Don't Be Judgemental

The core of religion is not to prayers, my friends. Prayers are mandatory. But the prayer is not the final goal. The final goal is to refine myself.

The final goal of religion, the ultimate goal of religion is to be a true human being. Not to be prejudiced or biased or judgmental of others.

And here we require two things. Two things. Two important things are needed, always needed, every day needed, to be able not to be judgmental.

So when I speak of people, when I judge people, I judge them positively. I don't do injustice to them, I don't hurt them. Two things are important.

One is full knowledge and full understanding of the people, of the issue, of the conflict, of the debate, of the matter that we are discussing. We have to have full knowledge of it. Half knowledge does not work. Half knowledge destroys. It would not build, it would not solve the problem. It would further complicate the problem. When you have half knowledge about something, you are not fully aware of it.

This is why I say to many people, don't debate with others because you don't know about this subject. Don't give your opinion about this subject because you don't know it very well. Do you know everything about it? You don't. You only hear part of the story. When a husband and wife, they come to you, they have a fight, they have a disagreement, you have to listen to both.

Don't judge the situation if you don't completely understand the situation from both sides, not just one side. Even if that person who comes to you is truthful, is your friend, he comes to the mosque, he is a practicing Muslim, he is, whatever. Tell him: I have to listen to the other side, sorry. I need to get the full information, full understanding of the situation.

Whether that situation is social, family matters, financial matters, political matters, whether it is doctrinal regarding religion, regarding school of thought. You must have full awareness, full understanding of the story. You must do your homework very well. Investigate, research, read. And then you may give your opinion. First hand experience is important, not just to hear. Sometimes you must go and visit the place.

Imam Ali says "Baina al-haqq wa al-batil arba'atu asabi'a" between truth and falsehood four fingers. How come four fingers? Between truth and falsehood: four fingers? It has to be thousands of miles. But he says four fingers. This is a metaphor: four fingers it's here, between your eyes and your ears. Of course, if your face is too big, then it might be six fingers. But average size is four fingers. Okay?

Between what you hear, which could be falsehood, and what you see yourself, first hand experience. You see it yourself, it's different. This is the difference between falsehood and truth.

We hear many things. Maybe the majority of what we hear is unreliable gossiping, made up stories. But when you hear yourself, when you go yourself and investigate, it's different.

Especially when it comes to religions and schools of thought, madahb and doctrines. We cannot judge them by what we hear from a speaker here or there or what we read on social media nowadays. We can't. We have to have a bigger control and say we need to go to their place of worship and ask them. If you want to learn about any religion, any madhab, any school of thought, the best way, the best way to do that, is to go to the place of worship, to the synagogue, to the mosque, to the church, to the temple.

Visit the temple yourself. Read their books. Not books that are written about them by others, sometimes by their enemies. Speak to their scholars, not other scholars who do not like them, who always judge them. Speak to their own scholars. So, number one, informed decision.

Number two: in order for us to have a good opinion about any issue, is to be fair, to be just, to be unbiased. Imam Ali 'alayhi as-salam says "Bunay" he says this to his son Imam Hasan, "Bunay. Ij'al nafsak mizanan fima baynaka wa bayna ghayrak". Make yourself a scale, a standard between yourself and others. "Fa ahbib li ghayrika ma tuhibbu li nafsik, wa akrah lahu, ma takrahla". When you put yourself between you and others, make yourself the scale, make yourself the standard, make yourself the measurement, mizan. Then you are going to love for others what you love for yourself, and to hate for them what you hate for yourself.

If occupation is bad, you don't like it, then don't occupy people's land, and people's homes. If act of theft, you don't like it for yourself, you don't want someone to steal your belongings, to steal your car, to steal your money, to steal your bank account, then don't steal from others. If abuse, and torture, and persecution is bad, then don't do it for others, don't. Love for them what you love. You love for yourself of freedom, and liberty, and peace of mind, and independence, and dignity, and prosperity, and richness, then you have to love it for others.

And you hate for yourself to be occupied by a stranger, by a foreigner. You hate for others to interfere in your life. So don't interfere in their life, in their business. You hate for others to disrespect you. So don't disrespect anyone. We have to be fair.

And we should not be influenced by any human consideration or any human pressure. We must speak the truth. "Kunu qawwamina lil-Lah shuhada' bi 'l-qist" (5:8). Bearing witness to justice, standing for justice.

Don't be intimidated by the pressure of your community, your tribe, even your religion. Be a free person. Speak the truth. Don't look at the human considerations. Don't look at the pressure. Don't look at intimidations, blackmailing, threats. Speak the truth. Speak the truth. Even if it goes against your own people. And speak the truth in favor of someone who could be your enemy. But you are speaking the truth.

Do not let hatred: "wa la ajrimannakum shana'anu qawmin 'ala alla ta'dilu, i'dilu huwa aqrabu li 't-taqwah" (5:8): Do not let your hatred of a group, of a family, to do injustice to them. Don't.

Have bigger control over your desires and your emotions. And say the truth, speak the truth.