Debates, Disagreements & Disunity with Dr. Shadee Elmasry

It is not an exaggeration to say that one of the challenges the Muslim community faces is unity. We tend to fall out with one another on spurious grounds, yet communities’ erect mosques around divisions and we are always ready to call one another out. Our public discourse is caustic, we are ready to condemn each other on the flimsiest of reasons.

If we contrast our modern predicament to our history, we find that Muslims had a higher threshold of tolerance towards one another, the tent was big and the ummah flourished. Our vision was lifted above the petty squabbles and differences and we excelled. No doubt the divisions we currently find ourselves In is exacerbated by outside actors that look to sow division and that has been the case for over a century, however, we enable those schisms to open up and fail to appreciate the true meaning of the verse, the believers are all brothers.

This week we speak to a regular guest Dr Shadee Elmasry about division within the Muslim community. I ask him, how does Islam help us to navigate our differences? What makes a valid shari’ opinion? How do we know whether a scholar or commentator is sincere to sources of Islam? What makes a mujtahid and what are the limits of the muqallid (follower)? We discuss the recent trend amongst duat to call out and defame one another.

We also discuss the duty of enjoining maroof and forbid munkar, how does a layman fulfil this duty? What gives the commoner the right to question even scholars on issues and what are the guidelines? How do we forbid wrong while transmitting respect and not exacerbating divisions? We look at the notion ‘only Allah can judge’ and the anger that pervades much of modern social media ‘da’wah’. What does it mean to be smart in conveying Islam? and does being smart sometimes come at the cost of being truthful?

As always, you can comment your thoughts below.

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The Thinking Muslim Podcast Episode 33

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