Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – 2012 Olympics in Muslim London
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The upcoming Olympics has caused traffic and restrictions on businesses, but may positively impact Muslim athletes. The safety of athletes and the cultural differences between Muslims and non- Muslims highlight the need for individuals to show their intentions to be a Muslim and not be victimized. The importance of social media and driving during the pandemic is emphasized, as it is a way to stay at home during worship. The use of Islamic language during driving and the need for patience during public transportation are also discussed. The speakers emphasize the importance of showing one's intentions to be a Muslim and not the victim of others.
AI: Summary ©
Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim Al Hamdulillah hamdulillah Muhammad
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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