Halaqa

Community Leaders and the Deflection of Responsibility

The question is often posed: ‘Why are our community leaders silent on…” and “How come Imams have not spoken out on…”, where ‘community leaders’ is identified as Scholars and Imams. I feel this discourse is often unhealthy, as it:

1. Perpetuates an unrealistic expectation that religious scholars are omnicompetent, able to speak on any given topic,
2. Deflects responsibility from qualified individuals to address these issues

Don’t rely on SuperImams to come and save the day

Imams and Scholars do have a responsibility to address contemporary issues concerning the Muslim community, but only if it falls within their realm of expertise. Outside of that, they may play a more effective role in exercising their knowledge of the Sharia to guide the discussion, rather than lead it.

Sometimes we complain Imams and scholars are asked to advise on topics outside their specialty: mental health, politics, marriage, health, and counselling to name a few. And then we contribute to the same problem by demanding they address such and such an issue. This isn’t to say that Imams and Scholar cannot provide healthy spiritual guidance, but that that is only part (or the beginning) of the overall solution.

To the detriment of the community, it brings minimum benefit when imams and scholars speak out on issues out of communal pressure, rather than to positively contribute to a discussion they are equipped to address. How often have we come across blunders by Imams and Scholars addressing topics they are not sufficiently trained in. For example, scholars and Imam who aren’t familiar with the nuances of the Western legal system should not speak out purely because a certain bill/law contravenes the Sharia. This may more befittingly be the responsibility of the trained lawyer or conscious politician who is cognisant of Muslim belief and practices. Noticeably, some matters are more straightforward than others. One does not need to be trained in political theory or law to recognise the horrendous treatment of Uyghur Muslims and so expecting a scholarly voice on these issues deflects our individual (collective) responsibility.

Relying on Imams could be shirking your own responsibility.

The assumption that being an Imam and Scholar is the only form of community leadership is deserving of questioning. Does this notion deflect the responsibility away from those who may be more equipped to address particular issues? Certainly, to be a community leader one must possess some basic understanding of Islam, but I’m not sure there is a strict rule suggesting that one must be an Imam or Scholar. When we shift the focus away from qualified individuals to imagined community leaders, it naturally results in disappointment and sometimes the consequential absence of any representative voice.

Here’s one example among many. Recently I came across a social media post of a prominent Muslim professional who eloquently spoke out on an injustice committed against a Muslim while at the same time questioning why community leaders had not spoken out. I am not sure who they were expecting, but to me, that professional is the community leader because they have the satisfactory background to articulately respond.

Here arises the valid query of who represents and speaks on behalf of the community - I don’t have a clear answer, nor may one be practical. But on a micro level, one suggestion that is already in place is some avenues could be that mosques or community organisations form outreach teams, giving platforms to articulate and educated spokesmen and women. We have many of these talents, just look on your newsfeed or facebook forums.

So, who is a community leader?
The Muslim academic, the politician, the psychologist, the humanitarian aid worker, the journalist, the lawyer, the activist, the math teacher, the football player, accountant etc., who accepts his or her responsibility as a community member and is able to contribute to the relevant issues. Individuals who fall into this category should step forward and work with a mosque or community organisation, instead of waiting for SuperImam to come and save the day. How this happens depends on the context and capacity of the individual. Nor should everyone be expected to have some active form of involvement in a community or organisation. Perhaps the most influential Muslim community leader of 2020 was not a mosque Imam or international scholar, but possibly a UFC fighter with broken English from Dagestan.

Perhaps as a starting point:
1) Imams and Scholars should actively seek out and hear the advice and guidance of Muslim professionals in areas that pertains to the community’s development and concern, especially in areas outside their forte.
2) Muslims regardless of their background but dependant on their personal circumstance should volunteer to step forward and aid community groups or mosque where and how they can.

One should not expect the other to commit if we do not fulfil our share of the responsibility. We are each held individually accountable.

Eid Mubarak to you and your loved ones 🌹

Purpose -

The Arabic letters that make up the word knowledge (عَمَل) hold deep insight behind its purpose and acquisition.

A little shuffle of the letters and we can produce two other words: عَمَل and لَمْع.

The first means action while the latter is illumination. Although the method seems quite arbitrary, this tacitly shows us the ultimate objective behind pursuing sacred knowledge. It must be noted that action is not limited to a physical response and can encompass a cognitive shift, such as in one’s opinions, or understanding of Allah ﷻ. When it comes to illumination, it is not having a radiant aura, but wholeheartedly embracing that it is Allah who is al-Alīm (All-Knowing) and that we are the constant seeker (tālib), seeking His pleasure.

عِلْم -> عَمَل -> لَمْع

Thus, the pursuit of sacred knowledge must lead to action which in turn should produce illumination. If this sequence of change is not occurring within then we must reflect on our intention and sincerity.

Bismillah - In Allah's name we begin

Halaqa: a space to share, discuss, and develop knowledge on topics pertaining to Islam and Muslims.

Traditionally, halaqas played a pivotal role in the production and dissemination of Islamic scholarship. This page is a small attempt to continue that tradition on a virtual platform.

About the author -

The author is a student of Islamic Studies and since 2010 has primarily studied the Islamic sciences with prominent scholars in Turkey, Jordan, and the UK. He is set to commence graduate research at the University of Oxford.