The Rights of People

Salam O Allah Rasool Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

In the name of Allah, most merciful, ever Merciful.

I praise Allah and I ask

him to send his peace and blessings to our toward honorable Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,

members of his household.

And those who follow their path till the Day of Judgment.

I think the heat got to me, deep inside, I'm very, very excited, though I may not sound like I'm excited to strive to get over the heat. But

I'm really happy to be with you here today.

Going over this session, I want to think of myself, I don't want this to be a lecture, I want this to be more of a discussion. And sorry, I just turn this off. And I want to think of myself as a facilitator, a charlatan. And I really want to thank brothers of hair for inviting me. I'd like to thank you all for coming today. They show my my understanding is that the topic of our discussion will be happening the rights of believers, right, the rise of Muslims. Yes, you know, yeah.

But I was hoping just to go around the room and get to know everybody has shown us well, my name is Mohammed Taki.

My official title here is a ma'am and religious director.

And what I do is I just,

I just serve my understand people and talk. And listen. So these are the three things that I do provide services. I talk, and I listen. So that's all I have.

And I've been here at the Center for a decade now for about 10 years.

And I'm married with an I have three children.

Your name is what people drama

and listen.

Okay, right services. I talk. So okay, what do you guys do? Go to school, and I've been here at the center. So you're skipping school today?

Oh, today Sunday. Okay. See? This one? Just making sure. Okay.

Okay, you're not ditching school. I? Okay.

June 14 of this year. So nice. What do you guys go to school

today

just making sure it's the AC and also if you keep chewing you won't be able to hear

the 14th of this year next.

myself.

And also if you keep chewing you won't be able to hear

what what's your name, sir?

Okay.

Next

you have the same name. You have the same name. Oh.

Where's Sammy? Hey, what's your last name again? I'm Noemi. Okay. You are not related to how you're not part of the Lending Club. Are you?

Oh, I met you at Irvine. Have an eye. Okay. Okay. Nice. Nice. You're from Nazareth.

Oh, wow. He's not one of the disciples. Is he?

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Nice. Which part

of the Netherlands

Okay, nice, beautiful country.

Oh, I met you I

have a nice. Okay, thank

you from leser

Oh, wow. Is that one of the disciples? Is he?

Nice? Nice. Nice.

I didn't know your name was used with

I didn't know that.

I just know I show up here. That's

nice.

Well, he's not accused of anything. He was very talented man. So your name would be used in a jar.

Which translates in English into Joseph the carpenter. Amazing. That's just Wow.

What a coincidence.

You guys are actually carpenters into Nigeria.

Yes, I'm mo Sudan. Nice. Okay.

He was very talented.

But you're not the honey guy. Are you?

One of the honey guys. Yeah.

You guys are actually Evan.

Everyone.

With a D with an AR. d. Okay.

Nice.

Nice.

But you're not the honey guy.

What are the honey guys?

Hear? Nice.

Oh, that's when I was in the East Coast. Second. Great. Welcome.

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nice, really? Great.

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Last week. Oh, that's when I was in the East Coast.

Nice. Where are you from the city of Anaheim or

beltro. Nice. That's beautiful.

And you guys are spectators? Are you like?

Okay.

Good.

Evening.

So you are a commercial pilot. Okay.

Good to have you here. We'd love to see you again and again.

And then

Hayden has just joined our outreach

services here. So him and brothers are here together, work together in the outreach department. So good. He's that he's the latest, newest addition. So good to have you all here. Great.

Okay.

Well, I'm glad to have all of you here. Thank you very much for coming. Like

when we talk about the rights of the of the believers, I just want to you know, go back and,

you know, remember this point of, of history. When, when the Prophet had a handful of people around him just like almost, it's similar to the story of many prophets.

In the beginning,

you have

someone who was chosen by God,

to be the recipient of his message, and to also be the person that conveys that message.

By the way, we missed someone, we missed you, brother.

Nice, nice.

You were sitting in that corner hiding.

So the Prophet peace and blessings be upon him had. So what I'm saying any every property that came, God chose some, you know, someone who was known for their nobility for their honesty for their integrity. And then they received the message.

In the case of most of them, they were oblivious to their own reality when it comes to who they who they were, right.

But of course soon or when is the right time they find out like we know, we're told in the Quran, I'm sure they're very similar or

verses in the, in the Old Testament, were told in the Quran about Musa

peace be upon him when Moses found found out when God spoke to him and he found out he was the prophet of God. You know, it was it came as a surprise, shock. I mean, right? Now he knows God, he believed in God, right. But to be the Prophet is not something that they were looking forward to, or something they were aspiring to, or something that they studied, went to school to become or got special training for, in the in a special institution. Indeed, they were special, and God has prepared him for this. But it wasn't something that they were aspiring to achieve or become. They didn't go they were not recruited and filled out applications and went through all kinds of tests

and not right, it kind of happened, you know,

organically, and that was something that God basically prepare them to almost everything that a prophet goes through in his life, is to prepare him to this task.

Of course, we can also say that everything that we go through, is to prepare us to this to this particular moment, this moment is to prepare you for the next moment, and so on and so forth.

So Prophet Muhammad,

peace and blessings be upon him.

He didn't know he was going to be the Prophet. It wasn't a concept that he was familiar with. But finally, when he received the message, now he has, he had to basically call people to it, those who accept his message and believe in him

and embrace the truth with which he came.

They become his companions, or they became his companions, the first person to respond, of course, to him, the first person to believe and to accept his message was his none other than his own wife, Khadija

who reassured him who actually

saw in him, right, what he peace and blessings be upon him out of his humility, you know, didn't acknowledge or did not

focus on the first right. So, and then, within within days, within days, there was a handful of number of people around,

you know, his best friend before he, he was a prophet, worker,

his nephew, nephew, or his cousin, Ali, right, was young. I will book her within within a very short period of time, I woke up with someone very, very intellectual.

And he had strong connections with people,

you know, who also were,

were known to be independent thinkers, intellectuals. So within perhaps weeks, if not days, right, he was able to share the message with most people, not all of his best friends, six of whom became Muslim.

Six of them, almost within days, they accepted Islam, everything fell in place in a pretty much it was, it was obvious, right? So now the Prophet has this man or this group of people around him who are who are known as believers. And they are the first Muslims, right?

There his companions, but what was the nature of the relationship between them, and of course, the number kept growing and growing and growing and growing. And now we have the followers of the Prophet Prophet Mohammed over the past, and the number has been growing. Now the followers of Prophet Mohammed or people who profess Islam, they make one fourth of the world's population. Right? And still, in spite of all the things that are happening in the world, in spite of all the deficiencies that Muslims have

Out of all the problems that we have, still continues to be, you know, the fastest growing religion pretty much is happening on its own, we're not really doing

as much as many other faith groups, right?

It's just happening on Islam is making the case for itself and people are just searching and finding. So now you have this big huge family

of Muslims,

you know, and so, the Prophet taught his companions that their rights and their duties that we have towards each other, but before I go into that, we must remember that we are part of even a larger

community, we are a community within a community.

The scholars consider

every human human beings who came after the Prophet, they consider him to be of his, of his

alma of his nation

at this point,

and they divided them into two categories, one category, they call number two, the Java, the category that responded, right people that responded.

The other

category is the category of people who did not respond or did not accept or did not hear the message, or they chose not to accept Islam.

And they call that limited, our, the invited or the invitees, they're invited. So, you have those who responded to the invitation and those who have an open invitation, right. And as I said, you know, 25% of the world's population responded 25 75% did not respond. So, in the Quran, we are told that we also have an obligation towards this larger group towards humanity. Right. So,

it let us not assume as we talk about the rights that Muslims have amongst themselves, that these rights do not you know, or that there are no other rights that extend to people who may be outside of this circle. So, remember, there are two circles, one larger circle, and that is, as a matter of fact, we consider that to be the circle of our concern.

Right? And then you have you have part about the circle of our concern, then you have you have a smaller circle, right 25% of that bigger circle, and these are the Muslims within.

So you still have more circles. Right? Right, you're the point and then around you, you have your family and you have your extended family, you have your neighbors, you have so the circle just keeps getting bigger and bigger. Of course, your first obligation is towards the smallest circle right? towards yourself and those who are around you, and and and the rights extend that go further and further, right. So those who are close the closest to you have more of a priority. Right? So So when we talk about these general rights,

they are not to be understood as the only reason that nobody else has any rights. No, as a matter of fact, one of the greatest scholars of our time of recent history, his son said that my father told me son, the believer is a believer is bigger

than he is greater

than

the well not that the universe, I'm trying to translate it, you know,

the believer is

as vast as the universe itself.

And

the entire planet Planet Earth is too small for a believer to be called home,

let alone a small village. In Africa, sometimes we get kind of, you know, so why because we are universal. Right? You're supposed to be universal. We're, you know, God's creation, we care for everybody as far as as we go. Right? If you happen to be lost in space for some reason, and you run into somebody that needs help, you can say, well, you're from different planets. I'm not gonna you know, you still if there's anything, any good that you can do anywhere, you should, you should do it. One of the companions of Prophet came to him and he said,

give me advice. Right. So the Prophet gave a very precise advice, he gave him three words, even three points. Point number one, be mindful of God, wherever you may be.

Doesn't matter wherever you may be. Whether you're in the mosque, outside the mosque, at the mall, anywhere you are, you need to be mindful of God. Right. And, you know, so do the right thing. Number two, if you make when you make a mistake, it didn't even say when you make a mistake, if when you make a mistake, or sorry if you make a mistake.

Hong Kong law it doesn't say when you, if you make a mistake, it says when you sin

does assume that we all have deficiencies and weaknesses. When you said when you commit a sin or you make a mistake, follow it with a good deed.

And it will offset it, make sure that you make up for it. Make sure that you redeem yourself in the airplane. And number three, he said to him, Well, Holly, can NASA be holed up in Hudson, and make sure that you engage people with the best of conduct with the best of behavior.

He didn't say, engage the believers. He said Harlequin, NASS and NASA is a word that literally means people, specifically, it means non Muslims.

Specifically, it means non Muslims, usually, in the, in the prophetic statements, or even in the divine, when enough generally generally enough refers to non Muslim people. Right, so engage people with the best of conduct.

Because obviously, this space we call Earth, or the space we call, you know, or a country or, or any, any geographic or, you know, the space that you occupy, you're not there alone. And we're not there alone. It's, it's a common place for all of us, those who accept God and those who don't accept God, those who believe in him in a certain way and those who don't. Right. So it's a common place, and God has allowed us and we're all the children of Adam, we all from, you know, the same set of parents, right? So we have to keep that in mind. So we look at it. So I just wanted to make sure that we have the big picture

present.

So

and then sort of Herat, surah, 49, verse 13. God the Almighty says, Yeah, you know, so in

the Quran one said, Oh, people we have indeed created you, from a male and a female from a pair, right, Adam and Eve.

What you're under control balaclava, in a liter of water, and we made you into a people and into nations

or into tribes, we made you into people and tribes, you know, later out of war so that you may come to recognize, acknowledge, identify,

yourself and each other.

for identification purpose, we don't all look the same. We look different. We're from different

places, right? So it's for identification purpose, right, that we, we spread all over this planet,

in a coma, coma in the lie at home, indeed, the most honorable of you, in the eyes of God

is the most pious

right is the best of you in terms of piety.

No, no specific geographic location. Right? it you know gives you more privileges. No particular ethnicity or language or culture gives you more privileges. politically speaking, in your own, you know, it might, but it shouldn't. In the eyes of God, nothing gives me more privileged than somebody else who doesn't share the same background. Or the same way. nothing except the only thing that distinguishes people is taqwa. dukkha means piety. piety is something that is in the heart, and only God knows. I mean, we see his reflection, and we see its effects and people's behavior or conduct. Right, and choices. But it's not something no one none of us has,

you know, a piety gauge on his forehead, or somewhere on his wrist or something, oh, today I am I have extra piety. So and you're running down on piety, so you're running low, I'm better than you, you can't do that. It's in the heart. The Prophet said in another narration, he said, piety is in the heart, and he pointed to his chest, only God knows it. So only God knows who's best.

As for what human beings what we do when we have prejudice, or when we have, when we look down upon other people, we think of ourselves to be better than other people is just foolish. And it's, it's inspired by Satan, because that's the satanic spirit. I'm better than him. Satan said to God, I'm better than Adam. You make me bow down to someone that I'm you know, who knows? How did he figure that out? Who told him that he's better?

He wasn't, he wasn't better. Right? Only God knows who was who was best. Right?

And

but however, as I said, piety shows that in our actions, it shows in our choices in our behavior.

In our conduct in our treatment of people, in our actions or reactions in the way we treat not, you know, enemies before, you know,

before friends, right, those who offend us, that says a lot about about your character. Right. And then the same statement, the prophet talked about how piety is in the heart, he actually said,

talking to the believers, make sure that you do not despise each other. It's enough of an evil for a believer to look down upon another believer to think of someone else to be lesser than them, because of whatever gender, social status, educational, whatever, you know, credentials.

Anything, definitely, you know, race or ethnicity, to look down upon someone for that, right, that's enough. That's enough to make that person evil. for someone to think of themselves to be better, or for someone to think of someone else to be less lesser than them.

So what are the specific rights that the believers have towards each other? Generally speaking in the Quran in surah, surah, chapter nine, verse 71, for those who are taken mentor, nosorh surah, nine, verse 71. God describes the believers to be friends and allies of each other, they need to be looking after each other, taking care of each other. Right?

And it says, one more minute, one more minute, oh, but I'll go home earlier about believing men or believers, men and women.

Are protectors, one of another?

Yeah, model 11 Model View and how not in munkar they enjoy and what is good, or what is just a standard for justice for what is right. When how not mocha and they forbid, what is evil.

What up masala, and they observe regular prayers.

Wait a second, and they practice the giving regular charity. Right, we will do one a law school and they obey God and His Messenger. This is what the believers do. They look after each other, they facilitate that for each other. That's why for instance, we are commanded ordered encouraged to come to pray together in congregation five times a day on a regular basis for our own individual, you know, interests and for our own spiritual well being emotional, but as well as for, for the sake of other people. You know that when we come together when you come here, and you see people, even if you come here once a week that that you get inspired you feel a lot better, right? We know that when

we were fasting together and Ramadan, there are people who do voluntary fasts outside arm a lot. But when you do it with with the whole community together, that's a different feel. Just amazing. It's fascinating. It's it strengthens you, it motivates you. So in addition to the fact that we look after each other, or we take care of each other, which means that we don't, of course, committed any of the violations in which we may be actually exploiting one another or are taking advantage of each other specific rights mentioned by the prophet, the prophet said. And by the way, when you hear these kind of numbers, that doesn't mean these are the only things it might be that the prophet in

on a particular occasion he wanted to emphasize five or six, remember five rights, remember five or six duties that you have towards one another? That does not mean that these are the only duties. So and on one

particular occasion? The Prophet said, How can Muslim a Muslim is said there are six rights Muslims have towards each other.

When he meets him when they meet, when two individuals meet,

one should greet the other

greeting sonica.

And it's very strange, even those who have been Muslim all their lives. This is one of the basic by the way. One of the ways Muslims, early Muslims identified each other It was through that because Assalamu alaykum was the greeting of Muslims there was none right? So when somebody said salaam aleikum to the other person, they knew that this this was this was the most that's how they you know, recognize each other.

I don't know what what it what happened to us and why what you know, that you don't find many Muslims. It's very unfortunate doing that. We don't even practice something as simple as the one thing that distinguishes us from the good from the beginning. How do you know that this that's our greeting. So we should

offer that to each other. We should be practicing that. And I don't know why it is maybe it's me. Maybe it has to do with me and people are either intimidated by me or scared by me or maybe I don't know, maybe I don't look like Muslim. But I don't know why when people see me they're like, in public, they're like,

or if I say salaam aleikum, they're like, Oh, my God. That's a shake. Like, okay, just Muslims are supposed to greet one another. Right? Muslims are supposed to greet Well, I don't know why people don't do that. Now, I understand that Muslim, Muslim majority countries. I mean, we needed to hear more than any other place in Muslim majority countries. If you greet every Muslim you meet, you won't go anywhere. You'll be saying Salaam Alaykum to a million people. Right? You want like, right, because you're passing by.

But at least here we should. When we see each other. It's one of the rights. They say that to offer or to greet someone is recommended.

Right? to respond to them is mandatory.

Right.

In addition to the fact that the product did not stop there, he actually went further. And he said, because let's say two people run into each other who says who agreed to?

Whoever is first. What do you mean? Let's say we both arrived at the same place at the same time.

Come on, everybody will consider themselves to be better. The Prophet gave us certain criterias. Or Well, they do that. Wait, wait before you say anything. All right.

Okay, the prophet said, is

whoever makes the first eye contact? Well, what if you're not supposed to make eye contact?

Okay, yeah. So So basically, the calmer, the calmer, the one who is arriving or coming is a person who's supposed to say Solomonic, because sometimes people like they're sitting here, I walk into a place, I'm about to say Salaam Aleykum, Selam Aleykum. No, wait until I say something like, I'm the man coming. Right. So whoever is arriving to a place if you're sitting in somebody else's walking in, they're the ones that say Salaam Alaikum. Right. Also, if one is writing, and the other one is walking, the one writing says salam to the one walking or standing. Also, if you're passing by somebody, you're passing by somebody you say Salaam to them, you you greet them.

Also, the smaller number, let's say there's, there's there's two individuals. And there's, there's 10 people walking in, they run into they walk, or they run into each other, the smaller number says greets the larger number. Right? The younger greets the older, if two people arrive to the same place at the same time one is older, obviously older, because you gotta be careful with that you call somebody older, you know? And I know everybody's like, I'm greeting you first, you know, don't greet me, I'm like younger than you. So supposedly, the younger, you know, person is supposed to greet the older person. Right?

So these are just some of

the etiquette of Cena. And the Prophet said, you do not only greet those who you know whom you know, and recognize because some people, they only greet those people who are from the same background from their same country or the same village. Right, or people that they know, it's happened. You know, I remember one time I went to a particular center, not here somewhere else. And nobody knew me there. So when I walked in, and I said Santa Monica. They're like, do we know you? Like, the look was I was like, okay, maybe maybe I'm invisible. So I greeted another person. It doesn't matter what their skin color was. They all didn't respond. They all just stared at me. They're like, Who's this

guy?

So on my way to the pulpit to give the sermon.

They were all just staring at me. So I decided to change the topic of my sermon. And I told them, Well, here's my sermon I had I had notes, I folded it and I put it in my pocket. And I said, I think we need to talk about the etiquette of greeting

of the etiquette of the etiquette of greeting. The Prophet said, you should spread peace. And you should greet those whom you know, and those who don't you whom you don't know those, those that know your you know them, you greet them because you know them, right, those that you don't know you greet them because you should get to know them. Right? Well certainly Muhammad Allah.

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.

When he went to Medina, one of his companions, who was at the time, a Jewish rabbi said

His name is Abdullah.

He was a noble man. He said when the Prophet arrived.

And this is before he even accepted Islam before he became one of his followers. He said, when the Prophet arrived,

I remember that the first thing that he said he attended the first sermon. Right? He said, of the things that he said was a unanimous Oh, people

should Salam spread peace.

And we do it. You know,

when you greet people with peace, that you're spreading peace.

Because when you come and you say Salaam, you're actually making a commitment.

You're saying you're telling me that Salaam is not just a great Hey, what's up? No, no, no, no, no, you're making a commitment, every word that you order. There is a contract between us and God. There's a covenant that when we address something, it will be written down. And, and also a Salaam Salaam is one of the names of God.

Right? So you're invoking, you're actually declaring peace to that person. You're, you're extending, you're giving your word to that individual, that you come here with nothing but peace, and for nothing but peace. So you're actually making a commitment is actually a contract. You're telling that person I intend nothing but peace, peace be upon you. You're praying for them, and that's why they should respond. Right? Also the etiquette of Salaam is that when you greet someone, someone who an Arabic Of course of Salaam Salaam, right in Hebrew is Shalom, right? So when you give Salaam which means peace, when you give the greeting of peace to someone, they're supposed to respond. And

the way to respond to it is with a similar response, something of an equal amount or better. So you say Assalamu alaikum. They should say what Allah, Allah. If you say As salam aleikum, wa rahmatullah Peace be upon you at the mercy of God.

You should respond. The least you can respond with is y la cosa lm warahmatullah. You can go further, but this is the least you should do. If the person says Walid Salaam Alaikum, warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. May God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon you, you respond with same to man God's peace, may God's peace, mercy and blessings be upon him. This is how they respond to each other. By the way. We're also taught I just I learned this lesson recently, that when we greet our parents, we should greet them with a complete setup for our especially our mothers, you know, one of the companions of the Prophet is to do that, you greet them with a full greeting, peace and

blessings of God be upon you. You know, so.

So that's what you're doing, you're offering peace. And they said that responding to it becomes mandatory, it's your moral obligation to do that. So this is the first Right, right, spreading of peace.

Number two,

when a Muslim invites you, you should accept their invitation.

Of course, there is a debate amongst the scholars, what does invitation here exactly mean? Some of them say, it's, it's exclusive to their wedding invitation. If they invite you to, they get married, and they you know, they have they throw a party, then you should, you know, that's what you know, but again, there is but generally speaking, if you don't have a reason to refuse the the believers invitation, you you are have an obligation towards that person to accept their invitation.

So and I hereby let you know all that I will accept any invitation from any one of you

at your convenience.

And I love Dutch cuisine by the way.

That was a joke.

Number three, the third.

The third, right? When the believer or when the Muslim sneezes

and says, of course the etiquette is as a Muslim when he when we sneeze, what do we say?

And hamdulillah we praise God.

Right?

So the person praises God, when the person does that you should

respond to them. And I know here in America is part of the culture that when when you sneeze, what do they What do people say?

Bless you, right? You know,

there's something

Similar to Islam but but in Islam, you wait for the person, first of all to catch their breath.

And, and for them to pretty much wake up from the shock because some people sneeze. It's like, it's like a thunder.

So you need that you need them to be able to, you know, just regain their, their balance, right? And then when they say Alhamdulillah praise, they praise God. You say to them, your hammock Allah, may God have mercy upon you, or May God bless you. That's what it means. You know, some people are very quick to say Bless you, by the way, they're like, You're not even done with your sneeze. Right? Like, you may even go for like, you know, they immediately say it and you're like, you're you're trying to

say thank you. But yeah, so so but when somebody sneezes, again, as a Muslim, when you sneeze, we should say, hamdulillah. When you say and Hamdulillah, the person says they have ocula mercy ppl mercy of God be upon you. Okay, so that's the third.

The third, what if someone continues to sneeze, they have runny nose, and, and these are just symptoms of them getting sick, and they fall ill What happened? The Prophet said that when a believer falls, Ill, when he becomes ill, you should visit him, you should visit that person. That's one of the rights.

Of course, someone might say, Well, every time someone like, if it's allergy season, we're going to be just visiting everybody, and catching whatever they have. No, I mean, it means that one is serious illness. Right? If they're hospitalized, right, and it's amazing, I don't know, if you've ever been hospitalized, may God protect and preserve each and every single one of you. But when you're hospitalized,

you know, and then somebody comes and visits you, someone just stops by and says, you know, checks on you and they share their thoughts or wishes with you. It makes a big difference.

It boosts your your morale, it boosts your you know, it's very motivating. It's uplifting, right, which is very key for that individual's health and recovery process. If the person falls into depression, even if the illness wasn't that serious, it just becomes serious. So no wonder the Prophet says what a believer when when, when one of us, you know, falls ill and they're hospitalized, or they're under, you know, they're getting some medical care, you know, we should go and visit them.

In some other places. The profit, of course, showed us that when you visit somebody, just make sure that you're positive, make sure that you don't take too long, because we don't want to disturb them, if they need to rescue that unit, you should, the idea is to share your thoughts, to share your concern, and to share your wishes with them. That's the idea. The idea is not to go there. And you know, sit and wait for some people go and visit someone they're sitting there for forever. There go there, they start investigating. So what's wrong? What happened to you know, doctors said it should be fine. So what is it exactly what, and they become very, very, you know, noisy, and they start

investigating and looking for more information. Also, by the way, you have to be very, very positive and uplifting. You can't go there. Let's say somebody says, Yeah, I was diagnosed with such and such. And you're like, Oh, my God, yeah, my cousin died of it.

That is just horrible.

You're supposed to be positive, you're supposed to be to give good examples, and motivating. You're not supposed to sit there and write some people do that. Not Oh, here's something that actually happened right in front of my eyes. We went to visit somebody in one of the best hospitals, the person has a team of doctors. And then you have people visiting that person and ask it, what's wrong? Is that because you eat such and such? Well, I don't know. Maybe you shouldn't eat that stuff. And they start giving medical advice. I'm like,

excuse me, what are your credentials? Nothing. You know, but you know, so why don't you give him medical advice. Remember, you're going there to check on that individual to pray for them. Right? to support them to show you and to wish them well and lead.

People ask me about gifts, if it's part of your culture, or if it's expected or if you're close enough to that person. And if you know that they're going to enjoy this gift, and you can afford it do it. But I am all for simplicity. Let's keep it simple, because we shouldn't make something too complicated. Because if everybody has to take a gift, first of all, that person is going to be burdened with all these teddy bears that they have to take home. Right? Secondly, you know, or you may take something that they're allergic to, or you mix it you take a box of chocolate to somebody who's diabetic, right? And they just like you're teasing them, they're just sitting there

frustrated, and they just offer it to the to their guests. Right. So and we're just making too complicated if everybody has to, like if I know that there are two individuals who

are sick and I have to go. And I have, I'm expected to take something because that's what we have turned this culture into, you know, I'm going to be discouraged, you know, especially if I cannot afford it or if it's gonna, so that's why we need to keep it simple. The Prophet teaches us the prophetic method is that you keep it simple, right? And the thought is what matters. And you go and check on that individual, you pray for that. And that means a lot. And that's, you know, so let us not over do it. Right now, again, if the person is close, or if you can afford it, and if it's appropriate for you to take a gift, do that, by all means.

And then the Prophet said that and if that,

also,

of the rise of the believer

is that when the believer dies, if a believer that ever Muslim dies, Muslims are supposed to offer prayer, a funeral service, and and, and attend, attend the service, for that for that individual. That's one of the rights of believers. In another narration, the prophet said, and if he or she seek advice from you give them the most sincere advice. Yeah, if they seek it, or if they need it, you give them advice, given that you're qualified to give that advice, or that that advice is solicited, or is sought from you. Because sometimes people give advice without being asked or

the advice that they're giving, they may not be qualified to give that advice. Right. So

so these are the six rights of the believers, right greeting and responding to the greeting, right? If the person is sneezes, right, this means that you basically,

if the person is invites you to respond to their invitation, if they ask for your advice, you give them advice, if they're sick, you visit them, if the person dies, you basically attend, or you go to their, to the service to the funeral service.

There are, you know, more things that we can say, let me just conclude by saying

a couple of things. two things.

One with regards to

love and respect that believers should have for one another.

Because these things are, you know, etiquette, things that external, but there's internal

aspects as well.

Believers are supposed to care for one another and love one another for the sake of God. Right. And it has to be for the sake of it not for personal interests, not for whatever you know, should have respect for each other, and honor one another and love one another and care for one another.

The Prophet said that there are three elements, one of which is

these three elements will ensure that you enjoy the taste the sweetness of faith, faith has a very sweet, pleasant taste. The Prophet said, Those who possess these qualities will have them one of these qualities that were mentioned is that when you love an individual, you love them for the sake of God.

For the sake of God, unconditional love, for the sake of God, not for any other reason, not because

they're funny.

Not because, you know, there is they're nice or kind to you, not because they're attractive, not because they're of the same ethnic background. Again, these things could cause you to bond with someone or be closer, but that intelligent,

right?

The believer is has an emotional intelligence

and emotional intelligence. So if you're emotionally intelligent, then you will be someone that will care and love someone for the sake of God because that person reflects you. That person, the prophet said, and there are two or three believers or like a mirror to one another.

That's a reflection of you. Right?

Right. So

so that's one thing that you have that number two, the prophet said, none of you is a true believer. Like none of us are sincere, truly as you know a believer until that person loves for his brother and or for his sister until we love for each other. What you love for yourself.

Right? Until you love for the other person, what you love for you. So you're not having competition. The only competition you have with a person is in matters of your compete. We're competing a matter of here after, you know, we're competing and trying to please God. We're competing and doing good, but you're not in a competition to possess more or to look better or to sound better or to be better than anyone else

in material

You know, like, in a worldly speaking,

be as good as you can be, be the best you can. Again, it's not about, you know, Islam wants us to be ambitious people and to to be but we seek whatever we seek for the good that we can do throw it. Right. So so we shouldn't be so. And while I am growing or I want what is best for myself, I should wish and want what is best for other people as well.

Otherwise that individual is not sincere.

You know,

this,

Aaron, have you read a book called The Seven

Habits of Highly Effective People. He talks about how we should all adopt and think when when the most successful people, the best of people, the most pleasant of people, the greatest people are people who think Win win.

They want to win, but they want other people to win as well. They want what is good for other people as well as for themselves. Right? You should not be thinking, you know, there are some people who are, you know, I should lose so somebody else can win? No.

You see that kind of you know, people say, Well, isn't that selfless? That kind of selflessness is not necessarily celebrated in mainstream Islam.

You should not sacrifice yourself for other people. Right? You should think you know, what is good for other people and what is good for yourself at the same time, God has plenty for all laws, right? Because Also, if you're good, if you're in good state, if you can take care of yourself, you can take care of other people as well. Because you don't live only for yourself. Right? And as they say, and in case of loss of accidental or pressure, right? oxygen masks will drop. Right? Help yourself first. And then what do you do? Take care of the other person, but you still care for the other person? You don't say, Okay, I'm breathing. I'm doing fine. You know?

So you should think when when and definitely you should not think win, lose. I gotta win. So everybody else has to lose in order for me to be a winner. That's satanic. That's not Islamic. And then of course, you have lose lose people who are just so no, it's not people who don't want others to lose to win there. They lose. And they they want to lose they don't want anyone to win. I don't know why. You know? Yeah.

Actually that is more satanic than anything else because he's he's a loser. So he wants everybody else to lose you know. So so you should you should I wish for others or want for other you know, people what you want for yourself, and you should have this genuine love and admire admiration for for that for the for your brothers.

I say this and ask God to forgive me and ask him to bless our gathering. If you have any question.

suggestion, objection or comment.