Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – 2012 Olympics in Muslim London

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim Al Hamdulillah hamdulillah Muhammad

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sallallahu Taala are they who are the early he was so happy about

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mighty respected elders, brothers listeners and sisters at home

Assalamu alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh.

We have

something which everybody has been speaking about. For the last

several months, the last year more than a year, it's finally upon us.

We're in the midst of the blessed month of Ramadan, and Olympics are

about to begin, it would be very remiss of us to not speak about

it, because it's something that affects us directly, especially us

as this community here in this area, because of being so close to

the Olympic venue about 10 minutes away. So this is one of the areas

which is going to be impacted by the Olympics. And as I've heard a

few people saying already, that I hate the Olympics, because it's

caused a lot of traffic for my business route. So I can no longer

go there and do my business so easily because there's too many

traffic, curbs and restrictions. So I have to take a longer route.

So there are people who are condemning the Olympics like that

because it spoiled their daily lifestyle as such. For other

people, it's been better for example, in one aspect for people

who found difficulty parking, I guess because of the parking

restrictions in some areas, it's made it easy that mashallah I

always find parking, for example, right? So you look at the bright

side of it, that was there is one bright side of it in the month of

Ramadan. In that sense, at least you find parking, you don't have

to keep going around, round and round to look for parking. But

these are some of the minor things. Essentially, in the short

time that we have we have, we have to speak about two

responsibilities. Firstly, it's the month of Ramadan,

being the month of Ramadan, and even if it was not the month of

Ramadan, Muslims don't have time to waste.

There are halal forms of enjoyment

clearly defined. And then there are cases where many other things

become involved in that, unfortunately, where big events

like this happen, though there may be some aspects of it, which may

be praiseworthy competition or whatever it may be. However, there

are many other things that come along with it, for example, in

South Africa when the football was played a few years ago.

And likewise here, this is discussion that because of the

huge amounts of people that will be coming along, things like

prostitution will increase. Because people who come along they

need that as an outlet just like they need food, they need this. So

there will be so many people coming in to provide this kind of

an issue. Then there's a whole capitalistic aspects behind the

whole Olympics of making money, the sponsorship, the huge amounts

of money that are supposed to be generated, well, la Harlem exactly

what the benefit there is for London, aside from the fact that

there is the the point that they've hosted the Olympics, a

sense of pride and so on. Today is not the time for us to speak about

the ethical aspects of it.

Simply put, we are in the midst of Ramadan, and we don't have a

moment to waste. According to the aroma the benefits of the month of

Ramadan. We can understand from a hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu

alayhi wa sallam. The Prophet sallallahu sallam said if a person

misses a fast in the month of Ramadan, without any excuse, and

then to make that up, he fasted for his entire life outside the

month of Ramadan. Going forward, every other day of his life, he

fasted he would not be able to recoup the same reward that he

missed for that one day of fast. The reason for this is quite

clear.

For that amount of concentrated rewards and benefits and mercy and

Rama and everything else, it's so intense in the month of Ramadan,

that multiple days fasted outside of the month of Ramadan cannot

make that up.

We don't have a moment to waste, we've got many things that we have

to do our Quran, we have to read and worships that we have to do

and essentially purify ourselves. This is not the time of enjoyment.

Essentially, for most people Olympics is going to be a time for

enjoyment, to go and watch something to relax to be among the

crowd. And then with the sun, it just makes it even worse, because

then people don't even dress properly. And that's another big

fitna, and we can't be destroying our first. So definitely, there

are a lot of ethical issues involved in there. However, we

have another responsibility. And that is the main point of my

discussion today.

The Olympics are happening regardless of whether somebody

wants it or not. Whether the detractors of it, were against it,

and those who are for it, it's happening, it's there, it's around

the corner, and you will be affected by it. Even when you go

to your local as the enlighten. Right, there are already these

tents outside which will be which is kind of like an overflow area

for people to come and buy things, food, cafes, etc, etc. So you're

going to be affected by it. Another very interesting thing

about these Olympics this in London this year, historically

speaking, historically speaking, according to records go is that

this is going to be the most Muslim of Olympics.

According to Time Magazine, this is going to be one of the most

Muslim of Olympics for a number of reasons. One reason, which we have

nothing to do with is that it's going to have the highest level of

Muslim competitors. Olympians, Muslims who will take part in the

Olympics

is going to have the highest level again, that's nothing that we we

can do anything about. But there's another aspect. No Muslim country

has ever hosted the Olympics. Turkeys put a bid in, but it but

they haven't won any bids yet and no Muslim country or Muslim

majority city has ever hosted the Olympics. This city London with

hundreds of 1000s of Muslims is the first city that will have the

largest Muslim population when an Olympics are going to be held, and

moreso the location in which it's being held, essentially Hackney

and Waltham Forest and

Newham heavily Muslim areas, heavily Muslim areas with a Muslim

presence, clear Muslim presence, men with beards, hats, Islamic

tunics and garments, women with all the way from hijabs to niqabs

throughout. So the

hundreds of 1000s of the multiple people that will be coming from

all countries in the world that may have never seen a Muslim

before except on TV.

Who may have never seen a Muslim, a decent Muslim person, except on

TV where they've probably been shown all the notorious

individuals, they are coming into a venue into an area where there's

going to be a huge Muslim presence. The next best thing to a

Muslim country Subhanallah we have a responsibility being so close.

Even if we're even if we're not going to watch any athletics or

any Olympics, or into the stadium, when you go to do your local

shopping. Many people in fact here our congregants may be working in

the Olympics. The other day, I was in the next message, Clapton

masjid, and there was somebody at the back, and he had left his coat

and everything and essentially he was working for the Olympics. So

we have many people who are working, either as drivers taxis,

within a Stuart's or whatever it may be, there is a responsibility

that we as Muslims have, we could use this at this point in time,

just by acting as good Muslims to be the form of the greatest Dawa

that we could have ever done. Maybe. The reason is there are

there are huge amounts of people that are coming from countries

that they don't see Muslims, especially not Muslims that are

dressed the way unless they go to a Muslim country. And they some of

them are fearful of going to a Muslim country because of all that

has been fed to them in the media

and some of the acts that have been perpetrated before in the you

know, in the name of Islam as such.

This is a time for us to show our best example. And one thing we

have to understand that there is no welcome there's no ruling in

Islam that when you see another non Muslim that you must act badly

with them. Cases of war when you're at war with somebody is a

different situation. One needs to one needs to differentiate between

that essentially Allah subhanaw taala.

In the Quran, wala tester will hustler to one

A year.

Good and bad, good and evil can never be equal and can never be

the same. But it the ability here, axon, repel, respond in a way that

is excellent. That is beautiful.

And then Allah subhanaw taala says for Intel DB Nico Urbina, who are

the one who will be your homies. And it is then very likely, and

very possible, that the one between whom you and him are you

and that person was enmity,

created by the media created by many things that are beyond our

control. In many cases, for you, between you and such a person, you

can, you can become a close and dear friend, while you and as

though you're a close and dear friend, people will be coming here

if they see the excellent character of a Muslim.

That despite the fact that they're dressed as Muslims, they are

overtly clearly openly Muslims, they're treating me nicely. This

is very different from what I've been seeing on the media. This is

very different from what I've been hearing about what people are

saying, what's been in my mind for the last 10 years. And it is

possible that by that they see, and then the spark of Islam enters

their heart, we have to have an intention of Dawa, we have to have

an intention of invitation. Invitation is not just to lazy

Muslims, but invitation is also to non Muslims to share this great

faith of ours. And believe me, there is greater benefit, there is

such great benefit in doing that the rewards that you get from an

accent or old amendment that are Illallah were I mean, Assadi her

we'll call her in the new middle Muslimeen a number of things I

mentioned here, who better in speech than the one who calls to

Allah subhanho wa Taala to the way of Allah subhanho wa taala.

What Amina Saleh about us have to do good. You have to do Amazon a

good action. And you have to be proud of your faith. There are

many Muslims who do there are many Muslims who do Dawa to non

Muslims, but they're not willing to express their own and expose

their own identity properly. But this one is what color in any

minute Muslimeen clearly declared declares that I am also a

believer, and does the good deed to show it. That's important.

It's it's praised the people who, despite the fact that they had non

Muslim prisoners, the Muslims were hospitable Muslims are great his

hospitality and generosity where you

could be miskeen and way a team and what is Iran, that they will

feed despite the own love for the food and need for the food and the

preference and desiring it themselves, they will feed the

miskeen the poor person, the orphan, and the prisoner. And in

those cases, you would assume that the prisoners would be non Muslims

in that case, but you're feeding them as well. I mean, the Sahaba

it's clear about that. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam a

famous story, simple story, we have a few minutes. We can't

mention the numerous things. But just one simple story. There was a

young Jewish lad that used to come and be of service to his called

him he used to used to work for him the Prophet salallahu Alaihe

Salam, one day he didn't show up the prophets, Allah has discovered

that he is ill, he went to visit him, he went to visit a Jewish

boy. Imagine that he went to visit a Jewish boy that he had some

acquaintance with. And look at the baraka that this act of mercy

brought when he went to visit him. He saw that he was about today. He

said, c'est la ilaha illAllah. And his father is standing there. And

he's looking at him, what should I do? But then in this case, this

father, they said, do what do what you've been told, you know, it's

up to you do what you've been told. And he said, La Ilaha, illa

Allah.

So he becomes a Muslim through this act of mercy.

That's why, whether we like it or not, there will be hundreds of

1000s of people that will be descending on this city. And I

know it's going to restrict our movements, in terms of the lanes

being blocked to new Olympic lanes, and this, that and the

other. But maybe that's a good thing, because it's Ramadan

anyway, and we want to be at home during worship, rather than going

out Green Street here. They're shopping, right? or wherever else

you guys go, right? So that's, that's the benefit. You know, what

can we do a few things quickly, just to give us ideas of what we

can do. And remember, not all of these things everybody will be

able to do. But whatever we can do, keep that in mind. Because we

have to do a sense of Darwin. And you must think what's going to

happen with me being good? How do we know they're going to embrace

Islam? That's not the point that is in the hands of Allah. Because

in Nicoletta demon arpt you cannot guide whom you will enter him into

Islam. You just have to give the Dawa. You will be rewarded by

Allah subhanaw taala, even 10 years down the line. Somebody will

be in a state where there'll be looking for a new

Religion, there may be some turbulence in their hearts, and

they will think back in one incident will stay in their mind

that there was this Muslim guy. And he helped me out. He went out

of his way when we went for the Olympics. Let me look into that

religion who knows? Allah has many ways of doing these things. First

and foremost, smile.

Not to the women, for the men, not to the women. All right, there'll

be huge amounts of women, you know, half naked. And that's not

what we're saying here. All right, we think generally, if you've got

any interaction as a taxi driver, or a shopkeeper, or, or anything

else, I mean, you smile at people. Be polite and courteous to

everybody. politeness and that's necessary all the time. Anyway.

Regular words of thanks, greetings. I mean, in England, we

do everything in silence. You buy something, you just put it there,

they charge you and that's it. There's no Good day. Hello, thank

you very much. None of that hardly. In other countries, it's

like that. I can't speak for Europe, but in America, it's like

if you didn't say that, you you would be considered to be quite

rude. You just have to maybe hypocritical for many people, but

it happens.

Right? So be courteous. When you do that. Use Islamic terms. If you

can write Inshallah, I'll do this. What is this inshallah? Right,

these are ways I've seen people who are natural dairies. For most

of us, we have to put put it on, and then do it as an action. But

there are people who are natural dairies. I remember this one

brother, he came for the Tablighi Jamaat from Pakistan. And this was

in Philadelphia in America, and he went to the shop and he's giving

dower every moment quite naturally, he's got this beautiful

smile, right? He's full Islamic clothing on and he gives Dawa,

when he's giving his money when he's buying something, when he's

doing this just quite naturally,

we find a restriction now our heart from doing this, to tell

somebody about our fate, because we don't know what the response is

going to be. But once you do it a few times, it becomes easier. And

we're supposed to be there is we're supposed to be inviting

people to the good all the time.

Be patient and courteous as drivers, because there's going to

be huge amount of driving. So don't you know, you've got a big

beard or whatever, and suddenly, you're cutting somebody up or

you're getting very angry, you're you're really, you know, honking

your, your horn or whatever the case is. So be patient when it

comes to confuse pedestrians or, or people in cars. Give up your

seats in public transport for the more vulnerable people, older

people or you know, and others for example.

And be nice when people ask you which way is this? Which way is

that as long as it's a halal thing. If if you need if you think

there's somebody that needs help, you can go out of your way to help

them again, this is all about Dawa. That's what I'm saying it's

all about that Oh, and

there's other things where you're Muslim garments during this time.

You know, make it feel like they're in a Muslim city. Make it

feel like that we've got Al Hamdulillah this freedom here.

It's Ramadan, make it feel like that. Don't hide your identity.

Your one biggest identity as long as you've got good character is

that your dresses will seams and people will say that like what is

this, this must be a Muslim. Make lots of dua for us and make dua

for the guidance of all make dua that Allah subhanaw taala protect

this from all evils and all major problems and all any other issues

and harms for for the Muslim community for the people in

general. May Allah subhanaw taala protect us all. May Allah subhanho

wa Taala accept our Ramadan May Allah subhanaw taala make these

days easy for us

during these times have these restrictions in driving or

whatever it is, and may Allah subhanaw taala accept our good

deeds. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us a source of guidance.

Well, I can read that Ron Hamdu lillahi rabbil aalameen