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On September 11, 2020, Imam Saif Rahman delivered a Friday Sermon titled "The Empire Strikes Back" at the Dar Al-Hijrah Islamic Center, a mosque in Fairfax County, Virginia where Anwar Al-Awlaki, a leader in Al-Qaeda, had been the imam when the 9/11 attacks took place. Imam Rahman said that Allah permits proportional retribution, but that the United States and its society acted unjustly and disproportionately by displacing over 25 million people in retribution for the 3500 people who were killed in the 9/11 attacks. He said that any Americans – including Muslims – who vote, who pay taxes, or who are "not involved in making change" are "part of the problem." In addition, Imam Rahman said that the "Never Forget" slogan does not justify the damage and injustices caused in the world by the United States. After mentioning that some members of the Dar Al-Hijrah community suffered injustice following 9/11, Imam Rahman said that the United States has oppressed community after community since its inception, and he gave the examples of African Americans and Native Americans. He urged American Muslims to say "Enough," and he added that it is each individual’s responsibility to "translate" the slogan "Never Again" to: "Never again will I allow our society to transgress."
Imam Saif Rahman: "Today is an infamous day in this nation's history.
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"Due to the heinous attack on the Twin Towers and the Pentagon and anywhere else that destroyed many innocent lives.
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"Allah says when someone is murdered, there should be retribution for that murder. But that retribution for that murder is one for one. 3,500 people died, were murdered, on this day, 20 years ago.
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"The unfortunate reality is because 3,500 people – of our people – we're murdered on that day, we as a society are responsible for 27 million to 50 million plus displaced people around the world.
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"And I don't say a government. I say we, as a society. It is a collective blame, brothers and sisters. Because if we pay taxes, if we are voting, if we are not involved in making change, we are part of the problem.
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"Because you're going to see the remembrance. You're going to see 'Never Forget 9/11.'
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"But that doesn't justify the damage that we have wrought on the world. That doesn't justify the injustices that we commit on a daily basis as a society.
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"I know some of us here in this masjid [mosque] bore the brunt of the injustices committed by our society post 9/11.
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"Our country's history is cyclical. The Native Americans in our society were destroyed because they were 'savages.'
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"The African Americans were 3/5th's a man.
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"To population after population since our inception. And our country has repeated this injustice with community after community. It behooves us as American Muslims to say 'Enough.'
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"What is my role and responsibility to make sure the words 'Never Again' means 'Never More Injustice,' 'Never More Oppression,' 'Never again will I allow our society to transgress.' That's how we should be translating those words: 'Never Again,' when we hear it on September 11th."
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