Building An Islamic Identity
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Channel: Bilal Dannoun
File Size: 18.12MB
AI Generated Summary ©
The speakers emphasize the importance of preserving the Islamic identity and avoiding confusion by past events. They stress the need for continuous improvement in learning and development, rather than just a source of frustration, and for identifying the physical characteristics of the Muslim identity before building Islam. They also emphasize the importance of learning to be successful rather than just a source of frustration.AI Generated Transcript ©
Come to the LAN Europe behind me was salat wa salam ala Sayyidina Muhammad wa earlier he was hiding the edge.
Welcome brothers and sisters in Islam to another agenda,
event presentation lecture, inshallah with the island.
Today in Thailand, the lecture is entitled building an Islamic identity. So we're looking at what is it that makes the Islamic identity? And what distinguishes a Muslim from a non Muslim? What is it that distinguishes a Muslim from a non Muslim? And what are the building blocks, what are the things that we can do inshallah to either to build an Islamic identity inshallah,
just a reminder that all of these lectures are available on the website and agendas website www.att.org. So, you can share these lectures at chalong dinette, if you find them beneficial and useful and helpful. You can share them with your family and friends around the world. And then handed in that
we have had about 4000 hits or downloads of the lectures every month. So although we may be only up to 100 people here every week, we have an audience of many hundreds around the world with come to dinner, for the blessing of the Internet, and how we can use it for Darwin, it's like anything I guess in life, you can use something for good or you can use it for bad, okay. So, let us use the internet and use the these resources that we have in a way that is pleasing to Allah subhanaw taala in a way that we can inshallah propagate Islam, to remind you also that there are books available at the back of this room that you can borrow. There are some free pamphlets and booklets. Again, so
knock this off inshallah to Allah.
Just trying to think if there are any reminders of any upcoming events that come to my mind.
Nothing really, but I know that next week, the 25th of December,
the 25th of December, which is Christmas Day, this suppose a Christmas Day.
We're going to have our own Merry Christmas. Okay, here, and we're going to talk about Jesus shall
we talk about as a prophet of Allah, or Jesus, a prophet of Allah. We'll talk about that next week. And we'll throw in a few things about Christmas, coming in saltanat stance and ruling regarding Christmas.
That's next week, so although it's a public holiday, next week, next Saturday, and this place will most likely be closed, except for this place right here. So inshallah we'll be open
checked out and we'll be here inshallah. So there's no public holiday for us Muslims. Next Saturday, we're hearing shall lions mind body and spirit.
So the, this is what comes to my mind at the moment. Okay.
And we'll go We'll start with the lecture now and then followed by the question and answer session, inshallah. And then we'll call it a day.
Behind I mean, was salatu salam, ala Sayidina. Commit Wiener. He was having he he, for praise is due to Allah, we praise Him, we seek his help. We ask Allah xojo for his forgiveness and for his mercy. We seek refuge in Allah from the evils of ourselves and from the evils of our own actions, who sort of Allah azzawajal guides them can lead astray and whosoever is deaf to go astray, none other than Allah subhanho wa Taala Can
I bear witness and I testify that there is no deity no God worthy of worship except Allah, but bear witness and testify. The Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him is his seventh and final messenger as to what follows my dear respected brothers and sisters in Islam salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
Today in shallow die this presentation, is entitled building an Islamic identity, building an Islamic identity now
In a hadith which is found in Sahih, Muslim, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, some 1400 years ago, made a prophecy. He made a prophecy. And in this Hadith, he said, let's have your own nap sooner man Padilla calm shipper, and the shipper was Iran, busy Iraq, had
the job free above been left to pulmonaria rasulillah Eliyahu to one nesara call FM. And
he said, You will tread the same path, as was trodden by those before you inch by inch and step by step,
that we will follow those who came before us, inch by inch, step by step, so much so that if they had entered into the hole of a lizard,
into the hole of the lizard, you would follow them in this also
the Sahaba for the love of the companions, they said a messenger of Allah, those Do you mean, the Jews and the Christians? So in other words, he's saying that we will follow those who came before us. So they straightaway asked him the question, Who do you mean by that? You mean the the Jews and the Christians before us? And the purpose of alarm lining who was sending them? He said, Who else? In other words,
who else other than these two religions are these two groups? So apparently, there is there is a prophecy here that we that we see that the processor is saying that Muslims will come a time whereby Muslims will follow others will mimic others. Okay, there will come a time that we will, okay forsake in many aspects and parts of our Deen, okay, or Islamic way of life, adopting another way of life.
So, to the extent that he paints a picture, that he's saying that if they were to go into the hole of the lizard, if they were to go into the hole of the lizard,
that we would that we would follow them. Now why did he mention the dog, which is the type of lizard in this Hadith, because someone I met they, they analyze the whole of this lizard. And the whole of this lizard is one, which is when it borrows itself, when it digs this hole, it's a very spirally hope, it's got a lot of curves to it, in other words, will not only follow them in matters that are very general, but even in the most specific of matters, you know, we will follow them around every nook and you know, and it will follow them around with every detail with every detail. So this is the prophecy. Now, the preservation of the Islamic identity has become a challenge, rather than
something that we just simply take for granted. You know, for example, if you're living in the Muslim world, if you're living in a Muslim country,
being a Muslim is very
silly. I mean, it's it's just natural, very easy to be yourself as a Muslim. But the challenge is, when you come to a western world or a Western society, this is when it becomes very challenging to maintain an Islamic identity. We find that very challenging. Now Muslims have been flocking to non Muslim countries for a number of reasons. So why do non Muslims choose to come to a non Islamic country, they may choose to come. Some of them are refugees. Some of them they want a better standard of living, there's a lot of you know, poverty, maybe in their country, and they look to the Western world and they say, Well, you know, these Westerners have an effluent life. Some of these
Muslims may come for education, they come to get a degree, some may come for
to be nearer to relatives, they may have a relative in a western country, or some might even come for doubt, just to call people to like ilaha illAllah. Now, because of this
migration,
and because of these people coming Muslims coming to these countries, this has resulted in Muslims being exposed on an unprecedented scale to non Muslim or non Islamic cultures and beliefs. There's a lot of exposure now to non Islamic way of life and
belief. Now, in many parts of the West, and when I say the West, we're talking about you know, countries like Australia, like America like Canada like England, okay. So, in many parts of the West, we are witnessing a predicament. And the predicament is a simulation, a simulation,
where Muslims are slowly losing their identities, where Muslims are slowly losing their Islamic identities. Now, there are a number of factors that lead to the loss of identity. And it all depends on how open it all depends on how open the society is in which they are melting into accepts them accepts them, if the society is one, where the radical divisions are strong, the assimilation is slow,
where the society does not make much distinction, then the assimilation is very quick happens very quick.
So when many Muslims settled in the western environments, and an incredible degree of their Muslim personalities are adjusted.
And there is an obvious tendency to look for concessions, the one in a Muslims are looking for the easy way out the easy options, okay, without understanding or insight. So what's the result, we have Muslims who have changed their names. So one whose name is Mohammed becomes, you know, Michael,
and, you know, adopting nonischemic names just to, to fit in with the society that they are living in all we have a change in their appearances. So they start to dress in a way that is specific to that, to that culture or that way.
Now, the irony is that new Muslims of Western origin, here we're talking about, you know, the reverbs. And the converts, okay, are often more courageous and more sincere in adhering to the rules of the Sharia. This is what we see. And you asked many Muslims, they say, well, like so it's so heartwarming, it's so pleasing, that, you know, we see
these reboots who are so passionate, or they're so passionate about the dean is so dedicated. And that's what we see.
And so they display a sense of pride in their adopted faith and its teachings, they're not embarrassed, okay, to show them before the people. Now the question is, what is the Islamic identity? And how is it distinguished from other identities? How do we distinguish between a Muslim identity and a non Muslim identity? And a Muslim identity is an all encompassing set of beliefs such as I'm talking about the Muslim identity, we're talking about one which includes our belief system. so here we can talk about our Canada, amen. As a Muslim part of my identity is that I believe in Allah, that I believe there's only one God that is worthy of worship has no partners who has no
equals is not because it was not because he has the most beautiful names and attributes. He is perfect in every sense of the word.
He's Allah subhanho wa Taala poo Allahu Ahad say he's a lot the one Allahu La Ilaha Illa Hua
Okay, Allah there is none but him the old living, okay.
So this is what I'm talking about. It's a set of beliefs that we believe in Allah, that we believe in all the prophets and messengers that we believe in the angels that we believe in the scriptures that were sent by Allah that believe in the devil judgments that we're believing in heaven and hell Divine Decree. So when we say that we are Muslims. Part of the Islamic package is our belief which is in our heart. And this is why belief in Islam is known as an athlete and it comes from APA, the APA that means to tie a knot, you know, because our heart is knotted, it's firmly knotted to what we what we believe what we believe in.
So when we're talking about the authentic identity, we are talking about a set of beliefs and a set of practices and common Islam. So we have the showerhead that we have, so now we have the care we have the end of Ramadan, we have Hajj, so it's it's a combination
of belief. It's a combination of actions, ideologies, which are derived from two primary sources from two main sources, the Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
And this is what basically separates us or separates a Muslim from a non Muslim, or a believer, a movement from a Catholic, a believer from a deceiver. So, what we are going to talk about today are some of the distinguishing characteristics of a Muslim. Number one, who are the builders of an Islamic identity?
What are the building materials? And what are the dangers that threaten the Islamic identity? That's what I was talking about inshallah, to Allah in a nutshell. So now let us go to this heading, which is how Islam distinguishes between a Muslim ad and a non Muslim. Now, first of all,
from possessing the Muslim identity and being different from non Muslims is one of the goals and the purposes of the Sharia. One of the goals and purposes of the Sharia is that we we are different to non Muslims. And I want to share with you a number of examples number one, is how Islam is filled with examples of a sudden that is filled with examples of
opposing the Jews or opposing Jewish and Christian practices, opposing Jewish and Christian practices, just to share with you some examples, okay. Now, for example, when it comes to Ramadan, we have the period of exposure breaking your first exposure and in a heartbeat which is found in Abu Dawood tsunami.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, he said, that layer said deal via Huron, magilla National fuqra Leanna Yahoo, the one nesara you are sirona he said,
that the deal will remain the religion woman group will remain manifest y here, as long as the people hasten breaking of the fast he say that one of our one of our symbols of Islam is that we we are quick in breaking the fast because the Jews and the Christians they delayed, you see, the Jews and the Christians they have fasting,
but the difference is they delay the fasting. Whereas as Muslims we are commanded in this hadith to hasten to be quick. So as soon as the disk of the Sun disappears, then we should break our fast not wait until the disappearance of for example, the Twilight or you know, or that becomes actually dark. Okay, we have to break our fast as soon as the sun sets. Another example is to fool the pre dawn meal that we have in the Ramadan. In the early hours before budget before the break of dawn, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in Sahih Muslim he said first Luma Vayner Sierra Nina was the me a character that he basically saying that what, what the difference between our fasting and
the fasting of the People of the Book, is this a full meal that they didn't have this meal? They didn't have something called in in us to food or pre dawn meal. Okay, so
Islam came along and legislated it so we can be different to the Jews and to the Christians. Another Another example is Ashura. Now, when the professor longlining who was setting them,
he came to Medina. When he arrived in Medina, he saw that the Jews were fasting a particular day now known as Ashura, and Ashura is the 10th is the 10th day of the first Hispanic month of Mahatma and
when the personal Selim came to know about their fasting of Ashura, that he asked them why they are fasting and they said, this is the day that loss of power to Allah He saved Moosa from Iran. This is the title Allah says Musa from Iran and his army, you know the story about the splitting of the ocean, okay, and then sit around drowns. Well, the Jews are commemorating this day, the process Selim says we have more right to to move the needle. So he said, we will fast and He fasted. And then he was informed that he was said that someone else to have a safety Well, this is the day that the juice man
Right, you know, in other words, should we be different today? He said, okay, therefore, when the next key comes, I will pass the knife, meaning he will fast, the ninth and the 10th. So we'll add a date to the 10th just so we can be different to them. So, Muslims past the ninth and the 10th, or the 10th, and 11th.
Just to be different to the Jews. Now it is it is acceptable to pass the test by itself. You can pass a test by itself. But what is more complete, and more rewarding would be faster, faster night now also the process just to let you know that my son didn't leave to the following you he didn't live to the following he saw love while he was sitting.
And in the Hardy stands for a Muslim the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said so mu Yama Ashura, he said fast the day of Ashura. Ashura were highly foofy Hillier, rude, and be different. be different to the Jews to the hood, Sumo cobbler who Yeoman Avada who Yama fast a day before or a day after.
With with that 10th day, of course, now, another another example of something different is in Islam, it is legislated to pray with your shoes on. It is slammed, it is legislated to pray with your shoes on. Okay, that's of course provided that you check to see if there's any fields majesta nudges under your shoes. No Jessa is not like mud majesta is not like sand. That's not natural, it's actually pure, that's fine. Okay, when a gesture means an impurity, such as you know, an animal droppings or urine or whatever it might be. Now, in the standard, a Buddha would certainly Buddha would the process of him said clearly fully or who would fit in now whom larrieu soluna Feeny and him well, if
if after him, he said be different to the who would be different to the Jews? For they do not pray in their shoes, not in their hopes, their foot coverings. Okay, so, and unfortunately, there are many Muslims who oppose this prophetic sweetener due to the ignorance, many Muslims that if they see another Muslim praying in his shoes, or praying in her shoes, they say, What are you doing? You're not allowed to do that. But we have a hadith whereby the purpose of a lot of money was Selim was once leading the Sahaba in salette. And during the Select, he took off his shoes and the Sahaba took off their shoes. And so when he finished the salad, he said, Why did you take off your shoes? They
said we did so because you did. So
this is how so Pamela they wanted to follow and mimic the prophets Allah and he was setting them with his every move.
And so he said, I only did so because God Angel Gabriel, he informed me that there was filth under my shoes, so I took them off.
So this whole story shows us that it is permissible to pray with your shoes on. Now, of course, if you're entering a message that is carpeted, you're not going to walk in there with your shoes. Because this can harm and cause a problem. But if you're out and about and you're on a picnic, or you're camping, then why a sled doesn't want to make things difficult for you. Instead, this will make Islam always wants is for you, once easily, so the sooner is to simply check underneath your shoes before you begin to pray.
Now, also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wants us to be different when it comes to how we praise our Prophet Mohammed saw Selim. Listen to this Hadith, which is found in Sahih Bukhari the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, led to Rooney comma attracted nasai know Marian, in an ANA abdon Saku Abdullah, he was a Sunni. He said, Do not praise me exceedingly.
exceedingly tbex being excessive in your praise of the Prophet Muhammad SAW said, he said, Do not, do not praise me exceedingly as the Christians praised the son of Mary. In other words, in other words, he said other words, Jesus, you know, they, they praised him, extolled them exalted him or they made him So, so high, to the extent that you know, they began to worship Him. He said, also him said, I am only his servant. So say the servant of Allah and His messenger. That's why we say a shadow Allah, Allah Illallah. What a shadow
Mohammed Abdullah who wore a suit, so we acknowledge he's a prophet and messenger of Allah, but he's also he's also a he's a servant. He's a slave of Allah supine on what time?
Also we have another Hadith in Sahih Muslim, whereby the prophet SAW Selim said, just to show where it
was, or hula, Holly cool majeures Alma Jews, he said, he said, trim your mustache. So if you have a mustache, the sooner is to have it short. The sooner is for the mustache, to be sure. And definitely for the hair of your mustache not to be covering your lips or to be going over your lips, you must trim it. Okay, and you must keep it short. And he said, What are holding her and let your beads grow? He said, Let your beads grow. He said be different to the modules and then make use of the margins of the fire worshippers.
In another Hadith, in Sahih, Muslim Hadith ns for the love of Allah
we find that the Jews would not sit and eat with a woman who was in her menses. If a woman had her menses, the Yahoo, the Jews, the woman sit and eat or drink with that woman, because she is in her period. The Sahaba they asked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about this, I said, do we also do this? And here we see the process. Again opposing the Jews. He said it's not all good English I inland nica he said
do everything. Everything is permissible except for marital intimacy, except for marital intimacy. Okay, this is not allowed when they have their food, everything else is allowed. And when the Jews heard about this, they heard about this time and the prompts are silent. They said this man and the Amazon seller does not want to leave out anything from our affairs except that he wants to oppose us.
So see, that's that's what it's about. It's about being different. We have our own unique identity as Muslims that we need to raise our head ups high being proud because this is what Allah azza wa jal This is how he wants us to display ourselves. This is most pleasing to Allah subhanho wa Taala Okay, and these are just a few examples of how Islam wants us to be different to others. And there is a book by Ibn taymiyyah him along with Tyler and he's actually
very dedicated a whole book that is filled with examples and how Muslims should be different to others this could it could topple silicon mustafina li Mohan affect us habit to him, he said it's about following the straight path okay and deferring with the dwellers of the Hellfire very harsh, very harsh wording, but this is what even Tamia for him of a level to Allah has produced.
So, through these few examples, we see the process and then he wants us he wants for us to possess a unique identity and to oppose the ways of the non Muslims.
The next the next point that I want to talk about are what are some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Muslim identity? What are some of the distinguishing characteristics of the Muslim identity? How is the Muslim distinguished okay from a non a non Muslim
number one
the way a Muslim is distinguished is by his or her Akita athletes
our belief what is in our hearts Okay, so again our RP that is different to the Jewish
Aki the ultra Judaism, okay, whereby they took the rabbis and the monks as Lords besides Allah subhanho wa Taala
cafardo Bara whom? Who are babba whom? Okay as the verse states that they took,
sorry.
It took the rabbis in a month, okay, as bad as Lord besides Allah subhana wa Tada. Okay, and the Islamic aqidah is different to the Christian app either to the, to the Christian set of beliefs, so whereby the Christians who went astray astray by you know, excessively praising Jesus, okay, to the level of lordship
They made him a rub. They made him and that's why they they call upon, they call upon who they call upon as a satellite. And he selected
the ones who transgress the limits through the concoction of the Trinity. They made up the Trinity that you know, the belief in
the Lord and the the what is it again the the Holy Spirit, and
here's the yes the sun. So the whole concoction of the Trinity, okay, the Lord Son and the Holy Spirit, you know, and this is biryani, refuted? And has has been, it's something which is really unfounded and unbelievable how God can be three, help how Allah can be three, and that three is one.
Also,
a Muslim is different in a belief to the other fabricated beliefs that worship other than Allah Subhana Allah to Allah, whether it is Buddhism, whether it is Scientology, whether it is in a Mormonism, the moments and all these other,
fabricated, fabricated and concocted beliefs, speaking about Allah and saying things about Allah that have no basis.
So, part of the Muslim identity is that we worship Allah subhanho wa Taala alone as I said earlier, dedicating all about acts of worship to Allah. So there is the loss, there is a sincerity and Allah azza wa jal tells us in the core and coil, in Salah T one usuki one mahaya womma Mati lillahi Rabbil alameen Allah says, say, my select my slaughtering
my life and my death are all for Allah subhanahu wa Jai Shetty luxury
has no partners, luxury color, and this is Islam is built upon, really these two statements La ilaha illAllah an acknowledgment and affirmation. Okay, firm belief that there is no god worthy of worship. So there's this is a an education statement, we negate every God besides Allah negate la isla and then there is the affirmation and that there is no law except for Allah subhanho wa Taala. And this is what is there is a religion of monotheism as opposed to polytheism as opposed to ship.
So our goal is to none other than Allah Subhana wartime is so
when you ask you ask Allah, a year kind of Abu, what kind of Stein you alone, we worship, and You alone, we seek hope. And we see a the Muslim says this no less than 17 times a day in his select Insert to effective
Wi Fi none other than Allah subhanahu wa Island, and we attribute to Allah subhanaw taala the attributes that are attributes of perfection to this panel, Thailand, and that we believe that allows a panel to Eilat is capable of everything.
And that he knows of the unseen. This is our belief. It's a unique set of beliefs, which we which Muslims read about in the books of tawheed in the books of monotheism. Secondly, how is a Muslim distinguished, a Muslim is distinguished in his manner of worship. So the first time we said that a Muslim is distinguished by his belief, and Muslim, secondly, his belief is distinguished in his manner of worship. Okay, so
we basically, we don't introduce heretical actions without innovations. So we worship a lot in accordance with the enemy, without them making things up just because, you know, and that, in that in and of itself is like you're accusing the Quran and Sunnah, that there isn't enough there. There isn't enough there for us to do as an act in terms of acts of worship. But we say what Allah subhanaw taala says Aloma up to lacantina that today I have completed completed for you, your religion is complete, there's no need to add. There's no need for additions, emissions distortions that we find in the other scriptures.
So, we limit part of the Muslim identity is that he limits himself or herself to the path of the movement known to the believers. Okay, so
a Muslim is one who fought, who closely follows in the footsteps of Prophet Mohammed soleimani. He was said, so before he begins to pray, a Muslim asks himself, how did the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam pray?
And he remembers his faith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam So Luke, Mr. Mooney, who suddenly pray as you have seen me praying, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, who do aneema nastika can take from me your Hajj rights take from me your Hajj rituals, so we do everything in accordance with the Quran and the Sunnah. The Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, how did he fast move fast like him?
Okay, how did he do any of the acts of worship than we do? in the manner in which the prophet SAW love while he was selected? Number three, a Muslim is distinguished by his manners by his left. So, a Muslim is distinguished by as
a Muslim is distinguished by his manner of worship. And Muslim is distinguished by his manners, his
his, the way he treats others that are around him, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said in
the autumn Mima mcherry will
I have been commissioned, I have been sent to perfect good moral character, this is what we need to remember inshallah, to Allah.
So, Allah subhanaw taala has commanded us to be just to be just to be fair, even if you agree with those that we we disagree with, okay, from amongst this believers, and I'll share with you a short story, okay, at the time of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the Sahaba, they captured a man,
a disbeliever, by the name of fisherman, fisherman, and they tied him to a pillar in the masjid. They tied him to a pillar to a to a pole in the masjid, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, when he used to go past him, he would treat him generously, and he would give him milk, he would send him milk.
And during this period of captivity, for men, he starts to look around, and he sees the behavior of the Muslims.
And he sees they're excellent at dealings with one another.
So his heart begins to be filled with, you know, these good feelings towards Muslims and towards Islam.
But, of course,
his sense of pride, and his status among these people prevented him from declaring a Shahada.
So the prophet SAW Allah, Allah and he was saying that he wants this to him. Yes, Mama, Mama, Mama, why don't you submit to Islam? Why don't you become a Muslim?
Yeah, brothers and sisters, before I continue, I think it's important to always remember this.
Any people that we work with, or our neighbors, or people that we come into contact with, we should invite them to Islam. We should talk to them about Islam.
And before it's too late, if a person means a lot to you, and there's a lot of non Muslims out there, that are really good people. There, they have a good heart. They have it, but they just don't know about Islam, or they haven't been there. They know that only notice them through the window of the medium. Okay. It's very important that we always invite people to Islam. You did your part in the day this last panel time, very important. So
for magma, he says to the processor after he invites him to slam. He says, Mohamed, if you do me a favor, you will do a favor to a grateful man. And if you kill me, you will kill a man worthy of blood. So you got to do me a favor, or you can call me either way. Yeah, this is the situation.
On the third day of captivity, on the third day of his captivity, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commanded, forceful manner, to be to be released. And he said he said to him, his team john, wherever you wish, go wherever you wish. So Samantha went away. And he took a bath and he came back
He said a shadow and La ilaha illallah wa shadow ana Muhammadan rasul Allah.
He became a Muslim, he swept the good treatment. A Muslim is distinguished by his,
by his manners, by the way he treats people. Actions speak louder than words. As the saying goes, you want to invite people to Islam, invite them with your actions before your words, let them see You're good. You're good character, you're good treatment,
your softness and not your aggressiveness.
And so after embracing Islam, it is said that for my man was still brought the same amount of milk he used to drink every day when he was in captivity. Just to give you another example, of the justice of Islam, and the benevolence of Islam, and how Islam continues to win the hearts of so many Muslims, I want to take you back to the left of it a bit a bit about the Allahu anhu.
During the life of Ali.
There is a Jew, a Jew, who stole a piece of armor from IV histones, that doesn't belong to Him. So IV is the is the halifa.
And so they don't, I Li takes this man is Jew, he takes him to the judge. And he says to the judge,
this man has stolen my piece of armor.
So the judge listens to this defendant, the Jew. And he says,
Well, he first listens to Eileen says the armor is mine. I didn't sell it. I didn't give it away as a gift. It's mine.
So then
he asked the Jew, the Jew, and the Jew says, well, the armor is in my possession, it must be mine. Where's his proof? Where is his proof that he owns this arm, and I don't have any evidence that is his. So the judge who was a Muslim judge, he rules in favor of who? of the Jews?
Because really, as as we know, in law, and much of much of law is taken from the teachings of Islam. The onus of proof is on the plaintiff. If you are accusing someone of something, then the onus of proof is on you. And the plaintiff,
the defendant says, in this case will occur with me. So
Pamela, the Jew walks away. And he thinks to himself, you know, I stand an Islamic judge in front of the Islamic judge, Muslim judge. And it is I leave at the party, who is the Khalifa.
And yet the judge despite all of this, he rules in favor of of me. He said, this is something I've learned this is this is something that's just unbelievable. And he's so impressed. He goes back to her goes back to that. He goes back to
he goes back to the to the judge. And he says, he says to him, a judge as for the armor, it belongs to Harley. He says, As for me, I declare and I believe that there is no god worthy of worship except Allah.
And I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad SAW said that is His Servant and Messenger. So
this is, you know, when I read him, here's the story. He says, You have become a Muslim. So the armor is yours.
This is the lack of the Muslim. This is the character of a Muslim. He has a very open heart, open mind. He's his chest config, everybody. There's no hatred, there's no animosity. If you're going to walk around life hating people having this animosity, how are you going to win their hearts over?
Be in shallow Thailand, like it was like, what Islam is teaching us the beautiful and sublime teachings of Islam. So, part of the Muslim identity is also to be truthful, to always speak the truth. Don't shy away from the truth and don't be afraid of the truth. Don't try and water down Islam and be apologetic about things that just might not make sense to non Muslims be firm, and know that we possess the truth
might be brothers and sisters in Islam. The fourth distinguishing characteristic is that the Muslim
identity is different to other identities because of its goals and objectives. Generally speaking, people
In this people work for this world, they live for the dunya. Right?
That's what we find people are working for, you know, they're earning money building mansions in homes and you know, having acquiring many, many assets. Okay, where is the Muslim? What does he strive for what is he yearned for? He yearns for the asset he wants he yearns for the afterlife. This is the difference between a Muslim, the Muslim identity and a non Muslim identity, our focus and all of our attention and all of our effort is for the hereafter. That's what we work for. We put our, our eyes on the prize and the prize is Jen. That's what we work for. Yes, in saying that, it doesn't mean that we cannot enjoy this life. It doesn't mean Islam says that you have to be married
to your prayer rod to the masjid. No, you can enjoy your life. But we have to always remember the athlete. And but if you subparallel when you work towards the alpha, you win the alpha and the winner.
So keep that in mind, inshallah. And that's why we shouldn't forget the dunya as well. And
Allah so paradigma says, When I tend to come in at dunya, don't forget your dogs to get your portion you're not see of the dunya you're part of the donor. So we're not saying that you can enjoy life, no, you can. But there is a greater objective, that the Muslim is distinguished, okay. To non Muslims in his goals and his objectives of life, what is my what is the purpose of life, and the purpose of life is to worship Allah, Allah subhanaw taala says, One masala to genuine insight inelia. I created not the jinn and mankind except for worship. That's what we're here for. We're here to do a job, there is a purpose to our life. And that purpose is to worship Allah. That's the
fundamental purpose that we have to remember. Okay. And we move on to number five, the Muslim identity is distinguished in the way he thinks
in how he derives answers
to questions how he derives solutions, and Muslim first and foremost, when he has a problem, he turns to the end, it turns to the center of the process, and he turns to the edge map, he turns to the scholarly consensus. That's how we are also different in the way we think. You know, the Muslim should be one when when when he looks at anything around him, he looks at what does Islam say about this? What as Islam contributed towards this, okay.
So, we use the tools of the Quran and the Sunnah and each map to gauge, okay, all about actions.
And we don't do things based on superstition, you know, people, non Muslims, there might be things based on superstition. The Muslim is not one who goes to soothsayers and fortune tellers. We don't believe this is this is part of, you know, part of shift. And part of that which is opposes the monotheistic belief of tawheed. So we as Muslims, brothers and sisters in Islam, we don't go to fortune tellers, we don't believe in you know, this is, you know, reading of cards, or, you know, other practices that people do, which are acts of ship. We don't engage in any of that as Muslims. Number six, a Muslim is distinguished by the message he carries and how he views his role in this
life.
And that this is similar to what I just said in the previous point, in that
we,
he knows that one of his roles as a Muslim is to guide others to the straight path of Allah subhanho wa Taala
that guiding others isn't just the isn't just the role of the prophets isn't just the role of teachers or chefs. But every single one of us has a duty that if we see wrong to change it, the Selim said manga, c'mon current value right up. If you see an evil, change it with your hand. If you cannot change it with your hand and remove it, then change it with your tongue say something speak out. If you cannot change it with your tongue, then change it with your heart rejected in your heart hate that act of that is displeasing to Allah Subhana water
and this is our role. And one of the one of the corners to Islam.
Roberto even Ironmen he says to wisdom, he says to philosopher
He says beautiful words that should be written in gold. He says in non line. He says in the la Santa Lena Reja, men shall mean a bird that in a bed ILA a bed that your ability back. He said Allah has sent us as Muslims to bring out whom
Allah to pan over to Allah wills. Allah has sent us to bring out whoever Allah wills from the worship of the created, worshiping that which is created to the worship of the Creator, to the worship of Allah subhanho wa Taala woman, Julian agenne illa Islam that we have been sent to also remove people from oppression of the oppression of other systems and beliefs, to the item of Islam, to the justice of Islam.
Woman beacon dunya LSR dunya will acid and we have been sent to bring people out from the from the hardships of this life of the dunya. To to the ease of the dunya and the
beautiful words that were mentioned by Rowbury even for the loved one who was and this is what makes you remember this is what distinguishes us from non Muslims.
The Muslim identity entails looking at people as being equal in taqwa. So, except in taqwa, except in taqwa that we are all as, as Muslims, we are all equal, but we are, we are all human beings. We judge each other as Muslims, but the taqwa only Allah subhanaw taala knows who is most Gods period. Only Allah subhanaw taala knows that. So in Islam, Islam makes no difference between black or white. It doesn't matter what what is your background. It doesn't matter whether you are an Arab or a non Arab. It doesn't matter whether you are Lebanese whether you are Malaysian whether you are Indonesian, Indian Somalian, okay, whatever you are, whoever you are, it doesn't matter. But what
does matter and only Allah azza wa jal is the judge of that is your tough word. And the process I'm said a taqwa. hoonah a taqwa Hakuna, that taqwa is in your heart. Tukwila is in your heart. And he ashada LLB he just did he pointed to his heart.
When he remember, the Muslim is distinguished by the example he follows. The Muslim is distinguished by the example he follows.
So the Muslim is the one who follows prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he is our role model. He's our mentor, he is the Prophet sent to all of mankind, not only to the Arabs, in our son, Edgar Ramadan, Lila nee, we have commissioned you sent you as a rough night as a mercy to all of mankind as a way to remember all of and I mean, to the jinn and to the ends, to mankind and to the jinn.
So this is the difference. And so we need to identify brothers and sisters, the characteristics of the Muslim identity before we start to build. That's why I've spoken about now the characteristics of what is it that makes the Muslim identity once we can identify what is the Islamic identity, then we need to look, we look we need to look at what how to build, how to build Islam. Now, I want to just talk about how there is what is known as an ideal ideological attack on Muslims, that there is an ideological attack. And I want to quote I want to quote from a book written by chef Eben Bez Rahim Allah to Allah. Okay, and it's talking about the, the book is entitled in an ideological
attack.
And let me just mention to you, okay.
What he said about this,
he said, the term the ideological attack is a modern term, which refers to a set of efforts undertaken by a particular nation in order to conquer or influence another nation, such that the attack nation is steeped in a particular course of direction because of it. It is
more serious than military warfare
is far more serious than military warfare, since it aims at secrecy seeking to achieve subtle objectives initially, so that the attack nation does not perceive it nor prepares to hold it, no
stand in its way, thereby falling victim to it. The eventual result of this onslaught is that this nation becomes diseased in its thoughts and its senses loving what the enemy wants it to love and hating what they want it to hate. It is a chronic disease,
which attacks nations doing away with its characteristics removing its foundations and strength, the nation which is struck by it does not even feel does not even feel what has hit it know what it even is, this is why curing comes somewhat difficult and making the attack nation understand the ways of righteousness becomes a struggle.
And it goes on and he mentions this wall takes place by means of school by means of curriculums, general education, the media, small and large size publications, and other such channels. Through this. The enemy hopes to deviate the nation from its beliefs becoming attached to what the enemy throws at it.
And he says, and, and what and who is subjected to this attack, the Muslims are subjected to this attack, who are the attackers? past present, okay, past and present, we see that the attackers are the Christian Crusaders, we see that the attackers are designers, we see that the attackers are the communists and the atheists, there is a bombardment, there is something happening to change our way of life and to change our identities. And this is why this topic is a very, very important one. And it's very dangerous. It's one that many, many Muslims are losing their identities because of these ideological attacks. They're putting they're implanting these ideas into an adult. So suddenly, they
do it through the media, they do it through subliminal messaging in the cartoons that our children are watching. So it's very serious and you know, and we have, you know, all of these different for example, heroes that that children have. Okay, so who do they who did the children relate to these days? They who do they grow up loving, and who did they grow up grew up idolizing and looking up to people like who like Superman, like Batman, like Spider Man, okay. Now, if you think about, if you think about these, who are these people? Okay, these are people who, who claim to have these gods, these godly attributes, they are able to save the day. So you see in the movies when something goes
wrong, when something goes wrong, what do the people do that call out for Superman? They call up for Batman, they call up for Spider Man, they call out for you know, Wonder Woman. Okay, so can you see the problem here when the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he said to young if an adverse to the young child, he sets an either
an inlet, when you ask you ask a lot, we needed help you turn to Allah, the panel data is the anxious time dilemma.
This is what we need to be instilling into our children. Not Batman, not Spider Man, not Superman. Okay, so this is the problem you have. And there are messages that are being sent to our children through these cartoons that look so innocent. Well, like it looks so innocent. But there are serious problems with these shows, we really need to think about yin and yang and what our children are watching. What our children are watching. They're being bombarded is an ideological attack. So there has to be careful. Let's look at for example, the Simpsons, the Simpsons over the Simpsons. Now the Simpsons is a very popular animation, very popular, right? And it's been running for what, almost 15
years or so. If not, if not more, it's been running for a long time. Okay. And you see that it sits in primetime, primetime TV with kids, you know, ready to watch it. Okay. And
the producers
have publicly admitted the promotion of anarchism
and his, which is folder in a folder everything. There's no real order. Just everything goes anarchism. Okay. So what are the themes that we find in Simpsons? We find, for example, but he's the main, you know, he's the main hero, but the main, the main character Bart Simpson. All right, who is he? He's idolized by a lot of the youth, don't they? When they start to watch but they want to act like but they like but because all I see in front of them is Bart Simpson. But who is he is a rebel. He's disrespectful, okay, towards his parents. He's bad at school. He's in trouble with the low. How much more do you want? And so our children idolized but how are your children going to end up being?
And then we have the father, what's his name? home? Are you I know him? This is a problem. You see, this is the problem.
You just busted yourself. Okay.
So then there's Homer says Homer Simpson. Okay. Homer, who is he? He's an alcoholic.
You know, he's bigger is out there is an alcoholic, Homer Simpson. And he's disrespected. He's called. He's called Danny Hama Bye bye. Children portrayed as an an imbecile is portrayed as someone who's stupid. So yeah, my father is like, he's stupid. You know, he's
also we find mockery of the religion. He's constantly calling
me. He always calls his his son, his son doesn't answer. You know.
We find that Jessica Simpson who she?
You know, she is. I know you want to be quiet now. Jessica Simpson, the daughter, right. Okay. She
is.
Jessica, is she the one?
She's the one
is another Jessica.
I don't know. But, you know, you have a think one of them is an open atheist. She doesn't believe in God. She doesn't believe in God.
In one episode
that I that I was researching in one episode, they were instilling that there is nothing wrong with being gay. There's nothing wrong with being homosexual. Okay, so, you know, it's one fine, it all goes. All in all is good. So, again, what about some of the toys is an ideological attack, as I said, in the heroes that we watch in the movies in the cartoons, okay, in the subliminal messages that they have in the cartoons, things that we don't pick up without without eyes, but they are picked up picked up by the subliminal, but but but by the subconscious mind, and they register and they register in your mind they do this so cleverly.
Okay, they do this in a way that has been studied. They know how to penetrate the mind without even you seeing anything.
Okay, so what about some of the toys for example? Like what about for example, we have you know, Barbie, who is Barbie? Barbie? What does she wear? She wears tight dresses. Okay, she sits on the beach in a bikini. Her boyfriend is what his name
is?
Because I know you don't want to I'll do it. I'll do for you that worry. Can Okay, whatever his name is. Can't remember now. But
how do you now expect our daughters to grow up loving hijab? How do you want our daughters to to fit in with the Muslim Islamic identity and wear proper Islamic dress when all of their toys and all of their heroes, all of the things that they idolize are non Islamic.
And that's why hamdulillah now we have, you know, we have Fuller, you know, full
she's like the Muslim Barbie. You know, she's like a doll, but she has a jab at you. And she wears the Aveda and she was to Japan and things like that, you know, but we have to be careful. We have to be careful, even with the toys that we give to our children.
Today, for example, we have to be aware, for example of what's out there. There are many for example, ways of corrupting the minds of these children. There are many, many ways of doing that. I mean, many of you
Well, you know, we've got the internet at home the computers in the living room. Well, did you know that that that iPod touch that you bought your child or that or that mobile phone, or that Nintendo game, or that we console or that Xbox, did you know that all of these gadgets have access to the internet. So you think that maybe your child is not accessing any sites that they shouldn't be accessing, because the computer is in front of you. But hold on, you miss something, they're accessing a lot of this material from gadgets that you have no idea about, they look like they're just toys, but they can access a lot more than just the toy or the game that they are playing. Be
careful. Be careful when it comes to this. Don't be gullible. Don't be naive. Okay, we are all responsible. The process lm said que la cumbre. In wakulla, con mas una Andhra, I get all of you as shepherds and all of you are responsible for those under your care. We all have a duty or have responsibility. Let me conclude in shallow talent very, very quickly. There's so much more to share with you. But so Pamela, how quickly the time flies?
How do we build an Islamic identity? This, it starts with the parents, of course, the parents are part of the equation, the parents are part of the equation of building an Islamic identity. Okay, so parents should inculcate the beliefs of the teachings of Islam. Okay, through a good parent child relationship, the child will not develop any negative emotions, rejecting what their parents stand for.
Secondly, when the parents themselves, the parents themselves need to possess a strong Islamic identity. So you need to be a role model. Don't think that your child, okay? Is not looking at what you do. Your child is looking at you. So if you're a mother, your daughter is looking, she's going to want to be like you, you're not practicing Islam. But he said, if you're not doing the things that you're supposed to be doing, your daughter's going to turn out like you most likely, and likewise, your son is going to turn out like you like his father. So you need to be a role model in your family home. That's where the starting point is.
Also, it is important as parents that we impart the, the imparting of the of the Islamic identity by way of you know, parents concentrating on the love of Allah, we should love Allah always remind them that of the love of Allah, the love of Prophet Muhammad SAW Salah, loving Islam, loving Muslim, literally repeat these things again and again and again. And through repetition, these things become firm, and they become fixed in the mind and in the hearts and shall allow them to Island.
So you're teaching them about our beliefs and our practices and for the rest of other things, be relaxed, don't be, you know, be be be relaxed when it comes to the other things inshallah hota hai.
Also, it's very important. Secondly, after the parent parenthood proper in a parenting inshallah, secondly, comes choosing,
choosing the appropriate environment. So make sure that you live in a in a in a, in a Muslim community whereby, you know, your children are not shy from being Muslims, where there are massages where there are Islamic Institute's where there are events and lectures and things like that it's very important in Sharla, that there needs to be an environment, there needs to be, you know, Muslims around them. And this is a problem that we have, when many Muslims come to non Muslim countries is they might find themselves in suburbs, or in areas that are non Muslims, and then Muslims lose their identities. Okay. And we saw this with many of the Afghans who came to live for
example, in Australia, okay, in, in the earlier times, so remember, the professor said that he said, The wolf devours the lone sheep. This is analogy he gave the wolf devours the lone sheep, okay, when you're isolated away from the Muslims, the shape on attacks, and the shutdown puts floods all of these thoughts into your minds, okay? And corrupts, corrupts the satanic identity. So, choosing the environment is very important.
There is also Thirdly, the role of messages and emails. So it's also imants. And shaft should have, you know, programs for the community, the message should have, it should be messed up, it shouldn't be programs for the youth today and for the Muslims, males and females, not only females, not only males, so because we often find that there isn't enough for the females. Okay.
Also number for the role of Islamic centers that there needs to be an Islamic institutes in Oregon.
nations who hold events will hold picnics to hold camps who hold outings to hold sporting activities. That's what we want to also produce inshallah hota. Island, okay, that teaches how to be Muslims and how to maintain our Islamic identities. Number five, you build yourself Shaolin.
You, you yourself need to build your aesthetic identity. So yes, we've spoken about external factors, the environment and the parents and the magic and the Imam. Okay, we've spoken about the stanic centers, but you yourself must work on yourself, change yourself by yourself. Remember this thing, change yourself, by yourself don't always depend on others. Because you most likely you find that they might not only guide you in the direction that you really need to be guided. So make sure you you know, you seek Islamic knowledge, that's very important that you understand the poor and that you read the Quran and they implement the Quran, okay, because
as long as we have the Quran inshallah hautala will be victorious. And that's why a former Prime Minister of Great Britain, William Gladstone, he was once quoted as saying to the British Parliament, he said, as long as the Quran exists in the hands of the Muslims, Europe will never be able to have any power of the Islamic east, nor will it in other words, Europe be in a state of peace. They know that, you know, they try and take away the core and from us, but we need to remember the core this is this is really where our success is. Our success stems from the Quran by reading the Quran, memorizing the Quran, understanding the code and implementing the Quran, using
the Quran as a medicine for our bodies and for our minds and for our spiritual well being and shout out to Ireland. in Algeria. A French governor, he once said, he said, we will not be able to be victorious over the Algerians for as long as they read the Quran and speak Arabic, we must eliminate the poor and and we must eradicate the Arabic language from the tongues, part of the Islamic identity is the Arabic language. That's part of the Islamic identity. If you can show up learn Arabic understand Arabic, and is in Arabic, the hypothesis in Arabic. Okay, much of the traditional and classical literature that we have about Islam is in Arabic. And it's not difficult and
hamdulillah. Okay, most of the greatest scholars would not Arabs, they learn Arabic. And today we have lots of great scholars who are non Arabs, and those who embraced Islam, and then they learn Arabic, at least learn Arabic to be known to become a receiving bilingual, and they're receiving bilingual is one who can read Arabic, or who can
who can read Arabic, understand Arabic, or at least when they hear the Arabic they can, they can understand it. That's the least that is required of it. If you can't communicate it, no problem. But because there are so many lectures, there are so many literature out there that is in Arabic, it's very important to make an effort to at least understand or at least understand and become what is known as a receiving bilingual and it's never too late brothers and sisters in Islam. You know, there is
one Muslim by the name of Maurice bouquet. morrisburg Kelly is the author of the book famous book. It's called the Bible the core and and science, right? The Bible, the Koran and science.
He learned Arabic When he was 52 years old.
52 years old, don't sound too old. Let's shake on punch that excuse, you know, in the eye, give it a black line. Okay. So he said, I wanted to read the poor and in its original form, believe me, you will never taste the sweetness of the code and in English, it's not the same. doesn't impact the heart like it does, but it's in the Arabic language. Make an effort to learn Arabic one lucky it's not hard. It's not hard. But you need to put in a bit of sacrifice. Yes, in the beginning. It's always hard and harder in the beginning. Okay, it's like it's like anything in the beginning. But once you enter Okay, once you penetrate the beginning and shallow to highlight everything will be a
piece of cake will be very easy. So we need to make a bit of effort inshallah, to Allah, learn about, learn about aqeedah learn the Quran, learn about protein efficient, learn about history, and learn about the history of Islam and the Muslims. Okay.
And that's why Allah subhanaw taala. He meant
Since the prophets of the past in the front end stories of the prophets, and he says locka, the canopy of kasasa him a graph, that indeed in the stories is a bra is a model. There are morals and there are lessons that are learned from the prophets of and the people of the past learned appasaheb learn about the profits, learn about problem hammer sauce and learn about the righteous people of the past and inshallah will become like them.
So history My dear brothers and sisters in Islam is our umbilical cord. It's our lifeline, and we are an extension from our roots. Right? And a famous Russian historian writer, whose name is Alexander Solzhenitsyn, he says, to destroy a people, you must first sever their roots, sever the roots. And that's why we need to always understand what are outwards, okay, we have to keep our roots alive. We need to keep on watering them and feeding them inshallah hooter Island. Okay. So, you know, we find today, you know, Muslims living in the West, they have more in common with, they know a lot and they have more in common with people on television and sports stars and singers and
dancers and what have you, and you can mention their name, and I'll tell you who they are. And I'll tell you their biography, and I'll tell you the latest hits and whatever. But if you mentioned to them, some of the names of the greatest Sahaba and so have yet okay, they have no idea whether how no one at 11 level, we're not making enough of an effort.
The resources are there, the books are there, but it's up to me, it's up to you to reach out to them, and to make an effort to get our children into good habits, healthy habits, reading about these great people of the past.
Also, part of our building about Islamic identity is to continually perform various righteous and meritorious actions, actions of the heart, sincerity and love, independence and hope and fee, reverence, contentment, patience, absence of the tongue, praising Allah subhanaw taala, reading the code and sending peace of blessings upon the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, okay. and actions of the leaves will saw that and we'll see and in the Hajj. Okay. Part of maintaining our Islamic identity is to do damage to others. Part of it is also who are our associates, who are you hanging out with? Make sure that you hang out with people like the perfume seller who is likely to give you
perfume or is likely to sell you something or you woke up you walk out smelling nice and don't associate with it with the likes of a blacksmith that can burn your clothes or make you walk out smelling Jani unpleasantly. So, this is something that these are some of the things that we have to remember inshallah, who to Allah, we ask Allah subhana wa Taala to preserve our aesthetic identities and to help us not resemble identities that are displeasing to Allah because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said mentorship the happy common for women who who ever imitates a people other than Islam. He is one of them. He is one of them. These are the words I'll leave you with are some
Allahu wa Sallim wa barik ala Sayidina