Preserving the Islamic Identity
Date:
Channel: Ali Albarghouthi
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AI Generated Summary ©
The speakers emphasize the importance of preserving the Islamic identity and creating a "monster-impacted" culture, as it can affect one's professionality and political views. Personal and collective identities are emphasized, with pride being a natural behavior and a natural habit. The speakers stress the need for practicing Islam and educating children on Islam to achieve their goals. The speakers also emphasize the importance of learning about Islamic festivals and maintaining healthy relationships with people.AI Generated Transcript ©
smuggler hamdulillah salat wa salam ala rasulillah wasabi wassalam
aloha My name Nima and phone on LinkedIn I was ignited ma belle alameen wa nada de cricket, cricket snackability.
So preserving the Islamic identity.
Before I started, actually someone suggested, he said, Ask your audience, what is the Islamic identity?
So I'm going to follow that advice.
So what is an Islamic identity?
Like you hear it? And I know it's sometimes hard to define it. I mean, you hear things, you know what they mean? We think we know what they mean. But it's when you someone asks you to define them. That's very different task. So if we say an Islamic identity, what do we mean by an Islamic identity?
Okay, so following the Islamic religion, the Islamic teachings and presenting ourselves as Muslims. Right? So that's a very comprehensive answer that that's what an Islamic identity from and we will see in sha Allah that that is true.
Somebody else?
Oh, okay. So, do you have to listen to them or?
Okay, somebody needs to
Yeah.
So we'll wait
to hear they get to hear the matrimony the holding.
Yeah, they have no you know, all the details.
He
okay.
So,
our basic understanding of Islamic identity is one that is based on an Islamic religion, a reflection of the teachings of Allah as origin.
That is very true in sha Allah, so that we can say that's the essence of the presentation, but inshallah we want to understand it in a little bit more detail. So, what we hope inshallah to understand by coming when we come out from this lecture is basically one What is an identity? And why is it important to what is an Islamic identity and how to preserve it? So those are the first questions. It's a very ambitious and a very broad task and a project but inshallah, this is just an introduction.
And as you inshallah research it more and try to apply whatever you learn in sha Allah more and more of that will be apparent
to us. So,
an identity what is an identity? So I thought of an example. But you can think of so many other examples when I where identities manifest themselves so trying to pick a restaurant. So think of a group of friends. Now, Muslims
was talking about a group of friends and they're trying to pick a restaurant, what they're going to go and eat.
So someone says, Well, I can't eat in that restaurant because I am I'm a vegetarian, they don't have vegetarian options. So I cannot eat there.
The other person says, Well, I can eat meat, but
they have not subscribed to a source of need that is merciful or kind, and its treatment of animals. So I can't eat because they are cruel to animals and animal slaughter. So I can't eat in that particular restaurant or someone who says, that's not really my concern, but the top of meat that they're offering, religiously, I cannot eat.
Or somebody says, The only problem I have with the restaurant is that they, the owners support a cause, financially, that goes against what I believe. So I choose to boycott that restaurant. Because of this. All of these reasons, all of these people have expressed part of their identity
in informing their decision to eat in a place where not to eat there. So you can take any other example whether it's voting, traveling,
life choices, all of these are informed and guided by a sense of identity that you have, basically,
a quality important enough to define.
If you say, if you ask yourself at this moment, who am I?
Ask yourself,
who am I,
the answer that you can come up with,
is most likely your identity or part of that identity. I am this. Okay? This is how I understand myself in the world. Today, I am this I'm not that, but I am this equality important enough to define you. Basically, that is your identity. Now we have multiple, some people talk about multiple identities. And we do have different identities, but not all of them are important. So you can define yourself completely or partially in terms of your profession. I'm a doctor, I'm a teacher, I'm a lawyer, I'm an engineer, that could be really important to you or not, in type of your ethnicity, or race, color, gender, religion, political affiliation,
parent, child, grandparent, all of these are fragments of our identities.
But as you can see, not all of them are important or not all of them are important to all people.
So an identity is something important, but they vary in importance. And they can be congruent or incongruent, because these multiple identities that I have, they could clash with each other, or sometimes they don't.
So for instance, if I have a religious identity, there are certain things that I cannot be certain professions that I cannot accept, right? So not all the things I can do. If I'm a person of color, in some societies, there are certain things that you cannot do, you're not going to be hired, you cannot aren't going to be able to climb the economic ladder, you cannot be rich, you cannot be free. So there are certain identities that clash. If I am a professional, could I be a father at the same time? Can I be a mother at the same time, so does parenthood clash with my identity as a professional person? So whenever there is contradiction, you'll try to negotiate to find either a
good compromise or put one identity ahead of the other. That tells you what's important and what's not. With me so far, right?
Now, types of identities, okay. Now there is core and tangential, meaning that there is an important one and one that is really not that important. And if you investigate your own identities, you'll find those. So for those, for some people, gender is really an important identity. Through gender, I understand my interactions with others and through gender, it means I understand the entire world around me, including religion.
For other people, gender is not an important identity. Yes, it does influence choices and behavior. But it's not the first thing I think about when I think about myself.
Religion for some people who score identity for other people, it's not political affiliation. I'm liberal, conservative, traditional that matters, and allows me to understand the world around me and this is how I see myself. There are those that are by choice and those that are by birth. Do you have an example of identity by birth?
I'm going to engage you so that you at least make sure that you're still when identity by birth Yeah.
Exactly the place that you were born in, which could translate into your citizenship in a country. So for a lot of people, I'm born into this country born into this culture and born into that citizenship. But citizen citizen citizenship also could be an acquired identity, you could be naturalized. So it could be this, or it could be that culture, you can be born into a culture or you can adopt another culture. And if you're accepted, that becomes your culture as other identities by birth.
Come on.
Race, your color, light can escape that race, who your parents are. If it's a culture, which culture you come from, sometimes religion, you're born into a religion, right?
So some of them are by choice by birth. Now, some by choice,
give me example.
So I chose this identity.
Guy migrating to a country, right and becoming a citizen, like a Canadian citizen, right?
Religion, exactly when you choose it, right, converted into another religion, or you choose to adopt the religion of your parents and actually practice it. That's chose
profession.
language, right. So you're linguistically connected to these people, or those people, you can learn a language and that will connect you to them. And that could become an identity of yours as well, or can affect your identity. So some were given and some we acquired, there's personal and collective. And the personal is always connected to the collective. So you think about it, who am I, when I asked you to think about a tool of mine? So what answer you can come up with, I'm male, I am female, I'm talented, I'm skilled, I'm knowledgeable, I know this. And I know that this is what personal, but you also are part of a collective identity. So I'm male, but I'm also part of a group of males,
or a female part of a group of females, and also part of a family part of a culture part of a country. So always personal identity is connected to a collective identity, and they do influence each other, permanent and temporary. So what is an example of a permanent identity, meaning that you cannot run away from it?
Exactly. So your creed, I can't be permanent, okay.
Or cadden could be also temporary, if you decide just to switch faith.
So what's an example of a permanent or a temporary identity?
political affiliation, right, that can change? Exactly right. So something that is permanent, we can say, again, like you've said, race or ethnicity, right, that's permanent, gender, that's permanent, that cannot be a
temporary profession. So I'm a doctor. So if I see myself as a doctor, I think of myself as a doctor, I behave as a doctor, I associate with other doctors, there's gonna come a time when I stopped being
a doctor, I'm not practicing anymore. So that's not a permanent identity, right? Even if I still a spouse, or is still continue thinking of myself as a doctor or a teacher, or what have you, that is not going to last forever.
And comprehensive versus partial. This is connected to core versus Trent, tangential. Comprehensive means that this identity affects and informs everything else.
Whereas partial one is only partial.
So any of the identities that we talked about could be comprehensive, if you choose to stress them enough. Religion could be a comprehensive identity, right? The effects everything, or only partial and religious only here, might not elsewhere. So it could be a partial identity. profession, could be comprehensive, meaning I think of myself first as this person. I think as an engineer, I act as an engineer, right is has changed the way that I think, but also the way that I interact with people and the way that I accept truth and falsehood. So I analyzed everything as an engineer, so it can be a comprehensive one. I could be a vegetarian, and that could be a comprehensive
identity that affects my stance, political stance, not only where I eat by my political stance, and even the people that I associate with, it could be comprehensive, or it could be partial, congruent versus in congruent meaning that one of my identities clash with each other or not.
What do we mean? Or what do we want from Islam?
To be an Islamic identity, we want it to be a core and permanent and comprehensive identity.
A core identity, meaning it's the important or the most important identity that I have, the quality that I had, that when I define myself, I define myself as being a Muslim. That's the first thing that comes to mind. And it supersedes and transcends all other identities, even though they're allowed to exist. You're still male and female, you're still a doctor and a teacher, right? You're still people, you still belong to this culture and that culture. But what is the core one? The one that you think of first, when there is a clash, it's that core identity. And it's permanent, meaning that commitment is not temporary, that commitment is forever, until death.
So it's a solid commitment to it.
And comprehensive. And what do you mean again, by comprehensive
effects, all your choices, so there is no area where Islam is not allowed in? It affects everything. So the way that you think and see yourself, the way that you behave. You're always asking yourself, how does this How does Islam teach me to behave? How does Islam teach me to practice? So we want the Islamic identity to be core permanent and comprehensive?
Know the foundations of an Islamic identity. Okay, that identification with Islam
is one and awareness of Allah azza wa jal
that I'm always connected to the Creator. And as you can see, insha Allah, it's because Allah is the one who gave that identity. So I'm always aware of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So this identity is not a tribal identity.
What do I mean by that? It's not that we are Muslims simply because we were born Muslims. And because I need you and you need me just like a national identity. I was born into this country. So we have affiliation because I simply was born or I was naturalized. I need you. You need me we happen to be here. And we're not other people. That's not it. It's an identity based on Allah subhanho wa Taala. And what Allah loves and also avoiding what Allah hates, so awareness of Allah at all times. And that's what makes it different and unique. It's a hereafter focused, meaning my objectives are not limited to this life.
It's not simply or only about what do I gain here?
But what I gained in the hereafter. So the scene of this world and the hereafter in my mind as a Muslim are the same scene.
They're not disconnected.
And so that will affect my choices. And sometimes when we are disconnected from the Hereafter, we want to win here.
But if we have the hereafter in mind, we can tolerate loss here for the sake of gain when we meet Allah azza wa jal, that's the concept of sacrifice, which we will talk about. So sacrifice comes what why? Because I'm aware of Allah as the origin and the reward of the hereafter when I sacrifice for his sake.
The third one, the parameters of that identity, you say, Okay, how do I know how to be a Muslim? How to identify as a Muslim, a say the halal and haram are the parameters and borders of that identity? What do I do and what do I stop doing? How do I behave? What defines me as a Muslim, has already been revealed by Allah subhanho wa Taala. So you want to know how to be that's the highlight the commands of Allah azza wa jal, what he loves. That's what it is, what not to be, is what Allah azzawajal hates.
And in addition, of course, to having this guidance from Allah subhanho wa Taala. This identity is modeled by
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So he defines how to be a Muslim, how to live as a Muslim, in different facets of life. So as a husband, as a leader,
as a wife, as a son, as a father, as a statesman, the definition of a Muslim and that Islamic Society and the Islamic identity is provided by Allah subhanho wa Taala and then model and followed by the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
Now, why is identity important? And the question here is, maybe you haven't thought really about it, but can you ever live
Without an identity,
because you simply when we say identity, we say definition.
Can you as a human being live without a definition?
No, absolutely not. The first thing that you can ask yourself
as a human being is, who am I?
This question, Who am I? Is your identity? And if you ask yourself, right, I am Who am I? The answer will be your identity.
So, we all need personal definition, I'm part of this group, but I'm not part of that. I believe in this, but I do not believe in that. That's an identity. So it's inescapable. It's inescapable. And the world today, a lot of the reaction that you have a lot global against globalization is an identity crisis that some people are facing, that's in the face of globalization, where the world is supposed to be one single entity, some people are still searching for that identity. So they push back against globalization, with national identity, or racial identity, origin, religious identity, because they feel lost, whether there is justification for it or not, but they feel lost. So all of
us all the time are looking for what defines us as a person identity. So we need to belong.
Can you live as an island as an individual without any attachment?
Ever? No, you need others, to give you a definition. So you need to belong. I belong to this group, but not to that group. And that also, my identity, lets me know how I'm supposed to react to the rest of the world around me. what's right and what's wrong?
So who's gonna give that definition?
That's an important definition. In addition, or second to my definition of myself, who am I? Is this what do I do? Do I accept this? Or not?
Do I allow those people into my country, though they are different? Do I accept them, although they have a different language, they have different beliefs, and what happens to my identity if I like them. So my understanding of my own identity, whether it's French, whether it's English, or European, or North American determines whether I want to allow those people in or not, right. And if I feel that my identity is threatened, I will keep them out, I'll shut them out.
And that's that interprets the French or the Quebec anxiety about their identity, because they feel that they're under threat, not from Muslims, necessarily, but from the rest of Canada.
English Canada. And so when Muslims come, bass and just an extra threat, a questioning of what it means to be French, in a non French speaking country. So you need to belong, but this is also how you understand the world around you.
It gives you a belief
and it gives you a practice.
So,
right, wrong.
And then how do I respond to this right? Or how do I find the lawn? Do I want open trade? Or do I close my borders?
Does it help me or not? Do I allow the government to be big or small? Do I allow religious freedom or not? All these questions are questions of identities, mine and theirs, and what are allowed to tolerate or not?
Now challenges to a Muslim identity. Why is it difficult? Okay. The first is the secular
and the secular. So after having received it defines it as secular or divisive, as complete and partial. Right? as one definition. The complete secular that he defines is a secularism that wants to banish religion. That's more of the French model.
So secularism, that bat wants to banish religion from all of society, even public space. So it's antic, antagonistic to religion. There is partial secularism and that partial secularism only wants to separate religion from governance, then it allows the religious to function or to worship freely, but they're not allowed or religion is not supposed to direct governance. But the complete one out don't just wants to banish religion altogether, even from the public sphere.
But what is important for us about religion or about that secular move is that the secular in general, whether it's complete or partial, empty society from reference to God,
From the beginning, beginning with the Enlightenment up till today, in the West, beginning in Europe and then moving into North America, there is a move away from Allah subhanho wa Taala, or a move away from God,
where God becomes less and less relevant to life does not define it does not guide it.
And in time, religious beliefs and Gods upon what to Allah are looked down on, and ridiculed.
So you can tell someone, for instance, you can justify your position in society today in many Western countries, in secular terms, and you will be respected, but not in religious terms. You can say, I'm avoiding this because of Allah zildjian.
That to them is not intelligible, that to them is backward. But if you say in terms of science in terms of benefits, and harms, physical benefits and harms, you'd be listened to and respected but not the religious choice. Not a law as though did not God. Well, that's looked down, down on and actually made fun of.
So why is it hard to maintain an Islamic identity because you are fighting that current? And it's a very strong tight, and you say, I'm doing this for the sake of Allah azza wa jal, and for centuries now, they've been telling themselves and others that this is irrelevant. So you're standing against the tide.
And sometimes you're standing alone.
So the public sphere or society, is God free. But you are reintroducing God in it. So to stand up and say this is because God told me or the Prophet sallallahu wasallam said, so seems alien and foreign. That's what the reason number one.
Reason number two, is that would that secular move there is that individual move, individualism, human humanism, with a person or that West in general, has severed connection
between earth and the heavens, so that we now understand what benefits us and harms us, we don't need a higher power to tell us.
So the way that we're going to govern ourselves is that we we decide to govern, the way we organize our society, what is right and what is wrong, we're not waiting for an external source to tell us right and wrong. But we're going to do it based on our own interests, this is secular, and we're going to reduce the authority to the individual, you as an autonomous individual will get to decide what is right and what is wrong.
Right. So you're separating between heaven and earth, and you're separating between individual and community. So that's why you will hear someone even Muslim sometimes will come and tell you, so what's wrong with it? If I'm not harming anybody?
So what is this come? Where is this coming from? It's coming from that I put authority or does that. Okay? So personal morality, is coming from appropriating authority to your own self that is I
decide what's right and what's wrong. Right, it's up to me
disconnected from a higher power and disconnected from community and if I don't see anything wrong with it, or if those people are really not harming anybody by it, then it should be okay. So it's left up to the individual to decide what's right. And it's what's wrong divorced from Allah so divorced from the community itself and assigning authority to the individual as individual.
The status of being a minority also makes the practice of Islam and Islamic identity very difficult or at least challenging. Right.
So assimilation is what the majority requires minorities and a lot of countries whether it's spoken or not, we need you to assimilate and what is assimilate me
guess when
you mix you mix in a way where you you leave out what is distinctively yours and you adopt with the majority has done has said but the majority believes so you don't stand out. So as soon as elation from the majority, okay or the majority requires assimilation from that minority. So if the minority minority stands out, of course, there will be a price for that marginalization. Stigma is to be stigmatized, to be criticized to feel alienated and all of that. That is a puts a pressure on the minority.
to imitate?
So how do you escape that scrutiny of the majority of being different? What do you do? You start imitating,
you start imitating first intellectually, you start believing the things that they tell you. And secondly, you start imitating in practice.
And they say, no Hadoop has famously said, and then move on with a little Khalid, he says the defeated always is fascinated or attracted to imitating the victim. So if you see yourself as weak, and that was the problem with Muslims when they were colonized, but if you see yourself as weak, and your enemy as superior and stronger, there is this natural inclination within you to imitate the powerful.
So if you feel inferior, and that's what the pressure of being a minority does, if you feel less, because you're always being criticized and targeted, and blamed and attack, so you start slowly absorbing that mentality, right. And when you absorb that mentality, if you accept that you become defeated, and if you are defeated, well, nobody likes to feel that.
So you start changing, changing not to look like the attacks minority, but closer to the victors the dominant.
And that is where imitation comes. So why do we imitate? Why is it easier not to stand out? Because I don't want the criticism, I don't want to feel less than everybody around me.
worldly attractions, thought maybe that could be a reason.
Why does it hinder an Islamic identity?
that in order for you actually to
this is even global, in order for you to stand up as a Muslim, there are certain principles that you need to apply. It becomes serious, you know about flight, about family about society.
But the world around you, just like the next slide says is very trivial and foolish.
So what is more interesting and attractive to be fashionable, or modest?
Which one?
fashionable, right. It's like if to be modest, I want to put on the hijab. I don't want to put on you know, this and that when I leave, or for males to be responsible, and to be serious, and to not waste time and not play games and not? Well, that's difficult to do in a role that is or encourages that type of behavior, and glamorizes it and once more of it, why do you want more of it because you could get to sell more products, when you are trivial.
If you're not as foolish, you're not going to buy as much
you're not going to be deceived by their marketing, you know, campaigns. So why is it a problem? Because the world attracts you. And when the world attracts you, it takes you away from Allah subhanho wa Taala. So it's harder and harder to practice Islam, harder to be serious. And so there's a competition between an Islamic identity and a capitalistic or a consumerist identity that only cares about profit or cares about buying and getting more of this world. And in general, this is what I mean by being trivial. If you want to be serious, not only religiously, not only talking about religion, but serious about life, serious because you say okay, the environment is in danger,
I need need to do something about it. I don't have time to waste on other trivial things. Well, that is a serious choice to make. And it'll be a costume with its cost is is not you're not going to be as ridiculous or foolish as the rest of your friends are, you'll stand alone.
And that is not always easy.
Now features of an Islamic identity. What makes it different from a lot of other identities or all other identities. The first one is that it's the only one that helps in both worlds.
Right. So if you are Muslim here,
you're also Muslim where
when you meet a lot as origin, that identity continues with you.
Does any other identity continue?
Think about it any other identity except the opposite of being non a believer that continues with any other identity.
There is that relationship slide but some people run away from their own
On the day of judgment, right? So even that is broken, and some maintain, but that is broken, some of them, but identity that is never disconnected and identity that is always preserved. Any other identity?
Yeah, well that's part of it, right? That's part of it. But that's the only one that continues from here to over there. And that makes it very unique. That is, if you preserve this one, and grow it here, it's going to help you over there. But whatever other identity Are you ascribe to, you cultivate you grow. Once you die, it goes, unless it's somehow is connected to this meaning, you've been a teacher and you've been doing it for the sake of Allah azza wa jal, it gets added to your bank account over there of good deeds. But any other identity does not matter. So you stand before a lot as a soldier, not as your profession or race or gender. You stand before Allah as the VEDA
simply whether you are a Muslim, or you're not. So that's the only identity that actually masks. It's a lot given.
So who gave it? The answer is there, right? So every other identity, what do you say? Well, it's gender is only given isn't it? race is only given, but it's not important.
It does not a lot as though agenda does not look at your bodies.
But he looks at your hearts. So this identity, which an identity by choice, by the way,
is a lie given who has a mathema Muslim, he is the one who had given you the name of Muslims. So many other identities that are by choice are human beings. We're going to become the Canadians, the French, the British, the Americans, whatever, but we made up those identities, these will evaporate when we die, I will belong to the liberals, conservatives, this and God, these are all we are going to evaporate.
And some of these other though, I think and I will say that in the next slide. So these identities are not permanent. And also not important, but this one is a lot given. And because it's a lot given, it's valuable.
It's the most valuable one, because a lot zero did not care enough to give you by name any other identity except this one.
So if it is Allah given invaluable, that's the most precious one to have. And as a result, it's not exaggerated a lot of other identities, they get puffed up for no good reason. We are the right. And it's mostly false. Whatever comes after that is mostly false. We're always strong, we're always defeat our enemies, we're proud. And a lot of it especially national identities are exaggerated fiction. This is not fiction. When Allah speaks about it, he speaks the truth. When he says you can do this, you can you can do that.
balanced.
And we can say maybe a couple of balance with being Noble. So balanced a noble, it means that this identity gives you the right balance in this life.
the right balance, meaning what the right balance between your duties as a professional and as a family, man, or woman, balance between whatever small affiliation you have, and the larger affiliations that you have
balance in everything. Because it is a law given. And it's also noble, noble in the sense that some identities in order for them to thrive, they have to thrash another one.
There is nothing within that identity to prevent them from committing atrocities and injustice towards others for them to form their own identity. It is when they want to form their own identity, they secure their own rights, but trample the rights of others. And that's what you find that there is conflict between people of different identities because we stress ours over yours. But the balance of Islam says was justice throughout even with your enemy.
You cannot take things that are that do not belong to yours, whatever you're going to stress, you're going to stress not because you're a tribe that wants to win, you're going to stress because Allah has told you this is Hillel and do it. And here you need to stop.
So it's an identity that preserves the rights of others and produces eventually a balanced human being. That does not put one emphasis on one thing to sacrifice another. And as we said it's the most noble identity because it's a loss of Hannah with the other who had given it to
her
endowed it with all the character that a normal person needs to have. And it's stable. Right? Because it is defined by Allah Subhana Allah to Allah and secured through the revelation, it does not fluctuate. It's not less important today than it was before.
We know what to do to develop that particular identity. I know halala you know how Iran what it means to be a Muslim has not changed to Latella Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam. But what it means to be a Canadian and American European has changed. What it means to be liberal and conservative has changed, and will continue to change and evolve. But this one does not change.
It does respond. I think the last one I said pragmatic, it doesn't respond to reality. But there is a core belief and a core practice that never changes. At the same time that it's stable. It's also very pragmatic.
It realizes that there will be different times and different places, when you will not be able to do everything.
And so Islam adjusts accordingly.
So Islam in Mecca wasn't like Islam in Medina, right. And Islam when we when Muslims are weak is not exactly as Muslim Islam and Muslims are strong. So Islam, or the real practice of Islam, if you're traveling is not exactly like when you are a resident, there's always this pragmatism flexibility within Islam. And so Islamic personality, to allow the Muslim to survive, in any case, in any place in any time, but within the core of Islamic beliefs and within the core of Islamic practices.
Now, how do you preserve the Islamic identity inshallah, so we're coming to the end of points of how you preserve the Islamic identity. First of all, knowing that Allah subhanho wa Taala is the guide in that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is the model.
And you're not going to know this, like actually know this, until you learn Islam and become aware of what Allah subhanho wa Taala wants from you.
So if I tell you, you need to be proud of being Muslim?
What does that sentence mean? To you?
To know more about Islam, so if I haven't taught you much about Islam, and I'm telling the youth be proud of being Muslim, what does that mean?
doesn't mean anything? Nothing.
So that statement, the problem with that statement wouldn't just be proud of being Muslim is it but really proud of what? What do I know about it to be proud of Do you simply want me to be proud of it because I was born Muslim. Proud of you guys, I'm proud of me being part of your group. So I can choose to exclude myself, which is easier, and be part of another group that is dominant. And I could be proud over there to write what is so special about you that I need to be proud of.
Not until you actually learn Islam, that you will know what you need to be proud of, or how to be proud. What is it that you are proud of? And that's why I said that you need to actually learn it.
You need to attend courses, lectures hotbars actually, when you go to gym actually listen, and learn something new every single Friday. Okay?
But seeking knowledge so that you understand is done in detail, understand the beauty of Islam, and why you deserve it.
Why it is valuable in detail, not slogans, slogans don't matter but in detail. Why is it valuable?
The external and the internal are connected. Right? So after knowledge comes What?
application, right? So I can't say I know. And so I'm simply I'm going to be proud. You're not going to know the beauty of solder until you do do what?
To do the word
pray.
So I can tell you a lot. Isaiah says it in the Koran, the Salah gives you this and gives you that. So knowledge wise, I'll know.
But you're not going to really know until you practice with me.
Right? Do you agree? So Islam is such a religion, that you're not going to really know. Sorry, you're not going to really know what it is. Until you practice it.
Sometimes until a lot tests you, and you rediscover the meaning of salah and other obligations that Allah zildjian loves, until you practice it.
So what do we mean here, the external and internal are connected is that once you know something and needs to be manifested, it needs to be externalized.
And also, it means that when we come to imitation, remember the statement that whatever you do on the outside will affect the inside as well. Right? So we need the application of Islam.
And only then you can be proud of it.
Proud of Salah, proud of fasting, because now you understand through practice itself, that it's beautiful.
Okay.
You need also, as we said that you cannot be an island, you need to build a community around you, you need that attachment. And that's why we're constantly talking about choosing your meat choosing your spouse, right? teaching your kids Islam, that's building block of a community, choosing your friends carefully.
Being very, very selective about choosing your friends, even as an adult, but also selecting friends for your kids. Or if it's not friends, how do they spend most of their day, when they come back from school? What do they spend their day doing? If it's games in TV, and internet, these are the Friends of your children. And these are the friends that will shape your kids. That's not an Islamic influence. If you use it as an entertainment, you have to be selective and choose what fits there Islam, not going to corrupt them.
But it goes back to
the influence that your surrounding will have on you. So families, friends, and then asking yourself and teaching your kids to ask themselves, who is your role model?
Who do you look up to? Who do you want to be like?
So if it's a rap star, or a basketball player, you're on the wrong direction?
Right? Because they are they are not supposed ever to be role models ever.
They just do something Well, maybe not. But they just do one thing well, but they don't deserve to have the respect of a role model. But even ask yourself, really who's my role model? But if I close my eyes and say, I want to be like so and so who is it?
And we know the answer. But I'm more interested in the actual answer, who is really your role model. I want to be like this person. And that's the person that you will look and learn from. And so that's what you want to teach your children. But also teach yourself, your role model tells you who you are. Okay. And if you're chasing after money, okay, or fame or praise, then that's really not the Islamic objective. And you we need to teach ourselves and our kids that there is something far more important. And that exists beyond these trivial things. That's why I said the trivial is a competition for an Islamic identity because you tell them care about values, but the entire world
cares about money. Now, how do you steer yourself away from this and into the serious, that's a struggle. But here is where the role of knowledge is important. And the role of practice is important. And the role of providing role models is important.
And building better and stronger and robust Islamic institutions. Because if we are fragmented, of course, we're easy prey. But if you can come together and your presence strengthens your neighbor and your neighbors presence strengthens yours, then both of you will be better because of it. And you can build better or smaller communities even. So previously, I talked about these nodes right in the in a bigger structure. I may come to the masjid and that is important but also it's important to develop relations with other families. I am this family and this family and that family were very close if you can find them. Our kids play together. We meet on a regular basis. We keep ourselves
strong, we study together, that also enhances the Islamic presence because it's a more intimate relationship but you want to also try to bring this to the house of Allah resolutive to Islamic centers to make them even stronger and stronger.
Remembering that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said this toolbar is all about good news to the strangers
That Islam sprouted swatted a stranger.
And we'll come back to being a stranger. And that doing the right thing is going to cost you at times
teaching this to ourselves, but also to our kids from a very young age, that he is doing the right thing sometimes is difficult. And you will be the only person who's honest, the only person who prays The only person who puts on hijab, but remind them that, why are they doing all of this? that they're doing this? Because of Allah zoji? Not because I'm asking you to.
You're doing this because of Allah azza wa jal. So that's why when we talked about that, the Islamic identity, what it's what is its foundation, we said awareness of Allah. It's not social
identification. Because that when I lose the social pressure, or gays, I may behave differently.
Follow what I'm saying. Like, if I'm around other Muslims, I will behave Muslim, when no Muslim is around me, how will I behave.
So if I behave Muslim, because of Muslims, that's just a social pressure. But if my identity is based on Allah, being aware of who I am, it doesn't matter.
So we have to instill in them the spirit of sacrifice and commitment.
And focusing on that Allah will reward me in this life in the hereafter when I sacrifice, not being interested in the reward of being accepted.
Because then we will do whatever the crowd is going to do. And if we need to share with them, and then also with ourselves, stories of Muslims, living and dead, who are strangers in their times, and they committed themselves to Islam until their death, then we need to do some stories of Muslims today, who because they are Muslims, they're paying the price, yet still, they have not sacrificed their Islam, then we need to do so to understand that what you have is really valuable and everything valuable is going to be challenged. But your recumbents is what not here.
You may see it here. But your focus is what? On the hereafter. And that's what gives that Islamic identity or Muslim identity, strength and longevity.
So imitation is a form of flattery and allegiance does lead to Chabot.
Right? So the inside and the outside are connected. Say, if you start dressing like someone, what does that say?
What does that tell me?
You like him, right? Even if you say I don't.
So things are true at this moment, one of them, either you're lying,
or in time you like them.
So when you start imitating someone externally, is going to change you internally.
Right?
So either you are dressing like him, put on the same, you know, jewelry like so and so talking like so. And so because you admire him. And so you want to look like him.
Or when you start adopting these words, and that behavior and mannerism. You'll start liking that person.
And he can see, even within ourselves, how sometimes when you change your own clothes, that affects your behavior, isn't it new clothes versus old ones, dirty clothes versus clean ones. And that emotionally psychologically affects you even the way that you talk to each other. Even though how you leave your house, how what you wear affects you. That's why for someone who says you know, what is the job is just a clothing, right? The basic clothing of input on your head is it
affects you, Allah knows that it affects you. So when you leave your house with hijab or without hijab, there is a difference. And you lie to yourself, if you say that there is no difference.
And even how people perceive you, that's also different. So if you imitate people,
you're going to belong to them. And this is exactly what was sort of lice, a lot of sentences, mentorship comienza, a woman whom if you imitate the people, you're one of them.
Right? And see how beautiful that is? Yeah, that our property was very direct. If you imitate the people, you're one of them, meaning sooner or later, either you want to be one of them, so you already are one of them, or you're going to become one of them.
Now, and this we need to believe that whatever Allah azza wa jal has commanded, is always superior to any other human choice that runs counter
to it, we have to believe in this and have confidence in whatever Allah azza wa jal had told us,
like develop it, but it's not going to develop simply by saying I believe it
is not only going to develop with knowledge
and then practice
and then that conviction will settle into your heart because it's going to become part of you. And when it becomes part of you, you'll really believe that whatever Allah had chosen is the best
even when it contradicts your own desire, but also realize a lot he was and he said that he's never you know, whether you're in a slum is superior is top, and nothing goes on top of it, because it's a loss command, a loss choice, and any human choice cannot be as good as the last choice. I don't know if I've reached that. I think this is the last one. Okay. Let me see. Okay, so we're coming to the end.
This one is
to always remember that no matter how strong no matter how knowledgeable no matter how practicing you are, things may happen, that may challenge you
and shake your email and testing. And if you don't ask Allah subhana wa Allah for support at all times. He may not get that support.
So don't rely upon yourself, your own achievement, but rely upon Allah subhana wa Taala and ask him to protect you from the Phaeton. So part of the two hour sort of lies a lot is is protection from the fifth and the upcoming Phaeton and he said, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam they will be the types of Fitton
that they will reach such a degree that a person could be a believer in the morning and a non believer at night or a believer at night, a non believer in the morning. What is going to protect you from that fitna, Allah as noted and of course, the past practice, but you need the protection of Allah azza wa jal
And lastly, remember the hereafter. Remember that Allah azza wa jal will reward you for those choices for those sacrifices for standing up for what Allah loves, for burying those insults and criticism on those looks, so don't become weak because of it. Rather become strong and remember that you are who you are, and you will be in the company of the prophets of Allah, who all went through the same thing, but never retreated.
And yes, we are not prophets of Allah azzawajal. But even those who came after the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam behaved in the same way and in the same fashion, they never retreated. So if your Eman is valuable, and you're looking for Allah, to really reward you wait for that in the hereafter. And you actually may see it in this dunya as well.
So, this,
okay, yeah, it's a good time to start in sha Allah. So this is what I had to say about it. But I'm Sharla I also want to hear from you eager to hear your feedback and your questions. Insha Allah so that we can enrich this discussion? There's a lot of support.
And I can keep standing for the questions.
If they are written, or you can use this
is the mic
for the moon cycle?
Zakouma? So you've heard the question, so do I need to repeat it?
Yes. Okay. So he's talking about our identity crisis, where he says that an Islamic identity should be the same for everybody. But he cites the example here of different differences in fasting so a person could be fasting here, but in Scarborough, a relative could be fasting A day later, or having eight on a different day. And that causes anxiety for some people, so how do we deal with this? And that's a good question inshallah. Because at the same time, though, we say that Islamic identity right is supposed to be common, and we're supposed to be celebrating eight at the same day and starting Ramadan in the same day. You
Because these are markers of identity, right, they keep us together. But at the same time, we also recognize that the more that we learn, the more that we our hearts will be open to accommodating legitimate diversity within Islam itself without that shaping our Eman or causing any panic. So, because there are legitimate differences when it comes to citing the moon and whether we are citing locally or globally, whether we are basing it on calculation or not based on a calculation, such diversity exists, and it had existed for more than 1000 views. So even when you come to the time of us hub of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam, they'll come Bibi sunfilled key matters will they will
disagree. But that never really compromised will jeopardize their own identification, Islamic identification, or brotherhood with each other. So the more that we learn, the more that you will find, oh yeah, there is this diversity in fact. And so it's only natural or only natural that that diversity is going to manifest itself when it comes maybe to the beginning of Ramadan, or to the end of Ramadan or other occasions. Ideally, you want to have the same day practically it may not happen anytime soon, because of these differences, but we still are enjoying most of Ramadan together right.
And some days we I mean in some years it's different eight but some other years it's the same. So let's take what we can get hamdulillah and whatever differences we have, at least we have more commonalities, but these differences can be accommodated inshallah without causing any panic. Because the more that you learn, the more you'll say, Oh yeah, these differences have existed for a long long time. And we're still Muslim so it's not really anything new. But does that mean a lot here for that? Because I want to hear like what people are experiencing themselves on the ground that because you know panelists some discomfort.
There's Okay.
Yes.
challenges
the problem with
children.
The situation
is
scientific,
famous documentary of
the blue dot
universe.
Your iPhone.
Like you said, Be proud
how to deal with
what happened.
So the question is about how do we raise the new generation that could be more materially oriented in terms of their pursuits, but also in terms of belief that they believe certain things? I think also the sisters had some questions. Okay. Yeah, we'll come to you. And so
of course,
You have to realize, for instance, when your children growing up in a non Muslim western country as a minority where that country is, as we said, and as you said,
follows the general capitalist consumer system, and is also part of the Enlightenment project that is all about the here and now. And it's all about what I can see and what I can touch, right. So the way that you present Islam, to them, the way that you teach them, Islam is going to be slightly or significantly different than a person living, or had grown up in a Muslim country, absorbing Islam from his parents and the people around. So of course, I mean, the teaching of Islam, first of all needs to start very early, it cannot be delayed, so that they would absorb different or alien ideas that one country contrary to Islam, and then when you want to start introducing Islam, their
identity has already formed or their thinking has already formed. So that's the first. The second also, is whenever you're going to be presenting Islam to kids growing up here on a law, you need to be emphasizing two things, one is going to attract them to Islam. And the second is the cause behind or the reason behind whatever they are doing. So saga while you pray, fasting, while you fast, go to the masjid while you're going to the masjid. So the reasons need to be furnished and supply. Because once that happens, we'll understand the rationalism behind it. The reason why this needs to be done in Muslim countries, you can be told to do something, and you'll do it because everybody else is
doing it. Here, that question of why I'm doing it always comes up, and you need to have the answer for why you're doing it. So justification needs to be given. And I've told them it in terms of wisdom, you need to explain the wisdom of the Shetty, or the secrets of the Sharia, to them to the best of your ability. If you cannot, you can consult with a shareholder in an anon to tell you these things. And also what is needed to be taught which you know, may not have been taught in Muslim countries is the proofs for the existence of a loss. So I think that when we teach them our data, and there are very different ways of teaching a theater but to teach them a theater, and to begin
with, why is Allah azza wa jal existed? What the Why does he exist? What does it mean for Allah to be available?
And what does the Quran say about the existence of Allah xojo because the Koran just talk about it. So if we collect these proofs are presented to them, especially at an early age, but it doesn't even matter what age they have reached, were presented to them. Within as little we'll see in a sufficient proofs that you don't need to say, I need to touch
or I need to see, to believe in Allah azza wa jal, but rather, I can believe in the hype, because Allah zodion had given us the hype, right here, or evidence here to show us what lies beyond our senses. And there's evidence right or parallels in science, and in scientific thinking that, you know, mirrors this that even in science, when you're going to talk about theories or what have you, you don't always talk about what you see, but you extrapolate from it, to guide your scientific inquiry. So and there's more we can say about this, you know, right now, you know, for instance, you know, something that comes to mind that Allah does highlight in the Quran, the attitude that says, I
only see, or I only believe if I see, and that is the attitude of some of the people of the book, lotto arena, La Jolla says, Let us see Allah zodat in plain sight. So this question was actually given to Prophet Musa alayhis, salam, Allah considered that to be an affront, because Allah has given them sufficient proof. So you can see that there are different attitudes in the Quran, the attitude of the believers and the attitude of the non believers. But if a person wants to believe there are ways in the Quran to present that belief, what a person can say I believe in Allah, though, I haven't seen him do I have not talked to? A lot?
So yeah,
right.
Of course, of course, there's always that choice, of course, but I'm saying I'm describing tendencies. There. There's a tendency, for instance, within the West, right, or within actually not even the West, I wouldn't even say the West global, I was gonna say the global that whenever you have a majority and a minority, that there's always be that pressure on that minority to somehow assimilate. Not that pressure sometimes is be explicit. And that pressure sometimes is not so explicit. But there is that pressure that you need to look like us and talk like us and behave like us. So I'm not talking about it really, in a more theoretical sense, rather than just talking about
it in a very specific locality.
The majority will have that assimilation pressure. And the minority will have that imitation response to it as a possible response. But I recognize the difference between the US model, the Canadian model and also the European model.
Its sisters
the frontier.
Yes.
Right.
Okay insha Allah so the first question and it's an important question Zack Allah hair. So whether it is a person who just accepted Islam, or a person who's just has returned to Islam, there was Muslim that have returned to Islamic practice. What's the advice when it comes to developing this Islamic identity because as she said, and rightfully so, it could be very overwhelming when you want to do everything. And the simple, simple advice, there is gradualism, that you need to be gradual, and take it in steps, and only build up towards an optimum Islamic practice and Islamic identity. So just like when we Oh, there's a new Muslim, and we tell them,
don't you can't memorize the Fatiha today. Right. But we need you to pray, start praying. But when you're praying, just remember Allah as though did in your own language. So that allowance, right, that exemption, lets them pray immediately without being overwhelmed, but they can start praying immediately. So a person who is returning to Islam or just accepted Islam, we say begin with the very basics. What are the basics of Islam, the basis of Salah the peaks are some basics of staying away from the hot on the basics of modesty, the very, very basics. And don't worry about everything else at this moment, until you're solid, until you're confident until you're strong. And especially
if you have a mentor, okay, a sister or a brother or a chief and a man who continuously advises you, then that person will be able to say, Well, now you can do this extra thing. Now you can memorize this extra thing, now you can adopt this extra thing. And so you'll continue to build up this Islamic personality in a pace that is not going to overwhelm you, and it's not going to burden. So to be gradual. Okay, and know that any as the prophets of Allah is in them says in the habit, Dena Mateen, this, this advice applies to every everybody. By the way, when you're learning Islam as a new Muslim, returning Muslim, or a veteran in Islam, it doesn't matter in the habit, Dena Mateen,
this religion is vast. So take it gently as you're learning. Why do you be completely overwhelmed by it? If you want to learn everything and do everything but take it in steps? Not too fast, but of course, not too slow, but in a comfortable pace. Okay. So that answers the that's the first question. The second question, I'm not aware of a book or a single book that will do what you have asked, which is like presented in a very simple, especially to children who saying right
after it, so I'm not aware of a particular book, right? That does that. So maybe No, those who teach children or can answer this best, but I would say if a person is able to focus on how Allah talks about himself, in the Quran, especially it will be
your will be his lordship of Allah zildjian. That is the thing that will introduce that first point of al Qaeda that the children will need, like actually we need it.
So when a lot is the origin wants to establish his dominance, his power, his knowledge to the non believers. And he talks about the creation of the heavens and the earth did you create yourself or did we create you, he asked them to look at the animals and fire at their progeny and their ancestors. All of these are evidence of the existence of Allah as the origin because the non believers they did not need convincing that Allah existed. But Allah was using this evidence to prove that he's the only one that should be worshipped, but we can take that to prove the existence and the Presence of Allah azza wa jal who holds up the sky who holds up the earth in its place,
cause and effect so if you collect these ideas, and you present them to children, and
to ourselves to the Koran, I think some of those messages pleased or maybe all of it inshallah will be conveyed. But there's neat work that needs to be done in collecting all of this together, and framing it in a way that will appeal to children, and maybe also adults as well.
A simple arcade book for adults that addresses these points as well. or just any book of al Qaeda.
Okay, any book of al Qaeda. So I did recommend, and it's not a it's not a short book of Akita. But I did recommend previously because it's just easy. So chef Omar, Lashkar, he is a Jordanian scholar had passed away. And he has a series of nakida it's called an Akita filler. And so it talks about belief in Allah talks about belief in the angels and the prophets in the book in the day of judgment call. And so it's like that pillars of email, and it's available in English. So each one is one volume. And it's sufficient in sha Allah to be you know, it's easy enough but sufficient in sha Allah to furnish the basics for an average Muslim and even beyond. So if you're able to locate that
in Arabic, if you can't, but they're available in English as well, that'd be a very good start.
Oh, no, that's a different it's a different book. So that that book of Eman is from Sahar, and it does not really address the type of things that we were talking about. So it's not a book of acne that we're teaching you the basics of Akita, but it talks about a man as a man. Okay, what does it mean, the branches of a man that it increases and decreases, so it could help, but it's not a comprehensive study of arcada.
So there's a question over here. Not a question. Sorry.
Okay.
Uh, huh.
It's called once again
for your foreign education HQ, YouTube series, right? Okay. And this is for kids or kids.
I could be for both. Okay. Okay. Okay.
So animated. So it's interesting.
Okay, got it.
I get it. Okay. Okay. I get
out of kusudama.
Right. Right. Right, exactly. So I mean, I don't know if you've heard it, but he says, the notion that learning should be fun. And he says, Can every learning be fun? And how do you teach athletes and make it fun at the same time. And, you know, that's the dilemma of every educator, I don't know how many educators we have here we have some, right. So that's the dilemma of every educator that you're supposed to be at the same time and entertainer. And if you're not entertaining enough, they're not interested in what you have to say. And they'd rather spend time on the phone rather than listening to you. So that becomes really the challenge of every single educator. And I think
maybe to a degree a balance could be struck, but only to a degree where, at least as an introduction. You want to you know, grab a person's attention, you want to bring them in, at least as an introduction, you can make learning fun, you can make it interesting. You can make it exciting, right? You can,
but up to a degree and after that you need discipline, right?
So especially when the subject matter is serious and requires concentration. So you need discipline. And as you said, exactly, there's a dignity that's supposed to be given to pursuing knowledge. I mean, chemistry, physics and whatever, right, that's different. These are worldly pursuits, and they need their degree of seriousness. But when it comes to listening to what Allah has said, and understanding what the prophet sallallahu Sallam has said, A requires a sense of dignity is required and attaining that knowledge. So up to a degree, yes. If you're teaching really young kids, yes. But you got to reach the point where you say to yourself, and you say to your students, really, this is
Serious, and it needs to be taken seriously. Now, it could be made interesting, not fun. But interesting by posing questions by having them do their own research, by coming back and discussing the you know, the results of those research. So there are different methods of instruction rather than just giving lectures, right. And we can leave on a weekend, you know, sometime, you know, give lectures at times, or easily leave lecture giving or the more dull methods of teaching to the more dedicated students, but there are more methods of teaching that could help us inshallah communicate our message, at least to the average person, but without, you know, degrading, as you said, the
message itself.
Yeah.
Yeah. So, it's not pragmatic meaning that sacrifice everything for the sake of the end, right? That's not the pragmatism that we're talking about. The pragmatism that we talked about, should be understood also in terms of stable but pragmatic, right. So we said that there is a sense of stability to it. But at the same time, it does respond to your needs, does respond, for instance, to the strength that you have, the the level of knowledge that a person has, where he is, and what is asked of him or not. So it's not that a person who is living or practicing Islam, for instance,
in a Muslim majority countries, where he's comfortable, or she's comfortable doing everything islamically, they may not be able to do everything, for instance, in another place that oppresses Muslims. So we're at that place oppresses Muslims, they may have to hide their Islam. Or they may have not to get, you know, announced their Islam or shave their beard, or in some extreme cases, take out their hijab, just to save themselves and save their families. So we say it's pragmatic, meaning that it does, and it can shift within right basics, right? But it can shift to accommodate the place and accommodate the time. But of course, without compromising those principles, so in a
place, for instance, where it's a western country, right, you're not asked all the time to live exactly like prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was living in Medina, right? There are differences right now, where do these diff these differences exist? that's a topic for another time, and a different place, right? And depends on the pressure and what is acceptable and what is not acceptable. But it tells you that as Islam is fit for every time and every place, it also allows you to live in every time and in every place, right without putting undue burden on you.
So let me see if I can read this one of the negative effects of social media cell phones is that it has made infidelity easy and simultaneously some husbands lab via
an RDC. All of which increases facade. What does Islam say about such
husband and such woman? Okay, so what I understand is
Yanni that social media had made infidelity easy, right? So men and women could communicate incognito, sometimes without anybody watching them.
And that could lead to actual infidelity, right to committing Zina and betraying the confidence of your spouse. So what does Islam say about this? And about that? And of course, it's forever It's prohibited that if this woman is not your wife, she's not your sister. She's not a mom of yours. What are you talking to? Right? And if this man is not related to you, he's not a mom of yours. Why are you talking to him even online?
And why are you leaving him comment? I love you or Oh, I love what you've said, No, you should not speak in a way that would entice that it would attract whether you're male or female. And know that sometimes, you know, even that, emoticons that you put, right? Sometimes because you're a female and you have put that to a male or male have put that to a female, just the male psyche or the female psyche, receiving it from the opposite sex you start wondering, or Does she love me? She likes him. He likes him. That that's that's the door upon which the shavon enters. So you really got to be reserved when it comes to interacting with the opposite sex, even online, even with social media. So
it's not only when I meet them in the masjid, but also when I'm outside if I don't need to talk to them. I shouldn't be. Especially messaging. I don't need to be commenting on this. I shouldn't be or if I want to put a comment. Put a comment that is public that is very dignified that an editor
But he can see it. He cannot mean misconstrue it as being anything else. So you keep it always Islamic with a salaam aleikum, may Allah reward you in sha Allah this and that to keep a lot of xojo in the midst so that it remains holla right so even the you know the best of things can be corrupted when we allow the shallow end to end.
I repeat that
Okay, so, the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam when he says but then Islam arriba so Islam straw and started a stranger. That is one of the prophets a lot he was cinema started his dad while he was alone.
Right. And I will Packer accepted Islam Have you accepted Islam it is a they accepted Islam they were alone. So so that was very strange.
Now worshipping the idols was very strange staying away from alcohol was very strange seeing away from other vices are very strange. So it started strange and actually every Islam or if we doubt it starts strikes as strange is that you are going to stand out when you are Muslim.
And sometimes more than others in some places more than others. So he said now, when the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was, had said that he he said at this moment when he spoke it, it was not a stranger anymore. There were a lot of Muslims. So Islamic practice was not peculiar was not strange. And Islamic beliefs were not peculiar and strange, but he said it was going to come back to being strange. So it's going to come back to being strange at the end of time.
But there's also Reddit relative
strangeness, let's call it
where in some places and times the practice and practice of Islam or the presence of Muslim dwindles, it goes down. So the one who says that ilaha illAllah is gonna stand now, the one who says Muhammad Rasul Allah is gonna sound the one who prays The one who stays away from Haram is going to stand out. And you probably have experienced some of that, in your workplace, among other people. When you say I can't eat, this will be the only person who's saying I can't eat this, I can't drink that. You're the only person who's saying this, I need to pray. You're the only person who's saying that. That's horrible. That's being a stranger. So the police officer Mr Stuber to you, to better
humans happen to you. They when you decide to adhere to it, as practicing, despite being alone, gender abuse, because there's ease and doing it in a group, when everybody's praying, that's why it's easier to be a Muslim in a Muslim country, right? Because everybody's doing it as long as actually they're doing it. But anyway, so when you're alone, that's the sacrifice. And that's the practice. So the profit made up. So that's what I'm saying. When you find yourself alone, practicing Islam or asking or pursuing Islamic practice, remember that you actually are not alone. Because who's with you?
Who's with you?
A lot, so don't remember that a lot has to do with you so that he can pave and ease everything he wants it so you really are not alone. And then remember the long tradition of all the prophets of Allah azza wa jal, and all those who believed in Him who sacrificed at the beginning, see, if you hold on to Islam, Allah could reward you for that particular act that you're doing. More than many other Muslims are comfortably practicing Islam among and around other Muslims. So that's the part that you should show.
Okay, let me see
why Islamic schools are so expensive.
I don't know. More Muslims would send their kids to the Islamic school if they are affordable. You need to ask them, I think that they do actually have a lot of expenses.
Paying teachers and I'm not even sure that the teachers are well paid in Islamic schools. So
But yeah, I understand it being a problem. And I know that some people resort to homeschooling as a result.
But yeah, that I can't answer this. And
of course, there's no it's all private. There's no camera and of course.
So it can sometimes be challenging to maintain Islamic identity when it is developed. I often come across questions from Muslims not practicing enough. This is
Too much all the time going to high law cars and staying in domestic.
Often, how will you respond to this? Well, I mean, you don't need to be like a super hyper Muslim right for you to have an Islamic identity. You just need to have the basics. That's where we talked about just have the basics. So the prophet SAW the law, he was sitting through his della recognize that people exist at different levels. And so there is at the bottom level, there is this Arabi that comes to the Prophet sallallahu wasallam, the headaches, you know, how many salons Do I have to pray five soldiers? Are these the only obligation Yes, by Allah, I'm not going to do any more. Fasting doesn't matter, Ramadan, anything else by Allah anything more. So he tells him about these pillars.
And then he leaves. And He's the perfect solution. And he says he will succeed. If he's honest, meaning I'll do this, and nothing more, but nothing less. He said he has succeeded if he has done this. So we understand that there is this level of basic Islamic observance, that's the thing that we need not compromise, we cannot compromise. Of course, it's not just simply that just gonna stay away from the basic hut on
and stay away also from you know, yeah. So if you stay away from the basic haraam and do the basic obligations, this is what is needed from you. This is your level, that's it, you don't need to go to all the helpers, you still need to come to Friday, if you're a man, we don't need to come to all the lectures, you do not need to read the Koran every single day and memorize you don't need to do this if it's not within your capacity. But
okay, can you maintain your email and without doing these things?
If you're living in a Muslim, not even even Muslim, I want to even say that today in today's world, right with all the other influences in hitting you, right and left, inviting you to what displeases Allah zildjian can you maintain an Islamic course without some other influences Islamic influences to give you strength.
So that's where it comes from. I know it's hard, right for some people, but at a minimum now, because of where we're living because of the world that we're living in today. Because that bedwin that nomadic men could live and be with his sheep with his camel, there's no heroin that he's gonna see is just his sedan is fasting. And that's it. There's no other haramaty is going to see, but you're seeing her on every single day,
multiple times, not by intention, but as soon as you step out, or you know, you turn on your TV or your car into your phone, you're going to see that harangue. So you need the counterbalance. So how so you need that for honor you need the Holocaust and you need to
energize your Eman
live in your image for you to be able to keep practicing so it's a lot
well as a lot as a soldier not to make it so hard on you see a lot as origin. I'm finding it again. Someone came to the profits of August MC that's that's the that's the beauty of it. I'm just going to tell you it's a sweet Heidi just sweet Heidi three spot on because sometimes one Hadeeth will come and answer a question of yours that you did not have them but now you have so didn't one man come to the Prophet sallallahu wasallam and he said Dr. rasulillah he Oh president of Allah in the Sharia is Let me guess what Allah says the commands of Islam are too much for me.
So advise me to do one thing that I can hold on to what did he say?
You know, I know you know what did he say?
No, no, no. He said advised me to do one thing in the shadow a little slimy but guess what a bit Navy and Marine atomistic Okay.
Not frame like a shadow de San Luca, Bharat one in the Korea continue to do the core of Allah azza wa jal. So here is a person who came and said is too much. It says okay, you want one thing he's he asked for one thing, let's just me Hold on one thing that will give me that strength or will help me because I can learn about all of this. He says continue to remember a lot verbatim, verbatim. Let your tongue always be wet with remembering a loss of the mean always moving.
Because that's one thing. It's too much. At least hold on to this. Okay, so,
but at least be true and hold on to this because what's gonna happen is that if you keep remembering a lot honestly remembering a lie, you will find the strength to do these other things.
So that's how you find that fuel that energy
please
As
long as
we get together
Yes.
Like every not, you know, like,
the Muslim
days most of us know,
everything was good because my kids, they knew that
they knew that you were different.
Yeah.
Right, right.
Somehow deviator will be collected from
our community. So my observation is not only about my experience with others is that choice, it's easier to do what you want. You know, what, you have a tendency that you know what? To do it? Because when
you Yeah.
Right. So you see that within the community itself, right, that, okay.
There's here, how do we stop our children from participating in non Muslim festivals? Or should they participate in them? And how would it impact the Muslim identity? Right, so you want to teach them in Charlotte early on. And that's why also you need to make Islamic festivals as as attractive as possible, as fun as possible that they become an event that they look forward to.
So you have to teach them early on, as the sister was, was saying that we're different. And so these festivals don't really fit who we are. And festivals are the greatest marker that distinguished people. I mean, whenever you go to a society, if you want to understand that society, look at what they're celebrating, you understand who the society is and what they value. So now Muslim festivals, right? There's a, there's a problem with a lot of non Muslim festivals because they do have a religious component to them, okay, because the world up until recently was religious, and so influences a lot of festivals. So we have to tell them from an early age that yes, other people
celebrate this, but we have our own. So that invest time and effort and emotions and celebrating our own festivals will influence their identity to a degree it will influence their identity, to what degree it depends on. If they participate, it will influence their identity, but to what degree it depends on how much they participate and what these festivals are and how young they are, and how does it sculpt their own understanding of who they are. So the safest we will say that
grow and improve our Islamic festivals, make them fun, make them
big, as big as possible. So that once the person enjoys all of that they find in them no need
to urine towards anything else. Like why is it that they look at other festivals and they crave them? Other than the fact that they're everywhere? They're attractive?
They're What about presence and lights and music and fun? So why not also we endow our own festivals with the huddle part of it and make it as fun as possible. So they can say yes, I'm not celebrating this because I No need to because I have my eight that is waiting for me.
Yes. Oh, sorry.
Okay, so using analogies to make education more interesting.
Okay, okay.
There's someone here.
Rules for the rule of 777. So the seven years?
Second, seven years.
Seven years?
Yeah, we're done. Okay, there's one
other concern.
So
standing
by,
okay,
that's difficult to answer, right?
What I can say is that it does make sense the choices that you talk about doesn't make sense that if you're in within Islamic context, you are better able to practice and maybe you're not in your practice, not only is going to be preserved, but maybe possibly enhanced because of the presence because of other Muslims around you. Because there's that Islamic reminder all the time minus the challenge that may exist to your practice, if it exists to your practice and to create once you step outside. So it would
I understand that choice and it's a commendable choice and it does include sacrifice and if a person sacrifices not as urgent and Allah will compensate them at least in the Hereafter, but maybe in this dunya as well. But whether a person can make that move and what happens when they make that move, you know, exists beyond my expertise.
Okay.
Most of
you ask
how's your bad spot?
The Hindu Hindu festival right? So this is the case with every with every
non Muslim celebration right or somebody congratulates you.
Yeah, and it's it's easier if it's Christmas and stuff like that, because you can say Happy holidays with the intention of that break. Me you just have a nice break. Right? So you're not really congratulating them for that particular festival right in celebration. So happy holidays, covers everything and you were fine. When it comes to a specific festival like that, you can really respond back by saying and a happy festival to you right? Because of what they're celebrating, but it does not really stop you from being nice and kind to them and just make into it.
The mail, you know, may God bless you may god you know, give you health and your children, somebody just asked me this this morning, actually. So you can make out for an unbeliever for Allah to give them if they if they deserve it if they are nice people, long life, healthy children increase their wealth, that so you're being kind while saying all of these things and you can figure out a way to say that is going to be very attractive. And at the same time, you're really not engaging into a celebration of that Festival by naming it in itself. So I hope that inshallah helps. So you just make the offer them, may you encounter this in your life, when you find ease, maybe you'll find this
and maybe that will understand that you have good feelings towards them. But that your religion maybe may stop you from congratulating them, because a lot of Shaykh Abdullah, you want to add anything? I know I see you sitting there. So
please.
So any more questions, or
we all can go home?
We have more. Okay. You still you can't go yet.
Sometimes I
sometimes run
keep myself awake.
Right?
Okay, good. And so is it better if you have relatives that are such a bad influence? Is it better to stay away from them so that you keep yourself safe, or interact with them and simply just deal with that.
And
Islam, and this is part of also the
vast encompassing
array of Islamic practices is that it does allow this and it does allow that but based on you.
So if a person is not strong enough to be able to deal with the outside world, or those relatives and still maintain their Islam,
and rather than influencing them, he or she are going to be influenced by them, they were allowed to stay away from it. Even if sometimes they are relatives. Now you don't want to cut them off completely. You want to maintain some kind of connection where at least a phone call or at least a visit or whatever, at least is not going to sever all types of connections. But if you need to stay away, just to keep yourself safe. Because you can say you say to yourself, I can't change them. I'm too weak. They'll change me, then you need to stay back.
But if you're strong enough, this exactly like gala, you're strong enough that you can go there and you have to be the one who's changing them, not them you then it's better for you to go ahead and change them. So depends on how strong they are in their influence and how strong you are in your practice.
right
choice
Right, right?
Yeah. Right. I mean both both are options but it ultimately has to come to the person themselves. Because before you can fix others, you have to be careful not to undermine your own self. But if you're strong enough that you can say I can go outside, not change here, but change over there, then yes.
I don't see any more hands up. So I'm just going to conclude I think they deserve from alafaya so panicum over hamburger shadow.