Paths to Peace #16

Allahu wa Barakatuh

Shala continuing with our series paths of peace, where we look at and explored the theme of peace and tranquility and serenity in the Quran, and tried to derive lessons about acquiring peace and tranquility within our own lives. Today we're going to take a look at a verse and rather a passage where Allah subhanaw taala talks about the concept of a Thoma Nina, we talked about this a few sessions ago, we talked about this earlier in the month. But the menina in the Arabic language refers to sukoon with a

kind of a stillness of the heart, a calmness, a serenity, that a person is able to feel internally.

And Allah connects this concept. Very specifically to Salah to prayer in Surah number four in Surah Nisa

dimension of the concept of tama, Nina is in ayah, number one 103.

But we're going to start by looking at it number 101. because it sets the stage and it creates it creates a premise.

Allah subhanaw taala and I number one, he says what he thought the optimum fill out of the that when you are traveling in the earth, that you are on a journey. You are not at home, you are not in your locale, but you're on the road, you're traveling and factor in what that meant. What that means historically and classically, what traveling would mean historically for people,

Felisa Alikum Juna Han and Takasu Mina salah, then Allah says that you are allowed to shorten to abbreviate your prayer. Now that's something that we already know. We know that we can shorten our prayers when we travel. But what's very important to note, what Allah is saying there, Allah did not say Felisa Alikum Janaka true qu a Salah

Allah did not say that look, you're traveling, walking through the desert,

undergoing great difficulty experiencing great, you know, adversity, that it's okay if you don't pray.

Allah said, no, no, it's okay for you to shorten the prayer. And what we understand from that is, Allah is actually telling us you still have to pray.

You can pray shorter, but you still have to pray in Half Dome and 15 accumulate in a cathedral particularly if you're afraid of an attack from the disbelievers from the enemy in McAfee Rena cannula, because these disbelievers are very clear outright enemies of you.

Then an ayah number 102. Allah tells us something even more remarkable. Allah addresses the prophets, Allah these gentlemen, he says what you couldn't have he him

that because you are amongst them.

But does that mean? So Allah is now going to describe the scene in the battlefield? If you are in the course of war, the trenches are dug.

The two enemies are lined up opposite to one another.

And there is a battle that is occurring.

And while that battle continues on, for who knows, days, maybe even weeks,

that what about what do you do during that time because you have to constantly be vigilant. There are teams and shifts and you know, it's just constant turmoil. Anything can occur at any time you don't know what the other side is thinking, let alone what they're planning and doing. So you just have to be vigilant all the time.

So now, naturally, you will be excused from praying.

But Allah says, No,

you still pray.

You still pray with Allah petofi Attend first go to was Corolla cathedra Allah Allah come to flee.

Because you never won in the battlefield because you had the bigger sword.

You never won in the battlefield because you had more weapons. You didn't win in the battlefield because you had more numbers where you have a hernia is adjuvant concasseur to confirm toniann Come shake? Well, Dhaka and they come out of the Remora but thermowell laden with beating allah says remember the Battle of her name, you outnumbered your enemy 321 For the first time in sama history, the Muslims outnumbered the enemy in the Battle of her name in the eighth year of Hijra after the conquest of Mecca. 12,000 Muslims 4000 of the enemy you had the numbers and what happened? The Earth felt like it started to first of all, you became diluted by your numbers. Oh, today's the day.

You already planned the parade.

And what ended up happening

You became diluted, overconfident, and then it felt like the Earth was shrinking around you started getting anxious and nervous.

And then what happened? You turned around and you started to run into each other. And many of you started to flee from the battlefield.

So you never won because of your numbers. You didn't win because you had more weapons. You didn't win because of any of this. You won because you had along your side. What kind of Harken Allina meaning you are Allah with you. And that's why Allah says when you face the enemy, stand firm and remember Allah, Allah, remember Allah Allah, your tongue should move more than your hands and your arms are moving. Your tongue should be moving in the battlefield more than your arms, arms and legs. The vicar of Allah should be dominant in the battlefield, that is your primary weapon.

And so Allah is describing the scene in the battlefield and we would assume Okay, now you're excused from praying, but Allah says, no, no, absolutely not. Okay, then maybe you can pray in shifts. That's a logical solution. But there was a problem. And I'll present the problem to you and you tell me how you feel

that we create group A and group B. Group A is going to go pray, and then they come back and then Group B will go pray. logical solution, absolutely. Create more groups if you need to.

But the problem is, there's one Muhammad Rasulullah, Salah Lisa,

and everybody wants to pray with him. Because if this is going to be my last prayer on this earth, if this is going to be the last time that I pray in this world in this life, I want it to be with Muhammad Rasul Allah Azza Lamesa.

So the Prophet sallallahu sallam said, Okay, group A, group B, all right, group A, let's go praying group is like, Excuse me What?

I'm gonna go pray with them. What about us?

Well, y'all can pray after we're done. None of us we want to pray with you. You pray with us. Yeah, rasool Allah please. And then it creates a scenario. Now everybody wants to pray with the prophets. Allah loves him. How do you do that? So Allah said, Let me tell you how you do that for Kampala, masala.

And it's a very lengthy idea.

So I won't test your, you know,

ability to pay attention.

But Allah basically says you create two groups, the prophets, Allah the some starts to pray. One group prays with him. The prophets have some kind of pauses in the middle of the prayer, they finish up their prayer, then they go back to the frontlines does the prophets Hassan was kind of paused after one raka the second group will come pray wonder call with him. And then as he concludes, then they'll finish their prayer. And then they'll go back to the front line. And now everyone's done. Everyone got to do half their prayer with the Prophets lesson. Because half a prayer with the prophets are so much better than a lifetime of prayer by yourself.

And but the point here is that even in the thick of battle, Allah said, you still have to pray. That's the moral of the story. And so then an i in number 103, Allah says for either for the two most salata

that when you are done, praying,

faithful, Allah heracleum and will corrode and voila, you know, become

that then continue to remember Allah, whether you are standing or sitting or lying on your side, always be engaged in the remembrance of Allah. For you, that's number two.

And then when you finally are past the battle, you are done with the travel. You find yourself back at home, in the comfort of your home, in the safety of your home,

in the warmth of your bed.

For Aki masala, don't forget to pray.

Because that peace and tranquility of the heart, that serenity that you're searching for, can only be found in prayer. It can't be found anywhere else. So whether you're in the comfort of your own home, or you are traveling on the road, or you are literally in the middle of a battlefield.

If you stay connected to Allah,

that is where the tranquility of the heart confirm no matter how much the world around, you might be moving and shaking. You will always you will always have that calm.

You will always experience that inner peace and calm because you are connected to Allah. Prayer is the anchor

that keeps us tied down.

Prayer is that thing that holds us down and lets us know that we're okay.

Because we're connected to Allah. And that's why at the end of all of this, Allah says in the salata, kanatal me Nina Kitab, a Makuta. That indeed, prayer is a fixed obligation with specific times that is mandatory upon the believers.

That prayer is

Something that is not optional. It's something we have to do, but it's also something we need to do.

And the perfection of prayer is when we learn to abide by the timings of the prayer, and then our entire day, by means of this prayer spread out throughout the day, will become filled and connected with the remembrance of Allah subhanaw taala. And Allah subhanaw taala throughout the Quran keeps reminding us of not just prayer, but specifically about the timings of the prayer. And I know that's something that everyone struggles with.

It's hard to maintain the timings of the prayer all the time in the different situations we have in life, but it's something we have to keep striving for. It's not something we can give up onto easily. It's something we have to maintain and we have to keep working at. Have you do Allah salatu wa salatu salam. Allah tells us in Surah Tilly Surah Alchemist salata, lilulu Patience Isla Hasakah Layli Walker, an infection from the midday into the night on the all the way back around to further time. Take care of the prayer for Subhan Allah He hated him Sunnah wa Hina to speak

glorify God in the evening and then once again in the morning. Well I will have to fish some out you will rd why she young we're here to hit on that All praise belongs to Allah in the heavens and the earth in the evening. And also in the afternoon. Up the Miss salata thought of a in a hurry was will have a middle lane, remember to pray to Allah on both ends of the day, and also at night, was a bit behind the Rebecca Kabbalah to Lewisham, Shiva Kabbalah who Rubia woman, Allah Layli for Sabir, that Allah says, glorify and praise your Lord, before the sunrises, before the sunsets and also throughout the night. Time and time again, Allah is reminding us to be connected to Allah throughout

the day. And that is the secret to attaining that calmness, that once again, no matter how much disarray and chaos, there might be in the world around us, we will always be at peace and tranquility. That's what the prophets Allah the sound was. The army is out the gates, the winds are blowing, the streets are flooding, people are starving.

And he would say, joy, let Cobra to it for Salah.

My peace and tranquility is in prayer. Because I know through that prayer, I will spread my hands before Allah and any problem can be solved. May Allah subhanaw taala grant his steadfastness and stability with our prayer. May Allah subhanaw taala make the prayer, the coolness of our eyes and the serenity of our hearts. May Allah subhanaw taala May Allah always keep us connected to him and allow us to taste the sweetness of prayer. I mean yeah blood I mean Subhan Allah we humbly he Subhanak Allah be Hambrick, masha Allah ilaha illa Anta nessa for one or two quick summary cannot Allah