Salaamualaikum family,
Abu Umamah reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, was asked, “Which jihad is most beloved to Allah?” The Prophet replied, “A word of truth before a tyrannical leader.”
Today, the decision before us may seem complex, but it is not one we face without purpose. The true challenge lies not in choosing the right path, but in having the courage to confront the difficulties it brings. Consider this: supporting leaders like Harris or Biden means endorsing policies that often uphold systems of oppression and foreign domination over our lands and people. This choice means dismissing the power Allah has placed within us, the power to stand firmly in justice for ourselves and our oppressed brothers and sisters. It is as though we would welcome one oppressor into our homes out of fear of another at our gates. But as followers of Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, we cannot ignore the irony of this moment. Allah has positioned a small, yet beloved, group of His faithful servants at the heart of a powerful nation that leads in its support of an occupying regime, continues to exert influence over nations worldwide, and seeks to silence any voice that speaks against the Zionist agenda. This agenda, increasingly protected by the current administration, actively suppresses free speech and penalizes those who dare to speak out.
On the other side of the aisle, we remember the previous administration under Trump and the rhetoric of “Make America Great Again.” This was more than just a slogan—it was a call rooted in xenophobic attitudes, hostility toward immigrants, and open anti-Muslim rhetoric that targeted our communities. Under that administration, we were openly banned, insulted, and subjected to the kind of fear-mongering and prejudice that stigmatizes Muslims and immigrants, casting them as threats rather than citizens with equal rights. And while many now look to the Democrats as the “lesser of two evils,” we must question if either party truly stands with us or if they merely choose different ways to undermine our faith, our voice, and our values.
Additionally, under the current Democratic administration, we see increasing pressure to promote lifestyles that conflict with our beliefs. The push to publicly elevate LGBTQ practices—matters that should remain personal choices—illustrates an attempt to redefine morality in a way that goes beyond individual freedom. It seeks to influence how society views family, ethics, and morality, often conflicting with the core values held by our community.
Shaykh Ibrahim lived by the principle that truth and justice could never be compromised by foreign powers or dominant cultures. His opposition to Senegal’s first president, Léopold Senghor, arose from Senghor’s support of French influence, his promotion of French values, and his secular approach to governance. Baye Niasse envisioned a Senegal—and an Africa—free from such external control, a continent that would foster its own values, rooted in Islam and pan-African solidarity. His support for leaders like Lamine Gueye, who opposed Senghor, reflects his unwavering dedication to these principles, principles that resonate with us here and now.
We, like him, must see ourselves as Allah’s witnesses to truth and justice, standing amid a great challenge. Our struggle is not for trivial gains but for the higher purpose of justice. It is a struggle within ourselves, against complacency—that part of us which chooses comfort over sacrifice, which fears temporary discomfort more than Allah’s displeasure, which thinks only of ourselves and not of our fellow Muslims around the world.
Remember, we have already endured previous adversities and oppressive policies. We withstood both the last administration’s open disdain and the current administration’s silencing tactics, yet they could not break us. We grew, and our faith strengthened. Just as Shaykh Ibrahim saw beyond his own discomfort and spoke out against policies that invited foreign control, so too must we look beyond our immediate surroundings and prioritize the unity and welfare of our global Ummah. And now, more than ever, when open criticism of Zionism is met with penalties, and when values contrary to ours are increasingly promoted in public spaces, it is crucial to ask ourselves: Is this a challenge we are ready to embrace?
This is not simply about withholding our votes. It is a powerful statement of unity and conviction. It is our way of declaring that we fear none but Allah. We understand our own power—the power to make our absence felt at the table. We are fully aware that our vote can disrupt the narrow, restrictive choice given to us every election season. Supporting a genuine alternative, one that might secure just 5% of the popular vote, would guarantee public funding for independent candidates in the next election cycle. This step is a commitment to unity, a unity rooted in faith and stronger than any outside influence or alliance.
Brothers and sisters, in this small community, we hold the potential to create a movement that can challenge the enduring ties between the United States and the state of Israel. Our unified stance will unsettle the politicians who assume we will always submit to their hollow promises. This bold, collective action will benefit us here in America and also bring relief to our brothers and sisters abroad who suffer under oppression, as Allah reminds us in the Qur’an that oppression is indeed worse than killing.
This moment is only the beginning, a call to recognize our strength. What follows must be our collective effort to build institutions grounded in faith and principles, representing us in a way that even these worldly powers respect: with influence, integrity, and purpose.
We are a unique Muslim community in America, positioned here with purpose and endowed with a strength unmatched by any other. Our potential impact could rival that of King Faisal’s 1973 oil embargo, which triggered a crisis and significantly affected powerful nations like the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, and the Netherlands. This list eventually expanded to include Portugal, Rhodesia, and South Africa. In March 1974, OAPEC lifted the embargo, but by then, the price of oil had soared by nearly 300%, largely due to the Yom Kippur War fought briefly that October, bringing immense wealth to Saudi Arabia. We must learn from history—understanding who the players are, recognizing their motives, and seeing the paths they have laid—so that we, too, can stand with firm resolve.
For those who believe the suffering in Palestine does not affect our own struggles here in America, I hope these words ignite understanding. Our efforts here and now have the power to inspire unity across the entire Ummah. As our beloved Shaykh Ibrahim taught us, “the cause of Palestine is a unifying call for the Ummah”, an issue that binds us all.
Our sacrifices here go deeper than many realize. We are not fighting solely for Palestinian Arabs; we are fighting for every prophet who lived and died there in that holy land, for every martyr who defended its sanctity. And as Allah tells us in the Qur’an, these martyrs are not dead—they are alive. Our work here is a sacred duty to them, and I ask you, would Allah leave us to struggle without His aid?
Allow me to share with you words Shaykh Ibrahim penned to the Arab League in 1967 after the Six-Day War, as recorded by Sister Farah El-Sharif in her brilliant article:
“We do not consider ourselves foreigners to this cause. Even if membership in the Arab League does not bind us to beloved Palestine—even if Arab blood and that of Qahtan does not run in our veins—it is our commitment to true Islam that compels us to support this just cause, a cause that foreign powers and oppressors have tried to obscure. They sought to turn this into a conflict solely between Jews and Arabs, with no stake for others. But our Islamic consciousness has always guarded against such deception.”
I will close with a supplication from Shaykh Ibrahim’s final poem, Sayrul Qalb, written shortly before he returned to Allah:
“I asked my Lord to soon humiliate
The wicked Israeli gangsters, the foolish ones,
To purify for us al-Quds al-Sharif (Jerusalem),
And destroy Eban and Dayan with their cursed necks,
For they have opposed the prophets—Jesus, John, and Muhammad.
So afflict the Zionists of Jerusalem with every hardship,
And liberate for us Sinai for the sake of Moses and Muhammad,
For Isa and Ibrahim, the men of lofty status.”
—Shaykh Ibrahim Niasse, Diwan Sayr al-Qalb, Harf Lam
Finally, let us conclude with the words of Allah in the Holy Qur’an:
“Surely, Allah has tested you with a river, so do not say, ‘Oh, it is impossible,’ but rather say what those who know they will meet their Lord said, ‘How many times has a small force vanquished a mighty army by the will of Allah. And Allah is always with the steadfast.’ When they advanced to face Goliath and his warriors, they prayed, ‘Our Lord! Shower us with perseverance, make our steps firm, and give us victory over the disbelieving people.’ So they defeated them by Allah’s will, and David killed Goliath.” (Quran 2:249-251)
May Allah give us Allah, in all circumstances.
Ibrahim AD Dimson