Dr. Abou El Fadl reminds Muslims of two traditions of the Prophet: 1) One cannot obey rulers if it means disobeying God; and 2) That there will be people in power who lie and promote injustice; if one is among those that validate such power, one cannot be of the people of the Prophet. He elaborates on these through a commentary on current events and the implications of the power relationships taking place across the Middle East and the West. He calls attention to the tragic influences of Rupert Murdoch's billion-dollar investment in Islamophobic projects, which have resulted in at least 10 anti-Islam articles published every day, and which directly fed and influenced the New Zealand shooter's worldview of Muslims. He reminds us of the Qur'anic warning that those who ally themselves with, or fail to stand up against those who are unjust are among the unjust. Delivered 14 June 2019.
