“Our hearts are with all who are suffering in California” – Shaykh Jihad Brown-Totten

What I’ve been compelled to convey to my non-Muslim family members out in Southern California:

Our hearts are with all who are suffering tonight in California.

We suffer with you.

There is no excuse for the taking of innocent lives.

Our beautiful and gentle Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is certainly turning in his grave as he witnesses what he declared to be criminal activity.

Among his mandates, “Whoever takes a single life it is as if he has taken the lives of all of humanity”.

Confused and ignorant youth who we are consistently prevented from teaching after the collapse of our classical theological institutions and the rise of reactionary reductionist political ideologies in the vacuum that ensued.

No amount of humiliation and anger at abuses warrants or justifies criminal activity in response to criminal activity.

Religion is a potent and powerful phenomenon with such power to destroy – when abused. But when understood soundly – to heal like no other medicine.

We live in confusing times “that will confuse any gentle man”.

Killing is never an effective answer to killing. Everyone is left blind.

Your Muslim neighbours continue to decry the actions of an angry and confused minority that – for all types of unrelated reasons insist on misrepresenting their faith despite best efforts.

I do however, demand from Muslim community decision-makers that those who are properly qualified in Islamic law and theology be allowed access to teach the modern Muslim public a correct balanced realistic (and grounded) understanding of the religion of Islam.

This lack of professionalism and sustained immaturity in scriptural interpretation must end.

With caring and judiciousness we all as neighbours together can find solidarity healing and brightness in our future.

It is our collective decision to take.

Concerned and hopeful.

~ Shaykh Jihad Brown-Totten

Resources for Seekers:

• Paris Attacks: Response and Responsibility
• What Is the Meaning of the Hadith “Ruined Are the Extremists”?
• ISIS, Sex Slaves and Islam – reflections from Imam Zaid Shakir
• Helping our children find the light in dark times
• The threat to religious guidance
• “Peace is always in the middle, never at the extremes”
• Fatwa Against Terrorism and the Targeting Of Civilians
• Khawarij Ideology, ISIS Savagery
• Humanity before Religiosity
• On War & Beheading: How ISIS Manipulates Hadiths
• This is not the path to paradise, advice from Shaykh Abdullah bin Bayyah
• Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice
• On the mass murder of Coptic Christians by ISIS
• Islam vs. ISIS: A Letter to Baghdadi from Leading Scholars
• Clarity in Crisis: How Believers Look at Trials and How they Respond, Guided by Prophetic Light
• Striking Necks: It Must Be the Kharijites!
• Anger, Restraint, Wisdom and the Prophetic Message in Our Times
• Injustice Cannot Defeat Injustice
• Explaining the Chapel Hill shooting to children
• Six Reasons Why the Fort Hood Killings by Nidal Hasan Are Clearly Impermissible (Haram) in Islamic Law
• Help Us End Extremism and “Ugly Islam”