Follow-up

So I didn't post for a few very important days... not that anything too terribly exciting has happened... but really, I didn't know how to follow up a Sheikh Hamza Yusuf speech.

That one gives me goosebumps.

And I don't just listen to Sheikh Hamza... I listen over and over again. In fact, I think the world could do with a few more Hamza Yusufs. Here is a bona fide Islamic scholar who doesn't look like a savage, nor speaks like a foreigner (not in English, anyway.) It might be nice if people like him made more news than, say, Zarqawi or Ahmadinajad. Why? Because here is somebody who actually represents Islam. There are many American scholars, knowledgeable American converts, or Muslims born in the USA who are familiar with the setting. But more and more so, Americans relate Islam to terrorism, increasingly so. My parents even think that Muslims get secret information about terror plots through some global network. But will they listen to a speech, read a single article from the Muslim's perspective to discover any truth? No.

You know, I don't think most people will admit to "trusting" the media. I asked my mom once, if she believed what the news reporters said about any variety of things, especially political issues. She said of course not. The media is known to be biased, so not to be trusted entirely. So I ask, why then, do you trust the media's assessment of Islam? If you can't trust what they say about the Senate, why can you trust what they say about Islam?

"But why would they lie?"

Isn't it obvious? There are thousands of reasons for lies, and if they lie about some things, how can you trust them on others? And then accuse me of being brainwashed? Please.

The speech below is great... for Muslims, I think even for non-Muslims. Listen, watch, if you haven't already. Religion is straight, and it's our duty to explain Islam to all those people who are getting the wrong idea. Explain in our actions, explain in our words, explain in our manners.

And in all things, remember Allah.