Muslim patrols on Non-Muslim streets

Anas_L

Young Muslim
In the name of Allah:

Salam alaykum,

There has been news and footage of Muslims in the UK ridding the streets of alcoholics and women that are not properly covered. In the footage, they approached men asking them to pour out their beers as they were near our Masjid. The group also approached a woman that had a skirt on showing everything from her knees and below, and asked her to leave the area.

What are your thoughts on this? Is it a valid approach and does the Sunnah approve of this?
 

Mabsoot

Amir
Staff member
wa alaykum salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Muslims should do amr bil ma'ruf wa nahiyanl munkar (enjoining the good and forbidding evil). We call people to all that is good, and tell them to leave off and be away from that which is going to be bad for them or for society. We also have al walaa' wal baraa' (love and hate for Allah's sake). So if we see a wrong, we want to put it right. However, at the same time it's vitally important to have patience and wisdom for each situation. Unless the person has experience in dealing with non-Muslims and being involved in the community, they should not be taking to the streets to make "change". Nor should they be scaring the non-Muslims, who live besides them, are their neighbours and telling them they are in a "Muslim area".

Islam teaches us to interact with "hilm" gentleness, this is the way of the Prophet Muhammad :saw:. He and his companions were not rough and tough with the non-Muslims. They had kindness, respect and were never intimidating. They took a stand only when it was needed to be taken, i.e. when the polytheist Quraish waged war against them. At all other times, the Muslims were the best examples of good character in their society, impacting positively on their families, friends, neighbours and business associates.

I do not think anyone, Muslim or non-Muslim would want people sitting in the street drinking alcohol or being drunk. If it is near a Mosque, any other place of worship or school I am sure people would object and want those people to stop and move elsewhere.

As for them approaching women about their dress, I think it is odd and shameful for grown men to be harassing women. It's obsessive, extreme behaviour and they need to go home. If they really do not like it, then they should move out to another land. What they do is not from the sunnah, nor is it giving a good impression of Islam.

It seems that some Muslims only interact with the non-Muslims when they see something bad. There is nothing to stop them from speaking, smiling being kind at all other times! This is from the sunnah, and it also helps for the non-Muslims to actually see that we do sincerely care for the societies that we are in. It is wholly incorrect for Muslims to settle in the West, and think they are not a part of that society. Of course this does not mean you are going down the pub every evening for a pint with your friends, but it does mean you are courteous and do not shy away from being part of the wider society. Although to be fair, some of the areas that Muslims in the UK largely reside in are poorer neighbourhoods, with high crime rates, but, they can still try their best.

In my neighbourhood, my family is the only Muslim one. My neighbour who passed away, she was elderly and did not become a Muslim, but she said that she would see me walking to school since I was a child and that I was a lovely boy. (She was saying I am a boy, and I am in my 20s when this story happens) She had asked me about Christmas, and I told her I was a Muslim. She did not know much about Islam, but admitted she saw reports on the TV and that there was always violence when Muslims were mentioned. I was able to speak to her about Jesus and Mary etc in fact, I think most people in my street know about Islam now, lol. If we are unable to hold conversations with people in a general way, to make friendships, then we will end up with boundaries and mistrust. My mother would wear the niqab, and she was great friends with the neighbours, in this area where they have never seen Muslims before!!

So, unless there is true oppression, criminal acts or the rights of others are being abused, then our first call if approaching anyone should be to Tawheed. This is the foundation stone of the Deen, and everything else follows from it.

It is reported on the authority of Ibn `Abbas (ra) that Allah's Messenger :saw: said when he sent Mu`aaz (ra) to Yemen: "You are going to a people who are from the People of the Book: So the first thing to which you call them should be the testimony that none has the right to be worshipped except Allah ." - And in another narration: "that they testify to the Oneness of Allah ." - "And if they obey you in that, then inform them that Allah has made compulsory upon them five prayers every day and night. And if they obey you in that, then inform them that Allah has made incumbent upon them a charity (Zakah) which is to be taken from the rich among them and given to their poor. And if they obey you in that then be careful not to take the best of their wealth (as Zakah), and be careful of the supplication of those who have suffered injustice, for there is no obstacle between it and Allah . (Narrated by Bukhari and Muslim)

Shaykh Muhammad Ibn Abdul Wahab said, in Kitab Tawheed:
The Prophet :saw: sent Mu`aaz Ibn Jabal (ra) as his representative to Yemen, and he advised him of what was required of him there, beginning with the call to worship Allah , Alone, without partners, and that if they accepted that then he must inform them of the greatest obligations upon them after Tawheed, which are: prayer and Zakah; and that if they obeyed this, then it is incumbent upon him to maintain justice with them, and not to wrong them or cause suffering to them by taking the best of their property as Zakah, for that would constitute an injustice to them and might provoke them and cause them to invoke Allah upon him - and the invocation of the oppressed and the wronged is never rejected by Allah .

Therefore it is clear with what we should be helping people towards, and not driving them away by further creating misconceptions.
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
Salam alaykum

Sure it is sunna but not sure if it is wise.

In my city is kind of situation. Mosque and halal restaurant and beside it is night club with techno music, striptease dancers and drinks.

o_O

I work there some evenings and heard many times a question: "what? doesn´t you sell beer?"

:hijabi: Sorry pizza only.

:oops: After that some try to hit but there are brothers to put them to the street.
 

Cariad

Junior Member
I agree with Mabsoot that no one wants to see people drunk in the street, it's just horrid to witness such. It is also not nice to see any person woman or man improperly dressed.

That said though, I do not think it is the place of any section of society to go round telling people off because their behaviour does not come up to their ideals. To intimidate or threaten is really out of order and can only make matters worse.

Being scantily clad or drinking is as yet not against the law of the land.. At least within reason, obviously if drunk people are causing a public nuisance then it is a matter for the police, not vigilantes.

Maybe the government should address the problem of drinking in public and anti social behaviour at root level. Why people, mainly young people at that, feel they have to drink themselves into a stupor and what can be done to change their mindset.
 

T_E_S

Junior Member
Probably fake.

Not good in Islam as this is clearly not the way to introduce people to Islam at all.

I think it is fake. I hope it is fake.
 

amyaishazouaoui

Junior Member
If I recall this is something that an extremist group are recorded doing to gain publicity or it is connected with the EDL type of people. Theres another video going around where the EDL tactfully send a woman next to the extreme loonies protest march and record the unpleasant and unislamic comments made to her- making muslims sound like proper crazies.

sadly these videos are quite widespread and people believe them.
 

Hassan

Laa ilaha ilaa Allah
Staff member
Muslim vigilantes jailed for 'sharia law' attacks in London
Three members of 'Muslim Patrol' terrorised couple for holding hands, abused woman over her clothing and attacked drinkers

Three members of a self-styled "Muslim Patrol" vigilante group have been jailed for harassing, intimidating and assaulting people on the streets of east London while claiming they were enforcing sharia law.

Article continues:
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2013/dec/06/muslim-vigilantes-jailed-sharia-law-attacks-london
 

Cariad

Junior Member
I am pleased they have been jailed. They are nothing but bullies. Muslims should also be pleased they have been jailed as they do nothing but harm to your religion of Islam.

What does he mean .. This is a Muslim area.. By whose authority? His own!!! Last time I checked people of the UK were free under the law of the land to walk down whichever street they wished to, that some areas have sadly become no go areas for some people is a sad reflection on a society and some members who don't wish to integrate. Very sad. :(
 

sister herb

Official TTI Chef
I don´t see that kind of behavior would be far from those whose insult muslims on the streets. There is one thing what is common with them: intolerance.

"Kill the non-believers" or "Kill the muslims" - message is same.
 

Cariad

Junior Member
Yes sister herb.. The message is the same... But it is the wrong message. It's up to every person either of faith or regardless of faith to do what they can to end such behaviour. I guess this may mean respecting and acknowledging our diversity and understanding that "different" is not bad or wrong.. Just different. :)
 
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