Glad Tidings in the Qur’aan
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Channel: Mufti Menk
File Size: 29.24MB
Episode Notes
Lecture delivered At The Peak Convention in Hong Kong with many clarifications regarding matters affecting the Ummah.
AI Generated Transcript ©
Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatu. Once again
Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah Allah He was happy he can we raise this about 10 times higher.
In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful All praise is indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah created nourishing cherisher sustain and provide a protector cure. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless every one of us, and may He bless our offspring, we send complete blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, may Allah subhanho wa Taala bless them all in May, Allah subhanho wa Taala bless you all, I mean, my brothers and sisters, indeed, I am very, very pleased to be standing here at this beautiful convention, this conference at the peak here in Hong Kong. And I've been here for several
years, and Alhamdulillah, I'm always one of those who looks forward to coming here.
The idea of meeting every year is for us to be motivated so that we can become better people. And the better person is he or she who is closer to his or her maker to begin with. And thereafter closer to the rest of the creatures of the same maker, what brings me and you together is the fact that the same maker made us and we are part of the same species as well. But even if we were not part of the same species, we would have a connection because the same maker made us so if you look at the animals out there, the relationship between myself and yourselves with those animals is that the same maker who made me made them. So I need to respect number one, no matter what the animal is,
it could be a pig, it could be a dog, there needs to be respect to a great degree. Because if we don't respect the animals, we would not be fulfilling our duty as human beings placed on this earth by the maker who made those animals too. I hope you get what I'm saying. So therefore, when we as Muslims, talk about a pig, for example, we would actually have to acknowledge that a pig has life. And that life is also sacred. As much as we don't consume the pig. As much as we're not allowed to have a relationship with that pig beyond, you know, just taking care of the life of that pig. So if a pig were to be dying, it would be our duty to try and save that life. Did you ever know that? Did
you ever know that if a dog was struggling or thirsty, we would be able to achieve Paradise by taking care of that particular dogs first, by trying our best to try meaning by trying our best to reach out to that dog because it's a creature of the same almighty. And this is why it goes back to the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where he speaks about a man who achieved forgiveness by quenching the thirst of a dog. And there was a woman who one woman several examples one woman who was punished by Allah subhanho wa Taala because she was punishing attacks. She did not quench the thirst of a cat she punished the cat. So Allah says we punished her as a result of that.
Doesn't this go to show us that we are supposed to be compassionate not just to human beings, but to all the creatures of the Almighty including those that we consider? Not consumable?
You know, when you talk to a Muslim even when you talk to a practicing Jew or a Christian, you would find that when you talk about pork those who know what they're talking about those who who are interested in following the faith they will tell you immediately Hey, you know what, I'm not allowed I can't you know, this is pork I really is there's a gap between me but when you see the animal does it mean that because it's a pig, you can just throw stones at it, you can just decide to you know, start electrocuting it slowly and so on never No way. And this is why I always say those who are promoting violence and killing across the globe, definitely not in the name of this beautiful faith
of ours, no matter who they are. Remember this, we are taught to cooperate, we are taught to understand we are taught to cherish we are taught to celebrate our differences in a way that we will discuss them. And we will try it is our human right to try and convince each other about what we believe. So I can talk to you as a Christian, for example, or a Jewish person. And I can try and convince you that what I believe is right, but guess what? I need to be prepared for you to try and do the same to me.
And I need to know my beans. You might believe something I might have a difference with you even in religion in and you might be a Muslim, we might differ on certain matters. I promise you it does not make me a bad person. I have the right to believe what I definitely think
Feel is correct. And you have a similar, right. So if you're not convinced by what I've said, or if you're not convinced by something, trust me, you have the same right?
To follow what you are convinced with. And this is where we go wrong. Sometimes we feel and some people promote this idea of hating those whom you differ with to the degree that you want to spit in their face. That's not fair. That's not religion. That's not heavenly. Anyway, I've just started with this as an introduction, to try and show you that. There is definitely a connection between every one of us and we must make sure that we understand why the Almighty created all of this, let me take you back back to the time of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam when he was born,
he was born in a year known as the year of the elephants. That's when a man known as abraha had come from Yemen to Mecca to destroy the Kaaba, because he built his own little thing in Yemen, and he wanted people to go for the pilgrimage there. So he decided, look, this is a competitor that may go and destroy his business. So he took an a huge elephant, and he wanted to trample over the Kaaba, but Allah destroyed that elephant and there is a whole chapter in the Quran, although it's a short one known as pseudo to the theme, and it's the surah of the elephant making mention of this particular story. So Mohammed, peace be upon him, was born in that year. During that time, what was
happening, there was chaos. What type of chaos was that? People used to worship the wealthy, the wealthy used to control those in power used to own people buy and sell people, slavery was rampant, they would enslave you for no reason. If a man died, his wife would be given to those whom he owed money to as property, and so on. So there was so much happening they maltreated women to the degree that you wouldn't believe and they stole a lot. There was a lot of stealing, going on stealing meaning. When a person came from outside to do business, they would just steal as well. So many examples are recorded in the books of history of that particular time when so much was happening.
And you know what glad tidings came? And that's the theme here. What were the glad tidings the almighty Apple is that you will Allah, Allah subhanho wa Taala sent for humanity. Miss good news. Glad tidings. Yeah.
Few pseudo
people, from your Lord, they has come to you a reminder or a
reminder here referring to Revelation.
And in it, there is a cure for the diseases and sicknesses of the heart.
And in it, there is guidance and mercy. For those who believe.
What was the message the message was become accountable, because you are going to die one day and face the one who made you and he's going to question you about everything regarding your life. That was the message, become accountable, become responsible, don't oppress one another stop all this misbehavior of yours. That was the message wasn't it glad tidings Wasn't it a breath of fresh air, where so much wrong was happening. And suddenly a man got up and said, Be careful, you're going to answer to your maker one day, be careful, you're going to die and go back to your maker. He's going to ask you don't think that you're just here and you can do as you please, and trample on the toes
of everyone else. You cannot do that.
You live your life, but you do not trample on the toes of others remember this. And this was the message. So for me and you, the message is still the same. You and I will still learn from the same message to say all my brothers and sisters, be responsible, be accountable. Don't swear people don't abuse them. Don't hate on people in a way that you become destructive, or you hurt people's feelings for no reason. Remember, you will answer to your makeup when you want to propagate goodness to them do so in the most respectable way. I can speak about myself as well. Over time we develop we become better people we men. Our character is refined over time polished. Why? Because we see that you know
what, I'm not the only person on earth. My view and opinion is not the only view and opinion on Earth. I need to make sure that I listen to others I respect them. But I could be vocal about what I believe in a respectable way in a responsible way.
Way, and I will fight for the rights of those who believe otherwise, may Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us.
I tell you, it requires a lot of discipline to be able to understand the message of the deen. If Allah wanted, they would have been no Jews or Christians at the time of the death of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Madina, munawwara because he was in supreme control there at the time.
But when Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam passed away, guess what? They were business dealings with the Jewish people of Medina that he himself had engaged in
Subhan Allah,
Who were they Jewish? Who was doing the deal, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him? What happened?
When he passed away, some days before that he had required some grains for the house, and he wanted the grain, so he decided to give as collateral his armor to a Jewish man. And he said, Can I have the grain? So the karma went to the man and the grain came in? He passed away, and the armor was to wood that man, how's that? Who was he? a Jewish man? Did you notice? So behind Allah, so, if Allah wanted, and if there was supposed to be absolutely no relationship between Muslims and non Muslims, this wouldn't have been the case. As soon as Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was victorious, he would have said, Listen, guys, that's it. It's us. And no one else, not at all. In fact, on the day
of haber, which was a war, he sends me, the Allahu anhu. And he says, oh, Ali, you're going to go into this, you know, force of caliber, remember, although it's a war, for Allah to use you to guide a single person is better for you than the most expensive of material items that this world has to offer. Wow. Which means communicate, speak to them, talk to them, how do we guide look, as we are seated here, those who are Muslims, for example, either you reverted or maybe some of your forefathers have reverted, like, in my case, perhaps it was my great, great, great grandfather, somewhere up the ladder. What happened, someone was kind enough to talk to them, to explain to them
maybe to do a business deal with total honesty, and good character, good behavior. Look at how Islam spread in the Java not too far from here, the Indonesian region, look at how Islam spread there. According to the books of history it was to do with the businessmen who came across and was so honest to Panama.
Three days ago, I was injected at the airport. And you know, as we're going through, I took a trolley of the porters. So the brother told me, this is 15 million, and you have to pay the man here. So I had 100 real nodes. Okay. I gave the brother 100. Real note.
He started giving me change. So 510 510, and I was busy counting.
I thought he would stop at 85 because that was the change. But he didn't. He kept going until he stopped at 100. For some reason, it was at the back of his mind. So I took the 100. And he told me, thank you.
And he thought he'd given me my change. But I know it was 100 without counting it again. I took out 15 and I gave him back. He said no, I don't want the tip. I said rather This is not the tip. It's your money. He said no. I said, Look, let me explain. I gave you 100 you gave me 100 back, you are short of 15 real. It just looked at me. He said very few honest people today.
Very few honest people today. And in my mind, I said no matter what I just finished. And by the way, even if I had not finished, trust me, I would have done the same.
Okay, so I just finished the camera. Where am I going to cheat this guy for 15 years 15 million, what's the big deal. And even if it was a bigger amount, I wouldn't have cheated him. But the point I'm raising is this is how goodness is spread. You care for others, no matter who he is. Be honest. So Islam spread in this beautiful way. Because this was the glad tidings brought by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, if you are to live Islam, if you are to be a true Muslim, and you are beaming the true Islam, trust me, those who are not Muslim are not yet Muslim. When they look at you, they will see something in you that they would like to be, I promise you, they would feel
within their hearts. You know what? Something I want to take from here. There's something missing in my life that I will get in this. Yes, there is. You know, there was a sister who had accepted Islam, and I was giving her a message. Today I was talking to her and giving her a message and I told her you know, my sister, when you hear of dirty nasty things, you know, violence and killing and so on. You need to know for a fact that that does not belong to mainstream Islam. The same way Chris
entity has been missing, understood or intentionally mis interpreted by some who wanted to use it wrongly, to say it is a violent faith. I don't believe it is. I've studied Christianity, I don't believe it's violent. I do know there are verses in the Bible that sound extremely violent even more than any verse in the Quran, because you just have to Google verses of violence in the Bible, and you will be shocked. But there is an interpretation for every one of them. You don't just take it in your own way you need to know from those with knowledge they will explain to you the same applies to the Quran, you need to understand in which context This was revealed, the Quran Allah says in it,
there is mercy, it is filled with mercy and guidance, how then can you say this versus that, and that versus this one, there is an interpretation, there is an explanation.
wars have taken place, indeed they have. So there will be rules and regulations governing how to fight when and if
the conditions of that warfare are actually met. And this is why and I want to spend the moment because we're talking of glad tidings. At a time when people look at Islam as a faith that has innate violence and terrorism. It's important for me to state that during warfare, it is prohibited to attack or harm women and children and the elderly and the religious, the religious meaning the priests and the rabbis, it is prohibited to harm those who have not picked up a weapon against you. So even if you're in a war zone, and there are certain people who have who are unarmed, you're not allowed to touch them. And those who turn their back and go away from you. You're not allowed to
harm them. You're not allowed to if someone enters their home and closes the door, that means they don't want to fight. The Hadith says this Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam has spoken about this so many times, even at the time of warfare, these rules are mentioning, they've got to do with a war zone where war is going on. You're not allowed to destroy the infrastructure. You're not allowed to harm anyone in a monastery or a church. We're talking of churches and monasteries, not mosques, but the Maasai. And what I why I say this is because we're talking of people of other faiths.
They enter their place of worship, leave them alone, but it's a war, leave them alone. That's what it is. That is the teaching of Islam. And Allah says this in the Quran, waka de lo fi Sabi nila
de Luna como ella Tara deado, fighting the cause of Allah, those who fight you. But don't go beyond the limits. Someone fights you. You have the right to defend yourself. I mean, someone slaps you, you can't say when I slapped him, I'll be called a terrorist slap him back, no problem.
Unless His name is Mike Tyson, you'll be making a big mistake of slapping them.
So it's a reality. You have the right to defend yourself. If someone comes into your home you can say welcome welcome, Mr. Muslim, you know, I don't want to be called the person who you
know, he's walked into your house Bash him, man, may Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us.
So I tell you, my brothers and sisters, but still at that juncture, Allah says law tattoo, don't go beyond the limits. So the companions asked the prophet SAW Selim to explain it to them. What is meant by going beyond the limits. He said, Do not kill a woman do not harm women and children and everything that I just said earlier. That's what he mentioned. So don't you see the explanation of this? Absolutely. Today, infrastructure is destroyed in the name of Islam. People are killed. Most Muslims suffer the most at the hands of those who call themselves the leaders of the Muslims.
In the world of extremism,
we suffer the most.
If you go and take a look at the war zones today, who is struggling who is suffering, the Muslims? What's happening to them? They are homeless. They're destroyed.
They
may Allah subhanahu wa taala make it easy for them. They don't have limbs, they know they've been lost and separated from their loved ones, their family members, they have to go onto a boat to try and get somewhere and they don't even know where the boat is going. And halfway the boat actually capsizes and they don't know how long they can swim for and then they drown. Who are they Muslims and who is doing it to them? Muslims? Remember that?
Is that Islam? No, it's not. That is something gross.
Now Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us. We have glad tidings good news. That's the theme today. But you can notice that I've started in a way because we are all desperately seeking for answers. What's going on on the globe today? What's happening? Why are they doing all of this in my name?
Why
I tell you, we all feel the same. We are victims that we are victims. When someone does something nasty somewhere in the globe,
we feel like we've got to remove our head gear, perhaps shave off the beard, perhaps remove the scarf and so on. So who's the victim here? Why am I not able to practice what I feel is correct.
And to be identifying myself with that identity that I feel I belong to? Why do I feel pressurized to do something else? Well, I tell you why. Because I'm a victim of the guys who call themselves the same name, Allah forgive them and forgive us and guide them and guide us. So my brothers and sisters, you see, at that time, Islam came in to breathe that fresh air into the period of Jamelia known as ignorance. So the rules started coming in, you're no longer allowed to buy and sell a woman. Wow. Why not? Because the Almighty said so she needs to be looked after by the closest male relative.
In what way? Food, clothing and accommodation. Ooh, they were shocked when they heard that.
You're not allowed to inherit a woman? No, what that means is they used to treat her as property. I just told you that earlier, someone owed someone money. When he dies, the wife goes there as a slave, the children, the girls go there, someone else goes there. Why? Because you owed me money. The man is dead come here. And the community let that happen. Islam says you're not allowed that is prohibited, completely prohibited. And on top of that, you've got to give her an amount, a token amount of the inheritance. And on top of that, that money belongs solely to her. And whatever you have as a male, you need to take a portion of it and use it to provide for her her food and clothing
and accommodation. Wow.
Wow. So when a man dies, leaving behind the Son and the daughter, and he left behind $75,000, for example, 50,000 go to the boy 25,000 goes to the girl so the world cries foul. How can a woman get half out of a goat? Hang on, let's explain.
The 25,000 that she got is just to eat out and to do whatever she wants and whatever else and it's just hers, hers alone. No one has a right in the 25,000 that she has. That's hers alone. It's a token amount actually the 50,000 that he has. Number one, he has to look after her provide her with food, clothing and accommodation. And his mother and his wife and his children. When you divided it's about two and a half 1000 each. What did he get? Who got more she got 25 plus certain amount from inside there which was used on her and what about him he had 50 but it was dispersed because he had all these responsibilities if people don't live that way, or they don't understand that to blame
Islam. Don't blame Islam.
Don't blame Islam. So if you were to ask me who had more I'll tell you she has more because her money is for luxuries. Imagine she's sitting with 25,000 when she needs to pay the rent she can ask her brother hey you know what you my closest my relative? Is my rent.
Just look at the women smiling did Mashallah Allah, Allah Allah Allah forgive us know, the men would prefer to say, you know what, let's just go half half come, you go to work, I go to work you chipping 50 champion 50. Fair enough. Islam says you we honor her more than that. Let her be the queen of her time and do whatever she wants, while you go out and sweat, bring back the stuff, the money come and you spend on her. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us from laziness, I promise you, one of the biggest contributors of divorce today is we hold on to our money. That's what it is.
We hold on to it. You might not know how but trust me, we hold on to it. Because we want to save for this and save for that. And we die before we bought what we were dreaming to buy. And in the interim we haven't even spent on our families. Therefore when you earn lead to spend as well. Your families will appreciate it before you die, those big big buildings that you'd like to purchase for whom the same family that you torturing by keeping your money back. You know, I'd rather them be happy and I didn't have the big building than them not being happy. I have the big building as soon as I die. They're all fighting and killing each other for one story of that big building. May Allah forgive
us. I hope you see the logic in this breath of fresh air Islam comes with all these rulings. The Quran has come with all these rulings to tell you how to live your life. People say Well, you know what, it's too strict. It's too hard. It's too harsh. I tell you, it's to protect you. It's to give you the happiness in the world. It's to give you the
the contentment that you are searching for will only come with discipline ask those who've lost themselves in the nightlife, in promiscuity, in adultery, in fornication in everything else. In alcohol and gambling. It seems to be the
Life doesn't take when you look at it all the lights and everyone dancing and everyone going around here and there and doing things, they are the least content in the long term the least content. You want to find the most content, look at their faces, they will tell you a story of happiness and contentment, alcohol, I don't drink. fornication, adultery, not my business.
Gambling, never
happy man, very happy. Well, that goes Mashallah discipline, trying, Mashallah. That's what makes me happy. When you are disciplined, you will be happy the Quran comes with rules and regulations. Allah says those rules and regulations have in them the cure for the diseases of the heart.
That's why we have rules and regulations. People say, look, in all honesty, you know, we have a modest dress code in Islam. We know that right? In all honesty, we need to realize that yes, while we enjoy the freedom that is there to ought to be offered. We need to understand the repercussions of our actions and choices. When you make a choice, it will have a reaction, it will have a repercussion, definitely. So when you choose to dress in a specific way, you need to know there will be a reaction to it. That's all you need to know. You may not be able to handle the reaction. So even if people move around in the nude in places where that is allowed, they will pay the price for
it in their own way. They may or may not understand it, but trust me, it will happen. I recall many years ago in Africa, they used to wear
leather skins and feathers right and walk around with spears.
So here comes the colonialist. Mashallah Tamara Klein says you know what, you guys are permitted to do clothing on your bodies, you need to dress so you have to put on something. So change your clothing, and they said, Wow, okay, we're educated, we start changing our clothing. We started dressing beautiful Victorian dresses with a nice hat and a net that came in the front. It was looking amazing. Wow.
I think you know what I'm talking about, right?
And the men Subhanallah
change their clothing, everything came proper and everything happened, you know, suit and tie and whatever else you had Mashallah Tabata come up? Why, why, then, as time past? Did they now go back to the same woman and tell her hang on man, we're not enjoying the scenery, you know, as much as Hong Kong, great, you know, you have the peak, and you have all the buildings, but we're still there's something missing. You know, we don't see the naked women we used to see a long time back, you know. So now, through education and convincing, we may want to take you back to somewhere behind the time when we saw you in Africa, like 200 years back.
But this time, we will call it something else, so that it lasts forever, stamp it and call it education, Stampede and coding Anything else? Look, my brothers and sisters, yes, you may be free. And in all honesty, you may be free to do what you would like to do for as long as you're not breaking the law of the land. Yes. But remember, it comes at a price. Just remember that. So if you want to dress, I've heard young people say, Oh, look at this.
So cheap. And I'm like, wow, you know, we've developed now not to use that word. Don't say someone's cheap just because of their dress. But if people say you cannot help it, can you. You cannot close people's mouths, they're going to say things like those, and they're going to believe things and they're going to think that you throwing yourself you may not be, I believe you may not be. But if people think that way, it's not easy to stop everyone from thinking that way. So Allah says, we give you glad tidings, those who discipline themselves, we will give you goodness in this world and the next. That's the glad tidings the four animals in a nutshell, you know, I have so many verses that
I've actually written down.
But I decided when I get up here, I'm going to speak what comes into my heart.
And I'm going to let it come out. So panela.
The reason is,
we are all going through the same things on Earth.
If you have witnessed something and you're going through something, trust me, I'm going through the same if there are challenges you are facing, because people are looking at you, you know, in a different way that you're a Muslim, your name is a Muslim, you know, it's difficult to hide. I have a few friends who are Hindus, and you know what they tell me? It's so hard to be a Hindu. I said, Why? Because we don't look like Muslims. And I said, What did you just say?
This is because, you know, by default, they look at me and they think I'm a Muslim guy, and I have to tell them, Listen, when I go and get my passport stamped at the airport, I gotta say, hang on, you know what, I'm a Hindu, by the way, but I didn't ask you what you were
Allah forgive us, but that's the world.
So we need to understand and realize that we're going through the same thing we need to help each other here to understand how to live. I don't want to lose my faith. But at the same time, I'd like to live in a way that
brings me closer to my maker and helps me reach out to everyone else, without judging them. When I say judging them, I may want to discuss, I may want to guide you see someone stealing, you see someone drinking, you see someone wasting their money, you see someone in bad habit, gambling, it's on you, you will want to talk to them. It's only good. It's an act of worship, to actually try and talk to them and said, You know what, my brother, this is not really a good idea. It's really going to affect you in a negative way. My sister, you know what, I really think you should relook the way you're leading your life because of X, Y, and Z in a beautiful way. You don't need to be nasty, you
don't need to be hurtful. But if you do, if you have something you care about someone you will tell them, you will tell them you will talk to them. And this is what the Quran does. It gives us good news, glad tidings. The Quran says, those who believe and do good deeds for them, we've prepared goodness in the world and the next, what type of goodness the Almighty says we did not promise you that you will be the wealthiest of the lot. But we did promise you that you will be the most content of the lot. So if you don't believe what will happen is, when when you struggle and suffer, you relate it to something very difficult. But when you believe you struggle and suffer, you relate it
to the tests of the Almighty, you understand the Almighty has blessed me with much more than he's given than others.
And I remember meeting a brother,
who was an atheist, and he was asking me about the religion and trying to convince me to say, you know, what, if there was a god, why is there so much of suffering? Why? So I said, Well, if there wasn't a god, why is there so much suffering? It's still the same, I can ask you the same question. Whatever you believe in nature, whatever else? Why is nature so nasty? You know, if you say, why is God so nasty, that little ones are dying, and people are dying? And there's so many things happening? Then I can ask you the question, you say, Well, why is nature so nasty? If you worship nature? Or if you worship anything? Or if you don't worship anything, then why is everything around
us so bad? You know, and people start blaming some people blame religion, some people blame this, some people blame that, no matter what you blame, I tell you, the Almighty says that you are placed on earth to be tested. And therefore from the very beginning, right up to the very end, things will not go according to what you want. They won't.
It's a test from the beginning. Some right at the beginning, you find a little child passing away. That's a test for the parents. It's a test for those around the child. It's a test for everyone in the equation and the child, the child is gone back to the one who made the child, he is more merciful than you and I who didn't even make the child Subhan Allah.
Allah knows why. What did I say earlier, when I was asked about a big day, I said, my biggest day would be the day I meet my maker. He made me I mean, I love my hand. Subhana Allah who made these hands? Come on, man. When I saw the Tesla, I was wondering, I said, Wow, it's such a vehicle that it is now gone to a new level altogether. Recently, I read an article about these flying cars. I'm sure you may have read that. It's just a few more months, and we'll be there. Do you know that it's already there, but they're trying to now commercialize the thing a few more months, and you start thinking, wow, technology, I promise you, humankind is far far more advanced than anything that has
come from that human.
My brain, how does it work? If you want to believe in the Almighty, just go and study your own self? This is why Allah says what we
foresee.
Tomorrow tuberosa Yo, and in yourselves, can you not see that we exist? Can you not see the existence of the Almighty, by the organs that you have, what you have your house, and everything inside of you how it works, your posture, where we've placed all your organs and exactly where they are. And I will always love to give this challenge that the almighty gives in the barn? What is the challenge? The challenge is, Allah says we have created you in the best posture.
That's the challenge, which means can any one of you think of any other place to put any organ of your body besides exactly where it is right now?
Look, look at yourself in the mirror today for a long, long, long time. And ask yourself, Is there any organ that I can place in a better place than it actually is? Right now?
Voila, he This is a challenge from the one who made you. He says, I promise you, the tin Allah says naka de la Kemal. Santa Fe. Sangeeta. Allah says we have indeed created man in the best possible posture
cannot compete. I promise you I've spoken to different types of people, same question. They've come up to say No way. Okay? You have the odd guy who says, Yeah, I'd like to if my nose was on the side so that I could kiss properly and so on. But trust me, no way, no way. No way. Imagine a nose on the side. Well, I said, if you had the nose here, then your ear would be in the way by the way.
Allah subhanho wa Taala. Forgive us, you know.
This is Allah. Allah says, I've created you in this beautiful way Allah has given you is bestowed upon you so much, be thankful. And this is why I want to meet this great maker. In order to meet the maker. You need to prepare for the day.
You need to prepare for the day Allah says, give good news to those who shall enter the garden, that we will give them well beyond what they asked for. So when you go to the Tafseer, and the explanation of that verse, where Allah says
that
Russia una de La Nina z, for them, meaning for those in Paradise, they will be what ever they desire, they will and we will have we have in store for them something beyond what they desire.
So when you go to the explanation of it, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam explains that that is
the meeting with Allah.
To look at Allah.
To look at it, imagine a look at my maker Subhan Allah, imagine, I can't really imagine it right now. But I know it's going to happen in sha Allah. May Allah make it the best day of hours ever say I mean,
to meet with Allah. And trust me, He is merciful. He's loving, he's forgiving.
These are qualities we need to know are repeated in the Quran. Those are the glad tidings. Every time you hear for Rahim, you need to know those glad tidings in the Quran. Allah is most forgiving, Most Merciful, Allah, Allah subhanho wa Taala has said in the Quran, something that is so so beautiful. It is the verse of hope in the Quran. There are so many verses but the one verse that stands out, beyond the others when it comes to hope is the following verse of surah to Zuma, just listen to this.
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Mohammed Chiang Mai worshippers sallallahu alayhi wa sallam Chiang Mai worshippers, those who have transgressed against themselves, those who have wronged themselves those who have committed sin, those who have done that which is bad, evil, those who have transgressed against themselves, tell them.
Tell them what Subhanallah What do you think he wants to say to you? You've transgressed you've done wrong. You did bad deeds, adultery, fornication, gambling, whatever else drugs, you think of it, they're in the list. monography What else?
Allah says, tell them never, ever lose hope in Allah's mercy, for Indeed, he forgives
the sins because he is most forgiving, Most Merciful.
Love work.
From this, we learned that those who doubts the forgiveness of Allah have fallen in the trap of the devil. That's how much we believe in glad tidings. When you say Oh, Allah forgive me, and then suddenly I think I'm not forgiven. You're insulting He Who told you don't lose hoping my mercy because you're losing hope in his mercy. He told you not to do that. And that's exactly what you're doing. Perhaps you don't know the first. That's why perhaps your belief or the level of or the strength of that connection between you and your maker still requires attention. That's why you don't understand you don't realize you're not allowed to lose hope in the mercy of Allah. It is
haram. It is prohibited to lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Just like it's prohibited to do other things. Why? Because Allah tells you like that nakoma Rahmatullah. Don't you dare lose hope
In the mercy of Allah,
no matter what you've done, imagine that's the religion we're talking about. That's Allah. And in another verse of the Quran, you know what Allah says? Okay? There are two types of people who seek forgiveness, right? One is those who seek forgiveness, and they don't commit the sin again.
Right? That's one.
Two is those who seek forgiveness, don't commit the sin again, but they engage in so many more good deeds after that.
Okay, you might think I missed the third category, what's the third category? Those who commit the sin, seek forgiveness and go back to the center. I'll get to them but I'm talking about those who've truly repented. Okay?
Allah says, if you have repented, we will forgive you.
Right? There's no doubt about it. What are the conditions of seeking forgiveness for things? admit your sin only to your maker, you don't have to confess it to any Tom, Dick or Harry, trust me, you don't have to. They all have their own little closets. And they all need to seek forgiveness from Allah as well. You don't need to confess your sin to the almighty alone, okay? Yes, if you want guidance, if you want guidance from someone, you want to ask them, you want to tell them you know what, I've done this, and I really don't know how to move forward, and so on. Make sure it's a very, very trustworthy person. And make sure they don't relate what you told them. Because that's the
biggest letdown. You tell someone you love. You tell your friends, you know, I did this. You've long sought forgiveness from that and you change your life. 20 years later, they still talking about what you told them back then in the day. That's why try not to relate sins to others. Leave it to yourself, between you and Allah. He hears it you admit your sin, you regret it, you seek forgiveness, and you promise not to do it again. Those are the four conditions. admit your sin, regretted, seek forgiveness, meaning ask Allah Allah forgive me. So in other words, say someone's committed adultery or lie committed this adultery. I admitted, I committed adultery. And I see, I
regret it. I regret that I did this. It was very bad. You admitting it was wrong, right? And I asked you to forgive me and I promise you, I'm not going to do this again. Donna, Allah says, You know what? My worship I forgiven you completely, totally. It's gone. It's wiped out. You're back. as clean as the day you were born. Illumina dombey. Come on, let them Bella. The Prophet Mohammed Salah says he who seeks forgiveness from a sin is equivalent to he who did not commit that sin.
Wow. All that whatever I'm telling you today is a breath of fresh air. So Pamela, we needed desperately. I need to know this. Because we're living in a society that
we're living in a world
that actually has so many distractions, and we get distracted, because we are human beings. And he has a law telling us Hang on, just keep coming back to the path. Keep coming back to the bar. So that's a person who seeks forgiveness forgiven. If you do good deeds, after the forgiveness and you changed your whole life, then Allah says we do use something bigger than that. What do we do for you?
You were a bad person. You repented, and you became a good person and you changed your whole life. In that case, we will go back to your sins, we will take them from there. And we will bring them on to this side of your life and we convert them into good deeds and give you a gift.
You're here the verse.
Allah subhanho wa Taala says Illa de
una de la hussaini.
Allah says, For those who repent and thereafter do good deeds.
Allah takes their sins, and he will convert them into good deeds on the right side of the scale for the Day of Judgment. And you will be shocked Wow, I didn't do so many good deeds. Allah says this was all the sin that you've committed in the past because you changed your life. We took it and we put it onto the right side of the scale, we gave it to you as a gift.
So
this is why when you have had a past, that's exactly what it is past. past. That's not your present. And it's not your future. That is the past It's over. It's gone.
Allah subhanho wa Taala is greater than being bothered about the past that you have repented from. So shaytan comes to you and tries to convince you hang on. I don't think you're forgiven. You know, you did this when you were 20 years old. When you were 15 years old. You did x, y and Zed. That's why today you have this and that and this and that. No, that's not why this is happening. This is a test from Allah.
It's a challenge. Don't make me think that because I did that I've already sought forgiveness for that. Therefore, I am convinced that my maker has not punished me because of that. No, this is something different.
But shaman makes us relate these things, do you know that he makes us bring it together? If you sought forgiveness, Allah will not punish you. Because the Quran has glad tidings, American Allah.
Allah will never punish people, when they're seeking forgiveness.
He will not punish you. He says you're seeking forgiveness, that's not punishment. You need to know this. Now getting back to that third category.
It's also an important category to make mention of a person
who commits a sin and then regrets it and then asks for forgiveness and they're forgiven by Allah bar, pressure of society, community, peer pressure, whatever else human nature, blame whatever you want, shame upon whatever else, and you commit the sin again, what happens
when we are taught by Allah in the Quran, and the Sunnah of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam to repent again.
Go again. But that was just last week, we went again, this week, and the next week you did it again, the following week, the Pentagon and keep repenting and keep trying to improve yourself. You know, there are people who are entrepreneurial for example, you and I know abomination. It's wrong in Islam, to watch new people doing things and stuff for the low. So what happens?
You ask a lot forgiveness. And then you have a young person saying, I've asked a lot forgiveness. I really don't want it. But somehow I just got back to this thing here. I don't know. Listen, it's dangerous. You pay the price. I promise you, you do. But I tell you what, to keep seeking Allah's forgiveness, and then we have a bonus, what's the bonus?
keep seeking forgiveness and keep making the promise, no matter how many times because now you're dealing with your maker, and it's unlimited. You're not dealing with a human being where you know what? I'm talking to someone first time he says, okay, you know, I forgive you second time you say sorry. He says, I forgive you again, third time and say Hang on. I'm not forgiving you now it's over. This is three times Aren't you ashamed of yourself? Allah says no, there's no limit to it. 1234 In fact, there is good news. Okay, I can tell you.
When you're trying to give up a bad habit, something that is wrong. Increase your good deeds. Now, what shavon does to us is he tells us you know what, I'm
okay. I'm just going to give you a red button example. Right? shavon says, for example, you know, I'm committing this adultery. Why should I read my Salah? Yes, it is. I'm a bad person. That's a bad. You were doing one thing wrong. Now he wants you to do two things wrong. You see, it's like when I was young. And I promise you this is an example. When I was young, we used to laugh at the ankles when we used to hear the stories that you know, this ankle was in the pub, and he was drinking alcohol. And when he went to buy some some Moses, he asks the bomb and he says Elisa, Moses, allow
me Hello, brother, you have a bottle in your hand and you asked him about the samosa as being allowed. I can tell you something. When we were young, we used to laugh and say you drinking By the way, you should just do what you have to because it's Haram. Anyway, as we grew older, and we studied Islam, I learned that that uncle what he was doing, the alcohol part was wrong. And the hard part was right, because if he did both, he would be singing twice. At least he's doing one thing, right? That's what it is. So if you go to see how we've changed the whole thinking, a long time ago, we didn't used to think like this because we didn't have knowledge. We used to laugh. You know? If
you go to Durban I'm sorry to have said the city's name. Okay. You will find out huge casino then at the casino, they have an area to praise Allah. And
so I was wondering what's going on, you know, now I realized that at least the kinds of reading a Salah, it's okay, it's a breath of fresh air glad tidings because why? Your good deed and this is something we've learned from the Quran, your good deed will help you to stay away from your bad deeds in the long run. If you're genuine, a person who keeps consuming halaal and has one bad habit insha Allah, Allah will help him to eradicate that Allah will guide him and strengthen him, but the person was not bothered about anything. So now that he's drinking alcohol, he decides, okay, since I'm doing that, no more food, no more Salah. Well, what's going on? So can
you committing so many sins? It's like you have another ruling. If someone pinches a prayer mat, they stole it from somewhere, right? And here comes time of salah and they say right, I want to pray. Where's the Qibla? Here's the killer. I put the mat down. Allahu Akbar. I'm praying, right? But the man is stolen. What's the ruling?
The ruling is the stealing of the mat has its sin. And the reward of the prayer is something else. So your prayer is fulfilled but that stolen matters.
You will pay for the stealing of it. So as soon as you completed your prayer, you're the closest go to the person you can see it from and say, You know what, I'm so sorry. I preached, I pinched the prayer mat from you.
If it's a brilliant man, a genuine Muslim will probably say, you know, what do you want another one? Because you get a reward for those whom you help to pray. So if you gave him a prayer, it would be good. There was no need to pinch it. But this was just an example to show you that, you know, Allah Almighty is so just that he will not punish you. For 10 things when you've only committed one thing. Remember this, you've done one thing wrong. And this is why when we see people, you know, you, a lot of us have a weakness now Mashallah we're developing, we judge people immediately upon looking at them without realizing they've done one thing wrong, I might have another 10 things wrong.
This one apparent thing, I can see that this is okay. It's not ideal. It's not how it's supposed to be. They are another 100 things in me that are not ideal, I promise you. But it doesn't mean I should not discuss it. When I've developed a good relationship with the person, when they realize that I'm a genuine friend or a genuine brother or sister in Islam.
Or someone who cares for them, then I can talk to them, but you don't just come from a what you're doing is haram, and they don't even know who you are, they look at you and say look at this guy, what's going on here. We're taught before you correct someone develop relationship with them, you know, show them you care for them, treat them properly, a person who's hungry, maybe help them with food, maybe bring them in, help them with some form of accommodation, do something good to them, when you do good to them don't raise that the matter, when they now really have a good relation with you. They look up to you, then you bring it up, you say you know my brother, this is one matter. I'm
sure I have a lot of weaknesses. But if I raised this with you don't feel offended, let me just get it off my chest. And is in a beautiful way. There are some lovely ways of talking, you know.
So Pamela,
you know, speaking about halala you guys know that I like to say a joke or two in my talks, right?
So it's very important for us to realize that you know, the consumption of that which is pure is very important. The reason is, it affects and impacts upon our entire bodies. It affects us, when you eat something, the energy you derive from it is going to be used for your activities. When they when you derive that energy from a proper source, you will use that energy in something good. But when you've derived that energy from something, sorry, back.
Where do you think your energy is meant to be used?
When you have halaal income, you're really concerned about how you're earning and your earning is good. You are encouraged time of prayer you want to get up because the energy in you is all spiritual, good, positive, etc. But when you've just been consuming Haram, pornography, oh, you're very excited and you want to go forth casino gambling, missing the Salah, for example, I might be giving you the same list of sins, but it's just by way of example, okay. But there are so many other sins vulgar, you know, people swear, you talk with a bad mouth to your wife, your husband, your children, and so on.
So para la, you don't know how to speak why something may be something you're eating the energies and so on. So it's important for us to make sure what we consume is halon in the in two ways, two ways, meaning physically what you put in your mouth and your income as well. Okay, so there was a guy who walked into a restaurant now when you walk into a restaurant, you need to make sure that you know what you're eating is okay. Not like the guy I mentioned a little while ago, Panama. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us. So
this guy walks in and he sees a sign at the back. They say hello. So he just looked at it a little bit and he ran in and he started eating. And he said, Don't worry, it's okay.
And he started consuming something looked like bacon. You know, they can a lot of us would know what it looks like. We even know what it smells like okay. And something looked like bacon. So he he said well, salad
and pork. So he had this thing here thinking okay, it's Hello. And he ate to his phone. And then he's walking out and paying his bill. So as he's paying the bill for this buffet that he just had. He asks, what was that thing that was like Poke Poke?
It was smoke, but doesn't it say hello? What was that thing? That was like bacon Cheetos bacon. But doesn't it say hello? He says no, no, no, no, no. Look carefully. It says the manager today is ha Lau.
these abbreviations can confuse us sometimes.
There are many models of that story, but I can tell you one right here right now. You know what you need to find out a little bit. You don't just see a sign and say right, fine. It's done. Let's go ask a question or to find out a little bit more about it a little slightly deeper. Ask a question. maybe ask them Coco anyone else or someone who you know if I were to come to Hong Kong
Instead of believing ha Lau, I would come to ask you to say, you know what, just tell me where can I go and eat and so on. And you might tell me go here, go there, go to Mr. Amar. And at the top there, there is a restaurant, whatever else you might tell me. So I learned from you.
So my brothers and sisters, let's remember that when the rules and regulations are placed in from the foreign, they're actually there
for our own benefit, so Panama, they're actually there for our own benefits of Panama.
They are not there in order to make life difficult. And this is why the best news that came to America, the man who was a verse of the Quran that he read that I want to share with you today, okay. None of what I'm saying is actually on my paper here. You know, I told you, I wrote some verses, they're all still there. But I want to share with you something about the law. You know, he used to think before Islam, that Islam is a difficult religion, it's tough. You know, following these rules and regulations just makes your life difficult. I'd rather just lead a life where I am my own boss, I can do what I want. I don't need to be disciplined by rules and regulations that are
too many. Okay. So
he was one of those who said that, this religion and the rules, they make life difficult.
So one day he was he was a very powerful person, physically, he was very strong, he was feared in Makkah. He decided, you know, this Muhammad Sallallahu sallam,
I just need to get rid of him. Like you have people today who say that, you know, Islam needs to be exterminated, Islam needs to be stopped. And Islam needs to listen just because of their own experience and ignorance. A lot of those are the very ones who accept Islam a little bit later down the line. Trust me, the ones who hate Islam the most are the ones who are the most likely to actually soften up crack up at a certain point. You might want to ask me how I can give you so many examples
of current examples. And even examples in the past, there are so many holidays.
And Omarosa, whom we are talking about, he went out to murder the Prophet sallallahu sallam, that was his intention. And he arrived at the house of his sister cutting a long story short, he ended up stumbling across verses of the Quran. And unless plan unless plan, look at the glad tidings in the poem. It comes in a beautiful way. He read the verse, Paul.
What does it mean? He doesn't know. No one else knows. These are just broken letters. Well, Subhanallah Can I quickly tell you why, why there are letters like those in the Quran. Okay. So at the time of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, it was the height of eloquence. People used to compete with each other regarding poetry and speech, and they could speak so eloquently in the public, and they would mesmerize everyone with the language and Arabic is so so beautiful and complex, that Subhan Allah that you know that each word has a weight. And when you have a sentence upon a sentence with exactly the same weight, you are a master.
So they used to listen to each other. When Muhammad peace be upon him started the verses of the Koran. Everyone from the most eloquent Arabs acknowledged that this is beyond men. Were lucky they acknowledge that this is beyond men. So the only solution was block your ears.
So they used to block their ears literally educated people used to close their ears I don't want to hear because if I hear it, they used to say he's a magician. As soon as you hear what he's saying, You're softened. You want to be with them you want to go so we don't even want to hear it. So what happened is,
in Makkah, the verses were short and sharp. So if you look at the Quran, verses are revealed in Mecca or Medina in Makkah, short, sharp verses, you know, you have very short and sharp verses. So as soon as
the verse is recited, and the people get their fingers up to their ears, the verse is over, it's finished already. It's just made up of two words, three words, and they close the ears. It gives them a time to ponder over the verse, you know, and then they think this man is finished now, okay, so they put their hands down. When they put their hands down, the next part of the next verse comes up, it's also two or three words, and then they quickly take their hands back up and put them by their ears. So it gives them time to think over the verse again. And then they put their hands down and so on. And he was having a big impact. And then they started saying very nasty things about the
Quran that no it's made, and so on whatever. Allah Subhana Allah to Allah revealed broken letters known as Papa broken letters.
Why? They were shocked. This man is so eloquent. He is the most eloquent from amongst us and is down
And what is he saying?
Imagine I'm talking to you. Now, you understand what I'm saying? If I were to say, a bee, bee bee, and stop there.
You look at me and say, What's going on here?
And if you heard that I was extremely eloquent, you probably would think there must be a message in this, what is it? And it would make you so interested in it. And you would want to know, what does it stand for? You know, if I were to use abbreviations, suddenly, you would want to know what it's all about. So
they were broken letters.
Hi.
These are all letters. How did this happen? What does it mean? They became interested, they started asking questions. The same applies to baja
was mesmerized. He thought What's going on? The next verse says, Ma,
we have not revealed this to you all Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in order that it be a point or a means of distress, all these rules and regulations are not to make your life difficult.
That was an answer to him where he was. He was shocked because it was like Allah was talking to him. He had this thing at the back of his mind all the time. And he's even spoken about it to a few people. And now here comes and guess what? He's getting the answer straight away. And he says, this must be from Allah. Second, but he was already broken down, which means he'd already softened up completely. By the time he read the third and the fourth verse, he says, Take me to Mohammed, I want to enter the fold of Islam. I want to be one of the people here. So kinda night was amazing. That was the glad tidings, the Quran answers your questions. If only you would be bothered, to read, to
ask to seek May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us all. And may Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who have a deep connection with him. And with the rest of the creatures, remember, there are two major types of rights. And I end with the statement
the rights of your maker, which means you have to pray, you have to do so many things. You have to worship Him alone, you worship Him alone. And definitely he will count your goodness, the rights of your maker. But that alone does not make you a Muslim.
You have the rights of the rest of the creatures of the same maker, the rights of the rest of mankind, the rights of the others who belong to Allah, that's also a part of your faith. So there are two types of writes a lot of the times we talk about
connection with Allah alone. Yes, it's an important matter. It is one of the cornerstones of the deity. But the second thing is for us to be
understanding the rights that the rest of the creatures are owed. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for every one of us. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys tomorrow by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala we have another topic inshallah, that we will talk about, and I hope and pray that Allah subhanho wa Taala accept us all, grant us all forgiveness and goodness. And until we meet again, I say masala Allahu wa Sallim wa barik ala nabina Muhammad Subhana Allah it can be some panic alarm or can be conditioned to lie