whenever I give the example of one plus one, something comes to my mind. It was a lesson of honesty that we learned many many years ago. And you know, they say initially they had picked on certain colors and races. But as I refined it, we removed the colors and races because even when you are joking you shouldn’t say the Pakistani and the Indian and this .., No, if it’s derogatory take that out. Refine yourself, you know when I was a little bit younger and we were not Not yet as refined. We sometimes used to laugh at these things.
Now, I actually send a message back to the brothers on my phone or whoever it was I said, you know what? think about what was said? you could have joked without an insult. may Allah forgive me and all of us and make us more conscious of it. So they say there were three guys, they went to apply for a job as an accountant right? by the way I was told recently that accounting is going to be taken over by computers very very soon, anyone becoming a CA, you know the lifespan of it, you’re going to have to go into crypto very soon. may Allah forgive you and forgive me. I might be totally wrong. Okay, it’s not my topic. I should keep quiet, right? mashallah, mashallah, so three guys going to the interview. What did they want the job as the accountant?
So the first guy walks in and he comes out in a minute. So the other two said what happens? and I don’t know I walked in, he said what’s one plus one? I said two and he said you can leave. I said why? So the other two now knew that hey is something wrong. The next guy goes in and comes out in a minute. So the third guy sitting and said what happened? He said he did the same thing to me. Yeah, but you’re such a fool if you knew two was wrong. Why did you…? he says, no, I didn’t say two because I knew two wrong, right? I said 11 because one and one technically you put the two together.
It makes 11 so, you know technical mind, I might get the job. He said you can leave, the third guy says haha. This guy probably needs a different answer. So he enters like I told you the initial joke has nationalities next to it. Don’t put nationalities. We leave it blank. You’ll still have a good laugh. Right? Why are you laughing bro? I haven’t even told you the joke. So he walks in. And he gets the job. He got the job guess why he got the job. the boss says, what’s one plus one? He says wait, let me close the curtains. he Closed the curtains and I turned off the lights, I turned offt he lights. Okay, let me whisper in your ear. He said okay, what would you like it to be? they say that’s a real accountant, Masha’allah, Allah forgive us. may Allah forfgive us, did you hear that? We see laugh, Masha’allah May Allah forgive us. Obviously. That’s a joke guys. That’s a total joke. It’s got nothing. You know what you have to be upright. Please don’t whisper in people’s ears and start doctoring all your accounts. Mashallah.
The prophet salallahu alihi wasalam said that the example of people upon whom the Revelation Falls are like the different types of lands. Some people are like hard lands that shaped in a way That’s like a rock. The rains is hits it. It doesn’t absorb it. The rock doesn’t absorb it. The surface doesn’t absorb it nor does it benefit anybody or anything else around it. Then the prophet (saw) said but there’s then a surface that’s like it’s hard but it’s bowl-shaped or it’s shaped in a way that I could carry some water but none of the water is absorbed. then he (saw) said there is surface, That’s like soil.
It takes in the water. It absorbs it. And you know if you think about this in terms of benefit, by the way, right? the the bowl shaped surface that carries water right away offers an immediate sense of gratification and benefit to everything but itself. but once the water is gone, it’s just like the first type of land, right? it’s exposed for its bareness and for its hardness, that type of person the prophet (saw) said is like a person who benefits others with the Revelation but does not benefit themselves, meaning for a short while you’re able to get something out of it and you’re able to offer something from it, but the water gets drunk really quick and then there is nothing left to it. You never actually absorbed it you, just gave others something of it to benefit from. but that other person that’s like soil when the soil absorbs the water. That means that first and foremost. The primary beneficiary of that water, of that Revelation is the person themselves.
That it went deep inside of me, it penetrated. The other implication of that is that it’s going to bear fruit and bear vegetation in the long run. So while the surface that carries the water and that’s a hard surface in the short-term gives people an immediate sense of benefit. The soil doesn’t provide immediate benefit put it provides long-term benefits. And that type of benefit is not just to other parties but it starts off with you. You soak it in, your heart gets saturated by it. And subhanallah, you know, what else? That type of vegetation whatever comes out of that, you might be able to break a branch or break a tree. But it’s so deeply rooted in the soil of your heart that even if people are able to get you momentarily. You’ll just grow something else back. When you talk about how you are meant to represent Islam, I recognize the immense pressure upon young people in particular to have to represent Islam, especially when they have not been able at times to absorb it and it’s most beautiful sense. Make sure that as you’re interacting with religion. in a time when people immediately hear and speak; receive and show; make sure that you’re taking some quiet time to actually try to absorb and appreciate the profound transformative nature of this message. Make sure that you’re actually taking time for yourself, Make sure that before you preach it you practice it, you know with every other form of knowledge. You learn it and then you teach it and Islam you learn, you implement, Then you teach, you learn, Implement, teach and that process never can be interrupted. It has to be that in between your learning and your teaching there is some level of implementation and for a person that has to interact with a broader society that has such ugly Impressions about this beautiful religion what that means is making sure that you allocate some time to read by yourself, to meditate upon the meanings of this religion by yourself at times. No social structure is going to fill that void of your own,. your own ability to sit and to ponder upon the meanings of the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) what the …..not does is it reinvigorates you it motivates you, it gives you the tools so that you can do that on your own, but Take a step back. And actually try to absorb it. To be a person of substance.
Because if the only way you’ve interacted with the Quran is listening and reciting and the only way you’ve interacted with the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) is treating it like a reference so that you go and you get the Hadith that you need or you get the lecture that you need so that you can give it to somebody else, at no point in that process. Was there a moment for you to actually absorb it to sit with yourself and actually absorb it. you know, a lot of people think that the reason why I don’t need to do that is because I’m already living or demonstrating some of those meanings. But the reality is that you you’re just that bowl that’s giving water to other people but you haven’t given it a chance to actually penetrate deep into your heart. sometimes even in your hardest moments Allah gives you an opportunity for growth, to grow out of that hard moment. And the idea here is that you don’t really know that you’re a person of substance or What You’re Made Of until you’re put through something that shakes you. And that’s where it comes out. You know anything about good character and Sunnah when I say the word Sunnah. usually it’s something that is external and its nature and the practices of the prophet (saw) the external practices are important. the sunnah as we understand them are important. I am not saying the deen does not Encompass those in that.. They’re not important part of our religion. Your exterior does matter, you know, there is something about it, but When the prophet (saw) was described what that you are upon an exalted standard of character and the prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam was described as Mission as that. I was sent only to perfect good manners.
There’s something deeper about his person, the character of the prophet (saw) was special. But as I said, you don’t really know what you’re made of until your shook, right? You want to know what the greatest test of good character is? the greatest test of your good character is how you deal with people with bad character. Imam al-ghazali (rah) said the greatest test of good character is how you deal with people with bad character. If you think about the person of the Prophet salallahu alihi wasalam his character shines brightest when it was challenged. It’s very easy to be nice to someone who’s being nice to you. It’s very easy to embody Ramah and mercy when it’s with someone who’s really deserving of Mercy around you. It’s very easy to embody empathy when it’s someone that naturally gives off a sentiment solicit that sympathy just by there being, it’s very easy to be for justice. When it forces someone that’s on your team, when you like the person that you’re standing justice for when it’s a popular cause of Justice, all of that is easy, but when you’re challenged and the only incentive that you have is to please Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala and you have to access that inner self. That’s when you know what you’re made of. That’s when you know whether you’re a person of substance or not. How do I get there?
I recognize that I am constantly Muslim in training, the word for a person who does ehsan is what? moshen All of the qualities that the prophet (saw) embodies, you have to ask yourself. Look. I’m not at the moment. I don’t think that many of us have Abu jahal in our lives. If you do you need help. All right, like I don’t think any of us are experiencing some of the major episodes of challenge that the prophet (saw) experienced and a lot of times. Here’s the disconnect. There are two sides to this. One of them is there are words of what you’re supposed to do and say if you are in a situation that test your character in a major way, words that you’re supposed to recite, words that you’re supposed to do, words that are stories that are good metaphors that are good analogies that a good parable, that are good examples for you, if you end up in this difficult situation or the situation that challenges your character, challenges your substance.
The disconnect is this, every single day of your life is a chance to actually Bridge those two worlds to where you act upon those words. In the most simple ways and in your daily life so that when that comes to you and really test what’s on the inside, just like a person that’s been lifting weights. You’ve been building character. You’ve been building character along the way, you know inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi rajioon is not something you just say when somebody dies. Inna ma’al usri yusra (Indeed, with hardship [will be] ease) is not just with hardship comes ease is not just when a major tragedy strikes you, patience is not just when you have a life-altering tragedy in your life, gratitude is not just when someone gives you an out of the ordinary gift or bestows a blessing upon you in that way.
Prophet Sallallahu wasallam said whoever doesn’t thank Allah for the small things. It’s not going to be able to thank Allah for the big things. Whoever doesn’t daily or practice gratitude on a daily level, Is it going to understand how to really thank Allah subhanaw Taala when major things happened? Why is it that every single time you eat You say alhamdulillah? Why is it that every single time you wake up in the morning, And you say alhamdulillah you start off your day with praise? And a lack of entitlements, Alhamdulillaahillazi ahyaanaa ba’da maa amaata-naa wa ilaihinnushuur”.
All Praises be to Allah who gave us life after death and to him as the ultimate return. you start off your day with a sense of praise and with no expectation or entitlement of the day the tests that come to you the moments that offer opportunities for gratitude our patients the ability to practice the Sunnah of the Prophet (saw) that our character oriented that are not in the capacity of someone trying to kill you or someone killing your family, all of those things Bridge those two together the word and those major virtues that the prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam was able to capture what this means for how we interact with the world around us, dear brothers and sisters enough talking about the prophets. It’s time to act like the prophets, enough expecting people to Understand who the prophet (saw) was just because he was factually amazing and more of demonstrating those virtues of the prophet Salallahu alaihe wasalam in Your Capacity as a follower of the Prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam .remember yourself as a moshen in training. We ask Allah subhanaw Taala to make us all people who Excel, to make us all from the Mosheneen, to make us able representatives of the Prophet salallahu Alihi wasalam, to allow us to be the prophet salallahu alayhi wasalaam what he was to the Quran, to allow people to see him in us and in seeing him in US be attached to that which generated the beauty in him and us in the Holy Quran, Allahuma ameen.
the second principle, I would like to share with you. is where Allah, subhanahu wa’ta’ala he said in Surah 24 where he said subhanahu wa’ta’ala instructing us who to get married? who to get married to? he said Mary those single ones from amongst you and the righteous ones whether male or female The keyword here, I want us to highlight your brothers and sisters is As-Salihin the righteous ones Look at the criteria That was set by Allah jalla Jalaluhu We are not seeing by the way and this is a short disclaimer. I mentioned here before we proceed, we are not saying to dismiss other important factors like… compatibility between the spouses. And other personal desires or request things that you wish for as a man or as a woman in this person. We are talking about the Bedrock.
We are talking about the pillar of the marriage. We are talking about what we last and survive the test of time. And that is salah… righteousness in the pair. Allah says marry the righteous ones from amongst you whether male or female, life, dear brothers and sisters or rather marriage marriage is a journey that is filled with challenges where you are required to make some very tough decisions sometimes in that marital relationship. And we as human beings we make decisions on the basis of values that we have and as Muslims the most important value for us Islam and the pleasure of Allah therefore the more Islam you share with your spouse the easier it will be to make those difficult decisions in life because you’re both singing from the same hymn sheet.
You’re both in the same Waters. But when the Bedrock of religion is missing or you guys are at completely different levels. Because you didn’t take into consideration when getting married making those decisions in life becomes very complicated, basic questions, They cause a dispute like which school are we going to send our children to? Are we going to save up money for Hajj next year or not? Are we going to dedicate a space in the house to pray together as a family? Yeah, basic questions like Halal and Haram food, Where should we be eating from? income, How are we making money in this household, but you see questions becomes a source of fighting because this second principle of a successful marriage was overlooked, when Allah said the righteous ones, From your people. Look at how the messenger sallallahu alehiwassallaam has emphasized the importance of finding righteousness in male, finding righteousness in the female.
As for the men the messenger sallallahu alehiwassallaam, He said if a man comes to you. Wanting the hand of your daughter in marriage and you are satisfied with his religious commitment and you are satisfied with his manners then accept that person. then accept that person what was the condition for the husband aklaq, manners and religion Subhanallah, strange.. that both of them have come hand in hand. And he the relationship cannot truly be successful and properly Prosper islamically. If one of those two are missing. it’s not enough to say this man is on the deen But there’s no manners with the people. And it’s also the opposite scenario is probably more more likely or a sister. She may say to her family. I’m interested in this individual. He has such good manners, but he’s not praying at the moment. Inshallah. He will change. Prophet (saw) said you are happy with his religion and you’re happy with his conduct with people with aklaq. This is a person to marry. That is what he said about the husbands. What did he say about wives something very similar, a parallel Hadith bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority, abu hurairah that the messenger salallahu alihi wasalam said in the famous Hadith, He said women are usually married on the basis of several matters either because of her beauty or her lineage or her money or her religion. Then the prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam said I advise you o Muslims to marry their religiously committed one may you prosper, may you prosper Allahu akbar, see many issues that later arise between husband and wife could have been resolved. If this principle number two was observed. When they came to tie the knot. right? Is this the type of person I see raising my children? Is this the type of man?
She may say who I see myself with in another 40 years from now. And sometimes we only realize that we have made the wrong decision not too long after those passionate expressions of love and the roller coaster of emotions has finally settled we realized that oh my God, I didn’t apply principle, Number two when Allah Almighty as Salah righteousness as a condition. Yeah many issues could have been resolved. If we had been a little bit more diligent and did the background checks and forth with our brains not with other parts of our body Marry, those who are righteous Allah Almighty Allah Almighty instructs, Maybe you have also experienced it where a brother may go to a particular family. Having an interest in the daughter of that family. And then you see the level of importance that is placed just by virtue of the questions that are asked. Yes, so the question maybe do you have a job? are you working? And he says something along the lines off, I’m in the process or I’m looking for work or something like that and because of that it’s a blanket rejection. Nothing else investigated. Now, I appreciate that fathers would like to take care of the prosperity of their daughters and they want them protected, I have no issues with that. My main issue is with the other scenario. Now if we flip around the scenario where they may ask him, Are you working? He says yeah, I’m working. and I have a house and I have a car, everything’s in place. Dr. Architect, whatever it may be. And the News comes to the family. That is Man doesn’t pray.
This man is just a one shot hit Friday jummah, salah, They say inshallah. He’ll start praying……. He will change ..(strange)… so when it comes to the conditions about Dunya were very rigid and uncompromising, but when it comes to religion, we’re very relaxed and then we wonder subhanAllahil azim, why a few months into this relationship or a few years. We get the phone call that your daughter has just been battered. She’s been hit She’s been broken or bruised or we he starts complaining for example that she has no idea about his rights and then in the house and he doesn’t feel like he’s being treated as a king of the home. Well, there was a basic rule here that was overlooked by all of those involved in this scenario, which is that if this person is unable to give Allah Almighty has basic rights. What makes you think he’s going to give your daughter her rights? Honestly use that as a benchmark, it solves so many issues and it gives you an indicator of the person at hand regardless of the smiles and what they may say about themselves. Allah Almighty, is basic rights and we can never fulfill his rights of Salah, siyam … No, in sha Allah I will make him pray in sha Allah. I will make her wear the hijab don’t you worry about that will get there together in sha Allah. Yeah, good luck. May Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala give you tawfiq, really brothers and sisters it could happen and it has happened and there are good examples of relationships that got off on the wrong foot. Don’t get me wrong and Allah has mercy upon them. But this is not the default, the default is look for those people of righteousness, messenger sallallahu Alehiwassallaam He said, The companions they said to him yeah Rasulullah type of what type of wealth should we seek to acquire? He gave them an answer that they were not expecting. He said to them the wealth that you should seek to attain is this and he gave them an answer that they were not expecting. You should seek to attain a heart that is grateful to Allah and a mouth that is praising Allah and a righteous spouse who will help you in your journey to the Hereafter Allahu akbar. a life is an enjoyment the best enjoyment that this world could offer is a righteous wife, la illah ila allah a disclaimer, I would like to add here by the way. What is your understanding of a righteous wife and of of righteous Husband, by the way? Just so that we’re not disappointed. It is our understanding of a righteous spouse that Allah wants from us is a is a woman who was in a black Abaya from head to toe and her face is covered nikab, you can’t see an inch of her body. Is this the religious .. that you looking for? What do you understanding of a religious woman? And I am not belittling that, the hijab is part of the deen and the niqab is part of the deen. No one can take that away from the religion regardless of how many tedx talks. They would like to give. But I am talking about what is the religion in your eyes? …that you’re not disappointed later on in your relationship. Gloves and socks and face cover.
This is the religion limited, limited exclusive to this. I think you’ll find out that this woman behind this Veil that has impressed you is backstabbing. She’s a backstabbing lying woman or she is one who moves between people spreading gossip to spread corruption and break relationships, or she is an individual who has many different faces. Mashaallah, if she set with the religious group and she can sing with them, if she sat with sat with the people of Dunya and maybe haram she knows how to communicate. That level is well. She may be somebody who doesn’t pray. She may be somebody who has all sorts of extra religious activity and we have seen this over and over again, brothers and sisters and the same I will say for our sisters. What is your understanding of a religious brother, was a long beard and a miswak in his pocket and a short thobe (garment above ankles) and don’t get me wrong. This is from the religion and no one can belittle that or take it away, but I’m saying what is your understanding of a religious man? He may be dressed … He may have videos on YouTube. And a huge following on social media, but he’s an addict to pornography. he’s an addict to other types of substances that he’s injecting or inhaling or selling even, la illah ila allah, it’s not possible? He could be a man who has has so much Envy towards other people. He may have fallen out with his mom and dad. She may not be speaking with her parents either What is your understanding of a religious person, outward appearance, but no internal. No internal quality, part of the deen, akhi, is manners. Did Rasulullah (saw) not say that the heaviest thing that will be weighed on the day of judgment is manners?
What is your understanding of religiosity, you know, you know person that you’re looking for, religion is is not cheating people with regards to their wealth not conning them out of their money not bringing in haram money into the house, that’s religion, religion is when you sister … you guard your tongue, you don’t speak about people behind their backs. You don’t show envy towards something gift.. that others have Allah has given some and you want to take it away from them, religion is about having a pure heart. Clean heart, that doesn’t Harbor enmity towards a Believer purifying your tongue, purifying your hands from the harm of others. This is also part of the religion. So ensure just so that you’re not disappointed. I do appreciate your spouse that you have now. She may not be doing certain things that are required. From an appearance perspective. We ask Allah Almighty to guide and to guide him if he is if he is susceptible to this as well. But at the same token look at the blessing Allah has given you, have they not protected you with regards to you’re honoring, your children, They have reserved they love to you and they lower their gaze when they see the haram, see things from a from a larger perspective, brothers and sisters lastly with regards to this principle before we move on. How can we ensure that The person we are looking to marry is a righteous person? What do we do? There are several things that we can do and we have to ultimately rely upon Allah, one of those things that we can do from a practical perspective is make Dua now. If you are not a married person particularly and even if you’re married make the quranic dua Surah Al-Furqan [25:74] oh Allah give us from our spouses and from our children those who will be the coolness of our eyes and ask many of those brothers and sisters who are living some of the happiest days of their lives, today They will tell you We used to make this dua religiously back when we were bachelors. dua, second thing when married gets a little bit more real right? istikhara, the prayer of consultation, learn how to pray it if you are not sure, pray it over and over again and don’t wait for a dream. Don’t wait for any Vision, number three background checks, references. Don’t get caught up in the moment. Love at first sight, we have to get married regardless of who agrees or disagrees. So your peace of mind and to spare you a headache, do your background checks, test the religion of that person one way or another in what is suitable and appropriate, give it time why I personally have a big issue marrying Sister, for example with a brother who has decided to take his shahada on the day of the The Marriage Aqd (Contract) I’m not doubting his sincerity, got who am I to do that? He may be better than every one of us in the city in the eyes of Allah, but I’m talking now from a marriage perspective. Have you done your checks? Are you confident that this is.. the marriage that could last? you have no indication, the fella at had his only two and a half minutes old as a Muslim. And then you wonder why later on he may have left the religion, or he may have pushed you to leave the religion or you are striving to make him a better person but his friends of the past are pulling him back and vice versa. a brother who says she is the one akhi, she is the one , we heard that there are certain issues.
I’m going to change that inshallah allah tala , do your background checks and be patient and take this principle. Number two, very serious, very seriously Dear brothers and sisters principle number three is where Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala he said in Ar-Rum Surah 30 Ayah, 21 he has placed, Allah, he has placed between you love and mercy. Well, let us translate it as affection and mercy Allah has placed between you affection and mercy. How do we bring about the affection and the mercy we will discuss this next week. by the will of Allah, let us just quickly introduce this principle. First of all, what is the difference between love? And what Allah describes in this aya as Mawadda (affection) He said we have placed between the affection and mercy. He didn’t say we put love and mercy between you although love is undoubtedly there. What is the difference between the two, does anybody know? So you can guess, love and affection .. some of the scholars have mentioned that one of the differences between affection and love is that, love is the name of the feeling that you have towards that individual. Yeah. That’s the attraction.
That’s the the care the the longing the yearning for them is that I think that may even keep you up at night, in the early parts of your marriage perhaps or your engagement. It’s that Fire that burns within you that’s the love, however the affection which allows speaks about in the ayah here is what Allahu Alem in reference to what you then do about that love, how you show the love that is the affection. So the gift, the smile, the hug, the intimacy, the time spent together and so on and so forth. This is the expression of the love. This is the Mawadda. And undoubtedly Mawadda therefore is different to love because it involves interaction. There is a communication between the two, they are in each other’s presence and therefore here we have to be careful and that’s why Allah says we have also placed Mercy between you and it is true that some people they harm Those whom they love them because of love. Where that love becomes unbridled, uncontrolled completely out of its Lane and and they end up harming that person because of obsessive love agreed? So Allah says we have placed affection and mercy between you just like a child because I want a person who is obsessively in love with can have childlike Tendencies and a child. He has a toy he loves his toy and wherever he goes the toy is with him, right? It’s next when he’s asleep, next to him when he’s eating. But he will also have no problem lobbying that toy from the top of the stairs to the bottom and experimenting with that toy. And some people they do that. So Allah says we have placed between you affection and what else? rahma, mercy Allahu Akbar, and therefore that Mercy is what controls that love and keeps it within check and within reason.
You and I know that across the globe there is a scare. the scare of something that cannot be seen by the naked eye. The scare of a germ, a virus that is actually contaminating so much and it is spreading faster than a wild fire. my brothers and sisters the prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him taught us years Ago centuries ago about everything. no goodness, except the prophet Muhammad taught us about it, salallahu alayhi wasalam no evil, No harm except that he mentioned it. He taught us about it. Number one. He taught us about cleanliness and about making sure that we are always clean if you look at the ablution or wudu that we are Supposed to be engaging in before we pray, it entails washing your hands thoroughly five times a day in such a way that the middle of your fingers and the bottom of your nails supposed to be washed. It teaches us about the toes and how to wash the middle of your toes, how to wash your face, your hands and so on keep yourself extremely clean. He has taught us about out how to wash up after using the bathroom and this is something that we should not be ashamed of, it is actually such a beautiful teaching. If only we knew and if only we understood.
so cleanliness is something that is very very important in Islam to the degree that the prophet sallallahu wasallam says your cleanliness is half of your faith, so much of importance given to it and obviously when we speak of cleanlinessthe first thing that comes to the mind is the cleanliness that is physical to do what your water, to do with your bathing, to do with, you know, cleaning yourself and showing your presentable looking neat at cetera. But it also includes cleaning your thoughts, cleaning your dealings and cleaning everything else or social living and so on. all of that is included, but there is another thing that the prophet Muhammad peace be upon Him taught us. He said that if you hear of a plague in a certain land, don’t go there and if you are in a place where the plague is, there is an outbreak then don’t exit from it. In fact in narrartion, the Prophet sallallahu alehiwassallaam speaks about how a person who knows that his Sabr (patience), has been affected by a plague and decides to leave it running away from it. He is a blight like a Person who ran away from a war zone when he was supposed to defend his own Nation. So he says you don’t run away.
The reason is you won’t be able to tell if you are affected or contaminated and if you don’t know chances are there is a possibility that you are and if you were, you would be carrying it to other places. So this whole concept of quarantine is actually from the Sunnah and the teaching Of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him more than 1400 years back. when he says if you’re affected. You don’t leave and you don’t let anyone come in, amazing. My brother’s my sisters We know that the world has become a global village. We know that because of communication and transport at a very Advanced stage. This virus has flown from the East to the west, from the north to the South, there were people at the beginning saying that perhaps it’s Hoax ,maybe it is nothing serious. Perhaps It is something that people don’t need to worry about. it’s just an ordinary flu, all that in its place.
The reality is it is spreading, people are dying. It’s look at what’s happening on the ground, huge Nations have decided no more flights coming in or out from many countries of the globe. People are in quarantine. Not just ordinary people on the streets, but no matter Who you are? My brothers and sisters is your duty to take it. Seriously. Thank Allah that today We are seated here in this Masjid for salahtul Jummah, thank Allah Allahumma rabbil al ameen Do you know that there are places that have stopped the Salah in the Masjid simply because of contamination from the masajid and contamination from places of worship. Now what might say Muslim I have taught to read the dua, “Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma’ ismihi shai’un [arabic in the description] fil-ardi wa-laa fil-samaa’i wa huwa al-Samee’u al-‘Aleem” the meaning of which is I am taking the name of Allah, in the name of Allah with whose name nothing in the sky or on Earth can harm at all, Nothing can harm around me. He is indeed the all-hearing, the all-knowing. so they say once I say this prayer three times which by the way Is a Sunnah you must say the prayer. It is important to say that dua and many other duas but that does not mean that you don’t do what is known by … you need to make sure you have taken heed the means that you have to avoid contamination and to avoid being affected and to avoid this from spreading you need to make sure that you have taken every precaution. So some muslim says if I have said that dua it’s okay.
I can go for jummah, I can go for jamah (congregation), I can go for anything else because that is a Sunnah or that is a teaching of Islam Etc, not realizing if you are unwell, it is haram to go at a time like this when you know, you could be affected by the virus and affect so many others totally forbidden. How could I ever knowingly go to a public place, And I know there is a plague around and I know that the symptoms are XYZ, or I know I’ve been to a Zone where it was a Red Zone and they were… there are so many cases that and I think “At-Tawakkul ‘ala Allah“ (In Allah We Trust) I am going, azubillah, I’m hoping that you cannot do that. my brothers and sisters take it seriously. if the Health Inspectors or whichever Department Is responsible decides that you know, what there will be no more public Gatherings for any reason because of this virus, They are Justified. Did you hear what I said? We have to say from the pulpit. They are Justified because they are trying to contain the outbreak, are trying to contain it from getting worse. You have to understand if there is no jummah next week we will do salatul zuhr at home and we will thank Allah, at least we’re okay.
Say in the morning and in the evening (thrice): Amazing DUA بِسـمِ اللهِ الذي لا يَضُـرُّ مَعَ اسمِـهِ شَيءٌ في الأرْضِ وَلا في السّمـاءِ وَهـوَ السّمـيعُ العَلـيم “Bismillahi alladhi la yadurru ma’ ismihi shai’un fil-ardi wa-laa fil-samaa’i wa huwa al-Samee’u al-‘Aleem” Remove and Protect from Evil of Everything “In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name nothing on the earth or in the heaven can cause harm, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.”
So it’s not like you have to come even if you’re sick or ill, I know of a brother very sick and he says no that is jummah,I have to go it’s my duty as a Muslim, my brother, when you are sick, you don’t even need to fast, when you are sick and ill, you don’t even need to go for Hajj. when you know, you’re unwell you it’s not like Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala wants You to do certain things knowing that you are unwell. so let’s not fool ourselves. Let’s not fool ourselves. If you are unwell participate in what is known as self quarantine, which means you make sure you don’t mix with others to make sure you have your mask, you make sure you clean, your make sure you let you know those around you know …. because I’m not well I would like to keep a bit of a distance and thereafter make sure you Get yourself tested and now comes the big one. May Allah protect all of us say ameen, if you are tested positive, you may suffer Financial loss. You may suffer various other loss. All those losses are okay. Don’t worry. The financial loss is never ever bigger than the protection of humanity, Remember that. many of us have planned holidays. We planned meetings, we planned… travels, we planned Journeys. that may not happen, some of us in our businesses, our companies, We will lose a lot of money. take this seriously, very seriously. Make sure you know, when we greet each other, the sunnah is to greet as-salam-o-alaikum walaikum, Wa alaykumu s-salam We don’t have to shake hands, especially when it comes to some time of the sort where you know, they could be contamination and as clean as you think you are, it just requires a small contamination for you to be affected before your you know, your entire family to be affected and so many others to be affected just because you thought I must shake hands because I really want to fulfill.. I must hug, is the hug fard, is it compulsory?
The answer is no, so at the time like this, even if I just greeted you, you greeted Each other with the greeting of a hand from a distance. It is fine. There’s nothing wrong with that, get used to it for a while to put on a mask or to put something on this is not wrong Subhanallah. In fact, you would have two at a certain point. We are fortunate in this particular City. It’s not that bad but who knows how bad it is? It takes a few days before you can actually figure out what has happened. So I’ve chosen to speak about this today because From the pulpit of the Friday. It’s important that we educate our people, there may come a day when authorities decide we will not be able to gather in large Gatherings or whatever purpose it is that they might come very soon. It has already happened in other countries. people started asking is it permissible for them to say you cannot gather for jummah. I promise you my brothers and sisters if there is a plague of this nature and There is a need it is definitely permissible for them to impose on us and we’re not allowed to gather. The idea is to save Humanity, remember this, it’s not a personal thing and you iman does not negate the fact that you have to stay away and you have to protect yourself. Like I see some people think I’m a Muslim. I read quran every day. I make dua every day, nothing will affect me, my brothers and sisters don’t fool. Yourself, don’t fool yourself. There are people who read quran and Salah and they make their dua, They have still been affected and some have even died of diseases be this one or another one. So don’t fool yourself. Don’t think you know what and a Pious man. I have not missed my Salah in the first sub. So, how can I miss it now?
I haven’t missed, you know something all my life. How can I miss it now? I promise you the reward for protecting humanity is greater than the reward for your individual acts of worship. Remember that. the reward for protecting humanity is greater than the reward of your individual acts. So may Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala grant us all goodness at ease and remember everything is in the hands of Allah. Let’s pray that Allah protect us. Let’s pray for those who are affected that Allah Grant and cure. It is a serious matter. Don’t be excited when you hear That countries affected, this countries affected, don’t ever be excited because it’s a matter of time before it comes to you and I. similarly my brothers and sisters, sleep Well, sleep. Well, do you know why if you would like your immune system to be strengthened put your phone away and go to bed those who have a sound sleep at night have a better immune system than those who have not had proper sleep. So sleep well. Eat healthy, make sure that you are having your vitamins and minerals, make sure that you are fit, make sure that you have boosted your immune system somehow because together with making duaa to Allah and praying to him you and I need to make sure that we have done something within our capacity to save ourselves.
Similarly, Never ever become people. Who do what is known as Panic buying, what is Panic buying? which means over there might be a lock down in two weeks. So let me go and buy two tons of baked beans because I love baked beans. So everyone goes instead of buying one tin or two tins they buy ten cases and they want to bring it back and before you .. there is nothing left for anyone. subhanAllah, don’t do Panic buying, things will be okay by the will of Allah, things will be okay by the will of Allah also, let us never ever discriminate, Based on race, simply because we heard that this outbreak could have started maybe in China, people Look at anyone who looks like a Chinese and maltreat them but literally unacceptably treat them in a way that is tantamount to a crime against humanity. That’s unfair. that is unIslamic.
It is uncalled for, it is wrong. It doesn’t mean that anyone who looks this way suddenly has the virus. That’s not true. The person doing this type of discrimination could be the one who’s the carrier? Who knows and he’s laughing at others. That’s why they say don’t ever show excitement when someone else is inflicted or affected with negativity because perhaps Allah might have mercy on them, cure them, give them goodness and you know what he might test you with the same. So Brothers and Sisters Let’s Learn to be caring for one another at this juncture. Humanity is struggling. This virus knows no faith. No race. No nationality. It is traveling the globe just like that anyone can be affected at any time. No matter how Pious you are. No matter how distant you are from Allah. all of that to a certain extent you and I know that Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala has tested us. Let’s learn to pass those tests. I ask Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala to protect us. I ask Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala have mercy on us and I ask Allah (swt) to open our doors and to make us from those who can reach out to the rest of humanity. – Mufti Menk
So when you have a society that is areligious, it’s not religious. It means anything can be mocked whether that’s the prophet whether that’s religion whether that’s God whether that’s marriage. for us, It’s a different discussion. There are certain things that are Sanctified and they cannot be mocked or joked about. I truly feel that marriage Falls in that department because look at how Allah Almighty he spoke about it. And look at how the messenger sallallahu alehiwassallaam spoke about it. And therefore when you see these types of things whether it’s through a WhatsApp image that you share whether it’s a tweet, whether it’s a meme whether it’s a caricature image of some sort, you are mocking fatherhood, you mocking motherhood. You’re mocking marriage, you’re mocking the abilities of one or the other to fulfill their responsibilities. You have the young who are hearing this or the older, you have been the happily married or those who are not so happily married and whether you realize it or not, you are sending subliminal messages in their mind to not take the institution of marriage Seriously.
It’s like anything else and therefore therefore. It should be a red line and what surprises me personally my dear brothers and sisters is that a lot of these jokes are issued by so-called life coaches, brothers Who are they are delivering courses like this and lectures at universities and delivering recordings for social media, but for the purpose of being light-hearted and to make the people laugh and to get the mood going we crack a joke here and there about how useless men are, how useless women are, how useless marriages, and and you get these, you know condolences, types of jokes, right? And it’s a brother for example who could have been crying to you a few years ago saying I need to get married and I’m struggling I I really need to find a wife and and and and and then the moment Allah gives him with marriage What does he start doing? to show that he’s a man, right? He’s married. Yeah, I’m married now, condolences Oh, I mean congratulations and I’m thinking to myself. Wow. It’s like you have forgotten yourself. You have forgotten who you are a few years ago. Now that Allah has blessed you, you are mocking it. This is not an institution to be mocked. You hear jokes like a person saying we saw a man who was at the funeral of his wife and he was standing at the grave of his wife, making Dua to Allah seeing all Allah she is divorced.
She is divorced, talaq, talaq They said to her why you trying to divorce her she’s already died. He says just in case she follows me into Jannah. She is my wife in jannah and we take this light heartedly is this an institution to be joked about? I would argue certainly No, in fact, one of these brothers himself during the course, he said sisters and he’s trying to be funny and I guess he says if you fall out, if you have a, if you have a Calamity in life, generally speaking try to keep a photo of your husband in your wallet, why he says so that whenever you were going through trauma in your life on a major Challenge and a big obstacle just take out the photo look at it and say to yourself if I can deal with that I can deal with anything else in life, and it will make you be able to deal with your challenge. How can somebody take marriage seriously after that it will send a message. If I am constantly mocking your car; your Vauxhall Astra, your Banger, You4 wreck, your HEAP of junk, your bone Rattler this that the other. will it not get to a point where you would look at your current think, you know what maybe it’s time for me to change, it if somebody is constantly dropping jokes about your looks, your ears, your nose, your color, your height your with, your way. Will you not go home and eventually look into the mirror and say my goodness, I need to be a little bit more self-conscious. Right? if somebody is constantly drumming into your head that marriage is ridiculous. Marriage is a cage, marriage is a project in prison blah blah blah blah. It has to affect a percentage of people. in that is the purpose of satire, satire By the way is not just about making people laugh that’s comedy. It’s about changing perceptions through amusements and ridicule and we can afford to do that when Allah Almighty said about this institution as what? A firm Covenant, what is even more worrying is that we are ridiculing the institution of marriage when the opposite is being glorified and promoted. So you … what am I left with? if the only Halal option which is marriage is being ridiculed. And we live in a society when the alternative is being promoted glorified, beautified What do we do in that situation?
And even in the Muslim filled themselves when for example a brother who’s having a hard time at home with his with his wife then he goes on to social media and he sees this beautiful reporters, beautiful presenters, carefully curated images, edited Instagram photos. What is he thinking? those jokes they start coming back and similarly a sister who may be having issues with her husband at home. Like we all do with our spouses and then she goes to the masjid, He goes to the University lecture Theatre to hear any Islamic lecture and they’re in front of her, is a Sheikh who looks ten out of ten. The beard is carefully trimmed. Maybe he Dyed to cover the greys and topi maybe that Im mama is absolutely picture-perfect crisp. He smells Gucci, Chanel everything and then she begins to compare what my husband does not speak that eloquently. He doesn’t look that good. My husband’s knowledge doesn’t come half to this man’s knowledge. And then the poor lady ends up thinking that this man looks like this 24 hours a day like he wakes up in the morning with Im mama on his head. He comes out of the bathroom with the carefully iron thobe the point of mentioning this year brothers and sister is that when we are mocking the institution of marriage, even if lightheartedly and on top of that add another layer of complexity the ooppoiste it is being glorified and Everything is exposed and we can see everything about everyone’s life today. What are you left with? we are left with a problem. You have James Sexton who is a divorce lawyer and he’s been in this field dealing with custody disputes for 20-odd years and there was an interview between him and someone called Sean ailing, Sean ailing he said to him. In your experience, you’ve had thousands of people coming in and out of your office dealing with marital dispute. What is your number one bit of advice for those people who are looking to get married? And what was the advice?
He said take marriage very seriously. And then he goes on to say consider it like a car and he says I hate to give the example of a car because some people Unfortunately they give more respect and more thought to the buying of a car than tying are not with another human being. He says like a car if you were to ask the average person. What is your dream car? What car would you like? You would say? I’d like a Ferrari. I’d like a Lambo. And then if you say to that person hold on a minute, the car that you’re going to have is going to be your only car and it will be with you for the rest of your life. Will it be the Ferrari or the lambo or will he required to re-evaluate the answer? He will re-evaluate the answer. Why? because we recognize that the car that you desire when you’re 20 years old is a little bit different than the car that you desire when you’re 30 years old, when you got two or three kids now wanting to join the ride. Take the marriage seriously. And understand that this is not just about pacifying, passion dealing with the romance with a person that you have just Crossroads with. but you are coming into the one of the biggest contracts in existence. Whereby when you are involved with this person. You are also involved with Allah. remember brothers and sisters that this man he is dear sisters your Paradise or your hell and remember dear brothers that this woman that you have married has taken from you a firm Covenant and I believe that many of the problems will be flushed out just by virtue of realizing the weight of this marriage and that can come through reading, through consultation, and through the attending of courses like this and others.
Every day after fajr Abu bakr (Ra) would go in an opposite direction of his house and he would go deep into the desert was very curious. I’m going to go follow him and find out what he’s doing.
He said I saw him go into this beat-up old house and he said he spent a long time in there, wasn’t like a short amount of time. So, umar (Ra) said I waited until I could no longer see him meaning he made his way back to Medina.
omar (Ra) said I knocked on the door. Okay, and he said this woman opened the door. She was elderly she was frail. She was blind and they were a bunch of little kids running around. And she said that I’m a blind woman. And I have no one to take care of me.
Umar (Ra) said who is that visitor that comes to you every single day? The answer she says, I don’t know who he is. He never once shared his name with me. umar (ra) said, what does he do?
May Allah reward him. Every morning, He comes, Listen, by the way, she details it. She says he cleans my home. He washes our clothes. He grinds our wheat. He bakes our bread. He cooks our breakfast and then he leaves, SubhanAllah, think about that. if this was the only Only narration we had about abu bakr (Ra) it’s incredible.
Oh Abu bakr (Ra), you’ve exhausted us. Anyone that comes after you is exhausted.
With the hope of saving the institution of marriage In the lives of Muslims and I believe that if we take the In the lives of Muslims and I believe that if we take the information, With the same seriousness as He who has prepared it for you.
I am hopeful that our relationships, mine, yours those marriages that are going to be, those marriages that are struggling that Allah subhanahu wa’ta’ala can and will mend them and this is the promise of Allah Almighty for those who resort to his book seeking guidance and after all this is a Quran based approached.
Principle number one: one of the most important of principles pertaining to the institution of marriage and everything else after it is a is a branch, is a subsidiary. This is part of the ayah where Allah Almighty said I have taken from you a firm Covenant, a strong agreement.
It’s more so about a perception, An inner appreciation of marriage that should change. That’s not something you shift. You move, you carry by yourself. This is a discussion now between you and yourself, nobody else.
The sheer amount of ramifications involved in terms of Rights and obligations and ownership and inheritance and hormones and children and the rest of it. They’re all connected to this institution of marriage and therefore Allah Almighty makes it clear to us that this is a serious agreement.
However, I’m sure you will agree that we live in a society that is very dismissive towards the institution of marriage. We live in a world that is highly antagonistic to marriage.
Why is it therefore that we don’t see it at least a lot of us, the importance of this institution and therefore the word of talaq, divorce is always on the tip of our tongues. t’s a pressure card that he’s used always threatening his wife with and it’s a request that she may be always making from him, divorce me, any situation They had divorced me. She says I will divorce you he says , that is a manifestation a reflection of a person or a couple who are looking down on the situation to tuition of marriage. on the Institution of marriage. Not that through the lens that Allah Almighty has given it.
Why is it that we don’t see it IE marriage, like maybe our fathers and our grandparents and our predecessors used to see it what has changed I suggest or posit that there are several things that have changed. The first thing is the element of education and Tarbiyah, past experiences from Haram relationships, due to movements isms in society, Wherever you look you find people mocking the institution, of marriage or actively speaking out against it suggesting that perhaps it should be cancelled altogether and replaced with something else.
By the way, it’s difficult to entirely blame them. a lot of these statements that you just heard that they are reactions to very terrible experiences that people have witnessed in the name of marriage.
So a lot of what you are hearing is a reaction to things that shouldn’t represent What marriage is about. So these are three reasons why some of us have a dismissive perception of marriage because these were being bombarded with these type of statements.
Another reason and this is number four is satire, mockery of marriage Even if it is coming as a joke and something light-hearted.
How the Sharia has shown you and I that this relationship of marriage is like none other wallahi if we were to apply this principle and appreciate it. Akbar I believe it will transform our relationships because you see this person in front of you husband or wife as one of your gateways to Allah as pleasure or or His Wrath . – Shaykh Ali Hammuda
You see in reality Allah speaks about heaven and hell. Allah if you lived your life in a criminal way and you think the long arm of the law is not going to get…., subhanallah I am not gonna get to you. You’re wrong. It will catch up with you at some stage or another.
Allah says, you know what, if you were to perpetrate a crime you need to be penalized. When He says that is a sign that He is fair and just.
there was a Hadith of the prophet (saw) where He was seated with Abu Bakr as-siddiq (ra) and the man kept on you know, Bad-mouthing Abu Bakr (Ra) in front of him, speaking badwords. vulgar words, it was hurting him. But Abu Bakr (ra) kept smiling and he was quiet. and the prophet (saw) kept smiling and he was looking at Abu Bakr as-siddiq (ra) And so something amazing and interesting happened.
A little while later, Abu bakr (ra) could not manage. You know, he’s a human. a bit of steam, he had to let off and so what happened is The prophet’s (saw)’s smile vanished and he got up and quietly walked away.
So when Abu Bakr as-siddiq (ra) went to the prophet peace be upon him and told him you walked away. He said you know what? When you were silent the Angels were there, defending you. The minute you open your mouth, they went away.
I was smiling at the fact that wow, because what was being said was not harmful. Your bones were not being hurt. It was someone’s words.
When someone utters bad words, what does it show? When someone says you’re a dog, astaghfirullah. in reality It says more about Them than yourself. Imagine think about think about it carefully if you were to smile and walk away. Honestly you have understood what Allah says. When the True Believers are addressed by the ignorant they just say peace and they walk away. Don’t waste your time. – Mufti Menk
Barakah, Umm Ayman (ra) is a woman that is unlike any other woman, in fact unlike any other human being is that and that she was literally with the prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam from the moment that he was born until the moment that he died. There is no one else that could actually claim that distinction.
She was from Abyssinia and she actually was a slave from Abyssinia. She’s one of three women who would nurse the prophet salallahu alaihe wasalam, that is authentically narrated, it of course. This is the mother of the prophet (saw) Aminah bint Wahb and Baraka Um Ayman and thirdly Halima saida (ra).
At the age of 25, the Prophet became married to Khadijah. He said to her:
“This is Barakah, she is my mother after my mother”.
The second woman to believe in the prophet.Salallahu alaihe wasalam was this woman Umm Ayman (Ra). The prophet (saw) asked her how are you. Listen to the answer that she gave. She said as long as Islam is good, I’m good.
She was the person who would make the prophet (saw) Laugh.
Ask yourself that question, when we do work for this higher purpose of Deen, right? And someone asks you how are you and you are what……, what her answer was; I’m good, as long as Islam is good. Meaning, you know for the cause that I’m dedicated to, I’m okay. – Shaykh Omar Suleiman
I know there are people outside there who’ve lost young children. It’s was a Qadr (decree) of Allah azza waja’llal, whether the young child was in the womb of the mother and was lost or whether it was born. And then after that last you gotta understand that these children, you know, they’ve never committed any sins. Allah Azza wajal has got a special place for him. What will happen is they are waiting for you on the other side. All you need to do is have stubborn patience.
These kids will be released on the Day of Judgment. They’re going to be looking for you. They will not they will say o Allah we want to go to Jannah (paradise) with our mothers and fathers. This is for anyone who’s lost any children under the age of puberty.
the prophet Muhammad (saw) says you remember Allah in your good times while you’re good and Allah will remember you or be there for you in your bad times.
A man can lose anything that he should not lose azawajal. The only thing you should never lose in your life is Allah azawajal. Because beyond this life and all things are finished, with All people’s connections are finished with you, when you are not belonging to anyone, when nobody is attributed to you or connected it to you, only Allah azawajal exists. Keep your connection with Him.
A beautiful in surah 53 Ayah 28 on Words regarding those people who don’t believe in the Afterlife (akhirah) and who tell us to move away from the Quran…. – Shaykh Hasan Ali
The All-Loving 