Sunday Tafseer Halaqah – Beginning of Surat AlSaff

As you may know, but

don't show low data we continue from where we left off. Last week, which is we complete we concluded sort of Dinah I recited the last piece. I maybe didn't take a lot of time talking about the last verse, but But honestly, it does not require that too much of an explanation. It's pretty self explanatory. So Danna, talked about the organizing the relationships we have with with non Muslims. And the main theme was alliances, that's where the point of content exists is the concept of ally, when are you allowed to have alliances and when are you not allowed, because that's really what really matters, what affects our nation, what affects us as a community as a society and as a

country if we are if we end up having one.

And it puts the basic guidelines of how we're supposed to deal with people who differ from us in faith. And I went into that in some degree of detail, it took longer than I thought it was gonna take. So I think I think we've talked about it enough. So the software's we're going to start with today's ciphers. Now, the sources are much shorter, there'll be a page and a half,

then the last three will be two pages, each will have three sugars that are a page and a half each. So often, when you're putting in Joomla, or soft jam, I'm gonna have to go in and then we'll have to have one product and each one will be two pages, all in all, the stores are shorter, and from from this point, moving forward into the Quran, the sutras are pretty short, they get shorter, the longest will be, maybe I picked two pages and a half, like sewage and everything else is, is two pages or less, and you get smaller and smaller and smaller. And I find these and obviously, you know, there's a reason for that.

As you go towards the end, the Quran, Allah subhanaw taala summarizes, and condenses the meanings more further and further, until you end up with Susan are very, very short, but deliver a very clear and concise message. That that is extremely important for us to understand, which is why children memorize these law students just helps them

know, it allows you to understand the aspect of the teaching the values of the Quran, without necessarily doing a seven year study of total Baccarat, for example, maybe a five minute memorization of sort of coloration, they can still learn something. So so it was tough.

It talks about

the social contract. So I'm not sure if you're if you've if you've taken a sociology course at some point in your life, or if it's something that you're interested in, and

philosophers like Hobbes and,

and heart and others who talk about the social contract and go into some degree of detail and explaining what that means. In Arabic, they call it the love of the HDMI. But it definitely does. What it talks about is what is exact what exactly is the relationship that I have with my group? What what what defines that? And so, so soft, organizes that piece, it talks about what relationship do you have with your group with your group? So like, Well, isn't that what we talked? No, no, it's different. So So can we do that I talked about the relationships that exist within the group, the relationship you have with the spouse, for example, with your fellow Muslim, with your leader, right

with your with your home with your family, we talked about that sort of hash of talked about the relationships that exist within the nation, regarding citizens, like the relation between the groups of citizens, whether they are with their Muslims, with Muslims, Muslim Muslims with traitors, Muslims with non Muslims with hypocrites, right? So don't I talk to you about the relationship Muslims have with non Muslims altogether.

So the slough says your relationship with the group your relationship as an individual within a group with the group itself, which is what we define as a social contract. And interestingly enough, it is going to be presented through a contract. Yesterday, I need to make this I'm not sure if they stole this from the software, if it was something that

happened by the seat of Allah subhanaw. But the actual way that the social stuff presents this issue is through a contract. And when you read it, we probably won't make it as far as I am pretend today. But you can go read a number 10 and see the actual contract that Allah subhanaw taala is drawing up for you.

But it talks about the relationship we have with our group, and it focuses on the aspects of unity have followship of commitment, and that social contract that allows us to put our money where our mouths are like once once you decide something or you commit to something you actually see it through, regardless of what it is and whether whether it's easy for your difficult and that sort of stuff is not very difficult. Now is a simple one to understand. And in terms of getting getting a sense of the theme. The name is a soft surface, the line or the rank, right. And it's an extremely important part of our deen. If you think about it, and I'm not gonna you know, we'll come to it in a

moment when we recite it but I want you to take the name of the song and just reflect on that for a moment for your own. And you might just go to help your own imagination. We do a lot in Islam together. We do a lot of things together. I've always found that we that the concept of

Rare, together is extremely.

I don't wanna say the word odd and then you throw you off. But but it is a little bit odd that we pray together. Prayer is an extremely intimate act. It's very, very intimate. I am speaking with Allah, You have no business,

talking to Allah about you. It's not it's not your thing. It's not in my it's not mine for what you're doing. Yet one of the most intimate things that we perform one of the most intimate actions that we perform, which is the concept of supplication invocation, and re citation of the Quran, that closest that we are trying to establish a relationship with the Almighty subhanaw. Taala himself is something that's very, very, not only is intimate, extremely personal, and inwards, we do it in group, we stand in line, and we do it together. Right, even though when you think about it, this is something that you should be doing probably individually or personal on your own. Because that's

what this is about. But no, Allah subhanaw taala doesn't want that, at least not for the majority of the time. Even the relationship that you have with him. subhanaw taala is very personal and very intimate. He wants you to have it with him with your group. Many He wants that, that group concept to continue to exist, even in the intimate relationship that you will have with him. subhanho wa taala. And I find that to be actually fascinating. It sounds odd when you talk when you when you bring it up, but first because why am I doing this with you? Like why am I why are you and I'm standing together and talking to God together? How about you go sit there, and I'll sit over here,

maybe go home and I'll go home and we'll do it in the quiet or own homes? No, not only are we going to be sitting at the same area? No, we're going to stand together. And not only that, we're going to stand squished together. And we're going to make sure that the lines are perfectly perfectly aligned to perfectly straight. And we're going to it's going to be interesting that perfectly you're solid walk

with you don't do this yawning I don't know if we should I don't think we should. But But I saw somebody you should do is to turn if you're a farmer, if I if I am. If I am shirasu some Allah Hi, this is for a youngster who either actually I see him. You say we used to food for him, he would walk and he would and he put his hands on their shoulders, making sure they're all aligned, making sure the lines are straight like he would he would spend a few minutes before. If I do that all the old hygiene you'll kick me you're the first one who won't like it. So you're the first one will be getting the out of here if I started doing this, because the hygiene is the moment you wait if I'm

out if they see the timing. I know if you notice this old older guy at the moment, it's that's it. It doesn't matter if I'm talking getting a dose. It has happened before like in the middle of my desk. The time is up. He stands up he makes it pop. Yeah, I'm still talking there because it's time for prayer. The timer is always people. People don't want to wait between the common between prayer that the Prophet alayhi salatu salam actually used to invest in that time, he would say no, no, straighten your and take your time straighten your lines, you need help. What's wrong? What's the problem, he would actually go back and make sure everyone because it mattered. Because it mattered

that not only that we're praying together, but we're praying in unity and togetherness and some degree of equality and brotherhood. This is something that matters. Actually, there's 25 there's 25, authentic hadith, Hadith, in the books of Hadith that talks about the importance of grace and the sweetness of 25. I remember this, I know this number, not because I did the research on it, but because I share

in a small town that he used to live in. He used to talk about this a lot. And no one listened. He had a huge Mr. And Mrs. Michelle and it was always packed. I've never I've never seen a message that would be so full at federal, I need usually you can see something funny I share his message was always packed at vigil. And he was always talking about you know, standing in line and no one did it. So he stood one day and he brought with him three papers. And he stood there and he recited after 25 ideas about the importance of everything. It was 17 at the time. I remember listening to that. And I that's actually interesting. It's interesting that the Prophet I was more I was more

intrigued by the fact that the Prophet alayhi salatu salam said this issue talked about this issue enough that it made its way to us through 25, authentic narrations. He said a lot of things. Not everything, made it through some stuff did some things maybe weren't properly documented or recorded. But if something comes through to that velocities, with that number of traditions that are properly authenticated, then you know, he must have talked about it quite a bit. So why did he care so much? Exactly. That's the whole point of learning the sewer. Why does he care? Why did he care? Such an intimate actor? Who cares if you're standing together? No, it doesn't matter. It doesn't

matter. And he said I used to lie to them and one of them that was so wound no so Furqan Allah You hardly find Allah Who Bina will do he come. Either you will, you will fix up your line you will straighten your line and fill in the gaps and make it or Allah subhanaw taala will put will put animosity between your hearts like he will take away the unity that you have if you don't learn to do this was peace, which made it even more interesting. Well, why why is that so important? Well, there is importance to it. And also sort of soft talks about talks about this social contract that we have with the group that we're part of this number of elements are talked about us with the SFX

each element is extremely important and it defines a piece of that social contract that you have with us.

loop around you and what it requires this sort of talking about what we owe is so it talks about what we owe the community that we're a part of. And I think there's something there for sure for us to kind of reflect upon this a lot actually. So we'll start in sha Allah Tada just know for the sake of time we'll begin with the first idea of sorts of stuff with Ruby hoobler He Nina shame on your body

Bismillah here Walkman your Rafi

submit Halle Lahemaa fees do you feel we were who well as these will hockey

Yeah, uh, you will lezzy levena, Manu, Lima Turku, Luna, tough.

Caribou, la Melkote and in the law

that blue man, tough Blue Moon.

And that's more than enough for today's don't spy on honestly, we probably won't even get through these two.

He begins to pile on without this sort of similarly to how he began to hotshot similarly to how he began to Hadid. Similarly how to how he will begin to sort of jump jump coming later and sort of survive when afterwards there is a bit of a thread that connects them all. But I will talk about that thread once we recite the last sort of that that has it in them, and I'll put them all together for you for purposes of clarity and completion. But he begins so I know what to honor these verses these students these mendini sutra These truths are revealed in Medina that don't really talk about aspects of faith. They don't talk about aspects of belief and Ema. And and the grand and the and the

enormity and the grandness of Allah subhanho wa taala, as Mechi surah is do, he begins this soon as Medina, Medina was like this, as a reminder, as a reminder at the beginning of Easter that by the way, don't forget why you're doing what you're doing. Don't forget who it is that you're doing these things for. It's very easy when you become a part of a group when you're a part of a nation when you integrate into a large society. And everyone is behaving in this in a certain way to start behaving in that way and forgetting why it is you behave that way. Why it is that you do what you do. And that's a big problem. When the goal becomes the action, not to please the one who made the action

obligate obligatory. I understanding the issue, Salah is not the goal, Salah is the means to please Allah subhanahu wa Tada. Well, if Salah becomes the goal, then you actually lost your compass a little bit, you've lost the focus of why you're doing what you're doing. This is a very well known, described problem within societies, where the means to goals become the goals themselves, just after time, after a long time, we start to forget and the goal becomes the action, not what the action is supposed to do for us, or what the actions result is going to do for us and I don't want to give you examples because it'll become controversial and I don't want to lose the point that I want to make

in this suit. I'll talk about that a bit later, because it's going to come very clearly and suited to Robin so talk about it then. But this is an important piece. Allah subhanaw taala starts these tours with Subhanallah everything exalts Allah, so by Murphy salat wa method of everything in the cosmos and on earth, they exalt they they in the engage in the act of exaltation, and magnification of Allah subhanho wa Taala and he is Subhana wa Tada the unfathomable as he is and he is the always and Hakeem and those names always come together. Because if you believe that he is an ICS, the unfathomable the unquestionable, then the fear becomes, well, if he can't be questioned, and he

can't be understood, then how do I and I can't be stopped that how it is, how do I trust that what he's doing for me is asking me to do and putting me in is going to be a benefit to me. So he adds that name to Poland to remind you don't worry, he is unquestionable, and he is unfathomable and he is unstoppable. But he is all wise as well. Everything he tells you to do, everything he gives you and dishes out to you is within your best interest and then you call and those are those names always come together. But these these verses that you see at the beginning of these students, the point of them the The purpose is to remind you of why it is you are listening to all of these

verses, like why you're listening to the rest of the sutra and do this and don't do that and behave like this and get rid of that and change this and act in this way. You're doing it why because everything in the cosmos and on earth publicly and openly secretively whether you see it or not understand it or not continue to exalt the Almighty and here's the unfathomed

wouldn't use the old ways. And that's why you do these things. You don't do it because some fat guy told you to you do it because Allah subhanaw taala is the one who's telling you to do it. That's why you do it. You don't do it because everybody does it. No, no, no, everybody doing things doesn't mean it's right. Now, actually, most of the time, if everybody's doing it, you want to take a step back and kind of zoom out from the take a Google Map, zoom out, you got to take it like this. It's actually the right thing to do here. Because it's usually not that oh, it's not always right. You do it, because Allah subhanaw taala commanded you to do it. And that is your only reason. And that's

the that's all you need. You don't need another reason. If you can learn to think that way, by the way, liberate yourself, you liberate yourself, yes, you become a part of a society, you bring forward a nice culture and a nice norm, but you're not fooled. And you don't lose track of things. You don't lose track of why it is, I'm doing something, why it is I'm functioning a certain a certain way, why am I a part of a community? Why do I stand by my community, after he if he if you lose, if you lose sight of that, if you lose sight of that you start fighting for your community, because it's your community, like you forget, why not? Because it's not because Allah subhanaw taala

commanded it, but because while I am from this group, and I'm going to defend my group, whether it's correct, or whether it's wrong, whether it's, I should, or I shouldn't, whether I'm actually performing some degree of self analysis and self accountability and self critique, or I'm not, because the goal becomes the group, the goal was never the group. The goal was what preserving that group was going to lead to, which is the satisfaction and the pleasure of Allah subhana wa taala. And by that means, you have to always go back and say, as my group doing that, am I making sure that my group is actually functioning in that way? And that keeps the compass pointing north? That makes

sure you know where you're going? Because you can easily lose, lose track of that. Why do you think, why do you think

it may be relevant to this may not. We talked about social contracts. The reason that they're talked about in sociology, and they're, they're brought up a lot, and they're really important. And of course, different opinions regarding these issues. And philosophers over you know, history have gone into some degree of depth trying to discuss these issues, is that because if you've ever noticed how people individually behave differently than people in groups do,

there's a phenomenon of how when you're on your own your behavior is one thing and if I put you in a group, and suddenly your behavior is a little bit different, it's not always for the better, by the way,

not always for the better when I put you in a group or when I'm put in a group, do I start behaving in a positive manner, I can easily in a group start losing money. It's just a very interesting phenomena of how we are as social beings on my own. If you corner me and you ask me questions, and you quit, I have specific answers, and I'll behave in specific ways. Put me in a group and, and watch, we start behaving a little bit differently, it's easier, somehow, it's easier to bring forward some loss of of direction, it's easier to get people to make mistakes, to stay to say, Forgive me stupid things. And to come up with ideas that are not coherent, are very incoherent, and

actually quite harmful and destructive. Even though the people as individuals, if you pull if you pluck them out, and you talk to them individually, they're actually quite reasonable. And then just but then we put them together. And somehow, it's just this this vibe, that's why it's social contracts. The goal of social contract is to help mitigate these problems is to help the lesson of that to lessen that hatred, and arrogance and racism, they breed in groups. They do. They really do.

And it's really weird why that is, because I've always, I've always noticed this, like living in a village, you can go and it's really cool stuff when you're living in small, rural areas where people are more, have more simple lives, and there's less less variables and complexity. So it's easy to kind of watch stuff. So I would notice how the people that when they came together, they would talk about certain groups in a way that was very repulsive to me, like, ethically, I find not unacceptable. But then in the individuals, like I was speaking to them on their own, their opinions were much different. Like they were much more reasonable human beings, they had more empathy than

they seem to have when it was something about coming together. And I see this a lot when I'm dealing with kids, I mean, shove up their ship on their own. A lot of times the guy on his own amazing guy, put him with two friends. And then yeah, and he basically they carry the throne of bliss on their shoulders, and they literally walk him around. What happens when they come together is really weird. Like what's wrong? The three of you, on your own are excellent individuals. When you come together, what happens? And this is when there's a lack of a social contract, when there's lack of social clarity of what my role is, what my job is to the group. What do I owe the group, which is why this

this sutra, doesn't have an introduction, members. We had this beautiful introduction

command and it but it was a beautiful introduction, where he started saying to Dakota Elaine Volker Cafaro Mr. Jackson will help you to see you're gonna hear him you know what though anatomy explaining things he he he made a case Subhana wits out of why we need to change the way we behave in this sort of stuff. No, there's not enough time the short suitum He's just gonna give here's a couple of things that you must do. And you must change number one. Oh, those who believe limit Hakuna Matata follow.

Why is it that you

You say that which you do not do.

Cobbled on nocton. It is despicable. It is highly coupled is something that increases in size mocked and mocked is hatred. Mocked is wrath. Cabal Rockton.

linguistically, this is complex, complicated for me to explain to you from a from an Arabic grammar perspective, so I won't I won't go into that.

Yeah, it's going to be a bit complicated for me to explain to you what it means and how that works. So I'll leave it, I'll explain to you what it just means. What it's saying is that this is one of the most

one of the things that cause the most draft in the eyes of Allah subhanaw taala. I mean, of all the things that Allah subhanaw taala is angered by this is probably one of them, one of the ones that do the most cavora mochten end Allah in the eyes of Allah, in the realm of Allah subhanaw taala and the Kulu mela to follow and for you to say something which you do not practice.

When you say, when you mean what we say is not what we do, when we say is not what we do. This is a problem. This is a problem of commitment. This is a problem of internalizing a concept. This is a problem of sincerity and realness. This is a real problem. You said. And just so you don't misunderstand what I'm talking about and start thinking about details. No, no, you said La Ilaha. Il Allah, did you not? You gave your shahada, you said La ilaha IL Allah, Muhammad Rasool Allah, that is a package comes what comes with that as a package. There's a number of things that are attached to that. So when you came in said, you're up and shut Allah. Oh, alive, I bear witness there is no

Lord, but you. Okay?

Where's the next steps that you're supposed to do? Once you say that? And you stop, you say the word you stop? He might have to do and I might if I don't? Why do you say something that you can back up? Are you saying if you're not going to do anything about it? Why are you going to say it if you're not going to practice what it actually preaches? What it means what the consequences of that word is? Or the consequences are? What Why would you say it's, it's a problem? It's a huge problem. It's a very scary I, I dread. I need the explaining this verse. I really do every time I come around to explain it, I find it very uncomfortable. It's very difficult. Because Allah Subhanallah doesn't ask

the question and move on. No, he has two verses in a row that talk about it. He didn't say yes

or no they move on are those who believe why do you say what you do that which you do not? Why do you preach that wish you not practice or say that which you do not need? fulfilled through through through actions, he stops the panel to Allah and he points out kibosh on mochten This is huge in terms of the rock that it brings upon you from Allah, it is extremely despicable to Allah subhanaw taala for you to say something and then not see through.

And, and it's like that for us, by the way too. Meaning you feel the same way about people who do that to you, or with you, for sure, as a human being you feel the same way. You the dishonesty is very difficult to to swallow. We almost you know, out of all the reasons in the world for you to lose a friendship. That's that's the number one on my list. If they're dishonest, if they can't be honest with you, if they say that which they do not do, then that's a good reason for you to step back. You are bound to get burnt hard, you're bound to get hurt by this person because they they say that which they don't they can't practice. It's a problem. If I if I tell you I love you. When every

day. I slap slap you hard enough to knock you out. But I love you and then I stop you again. And you're like Yeah, he'll at least telling me that which is makes sense. Makes sense. Yum. Makes sense. Say what you mean? Say you hate me and hit me at least you're honest about it. At least I can sleep at night understanding the world. But then you say something and you do something else you You're confusing. You're confusing to me. And it makes it only you hate me more.

You're bound to respect someone who's honest to you, even if they're cruel. You're bound in your life later on to respect someone who's cruel to you. If they're Allah as long as they're honest, if they're not honest, that's the problem. When you feel there's this honesty when they kept on promising you things and telling you what they'll do for you and how they're stand by you and how they'll help you and they kept on failing and not doing it and disappointing you and hurting you and wrecking basically just reaching inside your body and ripping your heart out every time it hurts. It's hard it's difficult to live that way. For a human being we don't like that at all. We don't

want those. Allah subhanaw taala tells us the same thing toward our McTell. This is very very despicable. It's very it's a cause of Wrath of mocked.

The word mocked his heavy pipe

doesn't it doesn't come very much in the Quran. No kinda Aisha Tana. Well nocton was sebelah when he says Well, thank you oh, my neck about Aquaman and he said don't marry a woman that your father married just don't do that. That's such a despicable when it comes to word Mactan there it's a very it's a very specific word not used very often in the Quran.

Whenever there's a word that's not used a lot, you always want to go back and see well, why? Yeah, it was used here because this is a big part.

problem, this is a big deal. We're going to talk about neufeldt. Don't worry, it's comes in Susan went off your phone. So I'm not going to spend too much time talking to you about the concept of hypocrisy. Because I believe in this part here, he's not really pointing out hypocrisy, supine or whatnot. He's not trying to teach us about hypocrisy, because he teaches us about hypocrisy in the same way as it to students down to this sort of scalable enough use when he goes in detail here, I feel it's more pointing to the lack of commitment.

If you sign up for something, and there's a bargain, you have to commit to it, you can't see it and then walk away, it doesn't work that way you harm yourself, you harm the group, the group, you owe the group that once you buy into them, you're a part of them, you just you see yourself as there's ownership or there's belonging to this group, you owe it to them that when you commit to it verbally, you actually see it through physically, you actually see it through with whatever that means. Whether that is time that you're going to spend with it as well that you're going to spend whatever it is that is required of you that you will see that through, you're not going to say no,

I'm a Muslim, I'm a part of this ummah, I want to find salvation, you'll meet the OMA from the prophets of Allah Hadees. Like you said, I want my family to find it as well. But I'm not willing to do anything about it. I am not, I don't want to be a part really of you. I don't want to pay any money. I don't want to attend anything. I don't want to contribute or participate or spend any time. I don't want anyone asking any questions or getting involved with me and my business. It doesn't work that way. I wish it it doesn't. Honestly, it'd be easier if we can't, if you can't afford to pray alone.

If you can't afford to pray, pray,

you can't afford to pray alone. You think therefore do anything else alone. This Zuma doesn't allow the way this almost put together doesn't allow for that. We're stuck together. Report, we're a group.

And the first piece of this social contract that Allah subhanaw taala offers us and sort of stuff. Why is it that you say and then you don't, you know, don't follow up, you don't see it through through your behaviors or that Morona nurse availability. But then so now I'm full circle, when that Luenell keytab you come on command people with piety and best of behaviors, and forget yourselves, even though you're the ones who are reciting the book, may Allah subhanaw taala practice and he repented say, I mean, may Allah subhanaw taala forgive all of us Yanni for this is something we all do. To body and but the concept here is extremely, extremely important. Caboto McDonough and Allah,

it's a huge deal. This is not something simple. A few times in the Quran subhanaw taala is I will point that out right?

A few times in the Quran, he'll stop and say, you know, you shouldn't do this. But by the way, this is a big deal for me, for example, in sort of in the story of Asia, and if it had just left us with the nor

we actually as he's explaining the problems and the mistakes that people made regarding her story. He's stopped and he says what I said Guna, whom hyena oh and Allah here I'll do you think is simple, but in the eyes of Allah is a big deal. It's daunting. It's like a pause right in the middle of his game. By the way, you may feel this is not a big deal. But to me, it's a very big deal. The fact that you will allow your tongues to go

to spread spread rumors was to say a word about this lady, you think it's just a word I just said something I was just having a conversation, you would think as simple as simple. And Allah's icpr, a vocal Mullah who and totally missing here, but and then sort of the Sophists another example of that, where he you understood, you basically understood the concept from Idea number two, did you really need it? And number three, to understand the concept? Not really like you don't you didn't really need number three to understand you didn't need it. They understood from the first second one, he looked at the nominal nimotop, Bulunan, MyData. Fine, why are you saying that, but you do

not see through through your actions. You understood the problem? Like yep, I know what you mean. A lot of talk, no walk.

I talk the talk, I don't walk the walk, I understand what you're talking about. There's a problem. Yes, that's why some communities fail. That's why we don't do very well. And number three was just an additional reminder that by the way, this is a big deal. Just in case you're taking it lightly and say Okay, move on to the next one. Move on, we're getting bored. Right, the next one, I would like to, I really would like to move on to the next one. But it's hard to move on to the next one when he subhanho wa Taala actually pauses the sutra in terms of it's a short one. There's not a lot of verses that it's only 14 verses altogether. But he one of them is going to be cobbled on Nocturne

and Allah, it is a big deal. For us to say that which we don't

wish we do not practice.

Practice what you preach, right? We practice what you preach.

When you don't.

The schizophrenic effect

that trickles out

of your lack of commitment to what you believe will not only affect you, and maybe even your family members and your children, it will affect your society as well.

It becomes a real problem when we say things and we don't see them through. The reason I'm pausing on this and giving you time to kind of listen to it and think about it because we really

He really suffer with this problem, like, we suffer with this heavily outside of the realm of neufeldt, which is the beauty of this tool that allows me because I have a community of one two sorrows away, allows me to talk about this issue without taking the word hypocrisy, and then covering the whole issue with me when I feel clean, and then it gets lost. No side of me thought for a moment is talking about it as just an open concept. We have an issue here, you and I believe openly and clearly,

publicly, and with with full conviction as Muslims, that we must respect our fellow human being. And specifically, we must respect our fellow Muslim, and we must not cause harm. And we must make sure that we behave in a way where if everyone behaved, the world will continue to function. We know that we fully believe Does anyone disagree with that? Does anyone here believe that they are, are the exception to all of these to this rule, meaning they specifically should be allowed to take all the shortcuts to always make their way up front? To always have everyone open the doors for them so they can get through?

Everyone should wait in line for them to move forward. Does anyone feel that that's how they should be treated? No. If I asked you that, you'd be very well, you wouldn't say that, then why do we behave that way? Why do we behave that way?

Have you ever tried to come to a gym or late

ever drive Dojo my late before,

you would think that the apocalypse is upon us, you would think that we're racing towards the last reservoir of food that exists on the planet, he was think that whatever it is, we're going towards, if we don't get there, then life will end for all of us.

Why? Because there's a there's a there's a distinction between what we say, if I asked, you know, I am no, I'm not better than anybody, all Muslims are equal, I have to treat people with respect. And then I put you behind the car and make you late five minutes or something, and then watch your run. And then what and then we see. And then we see the people fight in this parking lot, every week. Every week in this parking lot, every single week, two people yell at each other. Every single week, there has to be someone who's trying to break the law a little bit to get out to make it to every he's going five seconds later, earlier, just you know, on average, that if you if you really work

hard, within small areas, they did the studies. If you're on like a if you're going over 200 kilometers, and you drive like a maniac, you make it six minutes earlier. And if you drive like a maniac in a city and make it there, between 17 and 18 seconds earlier, these are the numbers that come up. So you're gonna do this, to make it to wherever you're gonna go 18 seconds earlier to stare at your phone for those 18 seconds. i You're already staring at your phone as you're driving anyways, I don't see the difference really, in terms of getting there early or not. But the question is, why is it that if I were to ask you is that behavior, they did this, they did this study, it's a

really interesting one I love these kinds of, it's hard to find psychological studies these days that are fun, because the ethicality piece kind of kills the off any, any entertainment in them. So if you want to read studies, you have to read psychological studies are written that were done in the 60s and 70s, where the ethical clarity was not there. So they did stuff interesting. So one of the stuff they did is they would they would

film someone, either in a car or in public, and they would lose a certain aspect of it out. And then they would bring this person in a couple of months later. And they would have them watch a few videos and ask them to critique the behaviors of the people they're watching. And one of the videos that they would critique would be their own. But it'll be so many months later that they don't remember obviously, and it's all blurred out everyone's bored or not just there's everything that they're like, here's a blurred out car, here's a blurred out person, here's how they're behaving. What do you think, and each and every time the person would give themselves a this is this person

has no other mind to ask. Now, he has no ethics, this is garbage, but this person should be thrown in jail. And then they unblurred and you get to see the face of the person when they imbler study as it were, the person sees its themselves and they feel younger, Latina limita, pudo Nirmala to follow. The idea is you said it this I'm gonna bring this concept to you from a different angle. Did you say this? Yes, I said it. But then do it. You said it correct. You have you have claimed disbelief you claimed it I claim Yes. That I have not better than anyone that we have to behave in a way that if everyone behaved society would function properly, and normally, that I cannot exempt

myself from all the rules that I can't act like no, I am. I am a special case for everything I have to get in through to find the chicken. I can't do that. So you said that, right? It's a part of la ilaha illallah by the way, it's a part of the package. The package of Dracula in the Allah is that there's only one God. So there's no really rank. There's no rankings. The concept of no hate tells you there's no ranks. There's one God and everything else is just creation. There's one rank, which is ILAHA headlight SubhanaHu wa and it will wreck everything else who just is just

creation, there are not better than any turtle or rocket on the street. We're all the same. We're all creation. If that's what you learn from don't hate you feel that? No, there's no, there's no reason for me to be treated any differently, or given any special treatment in any form or manner. So you said that it's a part of your core value system, well, then practice it,

practice it. Or I'm sorry, you ended up making this community that you're a part of the group that you're a part of suffer as a part of your social contract with this group. You have this. When you claim things, you have to see them through with your behaviors with your actions, if you see them, and they don't behave that way. First of all,

you normalize that lack of behavior, you make it seem as if it's okay. And this is a biggest problem, in my opinion that we have right now. We have normalized, a lot of negative and bad behaviors, even though if you were to take the behavior and break it down and present it to any rational Muslim or human being, they would look at it and say, No, that's not a very good way to behave. We shouldn't be acting that way. We should be better than that.

But then why aren't we? The question is, why not? Because we've normalized we've normalized carrying the belief and not really seeing it through with practice. That normalization is what this area in my opinion is trying to explain. This is why that's what that's why it's kibosh on mochten. It's a big problem, when you normalize bad behaviors, even though your ethical, your values contradict them. How would you fix the problem when you when when it's like that, it's almost unfixable?

What I mean, you have a bad value, it leads to a bad behavior, right? So now you have a bad behavior, but it's rooted in a bad value. So if you change the value, right, you change the behavior, and it's an easy, it's a fix, you have a fix, you at least have least have a roadmap to how to fix it. When you have a good value that leads to a bad behavior. How do you fix that one?

Go ahead and fix that for me. How do you fix if you have a good value? And then a bad behavior? What do you do?

There's almost no answer to this. How do I fix this? It's almost impossible. The value is there. Is it not working? You start poking at the valuation in which it will take the value to move it a little bit as it broke? What's wrong? It's a good value. Why is it leading to this garbage behavior?

And then, and then you end up having

I shared this in a couple of months ago, in the summer.

I talked about

well, I can't remember who talked about but what I brought up was the the reason for Muslims in the West to leave their Deen. And it's not just for the West, it's almost across the globe. It's not it's not but Yaqeen Institute had put together like a survey and they ran it by about 600 Muslims in America. And they asked certain questions and I thought that the the finding some of the findings were extremely interesting and worth sharing. Because I didn't see like I'm always interested. I'm always interested when when I don't anticipate the result. Like when I anticipate the results. Okay, makes sense. That's what I'm seeing. But I didn't I didn't anticipate the number one repellents are

a pillar of for Muslims. Like what what's the number one reason for Muslims to be repelled from Islam? The number one was the behaviors of people who claim to be religious. That's how it's worded.

Right? That's the number one repeller the number one reason for Muslims to feel like you don't want to be a part of a faith anymore that they want to leave is not a theological challenge. It's not a Sherpa. It's not a temptation or challenge, not a shower. It's not an identity challenge. It's not a tolerance challenge. No, it's, it's the people who act like they're really religious. The people who say we are the dean, the people who who name, big, big Latvia and put the hat on their heads and stand up front. And then they go and they name it, hakuna matata, phytoene Cabal, Nocturne and Allah and Taku it's a Seba Sambasiva free to say something that not not practice it will see you but your

pillow people. You send people away from the Dean because some people enter Islam and they're a little bit. They're one foot ahead and one foot behind, and they're trying to figure their way through things. And they have a lot of struggles and they have a lot of problems and they're sad. And they they've been going through a lot in their life and they want to be better they do in their hearts, they want to be better. So they come and they try to be better and then they're they're faced with this really ugly reality. The first thing that they're faced with this is someone who is religious, but then somehow is extremely rude and disrespectful to someone who is new to a masjid.

Now it's an example of Dakota and I'm identified with the more religious you become, the more compassionate you become

They work together. If you are becoming more religious and less compassionate, then you have to go back and look at the hard wiring because there's something wrong. Whatever you're being taught needs to stop, and you have to change the way you're being educated on this. Rama is very sensitive for religiousness.

If you're a researcher, it's not a specific

test. It's a sensitive one.

It's not specific to Islam, you can be merciful from any religion, but it's very sensitive, it's exquisitely sensitive to being a better Muslim, you become a better Muslim, and then more compassion in your heart. Less than less compassion, not necessarily. It's not, it's not specific, necessarily, but for sure, if you're becoming more of a Muslim, than for sure, you're going to become more compassionate. So if someone stands up front, and looks to look and sounds the sound and seems to see him, and then has little compassion, and is rude and difficult and disrespectful, and then there's limit Hakuna Matata final, I thought you were religious? aren't you saying you're religious?

Then why are you saying what you're not? This does not seem to be the behavior of someone who's religious. You love Allah. That's what you say, yes, that does not seem to be the behavior of someone who loves Allah subhanaw taala. Someone who loves Allah subhanaw taala tells him, I'll bring him to you. Or bring him to you Don't worry. This up here, this guy who did this servant of Yours was lost, I'll bring them to you. Don't worry, I will take care of it. I will, I will stick with him, I will do what I have to do to bring him to you. That's what it means you love Allah, that's what you'll say. I will I'll do whatever I need to do. I'll spend time with him I'll do I'll

continue to work with this person. If I bring them to Europe, he's your servant, you love him, I will make sure he comes back to you. I won't let him continue to be lost. I will make sure he finds his way back to Europe. The opposite? The opposite is

what is the opposite? It's not understood. It's very difficult this is this is why this social contract is so important that these two software's are very profound. So it's very, very deep. It only talks about a couple of topics that put together or

confine our social contract, what is it that we owe, what you owe? The first thing that you owe to this group is that you put your money where your mouth is, you speak you, you practice, you said you're a part of this group, you need to be a part of this group. You need to do what you can to contribute your product. You have to participate. You have to do it. You can't come and say it and walk away. No, you kill us. You killed the whole group. You ruin everything you have to you have to commit you have to commit to us. You said it. You said why you say it if you're not going to do it. If you don't say it's got us say it, don't say it did not do it. Because that ruins it. That takes

away the beauty of it that takes away the reality of it. It takes away the sanctity, the holiness of it. At the same time, it weakens the group where we were weaker, or weaker. The more people who say and don't do, the more that believes we have weaker we are as a team. Consider us. Some sports team. If you have people who claim they don't they don't practice and they don't show up for they don't play it. Play as a group. What was the point? You tell us? You're weakening us? More numbers don't mean anything. Lima. Tahuna Marilla Turfan? Why? Why would you do this? Subhan. Allah, it's very hurtful when he asks a question. So piloti it's almost like there's despair in this in this

question.

Like, I don't even know how, what

what attitude to even read this this idea with is a disappointment. Is it wrath is it is it? Is it despair? Why? Why limit the whole? Why would you do this? Couple Rockton. By the way, it's a big cause of my wrath for you to say something and then not do it. So number one, the number one thing you owe your society, a part of their social contract, is that you owe commitment. When you buy in, you stick around, you stick around. You're there. When you're needed, you're there. And when you're not needed, you're also there. You're there because that's what you committed to you said it. You said you said law in the law. There's something in it for you don't worry. For the couple of verses

that we'll go through for today. And they'll be early or early next week. It will obviously be asking what you owe. But you'll it's a contract. Write a contract means there's a there's a two way road, there's something you owe and there's something going to be owed. So don't worry, the peace was in it for you is coming. But let's start what you owe first. Number one, you owe that commitment. I was asked this question a year ago, and I've said this before, so forgive me if I'm boring you.

I've been asked this question before. What's the number one challenge within a society, in my opinion, is commitment. Number one challenge number one problem within every community that I've been in massage since I was five, six years old, sitting there as a child just watching, seeing traffic, and people come in and out and seeing the number one problem is commitment. Commitment, there's lack of commitment. It's hard to build anything with no commitment. It's hard to build something with floaters, floaters. They float in for a while there for a couple of months, maybe a few years and they float out again. You can't build anything like that.

Got you need, you need consistency. And you can admit, as you're here, you're here, I can, we can depend on each other for as long as obviously you're here, like, if you're good. Obviously, if you go live in a different city, I don't expect you to come. But the idea is if you're this is where you live, then you're a part of this community, you're there, you're always you're always doing something you're always showing up, you're out, you're committed, you put your time and you participate in contribute. It doesn't follow the flux or the or the graph of your of your of your social well being or financial well being or any form of wellbeing. Oh, I have time now. What do you

mean, don't have taught you on time, you don't have time before? Where was your time, if someone's stealing from you, when you when you have time? Whenever and by the way, anyone who tells you I don't have time, what they're saying to you is you didn't make the cut. That's what they're saying. Just so it's clear. And that's how I hear it. So when you call me I didn't have time for you. What I hear is sorry, I had a priority list. And you didn't make it. That's why I didn't show up. There's no such thing as I didn't have time because all you have the only thing you have is time that's the only thing you have. It's just you had a priority list and I wasn't on it. Not me. I don't matter.

The message, whatever it is that you you didn't matter to you. So didn't make the cut. The concept of the idea here is that he has to make the cut all the time he has to make the cuts. Why because you said so because you said it Allah has to make the cut. Every time you prioritize. And you say I can't do all these things I have to cut this piece has to your Diem and your community have to make the cut or as Lima taco Luna, Murata falloon Why are you saying that you're a part of something if you're not really a part of something? Okay.

I think I'd beat that to death let's recite it number four inshallah Tada.

In Allah you hate molesting you, Artie Luna, Fe sabe. Lee, he is off

fourth, bang, get and

go near Melbourne.

There's a couple of women here in a row. So it's a nice one to kind of practice if you want to learn your history a little bit more. So you can do the first one between soften. So that's why you give it to the coach and then the new one that as I said, there is another to conquer. And, and then the mean with the back and whom, but then the Bunya and the noon here. This is why I'm doing this doesn't there's no there's no one to hear. Because sometimes you see a new one with a yet after you're like, oh, that must be fun. Well, you give it no, in the middle of one word, it doesn't exist. And you've been in the middle of one word.

You don't you don't do either one. Islam only exists between the end of one word and the beginning of another once it's the middle of winter. So we know it's been one year and so it becomes a full full blown Ilhan in the way that you come in. And then you have a one between the last noon to noon and the mean Bonilla, Melville, and then you have the law on the side. And the side. They're all very heavy metal fools. They're very, very heavy. So you have to watch out and kind of keep them all keep them give them a line when you're reciting them. So this I am probably going to end with this for this week. And then we'll go through the Musa and ASA pieces next week.

The second part the second part of the social contract number one you commit when you say something when you there's a buy in when you you see it through, you see it through you can't you can't you can't you can't say talk the talk and not walk the walk. The second one in Allah your Hebrew. Indeed Allah subhanaw taala loves a Lavina yo potty Luna feasability and he gives the example of combat. And the example of combat just to make it clear for you in the Quran is repeated a number of times. Why is it repeated so much? Because it is the ultimate test? It's the ultimate test not because the Quran loves bloodshed, as I've explained, for example, over the last five weeks and suited to the

medina that the goal is not bloodshed it never was. It never will be. But why does he keep on giving the example of beaten? Why does he always give the example of combat, the reason he gives the example of combat is because it's the ultimate test of your character. It's all fun and games until your life is on the line. It's easy, it's easy for me to sit here and talk and talk big talk real big. Because there's there's no there's no danger. i There's nothing on the line here I can I can talk to big guy I can I can raise my voice and I'm like I'm all macho is because there's nothing there. But then we're in Congress different. Combat is different. Everything changes when you're

standing in a position where you can lose your life. Your True Colors suddenly shine, or not shine. They come out when you're when you're standing in a position. I've been in positions like that in my life. I didn't like my color. So I won't share with you the stories but you find out you find things out about yourself when you're stuck in a position where you know you're you're you're actually scared for your own existence. You thought you learn things about yourself. Wow, I thought it was much more you know, tougher than that or courageous than that or even I thought it was a better a better human being than that. You find out that you're not that great.

which is not bad for you to figure out about yourself early on that you're pretty mediocre. And you can use only up code from here if you want it to be using proven who and whom you are. But the concept of the repetition of the concept of combat and PETA and the Quran, the goal of it is to give you the ultimate tests, just so they understand the concept. Because if he gives you an easy test that is not meaningful, if it's something simple, that is not it's not going to resonate with you, but he's talking about he loves to pilot to add in the law. Yeah, indeed, Allah loves those who when they fight for him, when they fight when they're standing in combat, they do so sofa, which is the

name, they stand in line together.

Why he just used the prayer and as I did,

as much cuter for him, because much less Jonnie, intimate, intimidating. If we just use in Allah, Allah dniu saloon, or up mode or Salah to him so fun, it's easier, we would have had a nicer conversation, obviously. And then I could, I could have drilled down the idea that you need to stand in line, but he used combat. The reason to use combat is that is that so this example is actually more meaningful, so you stand better in prayer.

Today, when you started on Salah to Asia, you'll remember this, I hope Inshallah, if you're listening to me and not half asleep, then you'll remember this. Because if Allah subhanaw taala is saying during combat, during combat, you will stand in line perfectly, you will take care of your line in combat. Why did this is I'm going to I mean, most likely, or very likely, or probably or possibly will die in the next couple of minutes, whether my foot is right, aligned with the foot of the person beside me or not, how different does not going to make any of this? I understand I'm in a platoon, I understand what my job is. But what is this obsession with standing in line? Why do you

care so much, because it's about the unity is about the togetherness, it's about the equality, we stand in line in salah the way we do and we talk about make sure your lines are straight and most people don't care I sometimes I quite often don't pray email me and I go pray behind a little bit. And it's a messenger when the the other it was just a complete gets chaos and the other stuff honestly, aside from the first line, everything and everyone does their own thing. And if people are praying like Empire Emperor's they stand and they have a couple of meters on each side for their own comfort. And I don't even get started about the ladies, then they'll get upset with me and kick me

out of here. Yeah, we have to make sure that the lines matter. Why do the lines matter? Because it's it's symbolic to our unity, and our equality and our togetherness, as a nation, that we refuse to have to stand in a line where one of us is ahead of the other or behind the other. We don't allow that. No, we're gonna stand together straight, because we're all equal. And we're all important, and we all matter. And that is a beautiful, beautiful concept that in combat is going to be brought together in combat. Even when you stand in war, you're going to do it in war, you have to do it in prayer, you don't know, if in a war, you have to do it by buying them and there's no war, it's going

to be much more important. It's gonna be much more needed, of course, because there's less fear, there's less difficulty here.

So you're 100% you're gonna be required to stand in line. It's not about because the ship says it or because No, it's about how do you feel? Do you belong to this group? If you belong to this group, make sure everyone feels welcomed. Everyone has to be has to feel valued. Everyone has to be like everybody else. There can't be one of us a little bit ahead, or someone a little bit back then one story

that we have in narrated by Ibn is happening is Ceylon and he actually the US totally focused him out. He actually points out that he heard this story. So it has a reasonable chain of narration of narration even though it's not in the book of Hadith.

It's a story of solid.

Some say so other than the summit, and some say he's a different father, his name, we don't know for sure. But so odd was a hefty gentleman to say the least BMI of above maybe 35 or so. It's a big guy. He was amongst the people who was with the profit idea side to us that I'm amongst those 314 gentlemen who fought on the day but and so are the other one who would stand in the line. And he would kind of move him he was still a little bit crooked. So every time the priority of some of those on came by, he saw so outstanding. And so I was reading his armor and his belly fat was out of his armor. Like you know, that's how big he was like he was he had armor but he was so big that his

you know his he had that pieces coming out too because he was a big guy. It was Danny there was a big hefty man and he was turning wrong every time the Prophet Allah Islam came by he was standing rock. I still Yes sir. Just stand and get in line and stand in line. Like he goes, he comes back and then so understanding crooked again. Yeah, so still, yes, I was standing like, the third time around the Prophet alayhi salam is going back and forth. He has a small little stick in his hand. So he comes by and he sees the light again standing crooked in the line. So he taps him on his on his belly fat. That's it.

hanging out because it's still yeah so and he taps him on the on his belly football and Oh Jack Tony yell rasool Allah said Allah, it's like you hurt me.

That hurt.

Of course. Virgo I never use that Allah is Allah Mercado Via de mean also he had a sticky threw it down by film. Oh yeah. Yeah, I need a close like I said, or

you had another there's another word for it I can't remember what it is. But it also works works as well.

Don't take take back.

Take back what is yours? So had to go back and call Allah

Let me confirm Mr. Hodges there was no there was no, I wasn't wearing some anything like you hit me on my skin. You're telling me here's the thing poke you and poke you in your knee. What's the point I poke you, you're getting close. It does not equal. Of course the Sahaba most of them are having semi strokes as this is going on. They're standing there and they cannot believe that this gentleman in the midst of war is saying this stuff or cares about any of these things or any of these things and they just don't understand exactly what he's trying to do. And they're all looking at each other like what is he lost his mind is he is easy and saying

they are lazy. This is not there's not fair.

certifying that the use of Allah Islam and botany So the Prophet alayhi salatu salam would lift his the armor from his stomach so that so it can you know you can get you can take him back as he did hidef and kappa so do I love Neil Rasulullah Salah. So So what When did he hug the Prophet Ali's daughter from his stomach? And the Sahaba said, looking around, what are you doing? For Karna Wallah he in the rehab, I had to show her that I can smell I feel like I'm gonna die today for whoever to and you're gonna ask about it even dunya and Yellowlees Gil de jilda Rasulillah I wanted if I before I leave the last thing that I do for my skin that touch the skin of the profit out of your salon was

actually Friday, forget our ED shahada iorma You don't have the earliest of the of the of the martyrs of the budget of the law one whereby the story does not maybe attach this but it comes from the same concept of software, software. The concept of unity, the concept of being together is very valuable. I hope you I hope you'll give yourself a moment to enjoy it when you're praying. I hope you I hope you actually reflect upon it that we are we are a community we are equal we're a group or a nation. You don't have to like me and I don't have to like you. It doesn't like liking people doesn't have to do anything with this whole story. We are a nation we stand by one another we

support one another we help when we one another we aid each other. Regardless of whether we agree on everything or not whether we whether we are best friends or whether we rub each other the wrong way. It doesn't make a difference because we and we stand we stand suffer. Even in combat we refuse but to stand Safa we stand in one line can know whom when ya know most. So it's like they are a compacted structure. My soul says when something is compacted, there's no there's no spaces. When Yeah, and it's a it's a structure. The Prophet Allah subhanho Saying I love that I love it. I love when my sermons and they stand together in unity. And they're compact. And they're like a strong

structure because they have each other's back because they support one another. It's a beautiful concept. We do it in prayer every day, every day a couple of times we stand, but we don't really because we don't want to we don't think about that. But that's what we do. You stand there and then you and we announce to ourselves into the world that we are unite that we are one that we are together that we are soft, we start we make because we take a moment we take a moment before every thought I can't make a comment Allah I had to turn back and say my, you know, my thing I have to go it's long I have to go through a bunch of words is why because you have to stand in line, because

it's valuable because it's valuable for us to do so it's valuable for our unity for togetherness for our oneness as an ummah. And that's a part. That's the second part of the social contract. Number one, you have to commit to that which you which you are bought into. Number two, your number one goal is unity. The most important thing that you will preserve for your community, your home is unity. And I'll talk about that a little bit more in Charlottetown next week, once we once we come back to the backlog, how much Allah Allahu Allah and I still feel good to be a person Allah who was telling them more about like, I don't know about you