photo by Nick Stanger
by Fateen Seifullah
Every time a Muslim does something wrong, why is it that we need to
apologize. If the perpetrators say that they perform that act in the
name of Muslims, then we say they are lying. If they say that the act
of violence or any human insensitivity is supported by the Quran or the
Sunnah, we should say show me your evidence. Now, each of those cases
are different and no matter how heinous it is, we owe no apology. We
are without a Khalifa, we are without a centralized leadership, so who has
the right to speak for all Muslims.
Sure during the time of our
prophet (saaws) and even during the four Khalifa, one person could
speak for an entire Muslim nation. History has recorded instances
where a solider, not a general made treaties and packs that all the
Muslims accepted. But that was when we had centralized leadership.
Today we are fragmented and polarized and no such authority to my
knowledge exist. So the best thing that we can do is be our very
best. It is our behavior, our conduct, our character that will define
who, and what a Muslim is. As Muhammad Iqbal stated: you may be a
Syed, Mirza, and Afghani but are you a Muslim. Being Muslim is a full
time job, no holiday exemption. If we would only live our creed, it
wont matter what misinformed, mentally off balance Muslims do or say.