Shaikh Ea-syja-wab

It is now three days later and the e-mail has caused more fitna... Maherban's suggestion that his father assumes the Amir position based on an IJMA of the family, has caused great controversy... His father has denounced Maherban and appointed his mother as the Amir... Maherban writes another e-mail directed to his father...

Abbu,

I was very disturbed by your call for a break of IJMA (consensus)... Soooo... I went and consulted a different Shaikh...

Maherbaan: Shaikh, peace be upon you... thank you for seeing me on such short notice... I need your advice about a fitna in my family...
Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: A Finta! Brother, what is causing this fitna?

Maherbaan: Shaikh, my Father has acted as the AMIR and abdicated his position to my mother. He has also called for IJMA to be broken!
Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Subhan-Allah, he called for the IJMA to be broken? and he put your mother in charge!

Maherbaan: Yes Shaikh, that is exactly what he did!
Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: And what IJMA was he trying to break? There can be no IJMA on an error!

Maherbaan: Shaikh, we were trying to build an IJMA on the menu for Thanksgiving week my niece organized (apparently at the suggestion of her brother...might be news to her... but that's another story). We went through a process of getting EVERYONE's suggestion.... organized them into a survey... had EVERYONE rank each meal according to a scale from 1 to 10... where 1 was "I rather starve" and 10 was "YUM YUM"... EVERYONE voted (14 people), except my brother and my niece's (who organized this trip after being told to do so by her brother) husband and my nephew from Chicago (who is not coming as far as I know...). And we had one Vote with a name that I cannot say to you, Shaikh... We all agreed to abide by the RANK method.. I published the results of the Survey and asked that a Shura (assembly of appointed people) be held to decide who would prepare the meals...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Brother, What name can you not say?
Maherbaan: Shaikh, I would be embarrassed to say it to you... (face red)...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Brother, I am a Shaikh... I have seen many things... I have delivered many babies... I have counseled thousands of people... I have buried hundreds of bodies... I have fought many a Shaitan... You cannot say or do anything that would make me think less of you than I already do...
Maherbaan: Thanks, Shaikh... I Think... But please don't ask me again to repeat the name... Can I just e-mail it to you?

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Ok just e-mail it to me... now continue with your story...
Maherbaan: Shaikh... where was I... Oh yes!.... When I asked for a Shura council... well that's when everything went wrong... We were running short of time...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Short of time... Thanksgiving is not until the 4th Thursday in November... This is only October... how can you be running short of time?
Maherbaan: Shaikh, you see my brother is going on a much-deserved vacation to Cabo! this next week... well his wife wanted to buy the supplies before they left for the trip... and although they would be back before November 1, 2008... a full 2 weeks before the trip... My mother likes to cook well ahead of time... and well... she wanted to make the Biryani before she came to visit me in Houston... You see she lives with my brother in Dallas...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Ma-Shalla, You know it is a blessing when a mother visits her son... When is your mother coming to visit you?
Maherbaan: November 9, 2008...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Let me get this straight... Your Mother is coming to Houston on November 9th... and your brother is going on a trip in October and would be back before November 1st...
Maherbaan: Yes Shaikh...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Well she has plenty of time to cook her Biryani... So what is the problem...
Maherbaan: Well there was no problem yet... but as I said... We were trying to hold a Shura council... and well because my wife and I were busy on Sunday (This past Sunday after I published the survey results on Thursday morning)... My niece (the one who organized the trip only because her brother made her) decided that it was important to get the Shura done on Saturday... So she called my brother from Chicago who is a very wise and calm person... and asked him if he was available... He, as usual, had no strong opinion on the matter... You see Shaikh, my brother listens to all sides and generally doesn't get into arguments for no reason... so my niece based on that ONE input decided that no one else wanted to participate... Soooo... She called me and we held a Shura among just a few members of the family...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Who was present at this Shura... and if no one else wanted to participate... Why did she call you?
Maherbaan: Shaikh, The Shura had my brother who lives in Dallas, my niece (who organized this trip at the command of her brother), my mother, my sister-in-law who lives in Dallas, as well as me, Shaikh. And I don't have any idea why she called me... I wish she had not... I would not find my self involved in this Fitna...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: get a hold of your self brother... Be a Man... You cannot wish the past away... Don't wipe your face with your left hand... haven't I taught you anything about Sunna...
Maherbaan: I am sorry... When I get stressed... I become Sunna challenged... OK... where was I... She called me because I had the Survey results... and she wanted me to be a scribe! you see Shaikh, Like my brother in Chicago... I too am a man of few opinions... although I don't listen as well as he does.. and sometimes I do get overly excited... well Shaikh... let's just say she wanted me to quickly send the assignments to everyone... and I don't have any idea why she was in such a hurry...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Ok... you need to maintain your composure... It seems like the problem you are facing is as follows: You were forced into hurrying a Shura that not everyone got to participate in... and this goes against your nature... You are a gentleman... and you need to have everyone approve of you... so you work very hard to get everyone to get along... you also don't like conflict...
Maherbaan: Shaikh, how do you know me so well...

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: When you know the ingredients in a recipe... then you know what it will taste like... So here is what you should do...
Maherbaan: What is that Shaikh?

Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: You should listen to your father and leave your mother in charge... This will make you happy... As to IJMA... well the process was flawed, to begin with... you did not get all the members to vote... you hurried the results... as to the Shura... it was not a Shura at all... Since you cannot undo all the mistakes you made... Just leave it alone...

Maherbaan: Shaikh, you make it sound so easy... how do I keep this from happening again...
Shaikh Ea-syja-wab: Don't listen to your niece (the one who organized this trip....)

Maherbaan: an excellent idea Shaikh...

Well, Abbu... there you have it... It seems like you were right all along... I am glad we are finally starting to agree about life...