I had a classmate in Medina from the Caucus. He told me that they used to keep a Quran buried underground in their basement. They'd take it out occasionally & their grandfather would teach them secretly. This happened for years until somebody told on them. 1/n

The communists kidnapped him in the night, then returned his belt to them 30 years later.
The whole time they continue to learn the deen in secret and maintain their identity as Muslims. 2/

Somehow we're acting like not being able to have a group iftar or go to the masjid is a struggle so exceptional and so difficult, that we need exceptional fatawa that defy even the most basic conditions for acceptable Ibadah. 3/

It's amazing the extent that people will go to just to not take responsibility of their own Deen. Things like following prayers and Khutbas over the internet fly in the face of every standard for validity. 4/

It's as if we, modern creatures that we are, if we don't have the choice to do worship how *we* want, then we will refuse to do it at all. If I can't go to the mosque & pray - you know if I want to - then I'm not going to pray at all. 5/

Are we somehow better than the companions of the prophet most of whom prayed in their homes? Some of whom would recite Qul Huwa Allah Ahad in every Raka?
If we can't pray & make iftar except in the mosque then the problem is with our Iman. Allah is not only in the mosque. 6/

We're not just exposing ourselves as immunocompromised, but as Iman-compromised as well. If our identity is so tied to community events without personal conviction and private practice, I fear a performative Islam that will not outlast a few generations. 7/7