Abdur Rahman ibn Yusuf Mangera – Qur’anic Reflections Be True Believers and Be Elevated

Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. And Ramadan Mubarak to

everybody.

We start with a verse from the Quran that we're going to discuss

are all the bill him in a shameful annual Ragini Bismillah Hora

Merner Rafi

What the *? He knew what a duck is no tumoral loner you go to mini

mean, what he knew Tarzan who tomo, Ilona in go to mini meaning

for the colonial of him. This is a verse from Saudi Arabia, Iran

which is chapter three of the Quran it's verse number 139. So

this verse we need to understand the backdrop of this verse. Of

course for us today, it has a certain meaning it will have a

certain reaction from us and it does something for us. However,

when this verse was revealed at the beginning of Islam, that is,

there was no Islamic State in place at that time this was in

this was in the very early days. And the Arabs at that time that

early Muslims they lived in abject poverty. The basic foods that had

extreme poverty and destitution they their foods was basically

just a bit of dates. Some flesh of camels and barley bread didn't

even have wheat in those days. Also their dress was made, of

course material, the houses were made of mud and all they had bear

tents essentially, in the cold they would really really suffer.

However,

Allah subhanaw taala speaks about that miserable state of this

encircle and thoroughly Allah subhanho wa Taala says with Guru

is tomb Kali you know Mustafa and funa feel old data of a winner a

hot puffer Coleman sofa welcome. What a year they come be Nasri he

was up aku rasa Kocoum Mina For ye Bertie La La Combe dish Quran for

a year ago couldn't be Nasri he was Akaka may not play EBA de la

la comme Tesco rune.

This is in the early days and Allah says in surah, Al Anfal,

verse 26. And remember, when you were few and were reckoned weak in

the land, and we're afraid that men may even kidnap you.

That was the situation then Allah subhanaw taala assisted you he

gave you refuge he assisted you with his with his help. And he

then sustained you and gave you provisions of the most excellent

things so that you can thank Allah subhana wa Tada. So Allah subhanaw

taala speaks about the early days. Now in contrast to this group of

people in the Arabian Peninsula, they were basically surrounded by

the superpowers and these high civilizations of extreme luxury,

affluence and pomp. And the Romans, these were talking about

the Romans and the Persians, right, they were in contrast to

these Arab tribes here in Arabia, the Romans and the Persians, they

were at the highest level, they had symbols of sophistication and

refinement, flourishing culture, civilization, between them, they

pretty much ruled much of the world and the authority was

massive, they had authority over the sustenance

over the control much of the Earth's natural resources as well.

And generally, whoever controls that they they remain dominant,

much of the world was under the influence. So based on all of

this, you know, in the backdrop of all of this, can you imagine,

Allah subhanho wa taala, saying, to the small group of, among the

Arabs, a small group of Muslims, who don't even have support of the

rest of the Arabs at that time, do not become weak against your

enemies, Nobody said you will be superior. If you are true

believers, what will Atlona in control mean?

Now that is amazing. Allah challenges them essentially that

you need to challenge take on the superpowers

and you can't be weak about this. So the challenge is put for the

Muslims to take a challenge against both the creation of

Makkah, who were the enemies at that time, and the Persian and the

Roman Empires. Now, how do they do that? So look at how the Quran

strengthens the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam in the believers,

Allah subhanho wa Taala brings some historical anecdotes, this is

really interesting. So so the use of is revealed and the beginning

of sort of use of is Locata canovee use of our equity he Yeah,

two lists, in in, in use of and his brother and there are Signs

for those who ask verse seven thereafter that if you look at the

last verses of Surah Surah, to use of towards right at the end verses

110 111 Allah says

We had the either stay as our rasuluh on new and home Cogeco

zebu, Georgia home nurse Runa Fernwood GMN Nasha whether you're

a Dubai sunnah call middle moody mean. la cada Karna Fini cos II

Mary Barra to Lee Olli Elba, Makkah and ahaadeeth II you've

thought Oh ALLAH que tous the color the Bahia de wat of Si la co

Lishui what have si la Kulish a you who the Who Rock Metal Nico me

you may know

when the messengers gave up hope. So this is the translation of

these verses, listen carefully, when the messengers gave up hope

and thought that they were denied by the people, then they came to

them our help, and whoever We willed, was rescued and our

punishment cannot be worded off from the wrongdoers. Indeed, in

their stories, there is a lesson for men of understanding the Quran

is not some forged statement. But the confirmation of Allah's books,

which were before it, confirmation of that which is before it, which

means that other books before it, and a detailed explanation of

everything, and a guide and mercy for the believing people that gave

a huge amount of strength to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa

sallam and the believers also around the same time or just after

that around the same time sort of process is revealed. And

subhanAllah the discussion there is again about about justice,

overcoming oppression and the end of injustice. So there we've got

Pawsey me DeLuca Tokita Bill mobian net Lu are like I mean,

never eat most of your own bill happy and you call me meno and in

FIRA I'm gonna fill out the word Yara she or he stole a photo if I

mean whom you the be whoever whom is there he and Isa, a home in

hookah and Amina will move city one od though and Arlen Medina

Stawberry fulfill all of the UN agenda home in metal and Agera one

word if he in one work unit at home fill out the one where he has

he had our own our hammer and I want you know the humor I mean,

whom maca I know Yeah, the rune to translate that bar seem mean,

these are the verses of the manifest Book, We recite to you

some of the news of Musa and Pharaoh in truth for people who

believe Pharaoh exalted himself in the land and made its people into

sects into different groups, or pressing a group among them by

killing their sons and sparing their daughters. He was one of the

oppressors. And we wanted to do a favor to those who are weak in the

land, and to make them the rulers and the inheritors, and to

establish them in the land. We let Pharaoh and Herman and their host

receive from them, that which they feared.

So that shows a small group of oppressed people suffering an

injustice suddenly over, able to overcome within within within some

years. So both of these,

both of these sets of verses, gave a huge amount of huge amount of

courage and boldness to the believers who are such a small

group of people in between these great empires. And if you look at

it from the conditions around this little nascent fledgling

community, right did not have a chance. I mean, it'd be

unthinkable to be honest, that a handful of, you know,

underresourced, resourceless oppressed Muslims would be able to

emerge as this formidable community and take on these two

superpowers. I mean, even the most insightful person would find that

difficult to believe at that time, right. However, the Quran assured

the country and boosted the morale of the Muslims and infused them

with an amazing spirit. And they boldly took on the super powers.

And the Quran then speaks the Quran assist them in this regard.

He speaks about the hollowness of the Empire's how they don't have

much substance. So that's why Allah subhanho wa Taala says in

this verse in Surah, Tomonaga Cohen it's a really, it's a really

telling verse. Allah says, What either at home Dorjee Buka just go

home when he does smartly Kohli him no Moshe Musa in the year

several wanna call us I had in it him Humala, I do who for whom

Katella whom Allah Who and you for Kuhn.

And when you look at them, their bodies please you like you're

impressed

By the way, they are the way they hold themselves the way they strut

around with all of their authority and with everything behind them.

So when you look at them, their bodies please you and when they

speak, you listen to their words. However, they just blocks of wood

propped up. Allah subhanaw taala signifies them, designates them as

just wood that's propped up that you can easily put down. So taking

pride in this new faith that these small group of Arabs had been

given mashallah they, they marched on, and they did not become

overawed, though there was every reason for them to become

overwrought and coward by the Romans and the Persians. They

destroyed they ended up destroying the superpowers of the day you

must have heard of those stories, the battles of Persia and the

battles with the with the with the Romans, the whole world was struck

by their bravery, and their commitment to Islam. They're

committed to Islam, because they are simple people. Right? They did

not get distracted by the pomp and the ground. And really, that's

amazing. That's why a lot of people have a lot of people

remember these people as the saviors from all the injustice

that had been created by these two empires.

That their main focus was to tell people to invite them to invite

people to focus on one god for monotheism, not to worship other

human beings but to why worship Allah subhanaw taala alone. So

mashallah, from the very narrow, subjugated confines in the middle

of Arabia, they managed to take on the whole world and today you see

that it's reached everywhere. They, they recognize that the

contemporary emperors and rulers and cause Rosen and Caesars they

were parading themselves, you know, they were basically puppets,

they, they they had raised their skyscrapers of those days. And but

the problem is that they had lost all of their essential faith and

moral values, though. One group was mentioned as fire worshippers,

the other one was a Christian, but they'd lost much of the moral

ethics that had been preached by ESA at least, for example. That's

why the Quran then instructs the Muslims in their own civilization,

the Quran gives them a brand new civilization, right, refreshes

their civilizations, embolden them emboldened them in spirits them.

And this new mosque message gives them this amazing confidence, a

sense of pride, self knowledge, higher ideals, and a purpose in

life. And subhanAllah. Within a few years, they they take on much

of the world. And empire building was never what has never been one

of their concerns. So

they were more focused on the fact that humanity has been lost in

darkness. We just too. We just we just there's a lot of people today

as well, they don't like the rigors of faith. They don't like

the strictures, so they want to just be free souls as such. At the

end of the day, I mean, that kind of a life when you want to be

free. So like that is that you end up in the early times of the

morning after the after the clubs and pubs having to vomit in a

gutter. I mean, that's kind of the end of a lot of people.

Subhanallah I'm not saying that's every that's just an anecdotal

idea. Today Subhanallah we have so many Muslims, so many Muslim

countries that represent the Muslims, you know, in that in the

UN and many other places, you know, there's so many flags of

this that are everywhere, and SubhanAllah. But the problem is

that we lag behind in I mean, I hate to keep saying this, but we

lag behind in, in science and technology manufacture and so on.

There's a whole lethargy, inaction, disunity, non observance

of the Sharia or non understanding of that it's just pomp, it's just

pomp and glory, those who have the money, that's what they're doing.

The others are just about surviving. May Allah subhanho wa

Taala make it easy. Allah says that he knew what it doesn't know

what antimalarial ona income, meaning do not be weak, Nobody

said you will be superior if you are true believers. Now I know I'm

speaking about it from a macro level. But that example of the

Muslim community if that can happen to a small community like

that, that then takes on the world then even small groups of people,

small individuals, you know, you may be suffering in a place, but

in sha Allah, if you stick to your ideals, and sticking to ideals

does not just mean doing salaat and fasting, there's a lot more

there's a behavioral aspect of it. There's an interaction aspect of

it. There's a perspective aspect of Islam, Islam needs to be

understood fully and wholly. And that's what's gonna benefit us

insha Allah, Allah subhanaw taala gave them a special intelligence

and SubhanAllah 313 People in the battle about the way we're able

to, we're able to overcome

And subhanAllah That's why Allah subhanho wa Taala the Prophet

sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was so concerned during the Battle of

brother because they were outnumbered completely. And he

said that Oh ALLAH if you let this handful of people, handful of

believers rather perish today that no one will worship you until the

last day. It was a critical moment but Allah subhanaw taala gave them

victory. That's why what we need to do is we need to

really take pride in our Islam and learn more about it make it ours,

then it starts working for us. When you're on the side, it

doesn't you know, you don't get the benefit of it. When you're

just nominally a Muslim when you're just saying okay, I adhere

to it, you really need to get into it then you see it work for you.

And it's amazing when you when you get that feeling, it supports you

emotionally, spiritually in every in every aspect. That's why Allah

subhanho wa Taala sin sort of Mohammed verse seven, right to

finish off. Allah says, in terms of Allah, he and circum with a bit

academical. If you help Allah, Allah will help you and make your

feet firm. Helping Allah means you do that which He has told us to

do, and you assist in what He has commanded us to do. May Allah

subhanaw taala strengthen us in our individual capacities in our

communities, in our families, our communities, and in terms of the

whole global Ummah as well, and we the whole global almost thoughts

from each one of us. So let us strengthen ourselves. May Allah

give us the Tofik on this day of Ramadan as you read that one and

you'll hamdulillahi rabbil Alameen Allah bless our Ramadan's and keep

us in your doors, and may Allah subhanaw taala bless you all, as

salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

The point of lecture is to encourage people to act to get

further an inspiration, and encouragement, persuasion. The

next step is to actually start learning seriously to read books

to take on a subject of Islam and to understand all the subjects of

Islam at least at the basic level, so that we can become more aware

of what our Dean wants from us. And that's why we started Rayyan

courses, so that you can actually take organize lectures on demand

whenever you have free time, especially for example, the

Islamic essentials course that we have on there, the Islamic

essentials certificate, which you take 20 Short modules, and at the

end of that inshallah you will have gotten the basics of most of

the most important topics in Islam and you'll feel a lot more

confident. You don't have to leave lectures behind you can continue

to live, you know, to listen to lectures, but you need to have

this more sustained study as well as aka la harem salaam aleikum wa

rahmatullah wa barakato.