When our nation has not realized that its rights are part and parcel of its duties, it has forgotten its rights. And as you know, there is a big difference between the one who knows his right and waits for others to grant him this right and the one who knows that such a right is but his duty.

When someone realizes that this duty is dictated by God AlMighty, gets influenced by God’s order, and rushes to fulfill such a duty, he will be, at this moment, submissive to God and will attain his rights which will definitely achieve his nobility and humaneness.

God AlMighty has dictated certain duties which are rights in themselves. Our religious scholars call these duties “the goals of the Sharia”. Attaining these goals will be through the freedom and choice of the commissioned. The freedom and choice of the commissioned are the medium through which we attain the following five goals which are: the rights of religion, living, thought, production, and money and wealth.

In a previous sermon, we have already referred to these five goals which are rights and duties at the same time. Today, I would like to focus on the medium through which we attain these goals, which is the freedom and choice of the commissioned.

When the himan being’s freedom and choice do not exist, the medium will be missing. Such a relationship has escaped the minds of the Islamic nation, i.e. this nation does not realize that the goals cannot be attained if the human being’s freedom and choice are absent. It also has neglected its right which has made it lose the goals which are the main ends.

I ascertain that the freedom which is the medium to attain the goals is nothing but a religious duty dictated by God AlMighty. Losing the freedom and neglecting the rights and duties have made our nation detached from the goals and thus it stayed away from attaining them. At this moment, religion is lost and the right of living is misused. The humn being’s thought is no longer valuable or esteemed. Several restrictions are exercised to prevent man’s production physically and spirtitually. In addition to this, wealth and money have been destoryed and they cannot be properly exploited and controlled.

If the nation does not know its origins and does not have these them deep-rooted, it will dwell on whatever is subsidiary and will continue talking about the contemptible reality without knowing that it has neglected the medium which God AlMighty has granted as a right. In this case, the human being must sacrifice himself in order to get this medium, strengthen it, and protect it.

If we consider the stories presented in the Qur’an, we come across an example which shows how “the right of freedom” can be a medium to attain the goals and how this “freedom” is a duty as well as a right at the same time.

In the Qur’an, God described the condition of a nation whose freedom has been restricted and fettered, which has led this nation to lose its esteemed existence. This nation has lost the medium which will enable it to attain the goals. Consequently, it has lost all the goals. God says: “Surely Pharaoh elated himself in the land and divided its people into sections, one of which he oppressed, killing their sons and sparing their women, indeed he was a corrupter.”
(Al Qasas 4).

In this story, God portrayed part of how Moses’ nation lost its freedom which is the medium to achieve the goals. Later, He presented what Moses (P.B.U.H.) said to his kinsfolk in order to liberate the nation, to take it out from darkness to light, to put it on the right path, and guide it to the right way. God reported Moses’ (P.B.U.H.) statement: “Worthy to say nothing but the Truth, I have come to you with a Clear Proof from your Lord, so send with me the Children of Israel.” (Al A’raf 105).

This means that Moses (P.B.U.H.) is a liberator who takes his people out when freedom is the medium in hand. If this is the case, his people will be defeated if they lag behind in being commissioned.

We talk a lot about the right of religion, living, thought, production, and money. We know that these rights are in themselves duties. But, it seems that we have neglected the main right and duty which is the medium to reach these five goals; we have actually neglected our “freedom”. We have been restricted and we have rejected to be liberated. That is why we have become submissive and low.

This is the case of our nation today. This nation has unfortunately become the last in the procession of civilizations, although such a nation carries the light which God AlMighty has sent to enable it to go so high that it can
put the hollow of the foot on the Plaeidas.

In a discussion between Moses (P.B.U.H.) and Pharaoh, Moses (P.B.U.H.) says addressing the shackled thief who stole the medium of their goals: “And that favour with which you reproach me was only because you enslaved the Children of Israel.” (Ash Sh’araa 22). This means that he made them lose their freedom.

Another story which exemplifies the notion of “freedom” is that which took place between Amru Ibn Alas’ son and the Copt. The story goes like this: once upon a time, when Amru Ibn Alas was the commander of Egypt, his son raced with a Copt. When Amru Ibn Alas’ son was left behind, he hit the Copt saying: “I am the son of the nobles.” Omar, the Caliph, received the news.

Omar is an example of the fair and free man. He has liberated himself before liberating the others. He has been been liberated from his desires and his soul. When people had just mistaken the thought that Omar is an unjust person, he stood on the mimbar saying: “Listen and obey.” They replied: “We will neither listen nor obey.”

Omar is a great man. The following are examples of his greatness. Omar used to sleep secure under the tree with clear consience because he achieved justice. He used to bring food to the elderly person. He used to listen to the elderly woman. When he became a Caliph, he said to his people: “What would you do if you find out something in me?” Someone said: “We have rectified you by this”, pointing at the sword in hand. Omar, then, said: “Thank God, there is a person in Mohammad’s community who can rectify my deviation.”

When Omar has become liberated and got elevated above the soul’s fancies and trifles, he was able to liberate the world, the countries and people. That is why he gave the whip to the Copt saying: “Hit the son of the nobles.” The Copt did what Omar asked him to do. Later, Omar asked the Copt to put the whip on the bald head of Amru Ibn Alas, the Commander himself. Here, Amru Ibn Alas said: “What have you done? I have no idea about what happened. This is the doing of my son.” Omar said: “How can you enslave those who are born free?!”

This is a story which you should read and report to the whole world and should listen to by your minds. When we have forgotten Omar’s great words, we have become enslaved in the same way Israel’s sons were enslaved.

The Islamic nation has been elevated because it has not neglected the freedom of the human being. As an illustration, when Rustum asked Almughira Ibn Sha’bah about the reason why they had come, the latter said: Through His Messenger, God sent the righteous religion.” Rustum said: Tell us about this religion.” Ibn Shabah answered saying: “In this religion, you should witness that there is no God but Allah and that Mohammad is His Messenger. This religion takes people out from the worship of people to that of God.”

Such is the liberating mission of Moses (P.B.U.H.), Mohammed (P.B.U.H.) and all Messengers. But, we have neglected this mission. All people are sons of Adam. They are all brothers and sisters of the same father and mother. This story has been presented by Ibn Kathir in The Beginning and the End.

This is the reality of freedom. If you are not free, your existence will not be out of your choice. God created you when He wanted that. When He created you, He wanted you to be free.

When the human being has become submissive to his desires, wishes, greeds, masters, and soul, he became submissive to the one who carries the sword, power, and fears. This happens because he has become submissive to his soul. Had he been liberated from his soul, he would have been liberated from everything. God wanted the human being to be His servant and He subjected everything to him. Unfortunately, the human being became a servant to other things and turned away from God.

Islam has guaranteed the rights of both the believers and unbelievers. This is a reality that should be realized by those who misunderstand Islam and those who think that Islam rules out the role of the Other. It is a complete misunderstanding of Islam. In fact, through their rights, Islam guarantees the preservation of religion for both the believers and unbelievers in the one and same country and society. God says: “There is no compulsion in Religion.” (Al Baqara 256)


Islam also guarantees the right of living. God says: “Whoever kills a soul, unless it be for retaliation or because of spreading corruption on earth, it would be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life, it would be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.” (Al Ma’idah 32)

These are divine guarantees in which all people are equal, as long as all people have the rights of residence in one country. Islam does not make a distinction between the believers and the unbelievers. It guarantees them both the rights of thought and choice. In this connection, God says: “Let him who will believe, and let him who will reject it.” (Al Kahf 29)

In God’s domain, all opponents come together and you have to choose. God says: “We have prepared for the wrongdoers a Fire whose pavilion encompasses them.” (Al Kahf 29)

Islam guarantees the freedom of thought and choice. God says: “Indeed, We showed him the Way, it is for him whether he is grateful or ungrateful.” (Al Insan 3) He says as well: “Have We not made for him two eyes. And a tongue and two lips. And guided him to the two paths?” (Al Balad 8-10)

Islam also guarantees the right of money to the believers and the unbelievers. God says: “And do not give away your property which GOD has made for you as the means of your maintenance to fools.” (An Nisa’ 5)

Money is valuable and the right of property should never be extorted whether the person is a believer or an unbeliever.

When this nation has neglected freedom, the goals got lost. This nation has neglected the freedom of knowledge. Among our ancestors, the scholar used to be well-read and the ruler could not control knowledge because the power of knowledge was above authority. The knowledge of the scholar and the presence of scholars used to silence the ignorants and render the scholars victorious.

Today, paperwork has controlled the life of people. Knowledge is lost and we have headed towards the imported systems. When someone wants to teach, he/she has to get a thousand of approvals.

I am surprised to see the freedom of teaching in a country which exercises injustice in its foreign affairs at the time the freedom of learning is available inside the society. This is the case of the United States in which man is free to learn.

How can I decide on the curriculum I am going to teach? Who among the Islamic nation has the right to prevent and permit?

Our nation used to have its esteemed presence but when its esteem is neglected, it lost the freedom of knowledge. Learning is nothing but getting a piece of paper called “a certificate”.

Who was able to talk about the Holy Place? Was it the one who got the royal approval, or the one who got the persmission of a board called “Commanding the Good and Interdicting Abomination”? No, this is not the case. The scholar is the one who talks, but if he is ignorant, other scholars will silence him as knowledge is the ruler of all rulers. Such is our tradition and such are our origins, but we have lost our freedom, and thus got lost.

Today, if you want to open a university, you need to go through a thousand of channels. We hear about a lot of people who resort to devious ways in order to attain their ends. The same applies to opening a school. In origin, knowledge is open to all people, and man is free to learn and teach, but we kept on neglecting things until we lost everything.

It is quite surprising that I can teach or present a lecture in a Christian city like London or Toronto (in Canada), where I have not to get the permission of other people. On the other side, if I want to write a letter, publish a book, or teach a human science, I have to get a thousand of approvals in my country.

Where is freedom? This is the result we have reaped out of negligence. We have become the nation of submission and lowness. We have neglected the means and the ends.

Where is the freedom of work? Man should be originally able to do whatever he wants, as it is God who grants him such a right. The people in charge should be able to overcome all difficulties and remove all obstacles so that people can work at ease. But it seems that this is not the case because if someone is in need of a job, he has to get several approvals and persmissions. Such things are not part of our roots or origins. We have actually neglected the means and the ends.

What about the freedom of expression and thought?! I should be free to say whatever is inside me.

What about the freedom of worship and belief?! We are in a state of unprecendented openness, but as you know, the labor pains are difficult. Our nation has suffered a lot, neglected a lot, and thus become submissive.

What can we say about the right of consultation in politics? There should not be an internal or external politics without consultation as consultation is a divine duty. We should be consulted and we should give opinions based on thorough examination, testing and study. But, the nation has been marginalized so that there is not one reliable aspect of political consultation. Those who plan for the internal and external policy do not represent the nation. This is because of neglecting all the means through which we could have attained the goals.

In school, we used to sing and memorize peotry:

If death lies in sweet freedom,
I wish I would die to liberate my nation.
The others died nobly and left a tradition,
Whereby the honor of freedom would reach every nation.

WhenI have examined what has been said about “freedom”, I have found out that most of those who talk about it describe it as “red.” I said to myself: “We are at a time where we are in need of “green freedom.”

It is through debates, calls, and logic that the nation can be liberated not through bloodshed. Our nation is in need of realizing that the right of living is so valuable that it should not be transgressed. In this respect, God says: “And do not kill yourselves.” (Al Nisa’ 29)

Today, we are required to have “green” not “red” freedom. “Red” freedom is needed only when an oppressor or an aggressor attacks the country in which case we have to face the conspiracy.

My dear brothers! The medium is a right and a duty and we should get to realize such a fact and know that this is God’s mission to us.