The Dangers of #AI and Illiberal Thinking with President #HamzaYusuf (2023 Commencement)

Zaytuna College
15 Jun 202322:23

Summary

TLDRIn the commencement ceremony speech at Zetuna College, the speaker reflects on the college's 10th anniversary and the significance of knowledge in the Islamic tradition. The address emphasizes the importance of deep thinking, intellectual jihad, and the arts of freedom. It also discusses the impact of technology on society, the need for a coherent policy on technological innovation, and the critical role of liberal education in democracy. The speaker urges graduates to embrace dignity, decorum, and the pursuit of knowledge, and to strive for justice tempered with mercy.

Takeaways

  • 🎓 Welcome and commencement: The speaker welcomes guests to Zeytuna College's 10th commencement ceremony for the class of 2023, emphasizing the importance of the event and the beauty of the campus setting.
  • 🌿 Symbolism of the Olive Tree: Zeytuna College is compared to an olive tree, symbolizing resilience, enlightenment, and sustenance, aiming to restore the centrality of knowledge in the Islamic tradition while embracing modern cultural currents.
  • 📚 Divine Knowledge: The speech references the Quran to illustrate the metaphor of divine knowledge as light, with the human soul as a niche, intellect as a glass, and wisdom derived from the blessed olive tree's oil.
  • 🤔 Reflection on Technology: The speaker prompts deep thought about the impact of technology on society, questioning the direction it's taking and the need for a coherent policy to guide technological innovation.
  • 💡 Intellectual Jihad: The concept of intellectual jihad is introduced, emphasizing the importance of deep thinking (ishtihad) and defending the mind against invaders, which includes illiberal thinking.
  • 🧠 Freedom of Thought: The speaker discusses the five enemies that hinder free thought: ego, ulterior motives, delusion, malevolent insinuations, and illiberal thinking, which must be overcome for clear reasoning and judgment.
  • 📚 Arts of Freedom: The importance of mastering language, literature, grammar, dialectic, and rhetoric is highlighted as essential tools for free thought and effective communication.
  • 🌍 Community and Brotherhood: The necessity of community, brotherly love, and family is stressed, with the Prophet's teachings on love and the importance of being a merciful and just society.
  • 📖 The Role of Education: The speaker calls for a revival of true education that fosters critical thinking and resistance to propaganda, emphasizing the role of liberal arts in maintaining a democratic society.
  • 🗣️ Press and Free Speech: The significance of a free press and the right to debate and criticize is discussed, as well as the dangers of a society that suppresses these freedoms in favor of superficial entertainment.
  • 🌟 Final Advice: The graduates are advised to carry themselves with dignity, engage in deep thought, and strive to be people whom the Prophet would be proud of on the Day of Judgment, with a reminder to stand for justice tempered by mercy.

Q & A

  • What is the significance of the olive tree in the context of Zetuna College's commencement ceremony speech?

    -The olive tree serves as a profound metaphor in the speech, symbolizing resilience, enlightenment, and sustenance. It encapsulates the purpose of Zetuna College, which seeks to restore the centrality of knowledge in the Islamic tradition while embracing the cultural currents of the modern world.

  • How does the Quranic verse mentioned in the speech relate to the theme of knowledge and guidance?

    -The Quranic verse uses the imagery of a niche, lamp, and glass to symbolize the human soul, divine knowledge, and the human intellect, respectively. The oil from the blessed olive tree represents knowledge, truth, and guidance, emphasizing the importance of wisdom and its role in the educational journey of the graduates.

  • What is the 'tektronic revolution' as described in the speech?

    -The 'tektronic revolution' refers to the merging of technology and electricity, as described by the author in the book 'Between Two Ages'. It highlights the contrast between technical success and social failure, raising questions about the control and direction of technological innovation and its impact on society.

  • What are the 'Arts of Freedom' mentioned in the speech, and why are they important?

    -The 'Arts of Freedom' include deep thinking (ishtihad), intellectual jihad, and the critical examination of ideas. They are important because they allow individuals to defend their minds against harmful influences, make well-informed decisions, and contribute to the common good of society.

  • How does the speech connect the pursuit of knowledge with the formation of communities?

    -The speech posits that the pursuit of knowledge is essential for the formation of real communities. By communicating and sharing common ideas and purposes, individuals can unite and work towards a common goal. The restoration of community is an urgent imperative, and it relies on the free exchange of ideas and the mastery of the arts of communication.

  • What is the role of liberal arts in a democratic society, according to the speech?

    -In a democratic society, liberal arts are crucial for sustaining and extending freedom. Democratic citizens must be able to think for themselves, which requires a liberal education and a body of ideas to think with. The arts of liberty are essential for resisting tyranny and promoting a society where citizens can engage in meaningful discussions and contribute to the public discourse.

  • How does the speech address the impact of technology on society?

    -The speech acknowledges the potential of technology for individual creativity and fulfillment but also warns of its social destructiveness if left directionless. It calls for a conceptual framework to guide technological change towards meaningful and humane ends, emphasizing the need for society to think deeply about the implications of technological advancements.

  • What does the speech suggest about the current state of education?

    -The speech suggests that the current form of education is dying and needs to be revived. It criticizes systems that indoctrinate rather than truly educate, arguing that such systems make individuals more susceptible to propaganda and less capable of critical thinking.

  • What is the importance of brotherly love and community in the context of the speech?

    -Brotherly love and community are emphasized as essential for creating a just and supportive society. The speech encourages graduates to be people of decorum, dignity, and to carry themselves with noble character. It also highlights the importance of family as the foundation of community and the need for more love and unity among people.

  • How does the speech relate the concept of justice to the graduates?

    -The speech urges the graduates to stand firmly for justice as witnesses, but also to remember that justice must always be tempered by mercy. It encourages them to be just to the point where they are willing to testify against themselves, promoting a balanced approach to justice that incorporates compassion and understanding.

  • What are the 'five enemies' mentioned in the speech that one must free their heart from?

    -The 'five enemies' mentioned are ego (naps), ulterior motives (Hawa), delusion (Dunya), malevolent insinuations (shaytan), and illiberal thinking. These enemies hinder deep and free thinking, which is necessary for intellectual growth and effective participation in society.

Outlines

00:00

🎓 Welcoming Remarks and Commencement Celebration

The speaker begins by welcoming attendees to the commencement ceremony of Zaytuna College's graduating class of 2023. They express honor in standing before the audience and celebrate the educational journey of the graduates. The speaker references the college's mission to restore the importance of knowledge within the Islamic tradition while embracing the modern world. The speech also includes a Quranic verse that symbolizes divine knowledge, wisdom, and guidance, highlighting the importance of deep thinking and intellectual jihad in the pursuit of truth and the defense of the mind against various 'invaders'.

05:03

🤔 Reflecting on Technology and the Importance of Deep Thinking

The speaker discusses the impact of technology on society and the need for deep thinking to navigate its complexities. They mention a board meeting and the use of Chat GPT to generate speeches, raising concerns about the authenticity of leadership in the digital age. The speaker then delves into the concept of 'ishtahad' or deep intellectual effort, drawing parallels with the idea of Jihad in the context of defending the mind against negative influences. They emphasize the importance of freeing one's mind from ego, ulterior motives, delusion, and malevolent insinuations to engage in meaningful deliberation and decision-making.

10:04

📚 The Arts of Freedom and the Pursuit of Knowledge

The speaker explores the significance of the liberal arts in fostering freedom and community. They discuss the importance of reason and its role in weighing choices and pursuing beneficial outcomes. The speaker also touches on the negative consequences of neglecting study and knowledge, which can lead to social fragmentation and powerlessness. They highlight the role of education in forming real communities and the necessity of critical thinking to counteract the spread of propaganda and maintain a democratic society.

15:07

🌍 The Role of Education in Democracy and Society

The speaker addresses the critical role of education in sustaining democracy, emphasizing that democratic citizens must be able to think independently and engage in intelligent discussions. They reference historical figures and events to illustrate the dangers of a society that lacks liberal education and is susceptible to propaganda. The speaker also discusses the importance of a free press in informing the public and fostering a culture of debate and criticism, which are essential for the survival of a republic.

20:09

🕊️ Embracing Mercy and Justice in a Challenging World

In the final paragraph, the speaker reflects on the challenges of life, drawing from the wisdom of Imam al-Junaid, who described the world as a place of stress and strife. The speaker encourages graduates to maintain gratitude and patience in the face of adversity. They also remind the audience of the importance of justice, tempered with mercy, as a guiding principle in their lives. The speech concludes with a call for the graduates to live with decorum, dignity, and to strive to be people whom their Prophet would be proud of on the Day of Judgment.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Zeytunah College

Zeytunah College is the institution where the commencement ceremony is taking place. It represents the educational journey of the graduating class and embodies the values and teachings that the students have embraced during their time there. The college seeks to restore the centrality of knowledge in the Islamic tradition while also embracing the cultural currents of the modern world.

💡Commencement Ceremony

The commencement ceremony is the event marking the graduation of students from an educational institution. It symbolizes the culmination of their academic journey and the beginning of a new chapter in their lives. It is a moment of celebration, reflection, and inspiration.

💡Olive Tree

The olive tree is used as a metaphor in the speech for resilience, enlightenment, and sustenance. It represents the centrality of knowledge in the Islamic tradition that Zeytunah College aims to restore. The olive tree's symbolism extends to the idea of knowledge being a source of light and guidance, much like the oil from the tree that burns bright in the lamp mentioned in the Quranic verse.

💡Intellectual Jihad

Intellectual Jihad refers to the struggle or effort to think deeply and use one's intellect to defend important ideas and values. It is a concept that emphasizes the importance of critical thinking and the use of reason to understand and navigate the world. In the context of the speech, it is a call for graduates to engage in deep thought and reflection to defend their minds against various 'invaders' that seek to distract or mislead.

💡Liberal Arts

The liberal arts are a set of diverse disciplines that aim to develop a well-rounded individual capable of critical thinking, effective communication, and a broad understanding of the world. In the speech, the liberal arts are celebrated for their ability to foster freedom, community, and intellectual rigor, and are seen as essential to the functioning of a democratic society.

💡Community

Community refers to a group of individuals who share common interests, values, or goals. In the context of the speech, the formation of real communities is linked to the ability to communicate effectively and share ideas. It is emphasized that community strength is derived from knowledge, love, and likeness, and that the loss of freedom and community leads to social fragmentation and powerlessness.

💡Technology

Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes, especially in industry. In the speech, technology is discussed in relation to its impact on society and the need for a thoughtful approach to its development and use. The speaker raises questions about the control and direction of technological innovation and its potential social consequences.

💡Critical Thinking

Critical thinking is the ability to analyze and evaluate information and arguments in a thoughtful and logical manner. It involves questioning, reasoning, and making informed judgments. In the speech, critical thinking is encouraged as a means to understand the impact of technology on society and to make meaningful choices about the future.

💡Prophet

The Prophet in the context of the speech refers to the Prophet Muhammad, who is the central figure of Islam. His teachings and sayings are used to inspire and guide the graduates, emphasizing the importance of love, community, and moral conduct. The Prophet's approval on the Day of Judgment is presented as a high aspiration for the graduates.

💡Justice and Mercy

Justice and Mercy are fundamental moral principles discussed in the speech. Justice refers to the fair and equitable treatment of individuals, while Mercy is about compassion and forgiveness. The speaker encourages the graduates to stand for justice but also to temper it with mercy, reflecting the balance that is needed in their approach to life and society.

Highlights

Welcome to the commencement ceremony of Zaytuna College's graduating class of 2023.

Zaytuna College seeks to restore the centrality of knowledge in the Islamic tradition while embracing modern cultural currents.

The commencement speaker references the Quran to illustrate the symbolism of knowledge, truth, and guidance.

The speaker discusses the impact of technology on society and the need for a conceptual framework to direct technological innovation meaningfully.

The importance of deep thinking, referred to as 'ishtihad' in the Islamic tradition, is emphasized.

The concept of 'intellectual Jihad' is introduced as the defense of the mind against invaders.

The speaker identifies four enemies of the mind: ego, ulterior motives, delusion, and malevolent insinuations.

A fifth enemy, 'illiberal thinking', is introduced as a threat to balanced deliberation.

The importance of the liberal arts in fostering critical thinking and a well-informed society is discussed.

Shakespeare's mastery of the Arts is cited as a reason for his enduring legacy.

The speaker warns against the dangers of a society that neglects the study of the liberal arts, leading to ignorance and fragmentation.

The necessity of community and communication for the exchange of ideas is emphasized.

The political implications of a lack of liberal education are discussed, including the susceptibility to propaganda.

The importance of brotherly love and community in the face of societal challenges is highlighted.

The speaker calls for graduates to be people of decorum, dignity, and deep thought.

The Prophet's desire to be proud of his community on the Day of Judgment is mentioned.

The Quranic reminder of the world's tribulations and the importance of patience and gratitude is cited.

The call to stand for justice tempered by mercy is emphasized.

Transcripts

play00:01

foreign on behalf of the Board of

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Trustees The Faculty staff and students

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at zetuna college

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I'd like you to welcome all of you to

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the commencement ceremony of our

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graduating class of 2023 which has now

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begun so please be seated

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honored guests

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the steam faculty

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are bored

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proud parents and our remarkable

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students graduates now of zaytuna

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College's 10th commence commencement

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ceremony I'm humbled to stand before you

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today amidst the captivating Beauty

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of

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our campus

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adorned with its Gardens and trees as we

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celebrate the culmination of your

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educational Journey

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in the essence of zetuna the Arabic word

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for all of we find a profound metaphor

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that encapsulates the purpose of our

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Noble Institution

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just as the Olive Tree serves as a

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symbol of resilience Enlightenment and

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sustenance zetuna College seeks to

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restore the centrality of knowledge in

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the Islamic tradition

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while embracing the cultural currents

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shaping our modern world

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as we Embark upon this momentous

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occasion let us turn to the Quran where

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Allah says

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Allah is the light of the heavens and

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the Earth the example of his light is

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out of a niche in which there is a lamp

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the lamp is in a glass the glass looks

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like a brilliant star it's lit by oil of

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a blessed tree the oil which is neither

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Eastern nor Western

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in this verse we discover a rich

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tapestry of symbolism the niche

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represents the human soul while the lamp

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signifies the Divine knowledge that

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resides within it the glass like a

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shining brilliant star reflects the

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human intellect

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a vessel ready to receive and radiate

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wisdom and within this lamp burning

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bright is the oil derived from the

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Blessed Olive Tree an emblem of

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knowledge truth and guidance

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so that concludes the speech that was

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created by chat GPT

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so I was telling one of our

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staff

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yesterday that we had a long board

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meeting yesterday

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which some people think is spelled

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b-o-r-e-d

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but it's actually not

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and I was really exhausted I said I've

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got I've got to write some words oh she

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said oh chat GPT will do that for you so

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I said really she said yeah I'll send it

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to you so she sent me three different

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speeches they were all reasonably good

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which deeply troubled me and I'm

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wondering how many college presidents

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today are giving chat GPT speeches

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who I actually met once

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um

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and asked him if he thought the grand

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chess board was still a valid

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Theses and he said ah there's more proof

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for it now than there was when I wrote

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it well he actually wrote a book in 1967

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called between two ages and in that book

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he said the third American Revolution

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which the first is obviously begins in

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1776 the second is the Industrial

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Revolution but the third he called the

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tektronic revolution which was the

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merging of technology and electricity

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so he said the third American Revolution

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highlights the sharp contrast between

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our technical success and our social

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failure

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and it raises basic questions concerning

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the control and direction of the thrust

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of technological innovation

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power choices made why are they made by

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whom are they made

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what values are involved in these

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choices and how can they be crystallized

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so that a coherent policy can be shaped

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these questions increasingly beset all

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modern societies but given the extensive

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social scope of Contemporary American

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Science and Technology this challenge is

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especially important in the United

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States because it affects and

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potentially threatens the most intimate

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aspects of American Life

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since it appears true that this Society

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has chosen to emphasize technological

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change as its Chief mode of creative

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expression and basis for economic growth

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it follows that the society's most

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imperative task is to define a

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conceptual framework in which

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technological change can be given

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meaningful and Humane ends unless this

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is done there is a real danger that by

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remaining directionless

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the third American Revolution so

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pregnant with possibilities for

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individual creativity and fulfillment

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can become socially destructive

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so something to think about

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I probably could have gotten away with

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my chat GPT speech and everybody said I

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was okay

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so

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how do we deal with that well

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part of it is that we

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we have to think deeply we have to think

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about what technology is doing and where

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it's taking us

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but we have to think deeply and thinking

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demands effort

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in fact in our tradition deep thinking

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is called ishtihad which is the

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expenditure of the utmost effort that we

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have

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it's also related to you jahidu which is

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Jihad intellectual Jihad we forget about

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that that there is an intellectual Jihad

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to think deeply about things but also to

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use our intellects to defend the most

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important things just as the material

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the military jihadist to defend a state

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to defend its borders against Invaders

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intellectual Jihad is to defend the Mind

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against the Invaders of the mind and

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they're everywhere today they're in our

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homes

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we turn them on daily

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but to think deeply and freely

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necessitates one mind one's mind being

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free of four things

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ego which we call naps ulterior motives

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which we call Hawa delusion which we

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call Dunya

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and malevolent insinuations which we

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call shaytan

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without freeing one's heart from these

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four enemies we don't stand a chance but

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I would add to them a fifth enemy

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illiberal thinking

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which is related to all four

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and

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it's necessary for all four to succeed

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what do I mean by illiberal thinking I

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mean the thought which is done without

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the Arts that free one to deliberate

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which comes from a beautiful Latin

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compound de and Liberia to weigh in the

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balance to weigh in the balance in other

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words to reckon with the outcomes to

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determine whether a choice is a good one

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does it benefit or does its harm

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outweigh its benefit this is called

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Muslim that's the foundation of our

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tradition in looking at what is

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beneficial and what is harmful because

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our tradition says to follow what is

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beneficial and to avoid what is harmful

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how do what are the sound scales why

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does God says

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way with an upright scale Imam in his

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brilliance

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wrote a book of logic called

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that reason is that scale that God has

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given us but reason enlightened by

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Revelation

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light upon light the light of reason

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when it is illuminated by the light of

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Revelation

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through sound reason we can weigh a

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proposition in the scales of free

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thought to determine if it's worthy of

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its Pursuit then if necessary one can

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through the art of rhetoric persuade

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others of the soundness of that course

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or of the dangers and the perils

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these five enemies are lurking in one's

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mind or Heart during the deliberation

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one loses one's way and hence one's

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ability to weigh

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we have only introduced you to these

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Arts of Freedom you graduates we've

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there you've been introduced to them

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you're not masters of them we're not

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masters of them we're still studying

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them

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they're a lifelong study the subtleties

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of language and literature through the

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Mastery of grammar become clear and more

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distinct the more one learns the

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fallacies and fallacies Follies of so

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much human thought reveals itself

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through the Mastery of dialectic and

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finally the beauty of effective language

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skillfully used for the common good

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Shakespeare in his autobiographical

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character Prospero most of Shakespearean

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Scholars say that Prospero represents

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him it's his last play The Tempest he

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says of the liberal arts and Prospero

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Prospero the prime Duke being so reputed

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in dignity and for the liberal arts

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without parallel those being all my

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study

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so if you want to know why Shakespeare's

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great and still read in so many places

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he was a master of the Arts he had his

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genius but he was a trained genius

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when caliban the The Savage in the play

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advises Stefano and trincolo about

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overcoming overcoming Prospero he says

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to them remember to First possess his

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books for without them he's barasat

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this is how the same demons achieve the

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usurpation of power from the Muslims

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possessed their books especially their

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book for without it there but sots

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as the great German Juris freyr stated

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study conceives knowledge but knowledge

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gives birth to love love to likeness

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likeness to community community to

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strength strength to worthiness

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worthiness to power and power Makes

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Miracles this is the route to the goal

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of magical accomplishment both Divine

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and natural well we have something

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called

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which is to look at what the opposite

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meaning because it gives you an

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understanding so if we reverse this

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neglect of study leaves one in ignorance

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ignorance gives birth to hate

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gives birth to differences differences

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to social fragmentation social

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fragmentation to powerlessness and

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powerlessness to abject humiliation and

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abject humiliation to utter failure

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our path lies in the pursuit of

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knowledge which prophetically was

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determined to be from the Cradle to the

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Grave restoration of community remains

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our most urgent impaired imperative but

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we can only form real communities to the

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extent to which we can communicate

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share common ideas and purposes as one

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of my teachers stated where men lack the

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Arts of communication intelligent

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discussion must languish where there is

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no Mastery of the medium of exchanging

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ideas ideas cease to play a part in

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human life when that happens men are but

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little better than brutes they dominate

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by force and cunning and they will soon

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try to dominate each other in the same

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way loss of Freedom follows

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again to paraphrase him we are under the

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illusion today that we have a liberal

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Society but it is a false liberalism

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that confuses Authority with tyranny

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that arises when people assume that

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everything is simply a matter of opinion

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that doctrine that doctrine that

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everything is simply a matter of opinion

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is suicidal it will result in the

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doctrine of Might makes right when we

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free ourselves from reason rather than

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through it we surrender to the only

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other Arbiter in human Affairs Force he

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says the political implications of the

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liberal arts are not far to seek if

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democracy is a society of free men it

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must sustain and extend liberal

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education or perish Democratic citizens

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must be able to think for themselves to

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do this they must first be able to think

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and have a body of ideas to think with

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Shakespeare clearly understood this and

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I've repeated this before but it's it's

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worth it for tyranny to flourish the

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population must be deprived of the Arts

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of Liberty

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in Henry VI Shakespeare writes this

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speech

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and this is

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from tyranny thou Hast most traitorously

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corrupted the Youth of the Realm by

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erecting grammar schools

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and whereas before our forefathers had

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no other books but the score in the

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tally consumerism

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thou has caused printing to be used and

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contrary to the king his crown and

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dignity thou has built a paper mill

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in other words the spread of knowledge

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reading and writing look to that man

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like treason

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we find this in the archetypal Tyrant of

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the Quran the most repeated story in the

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Quran

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when Allah says

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Dr Cleary in in his often brilliant

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diction word choice says thus he made

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his people flippant

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so I looked up flippant just to I you

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always have to look up these words

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because we learn them very often in

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context

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it is

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equality

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that is personified in levity which is

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lightness

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and that's exactly what the Quran says

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he made them light he made them Thief

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he made them flippant

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he made them people of entertainment

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he took away their gravitas what

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gravitas from the Latin waited down

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gravity it weights you down what did

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Allah call our species

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the weighty ones that's what we are the

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ins and the Jinn are the two weighty

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ones

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thus he made his people flippant and

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they went along with that for they were

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indeed a dissolute people tyrants in the

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past used armies to control their people

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they don't need armies anymore they have

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armies of public relations teams

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PR firms

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propagandists

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advertisements

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one of the reasons the political science

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Hobbes looked to scans at democracy was

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according to him it had the tendency to

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degenerate into an oligarchy of orators

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today

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it would be sound bites on tick tock

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not tick tock

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sub-titak

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is good Tick Tock is bad

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right

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I asked the clock how things were going

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he said tick tock

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the only force that can oppose this

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tendency is the critical capacity of the

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citizenry this can only occur if they

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are liberally educated but I will say

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more

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the more educated quote unquote in a

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system that indoctrinates rather than

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truly educates the less they are

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susceptible to propaganda this is one of

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chomsky's valid points that the the most

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uneducated people in America tend to be

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the the least susceptible to the

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propaganda

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you've been introduced into a dying form

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of Education that needs to be revived

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John Kennedy

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the former president assassinated

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give a speech in front of the American

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newspaper's Publishers Association

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and he said without debate without

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criticism no Administration and no

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country can succeed and no Republic can

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survive that is why the Athenian

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lawmaker Solon decreeded a crime for any

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citizen to shrink from controversy and

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that is why our press was protected by

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the First Amendment the only business in

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America specifically protected by the

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Constitution not primarily to amuse and

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entertain not to emphasize the trivial

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and the sentimental not to Simply give

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the public what it wants but to inform

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to arouse to reflect to State our

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dangers and our opportunities to

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indicate our crisis and our choices to

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lead mold educate and sometimes even to

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anger public opinion

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we need to be able to discuss the

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momentous events and ideas that affect

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us and our societies with intelligence

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and forbearance

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this is only done in the spirit of

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philia Brotherly Love This is why the

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first capital of the U.S

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was named Philadelphia

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which is where our wonderful

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commencement speaker today is from

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Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love

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which is now over 10 percent Muslim

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our Prophet said none of you truly

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believes until he or she he but

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understood to be he or she

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loves for his or her fellow man he said

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brother but all of our commentators say

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it means brother inhumanity

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until you love for your brother what you

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love for yourself

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we need more Brotherly Love More

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Community but most importantly more

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family

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because that's that's where it begins

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and without that

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we have no hope

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so leave say tuna

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when you're in your bodies but not in

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your hearts be people of decorum be

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people of dignity be people that carry

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themselves comportment to carry yourself

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with dignity

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Adam we have

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ennobled the children of Adam being

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noble people don't be flippant people

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don't be glib people don't be people

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that go to the easy choices think deeply

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about the things that confront you be

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able to say I don't know

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but most importantly make your Prophet

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salallahu I'm proud of you on the day of

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judgment

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because he said I want to be proud on

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the day of just

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[Music]

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I want I'm going to be proud of my

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community on the day be amongst those

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people that he's proud of because there

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are people that he calls them to his

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hold and the angels say no

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they changed after you

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don't be amongst those people be people

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that our Prophet is proud of and in

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conclusion two things from the Quran

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that I want to remind you of and then oh

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we have uh

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the the first

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is

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this dunya's tribulation Imam al-junaid

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who you all know now who he was if you

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didn't before you came here he said

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this is an abode of stress of

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tribulation of strife

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and uh

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and he said if you understand that you

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will be grateful

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and you will be patient if you lose that

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understanding you will get frustrated

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with this world because it's a

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frustrating place for the people that

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don't have that knowledge so

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um

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[Music]

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or think you that you will enter

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Paradise while such trials will not come

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to you as they came to those who were

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before you they were touched by poverty

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and hardship and were shaken until even

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the messenger and those who believed

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with him said when will the help of God

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come yes certainly the help of God is

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near so it's always going to be near so

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just remember that and the second one

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be

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Stand Out firmly for justice as

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Witnesses but never forget that Justice

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must always be tempered by Mercy and our

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Prophet was a merciful Prophet before he

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was a just Prophet Allah did not say

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he could have

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he was sent first and foremost as a

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mercy but we need Justice and we're in a

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world often defined by Injustice so be

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people who are just to the point where

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they're willing to testify against

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themselves

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thank you

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