I was in the United Arab Emirates I was
once in in the muds of Sheikh Sultan Al
Qasimi who's the ruler of Sharjah and
you know they're very kind of pomp type
pompous modulus you know there's a lot
of protocol things but there was this
guy that came in literally in almost
rags and he came in dirty and he
barefoot comes walking in quite
arrogantly goes up to the ruler shakes
his hand then sits down and I asked a
person next to me who's that he said
it's his cousin you know but he's still
like a Bedouin out in the he lives out
and it was just you know he's a bedroom
guy losing a tent but you know his his
cousin had become the ruler of the
country so I I thought that was really
interesting this idea of these you know
poor people and then building a very
interesting phenomenon in Arabia is
building buildings and then another
Sheikh getting upset because so-and-so
built a taller building than him he'll
actually tear down his building and
build up one taller than the second one
right and this is also in our own
culture the New York you know the the
Empire State Building was the tallest
and then the Chicago building one up
them and then the World Trade Center and
then you have now
Malaysia interestingly enough very proud
the Malaysians are very proud that they
now have the tallest building in the
world and you know somebody had it on
the cover of a Muslim magazine and they
asked me what I thought I said I think
it's really interesting that the Muslims
are proud of being part of fulfilling
the signs at the end of time right
because it's seen as a very negative
thing not a positive thing and then also
there's another way to look at this of
building tall buildings like these kind
of wretched people and that is the idea
of of building lofty ideas and building
ideological structures because the Quran
talks about the building of taqwa
boo-yah know taqwa right the building of
God consciousness and awareness so the
idea also of wretched people creating
lofty ideologies that many people will
follow and think that they're the truth
and things like that so these is just a
very quick overview about it and then
also finally I think the point of all of
that is that time does come to an end
that the human condition does come to an
end and that's how Islam contextualizes
history is that there is an end that is
imminent again I think for the
individual person the imminence of the
end of time is always related to their
own personal death but there is an idea
also and then there's another important
I think a very important idea within the
Islamic tradition and that is that each
generation will be less they will be
fulfilling the idea of this dimensional
Islam of amen is some SN they will not
do it as well as the previous generation
that there is an idea that each
generation is a watered-down version
there are periods of renewal
historically in the Prophet Muhammad did
say that that there would be renewer
every hundred years or so there would be
people that come and renew but the idea
that it's not the same I mean I think
the Muslims do have an idea
traditional Muslims anyway that it's not
so much progress but quite the opposite
one of the things rented genome pointed
out about the rapid speed of progress
you said one of the things that we
forget is increasing acceleration means
going down not up right that the idea of
the modern world and I think there's a
lot of questioning now of the wisdom of
the you know the idea bacon introduced
the idea of progress because prior to
that the Christians did not have that
idea within their worldview of that we
are progressing they had quite a
different idea and I think ultimately
from the Muslim world view and also from
other traditional worldviews that the
you know that the same ethical issues
that that the Plato is positing through
Socrates you know what is justice you
know how do we lead a good life what is
a good life these things we have not
come any closer
right to really you know progressing in
terms of our ethical nature in terms of
our spiritual nature that although we
have massive outward technology able to
do extraordinary things
bring the living back bring the dead
back to life you know move mountains
quite literally despite that we are
still dealing with basic human
tendencies such as greed lust and the
slothfulness it's hard to get away from
those and in some ways were less aware
of our own negative tendencies than
perhaps people's before us were and more
filled with our own sense of hubris and
our own sense of power although
certainly the 20th century is is a
century that has created a lot of
disillusionment you know we've killed a
hundred and eighty million people this
century alone in wars between human
beings and it's interesting that they
weren't religious
Wars there were ideological Wars you
know because one of the oftentimes
critics of religion will point out well
look how many people died in the name of
religion well look how many people died
in the name of communism right I mean we
forget that we're dealing with a human
species
that it's not the religion is not the
problem man is the problem right and if
there's a humanizing factor in the human
condition as far as I'm concerned it has
been religion that religion is what has
introduced into the human being concepts
like making beauty that concepts like
becoming conscientious charity right
carry tasks you know these these things
the Kairos all of these things are
coming out of religious traditions and
the Muslims always in and God knows best
I'm going to open it up for some
questions if people want to go there
believe me you're most welcome to go
this is my last talk that that you know
that I have with you and I just would
like to say my presentations you know
I'm I adhere to the teaching of Islam
and I do believe in Islam and I tend to
take a more devotional approach than say
some other academic approaches you know
that that is my I really try not to
preach to people because I never have
ever liked being preached to in my life
so I really try to do that but if it has
come off as that you know I would
apologize to anybody if I said anything
in any way that offended people or their
tradition or their own beliefs that I
also apologize for that that was not my
intention if that was the result then I
would just ask that I would be excused
for that graciously and then I would
also just like to say that this has
really been a very good and enriching
experience for me it always is and I've
been appreciative the fact Darla's song
has invited me back but I would like to
say this has benefit for me a very good
group and I'm not just you know I didn't
say that to the last groups I really
have enjoyed this group personally you
know I think you've all been
just really just a good group and you're
all teachers so you know a teacher likes
nothing better than having good students
and and so I've honored and grateful
that that's been the case so having said
all that I'll just say if anybody has
any questions that I could answer or
anything I had a question that just came
up in my mind like it's about time but
it's not directed to you election I
notice it and the MAS there was a list
of when the five prayer times were and
they changed every day right I guess
it's late to the lights of the day is
there a place where how would you find
out what the prayer times are where your
geographical living ground you read
through that again my guru second I
think in the beginning of the Islam
lecture I talked about how to find the
prayer times and they are based on the
Sun and the movement of the Sun they're
easy to determine unless you live in an
area in which the Sun is clouded over so
you don't see it and in that case
generally the scholars have permitted
the use of astronomical means of
determining so you haven't really hit a
time like you do right but we actually
personally I don't follow that that's
put there for like cloudy days and
things like that I will look outside at
the natural phenomena to determine my
prayer times that's what I do there are
many Muslims that depend on the prayer
schedule traditionally it's alien to
these because there's an importance in
being aware of cosmic phenomena I mean
the the Muslim tradition really does try
to connect you to the movement of the
planets the Stars the Sun uh-huh
tomorrow
yeah that's a good idea
why don't if we have a sunny day because
we really need a sunny day I mean I can
do it without it but if we have a sunny
day then if you meet me outside at about
1:30 I can do it if you don't have
anything going on then uh-huh I like
your response
today's paper Molly ever has a editor
from the Fort Worth star-telegram she
opens up by saying the Shiite Republican
plot against House Speaker Newt Gingrich
this comes a dolt
how do you react to the use of the term
she angry father well this is a that's a
good example of the introduction of
terms into our culture through the media
that that have negative stereotypes
attached to them for most people shiite
has a very negative and so he's talking
within a cultural discourse that's
understood by his readers negative
Shiite is negative and that's how it's
being introduced for an Iranian who
happens to be an American Iranian you
know he's going to be offended by that
it's part of the problem with language
is that we you know that there's an idea
I mean political correctness has a lot
of problems associated with it because
it we take it to such absurd lengths you
know but but there is an idea of just
being sensitive to people's cultures and
one of the things that the Quran says is
we create you in peoples and tribes that
you might come to know one another and
the most noblest of you are the most God
weary the Thomas Cleary one of the
things that he said about that verse is
he said that you know we talk about the
problem of racism the problem of all of
these attitudes but we've never really
examined how do we break these down and
and he thought that that Parana
conjunction there that to come to know
one another you know and this part of
what this is all about you know this is
literally trying to come to know a
tradition how do they view the world
how do you look at things as a way of
understanding of people and I think the
Muslims are as guilty as any other
people of being narrow and and and not
trying to understand other there are
some Muslims that come here bringing a
lot of their attitudes from other places
and when you come to America you have to
learn what is appropriate within this
culture you have to learn that that you
know that you're a guest in a host
country and the same would I think would
be for Americans going to a Muslim
country you know you are a guest in a
host country we in this culture we have
a saying when in Rome do as the Romans
do and there's a wisdom there in that
you you you have to recognize that there
are sensitivities now part of the
problem and this is a good example that
you've brought up is the globalization
of our world we are no longer isolated
communities the Turk is no longer the
barbarian at the gates of Vienna scaring
us right the Turk is your doctor right I
mean seriously
we're dealing in a in a world where
these barriers have been broken down
there is a great opportunity here there
is a great opportunity there's also just
as the Chinese know because they're
ideograms for opportunity is their
ideogram for crises we are in a crisis
State as well right we do have white
supremacists in this country we have a
very strong anti-semitic element in this
country we have an anti Arab sand
niggers right we have people that do
look at the world in these terms
we're trying to break this down you know
we're trying to create some civilization
here some some humanity it's a it's a
daunting task you know but hopefully we
can rise to the occasion I think this is
I mean you know we can stereotypically
say well what do you expect from Dallas
right I mean weak I can do that I say
well that's just a southern redneck
right he might be a bit sounds like he's
a liberal you
he might be excuse me she I'm sorry yeah
so they're stereotyped something like
that must come from a man so you know
the idea is that we can it's very easy
to stereotype pigeonhole people do these
things but unfortunately it creates a
lot of animosity a lot of a lot of
turbulence and trouble
the another example of that is the word
jihad which is a very very high word in
Islam it's not a low I mean seen as I'm
really in the same way we use a crusade
in in our culture a crusade is a good
thing he led a crusade against drugs in
the Muslim culture crusade it has a very
negative connotation right it does it
for english-speaking Muslims who know
the word crusade it really conjures up
people coming in and slaughtering and
attacking and pillaging the Muslim
heartland so it you know language is
very very problematic and and I
personally I you know I just this is
something we live with you know I think
being for me being an American who
became a Muslim was very interesting for
me because I grew up part of the
dominant culture I am you know I'm a
white American I went to very elite
schools in this country you know I had
very a lot of opportunities a lot of
other people didn't have but then
becoming a Muslim and seeing how you
know a lot of Americans relate to me as
a Muslim you know it suddenly changes
and I did change my name which you don't
have to I I was quite young when I
became Muslim and a name was given to me
and I took it in retrospect you know I
really don't think that you well I know
that you don't have to and I don't know
if it's really that why is it the thing
to do because I think it creates this
idea that well you have to be an Arab to
become Muslim or you have to you know
that doesn't many American Muslims that
do not change their name right but the
fact that I do have my legal name is my
Muslim name has really caused some very
interesting things to happen to me and
my wife was she's you know Native
American Mexican in
and she you know because she wears the
hijab she during the Gulf crisis she was
spat at told to go home go back where
you came from
right it was kind of ironic because you
know she I told you you need to tell him
that you don't need to get on a plane or
a boat to go back where you came from
yeah and she's from the air this her
roots are R from the Sonora Desert so
very interesting you know and she was in
a supermarket once with the Javan there
was a young Mexican girl there who said
you know the baby was in the the basket
and the woman wanted to put the
groceries into the basket and they were
both Mexican and one of them said to the
other you know in Spanish just knock him
out of the way and you know my wife was
so upset about that and she very gentle
soul she didn't say anything I told you
should have told them you know I speak
Spanish and that's not and I got upset I
went back to the store you know and I
just I saw the manager and I told him
what happened I also reminded him that a
good because it's a store right next to
a very large Muslim population they have
a lot of Muslims that buy there which is
always bottom line if you can bring that
in get some action right son I just told
him what happened he was really
horrified and and you know said he would
talk to two people but you know we
forget that that these things do happen
is very interesting occurrence is to
feel the brunt of that
you know black like me that type of
thing where you suddenly realize there
is another world of experience for other
people and for the Muslim it's just by
the fact that they're Muslim it's not
you know yeah it's very interesting so
it's it goes back to some real basic
prejudices and some basic things and
hopefully you know I tend to be an
optimist
I'm skeptical a lot of things but I tend
to be an optimist so and and the Quran
does say don't don't despair it's not a
good thing to do it's the only
unforgivable sin for the Catholics
so uh-huh don't despair again it's part
of you know if you go in the way I look
at it humanity had a beginning just like
I had a beginning as a child I've grown
into my adulthood I will grow old if I
have a full life I may even become
decrepit at the end of my life right
this is part of the natural process you
know humanity had its maturity it will
have its it's decay and it will have its
old age and it will have its decrepit
period and then it comes to an end for
something new to happen from my
perspective so you know the way the
Muslims view everything is majesty
beauty and God according to the Quran is
the possessor of majesty and beauty
they're both from God so we are in a
very majestic time we're in a time where
there's a lot of tribulation this
country alone we don't I don't think we
realize the extent of our troubles in
this country if we just look at the
natural disasters in this country you
know in the 1980s insurance companies
were paying out five billion dollars a
week a year in in terms of natural
disasters we're now paying five billion
a week you know we've had a lot of
devastation in this country just in the
last ten years just in terms of naturals
that our topsoil is disappearing right
we're grossly over using our resources
our children are really getting lost in
a lot of very confusing messes our media
is extraordinarily you know pervasive
and in its you know the violence that is
putting out there and a lot of very
negative messages in the midst of that
there are some very positive things
happening you know and I would tend to
rather be identified and be part of
what's positive than just you know what
one man said well Heidegger said as well
we're way beyond pessimism and optimism
depressions a luxury
the world's coming to an end I'm
depressed you know no this is the a
you know this is the age it's like the
way I look at it you know there's a
scene in Gone with the Wind where she's
running through Atlanta and everybody's
just stretched out you know wounded and
dead you can either run through it or
you can just sit and offer somebody
water and Pat them on the back and just
say you know we're human this is it this
is the human condition it's awesome it's
incredible it's glorious
it's majestic it's beautiful it's
intense it's tragic
it's kamek it's all these elements and
and that's part of the the power and the
wonder of the whole thing so I'm going
to choose to remain positive about it
and I hope all of you do to your
teachers you can't get depressed
you know I saw wonderful program once on
PBS which was about the black schools
and and there were very very powerful
experience but there was a white man who
had been teaching in inner cities for a
very long time in since the early 1960s
and he was just saying how bad it was
getting and that he was losing hope and
that this just the faces you know the
lack of light in these young black
children's faces in these inner cities
it was just it was driving and he was
literally saying I'm just losing hope
I'm giving up and the black man jumped
up and he said you know we've suffered
we went we went through slavery went
through coming over the you know the
great crossing he said you're not going
to tell us there's no hope we sang songs
to get us through it you know and that's
the joy of the human you know the human
being is we're people of hope like the
rats and if the rats you know can do it
you know we can do it yeah really
that's that's our greatness that we do
have hope and despite all the odds right
so let's hopefully we're not like the
people on the Titanic that think the
ship is unsinkable and get to
arrogant right the band plays on and we
all go down