Caught Red Handed
by Rami Mahmoud Elsawah
If you have ever known me, then you know that I just don't do certain things; like buying from Starbucks, going to Wal-mart, or buying from Exxon-Mobil.
What then if you saw me; kufi, beard and all carrying a cup of coffee in my hand with that tripped out green logo mermaid woman. Well, this happenned to me the other day. I know what some of you might think...Hypocrite! If you want to read ahead and see my excuse, go ahead, it's pretty funny. Otherwise, just read the hadith below. The moral of the story is that often times we put ourselves in situations which people naturally might perceive you wrongly, even though we are doing nothing wrong,
Sahih Muslim
Book 026, Number 5405:
Safiyya daughter of Huyyay (the wife of Allah's Apostle) reported that while Allah's Messenger (may peace be. upon him) had been observing I'tikaf, I came to visit him one night and talked with him for some time. Then I stood up to go back and he (Allah's Apostle) also stood up with me in order to bid me good-bye. She was at that time residing in the house of Usama b. Zaid. The two persons from the Ansar happened to pass by him. When they saw Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him). they began to walk swiftly, thereupon Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) said to them: Walk calmy, she is Safiyya daughter of Huyyay... Both of them said: Messenger, hallowed be Allah, (we cannot conceive of ab., ug doubtful even in the remotest corners of our minds), whereupon he said: Satan circulates in the body of man like the circulation of blood and I was afraid lest it should instill any evil in your heart or anything. This hadith has been reported on the authority of Safiyya, the wife of Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him), through another chain of transmitters (and the words) are:" She went to Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) to visit him as he was observing I'tikaf in the mosque during Ramadan. She talked with him for some time and then stood up to go back and Allikh's Apostle (may peace be upon him) stood up in order to bid her good-bye." The rest of the hadith is the same except with the variation of the words that Allah's Apostle (may peace be upon him) said:" Satan penetrates in man like the penetration of blood (in every part of body)."
So here's my excuse:
The other day my company gives out a $5 Starbucks gift certificate card to everyone present in the office. So what am I suppose to do?:
1) If I throw the card away, then Starbucks would have received cash payment from my company for free, having not given up any expenses .
2) If I use the card then I will be using up their assets and at the very least they will be losing the cost of the cup, coffee, and sugar they paid for.
3) Give the card away, but then I might actually be promoting Starbucks.
So I just keep the card on my desk until I can figure out what to do.
Fast forward to one dull and tiring day not long thereafter. My co-worker and I are complaining about terrible office fatigue when I remember the card. "Hey, what about a cup of coffee", I say to him as I think how good an opportunity this would be to rid myself of that green plastic nightmare. So I he goes by himself to get the coffee (I can't show myself as a Muslim walking into a starbucks…what kind of example would I be showing; Besides, I was loaded with work and he had nothing to do).
Later in the day...
I am drinking my evil Iced Coffee and notice that the ones who made it don't even have the wits about them to put enough milk. So as I walk to the office pantry with my coffee, fill it with milk, and then walk back to my desk.
"Ya Sheikh, what is this!?!" I hear from behind me.
A Muslim Bro who was always at the clients and is now in the office sees me with this hypocrisy, knowing nothing about the free card.
"Uh..Uh.. Uh.." I try to blurt out my valid excuse
"Sheikh, how could you?!" he says,
"Let me explain..." I try to explain to him how we got the free card and that If I use it then I will be wasting their assets otherwise they will only get free money with no expenses. But he would hear none of it, how could he with that image stuck in his mind. Okay, maybe he was just busting my chops, but still.
Now, just a few days ago...
Another green plastic nightmare finds it's way into my mailbox... sheesh!
Whats wrong with Starbucks?
If Muslims dont go to starbucks how will we do dawah to the workers in Starbucks? We need to have muslims going to starbucks so we can give the people there dawah. We need to drink the coffee there to show the people we're just like them so that they're not scared of muslims. We need muslim starbucks owners, managers, and workers.
on April 14, 2007 10:02 AMfor da'wah purposes why not open our own coffee shops but call it
Halaal stop
instead of "Starbucks"
I personally don't go to starbucks, well, only once when a muslim sister bought me some tea and I said thanks and drank it because she bought me it.
anyways.
on April 18, 2007 12:46 AMWe're quick to judge, and even quicker to condemn. I believe there was mention by sister Justujo in one of the previous articles/comments on how much benefit of the doubt a Muslim is supposed to give to another fellow muslim for his/her actions.
Unfortunately, given the current state of Muslims, we find many who'll feel better about their faith ONLY if they find other's lacking in theirs (This doesn't reflect the faith of the ppl mentioned in this article btw). It's almost like the day of judgement will have us judged based on a curve now, and not on the law laid down by Allah.
Saima, really like your example. Judgement based on a curve. Subhanallaah.
on April 18, 2007 11:21 PMAsalaam Aleikum Warahmatullah Wabarakatu,
Nice article and good comments like the one about judgement on a scale by Ms. Iqbal.
Expounding on it a little more, couple of things we see around us; one is the effort to make the sins relative, "What I did is not as bad as what you did"
The second is not accepting any culpability by saying "I didnt start with bad intentions". Even if their intentional actions afterwards ended up hurting other people.
It feels good to admit and then ask for forgiveness, from Allah and ofcourse the people you impact by your actions. But for most of us our ego doesnt even let us admit our wrongdoings, when it come to people we impact.
Sorry for going on a wild tangent, just sharing some thoughts that came to my mind.
Saifullah