A Worldwide Open Letter from Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad to the Muslim Protesters and Demonstrators Against the negative film about the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)[1],


                        Al-humdu lillahi Rabbil aalameen wa salaatu wa salaam alaa Rasoolillah, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam wa alaa aali’hi wa sah’bihi wa salaam. amma ba’ad

Assalaamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh, dear beloved Muslims throughout the world. I pray that this message reaches you with open minds, receptive hearts and that Allah guides you and us all to the best of this life and the hereafter. My first advice to you and to myself is to fear Allah and have taqwa, for surely taqwa is the best provision.  [O ye who believe! Fear Allah, and (always) say a word directed to the Right: 33:70]

As Muslims, we all love the Prophet (SAWS) dearly and we hold him very close to our hearts. Loving the Messenger of Allah (SAWS) is a principle of our faith; as our beloved Prophet (SAWS) has said, “None of you (truly) believes, until I am more beloved to him that his son, his father and all other people”. No Muslim wants that the Prophet (SAWS) is vilified, called names, or disparaged, and it distresses us all that people would make fun of the Prophet (SAW) and assail his noble character.

There will always be people who mock the Prophet (SAWS) and who speak ill of our great religion. You should not be surprised by this; [Mocked were (many) apostles before thee: but I granted respite to the unbelievers, and finally I punished them: Then how (terrible) was my punishment! 13:32]  Allah be He Exalted and Glorified, has decreed that people will be different. They will have different beliefs, different cultures, different political views, and different loves and hates.  However, demonstrating in the streets in my view has done nothing to change the negative views in the western world, of our Prophet (SAWS), and of the religion that he has come with. On the contrary, it only embellishes the image that Muslims are a people with very little control of their anger, and a weak moral resolve.  I advise you all to let Allah deal with those who scorn and mock the Prophet (SAWS); He is well Aware of what they say, and Capable of protecting the dignity of His Messenger (SAWS); [O Messenger. proclaim the (message) which hath been sent to thee from thy Lord. If thou didst not, thou wouldst not have fulfilled and proclaimed His mission. And Allah will defend thee from men (who mean mischief). For Allah guideth not those who reject Faith. 5:67]

Dear beloved Muslims of the world; we recognize that many of you have lived under terrible dictators and ruthless leaders in the past and still now in the present, some of you endure under tyranny, greed and corruption. We pray to Allah that He relieve you of the weight of oppression, the burden of poverty, and the melancholy of despair, and that He gives you leaders that will deal with you justly, and grants you the liberty whereas you can pursue what is good and lawful to you.  As your brethren in faith, we remind you that our Lord, be He Exalted and Glorified, will not change the condition of a people until they change the conditions of themselves. [Verily never will Allah change the condition of a people until they change it themselves (with their own souls). 13:11.]

The images that are streaming around the world of Muslims rampaging in the streets, and the reality that accompanies it; burning cars, burning flags, and destroying property, do a disservice to the true cause of Islam, and to the legacy, and dignity of our beloved Prophet (SAWS). Such actions undermine the purpose of life and death; which is to see who is better in deeds. [He Who created Death and Life, that He may try which of you is best in deed: and He is the Exalted in Might, Oft-Forgiving; 67:2]– The Prophet (SAWS) did not sanction such behavior which amounts to a waste of time and energy, and a shameful loss of life, property and honor. Some of your leaders have said that you must show the world your anger and your rage. I am saying to you that you must temper your anger and temper your rage, and direct your energy towards ridding your countries of corruption, Muslim on Muslim killing, and on working towards peace and justice using permissible means. If you follow the guidance of the Prophet in this matter, outsiders will not harm you; [O ye who believe! Guard your own souls: If ye follow (right) guidance, no hurt can come to you from those who stray. the goal of you all is to Allah. it is He that will show you the truth of all that ye do. 5:105]

In the United States, and in other parts of the Western World, there are Muslims who believe in the Prophet of Allah (SAWS) and love him as you do, there are those who do not believe in the Prophet (SAWS) and there are many others who do not know him. Your calls for death to America include those who are believers, and who are people of the book [Jews and Christians] who live here, and others, who have done you no harm. People in the Western World will not change their negative views of Islam, Muslims, and the Prophet (SAWS) because of your shouting, your demonstrations in the streets, and your rampaging. They will not hear your voices; they will only see the shaking of your fists in the air, and the wanton violence and destruction of property, none of which represents the patience and forbearance of the Prophet of Allah, who you claim to defend.

The hearts of men belong to Allah sub’haanahu wa ta’ala; He guides whom He please and He leads astray who He please. However, we advise that you vent your frustration, your pain, and your concern about the defense of the Prophet (SAW) to Allah sub’haanahu wa ta’ala, who hears all supplications whether it is the loud thunderous voices in the streets or the almost silent, hushed voices that cry out in the still of the night. The legacy and dignity of Rasoolillah (SAWS) lives through our actions and is carried on in following his way of tolerance for those who disparage him, and in bringing the light of faith and strong moral foundation to the world. The Prophet (SAWS) is under no threat from any human being; he is safe with Allah sub’haanahu wa ta’ala, and in the best company. Billions of Muslims praise him and send salutations upon him, and his position with Allah is secure. There is nothing that anyone can say, write, or put on film that will ever change that. The rage, the anger and the violence that result from demonstrating in the streets, only threatens to extinguish the true light and guidance of the Prophet (SAWS) who was sent as a mercy to mankind.

Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ibn Abdulkarim Muhammad Ahmad

Imam and Executive Director, Masjid Ibrahim Islamic Center,

Sacramento, California, The United States of America

You may contact Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad @ imamabulaith@yahoo.com.


[1] [May the peace and blessings of God (Allah) be upon him)

6 responses to “A Worldwide Open Letter from Imam Abu Laith Luqman Ahmad to the Muslim Protesters and Demonstrators Against the negative film about the Prophet Muhammad (SAWS)[1],”

  1. As Salaamu Alaikum Imam Luqman! I Pray all is well with you and yours! I’m sure in Paragraph 2 you meant “more beloved” instead of “more believed”. Just paying attention. Love your articles!

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    1. Alaikum salaam wa rahmatullah, I pray you and your family are well. Jazaaka Allahu khairan, I’ve made the correction. I can alway depend on my brothers from Chi-town to keep me on point!

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  2. “Teachers keep on teaching until we reach the higher ground ” Stevie Wonder

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  3. Ahmed Rufai Adams Avatar
    Ahmed Rufai Adams

    Assalamu Alaikum fellow brother of islam,
    I ask the favour and blessings of Allah to be with you and your entire family.
    I’m Ahmed Rufai, a high school student from Ghana-West Africa. I am extremelly glad to read your article. Indeed you’ve spoken as a good muslim who want to differentiate truth from lie. The enemies of islam are preaching a lot of misconceptions about islam and the top one is that muslims are violent and terrorists. And their only obstacle was how to proof it. They then decided to let we proof it for them thereby engaging in those acts. We as muslims, need to remain patient and follow the Quran and Hadith to proof them wrong but on the contrary we are rather using violence to tell them that they are wrong. IS THIS LOGIC? PITY! Already this is what they want, so that they can brush islam with a wrong paint. But, what always give me hope is that islam is neither in the hands of those enemies nor those protesting but rather Allah, therefore they can go to the highest level but can never reach Allah and all their effort wil be in vain.
    I end here asking the blessings of Allah to be upon all those interested in the acquisition of knowledge and moral virtues. Aameeen.

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  4. Mikal Sabir Henderson Avatar
    Mikal Sabir Henderson

    Salaam alaikum wa rahmahtuallah hi barakatu; Imam Luqman, truly the light from the west shineth now even unto the east! The flag and torch has been passed to us. It’s is clear as evidenced by articles such as this.

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  5. Robert Ali.Bogere Avatar
    Robert Ali.Bogere

    I am humbled by this well-meaning article. The warmth in the tone; the courage it must have taken to write and publish it. As a muslim convert, i am quite disappointed in the muslim leadership wherever it is. Everyone seems to be dying to have followers for the sake. Someone stands infront of his followers and instead of teaching them things that will make them better muslims teaches them hatred for other sects, christians, or rambles on about supposed Jewish conspiracies.

    If muslims practiced Islam as it should be, millions would convert (and stay without much prompting). Islam as i understand it is first and foremost about you, the individual. First fight your demons (or self) as it were. It is no use worrying about Palestine or Syria when you are ignorant about Salat/Fasting/Hijja. I guess that is why groups like Daesh/Al Qaeda prefer uninitiated converts to join their causes: because these new converts are like empty vessels into whom anything can stick because they are too eager.

    Instead of us bragging about numbers and how Islam is the fastest growing religion, we should worry more about the quality of muslims we have and we are.

    What good is it to have 1.5 billion when we have the Boko Harams, Al Qaeda, Daesh and such other misguided “muslims” whose sole aim seems to be to soil the name of our wonderful faith?

    We would rather be 1 million muslims who appreciate and practice their faith than 1.5 billion who are clueless about Islam and are easily swayed by the Boko Harams, Al Qaeda, Daesh or other “Jihadists” of this world.

    I think, that like in almost everything else in life, the quality of the muslims we have should matter more than the quantity.

    May God make us understand Islam and may we prosper in this world and in the hereafter.

    God bless you for such honesty!!

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