a success!
Prima Quran 