Productive Muslim Part 2
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Channel: Mufti Menk
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Episode Notes
Kerala, India
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AI Generated Summary ©
The importance of productivity and healthy behavior in Islam is emphasized, along with the need for personal success and reaching for productivity. Personal success and personal growth are emphasized, along with protecting privacy and personal identity. The importance of working from home and being healthy is emphasized, along with the benefits of working from home, including reduced risk of infection and transmission. The speaker emphasizes the need for everyone to be healthy and safe, as well as protecting everyone's health and working from home to ensure safety.AI Generated Transcript ©
Assalamu alaikum This video is brought to you by Muslim Central media.com please follow us on social media facebook.com forward slash Muslim Central and twitter.com forward slash Muslim Central. Also check out our other websites Muslim Central tube.com and Muslim Central images.com.
salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala
nabina Muhammad.
We praise
and we believe that no matter how much we praise Him, it will never be sufficient. He has indeed blessed us with so much that if we were to try and count what he has blessed us with, it is impossible for us to come up with the complete list We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to continue blessing us. We also send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to bless them, bless every single one of us, and to grant us all every form of goodness, beloved brothers and sisters in
a beautiful afternoon here in this beautiful city, in this beautiful country of India. And we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to continue blessing us in every single way.
It is up to us to continue seeking from
Allah the Almighty, and inshallah he will continue giving us and He will bless us in so many ways, even ways that we had not imagined. This afternoon, I'm going to be speaking on a productive Muslim,
you may have come across a talk of mine that I delivered in the city of Dubai, some time back on a similar topic. I would like this to be a continuation of that and perhaps maybe recapping on a few of the points that we made mention of them. The first extremely important thing that we all need to remember is
every one of us needs to ask himself or herself a question, how have I been of benefit? How am I benefiting? You know, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, faithfulness and found
the best of people are those who are most beneficial to the rest of the people. So, if you have benefited others the most, then you are one of the best of people. So, what we need to start with is benefiting myself, when I say starting with benefiting myself, I am not meaning that we need to be selfish, but we will need to develop the tools within us to be able to be productive, to be able to benefit others to be able to reach out to a greater number, if I do not have a motor vehicle for example, how am I going to give a lift to others to go for Salah for example.
So I first need to work hard and get the vehicle once I have the vehicle I will be able to use it in a different way. Now, to start with each one of us needs to recognize who he or she is, who am I question?
In a good way We are not saying who am I in a bad way. You know who am I can be asked in two ways one is when you are arrogant and one is when you are a person who is humble trying to find where he was where he is and where he is heading. You know, one day there was a certain man and he was at the airport and he was checking his bags, and he was overweight. So as he was overweight, the lady who is trying to help him I told him Sir, you are overweight. We will not allow you to go until you have paid but you know X amount. He got so upset. He says Do you know who I am?
Do you know who I am? So the lady was very calm. She realized this man is getting so angry, so upset. She took the public address system Jesus Ladies and gentlemen, there is a man here who does not know who he is.
That's not what he meant. But he was.
We're having spoken in such a way this is why relax. If you do not know who you are, it should be in a way that you are trying to learn where you came from who you are today and where you are heading. We came from Allah we are going back to Allah when something happens we are taught to say
do we belong to Allah unto Him shall be our ultimate return.
So the primary
I have been able to get the tool to help others to reach others, the tool of productivity is to first know who you are, you are a human being. And when you were born into this world, you have parents
who can fulfill the rights of the orphans, the bulk of us have had parents, those parents looked after us at a time when had they abandoned us, perhaps we would have died. Imagine your mother took care of you, when you were very young, she changed you, she, she made you and so on. If she left you, you would have been left for the day, which means you would not even know.
Or you would not even be able to fend for yourself because you would be left on the side you don't know how to feed yourself, you don't have the capacity. So once you realize, you realize that you need to develop a link with the one who made you number one. Secondly, you will need to or you will come to realize you need to develop a link with those who your maker has chosen to bring you into existence. And those are your parents.
Those who looked after you from the time you were born, they are some form of kindness, some form of respect. This is why even in
the Quran is quite clear in saying you owe them the courtesy and the kindness you do not be unkind to them, when they instruct you to do something that is wrong, and against what Allah subhanho wa Taala has revealed. In that case, definitely you have every right, not only every right to turn down that instruction, but you do not have the right to fulfill an instruction that is given to you, which goes against the instructions of Allah subhanho wa Taala. But otherwise, you need to be kind to your parents, no matter what phase they are. This morning, I was having a chat with one of the brothers and I was saying those who are not compassionate towards fellow human beings, even if they
belong to another faith, they have lost all sense of humanity. Sometimes you hear of a car crash, sometimes you hear of some disaster, and people say oh,
it's good that they finished. That type of statement shows that we have not felt humanity within us. Because if you look at the reaching out,
it was one of the most productive ways of reaching out, he reached out to even his enemies in a productive way, in a way that those who try to harm him were given the warning or they were dealt with in such a beautiful way that they served as a reminder to them to say do not do this as a deterrent for those who might have been planning. But at the same time, those whose hearts were decent, they had the inclination towards the goodness of the faith in a way that even our forefathers who are non Muslim somewhere down the line have turned to the deen of Allah. Allah, Allah. We think Allah subhanho wa Taala. So it is the productivity of the Association of Muhammad
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that has borne the fruit if we are to follow the things by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala, we will also have fruits, if not on a similar level, because he was then at least on some level, that Allah Subhana Allah grants us, my brothers and sisters.
Once we recognize that we need to be kind to our parents and our family members, and we need to contribute to the family relation in the most productive way, then that's
the beginning, the first thing that we have, will be a solid foundation upon which we can base the productivity and benefiting of the rest of humanity.
But if a person has a disastrous relationship at home, I don't respect my parents, I have no respect for my brothers and sisters, my siblings, no respect for those who taught me when I was young and looked after me, how will we be able to be productive on a larger scale? How will we be able to benefit the rest of humanity when the core inner circle is that if we condition if any at all, so we asked Allah subhanho wa Taala to strengthen us to help us to strengthen our link with him. We all know that Allah subhana wa Jalla has dedicated so many verses to his worship.
The value of the parents
amazing how Allah says he has declared dictated it is the law
Allah subhanho wa Taala your has declared that you shall worship
Allah, that is the root of productivity. When you know that my Allah, I worship none but Allah that is the root of productivity.
Do not forget the fact that they looked after you when you were young.
Allah says,
one or both of them,
you have had the fortune of their presence in your old age or later on in your life and they have grown old in front of you, you need to know that Allah subhanho wa Taala has declared to you that you should not forget how they have brought you up. Don't utter bad words that will hurt them. That does not mean Don't utter just words, because that is also
counterproductive, if someone is not to say that which is correct. Just because this is your father or your mother does not mean you do not correct, that is counterproductive, you will correct them in a beautiful way, you will correct them.
What does he tell his father in a beautiful way,
term full of respect and love to address his own power.
It is the same term later on
with his father. So when the father used the term with his own father, the son use the same form of respect and love with his father.
When the dream was said to him, he says
slobby Oh, my beloved respected father, do as you have been instructed, you will find me from amongst those who are forbearance those who have suffered.
But earlier on, he
told his father who was an idol worship and he used to come behind
me.
Oh, my beloved respected father, knowledge has come to me that did not come to me, I will guide you through to the right path.
Not like today people, you know, look at their fathers and say, I haven't I have a beef degree that you are illiterate, you know nothing.
That is what people do. But the same father struggled and threatened to send you to school at a time when they could not afford shoes, but your school fees was big. We forgot about that. Now that we are big bosses, we become counterproductive by forgetting the role played by our parents and the person who forgets the role played by their parents cannot be conscious of Allah in the correct way. Because consciousness of Allah would automatically dictates that you respect your parents, you understand that Allah has chosen for you.
Every time we have parents, even those who are not Muslim. For us, how is it that we will treat them react to them?
There is no mistaking the plan of no mistaking the plan of Allah subhanho wa Taala it is the mind of humankind, that sometimes does not understand and comprehend the plan of Allah. But Allah plan is always perfect. He knows why he did what he did. And nothing would have changed that besides the will of Allah Subhana Allah. So it is very important for us to know the roots of productivity. Without that we will not be able to progress they start with your link with Allah you live with your being the messenger.
Today people are very counterproductive. Sometimes when they declare their love
But the whole life is led following a different
trend altogether. We say we are Muslim, but we dress in a way that it is difficult for people to distinguish between the person who's a Muslim and non Muslim, there is no difference the way we operate, the way we sing and dance, the way we continue is that productivity has we understood the link with Allah hypocrisy is terrible. hypocrisy is something that can destroy the root of an individual. And if that root is destroyed, you can forget about being productive and assisting others and contributing towards mankind at large. Let me give you a little example of hypocrisy.
There was a man who visited a certain country where the women were dressed, quite scantily. And he was a man who always felt you know, I need to look down. And I need to remember my duty of lowering my gaze. So he's supposed to tell him that, you know, this country here, the people are dressed all freely, they are dressed as they want. So, you know, just pray for us and so on the men as soon as he sees a woman, as soon as he sees a woman who is not dressed appropriately, he looks down and he says,
every two minutes, what is he saying?
And he's looking down every two minutes.
So he's
this man.
He seems to be quite a pious person where he's looking down. And he is saying,
each time that he passes, a woman who is not dressed appropriately, and this happened for a few days, so the one day he was a little bit delayed, he didn't come out these hoes came into him, you know what I will take you to a certain place where inshallah you won't see that much. You know, there is a mall around here, where it won't be as bad as the other places. He says, Okay, let's go. So when they got to that place, amazingly, this, the man was on the phone, and his host, his host was in good company, so to speak. So what he did is, he got used to the habit of saying, the law whenever he saw a woman who was scantily dressed. So as this man was on the phone, the host happened
to see a woman who was scantily dressed, and he himself now for the first time, loud,
raising, raising, raising,
you are now asking you
In the meantime, the hypocrisy being exposed by Allah forgive us. And grant this fall protection from this type of hypocrisy. When we do something do it for the sake of Allah imagine a good habit rubbing off onto someone else, only to find out later on that in actual fact, it was just a show. Why do we do that? Why do we it is correct to say
forgiveness and allow an accepted from us but let it be genuine and I always tell the people who sit after Salah with a speed
they will sit with me and they will say
have you ever heard what I've said about that? The way it is, there is no respect to Allah you don't even know what you're saying. It is quantity rather than quality,
quality rather than quantity.
from Allah Allah has created in life in order to test you who has better the quality of the deeds or better he has never ever given importance to quantity. Remember this. So sometimes they utter
until it sounds like stuck for life. You are stuck for life. That's what it sounds like. It is so fast so quick. No one knows what they've said. Just because of the way the
AMA used to see colors forgiveness up to 100 times a day. It does not mean you pay lip service to eat alone, add your heart to it and add your sincerity to it and understand it is a powerful act of worship that is productivity.
productivity is not when you just pay lip service to something without having your heart in it. You have just said a few words. Same applies to Salah some of us will take the ground as though there is hot rocks on the ground and it is going to burn our foreheads.
So we go down like a little chicken and we come back up so we pick the grain and we take your timing
it might be the last time that you will be allowed to make you do it for the sake of Allah it might be your last Salah This is why the Prophet sallallahu Sallam encouraging us to fulfill our Salah in the best way possible. He always used to say
Allah,
fulfill your Salah as though it is a farewell Salah. If that is the case, it becomes productive. Not only would you feel cool and calm, but the others, you know, one day we were in a certain airport at an airport in one of the European countries and we happen to fulfill salah and there was a little bit of animosity to say should we or shouldn't we? There is no way there is no prayer room there is nothing we need to read Salah in one corner. So one person was saying let's read and the other one was saying let's not cut a long story short, we read when we read surprisingly so many people gathered only to ask us what were you doing? It was so beautiful. You look so calm and relaxed. We
want to know what it is and so can Allah we seize the opportunity to explain to him what
our duty was only to convey the message what happened later on Allah knows best but what we need to remember that is productive behavior.
How can I go my link with Allah just because I'm concerned that you know I'm in public. So some people do not want to dress for example, with the Islamic headgear you know the women are supposed to at least come with a to start with by the word of Allah, from a young age inshallah we start once we grow a little bit, get used to it, Mashallah dressed appropriately, no matter what you're doing, and the rest of the world is doing. You need to be productive because you can change that we are leaders, people will follow when you do things with confidence and you do things knowing that I have guidelines, guidelines that I'm following, which will definitely lead me to greater happiness than
anyone else who's following any other guidelines. This is part of a Muslim, but one of the roots of productivity is knowledge. And without knowledge, you will never be productive because you won't even know what you're doing. And this is why we become so passive. people refuse to even look at Muslim to even say that my name is a Muslim name just because they do not have the knowledge of how beautiful the deen of Islam is. There are others out there who are dressed, scantily dressed in tight clothing, we show half their bellies we do so much in terms of trying to keep up with the Joneses and the television and so on. But if they are exposed to the beautiful coolness and calmness
and contentment that comes about by following the dress code and the rulings of Islam, they will definitely tell us why didn't you let us know?
The problem with us we dissolve, we dissolve in the cauldron known as westernization and civilization. It's called civilization. So everything even if we are right, we just give it up and we think my friends, All my friends are dressed this way I will look like the odd one out when I am dressed this way that is coming to attack you and to make you counterproductive in a way that leadership is taken out of your whole system, who is a leader, a leader sometimes needs to make decisions where he or she is lonely. Sometimes they might not agree with you, your group of people might not agree but if you have taken the guidance from what Allah and His Messenger have thought
he was definitely you will be successful. And this is why
Allah
was upon us.
Woman,
man,
woman,
ratio Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, whatever pleases Allah, what people are displeased of that matter.
Whoever pleases Allah, through the displeasure of humanity, sometimes people become upset with you Just because you want to please Allah. Allah says,
Allah will love him and very soon, a time will come when even the people will love that person. But the opposite is correct, which means
to please the other people, Allah becomes obsessed with that person. And very soon, the people will also become obsessed with that particular place. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala guidance, and we asked him to give us strength. This is why we say without the route of productivity, you will not be able to be productive. The seed of it is knowledge. You need to learn you need to know make an effort to learn what is right and not just learn what is right in order to just have it in your system, but put it into practice. This is why Islam is not just a declaration, but there is a declaration. There is faith in the heart and there is work that is to be done by your organs. It's
not enough for me to say I'm a Muslim, but come time for Salah I'm sleeping all the time for honesty. I'm the most dishonest person. It's not enough for me to say I believe in Allah.
I declare the Shahada, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Muhammad.
That is a powerful statement. Yes, I believe in it, I have said it by my tongue, but I will also work in a way that I live by it, I live by it, and in order to work towards it, I will need to learn what is it that it entails knowledge, this is why extremely important is knowledge, may Allah subhanahu wa Jalla grant us with beneficial knowledge that we learn, put into practice and convey to others, one of the most productive,
productive, he says,
convey from me even if it means a single verse, And from that, whatever you have learned, which is correct and of religious value, you need not to be selfish, give it to others, that is the height of productivity.
This is why if someone were to hide knowledge, it is called to hide knowledge that is, it is prohibited, you are not allowed, you must be that knowledge to as many people as possible, let them for you reach out to them and let them reach to allow them to be able to benefit as best as you can, it will be known as
the entire concept of this type of continuous charity, a continual charity known as
it is one of the most productive ways of drawing the attention of the Muslim Ummah to that which will benefit more than one person and perhaps continue into generations. That is the whole concept of Nigeria, so productive. And this is why for me to be view, it might be a charity, for you to feed me might be a charity, but for me and you to reach out to someone who is incapable because of his financial standing, and show him, give him a rod and show him how to fish that will definitely be much more productive than a man who's just given you a meal one time.
If I see, for example, a beggar
and I give him a meal, I've done a good job, it is productive, but I am taught to be the most productive possible, I can show him towards a job or I can perhaps opened a small little project for him to come take these things. selvan you will learn so much money, you need to maintain the capital, and then you need to spend that particular profit that you've made. And perhaps there will come a time when you can build the profit. Why am I saying all this because one day there was a man whom we tried to assess, we gave him some money. And we told him, we want you to do a vegetable project. And he came back one week later, he said my project was very successful. We said so what
happened he said no, I saw the money, I made a lot of money. That is when we realized that productivity includes to be able to teach the person some of them do not have training, they don't know what business is all about. They have never done business. They did not study commerce, because they did not go to school, or whatever it is. So you need to tell them for a moment, be productive and think for a while with me teach him Look, I'm giving you something, you will buy something, you will sell it with idea to keep only the profit as minimum as you need and the capital do not eat into it. Do not eat into it and grow it as much as you can. So you have given him the fishing rod
and you have taught him how to fish.
A time will come when the most productive is you teach him how to make the rod
you teach him how to make the rod, he must not depend on you for the rod, let him make his own rod. So now he can get a nice piece of bamboo stick or whatever it is and put a twine hanging at the bottom and he can have his work and He will teach I don't know if you notice what I noticed when we go fishing not to say I'm a fan of fishing but you will always notice those who have the most dedicated fishing rods they catch the least fish and one man who comes to the stick and he puts it in he gets the big fish everyone is looking
to do also with a large distribution of his sustenance.
I always laugh at people who have sophisticated rods I tell them you have such an expensive rod but you have no guarantee that you're going to catch the fish there are people who Allah has blessed
me Allah subhanho wa Taala And that brings me also to another point all these points I will be corrected by point number one point number one point number one even though we are mentioning so many because they are all as important you know what is this point? Again point number one to call out to Allah that is one of the most productive ways of developing yourself and reaching out to others call out to Allah. Allah guide is asking to help you and to help you reach out to others help us to help one another
What about
a productive Muslim looks out for any and every opportunity to reach out to others even if it means to a smile, and the smile is considered an act of charity, because it has within it so much power, that the sooner
would be undervalued, if someone were to say, smile does not have any power in
smile has so much power, it makes me feel good. And you we spoke about it last night.
It is such a productive expression on your face. And whereas if you were a person who was gloomy, even those who stay was okay, become gloomy by looking at you. You know, if we walked into a room in a happy mood, and everyone is just looking so sad and down, like they've got news of some bad, something bad that has happened when everyone's looking at, you walk in with a big smile. And as soon as you look at them, your face changes what happens. Everyone's quiet, you get them, you get a half hearted response. So you look down and you sit, you're already feeling half knocked out. Why? Because the people around you the expression is not productive at all. But if you are low and down
and you walk into somewhere,
you already
feel a bit better. This is productivity. But the problem is, we think that it's a small matter.
show you something that if you were to put it correctly, it would increase the love amongst you and between you set the alarm in the correct way between you and amongst you that are meaning peace.
Referring to the greeting and that statement.
Perhaps we can call it a guaranteed statement of guarantee. I like to look at it at that because when I say
in essence, I'm saying May peace be upon you. And if I'm making a prayer for you to say Peace be upon you, it would mean I would never have you.
And this is why the most disgusting habit is when a person dislikes you, they want to work against you, they don't want to see your face, but when they greet you they have a broad smile.
As soon as you turn your back they have a dagger straight into your back.
Pocket, if you have a problem,
meet the person, talk to them.
About you can clear it give them the opportunity for clarification. And this is when we will become productive. The reason is, like we are talking about good habits for productivity.
All bad habits make us counterproductive.
There is no bad habit that someone can have. And they can still say You know what? It's very productive.
Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about the secret meetings that people have. And he says
there is no goodness in those private meetings except if a person is instructing goodness. We have got together quietly in order to figure out how can we be good? How can we reach out to others to benefit?
Someone who is constructive and charitable.
Were instructing goodness charitable deeds, something that we for example, would like to reach out to many people through then the meeting, no problem with it.
Something good, something that is the no we want to solve our problem. That is the third part of the verse is not in vain enough people who get together to solve problems. From this verse we learned that productivity includes solving problems of the people. If you're a productive Muslim, you must never be a person who creates a problem rather you must resolve a problem. And I always say my brothers and sisters, if you cannot solve the problem, at least do not start a problem. If you cannot solve other people's problems, do not be the problem yourself. May Allah subhanahu wa Jalla strengthen us and may be gone.
So this is the productivity within the Muslim when it comes to is linked with Allah subhanho wa Taala like we mentioned,
how can we be productive when we don't even have a link
to our dress code? The name you have upmost importance, a beautiful name that perhaps was given to you by one of your parents or one of your relatives or someone important and they bless you by the will of Allah
With such a good name, and then we want to change it and chop it in a way that I'm too shy because my name is a beautiful Muslim name. When I travel somewhere, when I travel somewhere, perhaps in the west or wherever else, I don't want to be known as Mohammed, I'd rather go as
I go as mo why because if I say Mohammed, they will just look at me and
that is the attitude you can change that perception by being a Mohammed who has reached out to all the others in a beneficial way.
In my country, we have a shortage of water, drinking water. So some people do boreholes in their homes and they have water purifiers and outside their yard, they have a tap and that depth is for drinking water literally sadaqa jariya charitable deeds that is continuous the safe drinking water. So they are literally lines of people Muslim non Muslim, all colors all races all Creed's all inclinations who stand and benefit from the water and the reward goes to the person who drew that bow that is a proper productive human being. When he thought of his issue, it was not only human, he thought of how many other people who can benefit in the process, your neighborhood, you need to
reach out to and believe me, they will change their perception of Islam and the Muslims, because
when they read something in the news,
immediately they will say no, no, no, no, in our community.
Very good people, they reach out to us, they are like this, they are like that, what these people are seeing is alive, but because we know in real life there
is productivity. And this is why we sometimes do not even reach out to
forget about others, let alone the others. And this is why take a look at the productivity of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
He
used to say, Mohamed Salah has left no goodness, except he has taught us about he did not forget the single aspect of goodness to teach us and he reminded us about every single aspect of evil so much so that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to say
law you
know, none of you are true believers until you love for your brethren, what you love for yourself that is productive. When I want goodness, I must want that goodness for the others. If I am having a meal, how am I productive through that meal? My name is at least I try and reach out to them someone who is with me next to me a bigger person who might be a vagabond a person who doesn't have that much with me reach out to him or her in a way that at least I will get to the world for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala many things happen when you reach out to others. Let me tell you
when you reach out to someone who is in need.
Number one is not Allah will send you someone who will help you when you are in need. And this is the guarantee of Allah subhanho wa Taala you know that you come to Allah.
If you come to him walking, he comes to you, literally rushing, which means every time you're skied, Allah subhanho wa Taala will double and triple it and even quicker, you will come back so you are the cause of Allah, Allah will come to your assistance in so many ways that you don't even know.
Allah bless.
So my brothers and sisters, this productivity
and the knowledge you have and the concern you have for the rest of humanity at large, every time ask yourself a question, what have I contributed to the rest of mankind.
Some of us will be able to contribute in a religious way. Some of us will be able to contribute in a different way perhaps some technology that has come up some research that we have done some form of medication that we might have discovered, oh we might have come up with and so on some
sacrifice, maybe we have served people as doctors, maybe for several years, we have helped people teaching them in the schools that is productive, and do not take a lot out of the equation. My brothers and sisters, some people who are wealthy, they will say you know I want to help the poor, but not because I have to help because I just want to be for myself. I don't need to be word for it.
I have heard this
statement from more than one person, they have asked me, What is the ruling, if I want to help people but I don't want to read because Allah told us to do. And I don't need a reward from Allah for it, I just want to help because I just want to reach out. So I said Hang on, who gave you what you have? It is Allah, Who is the one who allowed you to use your brain? Some people say no, I thought it was my own brain, you know, His story is made mentioned.
And when he was asked,
in fact, he used to say himself, whatever I have is because of my intellect, my brain, but he forgot.
Letter to that equation was you got it through your brain, okay? Okay, we agree who gave you your brain
who gave you your brain, it goes back to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So it is not your goodness in any way it is.
Who has given you whatever you have, some people say I'm very religious, so I will definitely do well, my sister,
because he was he can
do not depend on your intellect alone, giving you the intellect and asked him to grant you success over and above that, because it is He Who gave it to you in the first place. So when you have the wealth, you must know Allah has given it to you when you know, he has given it to you, you will recognize the virtue and
and others may not have as much. So you reach out with him from what Allah has given you.
Regarding something else
speaks about this instruction is given. From that wealth rich, which allies
Allah gave you
don't think I don't think the reward from Allah, you are in desperate need of a reward from Allah just like
desperately, and I need him
to look at me with the eye on especially the day I die, and the day of the Day of Judgment, when my deeds will be
concerned about that day, I will be productive in the studio, I will be able to reach out in the best way, and I will be able to help people with humbleness. And this is why the difference between the Muslims and the person who's not a proper believer is that when a Muslim from what Allah has given him or her it is done with humbleness with calmness, it is done with humility, not with arrogance, when you give someone don't think I'm giving you Here it is, you know,
the best,
the most productive charity, that which is given by the right hand in a way that even your left hand does not know what was given. And that means you don't need to advertise your charity. Sometimes maybe in order to encourage people you might want to mention that.
To the best of all charities that nobody knows you have engaged in, it is the most productive by the will of Allah.
Because he's ensures that your condition of your heart is such that you recognize today this person is being given something from me. Because Allah gave me I mean so many other blessings from Allah, I make dua and I pray to Him that He gives it to me
a concern, the concern for every human being that is walking around, I am concerned, even those who are the enemies of Islam, my concern is what can I do? Or what can I save to reduce the enmity to try and explain to them, Look, guys, you've got the wrong picture, you have the wrong image, this is the correct image. So I need to continue to struggle and try to talk to them once, twice, 10 times 50 times. That is the sooner I have
to continue to to be concerned about how to bring those who hate us, at least to understand the truth of who we are. A lot of the people who hate the Muslims, it is totally because they are ignorant. They don't know the reality. They think these people are who they are.
They are selfish they are what
without realizing the true Islam, if we were to understand
we would have loved it.
You know, there was a Christian brother.
And he said later on in his life that I think a lot listen to this is a powerful statement. I think it was just my usual. If I'm not mistaken, he says I think a lot
I admit,
before I met them
before I met them,
if you look at that statement, it sounds very light. But it's a very heavy statement, it means that the Muslims are not really practicing the property. That is in the doctrine that is in the revelation, we are supposed to turn to the deen in such a way that when people see us
today, let's face facts, if I were to tell you who has stolen your money,
if I were to tell you who has troubled your life, you will need me and
if I tell you, who is the culprit of the age who has tried to raise your marriage, if anything negative you will have names. One might argue that is because we live in the environment and
ask the same question to those who interact with anonymous. I know some business people who told me and this is not in this country in another country, they've told me we prefer to do business with the non Muslims because they are more honest and upright is that the case? Where is our productivity gone? We are not even applied in business such that our own business people bear witness against us.
We are supposed to be so upright one man tells me when the Muslim into the Muslim business, he begs for a discount, but the same product you will buy from a non Muslim shop, you will pay double the price and he will smile. Thank you very much.
So why don't you pay the full price. They also have their children, they have people they are looking after be productive, do not count for a discount when you know you can pay the price and it is a decent reasonable price. Just because
can you afford it? Is the price? Okay? If this was a non Muslim shop, would you be prepared to pay the same price and walk out happy Kansas? Yes.
I know of another case where one brother told me himself. He says, you know, a man came to my shop and he purchased something. And he took it home.
And he brought it back. And he says my policy at my shop is before I keep the goods. When you walk out of the shop, I say look, you know you do not return because you just put in front of your eyes. So you take it and you're gone. He says this Muslim man came back and he told me the thing is broken.
You are a Muslim, you are supposed to take back. Otherwise.
Look at the words he's using. I looked at him and I said what?
Have you bought the same goods from the shop next door which belongs to a non Muslim, you would have never had the guts to walk back with those goods, or even to the men that with
the productivity. These are real life matters which results in productivity
because the dean is in front of us, but we are refusing to be put into practice.
I always look at sometimes how we keep women who are not related to us, we will smile.
Sometimes we have young people protect us from the new systems and ways of getting together which allow young people they tell you I have been dating this man for four years.
And when I was young, only the date.
The dates that you get when you put
the date is actually not only that,
when it's December or January and not even that, but it means when the two of you are getting together to do some activity which may not be within the confines of the Sharia. So we were dating for four years. He was the best man ever.
But ever since we got married, he has turned 180 degrees 180 degrees. Can I tell you why my sister when you were dating him? It was so counterproductive. Number one is Schafer was beautifying everything you were looking at him and he was looking at you with all love and he was trying to impress you because you were not yet belonging to him. Listen carefully. He's impressing you because he wants you to say okay, I belong to you. Once you come into the belonging of one another by paper and everything is shaped
everything
He's changed completely. And the man is no longer interested in the same way because he was hunting and he managed to get what he was hunting. Now he can
he was hunting, and he has to impress, you know, when you go hunting,
for example,
for as long as it takes four hours, two hours, three hours
this man,
man, no way the world does not have a man like this, let him do the same thing for you after marriage in these men.
And he's a man, then he's productive
on the women who are under his authority all within his marriage in relation much harder than he does with the others not to say that he is not respectful to the other respects.
Your prime relation, because if you are not going to work on your spouse,
you need to go out of your way to speak.
I travel a lot and sometimes you have
the air hostesses and
they've come to and and sometimes you can actually see this is a plastic,
plastic.
And you don't even know what are they trying to do? They
literally, if they do not smile, you can complain. And many people complain.
You can complain. So I one day someone was asking me one of the one of them was asking me about a marital problem. And as
you know, many years ago, I said the same word that if we have our teeth, the amount of teeth that we show
will only work for the client. For example, if we show how our house our medical problem will be over half of those. So if you showed them a smile like this, at least when you come home and smile like this,
it will be good enough but we come home the mouth is closed. It's the other way.
And we
have a productive relationship. Know productive relationship with those whom you are supposed to be working with. A lot of us do not have time for our children, but we sit with our friends
outside and
so two things happen.
You're wasting time.
And then you go home and you say you embarrass me in front of my friends.
Now I want to tell you another
Why do you want to wait until you get home and tell your friends I'm married and if they start saying you're a chicken say no problem. If they say oh you are ruled by your wife, no problem. Let them say what they want for as long as you know you are doing the right thing. And you are living a productive life. You get to your children before bedtime and you can perhaps teach someone to say a few good words to them. I love you so much my son my daughter so on. I just came to see you Is everything okay? Mashallah let that happen on a daily basis people you know they will be 20 years old and they will have been married on their own and they will have an example to follow from you.
That is what productivity
but if you are a person every day you know,
some people are very busy. So at least when you get the opportunity, don't waste time, go back home. But if you are a person who does not do that every day you are away and you do not come home you have no time with your spouse when you come home. You're so tired, so tired. Some people you before it used to be with the with the remote control for the television, still in some homes, it might be that
and one day he comes home and he just presses the button and the wife is asking him all my beloved you know I prepared for your food has not one thing.
It did not even go through the year. You know some people it goes through one year comes out the other with us sometimes it does not even go through the year that is blocked it will be bounced from the outside.
So some people are experts. They are on the moon pressing the button and they are asking you so Is everything okay? They say yes. Did you have a good day? Yes. So
And when that happens, you can even ask them.
Why? Because my mind is with my phone
is productive. Listen to who is talking to you have time for your spouse, say good words to them. Remember this, make sure that you deal with those who are in front of you before you deal with those who are from a distance by your home.
Today, we have a problem. What is the problem? on the mobile app? A few days ago, someone sent me an image on WhatsApp. And they said,
What is wrong with this image, and there were people standing in the UK, at the platform at the train station.
And every single one of them was on the phone. Besides one man, he had his hand in his pocket, and he was looking
to see what is wrong with the speaker.
To show you that he is the only one who's not looking at his phone.
Today we see happening,
I happen to catch a bus from one of the countries. And I jumped onto this bus and I saw every single person without exception was on the phone looking down.
And I'm visiting in you know,
I had a friend who started up a restaurant.
And he was telling me that if you turn on your Bluetooth, the menu will come onto your phone.
And at that time, I was thinking this is not so feasible and so on. But now I realize and understand why
you want on your phone, you ordered it on your phone, that is the way the
relationship between husband and wife, sometimes it is more befitting for you to send a message to the spouse to say
yes.
When the person is stuck to the phone, they become so counterproductive that when they tell you 10 minutes, it means when
they tell you I'm coming just now.
Why because I am a person who is counter productive. I'm not saying do not use technology, use it to benefit others and to benefit yourself to start. If you cannot benefit yourself, at least don't harm yourself.
If you cannot do things that are to help yourself and those around you, the minimum is do not do that, which is going to harm you and
Allah help us.
So when we talk about productivity as a Muslim, a lot of the times people think, you know, men must get to the moon and so on. We do agree, reach out to humanity at large enough in the best way you can, according to your capabilities. Today, we met some of the children at the peace international school and I was very happy with the caliber and the way they were speaking my mind I said one day we will have rocket scientists from here. One day we will have top people across the globe who will benefit humanity at large with their friends and discoveries and so on. We need that. Once again, it was their way to become
we've become people today such that we are worried about money so much that we will do anything and everything to earn money and Muslim is
money in a way that both people have benefited the one who bought your product will go home happily and he will say you have a good deal and you have made your profit and you
know we have a good deal. Rahim Allah.
Allah
Allah is upon a person who is considerate of the buyer when selling and considerate of the seller when buying
be considered. But today, who is a shrewd businessman?
businessman, why? Because he thought of any and every way of collecting the money in your pocket
and putting it into his
extremely intelligent they say one day there was a man.
And, you know before I used to say where the man came from, but now I don't want to say where he came from because we need to protect the identity of some of these people. So he says
they walked into this supermarket
and
he took some chocolates
and he put it in his pocket and he was
So
he tells his friends you know what? You have to congratulate me. Now this is congratulations. Why congratulate you? Because I managed to walk out of this shop with the chocolates. And I did not pay.
He said, You know what? You think you know how to do that. I will show you what I can do. Let's go back to the shop. He went back to the shop. He said I can do it openly. You had to hide. You had to hide and put it in your pocket and walk out I compete openly. So
he took the same three chocolates from the shelf he put in his nose, he took it like this. And he went to the to
says yes, what do you want? And he's looking at him I wonder what he's going to do? He says You see, I can do magic. So what is the magic
chocolates I put in my pocket here and enclose this pocket.
So the two so what's the magic? Now the same three will come out of his pocket check.
So, he took out one, two and three.
You see I told you I compete openly.
That is today considered productive yet it is the most counterproductive behavior. It is not befitting a believer to think that that is intelligent in any way it is not intelligence, it is robbery and cookery.
Today they consider businessman while he outwitted all of these people and he took their money
to Allah protect us I'm sure you know the story of
you know the way they say a man was
one day and he knew his daughter had to get married his wife was always complaining to him that you are a stingy man, you don't even spend money now Your daughter is getting married and you have not bought anything yet.
What is going to happen you need to start rebuilding and so on. So he decided okay, one day when he was walking on the side of the road, there was a man selling these you know those beautiful Chinese fans that you get you open the pan and you know you can use them in order to cool yourself down. Some of us you know, we we don't have those from us a book or a piece of paper or something. But there is a pen you can
use and how much is this? Now I'm going to use up because we are in India. So the man says look there is one for 10 rupee, five rupee, two rupee one rupee and
said okay, okay, how much in one box? He said 200. In one box, give me two boxes. He gave him the rupees. And he proceeded. How much did he pay for half a rupee. And he told his wife, okay, I started preparing for the wedding. This is a good way to give all those who attended. And he went back to work. He went back to work, the wife was so happy or my bride accepted. Now the man is now learning. So anyway, she decided to look at it, she opened one and she opened it out. And she did this and it broke as soon as she did, you know, put her hand like this, it broke. So the fan broke immediately. She said no, maybe this one is faulty. Let me try another one. She opened the next one
as soon as you can. And the third one, as soon as she moved in. She said, Wait, wait, wait, contact my husband. You better come back. So he came. And he says what's wrong? These fans are all breaking. What do you mean? So she explained. So he took one now is the fourth one is he opened it. And as soon as he moved it, he broke. So he said give me the two boxes. Let me go back to that man. I will swap it, I will change it. So he went, took the two boxes and arrived at the corner of the road where this person was selling these things.
And he told him he said
one after the other broken
another box
How much did you pay for this? Did you make 10? Did you pay five? You pay one?
Isn't you paid half rupee. So did you read the instructions?
What do you mean this does not come with
instructions? If you paid me there is a system there is a way of how to use those things. It's not the same like the 10 rupee bank.
So the message okay show me said Okay, take out one. So he took on one.
I put it in front of your face.
That is how you have to use the man because you only paid half.
Now imagine how sharp this businessman is that he wants to sell a product that is not even fit to be used for what it is made for. But to make the money It is so perhaps those are only for decoration
makers
Honest upright people when you sell our goods,
remember the prophets.
Clearly, he says
what
he says the people who are buying and selling, if they are honest and open, you declare, look, I'm selling you this vehicle. But I have kind of beat in the back panel once I just need you to know that. That is honestly,
if you are honest, upright and open, transparent when you are selling, there will be blessings in what
you have done and what you have achieved.
And if you have cheated and lied, then the blessings go away, they are taken away. I want to ask you a productive Muslim, is a productive Muslim more concerned about the value in monetary terms are more concerned about the blessings from Allah? It is the latter. We should be concerned about the blessings from Allah subhanho wa Taala. How can we just be concerned about my pocket, my pocket, my pocket, my pocket, your pockets will be so big by the time you go into the grave, you don't realize your cabin and your shroud does not have pockets? Have you ever seen a show with pockets? Not at all. It means whatever you have.
And this is why a lot of people as soon as they die, their children
share of the spoils.
Why? Because the men who serve maybe sometimes
they are contaminated. A little bit of deception here and then how do you expect goodness in the next generation. If you are productive, you will teach your children from a young age look, Allah has blessed us, I want you to do good. I want you to be kind to people speak with respect, no matter you can be a president or you can be a top person who is the CEO of the most successful company ever. Come down Humble yourself, bring yourself to the level of people talk to others, smile at them, acknowledge that they are human beings,
that Allah subhanho wa Taala help us to reach out to one another, and maybe make us from those who are productive. As I said, I have already spoken on this topic before. But today I spoke about different issues and matters regarding the same topic and subject. And perhaps sometime in the future. We can continue maybe with with different angles of the same topic because I firmly believe that it is our duty as Muslims to be productive from the very early age right up to the end of life, to be able to have benefited humanity at large, reaching out to the ecosystem and everything else.
We need to follow the example of mercy and if we follow it by the will of Allah we will learn his pleasure. And then we will be drawn to gentlemen when we ask Allah Subhana Allah to grant us the meeting once again until we need to get some time we say