as-salamu'alaikum,

I have been supporting Shaykh Hisham and his works for only a year, not
even.  I say this as I will show later, so that the reader might possibly
realize the truth of this matter.

The opposition I have recieved in my area for supporting this great man of
traditional Islam has been vehement.  Strangers eyed me and commented on me
behind my back and, sadly, so did many of my friends.   Friends and
strangers alike stopped treating me like a person, but as a disease to be
exterminated.  Soon, my opinions were treated as if they were coming from a
biased viewpoint, with apparently no reasoning of my own.  Further, the
position's I held in supposedly 'ideologically-neutral' orginzations were
threatened, and soon, I was removed from there posts.

I also tried introducing my area to Shaykh Hisham so that they may benefit
from his knowledge and his example.  So I took the intiative and orginized
with some of my dearest closest friends, a program that would shake our
area.  Rutgers-Newark hosted Shaykh Hisham Kabbani, and Prof. Dr. Tahir
ul-Qadri, for one of the most successful events in our area.  After this, my
activities were soon monitored, and I was approached by many about my 'new
beliefs', as if I was not Muslim anymore.  Many friends spoke to me about
what was, for them, the worst decision of my life.

Why am I talking about myself? First, I have to release this complete
frustration that has been building up for many months, and further I must
humbly step in and support the one of the greatest men of our time.
Frankly, what I have experienced this year is only an utter fraction of what
Shaykh has had to deal with every day for the past ten years.  Shaykh is,
today, the number one most attacked Islamic scholar in America.  Not a day
goes by that some new 'action-alert' and internet post is written and mass
distributied to the Muslim populous.  In our very own program, a foolish
high-school student had the audacity to approach Shaykh Hisham in
intermission and start barraging him with questions.

Every day he is cursed, mocked, and attacked.  But because of Shaykh
Hisham's immense relationship with Allah, he has not been phased by such
things, can I say the same, can anyone say the same?  No.  But only by
reaching this analysis have I furthered my belief that Shaykh Hisham Kabbani
is on Haqq (the Truth).  He is following something which is the most
important sunnah, standing up against the world for what you believe in.

Indeed, in the Prophet (sallalla'hu alai'hee was'salam) we have an excellent
example for all walks of life, and this case is no exception.  The Prophet
(sallalla'hu alai'hee was'salam) was the number one most attacked person in
his time.  People in his time called him a magician, a soothsayer, and even
mentally ill (astaghfirullah).  But, with every attack, with every torture
he and the companions recieved, he only increased his fervor to spread the
message of Haqq.  Shaykh Hisham is only following the sunnah of the Prophet
in this matter.

Shaykh is not only following traditional islam, but he made it possible for
traditional, mainstream muslims to actually do what they have practiced for
hundreds of years with the blessings of the 'ulema.  First they attacked him
because he spoke at lectures about traditional Islam.  Then they attacked
him because he released a comprehensive set of material which exposes the
extremist Salafiyya/Wahabiyya sect.  Now they are attacking him because he
is working for traditional Islam in the Islamic community and American
political arena.

Now, they chose the best of his talks to write against and to rip-apart.
Any individual who read or heard the speech before the attacks began did not
find any problem with the message Shaykh Hisham was sending.  Even those who
have practically compared the message of Shaykh Hisham's speech at the State
Dept to the attacks now present throughout the Muslim community, have
commented that it is the organizations who need to apologize and retract
their deliberate misrepresentation of Shaykh Hisham's speech.

Shaykh has withstood attacks, which I myself cannot bear to hear, with
patience and understanding.  Before, these were from individuals and small
extremist groups.  Now, we see National Muslim organizations who have now
been influenced by these same people and groups to write against him.  This
hurts all the lovers of Shaykh Hisham and Maulana Shaykh Nazim, greatly, but
Shaykh continues to strive for Haqq.

May Allah continue to Bless the Awliya and continue to bless those who
attempt to follow their ways.

Peace and Blessings upon the Prophet, His Family, and His Companions.
-Yursil Kidwai