Allah states:
“Those whom believe pay attention: Revere Allah & speak a Straight-Word.”
(Noble-Quran: Chpt.33, V.70)
Muhammad (Peace be upon them) stated:
“Always speak Truth, even if it’s bitter (even if it rubs People the Wrong-Way).”
(ibn-Hibbān&al-Bayhaqī)
al-Muqaddimah/Prelude
This-Risālah/Article is predicated upon my Personal-Dealings via the “Muslim-Speaker” Scene. There’s Immense/Intense-Levels of Religio-Politics involved here. The Religio-Politics I’ve detailed via Articles which I’ve authored previously:
https://gbwrites.com/2020/12/07/knowledgemonopoly/
https://gbwrites.com/2022/12/15/youcantpigeonholeme/
What’s the “Muslim-Speaker” Scene?!!!
The “Muslim-Speaker” Scene is comprised of Pooled-Populations of Muslim-Personalities, Minbar/Pullpit-Stars, Celebrity-Shaykhs, etc. Such Persons basically have the World thrown at their Feet because of: Recognition, Acceptance, Prestige, etc. Their Religio-Status via Muslim-Circles, Muslim-Communities, Muslim-Societies, etc. afford them Lots of Attention. I mean, let’s face it: as Humans we all crave Attention. And, because of that, it’s imperative that we discipline ourselves from pursuing Attention via any Means. However, “Shaykh-Culture” by its very Nature causes Persons to compromise Discipline.
https://gbwrites.com/2024/10/12/muslimzinaculture/
OK…what exactly is “Shaykh-Culture”?!!!
“Shaykh-Culture” is when one is placed within the Rankings of Religio-Academic Feudalism. “Shaykh-Culture” necessitates that one makes themselves “Polished” for Public-Opinion/Approval. It’s evident via they “Check All The Boxes” Mythos/Pseudo-Narrative. And, because of this Pseudo-Image: it opens the Flood-Gates for Countless-Muslims intentiinally & unintentionally to capitalize off of Personality-Worship.
https://gbwrites.com/2024/09/16/religiofeudalism/
This is where Gareth Bryant comes in
Literally, for Decades, Persons have complained about the Extents of my Unfiltered/Authentic-Nature. I’ve gotten Criticism publicly&privately, concerning the “Necessity” to “Clean-Up” my Image, or else I’ll only get but so far via Muslim-Communities. And, I know precisely how/why Certain-Persons have & still state the aforementioned directly&indirectly:
Number-1
They lack, refuse to manifest, what I’ve always possessed, which is “The Courage to be Disliked”.
Number-2
They’re envious of the Fact that I refuse to live by the “Check All The Boxes” Standards of Others, in order to “Fit-In”.
Number-3
They’re envious of the Fact that my Accomplishments have been achieved in spite of me being a Non-Conformist.
Number-4
They generally want me to attain Higher-Stations, without dangerously limiting myself.
#UnpopularFact:
Most of my Critics never fall under Number-4.
The Asbāb/Reasons how/why Gareth Bryant refuses to so-called “Clean-Up” their Image
1. 9/10 most of my Critics complain about me is because I don’t fit the “Good-Boy” Role. Muslim Afro-Americans before me: they’ve been very complacent, compliant, obedient, adherent, etc. to the Religio-Cultural Colonization thus imposed upon them. I’m da Nigga…I does what da Fuck I wanna do.
2. 9/10 most of my Critics are fearful of how Islāmically-Knowledgeable I am, despite not getting my Islāmic-Education from them and/or those like them. So, because my Islāmic-Academia has always been Grass-Rooted, this is a Pseudo-Justification which most of my Critics use to attempt “Changing” me.
3. 9/10 most of my Critics Bitch&Moan about the Religio Subject-Matter I constantly/consistently discuss openly as well as publicly. I do so, purposely, because the Religio Subject-Matter I discuss has potentially Irreversable-Effects on Muslims.
4. 9/10 most of my Critics complain about my Vulgarity…#FuckIt: I speak however I want to speak. I’m Intentionally-Unfilterted. This, of course, is used as a Pseudo-Justification to deflect/gaslight whatever Truth/Honesty which I convey.
5. 9/10 the Same-Critics of mine literally rollout the Red-Carpets & give the Green-Lights to those who’ve been directly involved in High-Profile/Public Scandal: ironically Things I’ve never even done (neither publicly nor privately).
Some will probably be thinking/feeling about Gareth Bryant’s Aversion to “Shaykh-Culture”: “Are they just a Hāsid/Hater?!!!”
Good-Question…
…Answer:
Muhammad (Peace be upon them) once stated:
“Whomever is made a Qādhī (Judge/Ruler) between People, then they’ve been slaughtered witjout even a Weapon.”
(Abū-Dāwud)
This Tanzīl/Revelatory-Text via as-Sunnah/Prophetic-Tradition: I immediately comprehended upon reading it the 1st-Time the Qiwāmah (Responsibility/Burden) of Religio-Spiritual Maqām/Position. And, that more than anything is what I personally utilize to never want any Sort of Religio-Maqām. I take Things like this so seriously, that I’ve literally & purposely: said Things, done Things, written Things, posted Things, etc. publicly just so no one amongst Muslims would ever dare to think of Gareth Bryant as a “Muslim-Leader”. I’ve publicly criticized Muslim-Leaders, Muslim-Celebrities, Celebrity-Shaykhs, etc. which has resulted in me personally being denied Access to Speaking-Venues, Masājid/Mosques, Muslim/Islāmic-Events, Religio-Endorsements, etc.
What’s the Lesson behind all of this?!!!
The Elimination of al-Imma`tiyyah/Groupie-Culture needs to be seriously imposed…as Muhammad had stated:
“Don’t be an Imma`ah/Dick-Rider.”
(at-Tirmidhī)
Islāmically, it’s literally an Ithm/Sin to be a Dick-Rider, Groupie, Lackey, Flunky, Yes-Man, etc.
https://gbwrites.com/2024/08/26/fathersoverscholars/
We, as Muslims, must rid from ourselves, our Communities, our Societies, etc. this Disgusting-Pathology known as “Shaykh-Culture”. It’s unprincipled, it’s unintegral, it’s immoral, etc. And, Human-History has proven that it always yields Negative-Disasterous-Results.
Gareth Bryant
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