Ali Hammuda – Lessons From The Rubble – Words From Women Of Gaza

AI: Summary ©
The importance of healthy shame and taking action in transformational ways is emphasized in May's teachings on healthy shame and the need for individuals to be mindful of their own lives. The message is that Allahism compels individuals to show gratitude and support during difficult times, and that peace be upon them. The importance of not fall victim to evil behavior and not assuming anything but the finest of Islam is emphasized.
AI: Summary ©
As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu, alhamdulillahi
wahdahu wa salatu wassalamu ala man la nabiyya
ba'dahu wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'in.
On the 22nd of October 2024, the world
was about to experience a life-changing lesson
in aqeedah, in belief, in thabat, steadfastness, in
stubbornness, in resilience, defiance in the face of
oppression, reliance upon Allah Almighty.
What is amazing is that this lesson was
not delivered by some big-time sheikh.
It wasn't on a podium of some sort,
nor was it delivered from the depths of
a book authored by a scholar.
This lesson would be delivered by a simple
middle-aged lady by the name of May.
One of the many women who had her
home bombed in Gaza, and a 60-second
video, that's all it was, went viral.
The moment when they arrived, they pulled her
out from the rubble, and the conversation that
happened between her and those young paramedics who
saved her.
In those 60 seconds, May was a teacher
to scholars.
May was the educator of educators.
May taught us lifeless, timeless lessons of life
that cannot be ignored, that deserve pause, reflection,
tears, application, and appreciation.
During those 60 seconds when May spoke, it
was almost as if angels were inspiring her
to say the right thing, the most beautiful
and appropriate and decorated thing.
So allow me in these next few minutes
this evening to share with you some of
what she said, and I have put it
for you under six simple headings that I
hope you will take note of, and more
importantly, I hope you will take home and
strive to convert this case study into a
living application in your life.
Number one, May taught us the value of
hayaa, healthy shame in the life of the
Muslim man and Muslim woman.
You will notice when they were pulling her
out from the rubble that May was dressed
in her full Islamic hijab.
As though she was praying, I thought to
myself, there's only one of two options why
a woman would be wearing her hijab in
her own home when she doesn't need to.
Either she was in a state of salah,
praying, when bombs were falling all around her,
she was in salah, or either, like many
of the other ghazan women that we have
seen, she was preempting the situation where her
house would come tumbling down, and so when
strange men would arrive at the scene, she
wanted to be seen in a way that
was pleasing to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Regardless of which of the two it was,
we are in awe, and we can only
admire May.
At a time when some of our sisters,
some of our mothers, some of our daughters,
some of our righteous women folk are perhaps
rethinking the hijab, reconsidering the hijab, perhaps removing
it because of pressure of friends, or social
media, or work expectations, or the never ending
and ever devolving isms of society.
They can't make up their mind as to
what they want from us.
May was also under a lot of pressure,
pressure of slabs of concrete, because when her
home was decked, May found herself wedged between
the floor and the ceiling of her home.
For how long?
For five consecutive days.
No food, no drink, and not even an
inch of space to move for five days.
Somehow Allah allowed her to survive.
Yet there she was, wedged in the 40
centimeter slabs of concrete on her fragile, vulnerable,
feminine body, and she was in her full
Islamic hijab.
Take that for pressure.
And that is why our Prophet ﷺ, he
said in a hadith that we should remember
from time to time because the implications are
so severe.
He said, There are two categories of people
who will go to *, but I've never
seen them with my own eyes in my
life.
The first category, قَوْمٌ مَعَهُمْ صِيَاطٌ كَأَذْنَابِ الْبَقَرِ
يَضْرِبُونَ بِهَا النَّاسِ The first was a group
of people who were carrying in their hands
whips that looked like the tails of cows,
and they were torturing people with them.
Have we not seen this?
He said, and as for the second category,
نِسَاءٌ كَاسِيَاتٌ عَارِيَاتٌ Women who are clothed, but
unclothed.
مُمِلَاتٌ مَائِلَاتٌ They deviate in their walk and
they cause hearts to deviate as well.
رُؤُسُهُن كَأَسْنِمَةِ الْبُخْرِ الْمَائِلَةِ Their heads look like
the swaying humps of camels.
لَا يَدْخُلْنَا الْجَنَّةِ They will never enter paradise.
وَلَا يَجِدْنَ رِيحَهَا And they will never even
smell its fragrance.
وَإِنَّ رِيحَهَا لَتُوْجَدُ مِنْ مَسِيرَةِ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَكَذَا
Although the smell of Jannah can be perceived
from very far distances.
So there she was, May teaching us a
lesson in حياء, even in the most difficult
circumstances, she did not compromise her hijab despite
the physical pressure of concrete on her vulnerable
body.
If that amazes you, there is more.
As they were pulling her out from the
debris of her home, you will see that
she says to them in her simple Palestinian
dialect, she said, أَقْلِبْ حَالِي أَحْسَنَ She said,
Can you turn me over please?
I don't want to be pulled out face
down.
This is not appropriate.
Can you turn me over and pull me
out face up so that it is my
face that is in your reception, not a
different part of my body.
الله أكبر Who thinks of these meanings when
you are in this situation?
Except a man or a woman of true
حياء, healthy shame.
May she recognize that the Prophet ﷺ said,
إِنَّ لِي كُلِّ دِينٍ خُلُوقًا وَخُلُقُ الْإِسْلَامِ الْحَيَاءِ
He said, every religion has a defining characteristic.
Every religion has a signature trait.
He said, and our signature trait as Muslims
is the characteristic of حياء, healthy shame.
And the companion قُرَّةُ بْنُ إِيَاسِ He said,
we were sat with the Prophet ﷺ in
a gathering and somebody asked the question, يا
رسول الله or messenger of Allah, الحياء من
الدين is حياء part of the religion?
He said, الحياء هو الدين كله He said,
حياء, healthy shame is the entirety of the
religion.
You will say, how come the whole religion
is encapsulated in this trait of حياء?
I say, because if you and I have
حياء of Allah Almighty, we will pray.
We will be too shy to be seen
by Him missing a salah.
If we have حياء, we will wear the
full Islamic hijab.
If we have حياء, we will lower our
gaze.
We will restrain our prohibited desires.
We will limit our flirtatious behavior with strangers.
We will not engage in riba.
We will not smoke.
We will not take shisha.
We will not engage in riba.
All of these things and more we will
do if we have حياء.
So he said, الحياء is the entirety of
the religion.
والحياء من الإيمان والإيمان في الجنة The Prophet
ﷺ said, حياء, healthy shame is part of
إيمان and إيمان is in Paradise.
This was the first message that May taught
us from beneath the rubble.
The value of حياء in the life of
a Muslim man and woman.
The second message May taught us was the
importance of being a person of حمد.
Praise of Allah Almighty irrespective of your circumstances,
how good or bad it may be.
They said to her, are you okay?
Are you injured?
She said, لا الحمد لله جروح بسيطة She
said, no I'm not injured.
الحمد لله, all praise is to Allah.
I just have some minor injuries.
وله الحمد في الأولى والآخرة Allah said, to
him belongs the praise in the beginning and
in the end.
She said, no الحمد لله, how did she
pull off?
Praise to Allah Almighty in this difficult circumstance.
Because she was a woman inshallah who used
to praise Allah when she was healthy.
So Allah enabled her and inspired her to
praise Him when she was in a dark
hour.
Just as Allah Almighty wants you and I
to praise Him when we're healthy, strong and
happy.
And our relationships are well.
Allah Almighty also wants you to praise Him
when you're down, when you're upset, when you're
ill, when you're poor and when your relationships
are strained.
الحمد لله, in all circumstances, this was the
second message taught to us by May.
The importance of showing hamd, praise to Allah
irrespective of how dark your hour may be.
The third message that May taught us from
the six that I will share with you
is the importance of being a man and
woman of gratitude to people.
What happened with May?
When she was in the ambulance, you can
hear her saying She said to the young
men around her, May Allah Almighty increase the
righteous people who resemble you.
No one can be compared to you, she
said to them.
Despite her exhausted, dehydrated, fatigued and injured body,
she found it in her to recognize that
those around her were working around the clock.
Sometimes with no qualifications, with their bare hands,
no heavy machinery to cut through iron and
the debris and rubble and concrete.
With no wage, working free of charge, she
recognized that.
She said, May Allah reward you.
May Allah multiply the people who resemble you.
No one can be compared to you.
She had heard that the Prophet ﷺ said
He who does not show gratitude to Allah,
he who does not show gratitude to people
has not shown gratitude to Allah.
Your parents, show them gratitude.
Beware of thinking in an arrogant way that
somehow you can outgrow them.
Show them gratitude with your words, gratitude with
your gifts, gratitude with your calls and messages
and visits, gratitude with your smile and patience
and service.
Show them gratitude with your apologies and tears
and kisses.
Your parents, your spouse, show her gratitude.
Your spouse, show him gratitude for their sacrifice.
Though you may feel they could be doing
better, show them gratitude and Allah will inspire
him or her to do better.
Show gratitude.
Your teachers, who may have taught you something
you didn't know, who showed you the ropes
in life, beware of that arrogant sense of
entitlement thinking you can outgrow him or her.
That's your teacher who taught you something you
didn't know.
Consider yourself ever indebted till the day you
meet Allah Almighty.
Anyone who has served you in any part
of your life, helped you remove yourself from
a hardship, consider yourself indebted till the day
you meet Allah Almighty.
May taught us that you are to show
gratitude, we are to show gratitude even if
you are staring death in the eyes.
This is the third message that May was
communicating to the world in that 60 second
video, La ilaha illallah, who taught her, Allahu
Akbar.
The fourth message May taught us was the
value, the importance of being well-mannered when
speaking about Allah.
Something we may fall short on when we're
going through a tough time.
Where is Allah Almighty, we may ask.
They said to May, who was with you
in the house?
She said, my mum.
They said to her, is she alive?
She said, no, she's next to me, she
passed away.
They said to her, so she's a martyr.
What did she say?
One word.
She said, if Allah wills.
I don't know if she's a martyr, if
Allah wills, I hope.
Sometimes we get excited when talking about our
martyrs and we say so and so is
a martyr.
So and so the martyr.
So and so who has been forgiven by
Allah.
We don't know.
The signs are there.
We hope that they are martyrs.
We hope that Allah has forgiven them.
But we cannot make that assertion.
May, she said, inshallah, my mother was a
martyr.
That is why it is narrated, Woe to
those who make assumptions about the will of
Allah.
Those who boldly say, this person is in
paradise and this person is in *.
May taught us in her message number four,
be well-mannered when speaking about Allah Almighty.
The fifth of those messages before I round
up with the sixth.
May taught us that Allah Almighty will give
you support and good news during your darkest
hour in life.
They said to May, how long were you
beneath the rubble track?
She said five days.
They said to her, Meaning, that means, they
said to her jokingly, you saw back to
back days and nights.
She said, listen to these words.
She said, no, no, angels, they came by
my side and they illuminated the space.
Watch the video.
She said, no, the angels, they came.
They lit up the space for me.
The message is that Allah Almighty will support
you as individuals.
During your darkest hour and will give you
good news.
And will support the Ummah during its darkest
hour.
When we thought it couldn't get any worse
for us there in Palestine.
A seemingly hopeless course, some may have described
it.
And then 11 days, the neighboring country of
Syria's regime comes crashing down.
And it is returned to the people of
Syria.
Allah Almighty, He said.
Truly, for the allies of Allah, may Allah
make us amongst them.
For the allies of Allah, there is no
fear for them.
And they shall not grieve.
Who are they?
Those who believe in Allah Almighty.
And those who feed Him.
Listen, listen.
For them is the good news in this
life and the hereafter.
For them is the good news in this
life and in the hereafter.
Ya Rabbi, give us the good news.
Ya Rabbi, give us the good news.
Is it a difficult moment you're experiencing in
your life?
Hold on.
Have hopes in Allah Almighty.
Be patient.
Don't allow it to tarnish your religion.
Allah will send you the good news.
And that is why the Prophet ﷺ, he
said, Know, realize, know that victory is with
patience.
And that what follows hardship is relief.
And with difficulty comes ease.
Message five.
May she taught us that in your darkest
hour, Allah Almighty will send you the good
news.
The sixth and final message I share with
you.
May taught us the value of Expecting the
very best from Allah Almighty.
And assuming what is finest.
She said to the paramedics around her in
the video, By Allah, I knew that you
would come.
And I knew that you would not fail.
She said, By Allah, I was certain that
you would arrive.
And find me and I was certain that
none of you would fall short.
I was certain.
How was she able to pull off that
certainty?
With everything in terms of circumstances around her.
How was she able to pull off and
muster up this certainty in Allah Almighty?
With everything against her.
Because she had the best of expectations of
Allah Almighty.
She did not think bad of him.
Like the poet, he said, My Lord, I
hold a beautiful and abundant expectation in you.
A hope that I present.
It walks with me every step of the
way.
My Lord, all those who wanted rain were
showered by you.
So it is impossible that you would then
leave my land to remain dry.
What is your expectation?
The Quran asks.
What is your expectation of Allah Almighty, the
Lord of the worlds?
May, she said, I was certain.
When was the last time you used those
same words when talking about Palestine and Gaza
and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa?
I am certain.
Let them do what they do.
I am certain.
Sudan, I am certain.
The Uyghurs, I am certain.
Syria, I am certain.
The Prophet, peace be upon him, echoing the
words of the Prophet Ya'qub, peace be
upon him, who said to his children, Did
I not say to you, O my kids,
that I know of Allah Almighty that which
you do not know?
And there he was, standing outside of the
gates of Mecca, our Prophet, peace be upon
him, not knowing how he was going to
go back inside.
He wasn't supposed to leave Mecca to give
Dawah, but he did so secretly.
How is he going to go back inside?
He's lost his wife.
He's lost his uncle.
He's losing his companions.
They are persecuting him.
And Zaid, he said to the Prophet sallallahu
alaihi wasallam, how are you going to get
back into Mecca?
What are we going to do?
We weren't even supposed to leave.
And the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said words
that I want you to etch in your
heart, especially today.
He said to him, Ya Zaid, O Zaid,
إِنَّ اللَّهَ جَاعِنٌ لِمَا تَرَى فَرَجًا وَمَخْرَجًا وَإِنَّ
اللَّهَ نَاصِرٌ دِينَهُ وَمُظْهِرٌ نَبِيَّهُ Zaid, Allah is
going to provide a relief from the difficulty
that you see.
And Allah is going to give victory to
the religion and He's going to allow His
Prophet to prevail.
Don't ask me how but I am certain.
May she said, كُنتْ عَرْفَ I was certain.
This is the sixth message of May who
said to us, harbor the finest of expectations
to Allah.
Beware of ever doubting Him or thinking ill
of Him despite what you may see in
your field of cruelty, your feed of cruelty
and freezing children and limbs that are torn
off.
Beware of assuming anything but the finest of
Allah Almighty.
Our ummah, my brothers and sisters, and my
time is up.
Our ummah is beloved to Allah Almighty.
And our ummah is the role model ummah
for the rest of the nations of the
world.
We are the ones who've been entrusted with
the mantle of leadership.
No one will lead but us, a justice
-based leadership in an ill and depraved world.
This is our role and Allah's expectation from
us.
So we will be placed into the furnace
of life and battered with iron and then
taken back out.
Then pushed back into the oven, battered with
irons and then taken back out.
And admittedly, some of us will crumble during
that horrific process, but others will emerge refined,
polished, pristine, stronger than ever before, irresistible and
able now to assume their position of leadership
that Allah intends for us.
So beware of mischaracterizing the suffering of ummah
as being anything but a display of Allah's
mercy upon us.
And that is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi
wa sallam, he said, أمتي هذه مرحومة This
nation of mine is treated with mercy by
Allah.
This nation of mine is treated with mercy
by Allah.
ليس عليها عذاب في الآخرة It's not gonna
suffer in the hereafter.
عذابها في الدنيا الفتن والزلازل والقتل All of
its suffering will be hurried for it in
the life of this world by way of
tests and earthquakes and killing.
So beware of misinterpreting and mischaracterizing any of
the bloodshed that you may see today as
being anything but as a display of mercy
from Allah and a preparation for leadership.
This is our qadr.
This is what Allah Almighty has decreed for
us and we announce in this evening in
this city in this blessed gathering that we
are content with the decree of Allah Almighty.
Ya Allah, on behalf of all of the
thousands here in front of me, all 15
,000 of them, that if it means that
our suffering today, O Allah Almighty, is that
you will erase our sins and you will
expose our hypocrites and you will purify our
conduct and you will prepare us for leadership
and you will restore our land and you
will give us no suffering in the hereafter
and above this all you will be pleased.
Then come what may, Ya Allah, we are
pleased with your decree.
May taught us six lessons.
I summarize them and I remind you.
Lesson number one, May taught us the value
of healthy shame in our life.
Message number two, May taught us the importance
of hamd, thanks, praise of Allah Almighty in
all circumstances.
Message number three, she taught us gratitude to
people irrespective of your circumstance.
Message number four, to be of adab, good
manners when speaking about Allah Almighty.
Message number five, good news will come to
you during your darkest hour.
And message number six, think well of Allah
Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
وصلى الله على نبينا محمد والحمد لله رب
العالمين