“And (He desires) that you should complete the number and that you should exalt the greatness of Allah for His having guided you and that you may give thanks” (Qur’an 2:185)
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Eid Mubarak! May this blessed occasion fill your heart with joy, your home with warmth, and your life with countless blessings. May Allah grant you peace, love, and unity in the company of family and friends. Please forgive our many short comings and faults. While we celebrate let us not forget those who can’t due to war and oppression. Let us not forget the converts, often alone and isolated.
May this be a very blessed and joyous Eid for all of you!
“O you who have believed, whoever of you should revert from his religion – Allah will bring forth [in place of them] a people He will love and who will love Him [who are] humble toward the believers, powerful against the disbelievers; they strive in the cause of Allah and do not fear the blame of a critic. That is the favor of Allah ; He bestows it upon whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (Qur’an 5:54)
“And thus We set some wrongdoers on some others because of what they used to commit” (Qur’an 6:129)
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Seeing Sunni-Shi’i sectarian /political point scoring over Palestine is actually kind of sick and disturbing.
We wanted to be happy about the Houthis than we realized. Wait a minute. Palestine has been suffering even before Oct 7th.
Why the rocket attacks now?
Do those attacks really benefit Palestine as much as they help Iran? Does it really present some united front for Palestine as much as it helps Iran send a message to the United States?
When will Iran/Turkey send troops to help Palestine? Well, you see there is a conflict going on between Turkey/Azerbaijan on one side and Armenia/Iran are going to need those troops for when it turns into a hot war between the two.
We have Shi’i majority Iran who are allied with Christian majority Armenia and Christian majority Russia against their own brothers, Shi’i Azerbaijan.
Then we have Shi’a Azerbaijan, which directly gives oil to the Zionists.
Every time there is a flare-up against Iran, look at who shows up. Surprise! Hezbollah!
Iran needs that proxy militia for when the real geopolitical conflict comes between Iran/Saudi or Saudi/US/Zionist.
Can’t be spending those soldiers’ lives on the freedom of Palestine now, can we?
Hezbollah really ruined their image by allying with Bashar Al Assad.
To be fair, that whole situation was murky.
You had the al Nusra Front, which claimed to have split from Al-Qaeda. You had ISIS. You had Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS)-led coalition—formerly Al Nusra Front, and the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) and the U.S. backed Kurdish-dominated Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
This does not at all justify the culpability of the Iranian government and Hezbollah for the crimes committed against the Sunni in that nation anymore than it justifies the culpability of Qatar or U.A.E. or Saudi Arabia in any support they gave towards Sunni extremists and the crimes committed towards the Shi’i there.
Let us not forget about Sudan, where we have Saudi Arabia, who supports the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, while the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the primary patron and supporter of the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“O believers! Take neither Jews nor Christians as guardians-they are guardians of each other. Whoever does so will be counted as one of them. Surely Allah does not guide the wrongdoing people. (Qur’an 5:51).
We cannot quote the above ayat when it is convenient to do so against Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain and then forget the ayat the moment Iran sides with Christian Armenia against Shi’i majority Azerbaijan or seeks aid from Christian majority Russia.
If we are honest and consistent, there is probably no Muslim country that has not violated the above ayat in some shape or form.
What can we do?
First and foremost, pray! We make du’a for the Ummah. Especially in Ramadan.
Take every country that has a Muslim majority and target where they can assist and help the oppressed and where they can harm and hurt the oppressors.
We could start with places like the Sunni majority United Arab Emirates, and the Sunni majority Saudi Arabia asking them to not recognize the rogue terrorist state. To mention from the minbar and during the Friday prayers the suffering of our brothers and sisters. We can ask the Shi’i majority Azerbaijan not to supply oil to the Zionists.
Point scoring and sectarian point scoring at this time is no bueno.
Who do we support in the ongoing clashes between the Shi’i in Iraq? (Sadrist -Khomeinist)
After the 2003 US-led invasion, the Sadrist Mahdi Army and Iran-backed militias like the Badr Brigades were ostensibly allied. However, tensions over Iran’s growing influence erupted into open fighting. A key moment was the August 2007 clashes in Karbala, where fighting between the Mahdi Army and Badr Brigades killed 50 Shia pilgrims.
Escalation and Fragmentation: By 2006, factions that were more loyal to Iran than to Sadr, such as Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), broke away from the Mahdi Army . These “Special Groups” continued to fight, targeting both US forces and Sadrists, solidifying the split between the nationalist and pro-Iran camps.
Recent Confrontations: The rivalry remains a central feature of Iraqi politics. In August 2022, following Sadr’s electoral success, huge battles broke out in Baghdad between the Sadrists and Iran-backed militias, shutting down the headquarters of AAH and Badr in several areas. Clashes continued into September 2022 in Basra. As recently as April 2023, Iraqi forces had to intervene to prevent all-out fighting between the sides in Baghdad.
Even more recently, with the assassination of Khamenei, the Grand Ayatollah Sistani, himself represented by his office, and the broader religious establishment in Najaf, expressed condolences but did not issue a call for holy war or urge Iraqis to fight for Iran. Their focus remains on the interests of Iraq and preventing their country from becoming a battleground.
What can you do for Palestine?
Continue to do whatever you are doing now.
Do not vote for politicians that have strong pro-Zionist stances. Continue to raise awareness. Continue to boycott products that support the Zionists. Continue to attend protests and pro-awareness demonstrations. By any means that you can send support (that is when they allow it to get through). Continue to write to the heads of state in the Middle East, as a citizen and voice your anger and frustration at what is happening. Put pressure on all Muslim majority countries not to support the Zionist entity with economic trade and/or recognition at all.
Remember Islam is NOT an anti-semetic religion. We do not hate Jewish people.
“O believers! Stand firm for Allah and bear true testimony. Do not let the hatred of a people lead you to injustice. Be just! That is closer to righteousness. And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah is All-Aware of what you do.” (Qur’an 5:8)
“And thus We set some wrongdoers on some others because of what they used to commit” (Qur’an 6:129)
This verse can be used against ANYONE in the Middle East involved in doing injustice. Allah (swt) uses some zalim to punish other zalim.
Remember the Shi’i in Iran and throughout the Middle East are extremely vulnerable. They are in a state of major shock.
They lost the Yamani and the Khorasani while waiting for the Sufyani. They are in a state of shock. Many are feeling disillusioned, and so we should have empathy for them.
Likewise, many Sunnis feel very disillusioned with their own leadership. This could be the beginning of something wonderful for the Muslim Ummah.
Don’t get behind countries. As if there are good guys and bad guys. Ask Allah (swt) to support the Muslims wherever they may be. Ask Allah (swt) to support the believers wherever they may be.
“Surely, Allah does not change the condition of a people unless they change themselves. When Allah intends evil for a people, there is no way to turn it back, and for them there is no patron other than Him.” (Qur’an 13:11)
Whenever Allah (swt) opens any ideas or means to support them insh’Allah pursue that avenue as well! Above all else, remember them, remember the Rohingya, the Uigurs, the people of Congo and all oppressed people on this Earth. Remember them in your prayers and especially in Ramadan.
“Beware of a trial that will not only affect the wrongdoers among you. And know that Allah is severe in punishment.” (Qur’an 8:25)
“O you who believe! If a wicked person comes to you with any news, verify it, lest you harm people in ignorance and afterwards regret what you have done.” (Qur’an 49:6)
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A recently started YouTube Channel called: Make Hijrah (which otherwise seemingly had good objectives) looks to promote sectarian strife in Muslim countries.
Now, in fairness and because Allah (swt) calls us to be just and to do justice there was an excellent interview here:
Also, to all Omani brothers reading this please note that the brother above, (brother Mustafa) has absolutely nothing to do with the sectarianism that the Make Hijrah channel promotes.
Also, I do want to bring attention to a Sunni Muslim brother that has an excellent website about moving to Muscat.
He is absolutely worth it to follow on X (Elon’s echo-chamber)
His X account is: https://x.com/movetomuscat and he has a website here: https://movetomuscat.com/ His name is Anwar. He has shown nothing but respect and love to Oman and the Omani people and I have only ever seen him speak respectfully about Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili (h).
Please follow the brother below. Anwar@Move to Muscat. He is a respectful person and respects Oman’s diversity.
Dear readers by Allah (swt) in whose power is my life, there was an Omani brother that was going to do an interview with Make Hijrah YouTube channel about coming to Oman and living in Oman. However, this Make Hijrah channel flat out asked the brother, ‘Are you Ibadi’ to which he replied ‘yes’ and that was an issue for them!
What does being an Ibadi have to do with an interview about people coming to live in Oman?
So, instead the Make Hijra channel decided to make this blunder of a video:
So the title has: “Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.” And most likely Jr. (the one on the left) chose the thumbnail of someone in prayer standing with their arms at the side. Once again the Salafis showcase their deficiency in fiqh and over all ignorance of the Sunnah of the Blessed Messenger (saw).
These are not the 90s. These must be the only Salafis I have encountered that didn’t the memo that they were so thoroughly refuted on the issue of hand placement in prayer that one must have been living in an isolated village in Papua New Guinea that didn’t get the memo.
Listen to Shaykh Assim Al Hakeem explain here:
@ 1:51 “These are fiqhi differences, whether you put your hand here (on the chest) you put your hand here (below the navel)you don’t put your hands at all in salat.“
You would expect with a title like: “Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.” that these individuals might speak about hidden cost of living, or maybe there is bribery in the country, or perhaps there is a red light district that people do not know about. Maybe there is human trafficking going on.
Or maybe they had something controversial like Avicii’s death in Oman was not truly a suicide. They could have brought anything, but noooo, they had to focus on sectarianism.
Here it is:
“Is There a DARK SIDE to Moving to Oman.”
Jr speaks @3:15 “It then spread in Oman following the remnants of the Khawarijduring the Umayyad period.”
Senior speaks @3:20 “If you really want to know if the Ibadi are from the Khawarijor not it would require examining their statements from their original sources approved books and the words of their contemporary scholars. This is not for the average person. For common people and beginner students it’d be better to consult a person of knowledge you trust on this issue.”
Senior @4:24 “If you decided you want to move to Oman you can completely avoid that issueby just going to the south of the country and living among the Sunnis and in the Sunni cities.”
Jr speaks up @14:02 “Not one dude on the corner of the road praying like with his (out/down?)” This solicits laughter from Senior.
Jr. chimes in again @14:11 “It just wasn’t there like regular joint.”
So really the question for Jr. and Senior is as follows:
What is the issue in praying with the Ibadi or even behind an Ibadi Imam?
Let us say for the sake of argument that Ibadi are Khawarij or their descendants. Are Jr. and Senior more knowledgeable then the companions of the Blessed Prophet (saw)?
They can feel free to consult the sources:
However, from the video it does not seem that Jr. and Senior are fluent in reading and writing Arabic. This means they make Taqlid to the Salafi school and make Taqlid to it’s scholars as they have neither the tools or the means to go to the sources directly.
The translation of the above Arabic text states:
“And what indicates that the Companions did not consider the Khawarij to be disbelievers is that they used to pray behind them. Abdullah ibn Umar -RA- and others[companions] used to pray behind Najda al-Haruri. They also used to engage in debates with them, as the Muslim would debate with a Muslim, as Abdullah ibn Abbas debated with Najda al-Haruri when he was sent to him to ask about certain issues, and his hadith is in Al-Bukhari. Likewise, Nafi’ ibn Al-Azraq debated on famous issues. Nafi’ used to debate on matters in the Quran, as any two Muslims would debate among themselves”
Source: (The Path of the Prophetic Sunnah-In Refutation of the Shiite Qadariyyah Doctrine By Ibn Taymiyya Abu Al Abbas Taqi al Din Ahmad ibn Abd al-Halim.-Edited by Dr. Muhammed Rashad Salim Volume 5)
2. They (Jr & Senior mentioned that after eating camel meat the topic switched to jurisprudence (fiqh). So that is fiqh what about aqidah which to Salafis is the number one issue.
So my question for Jr & Senior is on what consistent basis can one pray behind an Ash’ari Shafi’i (whom they believe are deviant in aqidah but not pray behind an Ibadi) ???
Unless of course when they (Jr & Senior) say Sunni what they really mean is: “Their Salafi sect.”
So this should certainly alarm the Sunni Muslims in Oman (and indeed it has from the comments) because that means that ultimately these people would not just separate from the Ibadi but from the dominant Sunni Muslims as well!
Unfortunately all the Make Hijrah did was get the attention of the Omani government and immigration to look closer at their channel and scrutinized their intentions.
I would encourage the readers to listen to the interview between two Omanis, Sunni & Ibadi who speak about the video. Oman FM is listened all across Oman.
Listen to Religious Tolerance & Islamic Values – Shaykh Hatim Al Abdissalaam by Oman FM (English) on #SoundCloud
The only part where I would personally disagree with brother Shaykh Hatim on is where he said that in Oman they do not speak of these things or discuss them. Everyone’s upbringing is different in Oman. What Shaykh Hatim experiences is not the experience of another Omani.
What Shaykh Hatim may be speaking to is his own experience growing up and/or his own household and their particular priorities, and outlook.
There are Omani youth, 14 years of age that are very well acquainted with the conflicts that arose among the companions, and the history of the Ibadi school. This is widely discussed -because it is a right of a people to not be ignorant nor blur about their history.
That being said, they are also taught by the Mufti, May Allah (swt) continue to bless us by him, that we as Muslims need to live together in tolerance and respect for each other. This is certainly instilled in them as well.
In Oman all Muslims live together and they do not want the ghettoization of their country! So for those who want to come and live in Oman, you have something to contribute and you can live there in peace and coexistence Oman will welcome you with open arms.
However, anyone who wants to go to Oman and spread fitna or sectarianism and has that mindset, Oman does not want you, Oman certainly does not need you and the people of Oman are free from you nor are you welcomed!
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an 16:125)
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Al hamdulliah, our brother and esteemed orator Dr. Zakir Naik will be spending his opening days of Ramadan in the Sultanate of Oman.
He will be doing a series of two public talks.
Dr. Zakir Naik has had the good fortunate to have met the Mufti of Oman, Shaykh Ahmed Al Khalili (hafidullah).
May Allah (swt) bless Dr. Zakir Naik and his tour in Oman. It is hoped that people will benefit by his talks and that Allah (swt) will open the hearts for many to come into Islam.
Probably one of the key differences between Ibadi and Sunni is that we truly do believe that Muhammed (saw) is the last and final prophet and the last and final messenger.
The Sunni say this but they have a belief in non sequential messengers. There is a sort of glib or tongue in cheek statement about the Prophet Muhammed (saw) being the last of the Prophets and Messengers and than there is the belief that his body is in Madinah and Jesus (as) is alive in heaven.
For the Ibadi school Jesus (as) is dead. He is not coming back. The Blessed Messenger (saw) is: The mercy to the worlds. It is not quite clear what Sunni’s believe that Jesus 2.0 is going to clear up that the Qur’an hasn’t already made clear.
The diagram above the first two circles represents the view of the Ibadi school. Jesus (as) has come and died. Muhammed (saw) is the last of the prophets, and he is the last of the messengers.
The diagram above the second set of three circles represents the Sunni view. (Though there are a few dissenting voices). So this is what we call non-sequential prophets. But even then, we are not quite sure how that works. How the Blessed Messenger (saw), the Prophet Muhammed (saw), is the last and final prophet and messenger (who has a body in Madinah) and Jesus (as) is alive in heaven, and he is coming back.(saw),
“Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in a way that is best. Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is [rightly] guided.” (Qur’an 16:125)
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Recently our brother Mohamed Hijab had a gentleman on his show from Algeria. This brother had identified as following the Ibadi school. The brother from Algeria mentioned many times that he was not a scholar or someone very learned concerning the school.
Brother, Mohamed Hijab professed not to know much about the Ibadi school yet, subsequent dialogue followed that he (Mohamed Hijab) had some cursory knowledge about some of the school’s theological perspectives.
The brother from Algeria mentioned time and again that his knowledge was so simple, yet, Mohamed Hijab proceeded to to delve into difficult questions.
1:03:12 -A conversation with an Ibadi Muslim.
Al hamdulillah. At least they are not tafkiri and recognized their brother as a Muslim.
Thus, Shaykh Hatim Abdissalam extended a gracious offer for him to learn more about the school from our learned scholars if he was interested. It would go a long way in building bridges among Muslims.
By the way, many of our brothers from the Sunni denomination have been invited to Oman and given a platform by people who are predominately of the Ibadi denomination. The exchange was always respectful and most courteous.
In fact respected Shaykh Mufti Menk spent some time with us in Oman. The very same Shaykh Hatim Abdissalam who extended the offer to Mohamed Hijab is seen in this beautiful and harmonious meeting with Shaykh Mufti Menk.
In fact many Muslims from diverse views among our brothers in the Sunni denomination have been invited to speak in Oman from, Shaykh Mufti Menk, to Shaykh Yusuf Estes, to Shaykh Hamza Yusuf, to Imam Khalid Yasin to Adnan Ibrahim.
Another point is that a very close friend, brother and associate of Mohamed Hijab, our brother Hamza Tzortzis came and spoke in Oman. Maybe he picked up some books for Mohamed Hijab? Mohamed Hijab is an excellent orator and insh’Allah if he would like to come and speak with his brothers in Oman ahlan!
Certainly he believes in the hadith of the Blessed Messenger (saw):
Abu Barza reported that Allah’s Messenger (saw) sent a person to a tribe amongst the tribes of Arabia. They reviled him and beat him. He came to Allah’s Messenger (saw) and narrated to him (the story of atrocities perpetrated upon him by the people of the tribe). Thereupon he (the Holy Prophet) said:
“If you were to come to the people of ‘Uman, they would have neither reviled you nor beaten you.”
Muslims from the Ibadi school have been very active in building schools and watering wells for our brothers and sisters all over East Africa and no one gives them literature saying, “You must be an Ibadi or you are astray.” No!
The Ibadi community in Ghana west Africa is quite large and they get on well there with our brothers from both the Sunni and Shi’a schools.
We should not try to intentionally misrepresent anyone else’s belief, be they Muslim or not Muslim because dishonesty is not honorable. Insh’Allah may Allah (swt) put more mercy, love, peace, respect and understanding between us all. Amin!
“And be not as those who divided and differed among themselves after the clear proofs had come to them” (Qur’an 3:105)
“Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has strayed from His way, and He is most knowing of who is guided” (Qur’an 16:125)
“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you – when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided.” (Qur’an 3:103)
If you want to see more articles that feature brother Mohamed Hijab you maybe interested in the following:
Please forgive our many short comings and faults. While we celebrate let us not forget those who can’t due to war and oppression. Let us not forget the converts, often alone and isolated. 
Prima Quran 