Daughter Of Canadian Jihadi Islamist Imam Younus Kathrada, Who Has Been Investigated By Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), Complains About MEMRI's Exposure Of Her Father's Sermons, In Which He Called Beheaded French Teacher Samuel Paty A 'Filthy Excuse For A Human Being,' Prayed That Allah Would 'Destroy The Enemies Of Islam, And Annihilate The Heretics And The Atheists,' Said Wishing Christians A Merry Christmas Was Worse Than Murder

In an article titled "Palestine And The Millennial Muslim Consciousness,"[1] published May 22, 2021 on Muslimmatters.org, Canadian Muslim writer Zainab bint Younus reflected on the May 2021 fighting in Gaza, how millenial Muslims in the West have dealt with the Israel-Palestinian conflict since birth, and how their influence in the conflict has increased. Zainab presents the sermons of her father, South Africa-born Van Couver-based jihadi Islamist imam Younus Kathrada, whose sermons have been published by MEMRI and who has been under investigation by the Canadian police and intelligence services since 2005,[2] as if they were dedicated to Palestine exclusively, which she describes as "a religious issue – not just a secular one," when in reality his sermons encompass the Salafi-jihadi approach to the West in general and to the Jews around the world, as well as to events in Palestine.

According to Muslimmatters, Zainab bint Younus "writes on Muslim women's issues, gender related injustice in the Muslim community, and Muslim women in Islamic history. She holds a diploma in Islamic Studies from Arees University, a diploma in History of Female Scholarship from Cambridge Islamic College, and has spent the last fifteen years involved in grassroots da'wah [Muslim outreach]. She was also an original founder of MuslimMatters.org."[3]

About the impact of MEMRI's exposing of her father's sermons, Zainab wrote: "I grew up hearing my father bellow powerful words from his minbar [pulpit] on Jumu'ahs [Fridays], reminding the Muslims of the situation in Palestine and the horrific evils of the Israeli colonizers, invoking Allah's Curse upon them. He did not mince his words, ever; as a result, I witnessed the consequences: his videos posted on MEMRI TV, media immediately harassing us, hate calls and nasty voicemails left on our answering machine at home, and worse – the censure of other Muslims, embarrassed by his words, throwing him under the bus publicly to the media and the Muslim community alike. After all, speaking out too harshly meant compromising their popularity and their public image and potential funding and their comfortable relationships with the same federal security apparatuses that spied on our community anyway."

Zainab bint Younus (source: Muslimmatters.org)

Though Zainab describes her father's sermons and subsequent media attention as though it resulted from criticism of Israeli policy, his sermons are far less measured. For example, in one sermon, Younus said that French teacher Samuel Paty, beheaded on October 16, 2020, after showing Charlie Hebdo cartoons to his students as part of a lesson about free speech, was a "cursed individual," "evil-spirited man," and a "filthy excuse for a human being."[4] Kathrada went on to pray for Allah to "destroy the enemies of Islam, and annihilate the heretics and the atheists." He said in another sermon that "the enmity of the believers towards the Jews is just and sensible."

In a 2018 sermon, he said that "committing adultery, dealing with interest, lying, murder" are "nothing compared to the sin of [Muslims] congratulating and greeting the non-Muslims on their false festivals" – such as Christmas.[5] In response to MEMRI's coverage of his sermons, he said in May 2020: "For those at MEMRI TV, and for those who are the enemies of Allah and want to spread that we are making supplications for the mujahideen [jihad fighters] – then I say to you: Yes, we are praying for the mujahideen."[6] In a 2005 sermon, he referred to Jews as "the brothers of the monkeys and the swine" and that Muhammad tells Muslims that at the end of time the rocks and trees will say: "Oh Muslim, Oh slave of Allah, that verily behind me is a Jew. Then come and kill him."[7] The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) investigated him for these comments.

Excerpts From Zainab Bint Younus's Article

"I witnessed the consequences: his videos posted on MEMRI TV"

"{Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} (Qur'an 17:1)

"It has been difficult for me to articulate my feelings about Palestine these days. In the onslaught of graphic images and videos, the appeals directly from Palestinians, and the tireless work of activists, I don't want to appear as though I'm merely jumping upon a trend, or claiming to speak over those who are truly suffering.

"I am, like many likely reading this, a Muslim millennial raised in the West. We have been raised on a mixture of awareness of social justice and the watering down of Islamic identity at the same time, navigating being Muslim and being safe and being accepted and still being Othered, all at once. But all of us, at some point or another, have known about Palestine...

"I grew up hearing my father bellow powerful words from his minbar on Jumu'ahs, reminding the Muslims of the situation in Palestine and the horrific evils of the Israeli colonizers, invoking Allah's Curse upon them. He did not mince his words, ever; as a result, I witnessed the consequences: his videos posted on MEMRI TV, media immediately harassing us, hate calls and nasty voicemails left on our answering machine at home, and worse – the censure of other Muslims, embarrassed by his words, throwing him under the bus publicly to the media and the Muslim community alike. After all, speaking out too harshly meant compromising their popularity and their public image and potential funding and their comfortable relationships with the same federal security apparatuses that spied on our community anyway.

"Instead, I have been reflecting.

"I grew up hearing du'a for Palestine in every Jumu'ah khutbah, in every qunoot in Ramadan. The ameen of the jamaa'ah was powerful, every time; there was always weeping at the mention of Palestine, of the devastation that was wrought day in and day out. And yet, the same people running those masaajid and community organizations would turn around the next day and rush to play nice with Israeli-supporting politicians and 'interfaith' efforts where Palestine was forbidden from being mentioned. There was more eagerness to appease the viciousness of B'nai Brith, which maliciously monitors every mention of Israel for what does and does not suit their agenda than there ever was a sense of walaa' and gheerah for the honour of the Muslims in Palestine.

"Over the years, Israel stole more land, murdered more men, women, and children, jailed innocents, starved more people, bombed more hospitals and homes, and still... Muslims did nothing. A few protests here and there, maybe; fundraisers, until those channels were shut down for 'suspicion of terrorism,' and then no one wanted to send a penny out of fear. Muslim countries normalized political and economic ties with Israel, Muslim community leaders in the West had the gall to embark on Zionist-sponsored MLI trips and to beg for a seat at White House iftars where they were mocked to their faces and told to accept Israel's existence. Muslims policed other Muslims for being 'radical' and 'extremist' and accused one another of being armchair jihadis simply for speaking with frustration about Palestine and Afghanistan and Kashmir and Iraq and Syria; Muslims groveled for politicians' attention and invited them to masaajid on Jumu'ah and 'Eid – the same politicians who constantly reiterated their support of Israel and ignored our existence once they got elected.

"It has been wearying to see this over and over and over again – and to say that is in and of itself a privilege of being safely removed from the daily violence and devastation of Palestinian life. For so many years, it has felt as though nothing has changed for the better, that Muslims have been too complacent in being half-hearted bystanders."

"We Are Seeing Muslims Finally Realizing That Yes, Palestine İs A Religious İssue – Not Just A Secular One"

"But perhaps we are finally seeing a change. With the violent displacement of Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, the attacks on Masjid al-Aqsa in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and the ongoing massacres in Gaza, we have also seen social media being utilized to broadcast the violence at a grassroots level, shattering the false narratives of mainstream media and politicians. We are seeing Muslims finally realizing that yes, Palestine is a religious issue – not just a secular one. We are seeing Muslims renewing their commitment to BDS, contacting political representatives, and actively dismantling Zionist propaganda on social media. We are seeing Muslims – fresh from Ramadan – remember the importance of maintaining tahajjud and making du'a for the oppressed. Perhaps we are finally rising up and taking the steps towards the true liberation of al-Quds.

"May Allah strengthen this Ummah in faith and perseverance, and make us the generation that witnesses the freedom of Palestine from its illegal occupiers and colonizers, ameen.

"[They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, 'Our Lord is Allah.' And were it not that Allah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allah is much mentioned. And Allah will surely support those who support Him. Indeed, Allah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.} (Qur'an 22:40)."

MEMRI Clips Of Sermons By Younus Kathrada

Canadian Imam Younus Kathrada: Samuel Paty Was A Cursed, Evil-Spirited, Filthy Excuse For A Human-Being

In an October 23, 2020 sermon, Younus Kathrada spoke about the re-publishing of the Charlie Hebdo cartoons mocking the Prophet Muhammad and the killing of French schoolteacher Samuel Paty, who was murdered by a Muslim youth for showing the cartoons to his class.

 

Canadian Islamic Scholar Younus Kathrada: I Say To MEMRI TV That Jihad Does Not Mean Terrorism; Rather, It Means Establishing Islam All Over The World

Younus Kathrada delivered a sermon on May 15, 2020, in which he asked Allah to support those who wage Jihad for His sake. Addressing B'nai Brith, MEMRI TV, and "the enemies of Allah," Sheikh Kathrada clarified that jihad in Islam does not mean terrorism, but that it rather means the establishment of justice. He further elaborated that the establishing justice means establishing Islam all over the world. In addition, he asked Allah to "deal with the enemies of Islam."

 

Canadian Cleric Younus Kathrada: Congratulating Christians For Christmas Is Worse Than Murder

Younus Kathrada said in a sermon uploaded to YouTube on December 23, 2018 that Muslims must be offended when people worship Jesus. He explained that congratulating non-Muslims on Christmas and other "false festivals" is tantamount to approving of them, and that it is a far greater sin than murder, adultery, and other major sins.

 

Canadian Islamic Scholar Younus Kathrada: When Islam's Opponents Insult The Prophet Muhammad, It Is Worse Than Police Killings Of Black People; We Should Not Accept The Argument That This Is Free Speech

Younus Kathrada said in a September 11, 2020 sermon that disrespect of the Prophet Muhammad, such as in the form of cartoons that insult him, is worse than police killings of black people in the United States, and he bemoaned the fact that Muslims did not demonstrate or stage rallies when cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad were recently circulated.

 

Canadian Sheikh Younus Kathrada – Who Has Been Under Investigation For Hate Crimes Since 2005 – Responds To Media Reports On MEMRI TV Clip Of Him: The Media 'Want To Make Us Look Like Savages'; 'I Stand 100 Percent By My Words'; 'Insulting Allah, Attributing A Son To Him' Is 'Even Worse' Than Crimes For Which 'There Is The Death Penalty, There Is Amputations' In 'A Proper Islamic State'

In a January 5, 2019 video responding to a media article about a MEMRI TV clip of him, Younus Kathrada said: "Guess what? I stand 100 percent by those words... [but] it does not then necessitate me being violent." He further criticized the media for depicting Muslims as savages, and said that "insulting God, insulting Allah, attributing a son to Him" is "even worse" than crimes for which "there is the death penalty, there is amputations" in "a proper Islamic state." He concluded by saying: "I'm not your lapdog and I'm not your puppet. So good luck next time."

 

Canadian Imam Younus Kathrada: Muslim Enmity Toward The Jews Is Just And Logical; We Hate The Jews Because Of Their Disbelief In Allah

Younus Kathrada said in a May 21, 2021 sermon that the Muslims' enmity towards the Jews is "just and logical."

 

Canadian Cleric Younus Kathrada Responds to NZ Massacre: Governments, Law Enforcement, Media Are Responsible; Muslims Should Not Trust Law Enforcement, They Pathetically Spy On Us

On March 15, Younus Kathrada delivered a sermon in which he responded to the mosque shooting in Christchurch, New Zealand. He said that candlelight vigils have pagan origins and may not be attended by Muslims.

 

Canadian Islamic Scholar Younus Kathrada: We Take Coronavirus Precautions Seriously, And Should Do The Same For Allah's Commands; We Must Not Ally With Jews, Christians, Infidels – This Matter Is More Dangerous Than COVID-19

In a March 20, 2020 sermon, Younus Kathrada asked why Muslims do not take Allah's commands to distance themselves from sin as seriously as they are taking medical professionals' guidelines about social distancing amid the COVID-19 pandemic.