A Call for Action
1 Feb
Asalam Alaykum wa rahmatullahi, wa barakatu.
Dear sisters – and any brothers out there reading this…I’m writing today because I need your help. My community needs your help. We have the pleasure of having Dr. Reda Bedeir living in our community. This bio is great – and if you’ve ever had the chance to see one of his lectures, you’ll understand what I mean when I say that he brings inspiration and awakens (or reawakens) hearts to Islam. (click here to see some of his lectures on YouTube)
How do I know that he has this great ability to soften hard hearts and move the spirit? He did this for mine. He has a gift, from God, that allows him to deliver the same message that you hear anywhere else, but he somehow manages to stir your soul with his words. May Allah reward him for his efforts.
Unfortunately, for unknown reasons (read that as “politics”), the board of our mosque has sent him a letter asking him to no longer give his lectures. You see, on Wednesdays, Dr. Bedeir would give lectures on tafsir (explanation of the Quran). Hundreds of people would attend. This, in itself is an amazing feat. When someone comes to the mosque to deliver a lecture, the chances of getting 100 people to come are slim. When Dr. Bedeir comes – we run out of room, that’s right, upwards of 300-400. Yet, the board has told him he’s not welcome to come back.
So, dear brothers and sisters in Islam, I’m hoping that those of you in my community, and those of you who have had the pleasure to see/hear Dr. Reda whether it was through a formal study like Al-Maghrib, or through a speech he gave as he passed through your city – I’m asking you to write to my mosque’s board of directors and let them know what a mistake this is – to push someone away who brings people to Islam, brings the community to the mosque, who inspires our youth, who has helped us to create a real sense of Ummah within our community – to let them know that this is wrong. Let our voices ring loud and clear about the injustice that they are participating in, and together we can demonstrate our desire for the inspiring leaders that are so desperately needed in our community!
How can you do this? Simple – here is their info – direct from the webpage. Fill their mail box. Fill their inbox. Flood the fax machine.
The Canadian Islamic Center
13070-113 Street.
Edmonton, AB Canada T5E 5A8
PH: 780 451-6694 FX: 780 452-1243
info@alrashidmosque.ca
I’ve just accessed your website to grt an update on the topic when I noticed my comment has not been published.
You need to lead by example if you want to initiate a change.
Edmonton
Karina, this is the first comment that I’ve seen from you. Searching through all the other comments, there is only 1 that has been unpublished, and that was due to disrespectful and shameful comments that I simply couldn’t allow. ~ Hethr
Asalamu Alaikum,
I’m wondering if someone can fill me on on the reason Dr. Reda’s halaqa was canceled. I can’t seem to find any information on this and I find it hard to meaningfully support him without knowing why those who have asked him to stop have done so.
Salam!
Walaykuma Salam,
If I knew, I’d tell you. God knows, there may be a very justifiable reason…then again, there may not. I think the community deserves to know either way.
Thanks so much. The whole thing seems very odd.
Great to see a Muslim sister standing up to defend the rights of the oppressed. We also want to see the majority of the board of the Alrashid Mosque removed from power, especially the one man that is behind everything, the 20 year “veteran” and President for Life Khaled Tarabain. Please visit http://www.thenewalrashid.com and let us combine our efforts. Together we will bring righteous change, inshAllah
Just watched one of his videos and he really seems to be a kindhearted man
In sha Allah, he will continue his lectures 
Salaams Sister,
I follow your writings on Facebook and often laugh and commiserate.
I was reading this post, followed it here and then to Dr. Bedeir’s site. Thank you so much, I will be listening to the lectures available there.
Kathleen
Assalaam Alaikum
I am not a part of your community (or anywhere near it
) but I have to agree with you, this is injustice to the society. I have not heard of Dr. Bedeir but if you say he is inspirational then that is enough for me to believe. I find it hard to imagine why a Masjid would remove an individual who is so efficient at bringing others towards Islam. Anyhow, I hope your post makes a difference!
P.S to the individual above me: The Masjid is a place for all the followers of islam, it is ours as a whole and decisions about it and the people in it should be made for the benefit of the muslim ummah, not because of politics. So, although it would be nice to “show up” the Masjid by having them create their own niche, it would be infinitely better if they were to regain “control” (for lack of a better word).
It matters not who or where you worship, those who have been blessed with the privilege of leading must always remember to leave their personal agendas at home, and make decisions based on the best interests of those they lead.
Assalamu Alykum
All Praise due to Allah
It is better to have your own Islamic center, free from the laymen as board members. For all across North America many Masjids have these problems. Laymen trying to tell learnt Men in Islam how to call the people to Islam. You call the people to Quran and Sunnah they have problems. When most of them on the board might not even able tell you how to pray or make wudu according to the Islamic Law. Better to have your own place to teach and educated people.
Get your own center, rent out a place for all those who posted here, instead giving them your donation. Rent a small place for Halaqa’s. 10 people get 100 dollars, that is a thousand dollars. Now think about 15 people, or 10 people 200 dollars. You can rent your own place.
The Prophet Sallahu alyhi wa sallam was the best of all mankind, and part of giving dawah is having Sabir. As the Messenger of Allah sallahu alyhi wa sallam was ran out his one home town. People fought against him. So part of giving dawah is have Patience and the proof is in Surah Asr By time surely mankind is in lost. Except for those who are patience call each other to the truth. And Nuh called his people to the truth for 600 years and they still disbelieve.
As Muslims upon the Quran and Sunnah, you will find among Muslims they who are Mugrid [Biases] against the truth. But we still call them to the truth. It is good that we have Independence from these type of people. And we have our own places to call each other to what is correct.
For those who support this brother Dr Reda Bedeir, show your faith with your pockets, and bring about changes with your hand. As the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa sallam said if you see something wrong change it with your hands, if not speak out against it and if not hate in ones heart and that is lowest of Iman. This show that we are responsible this why he said first change it with your hands.
This can be the means to get closer to Allah, and if one achieve this, it not to be away from the other brothers and sisters who part of this other masjid . Rather yet is a good way to show them the truth and be upon it and give them dawah also. By having your own programs and own place.
Here a video called ” The call to Tawheed and Arrows of the Biases”
Wa alikom assalam
True, there is so many ways to go around this problem
If it’s to hard to get a place then simply go out in the free? Maybe he can continue to give out his lectures on youtube etc
I don’t know what Quran or sunnah you are talking about brother…but your advise is the divide the community…just so you know, Edmonton is already divided enough…just in the last 2years about 10 new Mosque have been opened all for the sake of division.
We need to open our minds and our hearts and fear God. Dividing of the Ummah is the worst response. Just remember that the Prophet(PBUH) ordered us to even follow a tyrant, if he doesn’t prevent you from following your religion, then to divide the Ummah….Think about this point deeply, and then think about the advice you just gave and tell me if your giving Advice to serve ALLAH religion, or are you doing the work of the devil…
Err….Dear Brother Muslim,
I agree with you that the solution is not to open other mosques, until we have tried to advise the people to correct the situation. However, let me clarify something to you and others regarding obeying a tyrant:
Rasulullah (salla Allahu Alayhi Wassallam) ordered the Muslims to obey their Muslim rulers, so long as they do not prevent them from Salaah. Going out against those rulers can cause widespread killings and fitnahs that only Allah knows. Those who call for this have a trait of the “Khawarij”, who impute disbelief on those who create major sins and disobey the Muslim ruler by going out with their swords to remove and kill him. This happened during the time of Uthman ibn Affan.
However, this is not the same as disobeying the leader of a mosque in the West.
First, Rasulullah prevented us from disobeying the Muslim rulers in the Muslim state. The mosque director is not a ruler and it is not a Muslim state.
Second, this mosque director is not imposed on us, rather, he has come through elections where the people have chosen him. There is nothing wrong with calling people to become members to vote in honest, religious directors to lead us. This is not considered causing fitnah.
Thirdly, the greatest injustice and fitnah that can exist on earth as outlined by the Quraan is preventing people from learning their deen. How can this fitnah possibly compare to some community members calling for their deen to be taught and implemented at their masjid?
Nevertheless, my advice is take a shot at it and try. If it doesnt work, then yes, go elsewhere to learn the deen and call to it. This is because such movements against directors is taxing, mentally and iman wise. I know people who have been fighting their directors for years and cannot imagine that this hasn’t affected their iman. Our goal is to be attached to Allah and enter Jannah, and if after attempting this it doesn’t work, then its time to move on.