Thread by @FatimaBarkatula

I’ve detected a troubling fear that many male scholars in the West have when it comes to issues regarding which they should be guiding women and sending a strong message out.

They are actually so afraid of the backlash they’ll get for speaking the truth, that they avoid it...

They are quick to speak their mind when something that is going to make them look good on women’s issues comes up. But when it comes to unpopular truths that need to be said, guidance that needs to be given publicly so that a generation of sisters are not led astray - silence

Being a scholar means that being true to Allah, to the Qur’an and Sunnah and the purpose and greater intent of the shari’ah should be your main concern. Conveying it with wisdom, without twisting it, without worrying too much about the PR value...that is leadership & scholarship

Those who are willing to speak the truth openly are few and far between. That’s not what we want from our scholars. Scholars are meant to be guiding lights, not scared puppies.

Scholars have always been the ones to push society back towards the straight path when it is off track

I’m afraid there needs to be consistency. When speaking about things ppl will like and ppl will dislike. You are heirs of the Prophets.
They disliked Noah and mocked him
They disliked Jesus & tried to kill him
They disliked the Prophet Abraham and Abraham had to leave his land

They disliked the Prophet ﷺ & he had to migrate.

They disliked Imam Ahmed’s stand and he was martyred for it. They said if it wasn’t for Imam Ahmed’s stand, the Sunnah would have been lost because other scholars acquiesced at least outwardly.

..No one remembers the other scholars. They remember Imam Ahmed.

Many of the things we need leadership on today are fundamental - aqeedah related...a generation of youth growing up as minorities is confused and adopting the isms and trends of secular philosophies.

Is it easy to speak the truth? No.

But it is courageous & it is your duty.
So when it comes to issues that are controversial - please stop focusing on the things that’ll win you popularity points or make life easier for you or even for Muslims
Instead focus on the bigger picture

What attitude is the ummah straying towards that is dangerous for their akhirah?
What can I tell this sister that is good for her & for society in the long term? Not merely what will please her in the short term.
How can I present it with courage & with wisdom without selling out

Muslims who live as minorities cannot give up the fundamentals of their Deen, one piece at a time -to prevent islamophobia.

If we let go of our Deen, on the DOjudgement we will be asked: what was your situation?
We will say: كنا مستضعفين في الأرض
Do you think that’ll make it ok?

No. We will be told: wasn’t Allah’s earth spacious enough for you to migrate therein?

In other words, there is a line beyond which we have to either struggle to stand by our principles or be willing to move somewhere where we can. Changing our principles isn’t the way forward.