Does the current climate of suspicion of Islam and Muslims and all the troubles in our world today mean that this is one of the worst times to be a Muslim? Learn in this khutbah why the opposite may indeed be be true and how Allah may have a special plan for you.
Ali Albarghouthi – Is This The Best Time To Be A Muslim?
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the challenges faced by Muslims in their lives, including violence and terror, extremism, and the lack of acceptance of their culture. They emphasize the importance of learning from past events and finding a connection to one's culture to avoid tension and loss, and the need for acceptance of one's own values. The speakers also emphasize the importance of practicing Islam for one's comfort and success, patience, and forgiveness, and the importance of learning to distinguish between Islam and non Islam. They emphasize the need to be patient and watchful in one's approach to one's message and community, and to prioritize learning to distinguish between Islam and non Islam.
AI: Summary ©
In Alhamdulilah Hina Ahmed who want to stay in who want to start
when I was with him in Korea and fusina was a Tia Medina Maja de la de la
sala de la la la la ilaha illallah wa de la sharika lah Mohammed Abu Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa he was a hobby he was seldom
in Iran Howdy.
Howdy howdy Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Chateau la Marina de,
de de la, la la la, la la la la, la.
All praise and thanks belongs to Allah the Most High. We thank Him and ask Him to forgive us and to protect us from the evil of ourselves and the sins that we commit. Indeed, whomsoever Allah guides, no one can lead astray and whomsoever Allah leads astray, no one can guide and ever witness that there is no one worthy of worship except Allah alone. Then Mohammed Salah while he was in love with his servant and Messenger, the best of speech is the book of Allah. And the best of guidance is the guidance of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and the worst of religious matters are those that are innovated, and every religious innovation is a bit on every bit dies, misguidance, never
misguidance will be in Hellfire
about
one of us, or a lot of us when we look at our times today.
And what Muslims are going through and what they're facing, many of us may conclude
that this is one of the more difficult times fact one of the most worst times to be a Muslim. Because of the challenges it presents.
You know very well that Islam is linked to acts of violence and terror and extremism in the minds of many.
And to add to that there is a widespread ignorance of what Islam stands for, even sometimes among Muslims themselves. We don't understand what Islam teaches and what Allah wants from us.
So all of that makes it harder and more of a challenge, to adopt an Islamic lifestyle. To practice Islam as Allah subhanho wa Taala wants it.
And strangely, this is not only the case in Muslim countries, a lot of what I'm going to say today actually applies to Muslim and non Muslim countries as well. Because even Muslims living in some Muslim countries, they will face some of these challenges or a lot of them.
But what I want to suggest today is that perhaps these times are some of the best times to be a Muslim.
And before we explain why and how list for first detail some of the challenges that are facing us, because when we detailed limits is easier than to assess and to understand
And that discussion also in public, allows us also a release of some of our pain and frustration because when you we know that it's not only my pain and no pain, but it's everybody's pain we share in this suffering, we share in this burden, there is a kind of comfort and solace as well. And it helps us to think about it and find a solution or solutions for it.
So, as I said,
Islam is tied in the minds of many Muslims even sometimes, to violence and terror and extremism. And the acts of few very few is taken to represent what Islam stands for what all Muslims believe in what all Muslims do.
And it's one event after the other. Once when we think we recovered from one event, or another one pops its head. And we're thrown to the media circus and everything that we believe in everything that we do, and everything that we say is under scrutiny. And that creates a lot of pressure
on all of us individually communally and as the oma as a whole globally.
And the simple act here of putting on the hijab, or going to the masjid, or growing your beard, or just adopting a more Islamic or more wholesome lifestyle becomes not only a religious act, it becomes also or be interpreted as a political act, as well as a security threat, it cetera, et cetera.
But it's not only really just violence, that is an issue here.
Because even if none of these things existed, and if you can imagine a world where none of these events have taken place.
Still, the issue is the compatibility of Islam with the modern lifestyle.
And there will be some non Muslims. And in fact, you'll find some Muslims as well, and in Muslim countries as well, who will say that the Islamic belief or the Islamic practice, or a lot of it is not suitable for today, it doesn't belong for today. And it definitely doesn't belong in the future, that these things are relics from the past things that were inherited from the past.
But they have no place in modern society. So when a person wants and wants to adopt a better relationship with Allah Subhana, WA tada and observe what Allah wants from him and her and stay away from what Allah wants from him, or him and her, he and she will find resistance,
resistance from society as a whole. I want you even to think sometimes of Muslim societies, because it's the same actually, in some Muslim societies.
They will look at this person, as a person who has jumped from the past, adopting practices and beliefs that have no place, and society. So there's pressure from society as a whole. And there is pressure from family and pressure from friends and pressure in the workplace, that the choice that you're making is not the suitable right choice. And that creates pressure. That creates tension.
And a lot of people, especially when they live as a minority, when they feel that the society around them is suspicious of them, it's not accepting of their beliefs, it's not accepting of their choices of their culture of their religion, they start feeling alienated from that society, that they have no place in it, it does not accept them.
It does not approve of their choices, that I don't fit their, their identity is distinctly different from their identity. And that creates tension and sometimes hostility, loss, confusion, and also loss of hope. Because I don't fit here, and there's no place for me there.
And because of that,
some of us, especially the young among us, the idealist among us may seek
that identity and that comfort and that connection somewhere else. And unfortunately, these days, few there are very few, but they seek that comfort among groups that advocate violence and destruction. There are Muslims, what they advocate violence and destruction as a path for change. And one of the reasons that they follow these routes and they seek to follow them is that they paint them this utopian image of what Islam is, and they tell them that you belong here. And you will be among brothers and sisters, and we will take care of you as you take care of us that you will belong. This is what your identity is, and that while everybody else is talking about what ails
Muslims, we're doing something about it.
On the ground, and you can take part in it. And you can do something about it right now, not a year from now, not 10 years from now you can bring on change immediately. And that is an attractive message.
That's an alluring message. And that's why people are still people find themselves attracted to that message. Unfortunately, when they go there, they find that it was just propaganda
that the reality belies the promise.
But let's go back to the pressure that it creates.
How is the Muslims supposed to cope with all of this? How are we as individuals and communities supposed to cope with all of this? Because it is, in fact, very draining, very exhausting. to constantly think that I have to defend Islam,
constantly think that I have to justify what I do. justify what I believe every time that I leave from the time that you leave your home. You have to contend mentally with everybody looking at me, suspiciously or not. Is everybody looking at me condemning what I'm doing or not? Though I have to constantly be on the defensive, ready to present the evidence of why I'm doing this or why this is rational. Why this is right. Why I'm not like these other people. That's very exhausting, emotionally and psychologically.
So how do we respond to it?
Well,
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam had told us
better Islam over Eva was a hurry. But what about
Islam? He said, Susan Muslim, is it started as a stranger.
And it will come back as it started as a stranger.
So glad tidings to the strangers.
And the continuation of that howdy they asked him who are
these strangers?
Latina, you sleep una either faster than so you can,
either faster than us. Who are these strangers, he sets a low on yourself. They are the ones who are upright, when the people around them are corrupt. And you can also read it, they are the people who are reformed, when the people around them are corrupt.
So here, this is one of the signs actually of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam and his prophethood that he had said that the way that Islam started started the stranger. Few people believed in it. And these people were strangers in their families in their societies in the world. In fact, they were the only people who actually had the hate of Allah subhanho wa Taala, the only people who prayed the only people who stayed out on the only people who did these obligations. So people looked at them, as if they have come from another planet, what type of belief Do you have, and in addition to all of that, they insulted them. They spread rumors about them, they tortured them, they boycotted them. So
the Prophet sallallahu wasallam is saying that people in the beginning were strangers
alone.
And he says as Islam will gain in strength, this will disappear, but it will come back.
And people again, and Muslims again will fail at certain times in certain places as strangers
their beliefs will be attacked, they'll be the only ones who have belief in Allah subhana wa tada and practice Islam.
There are rumors will be spread about them, they will be insulted. their beliefs would be maligned. All of this will happen to them like it happened with the people before.
And when they asked him who is this strangers, described them to us era pseudo law. He said these are the ones who are upright when other people around them are corrupt.
Meaning they don't follow the corruption of people who are around them, even if they are a minority, even if they are few. They maintain to be upright.
And you can read it also as the people who reform so here there are two options because there are sometimes in some places where the best that you can manage is to be upright, you can't remind anybody else around you. It's very difficult, dangerous.
So it'll be enough for that time for you to be upright, even though no one around you is at other times in other places where it's not such extreme.
Your duty then is to reform it only to be a pride but also reform even if everybody else is corrupt
and he still allow it
selam pointed to how difficult and how rewarding This is going to be
the difficulty first, he said, Yeah, trns is a man yaku saburo Allah Dini he Cal COVID, the origin of karma.
He says there will come times
where the person who is patient holding on to his religion will be like the person holding on tightly to a burning coal to a piece of hot burning coal. And I want us to take some time to sort of let that image soak in.
Here is a person who is tightly holding to this thing that is burning his skin.
And this is great pain and the impulse of your body, the natural impulse is to let go, let go and the suffering will end let go and you don't have to endure this pain anymore. That's where the natural impulse to stop it. Because if you just stop if you just let go, all of this pain will go away. Right?
What kind of thing does this person have in his in her heart that despite all of this pain, and that burning of the skin, they continue to hold the art to hold on to that goal and never let go of it?
What kind of thing do they have in their heart?
The reward
the profits will allow us to send them on speaking to the Sahaba he says in the meanwhile ikoma Yama sub, they will come after you days of patience.
Limbo domestic EP in LA he seen I mean como call amin, whom era surah la Cala Bamako, it says there will be days of patience,
where the one who is holding on to what you are doing right now, we'll have the reward of 50 of you.
They said you're rasulillah 50 of them will have the rule of 50 men of them he says no 50 men of you the Sahaba of the prophets of the law. And he said no. They explain that it is because of those times people don't find helpers
and no age to support them. And because they are alone, when they adhere to Islam or adhere to that specific ad, they will have the reward over 50 Sahabi. Now of course this does not make them better than the Sahaba but in that act, in that position that they have taken, we have reward of 50 so hobbies but also have to have the virtue of the companionship of the prophets of Allah Allah you are using them so they are unparalleled in that but there is the reward from Allah subhanho wa Taala and we're not saying necessarily today that these are the days will be where you will be rewarded as a hobby but maybe for some it could be
and Allah subhanho wa Taala has told us in the Quran
that una Fiamma C'mon Fujiko what at this mountain Amina Latino
Latina Shaku era.
I mean, as we know more,
he says you are going to be tested
and your wealth and in yourselves.
And you're going to hear from the people who are given the book before you and from the policy is a lot of harm.
But if you are patient, and you have Taqwa, indeed, this is of the loftiest things to aspire to, and that Allah rewards highly for as moodlemoot.
Here Allah subhanho wa Taala is declaring
that I am going to test you that this is the path in life, I'm going to test you
and this is going to be in your wealth and in your bodies. And in addition to that, you will hear from those who have religions other than you from some of them a lot of harm, and it will come your way.
What they will do is that let's expand on that they will attack your religion, they will attack you they will attack your Prophet sallallahu wasallam they will say all these things about you and more.
So expect that harm to come your way.
But then he says why in Postville
patience and
then Allah will reward you immensely. And here Allah subhana wa Taala combined patients adequate that you need both of them.
Because how do you respond to all of those attacks?
You need to learn patience.
taqwa to stay away from what Allah has prohibited and to do what Allah wants and patience also not to repay evil with evil.
And harm with greater harm
patients so that your patients is according to the core of Allah subhana wa Taala and you do not transgress.
Give you an example.
And this is what a lot of us, not a lot of us, some of us do.
Especially those who advocate or lean towards violence. someone hits me is too powerful, I cannot hit him. I wait for his younger brother and I go, I pummel him to the ground. And as I'm hitting him, I'm saying Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar.
That's basically what it is.
When you want to punish, the punish has to be in measurement. And it has to bring more benefit than harm, and has to be with the person who actually punished you. Not someone else.
And you have to do it. For the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala, not to revenge, the insult our revenge, the wrong that happened to you. When we understand what the difference between the two is, sometimes what Allah subhana wa Taala wants from you, is to be patient, and not to repay harm with anything else other than patience and forgiveness, and nothing else. And you look at one period of Mecca, where the Prophet Sall Allahu Allah, you it was in them was living when they attacked him.
Then the Muslims go and attack the attacker, or did they just simply rescue him? So a lot of you it was a lump, they just rescued him.
When the attacked as a Muslim did they go and assassinate the people and they didn't do that. They were commanded not to fight and not to retaliate? Because their time was the time for Dawa and patience. They had no power, and there was no benefit in attacking anyone.
What we sometimes or some of us do, is that because of our hurt,
because of the harm that we feel, because of our frustration, we just want to do something and inflict similar harm on who we think has harmed us without guidance from Allah subhanho wa Taala. So rather than be guided with the shadows, we are guided by our emotions and our own frustrations. And then we close that with the clothing of Islam and the clothing of religion. We're doing this for Allah subhanho wa Taala and Allah hates this.
And Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah says in the Quran, that you have to abide and we have to abide by Justice no matter what feelings we have about that other person, even if they have wronged us directly.
What Allah says what he meant no compassion and Oh man, Allah, Allah tala de Luna, who are probably taqwa Don't let the hatred that you have towards some people because of what they've done to you. Because in the other eyes as well, I have driven the compassion and
the hatred that you have towards other people because they prevented you from visiting the sacred mosque. Let not those feelings stop you from being just a lead you into transgression. You have to be just at all times and with all people regardless of your own emotions, because we are worshipers of Allah subhanho wa Taala not worshippers have our own emotions. So at times, we have to withhold at times we have to be patient, at times we have to forgive rather than punish. And that is the way
of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Mecca and the meccan period brothers and sisters is very significant for us to think about and to contemplate, and I will continue in sha Allah in the next hookah talking about ways that we can cope with all of this. Apolo Kohli has suffered a lot he will come first off you
hamdu Lillahi Rabbil aalameen
our country he will suddenly was suddenly more or slowly he Mohammed. He also he was seldom about
I want you to think about the following
of all the times in history, and in the history of Islam, where you could have existed. Allah subhanho wa Taala chose this particular time for you.
And of all the places in the world that you could have lived
until of course you decide to move to a better place. And as long as you're living where you're living right now, wherever that may be,
a lot chose that place for you.
And if you think about it, Allah subhana wa Taala does what he does for a purpose and
What he does, for clear wisdom.
This means that a lot chose to serve this specific time and this specific place for you because there is a purpose for you to perform, there is something for you to do.
And if you think about this and you internalize it, it becomes a very powerful motivation for you to do something that pleases Allah subhanho wa Taala.
And benefits everyone who's around you.
So the first thing that we want one absorbed into our selves, our hearts and minds, is that message of warband What about
that if you are experiencing pain, and frustration, and confusion, and pressure and tension,
the know that all of this is the price that all the reformers have. That's how we're sent by Allah subhanho wa Taala. All of them have experienced that all the prophets of Allah subhanho wa Taala had experienced pain and suffering, and you belong to the same family and to the same pedigree. If you are a Muslim, you have to experience some of that. And if you are patient, Allah subhana wa Taala will reward you immensely because you are to an extent, a participant in the order that is prevalent today.
If you decide to hold on to Islam, despite the pressure, and despite the criticism,
and despite the hostility and suspicion.
And whenever you feel that tension whenever you feel that pain say this is for Allah subhanho wa Taala.
But this, of course needs fuel for it.
And what is the fuel that will help you continue? It is both Ayman Amma, you need knowledge and you need practice.
We need to know more about Islam, and move from the Islam of habit to the Islam of conviction.
Islam of habit of Islam that you have inherited, you know that this is what you believe you know that this is what you need to do. And if you do it, and if you're like in an isolated village, no one challenges that belief no one challenges that action and you keep doing it and you die doing it, isn't it now you're gonna go to heaven.
But now we're living in a time and in a place where your beliefs are constantly being challenged, your practices are constantly being challenged, to be satisfied with the Islam of habits of inheritance is difficult. That is not a very strong type of Eman. You need to move on to Islam of conviction to understand what Allah said, his arguments and his proof in his book, what did this prophet sallallahu wasallam said and the proofs and arguments in the sooner Why do you believe what you believe? Why do you do what you do? We're not asking that everybody becomes a scholar, an atom in Islam, but that the average level of knowledge in Islam has to increase among the population. Our
decline that happened throughout centuries happened because the religious bond action, practice and knowledge or decreasing
the very thing that gave us the name Muslim became weaker in our societies, it has to be stronger, it has to regain its strength. So the beginning you have to know more. You have to be invested emotionally in what you believe.
When you say Allah subhana wa Tada, you have to say it with love. When you say Mohammed Sal, Allahu Allah you are he was telling me you have to say it with love. They have to matter to you on the inside.
I'm not asking that will become irrational, but but will become emotional when it comes to when it comes to Islam.
The second thing that is needed is practice. And knowledge without practice is deficient and superficial. And you need to practice and increase your practice. And each one of us, we need to chart for ourselves a map, where we increase in practice gradually, and we do more and more so that this practice can support our knowledge. Without it our knowledge will be dry, weak, and it will fail us.
So we have to know more.
And we have to actually be stronger in our Islam in our practice and do more. Third, we have to be invested in our community.
And I know that when I say this, that our communities suffer from a lot of problems.
I come to the masjid and people are distant people are that and people you know, I know that people have a lot of problems. And you may have faced a lot of frustrations coming to them. But you have no places.
And if you don't want that alienation for yourself, that frustration, that loss for yourself. If you want your email to be strong, then you have to be invested in your community and ask more of a job to be invested in your message and ask more of it. You have to be patient in the midst of itself.
When people are not doing what is supposed to be done, you'd be patient. You'd be gentle, but you seek to change it.
And don't give up.
Don't give up. And don't lose hope, because Allah subhanho wa Taala will bring that change. But you have to be invested in it. And if not that community, you tried it, it didn't work for you, that alone will give you another community, you keep looking until you find the brothers and the sisters around you, who will support you, in your email,
support you on your journey to Allah subhanaw taala that is a must. Without them, we are lost. We cannot give up on our community and we cannot give up on the masjid. Despite all of its problems. That's what we have. And we have to fix it to demand more of it. demand more of the people in the masjid, you have to
and then do something.
Channel all that frustration that you see the angle that you might feel channeled into something that is positive, something that is long lasting, something that is institutional, something that will benefit you and others around you because if you're feeling some pain, others around you are feeling that pain as well.
And get their reward from Allah subhanho wa Taala. Wherever whatever you're going to establish will benefit you and people who will come after, get that reward from Allah subhanho wa Taala. And two things in sha Allah. Before we leave, I just want to mention
that this age that we're living in, is the age that requires a lot of gentleness and kindness and leniency.
We not only need to be lenient and gentle when we're calling non Muslims to Islam, you have to also be very kind, very lenient, and very patient when you're also asking other Muslims for better Islamic practice.
And you we have to distinguish and learn to distinguish between what is a matter of consensus and what is not
a matter where it's agreed upon. And it is not a matter where there's clear evidence from the Quran and the Sunnah, and a matter of he had a matter where there is strong disagreement and matter where is not. And you will look back, take a look back at our Islamic history, and you will find that there had been long disagreements among some issues. Don't expect to come and solve them overnight. It takes time. And that's what it is about reformed brothers and sisters, those who rush into these misguided adventures think that they can bring change overnight. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam states, so many years in Islam on this earth to bring this change. And the change that we
want to bring
is not going to happen overnight, or in a year or in 10 years. It may take one generation or two generations, but as long as we are moving, even in incremental steps, but as long as we are moving, then we are heading in the right direction by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
But this is what you need to do, be patient. And don't repel people. Don't be rough with them.
And the last thing also that I want to say is in our relationship with the non Muslims don't lump them all together as one. They're not all one. Not everybody
is very hostile to Islam. Not everybody is working diligently against Islam. You notice the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, some were very hostile towards him, very hostile towards Muslims and others. Were very close to the Muslims, even if they did not accept Islam, but very close and they helped. And even among those who were very hostile to Islam, some of them accepted Islam afterwards.
And among those that the prophets of Allah Allah, Allah who sent them remembered his kindness is a lot I have no idea who helped Muslims in Makkah on more than one occasion and save the profits of a lot he was sent him and gave him sanctuary when he wanted to enter re enter MacArthur Akbar and discussing the Prophet commenting on the prisoners of beds. He says, located on the highway, what can lemon if he holds nothing
to whom the outcome of it says if he was alive, and he had talked to me about releasing all of these prisoners, I would give them to him.
Without anything without any payback, I will just release them if he just tells me and intercedes and says release them. Why? Because he remembered sallallahu wasallam his fevers, though he was in Muslim, so they're not all alike.
And Allah subhana wa Taala read the Quran distinguishes between types of non believers, right?
Allah said that among the people of the book for me kitabi many of you think you are the like, woman woman in India, you are the Dalai Lama. among the People of the Book is one that if you're interested
A lot of money and a lot of wealth, he will pay it back to you. And among them are those that if you entrust with one coin, they will never give it back to you as long or unless you are standing on top of their head asking for it. So they're not alike. So that's luck, not not clump, everybody nuts not generalized, right as some generalize about us, let's not generalize and give each person his view and deal with people with justice.
Because these people are being illa zodion potential Muslims or if not potential Muslims, if they're not going to accept accept Islam, their allies, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam needed and used allies when he was in Mecca.
So I asked Allah subhana wa Taala, the most forgiving, the Most Merciful to establish us upon Islam and granted strength in performing it, and performing what Allah wants from us to do. establish our hearts upon Islam.
establish our hearts upon Islam. Allah make us steadfast in Islam, you Allah grant us strong hearts so we can endure the tribulations of these times. Your love granted strong hearts so that we can endure the tribulations of these times. Your lie Grant has strong hearts so that we can endure the tribulations of these times. You're allowed to make us of those who speak and act in justice. You are allowed to make us of those who speak and act in justice. You Allah make us of those who speak and acting justice, and do not make us of the transgressors Yara bellami aloha manana Lucan Heroku and Obi
Wan so Luca Jin Natoma and Colin Rahman.
When becoming an owner of a common code environment,
in hiree masala capital Mohamed Salah Lavalle he will be coming shortly Messiah coming up Dooku Mohammed Salah Allahu alayhi wa sallam along
with a bit fluvanna Allah de Nick Aloha mai kakou be sobre todo para la take along the creek our shoe cricos sneering at Allah mahina Muslim and non Muslim in our BATNA Muslim inaudible al amin, Allah international hajima aloha minister Luca personnel hakima aloha minister Luca Snell hajima wanna au to becoming an attorney Mahara mean, how am I
mean Hello Amanda man
can study
hula hula tokina 11 fusina