Abdur Raheem Green – How Do You Represent Islam

Salam Alaikum brothers and sisters Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah number one a stain on a stone. Now all the below human shiradi and fusina women say it I'm Elena Maria de la fille mo Delilah. When may you little filler ha de la, la la la la la la la sharika cola. Why should you Annette Mohammedan Abu hora. So we begin by praising Allah, we praise Him and we seek His help and we ask for his forgiveness. And we take refuge with Allah from the evil of ourselves, and from the evil consequences of our evil actions. Anyone whom Allah guides, no one can misguide. But anybody whom Allah leaves to go astray, no one can guide and I testify. I bear witness that Allah, the creator,

alone is worthy of being worshipped. And I also testify that Mohammed, may Allah peace and blessings be upon him is the servants of Allah and His final messenger. I just came last week from a conference in in Malaysia. And Mashallah, is this brother?

His name is Omar Reagan.

That's like an oxymoron. Like Omar.

You know, Omar, you think of Reagan.

Ronald Reagan. It's like those those two names should not be going together. But this this brother, Omar Reagan, he's a comedian. He's really funny. And martial law. Yeah, I have to stand close to the Can I actually hold the mic? Yeah, he's a comedian, martial artist. He is he's really funny.

He's not, you know, I think I think I can be funny as a normal.

He stood up on the stage and said, Oh, I want the chef. You know, I want to get the chef badge. You know, the chef status? Yeah. Because there was chef of this. And she was doing introducing everybody. And, you know, he was hoping that maybe he'd get a bit of sort of someone call him a chef. You see, the thing is, rather than sisters and I said, I said this actually,

on the stage, is, you know what, it's actually not a bad thing. Being a comedian.

It's, it's, you know, being a chef is a bit dangerous. When people start quoting you, Chef, it's a little bit dangerous. And I'll tell you a story about myself. Not that I think of myself as a chef, but people call me Chef abderrahim. Right. And there was a time I was working with a particular organization as quite a high profile guy in this organization, Mashallah. And, you know, one of my shifts, one of my teachers, you know, he said to me, I've got a hain, he said, You have to watch out when people start copying you and imitating you. It's very dangerous. What shall and it happened that I had long hair. Right? That, you know, at that time, I really look like Jesus, right? If

people think I do like Jesus, now that I really like Jesus, then you know, even brothers sit up to him, you know, why did you cut your hair? You know, I love that Jesus look, right. And like I used to tie I used to tie my hair up in a ponytail.

Because it just otherwise used to go all over the place. And then Subhana Allah, a lot of brothers, quite a few brothers also started to grow their hair long, and tie their hands in ponytails. So this shave had come from Jordan. And they're going, gee, what is this? How they any you know, what's this? What's this thing the brothers are doing is very strange brothers. Why are you doing? They said the chef had some Nah.

He says

this is not some that are what makes you think it's some of this all under him is doing it.

And that's it. They thought cuz I was doing it. It was Sunday.

And this is why the shirts that I've got him You have to watch it. When people look at you, and they start imitating you. Because they think this is from the dean. It's very dangerous. But you know, that's, you know, from that light point brothers and sisters have a very serious point to a very, very serious point.

What do you think?

When the non Muslims look at us?

What do you think when the non Muslims look at us?

What do they think? What do you think they think Islam is?

Because you are whether you like it or not

an example

I know this is gonna sound strange. You may not even think this, but somewhere deep down inside. These people know that Islam is the truth. They know it's in the fitrah Islam is the the the natural it's the nature of human beings.

to surrender to God is the nature of human beings,

even in their terminology, brothers and sisters, right? If you follow a sports,

right? If you follow a sports, for example, if you are a mountain biker, or you are into skiing, or you're into road biking, or you're into anything like that, they say such and such place is a mecca for skiers, or is a mecca for mountain bikers. Right? What does that mean? they mean by that? If you're serious about the thing that you do, you have to go to that place at least once in your lifetime. That's what it means. It's even in their language brothers and sisters. I'm asking you, when they look at us,

what do they think? Imagine yourself as a non Muslim. And you should do that really?

You know, the quality of empathy brothers and sisters, being empathetic is the basis of all morality in human interactions.

Empathy is being able to understand how other people feel. Empathy doesn't mean what would I do if I was that person? No, no. You need to feel how that person is feeling.

You need to be able to think like that. So now I want you to put yourself in the shoes of a Gora. Yeah.

Agoura and Newcastle, right. And this Gora, right he's looking at the Muslims, she's looking at the Muslims from the outside. And by looking at the Muslims, he or she has to try and figure out what is the main message of the book of the Muslims the Quran?

Yeah, so she's looked, they're looking at us. And that's all they have to do that to look at us. And by looking at us, they're gonna have to figure out what is the main message of the Quran?

So imagine I'm imagining I'm looking, and I'm looking I'm saying right, there must be a lot of stuff in the Quran about halau meats.

Because you know what? Hello me. Yeah, hello. The Muslims talk about halloumi they eat so much halau meat? Yeah, and there's so many halloumi shops, maybe 50% of the Quran is about halloumi

Yeah, think about it seriously.

I wonder how many non Muslims by we don't we don't need to move outside this room, brothers and sisters, let's look at ourselves. Honestly, every one of you look at yourself.

How many of your non Muslim neighbors how many of your non Muslim work colleagues How many of you are non Muslim friends

through their interaction with you would be able to say that the single most important message that you would get from reading the Quran if you read it with understanding

the most important message is that you have to call people and invite people to the worship of the One God alone.

Because brothers and sisters Believe me. If you haven't read the Quran in a language you can understand, read it. And you tell me honestly.

The stories in the Quran we all agree I hope we all agree that the Quran is what the Quran is a book of what. It's a book of what what is it? It's a book of

Okay, what does it say? Alif Lam Meem then he callkit turbo la right Buffy hood. Dan Lin Mata Ki What does that mean? I left la meme. Then he Kalki turbo. This is the book love Iver fi without doubt hooked done. Lin Mata teen What's that mean?

guidance for the upright people. So therefore, right in chapter number two, almost the beginning of the Quran. Allah tells us what is the purpose of the Quran. The Quran is a book of what guidance, guidance. The Quran is a book to show you and to teach you how to behave and how to live.

So hamdulillah we can all agree on that right? Okay. The second thing?

Do we all agree that the best human beings that ever lived were the prophets. Yes. Every Muslim has to believe that if you don't believe that, you

Almost in our belief, the best of all human beings were the prophets. They were the messengers. They are the best of all the human beings in indeed the best, the best of all created things

and doesn't occur and tell us the stories of profits, yes or no. So we have the story of Adam alayhis salaam. We have the story of Ibrahim, we have the story of Musa we have the story of aisyah. And of course there is there is it well, directly there's many things about Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the Quran, and many, many other prophets. I'm only a North la ceram, the five the five strong prophets. The five strong prophets is Ibrahim is no well no alayhis salaam, Ebrahim Moosa Isa Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. So we won't go through the story of all of the prophets. But let's look at these stories now. Why did Allah tell us the stories of the prophets?

Why?

So we could sit down Are you are you you in bed now Fatima in bed now? Abdullah? Yes. Okay. Once upon a time, there was a man called No.

Is that what this the Quran the stories of the prophets are bedtime stories for children?

fairy tales once upon a time? No, no, this is history. My brothers and sisters, this is history. This is the real history of the worlds.

This is reality. This is the most important events in human history. And Allah is telling us these things in the Quran. And the Quran is a book of guidance. These stories, brothers and sisters are supposed to be guidance for us. They're supposed to motivate us. They're supposed to inspire us. They're supposed to move us to action.

So when we read about know alayhis salaam

I have a challenge. It's very interesting.

Can anyone describe to me from the Quran? The Salah of no?

How did no pray?

Anyone know?

Can anyone tell me about the tahajud? The night prayer of north from the Quran?

How about his sadaqa his charity? How about his social welfare program and is looking after the orphans and the widows and can you tell me anything from that about from the Quran about no alayhis salaam?

Can you tell me about his Vicar or his Zakat, his remembering Allah, and how much Vicar he used to make

and how many hours he used to spend in the masjid

and how he used to renounce the world and the things you know, cuz I'm saying things that most of us if you think of a pious man, you think of a man who goes to the mosque five times a day, you know, he will somehow he will be fasting Mondays and Thursdays you will make lots of luck, the vicar he will give lots of sadaqa he won't care about the dunya and the things that's what you see, this is what we normally it's what we've been conditioned. We think, Oh, that's a pious man. You know, Sufi sob.

Right? You grow a beard in Pakistan, the Camila Sufi southeaster I went I went years ago, maybe it's changed now. Because they think you look like a pious man if you have a beard. Right?

This is what we think. Yet brothers and sisters. In the whole of the story of Noah alayhis. Salaam, you will not find a lot describing anything about his praying anything about his charity, anything about his fasting alayhis salaam, the whole of the story of no alayhis salaam all of it is about what

is about dour not to do. Yeah. inviting people for dinner. Yeah, no doubt means it's all about his inviting and calling his people to Islam for 950 years. The whole of this story and he is the best amongst the best of human beings. And that story is supposed to be an inspiration and a motivation and a guidance for us.

But even if you look, it's not just no look at Ebrahimi listener. Look at the story of Abraham.

The story of Abraham most of what we find in the Qur'an about Ibrahim alayhis salaam is his dour, his dour to his people.

How he makes them think about the stars which they worship and the moon.

in which they worship and the sun which they worship, how he makes them think about the idols which they worship, why none of these things are worthy of worship. This is a story brothers and sisters of dour why it's not supposed to be bedtime stories. This is supposed to motivate us and galvanize us into action.

And this is what you find is one of the strongest recurring themes of the Quran. Indeed, Allah says in the Quran, Allah khutbah is not the only Amati Nora sola. And now Abdullah he was talking about that Allah subhanaw taala is telling us he did not send any profit to his people excepts except that he called them to worship Allah, and avoid the worship of the false gods. This is the mission of every single prophet is to call people away from a worship of the creation, from the worship of false gods to the worship of Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the earth alone, to single out Allah for worship. This is the task of the messengers. This is the task of the messengers, brothers

and sisters. But if you look at the oma of Muhammad, sallallahu alayhi wasallam today,

where is this work?

Where is this now?

Who are the people calling to Allah?

Where are they? Now? I know some of you think I'm not a scholar. You know, I have found I have to say, honestly, since we started this organization, I era the Islamic education and research Academy, which What is unique about this organization, brothers and sisters, what, maybe not totally unique, but I think it's pretty much unique is that we are completely focused on TAO to non Muslims, that is the reason we exist. Lots of people have said, abderrahim, you need to do stuff for the youth. I said, You know what, we're already doing stuff for the youth. I tell you what, the best way to help your youth is to get them involved in dow

Believe me.

If you want to help the youth, get them involved in dow.

If you want to see this oma change, we need to change our attitude. How much longer brothers and sisters, are we going to argue about whether you raise your hands making a fire Dean in prayer or not? Shall I put my hands here or here or here? Shall I put my finger finger with my finger? How many How much longer? We've been arguing about this for 1003 400 years? About what I will lay?

Ask any Imam

if he has any knowledge, ask him. does this affect the validity of my Salah?

Does it affect the validity of my Salah if I put my hands here or here or there? Does that affect the validity of my Salah? Anyone who knows fic will tell you it doesn't affect the validity of your Salah at all. Yeah, we spent hours writing on the internet bickering and arguing with each other about these things. Yet the person right next door to us. Like yous have told us the non Muslim next daughter's 30 years heard nothing about Islam.

You think you're gonna meet along the Day of Judgment with that and be safe?

You think this is what Allah subhanaw taala wants? Is this what Allah revealed knowledge for?

But this is our own man, I'm sorry to say.

We have been paralyzed by our infighting, our bickering about what about what most of it about what

Subhana Allah

and the world is out there brothers and sisters, still millions upon millions upon millions of human beings who have not heard the message of Islam. And you know what, that's the difference. You know, there are many differences between us and the Sahaba. One of the biggest differences is that a class really that's it, the biggest difference between us and them, I think was their sincerity, their complete and total sincerity. This is what they learn from the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, real airfloss really, really to do everything purely and sincerely for the sake of Allah Subhana Allah to Allah.

And he was also the shocker, that gratitude to Allah. They were truly grateful for what Allah subhanaw taala had given them

and the greatest thing they were grateful for was the

of Islam, the blessing of Islam. They knew that the greatest blessing in this dunya was not wealth was not the material wealth. It was the guidance that Allah subhanaw taala had given them, and how did they show that gratitude? You show gratitude with your eyes? How do you show Allah you are grateful for your eyes by looking at that which is pleasing to Allah. And not by looking at that which is displeasing to Allah.

When you look at that, which is haraam? This is in gratitude.

That's in gratitude.

Right?

You will understand that in your everyday life, all of you, with your friends, with your children. If you give your children something, and you expect your children to use this for some good thing, and they use that thing, and they abuse it, and they misuse it, what do you say, You ungrateful child? So are you saying right?

So Allah has given us gifts? It's the same thing. What do you use your eyes for these his brothers and sisters? What do you use it for?

How much time do we spend with these eyes with these ears, listening and watching that which is haraam? That's in gratitude to Allah, this tongue, this and what topples people on their faces into Hellfire except the harvest of that tongues as the Prophet said, what do we use this tongue for? How much backbiting, how much slander how much idle talk?

This is in gratitude to Allah. If you are grateful to Allah, you use your eyes, you use your ears, you use your mouth, you use your limbs, you use your youth, you use your energy, you use your wealth, whatever you have you use it in a way that is pleasing to Allah. This brothers and sisters is what the Sahaba had. But I'll tell you one other thing they had,

I believe they had a predominantly outward looking mentality.

They were looking out with I'm not they of course they can care about Muslims. Of course, they spent time with Islam and tarbiyah. They never would have got to the level a they had if they hadn't. But fundamentally brothers and sisters, they were looking outwards. They were looking to how can we deliver this message of Islam to those people who are not yet Muslim. And I want to tell you a story.

From the companions is probably one of my

it's just an amazing incident brothers and sisters.

There was a companion cooler a beer, and we only know about this companion through this story. We don't have any howdy from him. We don't have all we know about this one companion is from this story. When the Muslims were fighting the Persians. This is after the death of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam the Muslims are fighting the Persians

and the famous Persian general rostrum.

He wanted to talk to the Muslims. So he told them to send an ambassador. So who do the Muslim send? They send that obeah

and he now you have to imagine this scene. Right. He comes to the tent of rostrum. rostrum is this general.

This tent, this huge tent, the carpet brothers and sisters of this tent, the carpet is encrusted in precious stones. Can you imagine? Imagine you walk on a carpet and sewn into the carpet? Are emeralds and rubies and Sapphire and diamonds? Can you imagine?

My shot

that's what we'd be doing right?

But how does it have a accompany comes with his spear.

He's walking, digging his sweet doesn't even look. He doesn't even he's not even just walking, digging his spear into the carpet. He comes up to where the general is sitting on his throne.

And Robbie comes and sits right down next to him. So the soldiers grab because the generals are like gods.

He grabs they grab their B and they throw him on the ground. So the B gets up.

And he says we used to think you are intelligent people. But now we can see you are really stupid

because some of you behave like law

over the other.

He said, What do you want? I didn't come here from my own accord you invited me? What do you want?

This is how he's talking to the general, the leader General of the Persian armies. So this Persian General, he says, Why are you fighting us? What do you want, you want money, we'll give you money. You want sheep? Will you want goats, we'll give you goats and sheep. You want women, we'll give you women, whatever you want, we'll give it to you. Just go back to the desert where you came from.

And then there'll be a said these words, brothers and sisters of Hana law. These words passed down in history,

and Subhanallah, to think that I am repeating 1400 years later, I'm repeating these words today in English. He says, We have come to take the people away from the worship of men, to the worship of Allah, we have come to take people away from the injustice of manmade religion, to the justice of Islam, we have come to take people away from the narrowness of this life to the vast expanse of this life in the next

amazing words.

That's what we we win. We don't care about money. We don't care about sheep and land and goats and women and gold. And we've come to save your people from that tyranny and the oppression of man made religions. We've come to save them from them worshipping you, we've come to liberate humanity. That's what you say.

You see what I mean, brothers and sisters, they were outward looking. Did they meet these Persians?

Did they know who these people were? These oppressed masses in Roman Persia across the world? Did they know them? They didn't know them. They just knew they're humans were humans. And we've got this beautiful message of Islam. It's liberated us, it took us away from burying our daughters alive.

It took us away from treating women like possessions. And a man would inherit his father's wives along with the camels and the goats and the sheep, and he would sleep with his stepmother. That's how it used to be. That's the janelia. That's the depth of ignorance they were in. And I could go on and on.

Now, and they realize that Allah had sent this guidance is slam had lifted them from this filth, this way of this evil way of life, worshipping other than Allah, following nothing but nonsense, and Allah had elevated them. And Allah had given this guidance, and they Subhana Allah knew the sweetness and the delight of knowing Allah and worshiping Him and calling upon him.

And Allah subhanaw taala, forgiving them.

They tasted it. And you know what? They wanted it for everybody else, brothers and sisters, and they were ready to give their lives ready to give their lives. So people so you, in fact, brothers and sisters, so you, your grandmother, and your grandfather, your father and your mother, your grandmother and your grandfather, so they could be Muslim?

How, how is it brothers and sisters, that your ancestors came to hear about Islam? Somewhere along the line, Islam was brought to your ancestors.

Someone sacrifice their time, their money their life,

to bring you Islam.

And that's because this is the attitude the Sahaba had. Now, the story doesn't finish there. Because then brothers and sisters, and this is important.

The Persian general rostrum, he says after the speech of Arabia, only a few lines, but what an amazing speech. He says to be a you the leader of these people. He thinks that he's the leader. He thinks is that a mirror moment in he thinks this guy is the leader?

He says no.

He says, Well, are you a general?

He says no. He says, Who are you? He says I'm just an ordinary soldier amongst them.

You see brothers and sisters, the one point I want to make from this is you don't need to be a scholar.

To invite people to Islam

you don't need to be a scholar.

Because if you really live Islam brothers and sisters, Islam will make you like that.

Islam will make you like that.

You know, that's it brothers and sisters, it's your job to pass in the message. If you don't know how Believe me Believe me, brothers and sisters is easy. It's easy. Give us one day I can teach you how to give down in one day.

The basics of dow I don't even need one day even I in two hours. I could give you enough. It's not difficult brothers and sisters. Most of the stuff you need to give down you already know it.

Right. But the one thing I can't teach you in any course is commitment. sacrifice, love for Allah. Love for his Deen. That has to come from inside you. You can't learn that. And of course I can teach you what to say. But I can't give you the motivation. I can't make you love Allah. I can't make you truly love the prophets of Allah awesome. I don't mean just saying I love the Prophet. Anyone can say that. really loving the Prophet because if you really love the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, you will love what he loved, you will love to do what he loves to do. And he loved to call the people to Islam. That was his total focus in his life, to call the people who are not Muslim to

Islam. If you don't believe me read his serum. And maybe that's a topic for another lecture or another talk not a lecture but another talk. Anyway, my time was up like five minutes ago because I was just enjoying myself and Sharla getting warmed up so right May Allah bless you. It's great to be back here in Newcastle after a bit of an absence. May Allah bless all of you may have like died all of those of you who donated May Allah reward you amply may you see the goodness of it in this life and the next day I lost montilla put it in your hessonite on the Day of Judgment. Zakat salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah