Do They Really Have Islam? Predators in Our Midst
Trigger Warning: This article discusses themes of child sexual abuse and exploitation, amongst other sensitive topics. Reader discretion is advised.
As of late, we have seen an increase in the reporting of sexual abuse, and perverted behaviour from individuals entrusted with religious knowledge. Some with titles such as ‘Imam’, ‘Quran teacher’, ‘Mufti’, and sometimes perhaps even perceived by their communities to be ‘scholars’. I say individuals with titles (rather than referring to them with said titles) as Islamic titles in and of themselves have a sanctity unbefitting of association with such foul and debased people. The actions of these individuals range from severe, predatory criminality – including child sexual abuse, rape, spiritual coercion, and the recording of indecent material (of both adults and children) – to blatant personal hypocrisy involving online sexual exploitation, coercion, extortion, and illicit relationships, including documented cases of adultery with men.
Hanging Our Dirty Laundry Out to Dry
There may be a section of our community who disagree with these crimes being addressed so blatantly. They may feel that doing so is an act of ‘hanging our dirty laundry out to dry’. Unfortunately, it is this very attitude that has thus far prevented us from truly tackling and dealing with this problem; some will have no problem in debating publicly for hours regarding matters of theology or jurisprudence whilst displaying character befitting of street thugs, but when it comes to discussing actual problems that cause generational trauma within our communities, it’s a line considered too far. Due to the age of social media, such cases of abuse are widely available to the public anyway, and when those in positions of responsibility do not address such issues, it simply leads to public feelings of mistrust and disenfranchisement. To say it bluntly, ignoring these issues will not simply make them go away, but it may push people away from Islam.
When such cases of abuse are eventually highlighted and used as a stick to beat the Muslims with by non-Muslim agitators and bigots, the response is often a form of whataboutery: deflecting and highlighting how other communities also have such a problem. This approach is unacceptable, as Muslims we should hold ourselves to a higher standard. We should not be comparing ourselves to those who have no God-given framework to follow, and whom we are responsible for guiding and educating, i.e., non-Muslims.
A Question to Begin
I would like to begin by asking a question: Do the perpetrators of such sexual abuse and perverted behaviour – especially involving children and spiritual coercion – really have any Iman (faith), or are they, simply put, hypocrites? Particularly when they are supposedly learned individuals. Is it possible for someone who has knowledge and submission to Allah in their hearts to carry out such heinous acts of sin and crime? Take the famous narration regarding the signs of hypocrisy; The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, ‘Whoever has the following four (characteristics) will be a pure hypocrite and whoever has one of the following four characteristics will have one characteristic of hypocrisy unless and until he gives it up. Whenever he is entrusted, he betrays. Whenever he speaks, he tells a lie. Whenever he makes a covenant, he proves treacherous. Whenever he quarrels, he behaves in a very imprudent, evil and insulting manner.’ [1].
A variation of this hadith adds: ‘…even if he fasts, prays, and claims to be a Muslim.’. The Prophet ﷺ also said, ‘A fornicator who fornicates is not a believer as long as he commits fornication, and no one who steals is a believer as long as he commits theft, and no one who drinks wine is a believer as long as he drinks it, and repentance may be accepted after that.’ [2].
Yes, an interpretation can be given to show that what is meant is hypocrisy of action, or that which remains of faith is the core and last part, but the narrations unexplained explicitly highlight the fluctuation of faith, and how hypocrisy works; a person can be a hypocrite even though he prays and fasts and claims to be a Muslim! The actions of a perpetrator of child sexual abuse, rape, spiritual coercion, the recording of indecent material, and sexual exploitation are completely and utterly at odds with what it means to be a Muslim, let alone someone who is supposed to be learned, and continual engagement in such actions can only point to a complete lack of true Islam within the heart.
A Case Study of Hypocrisy
Let us apply the hadith of the signs of hypocrisy to a (so-called) Quran teacher who sexually abuses children. Three characteristics in this hadith completely apply simultaneously: betrayal, continuous dishonesty, and treachery (and there is a variation of this hadith which only mentions these three characteristics), perhaps the fourth (imprudent manner when arguing) depends on his general demeanour and character. In order for him to have access to a young child alone, he will lie about the purpose of his access, he will also break promises along the way, and most definitely is in betrayal of various trusts assigned to him: the trust of care for the child, the trust of the sanctity of the Mosque, the various trusts placed on him as a representative of The Quran – the very same Quran he is claiming to teach! When we add the additional variation to this… even if this person prays and gives charity and claims to be a Muslim!!! How can we not consider such a person to be a clear-cut hypocrite? If such a foul and wicked person is not a hypocrite, then what exactly does it mean to be a Muslim? To reiterate, engaging in such behaviour continually, whilst doing so in the garb of Islam, points towards a heart utterly free of Allah’s remembrance or presence.
A recent and horrific example was that of a person considered – at the time – to be a Quran teacher (and in hindsight can be considered anything but) who groomed, in the name of achieving spiritual states, a Muslim and a child into performing sexual acts (whilst recording themselves)! This is outright desecration and degradation of Islam and Iman and is something more befitting of a magician attempting to work with jinn than someone attributed to the Quran. Allah says, ‘… And whoever honours/glorifies the symbols of Allah – indeed, it is from the piety/God-consciousness (taqwa) of the hearts.’ [3].
These individuals show public forms of respect for religious symbols and may even rebuke others who make mistakes in ritual aspects of Islam, whilst they abuse and corrupt them internally, a direct violation of the spirit of this verse and a clear sign of hypocrisy.
Well, it’s Just a Sin Amongst Sins
Some may say, well they have simply committed a major sin, and once they have repented, they should be given another chance or rehabilitated back into the community. To call child abuse, rape, following of perverted sexual desires whilst holding a position of Islam, and grooming merely ‘major sins’ on par with standard transgressions is a fundamental misunderstanding of the framework of Islam.
Isaf and Nai-lah
In fact, the concept of committing sexual acts within a setting of religion, such as in a house of Allah is and was so shocking that it was believed by the Arabs pre-Islam that a man and woman who committed such an act in the Ka’bah were turned to stone! Ibn Ishaq narrates: ‘Abdullah ibn Abi Bakr ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Amr ibn Hazm narrated to me from ‘Amrah, that she said: I heard ‘A’ishah saying: “We used to continually hear that Isāf and Nā’ilah were a man and a woman from Jurhum who committed a sin (fornication) inside the Ka’bah, so Allah, the Mighty and Majestic, transformed them into two stones.” [4]. What then of a person who commits such an act and is ‘learned’, or a person who seeks to gratify his perverted desires in the House of Allah through the exploitation and oppression of others!
Hirabah – Terrorising of The Vulnerable
Consensual sin is a personal human failing, one that is between the person and Allah, and none can escape. Predatory abuse though is a form of ‘Hirabah’: terrorising of the vulnerable and destruction of human rights. Such sins will not simply be pardoned by Allah without the victim’s justice. When such sins are committed by trusted teachers or religious authorities, they become an absolute act of hypocrisy: using the sanctuary of Allah and Islam to commit acts of pure corruption. Allah honours places, people, and even creatures with association to His name throughout The Quran, so what of people who use association to His name and religion for such vile and corrupt acts!?
Allah says, ‘O you who believe! Why do you say what you do not do? Most hateful it is in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.’ [5]. And He says admonishing the children of Israel, ‘Do you preach righteousness to people while forgetting yourselves, even though you recite the Scripture?’ [6]. Allah says about the hypocrites, ‘And when you see them, their appearances please you, and if they speak, you listen to their speech. [They are] as if they were pieces of wood propped up… ’[7].
As a community, we are quick to declare one another hypocrites, innovators, or even non-Muslims due to differences in ‘Aqidah (theology), or even political differences amongst us, yet when it comes to acts of such outright and clear-cut defilement of Islam and everything Islam stands for, we are reluctant to pass such judgement, why?
Defilement of A Believing Soul
If we are shocked and upset by the defilement of our mosques (as we should be), we must realise that in the sight of Allah, the defilement of a human soul is far worse! Abdullah ibn Umar – Allah be pleased with him – reported, ‘I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ performing Tawaf around the Ka’bah and saying: ‘How pure you are and how pure is your fragrance! How great you are and how great is your sanctity! But by the One in Whose Hand is the soul of Muhammad, the sanctity of a believer is greater in the sight of Allah than your sanctity – his wealth, his blood, and that we should think nothing but good of him.’’ [8].
The sanctity of a believer is so great that Allah mentions in The Quran the punishment for murdering one as eternity in hellfire. Allah says, ‘And whoever kills a believer intentionally, their reward will be Hell – where they will stay indefinitely. Allah will be displeased with them, condemn them, and will prepare for them a tremendous punishment.’ [9]. Yes, there may be an explanation of what eternity here means, but the severity of such an act is still very clearly understood and the punishment mentioned explicitly severe. Sexual abuse and molestation are akin to murdering a person in life, perhaps for some, worse. In fact, the trauma of sexual abuse is often multi-generational, impacting not just one person but multiple people from multiple generations. How can we talk publicly of rectifying our affairs and establishing Islam whilst we allow such a detrimental destruction of our community to go unaddressed?
Knowledge Does Not Equate to Taqwa
One of the reasons such debased people can exist within our communities is perhaps the conflation of the amassing of information with the acquisition of Taqwa. Many may assume that the attainment of knowledge itself leads to Taqwa and this could not be further from the truth. Knowledge alone without application remains simply as information gained. Imam Hasan al-Basri famously said, ‘Faith is not attained by wishful thinking or outward display, but it is that which settles deeply in the heart and is proven by actions.’ Knowledge of the limbs (outward acts of worship) i.e., prayer and fasting etc., are a medium of deliverance toward the inner application and development of Taqwa. The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Your worst enemy is your nafs (lower self) which lies between your two sides’ [10]. The Prophet ﷺ also said, ‘The true mujahid is the one who strives against his nafs (lower self)’ [11].
Imam al-Ghazali [12] in his renowned work on spirituality, The Beginning of Guidance, states that ‘the beginning of guidance is the outward form of Taqwa, and its end is its inward reality.’ [13] Meaning the outward acts of ritual worship and obedience to Allah lead to the inner state of Taqwa and so they are the beginning, not the end.
If an individual’s outward actions are defined by predatory abuse, betrayal, and the violation of the sanctities of Allah, then we can only assume they have not even taken the first step toward guidance and their outward acts are merely a facade regardless of how many texts they have memorised or titles they may hold.
In fact, Imam al-Ghazali warns that acquiring Islamic knowledge without establishing Taqwa only increases a person in their distance from Allah and turns them into a deluded hypocrite who uses the religion for self-aggrandisement [14].
Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, in his renowned masterpiece commentary on The Forty Hadiths of Imam an-Nawawi [15], mentions that Imam Ahmad [16] was asked about Ma’ruf al-Karkhi [17], whether he possessed knowledge, Imam Ahmad replied: ‘He (Ma’ruf al-Karkhi) possessed the root and foundation of knowledge: the fear and awe (khashyah) of Allah, the Mighty and Majestic.’ Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali then adds, ‘And this goes back to the saying of some of the righteous predecessors ‘it is sufficient knowledge to fear Allah, and it is sufficient ignorance to be deluded concerning Allah [meaning a person is persistent in sin whilst assuming they will be forgiven]’ [18].
Knowledge in and of itself is not a goal, nor a distinction of piety, it is simply a medium for arriving at God-consciousness (Taqwa) by way of application. The great early scholar and Imam Sufyan al-Thawri [19] highlighted this when he said, ‘Knowledge is sought only so that Allah may be feared and obeyed through it; it is for this reason alone that knowledge has been elevated in virtue. If not for that, it would simply be like any other ordinary thing.’ [20].
With the above in mind, it is important that we as communities do not mistake the acquisition of knowledge for Taqwa and trust. A person may have acquired knowledge, but the reality of his state and affair is with Allah and we must still be vigilant and follow the general boundaries of Allah (such as safeguarding our children and the vulnerable amongst us).
When we begin to revere religious knowledge to the extent that we assume anyone with such knowledge as pious and trustworthy without an understanding of what knowledge when applied looks like, we create dangerous leeway and blind spots within our communities for exploitation and abuse in the guise of Islam.
When an individual uses sacred knowledge to manipulate, groom, abuse, or deceive, they strip it of the very purpose for which Allah elevated it. It is no longer a source of nobility; the knowledge instead becomes nothing more than a tool for corruption and deceit.
Ripples of Abuse and Exploitation
It is important that we understand the consequences of sexual abuse. It may seem obvious to know that sexual abuse and molestation cause severe consequences for the victims and their respective communities, but we can only assume that some are oblivious to the consequences due to the dismissive attitudes shown when the topic of sexual abuse is brought up amongst certain parties. Below are some summarised points regarding the consequences of sexual abuse and exploitation within our communities, and whilst this list is not exhaustive, it provides a wide enough range of information to show how damaging unaddressed abuse and trauma really is.
Impact on Parenting
Clinical research highlights a consequence that directly threatens our long-term community strength: the impact of abuse on parenting, ‘While there is evidence of protective parenting practices by victim-survivors in adulthood, there may also be adverse parenting impacts including difficulties with creating and maintaining boundaries’ [21], meaning the impact of sexual abuse on children becomes generational, impacting not only the child, but the child’s children and possibly grandchildren.
Impact on Social Skills & Personality
Victims may also be severely impacted in their social lives. Bravehearts [22] state, ‘Depending on the relationship and duration of the sexual abuse, subsequent relational trauma could affect their ability to connect with others and themselves. Their personality and behaviour might change markedly from what they were prior to the abuse. The manipulative nature of grooming that many sexual offenders use to get close to their victims can cause ongoing thought distortions, self-identity issues, relational harm and isolation of the child.’ [23].
Mental Health & General Consequences
There is a vast amount of research available online documenting the clear links between sexual abuse and mental health issues, whether depression, anxiety, OCD, or other mental health struggles victims face.
It may be fair to assume that child victims suffer the most, but adult victims suffer an enormous amount too. The National Center for PTSD in America list some of the suffering adults experience due to sexual abuse: depression and major depressive disorder, suicidal thoughts and behaviour, shame and guilt, constant anger, sexual functioning concerns, social difficulties, use of alcohol and other substances, and also physical health difficulties (such as higher risk of disease and chronic illnesses) [24].
We as a community often discuss the use of alcohol and intoxicants and their impermissibility, we may generally discuss mental health issues (but not often enough), and we sometimes discuss concerns regarding communal physical health, but have we stopped to consider that these issues may sometimes be symptoms of a far worse and underlying problem that thus far is being dismissed and ignored? Sexual abuse and molestation?
Spiritual Trauma
Perhaps the most damaging impact on the victims of sexual abuse, when the perpetrator is associated with Islam, is the association of abuse to Islam itself. This leads in extreme cases to apostasy, and deep religious confusion, and at best it leads to deep-seated grief with the Muslim community, and sometimes regarding the Qadr of Allah (divine decree).
It often also leads to interfamilial issues, especially when the victim feels hurt with the lack of response from their family, who are supposed to be their protectors.
The Scars of Covert Perversion & Double Standards
The scars and remnants of physical abuse, whether sexual or violent, eventually become plain for all to see, but the scars of covert perversion and double standards impact in ways that are not always obvious. When a community discovers that a trusted teacher, or community leader was engaged privately in acts and lifestyles contradictory to the position he holds, it leads to the erosion of communal trust, not only for the individual but for the general position he once held. It also leads to the erosion of communal morality and the degradation of standards once assumed to be necessary for practising Islam. Moral boundaries become cheap, and the impact of reminders and words associated with piety become diluted. Communities can become disheartened and begin to question their ability to remain pious. To serve in a position of Islam is a great privilege but also a great risk, it is quite easy to become a preacher of water who drinks, in his private time, wine.
Betrayal of the Flock
The Prophet ﷺ said, ‘There is no servant whom Allah appoints over a flock, and he dies while betraying his flock, except that Allah forbids Paradise for him’ [25]. This hadith shows the collective responsibility of those who have positions of authority within our Masajid and Islamic Institutions. When a person with the title of Imam, Mufti, Sheikh, or Quran teacher abuses a person whether child or adult within an institution of Islam, the blame and sin fall on the perpetrator and all of those who neglected their positions in regard to safeguarding and protecting the members of their community.
A case highlighted, in an independent report into sexual abuse across religious institutions within the UK, was that of a girl abused and raped at a supplementary Islamic School in a Mosque converted from a house. She was subjected to this horrific abuse between the ages of eight and eleven. The report mentions that after disclosing the abuse, it was dismissed and she was labelled a ‘slag’ in her community! [26]. Not only was she subjected to horrific abuse, but she was not given the care and concern she required when she reported it. Negligence in every sense of the word! This is unfortunately not an isolated incident, there are so many such cases where the victim is dismissed, and the perpetrator left unaddressed.
Moving Forward
Moving forward, and in reality, to even use a term such as ‘moving forward’ feels like a betrayal of those who have been subjected to such horrific abuse in the past. How can we move forward without the predators, those hypocrites who abused their positions in Islam, being brought to justice? For now, we can find some solace in the fact that these wicked people will stand in front of Allah and be held accountable, and we ask Allah to show us His justice for the victims in this life before the next. But, to protect our community in the present and going forward, we must learn from the past negligence we have subjected ourselves to and we must put in place various safeguarding measures to begin with. The suggestions here are not conclusive, there is always more that can be done, but it’s a starting point, and before anything else we can remind ourselves to: Follow the general guidelines and boundaries of Islam regarding safeguarding, segregation, upholding responsibility and taking care of trusts!
As Individuals
- Establish Clear Boundaries: We need to teach our children that no individual is free of deficiency, nor are they to be given complete trust and authority. Our children should have a clear understanding of boundaries regarding their bodies and physical space. They must be taught explicitly that if an adult invites them into an isolated, one-on-one space, they should refuse and inform someone they trust immediately even if this takes place in a Masjid, school, or any institution where trust is normally assumed. Women also need to make sure that boundaries are adhered to, regardless of who they may be interacting with, and likewise men who may be in positions of responsibility or authority must adhere to clear boundaries for their own protection and safeguarding.
- Open Dialogue: For us to establish these boundaries with our children and other vulnerable members of our communities – whether women, or vulnerable men – and have them speak openly about any potentially inappropriate behaviour or just general concerns; we need to cultivate an environment where our community members know they will be believed if they speak up. This also requires that a more general open relationship is cultivated with our children, which unfortunately many parents do not have.
For many parents, their connection with their children is more of a formal relationship or perhaps we might even say a transactional one. We as parents and community members must also have open dialogue with any Masjid, school, or institution our children or female family members attend. We should feel confident and comfortable with the safeguarding measures they have in place, and we must ask about them. If we do not feel confident or comfortable then we should try and have this addressed or simply remove our children from attendance, guide our female family members elsewhere, and seek safer alternatives.
- Remove The Attitude of Complete Trust for Those Associated with Knowledge or Islam: This is a sensitive area to manoeuvre, but essentially, we want to strike a balance. We show trust and veneration for the Imams, scholars, teachers of Islam etc., yes, but we do not assume them infallible, nor do we place complete trust in them, especially with vulnerable members of our communities. This is especially important during these times wherein we can generally say that Masajid and Islamic institutions are not taking safeguarding measures as seriously as they should be. Some may have reservations about this being said so blatantly and openly, but anyone who works within the arena of Islam knows this to be true.
The fact that we as a community are not taking safeguarding measures as seriously as we should be points to a clear and utter failure of responsibility in this regard, and quite frankly a betrayal of trust. Perhaps the explanation of being oblivious to the dangers can be given, but it does not justify the failure, nor does it excuse it.
- Do Not Leave Our Children (And the Vulnerable) Unattended with Others: No matter how much we trust a person, when it comes to our children (and the vulnerable) in this day and age, we should not leave them unattended. We have dealt with various cases of individuals sexually abused as children due to trust the perpetrator had been given by the parents of the child. This includes Quran teachers, close family friends, relatives, and figures of status within a community. Our children must always be supervised, and reputable places of learning should be the go-to for any private education. If there are none available to us, we can utilise the online opportunities we have today and we should definitely not be allowing our children to study privately in someone else’s home.
- Recognise Grooming Tactics: It is important that as a community and as individuals we educate ourselves on spiritual coercion (using religious texts, concepts, and status etc., to gain obedience or silence). Take the example of the individual recently found guilty of twenty-one counts of rape and sexual assault alongside child sexual offences against seven women and girls. The Crown Prosecution Service reported that this person: ‘was an imam at a mosque in east London and used his position of trust and authority to get to know the seven victims, three of whom were young teenage girls at the time of offending. All seven were members of the local Muslim community and he persuaded each of them into meeting him at isolated places including flats and quiet hidden locations to prevent harm falling on them according to him. He would then rape or sexually abuse the victims under the premise he would be possessed or disguised as a Jinn (supernatural spirit). The victims felt they had to keep these acts hidden and quiet from families and friends for fear of doing them harm via ‘Black Magic’.’ [27] He used fear of harm based on religious concepts to abuse and silence his victims. Due to his status, believe it or not, even after his conviction there were some who were arguing his case and innocence. As a community, we need to be clear and explicit about what religious grooming looks like, and if we see anything that we suspect to be inappropriate, we call it out, through the right channels (which need to be established by Masajid and institutions!).
As Institutions
- Mandatory Background Checks: All staff, from top to bottom, need to be screened and completely checked. A DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) check should be in place for all, and safeguarding training made mandatory. Safeguarding officers also need to be in place and a clear safeguarding policy read, understood, and signed by all staff must be considered mandatory.
Masajid and Islamic Institutions should not be forgiven if they do not have the above in place and should be considered in betrayal of the trust of responsibility placed on their shoulders. There are too many incidents of Masajid cutting corners, employing individuals without background checks and the due diligence and effort being exerted.
No Rehabilitation: The fact that this needs to be spelled out explicitly may come as a shock to some (and rightly so), but if any individual is convicted of or admits to sexual abuse, molestation, rape, inappropriate sexual conduct, or any other such hideous behaviour, they should not be allowed to step into, let alone work within, a Masjid or Islamic institution for the duration of their remaining life.
Their tawbah (repentance) is with Allah, but in the Dunya they have proven themselves absolutely untrustworthy. Such behaviours are not usually a one-off; they are symptoms of an underlying sickness. As those responsible for the sanctity of the houses of Allah, Islam, and the Muslim communities, we cannot put others at risk due to the potential change that a convicted sick person has made. It does not matter how ‘valuable’ their ‘knowledge’ or potential to educate a community may be, their engagement in such filthy behaviour renders everything else corrupt and insignificant.
They should in fact be placed on a list and their names circled between institutions and those who have community responsibility to ensure they are not provided any platform in the future. If they are given a ‘second chance’ after what has been perceived to be tawbah, then those who have given them this ‘opportunity’ share in the sin of any perverted and sinful crimes this person commits from that point onward. The reality of such individuals within the framework of Islam is that so severe are the crimes they commit in the sight of Allah they would, if convicted, face capital punishment. So how can we justify rehabilitating such debased people? We cannot, and doing so is a failure of Amanah.
- Clear Separation Protocols: As Institutions we need to – as a matter of urgency – ensure that we eliminate isolated, one-on-one unsupervised settings between adults and minors/students. This also includes making sure that there are no isolated unsupervised one-on-one settings within which males and females interact, as this is also contradictory of very clear and agreed upon boundaries established within the framework of Islam. We do not need to go to extremes, but we should also not allow ourselves to become too relaxed and slack.
- Independent Reporting Channels: We must also establish third-party, impartial bodies to handle complaints and conduct investigations. This is a long-term suggestion, but one that we now need to consider for the safety and regulation of our communities.
- Zero-Tolerance & Law Enforcement Reporting: As soon as we are made aware of any genuine forms of sexual abuse, molestation, misconduct, or any other such activity, we must as institutions act in accordance with correct safeguarding measures. We cannot handle severe allegations internally nor can we attempt our own community investigations. Such allegations must be dealt with swiftly and properly. We cannot simply dismiss allegations on the basis of trust or status. And we must have the correct safeguarding and segregational practices in place, not only to protect our communities but also to protect our staff whether Imams, teachers, or admin etc., from false allegations.
Do Not Be Suspicious
It is important to explicitly note, the purpose of this article is not to suggest that we should generally be suspicious of Imams, Quran teachers, or students of knowledge etc., but rather it is a warning and an attempt to confront an issue that has for too long gone unaddressed. Allah explicitly prohibits us from engaging in unqualified suspicion, spying, or gossiping; Allah says, ‘O believers! Avoid many suspicions, ˹for˺ indeed, some suspicions are sinful. And do not spy, nor backbite one another. Would any of you like to eat the flesh of their dead brother? You would despise that! And fear Allah. Surely Allah is ˹the˺ Accepter of Repentance, Most Merciful.’ [28].
With Allah’s permission, we hope and assume that most of the individuals who do hold positions of leadership within our communities are trustworthy, and are trying their best to carry out the responsibilities of their roles in a way pleasing to Allah.May Allah make us of those who correctly carry out the responsibility we have toward our families, the vulnerable, society at large, Islam, and our organisations.
I conclude by repeating the statement of Ibn ‘Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, whilst looking at the Ka’bah one day he said, ‘How great you are and how great is your sanctity! Yet the sanctity of the believer to Allah is greater than yours.’ Whilst we struggle and strive to uphold the tangible rituals and theological sanctity of Allah and Islam, let us not forget the great status of the sanctity of the believer with Allah!
[1] Collected by Bukhari (A collection of prophetic statements authenticated and deemed sound by Imam Muhammad ibn Ismail al-Bukhari, One of the grand scholars and masters of Hadith, 194–256 Hijri)
[2] Collected by Muslim (A collection of prophetic statements authenticated and deemed sound by Imam Muslim ibn al-Ḥajjaj ibn Muslim, One of the grand scholars and masters of Hadith, 206 – 261 Hijri)
[3] Verse 32 of Surat Al-Hajj, The Quran
[4] Famously narrated by Ibn Ishaq and others in their biography collections of The Prophet ﷺ
[5] Verse 02 of Surat As-Saf, The Quran
[6] Verse 44 of Al-Baqarah, The Quran
[7] Verse 04 of Al-Munafiqun, The Quran
[8] Collected by Ibn Majah in his Sunan (Ibn Majah, An Imam and grand scholar of Hadith, Muhammad ibn Yazid Ibn Majah, 209 – 273 Hijri)
[9] Verse 93, Surat An-Nisa, The Quran
[10] Collected by Al-Bayhaqi (a renowned scholar of hadith and Shafi’i jurisprudence, 384 – 458 Hijri) in his as-Sunan al-Kubra. The hadith is considered weak but many of the scholars of Islam deem its meaning to be authentic.
[11] Collected by At-Tirmidhi (A great Imam and scholar of hadith, 209 – 279 Hijri) in his al-Jami’ as-Sahih
[12] Hujjatul Islam, Abu Hamid al-Ghazali – A great scholar of Islam, known as a jurist and a reviver of the Islamic law philosophy and Shafi’i jurisprudence. Also known and renowned for his works on spirituality, with his Magnum Opus Ihya ‘Ulum ad-Din (Revival of The Islamic Sciences) read worldwide by scholars and students of knowledge alike. Born 450 passed away 505 Hijri.
[13] Bidayatul Hidayah (The Beginning of Guidance), Imam al-Ghazali
[14] Bidayatul Hidayah (The Beginning of Guidance), Imam al-Ghazali
[15] Jami‘ al-‘Ulum wal-Hikam, the masterpiece commentary of Imam an-Nawawi’s 40 Hadith by the great Hanbali jurist and scholar Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali, 736 – 795 Hijri.
[16] One of the four Jurist Imams of Islam, also known as The Imam of Ahl-Hadith, 164 – 241 Hijri.
[17] Ma’ruf al-Karkhi, a renowned early ascetic and scholar of Baghdad, highly regarded and often quoted for his spiritual insights and piety. Passed away around 200 Hijri.
[18] Jami‘ al-‘Ulum wa al-Hikam, Ibn Rajab al-Hanbali
[19] Sufyan al-Thawri, a renowned early Imam of hadith, jurist, and general scholar of Islam, 97 – 161 Hijri
[20] Hilyatul Awliya, a major work of spirituality and etiquettes by Abu Nu’aym Ahmad ibn Abdillah al-Isfahani, a renowned ascetic, scholar of Islam, and jurist of the Shafi’i school, 336 – 430 Hijri
[21] https://www.csacentre.org.uk/research-resources/key-messages/impacts-of-child-sexual-abuse/
[22] A leading Australian child protection organisation for the prevention & treatment of child sexual abuse.
[23] https://bravehearts.org.au/about-child-sexual-abuse/what-are-the-effects-of-child-sexual-abuse/
[24] https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/type/sexual_assault_adult.asp#seven
[25] Collected by Bukhari & Muslim
[26] Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), “Child Sexual Abuse in Religious Organisations and Settings,” September 2021. See also: Harriet Sherwood, “Millions of children in religious groups vulnerable to abuse in England and Wales,” The Guardian, 2 Sept 2021.
[27] https://www.cps.gov.uk/cps/news/former-imam-found-guilty-multiple-rapes-and-sexual-assaults
[28] Verse 12 of Surat al-Hujurat, The Quran