“O you who have believed, do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies. They are allies of one another. And whoever is an ally to them among you – then indeed, he is of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.” (Qur’an 5:51)
Islamic apologists in the U.S. routinely scoff when this verse is quoted, and claim that it applies only to specific circumstances of the seventh century. So then why is Younus Kathrada quoting it as if it were applicable today? Will these apologists take him aside and correct his misunderstanding of Islam?
In a Friday, March 20, 2020 sermon at Muslim Youth of Victoria, Canada, Sheikh Younus Kathrada, asked why Muslims do not take Allah’s commands to distance themselves from sin as seriously as they are taking medical professionals’ guidelines about social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic. He said that Muslims should distance themselves from fornication by lowering their gaze, wearing the hijab, and avoiding events where men and women can mingle freely.
He advised his audience to audit themselves and see if their closest friends are Muslims or non-Muslims, explaining that this matter is more dangerous that the coronavirus or any other plague. Sheikh Kathrada cited verses from the Quran that said that Muslims should not take infidels, Jews, or Christians as allies and that the Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with the Muslims until they follow their religion. He emphasized that non-Muslims are still human beings that should be treated justly and called to Islam, but added that Allah has warned the Muslims regarding what is in the hearts of the non-Muslims.
In addition, Sheikh Kathrada criticized prominent English-speaking Muslim preachers who advise Muslims not to object to gay marriage. This statement may have been a reference to a recent lecture by prominent American scholar Omar Suleiman that was titled “Alliances and Coalition Building.” Sheikh Suleiman had delivered this lecture at the LGBTQ+ Conference that was hosted by the East Plano Islamic Center in Plano, Texas, and he has drawn some criticism from the Muslim community (for one example, see MEMRI TV Clip No. 7878).
Sheikh Kathrada’s lecture was uploaded to Muslim Youth Victoria’s YouTube and Facebook pages. For more from Sheikh Younus Kathrada, see MEMRI TV Clips No. 7534, No. 7098, No. 6950, and No. 6906, as well as MEMRI Special Dispatches No. 8318 and No. 7851.
Sheikh Younus Kathrada: “We are serious about this virus. We are not taking lightly all of these recommendations from the professionals, and all of these orders, and all of these prohibitions.
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“Of those things that they have recommended is social distancing.
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“When Allah orders us to stay away – to distance ourselves – from sins, then why don’t we listen?
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“Where are we from the words of Allah when He said to not approach or come near fornication or adultery.
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“Distance yourselves from those things that will lead to this horrible crime.
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“Distance yourselves from not lowering your gaze, so lower your gaze. Distance yourselves from not wearing hijab – wear the hijab. Distance yourselves from those free intermingling gatherings that have no guidelines or restrictions that you follow.
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“Look to see who your close friends are.
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“Are they Muslims or non-Muslims?
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“Ask yourself about your children. Who are their closest friends? Who are the people they want to be with? Are they the Muslims or the non-Muslims?
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“I swear by Allah that these types of things are more dangerous than the coronavirus or any other plague or virus.
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“[The Quran says:] ‘Do not take the infidels as allies.’
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“[It also says:] ‘Do not take the Jews and the Christians as allies – they are, in fact, allies of one another, and whoever is an ally to them among you, then indeed he is one of them. Indeed, Allah guides not the wrongdoing people.’ And here again… I’m not saying to you that these non-Muslims are not human. They are human beings!
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“And you will never hear me say to you that you should treat them unjustly, that you should treat them badly, or that you should kill them wherever you find them.
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“Treat them well. Be kind towards them. Call them towards Islam. Show them what Islam is.
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“Don’t take them as allies. Don’t take them as your close friends. Don’t depend on them. Don’t aid and assist them against the Muslims. Don’t think they are there to help you. In the end, believe me… Allah knows. He created them. He is telling us what is in their hearts.
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“[The Quran says:] ‘The Jews and the Christians will never be pleased with you, until such time that you start following their religion – their way.’
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“In many of the Western countries, what do we have? We have these laws that are passed that allow gay marriage, so a man can marry a man and a woman can marry a woman. Then we have among us some of the most popular English-speaking preachers – some call them scholars – and they are telling us: ‘Don’t object to this. It is their right, let them be.’
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“We need to be aware of this so that we can carry out that obligation of ours, which is enjoining good and forbidding evil – advising one another, speaking up, enjoining good, forbidding evil, of course all within the guidelines laid down for us in our shari’a.”
