Optimism in Islam

Waleed Basyouni

Date:

Channel: Waleed Basyouni

File Size: 14.97MB

Episode Notes

Dr. Waleed Basyouni explains the beautiful Islamic perspective to the idea we know as optimism. Islam offers the concepts of trials, patience, destiny (Qadr) and reward from the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him). These concepts, once acted upon in entirety are sure to bring happiness, positivity and quality to one’s life.

Share Page

Transcript ©

AI generated text may display inaccurate or offensive information that doesn’t represent Muslim Central's views. Thus,no part of this transcript may be copied or referenced or transmitted in any way whatsoever.

00:00:09--> 00:00:58

My dear brothers and sisters, Allah subhanaw taala have ordered us to take our Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam as a role model as a role model. And in the BSL a live audio system is not only a role model, and the way he performed the prayer or head, but he was a role model in all aspects of his life. And he should be able to have a role model as well in all aspects of our life, especially our manners are characteristic. It should be something we try our best to copy the Prophet sallallahu to send them because the prophets of Salaam was raised to be the best of character so Allah Allah you it was seldom, as Allah subhanaw taala described him well in Allah, Allah fallopian

00:00:58--> 00:01:30

Allah, wa salam, ala Muhammad Ali Nana mean, you are a mercy to mankind. You're a person, hope assess the best of all manners sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, it is so important, especially in these days, especially in these days, to go back into search and to look at the lives of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to seek from lessons and power to empower us today, in a time where there's so much confusion, where there's so many

00:01:32--> 00:02:19

with so much differences, that were you in darkness, without where do you lead the light the most, and the guidance the most. And today, I would like to speak about one aspect of the Prophet sallallahu sunlamps manners of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam characteristic, which is him being the most optimistic person that you can ever think of. optimism is a such a beautiful character, such a beautiful quality, if you have it. It's a quality that turn everything around and make you always feel empowered and strong. I know we're living in a time, as I said, tough time, hard time, politically, economically.

00:02:21--> 00:02:47

in so many areas, there's people can complain employment out here and there are so many problems in individual level, community level, nation level, worldly level, you name it. But still, that sense of optimism should always grow strong, as the problems grow strong as well. And the BU sallallahu wasallam and the Sharia of Islam, the deen of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam

00:02:48--> 00:03:44

basically teach us to have that sense of optimism in our life, for instance, and abuse Allah allow us to sell them whenever he sees or he hears a negative name, give a negative connotation, give make people down and abuse them immediately will change it. For instance, he asked the person where you came from. He said they came from a valley known as the Valley of Balala shabu Bharara, Caliban who are shareable he Daya. It is the Valley of guidance, which land you live. He said I live in a land known as the dusty land. Afro Kala believe it is basically it is the green land. Yeah, what's your daughter's name? Carla here arsia. sinner. He said no, she is jameelah even when he moved to Medina,

00:03:44--> 00:04:31

you know the province of southern city was known in the history as yesterday. Yesterday, it has a negative connotation. It means decreasing something, decrease something take away something from you. So the process of them said no one allowed to call the city anymore. Yes, because it has a negative meaning basically connected to the word and he called it payback the good city, the city, which is known today as flavor and Medina coonawarra, the Prophet sallahu wa Salaam city became a city known as a city of light, that sense of optimism. Even when he saw a man Islam war. He said, No your sin, your peace, and love your Salah Salem, I can go on and on. In hundreds of examples. When

00:04:31--> 00:04:59

he sees something sounds negative, he will change it to make it positive to give that sense of optimism. Not only that, even in the most difficult times he installed the sense of optimism the heart of his companions, when he left Mecca sallallahu alayhi wa sallam alone with his companion, Abubakar or the lover and blah, blah, blah, in that difficult moment. Can you imagine you leaving your home you didn't know what's the future of caring for you?

00:05:01--> 00:05:52

From a human being perspective, so in this point Soraka had been Malik, he hunted, he was searching for the Prophet sallallahu sallam, and he found the process element and his way to Medina, in that moment, look at the prophet SAW Selim tilling. So, I have been Malik that one day will come and you will be carrying the bracelets of kisara and put it and you will have it the bracelets that you saw used to have which is the king of the Persian Empire in the time of 100 up where the Sahaba the Alon Omar don't see that this surrounded with the enemy from every direction, and only few of them left with the whole entire Arabia gathered to kill the prophets of Salaam and to destroy his city and his

00:05:52--> 00:06:04

state. At that moment the promises seldom told the companions that to my religion, my basically oma were reached to the farthest point east and west.

00:06:05--> 00:06:49

In the moment of difficulty, and Nabi sallallahu Sallam made sure that they have that sense of trust and optimism, because that's the fuel that keeps us always going. The moment you give up hope, the moment you can survive, you can survive and abuse will allow you to sell them shows us in the Sharia. Another concept of in our Deen that install the concept of optimism. For instance, the prophets are some of them said, whenever you make, whenever you ask Allah Subhana Allah, look at the language that you use, look at the verb that you use, it's in the command or a lot for giving. And you nobody give a command to Allah Subhana Allah, but you show Allah Subhana Allah, you're so

00:06:49--> 00:07:35

certain about what you're asking. That's why you're not even allowed to say if you wish to qumola home avidly in *. You're not allowed to say Oh Allah, forgive me if you wish. No, you should be certain about what you're requesting. That sense of optimism. That sense of optimism when you repent to Allah subhana wa tada when you pray to your Lord, something so unique, so much needed today, in our time in our life, but sin but optimism, it doesn't just happen like that. I wish it does. There is nothing like after this hope, again to say oh, I heard the hope about optimism with me push the bottom of optimism. And I'm gonna walk out of this hope but an optimistic person. It doesn't work

00:07:35--> 00:07:40

like that. Anything that you want to adopt any character you want to develop, and you

00:07:41--> 00:08:00

in most of the cases is something you have to achieve. You have to work on. Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Nima sobre Sabo we're in the Mill Hill with the handloom manyatta somebody somewhere hola kubla Khan. We're in the middle of a movie.

00:08:01--> 00:08:05

He said, learning knowledge is will happen

00:08:07--> 00:08:10

is will what will happen to you you will have knowledge if you start seeking knowledge.

00:08:11--> 00:08:37

Everybody knows knowledge just to be acquired you don't burn it nobody if no one of us born knowledgeable person. Hologic remember Boolean math pneumatic Allah tala monisha. All of us camara mother wounds, as Allah said knows nothing. Then we acquired knowledge, then in the piece of Salaam followed that with a unique point, he said, and also patience is not going to happen like that is by seeking that character. And also being

00:08:39--> 00:09:23

have the ability to be patient. It's something you need to seek you need to practice forbearing something that you need to practice in another word that you acquire that so even the unlock the character, something that you need to develop you need to work on. And the same thing with optimism. It is something that you need to work on, you need to change you need to adapt to that character and to work on it. And I would like to show you a few points that will help you to make something you take away today to home and to think about and to start to work on it. What can make you an optimistic person, a person who always see opportunities in his or her difficulties, versus the

00:09:23--> 00:09:54

pessimist people who always see difficulties in their opportunities. When there is an opportunity they always come with these all kinds of difficulties that this can go on this can go back. This isn't a pessimist person. That's not how the prophets of Salaam used to be the prophets of Salaam was the most optimistic person he can think of thinking all was off opportunities that he can have during the difficulties of time. So number one, this wrong the correct understanding of the concept of

00:09:55--> 00:10:00

the concept of predestiny. It is one of the believes the article of

00:10:00--> 00:10:22

Faith for all of us as Muslim to understand the concept of what is known as the predestined when you study that when you understand that Allah subhana wa tada for first point related to this, it is that Allah subhanaw taala is good and the source of all good in Nola beard, oil cooler subhana wa tada and

00:10:23--> 00:11:13

women will hydro kulu was shallow a lake or burrata Baraka, Tara, that Allah Subhana Allah will never will never ever decree upon you something that is evil, or the the evil in it. outcome, the good, that's part of our believers, Muslim, nothing alone decreed upon anyone, something that the wrong or the evil or the bad of it, outcome, the good. That's a simple belief that every Muslim should have that will always trust that Allah Subhana Allah whatever he decreed upon us all was the good outcome, the bat, not necessarily according to your timeline, but according to his timeline, not according to your limit knowledge of the consequences of the actions, but according to his

00:11:13--> 00:11:31

knowledge, and seeing the big picture, seeing that his creations in general, so panda with that, so we know that and that's something make you very, it trust, the loss of hammock Island, whatever he decreed upon, and you know, that is always coming, well come out of it will come out of it.

00:11:32--> 00:12:12

You know, there is a king was once traveling with his best friend, his best friend is a normal, as known with a word that very common, he always say hamdulillah. So whatever happened, you all said, hamdulillah. So when the king was traveling for hunting trip, and he cut the tip of his finger, so the blood start gushing, and friends of the king said Hamdulillah, King got mad, what would you say hamdulillah. For that, I just cut the tip of my finger, I'm going to be able to use the arrows and bow, you know, it's gonna ruin my trip, he was so mad at him and he started, he ordered the soldiers to take him away.

00:12:13--> 00:13:04

When he was leaving, he said, I couldn't go to LA. And even if I lost this friendship Alhamdulillah the king became more furious and angry, and promised to Nikko back to the line, He will punish him severely. Next day, the king go in his hunting trip. And he basically has a very strong horse. And he got separated from his guard, and ended up in his enemy's land, who they took him and they said that this is sacred land. And anyone walked into the secret that must be killed and executed and basis of sacrifice to the gods. They laid him down in that big, shiny, spotless marble slab, to sacrifice them to their God. But Allah subhanaw taala saved him, that the priest of that group said

00:13:04--> 00:13:50

that this person cannot be killed can be sacrificed is a bad luck for the nation if we do so, because he missing the tip of his finger. And for our God that has to be a complete body. And they just let him go. Because of that finger, the T injured or the two finger that he caught it off the whole entire way back. He kept saying Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah hamdulillah he got his friend out of basically where he locked him up. And he said, there must be something good happened to you, too, because you said hamdulillah he said, Great King, the only one has a horse like yours as me. If I was with you today, early in the morning, we will end up both of us in that line. And they will let

00:13:50--> 00:14:00

you go because of your the tip of your finger is missing. And I will be the one will be sacrificed to their gods so hamdulillah that you locked me up Alhamdulillah Allah

00:14:01--> 00:14:09

wasn't for nothing. That the first verse, the first verse in the Quran is Alhamdulillah been.

00:14:13--> 00:14:28

It's to build that sense of optimism. I'm always grateful and thankful to Allah for whatever happened. I always say, I praise you, My Lord, because they know you. I know your nature as a just fair, loving

00:14:30--> 00:14:59

God subhanho wa Taala also part of understanding of other that we know that in order for you to achieve something, you have to take the necessarily means that's in itself that's in itself give you that sense of optimism that I work and I will get my basically the result that I want from Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, things not going to happen by itself. You're never ever going to leave as the site. You're never ever going to be able to leave

00:15:00--> 00:15:41

Prince in the beach, if you sit in your bottom, you have to walk in order for you to leave these footprints, you put effort and Allah subhanho reward you for it. Part of our belief in the other that we know Allah does not force anyone to anything, you came to the semester by your choice. And if you don't, if you want to stay home, it will be your choice as well. It's your choice. Imagine if we believe that we have no choice, what sense of optimism anyone can have. That's why part of our believing that Allah gives you the ability to make the choice, the ability to make the change that the choices in your life, I might not control the wind when they sail under the sea, but I always

00:15:41--> 00:16:04

can adjust my sail to reach a new destination. I always have the ability to do that. So that's number one, this correct understanding of the concept of increase and knowledge in this area, increase your sense of optimism, and trust and loss of power. Number two, which is very ironic, very unique, and a lot of people underestimate it. It is

00:16:06--> 00:16:40

basically the look, the way you carry yourself, the way you carry yourself, your style, the way you dress, the way you smell, the way you basically can feel your appearance means a lot of building a sense of optimism. Why do you think the province of Solomon is so a man he's completely white her in his head and his beard and Missy in Ibiza? Some of them said why don't you change your white hair, your gray hair change the color of your gray hair don't look too old like that.

00:16:41--> 00:17:26

And in the visa salon said if you grow hair, take care of it. What do you think we are highly recommended some anime even some same to see it is near obligatory to take a shower before you come to Juma prayer you have to clean yourself you have to remove the hair the basically like the underarm hair and other areas why you need to trim your your nails so you don't look like animals. You look clean, you look sharp, why the processor love perfumes. And he made it so obvious that something beautiful to have all this for what to build that character. Because the way you you look sharp, you look clean, you look good, it impact your psychology. Every single research today says

00:17:26--> 00:18:02

that our physiology impact our psychology. The way you carry yourself means a lot means a lot to you. I live in the United States of America, when I study the history of America. You know, when they brought the slaves from Africa, they were not slaves in the country. They were enslaved in Europe and enslaved in an America you know what the thing that they used to do, the herbs are they're not allowed to take a shower for months. Why? So they can smell like animal so they can look like animal so you they behave like animals.

00:18:03--> 00:18:21

They want to break their spirits, not allowed to wear proper clothes. And maybe Solomon Juma wear special clothes, in in special clothes. This was always looks nice. It's not about being rich at all, or have a lot of money. It's about you care for yourself, for your self.

00:18:23--> 00:19:05

Also, number three, one of the things that bring a lot of sense of optimism to you to make an optimistic person to learn how to smile. Smiling is such a beautiful thing. It doesn't make only people around you feel good, it makes you yourself feel good. Smiling is the son of the Prophet sallallahu sallam. And I'll tell you the truth, that it is so sad that we as Muslims all over the globe, all over the globe. I travel from the farthest east to the farthest West. Unfortunately, it is something missing among Muslim community. When you go to the mustards, people just give you that straight look. You know that? I don't know. What is the deal with that? You know, we always been the

00:19:06--> 00:19:20

smile. Why we lost that why when we talk about smiling, we think of other nations of the Muslims, and maybe saw some Java said, I never met the process of them. I never made the profit on them. Not a single time in my life.

00:19:21--> 00:19:24

He said I never met the person unless he's smiling.

00:19:26--> 00:19:33

He said inside the house. He used to smile more than outside the house. Well, the larva

00:19:34--> 00:20:00

and plenty of companions. So many of them said the same thing about the process of the smiley face. Yes, face welcoming face. And so many of us unfortunately, lost their smiles. But the good news that your smile didn't go anywhere it just right under your nose. So smile. This is the signal of your profits or solemn peril. disarm McAfee casada yourself.

00:20:00--> 00:20:14

mile at your brother's it is a form of charity in a student when you see someone you don't know don't just give him that look, checking him out. Know give him that nice smile, welcome him see Solomonic come to him. Green the person.

00:20:16--> 00:20:26

It is something will fill your heart with sense of optimism and try it and see how this will work. Number three,

00:20:27--> 00:20:31

it's this part of your body to heart.

00:20:33--> 00:20:35

Me lahia Guru become clearer.

00:20:37--> 00:21:22

Philosophy Subhana Allah sees goodness in your heart, he will give you a good you know what this heart needs to be cleansed? If you want to be an optimistic person, don't fill your heart with hate. Fill it with love. Don't fill your heart with jealousy and anger and an anger at others fill it for wishing good for others. You know forgiveness move on in your life. You know this one you fill your heart with these good great positive meanings. You can grow you can change yourself but if you're if you always feel that your success will always by destroying others there's no pontiff there is this very hard for me to see someone like that will be an an optimistic person. And instead of saying

00:21:22--> 00:22:07

that said May Allah give me in them success that envy jealous eight anger, take it out of your heart and replace it with something good because your heart is a container. Whatever you filled it up with, it will be filled up with that thing. If you filled them with anger and hate and negativity, there is no space to fill it up with positive manners and positive way of feeling and thinking and have this concern that leads to something else, which is number five, don't be negative first. negativity is such a bad attitude, a bad character. Everything you see it in the negative way. Everything you look at only the bad talk, the bad things you don't think of the positive of the talk

00:22:07--> 00:22:50

that you hear. You don't think about the positive that may be your family how that's why the process of them said if you don't like someone your wife and honey the Muslim Carla like Mina, Mina, Fidel if Rocco Mina Mina, bla bla bla, don't hate your spouse, because of the quality that you see in her or in him. He said, some alladia sell them in the stood, think about the positive, the positive thing that they have one of the most common Hadith that we're all familiar with, that we're all familiar with, that the prophets of Salaam said those people were in a cave in a cave, and the cave was blocked with a big huge rock. And this rock, every one of the three people who inside that cave

00:22:50--> 00:23:31

asked Allah with one of their best deeds, but one of them asked a lot by something very interesting. He said, I had a cousin, a female cousin, who I loved so much, and I desired so much on the chart to seduce her so many times to refuse. And one day she asked for money. And I told her, I will give it to you, but you give me yourself. And he said when I was so near to do the hot arm, she told me if you badly want me like that, marry me, and I let her go and I give her the money. I only let her go for your sake. The question is, when the process someone told us the story, he focus in which parts of the story the negative part how evil he is taking advantage of error, or he focused on the

00:23:31--> 00:24:16

positive part that how he lets her go how he's a good person. When the Sahaba saw a drunk person, they said some of them said he's always drunk is always brought to the protest sometimes Mr. drunk, la, la mela cursor, the cursor, the process of them said no. Don't Don't tell the chiffon over your brother in law soda. He loves alone His Messenger, he looked at the positive and the person invest in the positive thing. The process Elon said about the Society of Mecca in the mobile terminal muckety muck of law, there is good in Mecca. There is good in the people that is good in the nation, and I came to complete that goodness.

00:24:18--> 00:24:19

Whoever says

00:24:21--> 00:24:27

people are all bad. He is the worst. That's what our Prophet sallallahu Sallam said

00:24:29--> 00:24:33

also, Watch your words. Words has a unique magic

00:24:34--> 00:25:00

impact magical impact. The word that you use use always good words the process alum when he traveled he liked to hear a word like Nasir sad and victory safety. He will always say these positive words the process of never look at this sooner this year. You don't see the process I'm saying all these negative words bad words. curse words. No. Always have these beautiful words coming

00:25:00--> 00:25:07

Autumn inspiring people around you watch your words, because words is basically what represent your character.

00:25:09--> 00:25:53

And also brothers and sisters, you might say to me, oh, Chef, you live a good life like not some, maybe me. Some of you might think that, oh, maybe you don't have the problem I have, I have a problem. I have a health problem. I have a family member who is dying, and I have no money to support him or her. You know, I am about to get divorce. You know, I love someone that I'm not able to get married to, you know, have a bad habit. I have a teenager giving me a hard time. I'm losing my family. I'm losing my job. I'm living a very hard life. I'm living under the poor. I'm in debt. I'm this under. And you know what, I can count so many problems me and you have, you may have, we

00:25:53--> 00:26:22

can go over so many problems. I know that has so many problems out there. I don't think ever optimistic person, the optimistic person, a person who's a realistic optimism never meant that you don't be realistic. And in reality, I know that there are so many problems out there. But I'll tell you something. I'm also 100% sure that there are so many solutions out there. Not only the problems out there, there is a solutions out there manzanilla homing down in leggera Allahu

00:26:23--> 00:27:10

Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, there is no disease ever exists, unless there is a cure for it. Kind of neurochem Rahim Allah and this disease are not limited to the physical diseases. It's all kinds of disease, all kinds of bad things. There are solutions for it. There is an antidote for it. There's something to fix it. It's about you to research. So that's being realistic. You know what, it's okay for the problems to pass by your thoughts. But it's not okay to settle in your heart. It's okay to think about your problems. But it's not okay to be led by your problems. There is a huge difference between the two attitudes. So many of us live very long live without discovering their

00:27:10--> 00:27:14

talents, and the blessings that Allah subhanaw taala have given to you.

00:27:16--> 00:27:19

Once a teacher of mine, when I was very young age,

00:27:21--> 00:27:31

he took me in his car. And he said, what do they want to take you to the place in our city, where it has more potential than any other place in our city.

00:27:32--> 00:28:02

It has potentials to make billions of dollars has a potential to change the world has a potential to cure so many diseases and to solve so many problems. So I'm thinking, where are we going to go university or research centers? Or, I don't know big companies were unusable or what what is it going to be the most resourceful place in our city. And he took me to the cemetery

00:28:04--> 00:28:26

is like cemetery, what potential people have in the cemetery. He said, inside these graves, that his ideas worth billions of dollars. In these graves, there are so many talents and potentials beyond your imagination. But what happened to it, it was buried with the people who had these talents and ideas and

00:28:27--> 00:28:54

potentials. They never utilize it. They never used it. He said Don't ever let your talents and your potential to be buried with you. Make sure that you exercise it before you go to your grave. These talents and these potentials and these abilities that Allah have given you these potentials that Allah said to the angels in Allah moratalla Moon, I know about human beings, what you don't know

00:28:55--> 00:29:05

the abilities that I've given you as a human being beyond your imaginations. But the problem is we never discover it. We never utilize it and it's never been too late.

00:29:06--> 00:29:22

So many of us are blessed with so many things, but unfortunately we don't feel the trust and the sostiene to use it. These are gifts from Allah subhanaw taala to you. What do you do with it? Is your gift back to Allah subhanho wa Taala

00:29:23--> 00:29:25

and also brothers and sisters.

00:29:29--> 00:29:59

Optimism It is a very contagious thing. If you hang out with people who are optimistic, you will become an optimistic person. You hang out with people who are pessimists every time you guys gather. Oh, this never gonna change. Oh, that's never gonna happen. Oh, there's not gonna you know this list of words of negativities if this is how is your spouse is how your father is how children is how your friends is how your bosses how your co workers are how

00:30:00--> 00:30:30

Deep your your speed your leader your leaders are there's no much hope. I mean, it's very hard for me. If you said no much have that's there's no sense of optimism. Hang on, hang around people who have that sense of optimism. Yes, it is possible. Yes, we will do our best. Yes, I will try. Yes, I will commit myself. Yes, I ask Allah Subhana Allah to obey. When you have this kind of people around you, your sense of optimism will grow.

00:30:32--> 00:30:39

And finally, the whole concept of optimism is based in a very Islamic fundamental and

00:30:41--> 00:30:46

it's a very deep principles in Islam. It called his Nova Nebula

00:30:47--> 00:31:03

it called his global Nebula, which it means to always expect to get from Allah. Allah nebulous Arsalan Khan Allahu taala live on the app DB failure from the Abdi Masha. I will be always meeting my servants expectation.

00:31:04--> 00:31:07

You expect good for me, that's what you're gonna get.

00:31:08--> 00:31:11

Allah subhanaw taala promise if you walked in, who will run to you.

00:31:12--> 00:31:24

So that's how it is in the end of the day. So remember, to watch your words to watch your smile, To Watch Your Style, the way you carry yourself. You always remember to

00:31:25--> 00:32:01

basically train yourself and to learn about the concept of a paddle that everything upon you is something good. Make sure that you hang around people who are optimistic. Make sure that you get rid of all cleanse your heart and fill it with goodness. Make sure that you don't be negative, always be positive, in your words, your attitude. And remember that it's all based on the concept of Hispaniola. nivola May Allah Subhana Allah make us among those who live with that character and help us to have it