Latest Hamza Yusuf Quotes from Interviews

Quotes about:

• There's no specific punishment in the books of fiqh (Islamic laws) that relate to homosexuality per se. They apply to any illicit sexual relations, including prohibited heterosexual acts like adultery. And the punishments are strong, but they are legal fictions because they are impossible to prove. You need four witnesses to say they witnessed (sexual) penetration. In what circumstances are you going to find someone to testify to that?

  Hamza Yusuf

  Strong, Book, Islamic

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• Muhammad Ali put an end to the idea that you can't be an American and a Muslim.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Ideas, Muhammad, Ends

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• I can't - and won't - impose my beliefs on others, either verbally or otherwise. I'm not going to judge people.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Judging, People, Belief

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• I know that people can live celibate lives, I did it myself for many years.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Years, People, Knows

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• I definitely have sympathy for people who are struggling. I've met with young Muslims who have told me about their struggles.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Struggle, People, Mets

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• The vast majority of Muslims would never accept the lawfulness of an active homosexual lifestyle. I don't see that happening. But there is also no authority in the tradition for any individual to take things into his own hands and impose their version of the religion on someone else.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Hands, Majority, Tradition

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• I don't have the power to issue papal decrees.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Issues, Decree

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• There's a statement in the Quran: There should be "absolutely no compulsion in religion."

  Hamza Yusuf

  Quran, Should, Compulsion

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• America is about choices, including those to live certain lifestyles.

  Hamza Yusuf

  America, Choices, Lifestyle

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• I don't have any control over what other people do, and they don't represent me or my faith.

  Hamza Yusuf

  People

  "Muslim leaders: 'We will not allow the extremists to define us'". Interview with Daniel Burke, edition.cnn.com. June 15, 2016.

• My experience on this planet is that if you treat people with respect, they tend to treat you with respect.

  Hamza Yusuf

  People, Planets, Treats

  Source: www.pbs.org

• People have to be exposed to Muslims, just experience Muslims; talk to them. Reach out, read about Islam, try to find out about it.

  Hamza Yusuf

  People, Islam, Trying

  Source: www.pbs.org

• Muslims have been an almost entirely benevolent force in the 20th century. They did not wreak the havoc the Western powers wreaked on the world. They have not come anywhere near to the environmental degradation that we've done to the planet. So I think Muslims need to be seen in the proper light. They're mostly decent, hardworking people, people with deep family values, and they want to live in peace.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Thinking, Light, People

  Source: www.pbs.org

• Muslims are peace-loving people generally. Among the young, yes, there are some militant attitudes. But a lot of it arises out of chivalry.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Attitude, People, Chivalry

  Source: www.pbs.org

• There are 20,000 Muslim physicians in the United States, Americans putting their lives in the hands of Muslims every day.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Hands, Physicians, United States

  Source: www.pbs.org

• America has an immense amount of power, but it doesn't use it in any benevolent way. It uses it to maintain a status quo.

  Hamza Yusuf

  America, Way, Use

  Source: www.pbs.org

• In the Communist period, the revolutionaries, the leaders were almost always - Che Guevara, people like that - they were always from the middle class and the educated. And empathy is a very powerful emotion.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Powerful, Class, People

  Source: www.pbs.org

• I'm amazed at the courage of the journalists on the frontlines in Iraq, but we need intellectual courage in our community.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Iraq, Community, Intellectual

  Source: www.pbs.org

• There are irrational fears. If you see a woman wearing a hijab and fear is your first thought, something's really wrong.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Firsts, Hijab, Irrational Fear

  Source: www.pbs.org

• The fear tactic is a tactic that's used by people who want to maintain control, and it's very effective.

  Hamza Yusuf

  People, Tactics, Want

  Source: www.pbs.org

• A democracy is predicated on an educated citizenry. You cannot have a democracy with people that are more interested in what Nicole Kidman is doing or whoever the latest fashion model is.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Fashion, People, Democracy

  Source: www.pbs.org

• I think that's deeply rooted in Muslim consciousness, the idea of not submitting to anything other than God. "You can abuse me, but you're not going to win me over. But if you treat me with respect and dignity, I'm going to fall in love with you. I'm going to sing your praises all over the world because you're powerful and you treated me with human dignity."

  Hamza Yusuf

  Falling In Love, Powerful, Love You

  Source: www.pbs.org

• People can't think when their minds are clouded with fear.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Thinking, People, Mind

  Source: www.pbs.org

• If you had one word to describe the root of all this rage, it's humiliation.

  Hamza Yusuf

  Roots, Rage, Humiliation

  Source: www.pbs.org