Hamza Yusuf is an influential and knowledgeable person but he isn't more influential and knowledgeable than Mother of the Faithful Bibi Aisha, the wife of Prophet Muhammad (S).
More than a thousand hadith of the Prophet (S) are attributed to Bibi Aisha, and, according to the Prophet's (S) Companion Abu Musa Ashari, "Whenever a hadith was unclear to us (the Companions), and we asked Aisha about it, we always gained knowledge about that hadith from her.”
While Bibi Aisha demonstrated knowledge of Islam, unfortunately, she lacked correct political insight, an attribute essential to be considered a scholar with sway in the public sphere. Specifically, Bibi Aisha took up arms against Imam Ali during his caliphate in the Battle of Jamal where she was defeated after the death of more than 20,000 Muslims and further disunity amongst the ummah.
Immediately, she regretted her political stance and apologized to Imam Ali for supporting the rebellion.
But what she did afterwards is what today's scholars need to pay heed to: She bowed out of political affairs, allowing those with better understanding to lead Muslims to progress while avoiding enemy traps.
Hamza Yusuf has repeatedly demonstrated his lack of political insight (regarding police brutality, Palestinian struggle, Syrian rebellion, UAE peace forum, President Trump's human rights panel). These mistakes in judgement are no joke. By encouraging Syrians in 2012 to keep fighting against their government, for example, he contributed to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of Muslims. He's regretted some of his positions and even offered public apologies, including one on Syria yesterday.
But he needs to go further. It's time he retire from political affairs--while some of his dignity is still intact--like Bibi Aisha did. Bibi Aisha continued teaching privately. Maybe that's what he should do, too.
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