Serenity – The Best Gift You Have Ever Received

Yasmin Mogahed

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Channel: Yasmin Mogahed

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Assalamu alaikum This is yes mean which I hit and you're listening to serenity streaming live on one legacy radio. Well, earlier today I asked a question to all of you and that question was, what is the greatest gift you've ever been given? And I asked people to message us at Serenity at one legacy radio.com I also got responses on Facebook, on my page, and somehow law reading through the responses that you all shared, actually, you know, really, really made me happy and panela put put a smile on my face and I hope inshallah, as I, as I share these stories, that it will do the same for you. A lot of these stories are very inspiring, and you know, inshallah, I will, I look forward to

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sharing them, I want to begin, you know, kind of by talking about what what inspired this idea, and it has to do with actually one of the attributes of Allah subhanaw taala. And that is, Allah hebbe Allah subhanaw taala. One of the ways he describes himself one of his 99 attributes is and Wahab and Ella have means the one who loves to give gifts. Hubba is a gift, Allah subhanaw taala is the one who loves to give gifts and Allah subhanaw taala is the one who gives and gives and gives gifts. Now when you reflect on the nature of a gift, you'll find that a gift is not something that we buy, right? A gift is something that we're given, and we never really paid the price for it, it isn't

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something we can say we deserve. Rather, a gift is something that's just given to us. And we never really paid for, and we never deserved, necessarily, but we're still given this this thing. And so we when we look at what Allah subhanaw taala and reflect on what he's given us, we find that every single thing that Allah has given us, is a gift. In fact, Allah Subhana Allah is Allah HEB and Allah loves to give gifts. This means that you know, the things that I have, the blessings that I have, are not things that I have paid for are not things that I deserved to have. Now, it goes along with this, that when something is given to me, I'm grateful for it. However, when something that does not

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belong to me or something that I didn't, you know, work for I didn't deserve necessarily what happens then when it's taken away. And this is really where we get into the concept of in alila he were in LA he Roger on that, indeed, we belong to a law and to Him we return everything that we have from Allah subhanaw taala everything we quote unquote own actually belongs to Allah. And it's given to us as a gift. But it is something still that Allah subhanaw taala has given analyst panatela can take, and when we have the right

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perspective, and we have the right understanding about everything we have in this life, and that it all is a gift, then we have the proper response, when something is taken, or if if that gift, you know is given to someone else and not given to me, we realize that Allah subhanaw taala gives to whom he pleases, and Allah subhanaw taala withholds from whom he pleases. But even when Allah subhanaw taala does withhold from us, he is still giving. This is part of really being able to see the unseen and be able to being able to understand a lot of us, we think that we, you know, we we look at the world through our eyes, right? We think that, that it's through our eyes, that we really

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see things, and it's through our mind that we really understand things. But truly, it's actually Allah subhanaw taala tells us in the end, that it's the heart that really sees, and it's the heart that really understands things. If the heart is clean, then it will see things as they really are. And if the heart is clean, then it will understand things as it really is. And so our hearts are able to see that even when Allah subhanaw taala I mean, I may see with my eyes that Allah has withheld from me, and yet with my heart, I understand that Allah is actually giving me and there are actually some examples. So panela one beautiful example that I received

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To this effect, when, when I asked the question, what was the greatest gift that you were ever given one of the responses reads, the best gift I ever got was being rejected from medical school the first time. It forced me to put my life in perspective. Before I had put the ambition of becoming a doctor second to nothing, and I lost myself in the dunya without realizing it was a wake up call. And from then

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I am more conscious of a law of His signs and most importantly of my heart, I'm still struggling but now I know is in the way of Allah.

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Any medical school has lost this glamour even though I haven't begun as it is now just a vehicle in which in the future I can help people for the sake of Allah and inshallah my intentions will remain clean and again and gain blessings for from Allah subhanho wa Taala great blessings have befallen me the year after my rejection. By Allah, I have been able to live and volunteer in Japan for five months, been able to see the solar eclipse, Jupiter crosses the face of the sun, see a double rainbow, meet so many wonderful people from the other side of the world, the wonderful signs of his greatness, and handling that now I understand the blessings hidden in patience and sincere Allah

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Subhana Allah so you know, this, this is one of those stories that really inspired me because you see how, in her case or in his case, you'll find that it is in that Allah subhanaw taala withholding that that was actually the greatest gift that this person had, that by, by actually being rejected from medical school, this person was given something so much more than you know that the Medical School Admission itself. And this is how Allah subhanaw taala sometimes gives us by withholding

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someone else rights.

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As soon as Assalamualaikum sister your question is a very beautiful one, but a very difficult one. The first thing that pops up in my, in your mind when you talk about gifts is what was my most beautiful birthday present. But the thing is that I cannot remember a single material thing in my life for which I was the most grateful. To be honest, the first things that popped up in my mind was, I am grateful for the last days I could spend with my grandmother, who passed away 10 years ago now a lot.

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I learned a lot from that experience. And that period just marked everything I did after that, I think a lot of very often for all the good things he gave me and for all the things he didn't give me. Because I am convinced that in the ladder, there must be something good as well as salaamu alaikum warahmatullah

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you know, and, and SubhanAllah. You know, these these stories, really, they really inspire us and you can see how people's experience that when Allah subhanaw taala gives them they are thankful. And when Allah subhanaw taala withholds. They are patient and in that patience, they're actually given and you see how, although this this person's grandmother was taken by Allah subhanaw taala, Allah gave, and Allah gave that that time with with this person's grandmother before she passed away, and then Allah subhanaw taala gave after that as well. Anytime Allah subhanaw taala takes he also gives at any time Allah subhanaw taala gives, he also gives allies always giving us the problem is that we

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sometimes don't see it, we sometimes don't understand it. And it goes back to the the state of the heart because again, it is the heart that sees and it is the heart that understands Allah subhanaw taala describes people who have hearts that they don't understand with lahoma kulula Kahuna behind that here Allah is describing not that they have minds that they don't understand what but that they have hearts that they don't understand with. And then Allah subhanaw taala says in another area that it is not the eyes that go blind, but it is the heart inside the chest that goes blind. So we understand from these is that it's our heart that understands our world and it's our heart that sees

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our world. If that heart is is healthy, and it is Saleem and it is clean, then we will see things as they really are. And even when something seems to the outside world as being a loss or being a so called bad thing that has happened, that heart will be able to understand it as it really is in and see the gift in it and see how Allah subhanaw taala is actually giving that person even when he seems to be taking inshallah, we will take a short break now and

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Go ahead and Sharla and add your stories to the chat box about this question of what was the greatest gift you have ever been given.

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settimane calm This is the SME Mojo head and you're listening to serenity streaming live on one legacy radio. We are speaking today about gifts, we are covered in gifts every single day of our lives by Allah subhana wa Tada. And what we're talking about today is what we consider to be the greatest gifts that we've ever been given. And it's really interesting as I go through your responses and Hamdulillah, we've gotten many, many responses. As I go through them, it's really, really, it's fascinating to look at the types of responses that that we do have. And you'll find that that that so many of them actually come in the form of hardship come in the form of things that

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people would normally not consider to be a gift things that people would normally want to avoid. And yet it these are actually the things that people are, are naming as their greatest gifts we had someone mentioned that one of the greatest gifts was that she was actually rejected from medical school and and all the gifts that that came as a result of that. Another one actually reads.

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Hi, sister, yes, me and majah had the best gift I have ever been given is being hit with anxiety. I have never known what it was until I was diagnosed with it. I had been feeling really down for the past three years and did not know why. Everything in my life just kept going from bad to worse. And I kept thinking it can it can get any I kept thinking it couldn't get any worse. And it always did. Getting anxiety just pushed me to rock bottom, especially because at the time, I did not know what it was. I explained my situation to a friend. And she said to me something that has changed. She said pray that day I was at home and being a Muslim who had not prayed in years, I heard the event

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and I thought I'm going to pray. And I did and it has changed my life completely. Since panela you you see in this in this inspirational story as well, that it was it was the anxiety that brought her to pray. It was it was the it was actually the anxiety. You know that someone who had not prayed in years was was was driven to turn to Allah subhanaw taala and pray and it was because of the anxiety against something that was that is a hardship something that people you know, don't normally think would be considered a gift and yet, this is this became the greatest gift that she that she ever had. Because it led her to Allah subhana wa tada and this is exactly you know, really the definition

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of good of anything that's a good of anything that's that's a blessing for us, would be anything that brings us to Allah subhanaw taala and indeed sometimes it does come in the form of a hardship sometimes it does come in the form of what seems as though Allah subhanho wa Taala is withholding you know, we have hamdulillah we have so many people sharing their stories. Another message says the best gift I have ever been given was from my Creator sustainer master and protector Allah He allowed me to visit his glorious house and palace during one of the most beloved times of the year. The last 10 days of Ramadan.

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He allowed me to follow the Sunnah of the beloved messenger of Allah sallallahu send them and do attic calf at mustard hot him.

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For 10 days I ate drank, slept prayed and glorify my lord day and night and complete peace and serenity. Really is a gifts upon Allah.

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This is the best gift that any man or woman can ask for me unless pinata allow us all to visit his beloved house and mean that while Subhanallah that that really is a gift and these are the things that

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are priceless. These are the things that we ask Allah subhanaw taala to gift us with as well. May Allah bless you and you know make dua for us in sha Allah that we can do the same.

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So another message reads

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Santa Monica Mustafa, the best gift I've ever received from Allah was my husband. He is the best friend that was hand selected for me when destinies were being written, although we argue from time to time and don't always see eye to eye. In fact, the fact is that of handed in that he is my soulmate. He is the rock I fall back on and the support that keeps me standing. He can take me from the tears of sorrow to the tears of laughter within seconds and hamdulillah he is the greatest gift I have ever received. And I pray that Allah always protects our marriage, and grants us an eternity together of love, peace and happiness in this world.

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In the next I mean, see what isn't inshallah Chawla the mean May Allah subhanaw taala protect your marriage and protect this blessing of Allah subhanaw taala remember that Allah says that if you thank him and if you are grateful to Allah subhanaw taala that he will increase you are in shocker Toma as he then netcom Allah tells us if you are if you thank him if you are grateful, then I will increase you. So we know that the more that we are thankful to Allah subhanaw taala the more that we think a lot the more we are grateful to Allah subhanaw taala The more he increases us and we ask Allah subhanaw taala to always make us thankful to always make us grateful and that Allah subhanaw

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taala never withholds his his blessings from us.

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Another message read send em sister.

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My name is Raja and I used to work at a hospital with post neurosurgery patients. I used to spend time with them and help them with basic tasks such as walking and eating. There was a patient about 90 year old woman diagnosed with late stage brain tumor. She used to love seeing me every day, when I was leaving the job, she gave me a surprise gift. She had asked her granddaughter to bring a French scarf that her father in law had presented to her as a gift. When she got married to her husband. She gave it to me because I wore the hijab, and she felt that the hijab would be something that I would always keep close to me and remember her. It was a very important gift to me because it

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made me realize and reflect upon my intention of wearing my hijab. I never realized that another non Muslim would be able to see my love for my hijab that I unconsciously had. After receiving her gifts, I realized that my hijab brings so much positivity around me, which I never consciously felt like it existed. That was the best gift I've ever received. And it is a very special gift to me. Does. echolocating does echolalia to all of you for these really beautiful stories. Finally, when I thought to you know about this question, I I'm pleasantly surprised by the answers and hamdulillah these are really beautiful stories and ask Allah Spano Tata to bless you all.

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This one reads, I cried to Allah when I call him or look his creation, it wonders me how Allah has made such perfection in his creation, when you look at them, including myself, and you know, somehow this is the thing about reflecting on the creation of a law the more that you, you, you really look at and reflect on the creation of Allah subhanaw taala including our own selves, the more you you, you realize a less panatela is His Majesty in his glory. Because Allah subhanaw taala the creation that he made, you know, Allah says For example, in sort of that mold when you look at the sky, you can't find any fault in it, you can't find you know, like, like a little crack in it. And Allah

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says, you know, look back to jail Buster halterman photo, when you look at you know, you look at it once you look at the creation of Allah, you look at the sky, or you look at the moon, and it's like overwhelming, unless that is saying look back and do you find you do you find any fault in it and Allah tells us that when you look, even just looking at the creation of Allied it, it overwhelms you it overwhelms the eyes and, and the heart

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and Allah subhanaw taala gives us that as a as an A as a sign. Another message reads

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a cemani comb.

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My name is autopot Hussein and I'm from Bangladesh. The best gift I got from Almighty Allah is my health. There's a proverb that health is better than wealth. Every time I see any human being physically challenged. I always try to thank my Creator a law that I have no physical damage. Secondly, my favorite sport is football and again hamdulillah for my better health, I can play my sport very well. Thank you so much and I'm happy to share my feelings. May Allah Spano Tata bless you with good health indeed health is one of the greatest gifts or less power that it gives us and we we asked a less pinata to give us good health and to give health good health to all those who are

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sick. Pluto me in

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the next message says My name is Raul. We and this person actually shares in another message. A separate message

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says sell em sister yes mean my greatest gifts are the opportunity of knowing you and brother and amen from Facebook and YouTube. I was in deep since before I did so many bad things over and over again until I was depressed and suicidal until I listened to your lectures and brother Norman's lecture. And hamdulillah after that I turned I turned back to a law. And that was really a turning point when I wrote to you and you replied, I am now still struggling but I am stopping doing sins and hamdulillah please continue

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You to pray for me. We ask Allah subhanaw taala to make it easy for you and to continue to you know to help you in that path that you've taken May Allah subhana wa tada bless you and keep you firm in sha Allah.

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The best gift I've ever another message reads the best gift I've ever given is in an actual physical present through a person was off the top of my head, my grandmother's ring that she gave me before she passed away. But in a deeper sense, the best gift that Allah subhanaw taala has given me out of everything is my very understanding and kind parents including my stepfather who was so kind and has helped raised me to be who I am and hamdulillah there are so many things that I randomly just appreciate about them I feel so lucky. And you know Subhanallah It is one of the greatest gifts is actually being able to recognize the greatest gifts that you have unless Connaughton is blessing you

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because you're able to be grateful and be and be thankful for those things. And you know May Allah Spano Tata continue to bless you and your family and you know your parents and your and your stepfather as well.

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Another message reads, the best gift I was given was this Ramadan, Allah opened up my heart to really show me what Islam was all about. And one legacy radio contributed a lot as well. I think Allah subhanaw taala for showing me the correct path. I used to think that praying five times a day and reading the code and daily was hard to do, and that I don't have time, but thankfully Allah subhanaw taala guided me that's the best gift ever. May Allah keep you firm and continue to bless you. You went on with the remembrance of Allah subhanaw taala which is really truly the greatest the trait the greatest blessing.

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This message reads a cinnamal a consistory, I mean. I pray you are in the best of health and Amen. inshallah. I will make this short and sweet as I know you will be receiving many other emails to the best gift I have ever received is the gift of Amara paid for entirely by my grandmother, who my husband and I also took with us the first and only time I had visited the most sacred place on Earth, which was this year Alhamdulillah I will never forget it does echolocate sister, Laila

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you know me Allah Spano Tata bless us all with with with visiting his house and those who have visited May Allah subhanaw taala bless you with with returning there.

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This this reads, best gift is Islam. Why so we can go to Jenna inshallah. Very short and sweet and very true. It is true that of all the gifts we have and in him that Allah subhanaw taala and will have has really blessed us with many, many gifts. But again, out of all of those gifts, the greatest gifts is the gift of Islam. One of the dogs that were supposed to make regularly in the morning and in the evening is literally to Billa he robbed them with Islam, Medina, Moby Mohammed and Salatu Salam nebia, what a Sula and And what this means is I have I am contented with I have rather, I'm contented with Allah as my Lord, Islam as my religion, and Mohammed Silva law to sell them as my

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prophet and messenger. And really this is, you know, when it really when you really boil it down those, having those three things is enough to keep a person content is enough is enough for a person, and we haven't hamdulillah those things. And as believers, we have those things and much more. But those really are the greatest gifts that we have. As cemani come, I would say the best gift I've ever gotten would be the gift of enlightenment and knowledge of right from wrong. Knowing the stems true purpose, and leading life in that manner would be the ultimate gift for anyone in my opinion, does echolocate for rehab, and 111. And indeed that is true.

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Allah subhanaw taala if he has given you the gift of guidance, he really has given you the greatest gift and males pinata keep us all firm. In that, I mean,

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this person writes, the best gift I have ever got is a true friend, they are hard to come by and hamdulillah Indeed Allah subhanaw taala has, has blessed you if he has blessed you with a true friend and they are indeed hard to come by. You know, especially when you have a friend, that you know where your love for that friend is for the sake of a law and the love of, of new for that friend and the love of that friend for you is for the sake of Allah subhanho data, there are many very powerful a hadith about this, that even the prophets and the martyrs would would look at, you know, the, the position that that such people would have, on the day of judgment, that the position

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that they would have in the hereafter and and and and actually you know want that because of because of the such you know the the high status and the high reward for those who loved each other for the sake of Allah and so you know those types of friendships.

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Those types of relationships are very, very priceless. And they are very hard to find. And especially those friends that remind you of Allah Spano Tata, those friends that that you know they're a mirror for you, in the sense that when you make a mistake, or you're hurting yourself ultimately in your relationship with Allah Spano Tata, they're there to tell you, they're there to be a reflection for you and remind you and and not in a way that's demeaning or or in a way of putting you down but out of sincere love and care for you. Those really are the friends that that are extremely hard to find and are very, very, you know, very strong blessing of Allah subhanaw

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taala this person writes the best gifts I've ever given been ever gotten his life A big thank you to my mother for giving me the gift of life. She has gone through so much pain to bring me up. Now at 20 years I finally realized Allah to Allah has given me life and my mother brought me into this world 20 years ago. Love you mama you have given me the best gift ever. I may not be able to listen to this. But anyways, please to quote me, and this person writes from from Singapore, Masha Allah, we we know that, you know, Allah subhanaw taala tells us that you know this, again about the sacrifices that our mothers have made for us and we ask Allah subhana wa tada to bless you and your

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mother and to reward her and all the mothers for the sacrifices that we make every day as mothers unless pinata, you know, reminds us of the treatment that that we owe to our mothers for the sacrifices of the prophets I send them tells us that that Jenna that heaven is at the feet of your mother. So indeed, showing gratitude to your parents. You know, it's part of the prescription that Allah Subhana Allah has given us in the end, that you know, we are supposed to worship Allah subhanaw taala and, you know, show show gratitude and sn the most beautiful of behavior and demeanor to our parents and we ask Allah to make that easy for us. I mean,

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the best gift this person writes, the best gift I have ever gotten has to be my mother, my father, my siblings and my friends. And as corny as it sounds, the gift of life at hamdulillah it doesn't sound corny at all. Most definitely is a gift that Allah Spano Tata has given us life. Because it is due to that gift of life that we are able to know Him and we're able to to worship Him and we're able to love him and eventually inshallah be with him. in Jannah, Allah has chosen us while he has not chosen others, to take that path and we have we have most definitely to be grateful for that.

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This message reads as cemani can being blessed with parents and a family is the best gift anyone can ever receive. May Allah bless you and your family and keep all the families strong, you know, subpanel lights. There are a lot of forces that can separate families and we ask Allah subhanaw taala to bless our families and our communities inshallah.

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someone writes said I'm wanting to come sister Yes, me and my name is Richard. The best gift I received was that of life I was born premature at 25 weeks, weighing only one pound 13 ounces, not breathing for about 10 minutes.

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I was pronounced dead by doctors. When I suddenly gave a gasp and started breathing on my own. I shouldn't have survived but by Allah's Will and Grace, that I am alive today and

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the further gift was I reverted to Islam 13 years ago, I've had a hard life as a result of my birth. I have cerebral palsy as well as a severe stutter. Despite my difficulties. Three years ago, I had the urge to give back. I started on the path to become a formal Islamic scholar with my stutter. It's been more difficult than most, but I'm determined to attain my goal inshallah. I hope my knowledge will teach others and bring them closer to Allah, especially those who are disabled, to give strength never to give up. May Allah keep us close to Allah no matter what happens to us in this world. zakka Lochhead. Brother Richard, while Subhanallah that is a very powerful story, you

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know, these are these are real stories, and May Allah subhanaw taala make, make your path easy and grand to tell 50 grand to success in every endeavor that you make for his sake and May Allah subhanaw taala you know, give you that, that that reward in this life in the next insha Allah, may Allah bless you for for the the effort that you're making. inshallah, we will go ahead and take another break now. And when we return, we'll continue reading learning

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stories about the greatest gift that you've ever been given.

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Assalamu Aleikum This is Jesse Mujahid and you're listening to serenity streaming live on one legacy radio, we are speaking today about gifts, and about those gifts that we feel were the greatest gifts ever given to us. Essentially, we're speaking today about gratitude and recognizing the gifts that Allah Subhana Allah has given us throughout our lives. We've shared some very inspirational stories from you the listener, and we continue to share those now. One person writes, the greatest gift I received so far is awareness of STEM, I'm going through a broken marriage. And I was so addicted to my husband to the level it caused me a lot of pain I was unable to function I found about your

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lectures and indeed they made me stand again and hamdulillah

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you know spatola the

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panel, you know, the the awareness of our of our ultimate purpose is is really one of the greatest gifts in it and it is that which which allows us to to really be able to handle anything that does come our way it's only by the will of Allah Spano Tata and the grace of Allah that we are able to handle those things and May Allah Spano Tata make your trial easy for you? And grant you nearness to him inshallah I mean,

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another person rights, how come I'm safe here and not in Syria, and all the other Muslims? How is it that I'm not in Somalia, suffering hunger, I just hope all these gifts won't end up becoming a great trial for my Amen. All I can say is that Hamdulillah, Allah made me Muslim.

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May Allah bless you for realizing you know, the gifts that you have, and that others don't have a lesser panatela, you know, tells us again, you know, we said that when Shackleton as he then nachum, when you are thankful to Allah, He increases you. The The, the problem is that if we are not thankful, that's when the the blessing itself can become a trial. And so we have to be thankful. And also we have to be patient. One, one point that I want to remind you and myself is that when we are given these blessings, we also need to be very patient. We need to we need to exert some power, when we are blessed, as well as when we are tested. And what does that really mean. In fact, scholars say

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that it requires more severe more patience, during times of ease than during times of hardship. And a lot of people would ask, you know, how is that even the case, but if you if you really look at it, you'll find that during times of ease, it's much easier to become heedless, it's much easier to become distracted, it's much easier to forget, who was the source of your ease, who was the source of your blessings. And it's much easier to attach your heart to other than Allah subhanho wa Taala. And during the time of ease, and so it requires during the, you know, with, with having those gifts with having, you know, the the blessing of your husband, or your fiance, or your money, or your

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health, or any of these things that Allah has given you, that it's during those times that you really have to really hold to that patience of, of remembering, first and foremost who it came from, and being thankful to him, but also being careful not to let it distract you from the remembrance of Allah, to be careful not to let it become something that you love more than Allah Subhana Allah and His messenger and striving and his cause. And this is something that Allah warns us about, in the end, that we should never allow any of these gifts that Allah has given us of our family, of our jobs, of our commerce, any of these things are dwellings, or houses, that none of those things

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should ever be more beloved to us than Allah and His messenger and striving in his cause. And so that is part of the the need for for sobotta. That's the reason why we have to have patience in the times of ease as well. And it's also why sometimes it's harder to have patience in the time times of ease, because when something is

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taken from you, or your Will you know something is withheld from you. Sometimes we really don't have a choice but to be patient. It's sometimes when we're given that there's all these options and now it becomes maybe more of a fitna more of a trial for us to stay focused to stay committed to Allah subhanaw taala first and foremost and to remember always, who gave you that gift, and to remember always that that gift can come and that gift can go and to never become ultimately attached to the gift itself. But remembering that our ultimate attachment should be to the giver and not to the gift. It's

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We have a panel so many more inspiring stories.

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This person writes, it is amazing how many of us found peace of mind again after reading your articles and listening to your show, dear sister, may Allah subhanaw taala reward you and give you many gifts in athleta for all the gifts you've given dunya home I mean, we ask Allah subhanaw taala to accept and definitely, definitely any good that that came out of, of anything I've ever written or said is only solely from Allah subhanaw taala and because of Allah Spano Tata and that in and of itself is a gift, because I definitely never deserved it. I never did anything, you know, to, to pay for it. And it isn't because you know if there's something that someone says that that's that's true

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or beneficial to you, it is only from Allah Subhana Allah gives gifts to the most undeserving people never think that it's because that person is better than you it's it's simply because Allah Spano Tata has has in it because of lies and will have he loves to give gifts and gifts are given to those who don't deserve them so it's all electronic data and and if there's anything that that I've said that was wrong it's it's from my own self. someone writes said I'm on a consistory as mean probably having found you in this Ramadan was my greatest gift in this year. May Allah Spano tala bless you more and more in this life in hereafter inshallah Aloma I mean and and ham did a lot of Allah mean

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again all good is from Allah subhanaw taala. And only the mistakes are my own.

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Someone else? Let's see, we have spinal so many powerful stories this person writes, my best gift was when my dream to travel to the US to work as a doctor faded away by my dad's illness, I then stayed in Egypt, not aware that Allah is just planning for me to be a valuable person. For more than a year I have been taking place in Egypt's revolution. And now preparing to head to Syria in sha Allah with a medical convoy. Now I know why I was meant to be a surgeon, Allahu Akbar, Subhana. Allah. This is this is one story among many, where you see that sometimes things don't work out the way you plan them, or the way you want them. And you don't realize at all that Allah subhanaw taala

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has something so much better planned for you. And this is a story that actually I've shared before in one of my pieces of when, when my son was younger, and he was trying to, you know, be very independent. And so he he wanted to kind of do you know, who's going through that stage, he was just short of two years old. And he was going through that stage where he wanted to do everything on his own and, and as he was trying to get out of the car, he he wanted to get out on his own. And so I was kind of just observing and letting him do what he can. And then as soon as he got out of the car, he wanted to shut the car door. But from where I was standing, I could see that if I let him

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cut the shut the car door himself, the edge of the car door would actually hit him in the head and hurt him. And so at that point, I intervened, right, I carried him and I shut the car door myself. Well, at this he was just beside himself, he was very upset. And he just started crying hysterically and was very upset that he didn't get to do it the way he wanted, and get to get to, you know, shut the car door himself. And Subhanallah I was reflecting on the story and, and the fact that we we are much like you know, this child ourselves in our lives, that we want to do things a certain way. We want things to work out the way we want them to. And we don't see that sometimes things don't happen

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the way we want them. But it's because Allah subhanaw taala is intervening. And he knows best and sometimes Allah subhanaw taala is protecting us from harming ourselves. And it's a harm that we don't see, you know, just like that he did didn't see that, you know, that, that if he did it, if I let him do it the way he wanted to, he would hurt himself. He couldn't see that in in in the place where he was and Subhanallah this is this is how we are. We don't see the the unseen. We don't see the future we don't understand that we might really really want things to work out a certain way really want to marry a certain person really want to get into a certain school, you know, really

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want to have a particular degree or career or whatever it is, you know, from big to small. But we don't realize that that Allah Subhana Allah knows best and you know, this is what Allah reminds us in the hood an asset and Takahashi and Haydn lakum wasa and to hibou Shea and will overshadow nachum It may be that you hate something and it is good for you. And it may be that you love something and it is bad for you. And Allah knows and we do not know Allah sends the idea with this statement. Allah is the one who knows

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Best, Allah sees what we don't see. So we really need to have more trust in Allah subhanaw taala as you see, in this story, this this is among many beautiful stories about how things didn't work out the way he wanted. And to him, it seemed that, you know, the door had been closed. And he and he wanted to close the door, but he realizes, you know, like in the story of the surgeon, that alas pinata had something better planned for him, and Alo always has something better plan for us, but we we need to have more trust than we do. Allah subhanaw taala knows and we don't know. So inshallah continue to write your your stories. in the chat box. We have someone writes, my greatest gift has

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been my divorce I have learned about myself, and what I am made of during this time and I'm grateful to have a second chance at life love and happiness, and have the left for the grace of God and providing me

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and hamdulillah for the grace of God and providing me with everything I needed to exit my marriage with a healthy mind

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Subhana Allah and you know, this is this is a, again one of those those situations where we're alumnos and we don't know sometimes people consider the end of something as being, you know, the end of the world right and this is you know, sometimes how people how people treat it and yet Allah knows best sometimes the end is really a beginning and Allah knows best what, you know, where where our path leads. someone writes, I have been struggling with depression for the past two years, and now I come to realize my real purpose and hamdulillah This is the greatest gift for me from Allah does echolocate for your works. Sister gets me and you made a huge difference. The way I think now,

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Allahu Akbar hamdulillah This is a blessing from Allah subhanaw taala the way that we see the world, you know, it has everything to do with the way we respond. And one thing that you know, one thing that that a person sees us as being bad, if you have a different lens, you see it as good, you know, something is black, when you have a black lens, something is white, when you have a white lens, it all depends on what's the lens that you're using. And as we know that lens is the lens of the heart, the heart will see things as white if the heart is white, and will see things as black, if the heart is black, we ask Allah subhanaw taala to keep our lens, the lens of our heart clean, so that he can

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see things always as white inshallah.

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Someone says Subhana Allah amazing similar, my dream was to become a doctor, I failed the exam, my family was not supportive, and I was disappointed. But in the end, I realized these were signs of Allah, I ended up in another academic field, and working on a doctorate at hamdulillah. This opened my eyes, Allahu Akbar, again, you know, zpanel Allah is the best of planners and this person, you know, started out somewhere ended up somewhere completely different. I see this this story a lot, actually. One of the inspiring versions, you know, one of the inspiring examples of the story is actually my, my sister, my older sister, you know, many of you may have heard of her dead damaged

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heads. And you know, when you find out where she's at now, and then wish she started and it's like, no one could apply that but Allah subhana wa Tada. And, like, for example, like right now, you know, she was She's the director of the Gallup center for Muslim studies. And, you know, she had served as an advisor on with for Obama for a year appointment. And when you when you look at, you know, where her degree was, originally, she actually got a bachelor in chemical engineering. So Hannah law, and you find that, you know, that whenever she took, you know, a path, you know, you when you take the path in any kind of, you know, you take the path and you have the right intentions. Allah subhanaw

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taala. steers you. And somehow, you know, it's interesting, because when she, she got her degree in chemical engineering. And then she, you know, she started working and it wasn't in a field that she was actually very passionate about. It wasn't it wasn't her passion. And so she actually took a year maternity leave. And after she finished that year, she was supposed to be able to come back to work. But, you know, they didn't really know because she had been gone for a year, they ended up what they call packaging, her a packaging, her giving her a package, so that she could, you know, basically, they it's kind of like a fancy way of laying you off because you were gone for maternity leave. As a

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result of that. They gave her us, you know, like a scholarship to go back to school. And so she used that to actually go back and get her MBA. And after getting her MBA, she was hired by Gallup and Subhanallah when she was hired by Gallup, she started as a strength coach something completely different than where she ended up. And you know, Allah subhanaw taala had planned it for her and she ended up founding being the founder, you know, and director

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one of the founders and directors of Muslim studies at Gallup it didn't exist before. Before that and you see how the panel Allah led her there from a place you never would have imagined and it all happened because of things that you know you might not have expected it to be a good thing you know when she because it was because she was laid off of her job that she went back to school and then eventually ended up where she's at now and Pamela this is this is the way Allah subhana wa tada you know, works that that Allah has a plan for us that's far greater than any plans we could have for ourselves.

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Someone else has Pamela these stories, someone else writes cinema alikum sister, yes mean? Probably.

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It Oh, it's amazing. How many of us found peace of mind of peace of mind. In in these writings? Someone says How come?

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Yes, again, the similar stories upon the law.

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You know, one thing you'll realize when you when you reflect on these, these stories, is that again, the the blessings of Allah subhanaw taala come in different forms. Whenever we we look at something and we and we want to know, how should we respond and how should we interpret it? It's important that we understand that again, things are not often how they seem. If we if we put our trust in Allah subhana wa Tada. We'll see that Allah always makes a way out for us. One of my favorite is is is the idea that I remind you and myself of, and that's the idea that says what Allah Spano Tata says will mean your tequila, Allahu Maharaja, why it is a woman. hyphal is him. Whoever has taqwa of

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Allah. And taqwa is this consciousness of Allah subhanaw taala. fear of Allah protecting oneself from the displeasure of Allah Spano Tata, whoever has that quality, Allah always makes a way out for them, and protect and provides for them from places that they never imagined. Allah is is the one who always makes a way for you, no matter you know, no matter what the situation is, unless apana with Allah is the one who makes a way out and it's from places you know, you know, the second part of this, this passage in the next area of this is sort of the talaq Allah says and way as a woman hyphal a hero was saying that he provides for him from places that he never imagined. You know,

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sometimes we are looking in one direction, for the gift, we're looking in one direction for the provision of Allah subhana wa Tada. And yet, the provision comes from a completely different direction, one that we never expected. Sometimes this is, you know, this is kind of the theme of many of the stories that you've shared is this, that we thought, you know, that our path was in, in one place? Maybe we thought, you know, some of them. Some people had shared that with that they thought their path was in medical school or in moving to the United States or, or in, you know, sometimes marrying a certain person. And then you find that a lesson that I had something in store

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for me for you from a completely different direction. That's how Allah provides for us from places we never imagined. Someone asked which which sorta is that that's sort of the talaq and it's verses two and three have sort of the talaq Romania, tequila de la Maharaja, why are so human hifu like

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thank you very much for your for your very inspirational stories. We asked the last panel data to continue to bless all of you, and all of us with His gifts. And, you know, tune in to serenity regularly. We are now post Ramadan. Our schedule is Tuesdays and Thursdays and we and we are live at this time every Tuesday and Thursday. That's one o'clock pm Pacific, eight o'clock, GMT and four o'clock eastern standard time.

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We you know, we ask you to support the radio station. We We are a nonprofit. And this radio station is supported by listeners, please do support the radio station by clicking on become a member. What this does is it gives you the opportunity to support us so that we can continue to have these types of shows and we can continue to grow. If you can support and also please you know share it with your friends and family. We want to keep shows like this on air. We want to have this this for all of us. And you know, one of the things you'll find is we have an international community here. When you go on the chat box. If I were to ask everyone to write what country they're listening from in the chat

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box, you will find that Subhanallah we are international. We want to continue to have this this place.

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For us to come in and support one another, so please do become a member, support the radio station and and share this, this effort with your friends. We ask Allah subhanaw taala to, to make it you know to bless you all and continuously bless you with with the you know with these gifts and to always allow us to see things as they really are even when Allah subhanaw taala withholds from us to allow us to see how Allah subhanaw taala actually gives even when he withholds he gives someone you know share just now in the chat box I honestly thought that accepting my first job, everything would go smoothly, but that job didn't go well for me and I was offered a job that I rejected earlier at

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hamdulillah Praise be to Allah I never thought things would sort out for me these in this way. In supine Allah this so many stories like that a less pathetic takes care of it when you think that things are not working out a little has a different plan. inshallah continue to support the station. And you know, I'm going to take actually a moment right now and ask you to write in the chat box where you are listening from What country are you in? We have so far we have Belgium, Nayla from Belgium, Ollie writing from Pakistan. Guest 10 and 1001 does echolocating mean greetings from Finland? As you can see we are Subhanallah You know, I'm here in Southern California. But we connect

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with people all over the world. We have SPS from Houston Texas. And you know this is this is a you know anytime we we ask people to to really join in the conversation realize that you are communicating with with people from all over the world. We we have Canada Morocco now coming in on the chat box. May Allah subhanaw taala continue Egypt London Subhana Allah May Allah continue to make this a global effort and please please do support the radio station now we have Nina Nina Salaam to everyone from Algeria, Alabama. So so far we have Algeria Alabama, London, Egypt, Houston, Texas.

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hungry, Michigan, Bangladesh, Morocco, Canada, Houston, Finland, Pakistan and Belgium. So Panama

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and New Hampshire,

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Canada, Kashmir, India

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Mashallah, I didn't Yes, Panama.

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Alabama, we have we have more international than I had expected. So Panama inshallah I ask everybody to please keep keep this this oma in your eyes, all those suffering all over the world. And we ask Allah subhanaw taala that we will always be grateful for the gifts that he's given us. And that we will continue to be gifted by Allah subhana wa Tada. You know, and with with the greatest gifts of Alice pannacotta which is near and dear to him, including Connie Heather was tough for a lot he will echo in the hava formula him was Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.