Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – Power of Gratitude
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Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa
Salatu was Salam ala so using or sitting very early he was so happy
with our care was seldom at the Sleeman Cathedral on Isla Yomi
Dean Amma beret
call Allah with a Baraka with the IDA feel Quran Majeed on for
carnal Hamid le the Insure cartoon z then
if you do Shakur, Allah subhanaw taala says if you're grateful,
then we will increase you. I've been thinking about sugar, some
scholars some aroma, some Olia have mentioned that you can
actually reach Allah by just doing sugar.
There's many, many ways that are effective in reaching Allah
subhanaw taala, meaning becoming close to him.
And the most effective way is probably through the Dhikr of
Allah subhanho wa Taala repetition of la ilaha illAllah.
And a constant thought process of Allah subhanaw taala. One of the
goals of the path is to become aware of Allah subhanho wa Taala
all the time to be conscious of him more than we're not conscious
of him. So in whatever we're doing, if we can be conscious of
Allah subhanho wa taala, then we will try to do it according to how
we think Allah will be pleased.
If we don't think about Allah subhanaw taala that's when we will
do it according to any other force, any other pressure, any
other desire. There's many ways of doing something,
our cultures are very, very strong.
And when I say culture, generally people think of a culture from
where the ancestor is from where person's parents or grandparents
hail from. But there's a lot more cultures than that, for example,
sitting in the UK, or the US or in part of Europe, or wherever else
we are, we will obviously have the culture of our parents or
grandparents and that hereditary culture, then we will also have
the culture that we've been assimilating and integrating in,
which will be the British or American, South African,
Norwegian, whichever other culture that people are in, there is no
escape from these things. These are things that surround you. How
can you live among people, but be very different. Even if you're
different, there's going to be some things that you just can't
help the availability of certain food products, or the veggie
vegetables that are around wherever it may be. So culture is
a very part of human life.
But then there's the good culture, and there's the bad culture,
there's good aspects of culture, every culture has some good
aspects, can all be bad, you know, otherwise, people would not have
survived that would have been some kind of really depraved culture,
right? So there has to be good and bad in every culture. In every
culture, I think some bad can easily creep in, when it becomes a
dominant trend. We've seen how social media works in that regard
of creating trends within cultures. So the culture of the UK
50 years ago, it's very different to the culture of today. Very,
very, very different. And who knows what will bring the next
what will happen in the next 10 years. So humans will continue to
do things according to culture.
You know, while we may put a jumper on if we don't, like, you
know, another form of dress, but then our jackets and coats, I
don't think people go to go and order Syrian furrows, you know,
these specific Syrian kind of, I've got one at home, but it's too
heavy to wear. If I was in Syria, I'd probably wear it. You know, if
you go to cashmere today, they don't wear coats, they wear this
other kind of, it's a long kind of overdue buy that they make with
some kind of woolen material.
They call it a felon, that's what they call it, they don't wear many
don't wear their coats in the villages, and so on. So, at the
end of the day, we are impacted by culture. So
it's about taking the best of all of that. But going back to the
aspect of God consciousness, there are so many competing factors in
our life in terms of what influences us to do certain
things.
A lot of it is to do with what's available to us. And what's
available,
is going to be very easy because it's available so you can you can
easily get it then the knifes obviously plays a part in that. So
that's why you take from what's available. Sometimes a person
could have what's some sometimes a person can have all the evil
available,
but they'll have to show huge resistance to avoid that.
Now if you if you think about it, just 100 years ago and beyond and
before 100 years, there are so many fitness today that are
available that were never available to that effect, that
intensity, that frequency, that is as they are
available today. Even if it was a bad person of the past, if you
wanted to do something bad, like sensuously, sexually advice, then
there was a lot more difficulty because it would always be live
people. It always have to be with live people. But today with the
internet, you can get whatever evil you want.
Right? In privacy, nobody knowing just that, in itself is a huge
challenge for a lot of people.
Because if you wanted to do something, if a man wanted to do
something, a wound, you'd have to go out, find a woman that was
prepared for doing something like that, and then do it find a place
to do it. And there were so many hurdles. Today, you can order
things online to do these kinds of things with that, of course, even
within that, that it's so easy, even find somebody today because
of forums and these kinds of things. And then even if you don't
want to do it live and destroying privacy, there's just so much
easier. That's why I wonder
Subhanallah and that's just one idea gambling. Again, if you
wanted to gamble 100 years ago, 200 years ago, you'd have to find
somebody to gamble with. And if it was a frowned upon thing, you'd
have to hide somewhere to gamble. Now you can gamble on your own
with a computer.
On your own, nobody even knows.
So, sin To be honest, if you look at it this way, sin has become so
much more easier, depraved, you know, sins of depravity sins of
absolute evil,
intense vices become so much more easier to do. And that just makes
it that much more difficult. Because that's difficulty. It's in
your face, it's it's available.
So we ask Allah subhanaw taala to protect us.
If Allah subhanaw taala doesn't judge us with a lower bar than the
people before us, we're in big trouble.
That's why there is a Hadith which Allah so it's a very promising
Hadith that the people who will come later compared to the Sahaba,
they, if the Sahaba did even 1/10 of what we could be expected to,
you know, be tolerated on they would perish because their bar was
very, very high. So that's something we've got some hoping.
But other than that, the thinking of Allah subhanaw taala thinking
about Allah subhanaw taala
to get that very strong in our mind that Allah is always the
entire Buddha, Allah haka, and Nikka Tara, as the hadith of
Gibreel says, that you are able to worship Allah subhanho wa taala,
as though you're seeing Allah, you can't ever see Allah in this
world, but as though you're seeing him, which means that he's
present, that you know, that Allah is present with you all the time.
How do how does a person get the Presence of Allah. So the first
thing we mentioned was that La Ilaha, il Allah and other UScar
then after that, when a person is in trouble, and then religious
minded,
if a trouble of afflicts them, they run into some calamity, a lot
of religious people will think that this is because maybe I've
done something wrong, it's kind of a go to place which is
Alhamdulillah a good thing because if you can't even think about
Allah, even in troubles,
then that is really sad.
You know, if even in troubles, were thinking about others, or
relying on other things, then that's difficult. For example,
let's just give that with religious people it's seen, right.
And what's interesting is whether that be Christian religious
people, or Muslim religious people or other religions that if at
night, you have a what they call a sleep paralysis, where you feel a
bit smothered, you know, people have probably had that experience
once or twice in their life, it's you feel smothered by something.
It's actually apparently a medical issue. It's not really general
anything, right? Where there's, you've either eaten something, you
have some gas or something, or you've slept with your hands on
your heart or something like that. It could be a pressure on the
heart. So there's maybe a slight restriction and because of that,
you're not getting the air. There's, there's some signs that
you know that there's some biology behind that. But then, inside
you're made to feel as though you're being smothered by a gym
and you think of like the kind of worst things that could happen to
you. And then you try to read a dua generis AYATUL kursi, because
many Muslims know that it of course, is like, most effective.
So you're trying to read AYATUL kursi. And you can't, but the good
thing is that at least you're trying to read it and kursi and I
hope that that's actually a sign that on the day of on the last day
and the last moments, we'll try to remember Allah subhanaw taala so I
don't entirely see it as a bad thing. Yes, if somebody's in a
desperate state like that, is thinking of something else evil,
you know, or even not evil, but they're thinking of the mom or dad
at that time. I would rather be thinking about or kursi than my
mom and dad at this kind of time because it's all about Allah
subhanaw taala we love our parents.
But I had to kursi is going to give us a lot more, you know, in
that sense, these different expressions of how much we can
think about Allah subhanaw taala. So why SUGAR SUGAR means that
anything good that happens to you
anything
beneficial in your life, any gifts that you think Allah subhanaw
taala has given us
should
be a moment to thank Allah. So, if I feel that I've got this really
beautiful Kitab that I acquired when looking for a while and I say
Alhamdulillah genuinely all praises to Allah then I've just
thought of Allah that Allah has gifted me this, Allah has
facilitate this for me.
So that means I've just remembered Allah. And anytime you remember
ALLAH, that's a good thing. Because that's what Allah wants us
for and remembering Allah is part of worship of Allah. And that's
what Allah has created us for.
So, now how many bounties or gifts from Allah do we have per day
depends on depends on your categorization. Right. It depends
on how we categorize these things, if we think of things that are
bounties, that those things only which happen afresh or a new and
things that which is given us everyday which are literally
multiple,
uncountable, right? Then we're going to be very restricted to the
moments of sugar because it's a lonely B when something special
happens to you.
You got a raise at work, you got a new child, you got married, you
learn how to read the Quran, you your TV, those improved, you took
a new class, mashallah you really enjoyed the food, you know, only
special moments when you have an adrenaline rush. When you have
some dopamine, only then will you thank Allah, I won the race.
I was able to go out for exercise, that was a good workout, only then
will you thank Allah.
But if the categorization of NEMA The true categorization of
everything which is an Atma, then you would be thanking Allah
subhanaw taala all day long.
It'll be the last thing you think you do before you go to sleep and
the first thing you'll do in the morning.
And that's why we do read Al Hamdulillah, Hilary, Arianna very
much in our in our show
all praises to Allah who gave us life after he had given us death,
because we could have disappeared in our sleep. We had no control.
And to him is the gathering eventually anyway, one day
that's why they're Allah ma say that. One of the other said
they've given different ways of getting to Allah Sobor Shakur,
Saba is another one of them. That's a whole different subject.
The vicar is another one of them, because we try to do everything.
But they've said that sugar is so powerful, that all you have to do
is focus on the bounties, it's actually a very luxurious way of
doing it. But you just have to identify the boundaries and
remember, every single one of them, and if that happens,
if that happens, then through good things you can get to Allah and
that's why there are some 30 cause some
the soul of orders, Sufi orders that one of the one of their
primary principles is sugar.
Right. But again, that sugar is not just for the extra ordinary
things that happen in your life. It's actually for everything that
is happening and that has happened in our life.
Until now, everything that has happened in our life and where we
are who we are.
Most people would have something to thank Allah for if especially
if they compare themselves with others who haven't been able to
acquire so much. You have a good job, there's people who are
suffering today from not having a job. If you are half of the Quran,
you've got so much to be thankful to Allah subhanaw taala for if
you're an alum, you've studied something you have connection with
Allah ma you're involved in good work, you're involved with a
relief organization you're involved with some other kind of
humanitarian or whatever it is whatever small you can do. There
is so much if you gotten here now and Masha Allah Allah subhanaw
taala has given you good parents that gave you good tarbiyah that's
another thing to be thankful for Allah Allah subhanaw taala for
yes, we may have had some they may be too strict but if we are what
we are today because of our parents and that's another thing
to think Allah subhanaw taala because ultimately behind our
parents is Allah subhanaw taala anyway.
If you have good children and your children are doing well,
better than not doing well, because with everything is never
100% Right, but if you can sell hamdulillah I'm satisfied.
I'm satisfied or the clothing on my back
Allah subhanho wa Taala has always given me enough to go by.
It's a different thing that I'm greedy for more. But see, that's
the way to actually remove the greed to thank Allah for what He
has given us because you can only thank Allah if you value it. And
the only way you will value it is if you think that it's better than
what, what so many others may have. If we're thinking that we
don't have enough, we've never had enough, we've always been
miserable. That's why even through counseling and psychology, those
people who are very depressed and who feel like everything is
against them, then what they actually told to do,
even by
you can say atheists godless, you know, secular counseling,
is to actually think of positives, because everybody's had some
positives in their life. There has to be, in fact, if people think
really deeply, they'll probably find that there's been things that
they've not worked hard for, that they may have not even wanted and
they've been given. How did that come about? Who gave you that?
That's why Allah subhanaw taala when he spoke to the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam after the worry and Revelation had
seized for quite a few months.
Allah subhanaw taala said,
What do ha well lately either soldier ma Derek or Bukovina Kala,
Allah has not abandoned you.
Right? Allah made it very clear that your Lord has not abandoned
you. And then Allah subhanaw taala tells the Brusilov some a few
things to do. And one of the things which the surah ends with
is what Amma bayonet and mighty Rebecca had the
the bounties of your Lord, you need to express them. You need to
confess about the bounties of your Lord, tell others about the
boundaries of your Lord, if you tell somebody else about what
Allah has given you for the right reason.
You know, just we're not saying use that as a point of showing off
if you've got something more than others to use that as a point of
showing up to say I'm better than you. It's actually that's not
sugar.
That's just using words of sugar, and words of praise of Allah to
big oneself up. The idea of this is that this should be genuine
sugar. Salaam should be genuine sugar that I'm actually only
saying this just to thank Allah. And hopefully to get you to thank
Allah, that look what Allah subhanaw taala has given me of
these things.
Just sit and think, just sit and think right now you know, all the
things that Allah has given us.
You know, we've not even scratched the surface of the categories of
the types of things that Allah subhanaw taala can give us.
So that's why if a person just focuses on sugar,
because when I heard when I many years ago, when I heard that, some
topics, they just focus on sugar.
That's like a luxury kind of way. That's like the millionaire's
club, like you just do sugar. And you must have had a lot of good
things to do to have sugar. But when you actually think deep down,
everybody's had a lot of good things, to do sugar for
huge amounts of things to do sugar.
In fact, I think a person would be sinful if they think they've got
nothing to do sugar, because genuinely that means that they're
not even thanking Allah for being in this world.
For even surviving until the age of 30, or 40. How did we even
survive until Asian people don't survival and there's no guarantee
in be you know, in coming to a certain age, you can die at any
age.
So even the fact that we are now the age we are that's in itself
enough sugar
even if we've got were riddled with diseases, there's so many
other things to think about. Which you Valley Salaam in history
teaches us. So it's something to think about is to think of the
positives in one on one's life. And the E and a one way to do this
is to take a piece of paper and start writing it down.
Because you have brainstorming session sessions, I'm going to
think of five things every day, five new things. Right? Let
somebody try this. I'm going to think of five new things every
single day that Allah subhanaw taala has gifted to me, right?
Which I can value. And I'm assuming my assumption is that you
could probably do this for the rest of your life.
I'm not sure if it will be if I've never done this, but I'm assuming
I'm not sure even if it'll become more difficult because you're
thinking because I think once you start thinking about something in
a more nuanced than a more refined manner, it'll open up and it'll
get more specifically refined. So that's why Allah says if you do
try to count the number and the boundaries of Allah, you would not
be able to enumerate them. That's what I think you could do your
whole life and you could probably write down
you know, a few gifts every single day.
And I think that would be a really good exercise for those people who
feel felt depressed.
They could probably share their list with other people after See
look you can learn from this the non personal things, the generic
things
so Allah give us still fake Allah grant us closeness to him
somewhere or the other, if not by difficulties and all the others
than just sugar.
Just sugar Afia
May Allah subhanaw taala make it easy for us a lot of man to sit at
home and sit down tomorrow Ramadan suddenly was in your mind so you
didn't used to see that our medical or vertical selling our
law we ask you for your special mercy and grace for your attention
for your generosity or law above all your forgiveness so Allah
purify us, will Allah remove the vices from us so Allah remove the
transgressions from us, our law remove our faults from us remove
our weaknesses from us. Oh Allah, remove our bad inclinations from
us. Oh Allah forgive us for all the wrongs that we have done. Oh
Allah, forgive us, purify us, Oh Allah, do not prevent. Do not make
our wrongs or prevention or prevention for us from you. But
what Allah we ask You that You grant us your sugar, that to thank
you, you have given us abundantly. We can't even start to enumerate
what you have given us You have given us more than so many others
in this world. We thank you for this Oh Allah All Praises to of
Allah or blessings for you. Oh Allah, all blessing comes from
you. Oh Allah, Oh Allah, you are the most transcendent of all
faults above all problems above all defects of Allah you from your
comes all goodness of Allah, everything that happens in the
world comes back come comes from you. Oh Allah decree that which is
good for us that which is beneficial for us. Oh Allah, we
sit here today in this Masjid on this Sunday. Oh Allah, we ask that
you make this a source of closeness for you. You accept this
gathering. You accept this gathering? Oh Allah and bless all
of those who facilitate this gathering of Allah removed from
the difficulties that our brothers and sisters face around the world.
Remove that. Remove that oppression, that subjugation that
problem of Allah strength and Iman in the hearts of our brothers and
sisters around the world wherever they are, or Allah we ask that you
allow us allow us to defend the rights of your messenger Muhammad
sallallahu alayhi wa salam, O Allah, you allow us to do the
right thing of Allah. Glory. We ask that you assist us in
glorifying your name and the name of your messenger sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam. In this world or Allah or Allah we ask that you
accept us for some form of
serve service of your deen of Allah that You accept us for the
Hitman service of your deen You accept us and make us the keys of
goodness in this world and protect us from stumbling and going wrong
and being misled? Oh ALLAH from all forms of weakness and from all
forms of extremism. Oh Allah, we ask that you make us true.
Muhammad is oh Allah accept us grant a shocker. Oh Allah grant a
sugar grant is gratitude or likes a promise or loss and your
abundant blessings in our messenger Muhammad sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam, grant us his company in the hereafter. Subhan
Allah be corroborated Jeremiah seafoam was salam and I'm sitting
on hundreds of yard