Is THEM Guilty of Shirk? - Dr. Wesley Muhammad
Is THEM Guilty of Shirk? - Dr. Wesley Muhammad
Is THEM Guilty of Shirk? - Dr. Wesley Muhammad
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understanding <strong>Is</strong>lam because the Prophet pointed it out." He quotes the following hadith as<br />
support for this view:<br />
"Zayd b. Aslam related that the Prophet (s) saw a vision and told his companions about it. He<br />
said: "I saw a group <strong>of</strong> black sheep and a group <strong>of</strong> white sheep then mixed with them [until the<br />
white sheep became so numerous that the black sheep could no longer be seen in the herd <strong>of</strong><br />
sheep.] I interpreted it to mean that [the black sheep are the Arabs. They will accept <strong>Is</strong>lam and<br />
become many. As for the white sheep, they are the non-Arabs (i.e. Persians, Turks, Byzantines,<br />
ect.)] They will enter <strong>Is</strong>lam and then share with you your wealth and your genealogy [and<br />
become so numerous that the Arabs will not be noticed amongst them.]" The Companions<br />
became surprised by what he (s) said. Then one said, "The non-Arab Persians will enter our<br />
land, O' Messenger <strong>of</strong> Allah?!" The Prophet (s) then said, "Yes. By He Who Has my soul in His<br />
Hand, if the religion was hanging on the distant star, men from the non-Arab Persians would<br />
reach it and the luckiest <strong>of</strong> them would be the people <strong>of</strong> Faris."<br />
<strong>Dr</strong>. <strong>Wesley</strong> continues:<br />
"I have demonstrated that these 'Black sheep' who are the original recipients <strong>of</strong> the message <strong>of</strong><br />
<strong>Is</strong>lam are the Black Arabs and they and their <strong>Is</strong>lam are best represented by Ahmad ibn Hanbal.<br />
I further demonstrated that the White sheep and their re-interpretation <strong>of</strong> <strong>Is</strong>lam are best<br />
represented by the Persian Hujjat al-<strong>Is</strong>lam al-Ghazzali." (Response to Mubaashir Part 1)<br />
BLACK SHEEP/WHITE SHEEP HADITH<br />
Upon reading this hadith, I see no reason to interpret the black/white reference as a racial reference, nor<br />
does it hint that this influx <strong>of</strong> non-Arabs to Al-<strong>Is</strong>lam would crowd out "true" <strong>Is</strong>lam or the "true" concept <strong>of</strong><br />
Allah held by the Arabs. To me, according to this report, Prophet <strong>Muhammad</strong> simply uses the<br />
black/white sheep reference as a metaphor for a time when non-Arabs <strong>of</strong> other ethnicities will enter <strong>Is</strong>lam<br />
in crowds and outnumber the Arabs. This is not a bad thing, this is a good thing. Sura 110 tells us that<br />
when we see the people coming to the Deen in crowds glorify and celebrate the praises <strong>of</strong> our Rabb. The<br />
hadith says that they will "accept <strong>Is</strong>lam and become many."<br />
If we accept this hadith, it indicates that Prophet <strong>Muhammad</strong> envisioned many people from all over the<br />
world becoming Muslims, but it doesn't prove <strong>Dr</strong>. <strong>Wesley</strong>'s contention that the prophet predicted a white<br />
takeover and corruption <strong>of</strong> Al-<strong>Is</strong>lam.<br />
I think it also lends support to the notion that prophet <strong>Muhammad</strong> spoke in metaphors to better<br />
communicate to the unlearned Arabs who were fresh out <strong>of</strong> Jahiliyyah. Surely, Arabia was an agrarian<br />
society and the prophet himself was a sheep herder. All <strong>of</strong> the people he was speaking to would be familiar<br />
with the fact that there are more white sheep than black sheep. They would readily understand how a<br />
small number <strong>of</strong> black sheep would be hidden in the midst <strong>of</strong> a multitude <strong>of</strong> white sheep. In addition to<br />
the black sheep metaphor, the prophet concludes this hadith with another metaphor when he says,<br />
"By He Who Has my soul in His Hand, if the religion was hanging on the distant star, men from the non-<br />
Arab Persians would reach it (meaning reach that distant star)."<br />
When considering <strong>Dr</strong>. <strong>Wesley</strong>'s reading <strong>of</strong> this hadith compared to the possible alternative reading I have<br />
just provided, I am not convinced that the prophet was alluding to a racial problem or a corruption<br />
problem from the anticipated influx <strong>of</strong> the multitudes <strong>of</strong> different people to our religion.<br />
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