Role Models

Bismillah

Allahu Allah May Allah be soooo

reality

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what is money?

Hola

Hola

smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala

nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sahbihi

Medina.

We commenced by praising Allah subhanho wa Taala sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the role model of one and all the ultimate and supreme role models sent by Allah subhanho wa Taala. For us to imitate in every aspect of his lifestyle, and for us to learn a lesson from for us to consider the ultimate role model in every single aspect. We ask Allah to bless him, and we send salutations upon him, and all his household as well as the companions who are also role models, role models to us all. And we ask Allah subhana wa Taala to grant us a lesson from the sacrifice, that all those who have sacrificed from that time to this moment have done have

engaged in so that the dean has actually come to us today so beautifully with so much ease. Many of us don't even realize the effort and the sacrifice that was put in such a way that today we are sitting as muslimeen uttering the Shahada eyeshadow, La ilaha illAllah

Muhammad and Abu rasuluh I'm a witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah, my maker the creator nourisher cherisher of entire existence, and I bear witness that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is indeed the final messenger sent by Allah subhanho wa Taala and I thank Allah subhana wa Jalla for making me from his humor and discipline.

lies to every single one of us. We ask Allah to bless all those who have struggled and strove through the years to bring the deen to us. And may we be from amongst those who can engage in some form of struggle and sacrifice in a way that we learn our religion. We understand it, we put it into practice, and we conveyed to others. And we become role models of those who look up to us, my beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, no matter how much we think Allah subhanho wa Taala for what he has blessed us with in terms of this religion and the deen and the fact that we put our heads on the ground solely for our maker, unlike those who have put their heads on the ground for every other

person or for a stucco stone, or a tomb or anything else. Remember, the head is only placed on the ground for the maker himself. This is what distinguishes Islam from other religions. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us the understanding of the gem that we are holding, known as the worship of Allah alone, and the following of the footsteps of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. I have chosen verses that I read in front of you.

And these verses from Solana, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala, to guide every single one of us to be able to look into them. When Allah speaks of the gifts, that he has saved humanity at large, the messengers that were sent from the beginning, Allah sent them in order to remove mankind from darkness to light. And this means they were sent as role models. If you take a look at this, the scriptures that the Christians are holding in their hands today, you will find the change that has

become very clear in some of these scriptures whereby these people who were sent as messengers by Allah subhanho wa Taala melas peace and blessings be upon all of them, are looked at in some of these scriptures that have been changed as people who are not ideal. They swear the Prophet Luke May peace be upon him, they swear David and Solomon downloaden, Sulaiman May peace be upon them. And they mentioned items that did not happen at the time of Odin Suleiman, we believe as muslimeen that Allah chooses only the best to be the ambassadors and the carriers of this Deen. And this is why we believe if we were living at the time of Jesus made peace be upon him. We would never be able to

achieve gentlemen and paradise unless we followed his footsteps and we considered him the messenger of the time and we uttered the term a shadow Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah.

Allah, we bear witness that Allah is indeed the only one worthy of worship and we bear witness that Isa or Jesus May peace be upon him is the Messenger of Allah subhanho wa Taala Yes, we still do believe that, but we believe Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the final messenger.

So Allah subhanho wa Taala in these verses makes mention of the names of most of the prophets, a lot of them that are in the Quran, from 25 names 18 are mentioned there. And Allah subhanho wa Taala thereafter says these are the ones who are guided, these are the ones who we have sent. If these had to disbelief, meaning if the people have the time, this belief, they should know that we have sent the message with those who have already surrendered to it may Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who surrender and then after comes the powerful instruction to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam because for me, I knew he is the ultimate role model. But Allah subhanho wa Taala has drawn

his attention to others who came with a similar message to be role models for him in certain aspects and from this we learn that role models are divided into two categories, two main categories. One is a role model who you can take absolutely everything they do, or everything that comes from them, that is only Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam or the Gambia, the prophets of Allah subhanho wa Taala because of perfection and the other type of role models, we hope it is us were certain aspects of your life, you will be considered a role model in that aspect. And inshallah we will speak about both of these shortly. But we need to bear in mind when we say this is a role model. We are either

speaking of the ultimate role model that can only be a prophet of Allah subhanho wa Taala or we are speaking of a role model in some aspects of life, some aspects of existence. This is why when I must have known what Allah addresses Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he says

he can

yo Daddy, referring to the other messengers, he says, O Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Those are the ones that Allah has gotten

rightly and correctly, so from their guidance you should take as well draw guidance from them as well take a page from their lives as well. So Panama, and this is why Allah has made mention of the stories of the prophets in the Koran. For it to be a means of comfort, and the means of learning from Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he can see what happened to his brothers, and he would know how to treat those who treat him badly. And he would see exactly how the success was determined. Was it by numbers? Or was it by the fulfillment of the message of Allah subhanho wa Taala Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was taught that success is not by numbers. It is by a

deliverance of the message the way Allah wants it to be. And this is why we find the Prophet, nor had any salatu salam. And the story is mentioned in the Quran that he was amongst his people. for 950 years, Allah says,

what a

fascinating life.

Indeed, We sent more or no May peace be upon him to his people. And he lived in their midst for 1000 years less 50 which means the Dow itself the call itself 950 years, if we take the narration that makes mention of the highest figure of people who accepted his message, we would find that it was not more than 10 people, not more than 10 people, every 100 years Allahu Akbar, the thought of that, not more than 10 people every century Allah Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allah subhanho wa Taala guide us and may guide our offspring May he really make this a means of a lesson for us never to lose hope no honey Salam continued May peace be upon him, and he did not give up hope there was a time thereafter

where Allah subhanho wa Taala had allowed him to make against his own people. And that was after certain things happen. But getting back to the issue of role models Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam delivered the message 23 years he continued delivering revelation came and He continued, every movement of his was considered from Allah subhanho wa Taala inspired we believe,

verses that we don't feel like stopping when we read them. Allah says he did not utter from his own whims and fancies indeed, it was a revelation from the most powerful Allah subhanho wa Taala. So, this is why if we try to emulate the way he walks, we will find Subhana Allah we will learn a lesson from it the way he spoke, the the movements of his eyes, the way he addressed people, how he found the movements of his fingers, when he spoke, all that we have an ultimate role model in Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and him he was told see from what the previous prophets have come with, we will reveal it to you. So you know a lot about Look at that. My beloved brothers and sisters,

today we are speaking on role models. And we need to understand when we say a role model in English, it does not be fair to a catwalk where you have models who role No,

no, does it refer

to a piece of bread that sometime consider the role? No. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us.

If you look at the dictionary, it says that someone worth imitating That's the meaning of a role model in English. If I were to say he's a role model, which means someone with imitating, and I've just explained to you with imitating holy Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, that's my aim, we cannot move from that we are Muslim. And believe me, there are non Muslims who draw inspiration from Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam and consider him a role model. Do you know that I've read if you check on the net today, Mashallah technology has made it so easy for us to confirm matters. And it's also made it so easy for us to believe that which is really false. Now Allah protect us may make us from those who

can authenticate brothers and sisters, sometimes we hate each other, just because of something on the net. There is a lie about some nationality or some people or some group of people and so on. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect us from this type of contamination. But if you looked at the Internet and you search, you would find that

On non Muslims who have drawn inspiration from Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, from aspects of his life, and we as Muslims mean, ask yourself, have I drawn inspiration from him and for what luck?

Yet I claim that he is the messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. He is someone with imitating completely. In fact, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala, to make us from those who can appreciate the fact that when we say, I bear witness that he is the messenger, it means he was sent, I believe that he was sent by Allah to show me the way to teach me the path to show me how to worship my maker to show me how I should live my life, and therefore I will follow him. But every single one of us Allah has installed within us from a very early age, Allah has installed within us the capacity to be a role model. Did you know that every one of us sitting here, Allah has installed in you the capacity

to be a role model. And at some stage, Allah subhanho wa Taala imposes it upon you to be a role model to certain categories of people.

me get to what I'm trying to say there, when you become a parent, it is imposed upon you that your child will respect you initially.

It's imposed upon you, the child looks up to you, it's up to you now, to nurture that to develop that to make sure that you realize that gift of Allah and live maturely responsibly in a way that your child is then proud of you. And really is proud of the fact that you are the role model. They want to emulate you how many of us when we see a young boy, we say he reminds me just of his father, the way he speaks the way he is, Allah has kept it such that not only will you be an outward role model, but the genes of the child are connected to yours in the way that they may even have a voice similar to yours.

This is Allah installing within you and making it incumbent upon you to be a role model to your own children. It's incumbent, it's your duty. This is why we say my brother, my sister, you are married, and you still committing adultery. Did you know that the children that are traumatized the most are those that catch their parents doing something immoral, and doing something that is unacceptable, and they are so depressed that some of them become suicidal, they could not believe that my mother could actually committed adultery, May Allah forgive us and maybe show us the path maybe strengthen us.

That is Allah, your child looks up to you. He's never seen you swear. And suddenly, one day he sees you swear the biggest swear words Allah protect us today, we are living in the age of fb. And that stands for face book, Love.

Allah protect us.

But everyone's words that come out of their mouths, either an F or a B or both of them put together really the realization that the words you utter the words your children will modify and Excel, if you are reading the Quran, perhaps your children will read the Quran better than you. And if you are swearing, perhaps they will come up with swear words far more sophisticated than yours. To the degree that one day they will swear you and you think they are praising you. So you say thank you

can happen. Be careful what you say your children emulate. They learn very quickly, and they look up to you automatically as a mother, as a father. So if you have a bad habit, it is good enough reason to say I'm going to give it up because I'm not giving you a child.

It's good enough reason. I'm not saying wait for your children before you give up drugs. No, no. But if you have a child and you still on tracks, then you have not understood and realized that Allah has imposed upon you this level. And this is why I always say I think it was here that I spoke some time back saying we are all leaders in our own right could look, we could look

at every one of you is a shepherd Shepherd, meaning a leader, you have a flock that you are responsible for you will lead if you take your little stick and you are guiding the flock towards the left, the flock will move to vote towards the left. So Allah has placed within us that leadership and leadership comes together with being a role model because who would want to have a leader who's not a role model in some aspects of their life, there may be certain aspects of my life and yours that might be slightly dark metal or projectors. Some have more, some have less we would not like people to follow us and we would not like them to consider us role models in that which we

are wrong in and this is why

The bomb Allah gives glad tidings to those who understand how to select for best ship very

good news to my worshipers. Allah Nina's Tammy Runa

una

una

de nada law.

Law Kabbalah says, good news to my worshipers who listen to whatever is to be said, but select the best of it. When you hear a speech, you take the best. When you hear so many people talking, you pick out what is relevant what is correct what is best. And this is why Maliki no

mama Daddy, the mom of the Maliki madhhab and the Imam of Madina, munawwara when he was in Medina, he looked at the grave of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wasallam and made his famous statement, he says mom and I had in, in LA,

in LA Sahaba.

There is no one that you can take everything they have said, Every single person in existence, you take some of what they say, and you have to leave some of what they say. You have to excuse them for some of what they've said, besides the man resting in this grave, who is Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. What this means is in my life, or anyone else, when you consider a role model, say for example, and I'm going to say this because we want to speak about it a little bit later on. say there is a sports person that you look at as a role model, Mashallah. What are you going to take from them, you will take from them perhaps dedication, perhaps focus, perhaps the hard work, perhaps

character, if they have good character, perhaps the honesty and so on, if they are honest, you know, you look at Hashim amla for example, they say the man when he knows he is bowed out, he will walk before the television or before the screen, the Empire of the screen will actually declare him out. He knows he's out in his world. And this has intrigued and inspired the non Muslims to the degree that in our stadiums, you find them with little beard stuck on their chins. While they consider the men a role model in that aspect of his life, the dedication, the humbleness, the humility, that's what they take from him and so many other good habits and characters but if you see a sports person

who doesn't mean Salah, it doesn't mean a that's my role model. So I'm not going to read Salah because we go back to what I started with. If you are taking a holistic role model, there's only one but the others you take the aspects that are good, you leave that which is not good. You know, for example, you might have a brother like Sonny Bill Williams, Mashallah he was here the last time we were here, I see all the smiles there Mashallah inspiration in many ways. Before he accepted Islam, he tattooed himself. So now, it's not good enough for me or you to say that's my role model. So let's go and write Williams on my back and tattoo it he will tell you had I accepted Islam, I would

have not done this. This was done in the days of Jay Z and the period of ignorance Allahu Akbar. So this is why we say the Quran says those who take the best of speech, the best. Obviously, the Quran speaks of speech, we've actually driven it a bit further to say whatever you want to take in terms of goodness, the honesty, the dignity, the characters and conduct that Islam has promoted when you see them embodied in a person, you can learn from them. When you see a businessman who's successful because he's a cook, then his success might inspire him, but the fact that he's a cook will actually make you turn away.

And then you see another man who is faithful to his maker, he doesn't miss his Salah. He's very, very kind of his own family members. He speaks well with his wives and children. And he speaks for example, with his parents utmost respect, he tries his best to fulfill he his duties to Allah subhanho wa Taala and so on, he has a business and he is successful and so on and so forth. You would look at him and say Mashallah, this man here has a lot today. I'd like to let you know what happened to me. A few years back, I ended one city with a vehicle I have now, you know, there is a new shape Toyota Camry. That did never come to South Africa. It never came here. Those who have been

to the Middle East. You ever go back to Australia in America, you might have seen that Camry the shape of it. If you've been to the countries where we have Japanese vehicles important you will probably see them so I had one of these. It was a black vehicle and I had it titanium tinted, you know, and Mashallah when I went to a certain city, my own country to have the youngster said we want to become like you and I was oh Mashallah. I didn't know what do I say? Alhamdulillah excellent, you know, brilliant and, you know, that's a very good idea and so on. And later on, I heard them talking. Hey,

And I thought well why is that what they're looking at? You know, is it the vehicle if that's the case they are focused on the wrong thing.

You're focused on the wrong thing the car you drive must not make a person suddenly a role model because sometimes as I said at the beginning you might be rolling on the road a lot of luck with that vehicle of yours but you have nothing for people to emulate and follow you know, people might walk out of the biggest the best Lamborghini and he's got a ring on one one year and now they tie a little like, I don't know that he is a necklace. This is an LS I think it's called not to list as less but less because they tied around the gear seen it with my eyes. I wonder if it's coming cape to Cape Town yet. And then he's got a bouncer is walking with you know, so now you have a person if

I want a Lamborghini, I need to stop bouncing.

Why Allahu Akbar. We are following people who are not worth following. When you see a man kicking a ball, the fact that he can kick the ball well might teach you dedication. He might be a role model for honesty for dedication for perhaps hard work. Look at how hard they work. I always say look at Phelps. Look at the Williams sisters look at for example, Tiger Woods. These are non Muslims, their focus was on one item I want the gold I want the gold and I'm not going to settle for anything but then look at Usain Bolt bolting from one end to the other in less than 10 seconds.

The name is already so focused that rarely the man lives up to it.

But what happens to us look at them they were focused, they have so much dedication they work morning evening they dream tennis, they play tennis, they speak tennis and everything is tennis tennis tennis with us will lie our focus needs to really be you know, re governed we need to put it back in track. Jelena and Paradise is my focus and yours, this life is temporary. I may enjoy the days here and I may not Allah has never promised us that you are going to enjoy your life here. But he has said if you live it according to my way you will be happy and content love. You are seeking Him. You say Alhamdulillah Allah, Allah Machina, you have a difficulty you want to marry x and you

cannot for example, not your x but

I mean someone and you cannot for some reason you say online that's Allah you don't suddenly become depressed and you know we become ballistic, but we can try and we can make things work by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala at the same time, we need to realize they have achieved that goal and they have achieved the goal that was their goal, they have achieved it. Why because of dedication and focus. If I did if I am dedicated and focused upon paradise to the degree that morning Salah later on in the morning for an after that avatar then I go to my business I'm honest, I earn a living I'm happy I speak to people with respect. I try and propagate my Deen whenever I can time I'm

in Salah again my dress code is perfect after that I tried to please Allah I eat only that which is Hello I spend time with my family and at the same time I am like an open book people can see me transparent I respect people when I'm talking on the phone I know how to speak when I have when I choose my ringtone I know how to choose it and so on and everything is focused upon does this please Allah if it doesn't, I don't want to be there. That means morning we are focused on pleasure of Allah afternoon pleasure of Allah evening pleasure of Allah dream pleasure of Allah language spoken for the pleasure of Allah, do you think you are not going to get the gold Allah

if they were dedicated and got it, we are dedicated We will definitely get it because Allah wants to give it to us. That's the beauty of it. Allah once goodness and Allah once our lives to be easy he says in the Quran, you read Allahu

Allah intends to make it easy to simplify for people, because people man has been created in weakness or where the weakness, man is weak. So this is almost blessing engaging, and remember, be focused.

So the sports people that we look at as role models, some of them we may look at them as role models in more aspects of our lives than others, because some may be muslimeen and some may have better character and conduct than others. There are some top sportsmen, they may be Muslim, but they may have a bad habit for example of drinking, they may be clubbing, that doesn't mean that if I want to be a good cricketer or a good sportsman, soccer player or what have you, I also need to go to the clubs and adults

To drink, no, this is why we say it's very important to know where to draw the line. And remember, if you are going to delete everybody who's made a mistake in their lives, from your list of role models, you will probably delete entire existence in front of you. The only one you won't be able to delete is Mohammed salatu salam, and perhaps his companions as well.

Why I say this is, today I'm standing in front of you, I might say one or two things that you may disagree with, it does not mean that you got to throw away everything I've said, because you can, you might take away 80% 90% of what I've said, some people, you may go away with 20% of what they say. But perhaps that 20% may have been a solution for some major issue in your particular life. So they were perhaps role models, or you may have learned from them, they were worth imitating in something they said more than something they did.

And this brings me to the next point, I'm actually intertwining all the points to make it interesting for us to digest in Sharla. And that is sometimes people are more of role models in their advanced than in their actions. And this happens to us as parents, sometimes you tell your child don't smoke, but at the back.

We close our mouths and now at least from the ears, some of the smoke comes out. I wonder how I really am still if anyone has mastered it. But no, I don't want you to show it to me because we don't want that to challenge. But we've seen it happening. I don't know whether it's just the heat of the moment or whether I don't know. But we tell our children something, and we are doing something else. This is why Allah says yeah, you

Lima Taku

Oh, you believe? Why would you say that which you don't do? Why is there a contrast between your utterances and your deeds for what?

We should not be having that if I say something, I should try my best to live by it at that moon?

What

does

he know? Allah says, Are you instructing people to do good and you're forgetting about yourselves? And yet you read Revelation, you're reading the books? Don't you have a mind? Don't you have a good understanding? Don't you have a brain that if you'd like people to follow properly, you need to be practicing what you preach so that you are a holistic role model and not just in terms of futuristic where you are saying something and outside the classroom you are someone else.

School Teacher, is another role model. So hon Allah, Allah has made it such automatically your pupils pay to look up to you Do you know that they pay to look up to you. And this is why if you're a teacher or a tutor, Allah has blessed you. Allah has given you a platform to learn paradox. And I always say this, if in that battle, when Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had captors and told them, You teach 10 muslimin children how to read and write and we free you.

If that was the case, then listen to what I'd like to draw as inspiration for a tutor. And here we're talking of a tutor who teaches people how to read and write, you know, not necessarily a specific Islamic subject. It could be a secular subject where you teaching them perhaps something beneficial for them.

Let's go back to what I just said. What is the paradise of those people? It was this life it was their paradise. Man here in La Jolla tuna dunia Animoto, here, it's only this life, we will live, we die we live just once. That's it. So to them, it's their paradise. Their Paradise is this world, they were taken captive. So they wanted to be released into their paradise. They were given that Paradise by teaching 10 people how to read and write. And that was by the instruction of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam inspired by Allah in one way or another. And this is why we say if the non Muslims were allowed at the time to achieve their freedom or their Paradise by teaching 10

people how to read and write, what do you think you My beloved teacher or tutor will be achieving when you teach 10 people how to read and write your Paradise by the word of Allah.

Look at that. Something very serious food for thought Think about it. And this is why don't look down upon people who tutor you or your children or anyone else. And if you are a tutor, remember is your paradise you can either make it or breaking.

Not only will they take from you, especially in today's setting where you have a classroom, not only will they take from you what you are teaching them, they may take from

You the dress code, they may take from you habits that are good or bad. It's up to you to realize and understand I know of tutors who are gay, who have convinced us to be law protect us some of that they're learners that you know what you have very strong gay inclinations. And before that, they had nothing, no even thought in that direction, Allahu Akbar. Why I say this is sometimes we when we do not select the correct learning institutions for ourselves or our children, perhaps we may be imposing on them to take people who have an impact on them, that are actually negative people who will lead them into the wrong direction. And this is our mistake. It's our blunder, I firmly

believe. And I'm going to say this, whether you like it or not, it's my opinion. As I said, you may disagree with one or two things, to send your child to a school that may not achieve all A's, but has better tutors, in terms of protection of the character, the thinking the conduct of my child is far better for me than for my child to have 10 days, but come out as a gay or a lesbian. Hello. It's my personal opinion.

And this is why we say we need to learn in life, not only who we select as a role model, but whom sometimes we impose on our children to have an impact upon them, we impose it. Because the dude the teachers gonna sit with you for one year, every day in front of you, the way they smile, you know, the way they talk, you talk the accent, they have you have that accent.

Believe me, it happens. Yes.

Because the whole year they're talking to you. So we've taken from them. And as I said, you pay them to be role models. And we've discussed all the aspects. One is when you have a tutor, the other is when you're a learner. And the third is when you are sending someone to a learner. So those are the aspects.

And this brings us to anyone else a doctor also has a very great impact upon his patients.

And we take from the word of Allah Subhana, Allah to Allah, may Allah subhanho wa Taala guide us at all times, and maybe make us from those not only who can have the correct role models, but at the same time, who can be the role models, not only for our own children, but even for others to draw inspiration from whenever they see us, my sisters,

when you dress correctly, that is your proper identity. When you have not dressed correctly, it is not yet your identity, you have not yet identified yourself. I met a sister yesterday, relative and I told I said you know what? This is your identity. This is the true person whom you are because now you're a teacher. So no matter what the world will see you as the person you really are deep inside.

But until a person has not gotten to that correct Islamic minimum requirement, I'm saying minimum requirement, because that's the closest step we can actually cling on to

the up to the time they have not got to that they have not yet discovered who they are themselves how can they then be a proper role model even have their own children and Allah has kept it such an instinct in children, my brothers and sisters who are here, let me tell you, even the brothers who are here,

when your child is born, a few months down the line when they can move and grow. When they watch you reading Salah they will automatically engage in the actions of Salah with you you find them raising their hands and tying their hands you find them in such that you find them battling and fighting to wear something that you wear perhaps if you put on this long book or when you want to read Salah they one day is of a small little sighs I was in Medina two weeks ago, and my little two month old child I actually got something tailor made for her, which looked like a job not to say we wanted to go into you know full time there and then No, but I know there will come a time when she will ask

for hers. And if we don't have it, there's going to be tantrums because I've seen that with all my children.

It's such a beautiful time to

align for the right thing. Imagine your child is fighting with you to go to the masjid. Your child is fighting with you to allow them to wear the hijab, your child is fighting with you to allow them to change their school to a better school islamically or in terms of character and behavior. And I am in no way telling you that all Islamic schools might be of a higher level of behavior than others because I've come across some some in certain places on the globe which have a worse record of character and conduct than sometimes a school across the road which might not even be affiliated to religion. Allah subhanho wa Taala groundless goodness, it's not a swipe, but it's a statement of

truth. It happens sometimes. I hope it's not the case in our midst.

So the child will follow you, they will do whatever you do. And whenever you respect your child will begin to respect. Do you know that when you allow people into your home, they have a very big impact on your children. These are the role models. Partially when I say partially now you know what I'm speaking about, they will take certain aspects of life and learning from these people. You allow the businessman who you look up to, to come home, and he came with his children, his children are all wearing wearing miniskirts, and everyone is there with all their different type of culture and behavior. And you saw intimate with these people that they've actually come and share the meal with

you. And you've done things that normally you don't do in your own home, the child will see, number one, your hypocrisy, the child will be confused. Number two, the child might like what he saw, or she saw, and that may have such a big impact that you don't realize, Oh, they found a new role model.

Whatever you did for so long was washed away.

And this is why the Hadith speaks even about friendship, your friends, they are role models unto you insert or within certain aspects of your life, whether you like it or not, they brush off onto you, that is a role model. Sometimes you may know this person is your role model, sometimes you do not know they are your role model, but you begin to emulate them because we told you the meaning of a role model someone who is worth imitating, you started imitating them already, without actually knowing that I'm imitating these people, your friends, your offer model will be fairly immediate for

a person who is known by the friends they keep. So each one of you be careful whom you allow into that circle of friendship of yours. Yesterday, I received a message on my phone from one of my nephew's and he says

words to the effect is obviously just a forwarded message perhaps it says you are known by those around you. So if you want to know who you are, look around you you might get a shock

well Believe me I'm not a system. Allah protect us what that means is sometimes you look around you see a system not meaning that what we mean is

what we mean is those who mix with those you interact with. In fact, I sent him a message on a very much lighter note, which I won't share with you. But I sent him a message in return and I think he had a good laugh because I looked around me and the next person I saw I said this is who's next to me.

Mashallah. But what is meant by that on a more serious note is you are known by the company you keep if you want to know who you are, discover who you are, just look around you who are the people that you really can't do without and who are the people everyday you meet with them. Sometimes it's people who you are with at school, for those going to school, sometimes at the varsity sometimes, for example, it might be a group of friends, if they're on drugs, it is coming to you. You know, I really appreciate the person who discovered that those who move around with a smoker are in more danger than the smoker himself of contracting disease. Oh, I said, Yeah, Allah guide this man,

whoever he was anonymous. Yeah, what he said means a lot to us. We now have a weapon to go around the public and say you with him? He smokes. Remember, he's killing you.

It's a fact I'm not joking. They tell you smoked smoke is worse than smoke that is being smoked. That's what they say. Love. My brothers and sisters. Remember, choose your friends wisely. They brush off onto you whether you like it or not, you start speaking like them, you start dressing like them, you start thinking like them, they tune the way you think. And that is a point of highlight this evening, the way you think is decided by role models you have

with us. Someone asked me who's your role model? Some of you might have seen that tweet Normally, you know, you leave it because what do you want to say in 140 characters, you might confuse the whole world.

So who is my role model? I've got perhaps 100 role models, each one of them you take a certain aspects from them, and you learn from them, but the ultimate role model, we want to be like Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam and we want to be like this.

Really, we cannot, we would be wrong if we answered it in any other way, wrong, totally failed. That is the ultimate role model. But I have so many people I look up to men and female who we take certain aspects of their lives and say Mashallah look at the dedication, look at the way they've spoken, look at the the way they put across their message, look at this, look at the way they treat their families look at I can do better. And this brings me to another point yet another point and that is, there will come a time in your life when if you are successful.

The question the crucial question will no longer be who do I want to be like, but it will be who wants to be like me? How many people want to be like me? Because then Allah has accepted you to become of a level where

People look at you and want to follow they want to imitate. But remember, the golden rule is no matter how many people want to emulate you, stick to the ground in humanity, be humble, take correction, be a person who can be refined, no matter how old or successful he is, whether India or Indonesia, whether in worldly matters or in spiritual, religious matters, no matter who you are, I have seen failure of people who consider themselves very, very pious, who have followings of hundreds, perhaps of 1000s behind them, and I have seen their failure because they develop a chip on their shoulders, to the degree that they will not take correction from anyone. And they think that

they themselves are perfect, will lie perfection is for the Gambia, Allah and ultimate perfection is for Allah subhanho wa Taala, he is the perfect.

So no matter who you are, remember, there will be certain aspects in your life that are not worth following. So the same would apply in the person whom you are trying to imitate, there will be certain aspects in their life that are not worth following.

You may know them, or you may not know them.

SubhanAllah sometimes you have a person outwardly very kind, but go back and ask their folks, they will say this person is a liar in the home, had you known that you would know that this person has really a dual life that they are leading one in the private lives and one in the public. If that's the case, such people are hypocritical. But still, if you want to take a good point from their lives, you may choose that which has a lesson in it for you to draw inspiration from

you may

because at the end of the day, every human being there will be aspects that you have to excuse them for.

So we've spoken about friends, and the impact they have on us, as I said, whether you like it or not those you mix with those you decide to go to school with I've seen, for example, what is known as a lift club for people who have a school very far off. So the parents want some other parents, you know what, let's all get together, we take the children to school for a week each. So I'll take for one week, all the children, you take another week, all the children, I have come across foolish parents who don't mind their children going into a vehicle of another man just for purposes of making life easy for them not having to get up every single day. And so what they do is they allow

their children to go into this car with this uncle who's got all the other children in the vehicle. Not only is he smoking and blasting the beat, but he's swearing and talking nonsense. And he answers the phone. And he's speaking vulgar and making haram appointments and teaching them a whole lot of nonsense in the 30 minutes every single day that it takes from home to school, which is an amount of time that you as a parent have not spent with that child.

This is why I believe, a big gift. I mean, in our countries, if you have a vehicle and your children are going a little bit far, the biggest gift you can give your children jump into the vehicle and take them to school. That is quality time. You have so much specialized time with your kids, you talk to them, you can explain to them that taking your child to school and back to me, it's something I will not compromise either I do it, or any member of my immediate family whom I trust would do it. And when we say trust, we're not talking of trust as in they might not they might or might not temper with the child know that we don't that that Babs might be far but trust as in if my

child sees something in this person, it would only be something beneficial for the child. This is what it is.

This is the other angle of looking at role models. Because when we talk of role models, it's wrong for us to just think, okay, we're talking of role models, that means we're going to come out of this talk, having understood who to look up to no, that's not all, first, having understood who to look up to having understood that people will look up to us and having understood that we are responsible. We are really responsible to guide certain people in in our children, for example,

how to look at others in a way that they can select role models and know that you know, you take certain aspects and you don't take certain aspects. I was speaking to a youngster a few weeks ago, and we were talking about one non Muslim, a football player. I don't know him but I only know his name. So he was telling me Oh, this guy is such a good guy. You know, he's got this and he's got that and I told him I said, Listen, let me tell you something. What you should learn from this person. You may never be able to kick a ball like that. But whether you could kick a ball or not is not a question you're going to be asked in your grave no a question you're going to be asked in the

afternoon. So if you die right now the ball is going to be

Behind, but at the same time, what you need to know is, there are certain bad habits that you will find draw the line. Don't think that I'm going to take absolutely everything for my inspiration. You know, we go gaga over somebody that term itself leaves a very big question mark. Imagine you go, I heard it a few two, three years ago. Someone said, oh, they're going gaga over somebody announced what's like Gaga? What is that? Well, I had no clue. It was a year and a half later, when I figured out all this what it is.

I hope my face looks something. Allah says goddess, well, ah, you know, I really cannot comprehend sometimes how people choose those they look up to and go gaga for love. It's a term that should really be you know, the coin. It's a term that is coined, isn't it? Well, in South Africa, they've changed the currency Do you noticed? So maybe we can change that to

my brothers and sisters and hamdulillah we thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for gathering us here in this beautiful session this evening, and we speaking about role models where inshallah we want to look at people who inshallah we can imitate, and at the same time, people who we can teach our children to imitate and as I said, imitate in certain aspects, and perhaps not in certain aspects. You will never, ever have a person in your midst here, whom you can say I can imitate every single aspect of this person's life, but at the same time, you will be able to have some whom you can imitate a lot of what they do. And as I said, there will come a time when you will become a role

model for others. The quicker that happens, the more successful you are, and people will look up to you. Allah has given you already if you have children, may Allah grant those who don't have children, children, but let's start somewhere else. May Allah grant all those who don't have spouses, spouses. See how loud the nominees we know where to start our brothers and sisters, we know where to start. Thereafter May Allah grant those who are married who don't have offspring offspring, who will be the coolness of their eyes, and May Allah grant those who have offspring.

May Allah grant those who have who have offspring, offspring, who will be the coolness of their eyes, who will consider them role models, and May Allah make them truly role models for their own children, amin brothers and sisters if tonight's talk has not motivated you to leave your bad habits solely, because there are people who will look at you and follow you and follow your example.

And I don't know when it is that we will actually leave our bad habits because the Hadid says Madison assume Nathan has another fella who are Juha amazing. I mentioned the same Heidi The last time I was here, it's ringing a bell. So much so it sometimes rings an alarm.

Because it's such a powerful idea. We don't realize Manson

fella who

will be MIT.

Whoever sets a good example.

Whoever sets a good example, shall have the full reward of all those who follow that example until the day of the year without the reward being minimized in any way whatsoever. And the Hadith continues to say a woman in Santa Susana turns a fella who is Oh Ha what was the woman amela Bihar, Elijah woman, Dr. Mattila to sue Danny kameena mean?

Whoever sets a bad example, shall carry the burden or the sin of all those who have followed that bad example, up to the Day of Judgment.

Up to the Day of Judgment, you set a bad example your child followed it your grandchild followed it, your great grandchild followed it. Come on, give up those cigarettes, give up bad words, give up whatever else give up your adultery, your clubbing and so many other bad things. Today we have drugs, Abu Billa Allah says God is my beloved youth. Remember, throw it away. Don't even try it. Don't even try a cigarette.

Because tomorrow, even your friends will learn from you. This man never smoked. He never drank. He never for example, you know, engaged in this type of behavior. He has never seen a club what a nightclub looks like inside lava. Why should I carry the burden of people whom I don't know who have followed my bad example? Imagine you die. And the bad example is followed. And it's continued because your children or someone else have followed that example. And it carries on and on and on. mela says goddess. I remember a story being made mentioned by one of the machines of people who had subscribed

To some pornographic site, and believe me, pornography is rife amongst the Muslim in, it is prohibited. You know, I don't know how I was asked a question. That, isn't it? Look how the question is being asked in a way that they already have, you know, preconceived answer.

Isn't it permissible to watch pornography if you with your wife?

You tried to tell me it becomes permissible.

It is totally prohibited from the beginning to the end, whether you with anyone or with no one, believe me, it is absolutely prohibited by law safeguards. Really, I was saying they were people who subscribe to on a pornographic site to receive some material every single day. And there was because there is a payment to be made. One guy was paying. And he was forwarding this message to his friends until the group of friends group and he put it on automatic forward. So as it came into his inbox, it would go to his friends, and they had a look at it. And they laughed. Believe me. That's not our topic today. But it is definitely a serious subject matter of discussion. How pornography has really

affected our homes and our lives, our wives, our brains are everything, the reproductive system and the works included, everything affected. May Allah safeguard us and our offspring, really. So this man, something happened, there was a car crash, and he died.

And his friends were shocked because young man in his 20s passed away. And they say, they were so shocked. They were at this home funeral home, they helped wash him up and they buried him and they were crying, hugging each other. Perhaps it's a it's a warm moment where you turn to Allah subhanho wa Taala. You know, your best friend dies. And suddenly you wake up and you think I'm going to leave my bad habits. So they were talking to each other and saying, look at all of we this thing here, we're not doing it anymore. The man has died. You know what happened?

That evening, they all received a message from who? This guy but he's died. It was an automatic reason. Meaning you can set it comes in goes out automatically. And they were shocked. They discussed it with each other he got a message from this guy. Imagine you receive a message from your dead friend. And suddenly his name pitches up. He is the internet in heaven.

So what we need to realize they got the message and this is no serious, shocked. They got it again and again a month later of these dirty messages coming from a man in his grave. A month later, they

wanted to get through to those who had whom the subscription was from that there is this man and he's dead and this is what's happening. You know what they said his subscription is up to the end of the year. We are not going to be able to stop this. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive him. But the lesson for me and you watch out Be careful your actions, your your dirty, long term actions might impact upon you so negatively, that it may affect you even after your death. This is why we say turn to Allah become role models. Learn who the role models are, look at them. See what you want to take. Change Your Life. Turn for the sake of Allah Life is too short. Remember to identify yourself.

Firstly, your Islamic identity is very important. Sisters be proud of your hijab stand up my brothers be proud of your name. So what my name is Abdul Aziz excellent. I can be a person who helps my neighbor who helps the non Muslim who might have a blowout or an accident and drive them to the hospital. And yet I am the Muslim I am and I'm proud to say I'm a follower of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam and an auntie. As old as you are, you are hurt, I will carry you to the hospital and I will take you there for free no expense. And you know what if you can't afford the deposit, and we can help you with a bit of money,

and you're proud of your name, we've become so apologetic that you want to stop on a street to help someone fix their tire. They asked you What's your name? You say? Mo?

Mo? Mo what is mo? Are you not? insulting Muhammad? sallallahu alayhi wasallam tell them my name is Mohammed. And if you take down you can say Mohammed, it's alright. It's fine.

Allah subhanho wa Taala opened our doors may grant us paradise. I've spoken a lot and I hope I've tackled several aspects. As you know, when we discuss a topic, we may not be able to discuss every single aspect of it, but at least we motivate one another to be able to look at the subject a little bit deeper, perhaps to attend seminars in this regard. And believe me, as I said,

we need to look at people and identify them.

Sometimes we need to share with others who our role models are and what aspect of their lives do we consider them a role model regarding the reason I say this, and I will end on this note is because if you've noticed, a lot of people have grown models, who are sportsmen? Have you noticed that? A lot of people a that's my inspiration, sometimes even I know of people who've got role models,

who are musicians and actors and actresses, I know of people, because I will normally ask people, you know, questions, and it's interesting to know. And they will give you a name of an actor or an actress.

She's not a role model, she's one of those models that roles, you need to understand that, because she knows how to act, an actor is just acting. So if an actor is your role model, you will also master the art of acting, so you know how to act, that's all. So you have a double life thereafter, because a lot of them lead a dual life, one, in a movie or in the acting, and the other in the real life. So we need to have people in real life. And this is why I want to stress the point. Again, it's the fourth time I'm repeating it to say remember, when you take a look at people who are non Muslim, and you say my role model, just be careful of the statement. The reason is, you may draw

inspiration from them, but you need to govern, what is it that they are the role model regarding they can never be your role model, indeed, no ways. They can never be your role model in this or in that in terms of your spirituality. But there will be a role model perhaps in honesty and dedication, as I said, we draw inspiration from them, some people might be worth imitating only in one aspect of their lives. And this is why we say, let's try our best to learn the lives of those who are not in our midst, from amongst the Sahaba of their love, they live in our midst, in the form of books, and in the form of knowledge, which they have been protected and imparted. So they are

with us, yes. But at the same time, we need to understand role models do not necessarily need to be alive in front of you, although that has a bigger impact. But they should be ultimate role models that you spend a lifetime researching about.

researching about why

there are people amongst the Sahaba

who have so much sacrifice next to their name, and success, whether it is business field, spiritual field, holistically they achieved, but we have not yet read about those role models of ours. We haven't even read about them yet. So I'm inviting you to go through the lives of the companions of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam, believe me, make a note of it. Go through their lives and learn the aspect of their their living and draw from them to the degree that if someone says Who's your role model, you can say?

And they will say what do you mean and you can recite 20 aspects of his life because obviously he is a role model with emulating worth imitating in many, many more aspects than any one of us and anyone you will find living today. So May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us realize that as well. And may He make us from those who can read the lives of the illustrious predecessors, those who have struggled those who strove in such a way that today we are seated here, my brothers and sisters, we share a love for the pleasure of Allah subhanho wa Taala I reiterate that and confirm that solely for his pleasure until we meet again inshallah I say was a lot of mobarak Allah Subhana Allah Subhana Allah

Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah and Asuka