Bilal Philips – 5 Lessons from Covid-19
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Salam alikoum Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah is sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Welcome to everyone who's watching this life today. Alhamdulillah we are live on voice of Islam, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter and Instagram. We also live on Tshabalala, Facebook and YouTube. And also our brother use of chambers Facebook as well. So alhamdulillah so there'll be many, many comments coming through, and we may not be able to answer all your Salam Euler questions, but inshallah we'll go there. The discussion today is on lessons learned from COVID-19.
So most of us already know who should be lollis should be learned, as we know, he's a Jamaica, Jamaican Canadian Islamic scholar, he converted to Islam in the early 70s. He completed a BA from the Islamic University of Medina, and an MA from King Saudi University in Riyadh, and a PhD in Islamic theology from the University of Wales, UK 1994. So as we all know, Dr. Billa, spent 10 years teaching Islamic studies in Islamic High School in Riyadh. And I think 18 years formerly lecturing in Arabic and Islamic studies in American University in Dubai, Preston University, I demand Islamic Studies Academy in Doha, Qatar, in Riyadh. So the list goes on and on and on. And we all know
Shambhala really, really well. He published over 50 books. And he's involved with many, many Islamic TV channel. So and I think recently, shall be allowed was listed in the belief in the Jordanian publication as one of the most of the 500 most influential Muslims. So we all know really, really and we all know as well that should be learned, founded Islamic online university, and he has over half a million students from all over the world. I think, I believe 228 countries from all over the world. So alhamdulillah so we know Shambhala really well. Salaam alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh Shia
walaikum salam ala to lie over cattle. It's nice to see you and hamdulillah
so and also of course, I should not forget that I also we also have brother mama Thompson here with us and He will be with us as well as part of the voice of Islam and they will be having a an informal discussion. So feel free to jump in to share your comments and be part of the discussion as well inshallah mama Thompson, Olivia to each other. Does UCLA right side come everyone?
Welcome to another program, first of all like to, you know, pray that everyone is well and not suffering from anything, you know, we're talking we're talking about COVID So there's COVID there's other things people could be suffering from, you know, with throughout the world. There's many atrocities many wars and famines and disasters happening everywhere. So we pray that everyone is safe and keep safe inshallah. And as Dr. Flow said, was pleased to have Dr. Scheck, Bilal Philips on and we welcome him again from your program. And we'll jump straight into it. So we've got five lessons to learn from COVID. And first of all, I'll just shake about one one is patients
facing hardship, job loss, death of loved ones, and perseverance, check, do you want to comment on on that as part of trying to deal with COVID in Sharla?
Well,
in any kind of illness, you know, the Prophet SAW Salem had advised us to
pray for those who are suffering saying to Hurun in sha Allah that, that this be purification and from since because the prophesy Salama told us that any pain or suffering that a believer experiences, it removes
sins from them, it's purification. So fundamentally, we as many
Muslims have to look at the COVID experience, which we're still going through, you know, from that fundamental perspective, it's purification. It's from Allah, Allah has permitted it to take place, caused it to take place, allowed it to take place,
it's in our destiny, that we will be facing this global trial. And as Muslims, we have to be patient. Of course, whenever calamity strikes, you know, people become frantic running here, there and everywhere, trying this trying that, you know, people coming up with all kinds of
cures, you know, for this and,
you know, everything from onion peel to orange peel to
squeeze this juice that
is gonna do it for you, whatever, you know, and the Prophet SAW, Salem had also told us that,
with every disease, which Allah is allowed to take place in our lives,
he has also sent with a cure, there is a cure for it, you know, and as such, for the process, I'm to tell us that it's, you know, it's encouragement for us to seek the cure, seek the treatment for it, you know, and we, we have proper methodologies for seeking it, you know, scientific approaches,
whether it's modern science, or whether it's ancient science,
the homeopathic methods, treatments, etc. It's for us to utilize whatever is available, and patiently bear whatever comes with it.
So
illnesses in general, you know, are a reminder for us of how fragile our lives are, you know, how easily everything can fall apart, no matter how built up and preserved, etc, and things may appear.
That's the cold reality.
So this is my, my general
take on the situation that there are lessons of patience to be learned, you know, and Allah has told us since oil baccarat will blow and Combi shaman and hopefully will Jewry we're not gonna Seminole Amala Well, amphis know that you're gonna try you and test you with loss of life, loss of wealth, you know, trials of a variety of different, but in the end,
a lot goes on to say our best shit is sob it in and give glad tidings to those who are patient. So that's the, that's the end point that we all need to reach to be patient in dealing with these trials, you know, as long as it takes
people we're expecting it to be over in a minute.
It's not carrying on, you know, we're going into the end of the second year now have it after 2020 2021 hour, then 2022. You know, when is it going to end? Allah knows best. And we just have to carry on. I just Allah made us in such a way that, you know, we are able to adapt to trials, you know, when the so called asteroid hit the Earth and wiped out all of the dinosaurs, you know, they couldn't adapt, you know, that's it, they just couldn't adapt to it, you know, so when it hit them that it was all over. Whereas the law made us, you know, able to change our habitats, you know, change our diets change this change that to adjust to various changing circumstances that we find
ourselves in. So, this is just one among many, I mean, 100 years ago, there was, you know, influenza, you know, was killing people left and right now influenza is something you know, we take the flu shot, you know, every every year around around December, whatever and, and that's it and you carry on with life. It's just a shot and you keep moving. Now, where is that?
One time It killed millions. So, this, these are the tests. And in the end, it's about us being patient with it.
And doing our best to find what we can in terms of remedies, and
carrying on with life, doing what we have to do.
So shake is as Muslims, and we're talking about the patients, so we we, as Muslims, we have an advantage because we're taught that we're taught about the patients and being part of our religion and things like that. So what about? So some of them may be non Muslims who are watching? Maybe, is there any little tips we can give them to get to be more patient? Or is it just say, become Muslim, and then you become more patient? Because I know there's some Muslims who aren't patient as well.
I know sometimes I'm not very patient, but it's a for us, it's, it's something we we have to work on, because we have the belief, it's something we can work on. And we asked for help from Allah to help us to be more patient. And let's, so is that something that we can work on, especially during this time, when we have more time, you know, for being locked down and things like that, and we can't go the mosque as we want to. So it's another time being patient for that to say, well, you know, we'd love to go the mosque, but we can't.
Well, patients in general, you know, the process, Solomon said, you know, whoever is born with it, you know, has been granted, you know, an amazing blessing, because, you know, there's only a few people who are just naturally patient, the rest of us, you know, we just fall apart when things become too heavy do.
Is it just me or No, he's stuck frozen now. I think she'll be frozen there. Yeah, so not sure what happened there. Insha Allah, So
brothers and sisters who are watching, share, I think you will be stuck just now when you are about to explain about the
patients, patients, at the you mentioned about some are born with it. And that's where we got cut off.
Oh, sorry about that.
I have, as I said that,
those who are born with it, and there are some people who are born patient, meaning that even as children, you can see amongst if you have a lot of children, and we watch your children, you'll see all different levels of patients in their act in their, in a way they respond to situations and circumstances. And as grown ups were the same.
But a few of us, you know, are born with patients that were just naturally patient. And the process element praise that as a great blessing, you know, something which,
you know, something we should always be very thankful about. But
for the vast majority of us, it's something that we have to learn. And the various tests that we have in life, you know, are part of that learning process, if we recognize it for what it is. And
it's a test of our patience, and we try to develop the necessary
coping mechanisms to deal with the trials, we can learn it and the process element given us a general rule of thumb for developing patients, he said,
May at the sub bar, your sub beautiful law, whoever pretends to be patient,
Allah will give them patience, I mean, pretending to be patient, meaning that you are externally showing Patience, even though internally, you know, you're ready to explode. If you control yourself and show that outer facade of of patience, eventually that will turn into a norm, a habit and you will be able to control what's happening on the inside.
So it's something that we have to to work with deliberately. We control ourselves in the past.
I remember some years back, you know, doctors were saying, you know, it's not good to to, to control your, your your anger and your you know,
your
Your feelings when when things get really better to just let it out, you know, let it all hang out, just shout, scream, break things in people set up places, you could go to pay money and you could, it's filled with stuff you can throw and break against the wall and kick and, you know, just just go at it in place.
You feel, yeah, I feel much better.
But later on, as they were studying what was happening in the brain, etc, they came to realize that when people get extremely angry, and they just start screaming at the top of their lungs, and all these other kinds of things, you know, little blood vessels, in our capillaries in the brain, were bursting, hoping that, in fact, is not a good thing at all, it's better not to let this thing happen. You know, so they changed their stance on this, you know, but, you know, that's, that's the nature of,
of medicine, Something seemed, you know, externally, it seems to be good, fine, but later on, you find, okay, it's not so good. So the point is that, it's about controlling it, it's not about just letting it all hang out, you know, but So, similarly, when trying times come, you know, you externally you maintain
a face of patients, and eventually, it will become
Camilla McCullough.
One, excuse me,
was saying that, though, externally, you may start with this face of patients, eventually it will become a true face,
that you will have gained control over
what was happening internally, and you're able to handle things in a patient way. Which is so much better, it helps those around you.
It helps you
you're much more able to appreciate
Allah's blessings in your life, etc. You know, when you're able to handle the trials of your life in a patient way.
Does UCLA?
For those did you want to say anything at this point? I continue on. We'll continue that for now. Yeah, and Charlotte, so check on this part of patients. So listen, number one, we understand that during the early period, I think you did contract COVID If that's the right word. So I just want to wonder if you want to reflect on that how, because some people are sort of thinking it's, you know, the saying it's, it's not real, it's you know, it's one of the conspiracy things and things like that. So, you know, I don't know people have had it apart from you. So and it wasn't around when you was going through it all and things like that. So you know, if you'd like to maybe reflect on it, if
possible, and tell us and tell the viewers how it was and
you know, explain it so that we can get a better understanding of what it does and how it how it reacts or how it can take over your body and affect you. So well you know, it affects different people in different ways. There are some standard symptoms and you know, high fever
coughing and and breathing difficulties a lot of times that that's quite common, you know, where people do need oxygen and things like this.
I mean, depending on the intensity of the of the infection, you know, the COVID infection so, some people it's just like, you know, a three day cold it's not sneeze cetera actually, most people they tend to get through it quite easily and quickly, older people and people who have had, you know, underlying
illnesses, etc. They tend to suffer from it more. Myself personally. I mean, I mean, I had the, you know, the fevers, heavy sweating and, and, you know, chattering of teeth and, and all this, but
my wife
told me that the doctor said it was just a mild case. So those I was experiencing this, you know,
she kept reminding me it was just a mild game. You're gonna get over it.
Be patient, be patient, just assaulted.
Yeah,
and this was of course, soothing, you know, to be told it was just a mild case, it wasn't until later, you know, after I'd gone through the treatment, you know, intravenous
drugs, you know, to deal with
a blood clotting and all these other kinds of things, that
after I'd gone through all of that, you know, and had come through it, it took basically, about a week of treatment. And I had gotten over the hump of it,
I was just sort of getting my strength back, I mean, because I remember initially,
not being able to sleep, my mind just running, running, running, running. And, you know, they had to give me some pills to help me to sleep.
And then, you know, not being able to move very much. The coughing was not, I guess it was there, it was there continually. But it wasn't like the dominant thing for me, you know,
some breathing difficulty, etc. But the point is that, I, you know, I seem to have reached the point and started to come back, you know, getting better each day, you know, initially praying while just lying in the bed, you know, making time on, you know, on the wall, if I could reach the wall of the hospital, you know, making my time, instead of will do and spraying lying there, just moving my head, in the line position, eventually, I was able to, you know, set the bed up, and you know, do some kind of movements and more, and then eventually, you know, sitting at the side of the bed,
not being able to stand whenever that going making sujood and coming back up and sitting on the bed again, eventually to making complete prayer, and hamdulillah
right next to the hospital neutral staying, there was a masjid. So, I mean, the other hand was constantly there reminding me, so the prayers, were, you know, we're constantly, you know, on my mind, coming back, you know, preparing for prayer, etc, etc. So, the cycles seem to have passed, I seem to have passed through the cycle, you know, relatively easy. And now, when I was getting my last treatments before
leaving when the doctors, you know, informed me that, you know, you had severe COVID
I thought that they said, it was just a mild case. No, no, no, no, no, no, severe COVID.
Right, you know, but already, I had gone through it all, you know, and so there's nothing that I could do at that point, you know,
was like to get angry at my wife for telling me it was.
But I realized that her telling me to smile, you know, also helped me to, to deal with it and not focus as much on it as I would have, if I'd known it was severe, you know, and, you know, depth threatening, and this kind of thing, you know, so,
obviously, that, and I'm not saying that, to advise people to tell, you know,
their relatives and family members, etc, whenever they if they get COVID, that it's just mild. I'm not saying that. This was my wife's HDR ad. It was good for me, you know, what, I look back at it, but it may not necessarily be the best thing for everybody. Yeah, but
I remember, you know, being in the, in the isolation, you know, the ICU, part of the hospital and, you know, hearing other people,
you know, having so much difficulty breathing, you know, so they sounded like, you know, you know, virtually like monsters, they're
solid sounds that I just added, I never heard anybody make these kind of sounds before.
And I was in the medical profession, maybe, you know, it's not that common, but for me, it was just, like, really scary as these people going through, you know, but
But alhamdulillah you know,
I pass through, and
I did have
You could say, After Effects, you know, because people get it. And sometimes, you know, it can stick with you for a long period of time. And, and
actually, when they finished my treatment, and you know, after a week, and they did the COVID test and confirm that I was free of COVID, you know, negative,
I went home, you know, but even then, you know, I know my wife had to, you know, help me walk. I mean, I was, you know, walking with, I couldn't, going up the stairs, in the places was in Ethiopia, actually, in Addis Ababa, going up the stairs, you know, I had to take one step, pause, take another step, to join that foot, post the same step, then I would take, like one step up, the other foot joins it, then take the next step of other foot joints. I mean, I was walking. I don't think I could remember ever experiencing that before. It was a whole nother experience altogether. And
but still, I was able I went,
the next day, actually, I
I suddenly felt a pain in my chest, actually a very sharp pain. It's wonder what in the world is this, I'd never experienced this before, very, very sharp pain. So I had to have the lie. I had a good friend in Doha, Qatar, who was working in the emergency department of the Hamad hospital, main hospital there in Qatar.
And when I told him, because we had been informing him, you know, up until that point, everything that was taking place, what medicines were being given, and he was confirming everything was, you know, correct. And, you know, whatever advice, whatever additional checks, he would have us do. Anyway, the point is that, when I told him of this sharp pain, he immediately concluded that there must have been some kind of a blood clot in my
lung, or the arteries leading to my heart. And
that, you know, this is potentially very dangerous, we immediately told us to take a particular medicine went and bought it, I started to take it. And I told me to do CT scan, and MRI and all these other different things. So I went and did all these things. And in fact, it did confirm that I had this pulmonary thrombosis, embolism or whatever is called, you know, clots, you know, that the, the COVID had caused them a bunch of clots to develop in my lung and arteries. And there was danger, you know, faster heart attack, and these kind of things coming out of it. So I had to take this particular medicine for dissolving the blood clots. And they told me this medicine, you may have to
take it for, you know, three to six months. Yes, yes. So, you know, it was, I, you know, here, I was thinking that that I got out of it, find out oh, and the next day, and I'm back into something else, another trial of this nature, you know, and
so, that stuck with me, you know, until I came back to Qatar, and eventually, the doctors did tests on me again, and told me, okay, you can stop taking the medicine now. But
the point is that, you know,
the test of COVID
confirmed for me, you know, any doubts that might have lingered in my mind for from all of the, you know, in information overload, which is out there on the internet and the various channels of communication, you know, that that COVID is real, it's just this it's just that it's, you know, I mean, I saw COVID face to face.
I had no doubt in my mind and, and I advised you know, all of my friends, etc, you know, we're in contact with me to family members. Take treatment for it. Don't hesitate. This is real devil in the world, didn't. medical profession
and around the world didn't conspire together to, to delude the masses of people into taking these, these drugs, you know, and to get hooked on them to put magnets and things in their bodies and all kinds of faceless.
We have to
have some trust in the world. You know, it's like some people still don't believe that America went to the moon
No, no, no, no, you know, this is movies, this is Hollywood
has gotten to the moon, you know, and they have Muslims who hold this opinion also aim of Muslims and Muslims who say the earth is flat.
Folks, Christians to do
when Muslims were were the first, you know, scientists to have have proposed that the earth was round, they even calculated the circumference of the Earth time, I mean, stuff this is, you know, way back, like in the 12th century, they work this thing already. They're included. And, you know, that was a, you know, a discussion that trended ended.
But still you have people today, you know, saying that the Earth Allah says in the Quran that the earth was spread out, like a rub, you know, flat Wisata?
Yes, you know, you can spread a rug, on a circle, also, you know, on a blue.
It doesn't prevent it from being spread out, but it's just not flat.
Anyway.
So, my personal experience, of course, ended up and kind of doubt I had concerning
COVID. And for those around me, who were having some of those doubts, etc. And then they saw what I went through, that was enough for them, I would hope that most people who are still, you know, cling on to these myths and conspiracy theories and things like this, you know, would go to a COVID.
See, if they let you put on the all the stuff and go and see these people see what they're going through?
Yeah, yeah, that you see it, I saw when a program they showed very, a few weeks ago, here, those saying, was in Australia, and they're saying New Zealand, this is what you're going to get if you don't look after it, you know, don't control it. And they showed the ICU ward and people were just in a terrible state, terrible state there. So, so hum below, it's here, we know, I'd say we need to, you know, put our trust in Allah. And, you know, those who are knowledgeable, you know, whether they're Muslim or non Muslim, you know, they're not there to, you know, especially in countries like New Zealand, they're not there to to just lead us on. There's no point in that. So we just need to,
you know, look after ourselves and, you know, follow what they're saying so that we can all get back to some sort of normality in the near future. Inshallah.
I just wanted to share you mentioned about the Muslim scholars, you know, and in fact, I, if you look it up, actually is the Muslim the Arabs who first possibly do the inoculation, because the western medicine at a time, they do not practice inoculation, and they think it's a backward practice. And so, you know, in fact, they have to summon one of the
ambassador from the Ottoman Empire, I think his name's Qasim, there's a very old article journal, it's available on PubMed. So those who are interested, and, you know, they asked him the concept of inoculation, because at that time, the Western This is not a good practice. But the Arab, the Muslims, the Arabs, Muslims, were doing it for the smallpox. So Mohammed, I was interesting, it was interesting to read about it, you know, they describe how the surgeon you know, ticket from the pustules, and then, you know, expose it to a kid and then get them to rest, and then they will get sick. And then the the methodology of the this, this report was in 1729. So, you know, so they talk
about how if you were to be infected naturally with smallpox 30 People will die. On the other hand, if you were to vaccinate or inoculate that person, only two will die. So there's always a risk in everything. So you have to balance out and all that so but that method wasn't refined back then. So alhamdulillah nowadays, we have much more better technology actually show up just before we move to the second point, there was a few questions coming from
And then we'll ask about, did you end up having a vaccine show? After you got infected with COVID?
Yes, I got the vaccine, once I got back to Qatar,
and
not only the vaccine, but the double vaccine, and we're, you know, waiting, you have to wait about eight months for the booster. And when that comes around, I'll be first in line.
have any doubts about that? Yeah.
That's good to hear. Because that a lot of people that are, you know, discussing that as well, as you've probably seen all around the world, you know, people are, you know, anti vaxxers, as they calling them, and they're quite boisterous, quite strong in their anti ID, rather than, you know, they could just say, Well, yes, you can do if you want to do it, you do it, but if we don't want to do it, we don't do it, but they want to be
overpowering the majority trying to convince everyone that, you know, it's a choice, and no one should have it sort of thing. So but
this is, I'm sure around the world, everyone's a bit like having that sort of difficulty facing those other ones.
So schicke, next one was being thankful. So the Western other countries that previously don't face much hardships, they, they facing big trials from others, so
he had to go,
just the
so just waiting for the next point is on
the design checker, just talking about next point was being thankful and saying about Western countries in the West don't normally suffer from things like this as much. So now we've now led, these western countries are facing this sort of thing. And so we should be more thankful to Allah, and also the other countries, they, you know, who are suffering other things all the time, and then this is just another one on top. So being thankful is another Islamic trait, you know,
and being asking for forgiveness and guidance, and giving us patience, and things like that,
do you will make any comments on that as well.
Well, of course, you know, Thankfulness is you know, something which Islam stresses, so much so that, you know, our daily prayers
begin with Alhamdulillah you know, all praise and thanks are due to Allah. And
this is repeated some 17 times every day.
So a lot of chose thankfulness as being the very first words of our prayers.
And you I think you can't emphasize that more, for the more than profit Mom's not Salam, whenever anything good used to come to him
good news, or
good,
you know, donations came for the poor and things like this, or whatever, you know,
good that came, the first thing he would do would be to prostrate. And
that frustration was known as sujood a shocker or the frustration for gratitude, you know, thankfulness. So that, you know, is is a part and parcel of the Islamic way of life that we be grateful for whatever good has come and Hamdulillah you know, the, the COVID has been controlled
to a large degree in some countries, of course, we still
call for the West to share this technology with the rest of the world, but the fact that, you know, vaccines were found so rapidly
and obviously, this is, you know, because of it hitting the West as it hit the West, you know, much more heavily than then then then the east and, you know, they were they were challenged in a way they hadn't been challenged for a long long time. So, you know, they they got on it, you know, and they got this vaccine within a year's time you know, it's it's like record time on thinkable you know, that's why some people think that the day's got to be fake and scam be real. Are they doing it? You know, malaria is still they're miserable. People have been dying.
Malaria, they found out about it, they found some treatments to help with, you know, relieve its symptoms and, and prevent, but it's not been cured. They didn't find any vaccine for malaria, you know, why? Why are they men here, this is, you know, this is decades and decades,
half a century or more, you know why they didn't find something for it, but this is now from well, because it wasn't hitting the third the West, you know, it was just hitting the Third World, you know, the, the undeveloped world, they're the ones who are suffering from it, you know, in Asia, and they're suffering from it, you know, night and day. So, as long as the West felt, okay, we can take a couple of shots that prevents us from getting malaria, that's good enough, you know, that they were taking
for which are not actually
treatment for malaria itself, or they had treatments for malaria, also, they developed. But the point is that the West, you know, was not affected by malaria. So, they didn't put their, you know, efforts into finding the cure. But, so this is, this is the reality, you know, this is realities that we have to live, you know, in the West, of course, they're
happy that they found the cure, and so on. So, and, you know, even though many of the people there are a number of people, there still are, as we call them for antivax, whatever they're opposed to it and still choosing, and there is a struggle going on, but in general, it has been accepted, it has, treatment has spread, etc. But
the thankfulness in the society,
to God, of course, this is to a large degree, you know, missing, you know, it's more thankfulness to science, you know, thank goodness, the scientists type of thing. And, you know, so it hasn't impacted.
Its full impact is not really being appreciated.
In the, in the, in the West, you know, we don't find that
recognition, because people have moved away from God, you know, the West has become secondary. So, God is no longer a part and parcel of what's happening in the world, it's just
a myth. A lot of people have follow the The God Delusion, you know, type of thing. So, but reality is that
thankfulness
is what should come out of this. And when when people are thankful as a society, then
Allah blesses them with even more. And in the Quran, Allah says, nine, shocker to as identical. If you are thankful, I will increase whatever favor I have given you, you know, so to a large degree, you know, the West, is missing out on this side of the trial. And so the kind of thankfulness to God.
There's thankfulness to the medical professionals happiness to decide this. And of course, you know, the process while Sam did say, if you don't thank people, you don't thank God. But, you know, if you only thank people and you don't, thank God, that's a problem. You know, who is you going?
Yes, then then you, then you leave yourself now open to further trials to come.
Because a lot of what not to say, well, I incur far too, but if you deny God's favor, not attributing it to God, in the other be less shady, my punishment will be severe.
So, you know, the West is opening up itself to further
severe trials, you know, bye bye, not
recognizing God's role in all of this, in the, in the vaccine which was discovered, etc, etc, you know, and not giving God his due. God is not being thanked, as he should be thanked, but Alhamdulillah for Muslims, you know, at least that part of the world and
Christians also who recognize
God's role, you know, I'm thankful to him and, and others.
And we pray that those of us who are thankful, you know, will will exceed those who are not
shall protect the world from a greater trial to come.
So, cuz like you talk about the trials, more trials, my camel, it seems that, you know, with some of these countries, so with our over it, and now all of a sudden, it's coming back with a vengeance, you know, many of these countries, even New Zealand to a certain degree, you know, thought we're finished with it. And it's come back, not as much not as bad anywhere near as other ones, like you look at Russia, or bad, it's happening there. And other countries, especially in Europe, some of these Europe, European countries where, you know, we talk about the West, you know, they've got the wealth, they've got the knowledge and the vaccines, you know, vaccines, so much vaccines, they don't
know what to do with it. Now, some of them humbler, they finally sending them off to places like Africa and things like that, which they should have done well, early, earlier to try and control the deer. So it doesn't even come back. But, you know, this is sort of thing that, like you said, we need to be thankful, we have that, you know, understanding of the gratitude and things like that, and, like you said, also that hopefully, inshallah is enough of us, who are believing that to overcome this and, and that sort of thing, and shallow. So, with that thankfulness, as you just mentioned that when that thankfulness is seen, then people will be more happy to share. You know,
it's like Thanksgiving in in the West, you know, it's a time of
sharing of hearing, and sharing with others. And you know, that's a part of it, so that that thankfulness encourages the sharing, you know,
so it is, it is very important. And we should always remind those around us to be thankful.
So, now that the next one we're talking about, question we've got here is to Wakil in Allah. So in, we're sort of talking about the COVID is out of control, Allah chose what will happen to you as in your situation, and help you to overcome that. So it's a struggle, you've probably gone through a lot more struggle and ply heavier people here, because you've lived it and that so, you know, it's good that we're being able to hear what it is from firsthand. You know, rather than see on TV, people saying about this, because, you know, we know you and, you know, and Hamdulillah this is now hopefully people are watching this and hearing this, and then we restream it later on, so more
people can hear and see it to say, Well, hey, this is real. And, you know, you just need to have you trust, and go through the processes. And I think also from you talked about the other people in the hospital who are suffering badly. And I think that, you know, you had your, your mind on Allah subhanaw taala because you're you so even though you're under bed, and you're saying you, you're so in your mind thinking when's the prayer time, unfortunately, at a mosque next door, so it reminded you that he's he has on so do the jam on the wall, as you said, and does lie near with the eyes. And you know, until you could get up and sit up and then do it there. So, you know, my understanding is,
you know, others helped you because you had him and you're thankful to him all the way through in Sharla.
Well, definitely, you know, trust, trust in Allah is, is
can't be over emphasized. Because without that trust in a law, then we put our trust in the creation.
And the creation will always let us down.
Reality is that it's trust in a law which will take us through all of the various circumstances that we find ourselves in.
And our trust does mean blind trust.
So we don't jump out of an airplane without a parachute and say, I trust in a law that I'll make it. No, this is this is foolish. You know, this is not real trust in a lot. This is recklessness.
You jump out with a parachute.
And when you pull the ripcord of the parachute, you know, you're trusting the lawyer turns to a lawyer.
You know, you call Allah as your protector.
You put your trust in him, after doing whatever
was necessary from your side, to protect yourself. So, you know, you know, people got issues about wearing masks. Now, you know, it's a, you know, it's not this is not the point is that when we wear the mask, we still trust in a lot, because it's true. The mask, not necessarily protect us from each and everything. But it has been shown, medically proven, tested, etc, that wearing masks does reduce the chances of catching and passing on COVID.
So, you know, we still trust in Allah when we do it. But we do it after having done as much as we can ourselves to prevent the spread of COVID. And the Prophet SAW Selim had said that, you know, when you hear of plague in a land, don't go into it.
And those in it should not come out of it. So, you know, if it didn't matter, it is of no importance that you just trust in Allah and go and trust in the law in common. Then the province or some of them would not have told us that would not have specifically told us don't go into it. Once you hear that, you know, and even on one occasion when, when America hubbub, the second caliph, you know, was heading to a particular location.
I think it was in
in the Levant in Sham and they heard that this place they're going to had plague Yeah. So, you know, Omar, there was discussion should we go ahead? Just an alarm? Should Should we go back you know, or not to what? And normally I told him no, we will, we will go back. We will not go in go to this location and one of the
companions leading companions called out to Omar and asked him
what is this?
I'm too trusting in Allah.
No, should you not trust in Allah and go ahead.
It said, you know, I as he said, he went on to say, are you running from a laws? Other what the law is destined fine.
Are you running away from it? And Omar said to him
were running from a loss other to a loss other time.
We're going to we're heading back this is also this other.
And
we know the Prophet SAW Salem had told
the companion who
had entered the masjid and would reach them and and remember that he had hadn't tied up his camel outside. And he asked about
should I trust in a law or should I tie my camera to the wrong size and I'm said tire camel and just
do both
you know your tire camel, that's what you've done what you could and then you trust in Allah after that, because even have to tie a camel it's possible and maybe the camera might get the tie loose and run away still.
So in the end, you know, it's all with a lot. So
the COVID is a period in which our Tawakkol are our trust in Allah has been tried to its utmost
and and we are still suffering in the masjid, you know, the message, we're close, we couldn't go there at all, then we are going with you know,
three feet on either side, you know, and people what kind of prayer is this, you know, this is not, you know, we should just trust in a lot get together and pray together as we
this is this is big struggles we're going on, eventually got less and got less and you know, the mask requirements been really released to certain degrees and things are, you know, getting less and less, but
throughout all of that, we should have been trusting and doing what the, those have knowledge around us, you know, as have advised us, as Allah said, first Allah Allah decree into the moon as those who know, if you don't know, you know, get as those who are not
legible,
to give you that information. And then after that you are atomic word trusting in Allah. So, this is a period of time also, I think when
our trust in a lot Tawakkol
should be, should have been, or hopefully will be strengthened
because the end this is a part of the firmness of faith.
Without that trust in Allah, our faith is wavering, shaky. It's not it's not got a foundation of trust in Allah
is the foundation. And Allah describes that so many places in the Quran way describes, you know, the believers. You know, I love life, I love to work Colin Mottola, kilo. So those who are going to put their trust should put their trust in Allah.
So they very well said Well said, Yeah, I said humbler, sent me leads on to the fourth one, which is purpose. And talks about the world literally stopped for a moment during the pandemic. And we have been given so much time to self reflect, and this is India, think about Allah, and think about what is our purpose here. So, you know, it's sort of like, we had the trust in Allah. And then now we had during a time where certain areas like we've been in New Zealand now, and especially Auckland, we're still in lockdown. Now we've gone back into lockdown,
and sort of been there for some months now, to certain degrees, so but now you still got time to sit and reflect more. So and this is a perfect time for Muslims and even non Muslims to sort of reflect on what's going on in their life, you know, is there something you know, that they can improve on and as Muslims, we can reflect on the Creator, be thankful that, you know, we're still alive, we still got things purpose, we can do things and things like that. So check, do you want to add to that?
Well, you know, the issue of purpose, as you said, you know, this was a pause, the world is just racing ahead, everything is happening, you know, 100 miles an hour, you know, life, you know, time is money running here, there will, you know, just like ants all over the place.
So, everything came to a halt, you can't go anywhere, plane stop flying, people are stuck, as they never been stuck before. You know, it's just like everything ground to a halt.
So, this was a chance, it was a chance I was giving for people to stop for a minute and think, you know, why am I here?
You know, why was I running around, you know, like a madman or mad woman
you know, without any time to think just respond reacting and acting and, you know, etc. Life just too fast, busy, no time, kindly get a chance to sleep and
release is that what I was
here for is that totality of it all. Because all that running around was about getting money.
You know, it's all focused on money.
Accumulating as much money as you can. So what so we can have a vacation.
You know, we spend all this time running here there. And we don't get to vacation till our hair turns gray and you know, we finally lost all of our energies, all of our energies were put into getting all these stuffs and now we're all people trying to go on vacation. We can hardly even enjoy the vacation because you know, we need a wheelchair we need crutches we need this that is that really what it's all about this rat race
you know, life has got to be more than that.
Has to be more to life than this. You know, we just end up dying in every med managed to go on that vacation. It was just a dream that we worked for and etc. And so many of us died without ever fulfilling that dream.
It's really only for the super rich. You know, they have those luxuries and even in those luxurious lives we see all kinds of chaos and things happening. You know, Princess Diana, and you know, people seeming to have everything Michael Jackson and byes dead is the
rug
swaying?
Is this where this is where we should be? Is this where we're headed? You know, stop for a minute and think, why are we here?
That question, why? What is the purpose of our life?
That needs to be asked? We need, I mean, usually it comes to our mind. And then we just toss it aside, we toss it aside, we don't have time to stop and reflect on it, you know, we just constantly move in, because we have too many, so many other things to do. But
we have to,
we have to ask ourselves,
why am I here?
Why did God create
this accident of my existence? You know, which only lasts for a few years, we come into existence, and then we pop out of existence in the material world.
Is this just a big accident?
Come on. scot free work, to to live than this. It's not just a big X.
There is a reason why we came into this world. And if we don't find that reason, know it, and live its requirements, then we leave this world ignorant, having not found why we were here and having not found it for sure. We didn't do it.
For sure, we didn't do what we were supposed to do.
You have to ask ourselves, as this COVID now brings everything to a halt.
We have time to think we have a lot of time now.
Why was I created? What is the purpose of my creation?
There has to be a god. This is not just an accident.
Accident, like this doesn't make sense.
It doesn't happen around us. And for sure, it didn't happen to us. This is not an accident.
This is a deliberate act of God.
And I need to know why did God
do this deliberate action, bringing me into existence?
What am I here for?
What is my life what is required of me in my life.
I need to know it so that I don't leave this world having never found out.
Because if we didn't find out, then for sure, we didn't do what we were here to do.
So
this pause COVID pause COVID-19 has caused the world's the world to spinning at that speed.
All of a sudden,
people had time to think.
But unfortunately, so many people ended up thinking about the wrong things. Thinking about Oh, what am I going to do with my job situation now and you know, the problems that I'm facing and you know, focus just on the problems, etc, etc. You know, instead of thinking about the bigger picture,
why
is I created
show you got I'll just share something quickly share. In fact, I actually met someone who are not Muslim. And she mentioned this to me that, you know, just when we started the this is like this was last year, and she said what COVID had taught us a lot has to actually stop, reflect and think what's most important, and she said that in I better get to know my Creator. And and you know so hamdulillah having that discussion had opportunity to present Islam as one of the options to know the creator you know, in order created through Islam. And and hamdulillah at least I get to deliver the message that and share the message with her.
But this is something that you know, I think a lot of us yes, we have a lot of issues. A lot of us are affected.
But really is. This is short lasting And subhanAllah this lockdown that we
in New Zealand. You know, last year we were mama Thompson remember we were enjoying it every time we have a guest from overseas from
In the UK or from wherever they are, and we said, oh, look, New Zealand, we are not affected, you know, we are like normal in our country. So in then delta, the Delta variant came one case. Now, we have many cases now, and then we are logged on for almost three months. And subhanAllah we complaining, you know, we upset because this is not, you know, difficult Subhanallah it's difficult. And it's affecting all of us. But rather than get busy and started reflecting and focusing and, and try to learn something different, or try to learn something from what what happened around us. We just got busy and got upset with this and that, and, you know, I think everybody, the medical
people, the those who are in power, you know, those in the government, everybody's trying their best to do to deal with this virus that and we don't know yet how to deal with it, because we haven't got much experience from it. So Hamdulillah, you know, we need to focus and you know, we asked, we can go to the masjid, but we can at least try to do and bring the environment of Masjid in our house where our children's are, you know, and so that they don't forget about the Masjid.
Yeah, Alhamdulillah Sure. I mean, you know, when you mentioned about the purpose, you know, this is exactly what I was told by someone who are not Muslim. And she said that to me, and actually make me think, because I didn't think about it. This was in the beginning of the COVID. Last year. And but she had something right. And then she said, Look, I am going to prioritize my family. And I'm going to prioritize that learning again, and try to find the true purpose of my life here. And this is what she said to me.
So how many dragon knockout and that's a very, very good point. It's a very, very important to reflect on and it is,
like a lot, Aaron. So I think we are that we passed our time now. For those. Sure. Do you have a little bit more time to cover point number five inshallah?
Yeah, go ahead. No problem. Yeah, sure. Sounds good. So number five, importance of seeking knowledge from the right sources, how to ask the right person for advice and ask the right questions.
So check we're asking you, we believe you're the right person to advise us having to learn how to meaning many years we know your background and all your things you've studied in humble us, we treat your your words of wisdom with great respect, inshallah So, and I'm sure many of the viewers have the same feeling. So, we would like to hear from, you know, your your words of knowledge on this and Sharla
Well, definitely the COVID experience,
and how does emphasize the importance of
getting proper knowledge from the proper sources.
Because without proper knowledge,
then people are doing improper things,
the proper things are only going to come when there is proper knowledge to back it up.
And that proper knowledge has to be gotten from the proper sources.
You know, when they did some research, remember, CNN had done a research on the main anti vaxxers In the US, some of the big figures who are, you know, on primetime TV,
you know, the other channels, Fox, and so on. So, you know, against the vaccine, and so on, so on, and so on. So, you know, what was behind this, you know,
this misinformation that these people were passing out, and then when they
studied them carefully, they came to realize that these people they had, they were making lots of money from, you know, the alternatives because as they were saying, No, don't take this vaccine Maderna or Pfizer or another, you know, this is just gonna put this in your body and we have a special coming from, you know, Mozambique, you know, or coming from Thailand or coming from here, there, etc. You take this and it's gonna do it for you. So then we're just selling left and right. And of course, people are just desperate, they wanted, you know, alternatives. So, that's what they were doing. So these people made multi millions during that period of time, the anti vaxxers the
leading figures, crazies just running around, you know, anti Vax, just just, you know, they're just anti anything and everything. So, but then you have people who are directed and focused. Say, No, no, no, don't take this getting paying medical people
to come and say make statements, you know, and then always at the end of it is, but there is an alternative, you know, and they made billions and millions. So the point is that we have to find the proper sources in order to get proper knowledge.
That is reality.
The scientists of the world, no matter what we might think about some scientists, and some, you know, medical cooperations and things like this wanting to make money this way, that way, in any way.
It's not conceivable that the vast majority of scientists around the world would agree on
a COVID vaccine, which was fake.
It's not conceivable. All these people are not going to collude. And you know,
they stand to gain this and gain that or if no, no, in fact, they're dying, medical profession, you know, a lot of the early people were dying were from from among them, because they didn't have proper protection and different things that been in them were dying, you know, they they saw the reality, face to face, they saw death around them face to face.
So
we should put
after trust in Allah, trust in those who have made it their life's
duty to treat the sick
around the world, the medical profession
is a blessed profession.
It's in the service of humanity. It's not to say they're not people abusing it, and using it and all these other things, that's happening too. But in general, it helps people. That is the reality. So
if we're going to try to make sense of all of the statements and claims and counterclaims, and things that are out there,
it's best for us to seek clarity from the knowledgeable, those people who know and as a lot of sending the prime trust a new island decree in quantum law Kalamoon, as those who know, if you don't know,
don't go and ask other people who really don't know, any more than you do. You know, who think oh, maybe I heard someone said, It has been said,
that is contact, and hear from the people who have researched this, and gotten the information. And we have to go in the end with the majority.
Assuming that the majority
of people are not evil,
with evil plans, plotting together to exploit the world, but they're like you and I,
you know, in our own fields, whatever, we try to do the best that we can,
we try to do the right thing, that they're similar, and they're not going to, you know, conspire with others to harm humanity.
So, we seek that knowledge from those who are in fact, knowledgeable, who have real knowledge and the problems are solved himself.
When he came to Medina, and he found the people artificially pollinating the date, palm trees,
you know, involving cutting parts from one tree and putting it you know, there's a male, the palm tree and a female, the popular people don't even know that. Yeah, there's a male and a female.
And the female is the one that will bear fruit dates. And the male doesn't.
It serves to pollinate the female and it will happen naturally, you know, if they're close by,
but it will not happen as efficiently as when human beings participate in the process.
So the prophets I send them because of the general opposition of Islam to artificial things.
You know, he forbade people from scarring their faces, putting tattoos and markings on their body cutting off parts of the air putting holes here there. And he discouraged this forbidding,
etc.
So he said perhaps is better if you didn't do that.
When he asked them about it, they said, we do it. Because that's what our four parents have been doing. You know, we've done it this way. Our parents did it. Our great grandparents are great, great.
So he said perhaps is better if you didn't. So I said, Okay.
So they didn't, the next year, the yield,
nosedive, it came back to us with lossless Messenger of Allah, you said for the better, maybe we didn't do it, and we didn't do it. And now our yield is only like this.
So he said,
and to ILM will be a worry, do you know, your affairs of this world? Best things which have to do with your farming and do you know them best?
Give you my opinion.
Kiddo, you are the people of it, you have the best. And that's how we should treat
you know,
all of these matters, we seek to gain informed information from those who are trained, skilled, experienced, etc, knowledgeable in that field.
And the same thing we do with our dean,
you know, some of the earlier time in, etc, and said, you know, be careful of where you take your deep,
you know, who you take it from, where you take it from, be careful, because it's your religion, it's, it's your life, you know, so we should make sure that we get authentic information, correct information, you know, and
with that, we can move forward
in the best way,
as the law would have wished us to do.
So
this is one of the lessons to learn from the COVID.
situation, people are making claims left and right on so we reached a point in the US they are now where people who are catching COVID were the people who are unvaccinated vast majority catching and dying from COVID were the unvaccinated there were 10s of times more likely to get it than those who are vaccinated. Thanks the cold facts
that's what we're living now. This is what people want have people rejected No, it's not this, you know, we, you know, it will herd immunity. We're not we're gonna be protected. We don't need to get this vaccination.
You reality, that people now who are dying in the US where they've had the largest number of people die. The people who are dying right now are those who are unvaccinated, they're catching COVID and dying.
There are people still catching COVID all over America.
But those who were vaccinated and caught COVID They call it breakthrough COVID Wherever
they catch COVID You know, to different degrees, but they're not dying, very miniscule percentage of them actually die.
still dying in rising numbers are from those who didn't get vaccinated.
That's the goal.
And the facts, research etc. All proves this confirms that and that's what we have to go with. You know, we have to be practical in these matters. And check with those who are truly knowledgeable in this field, get the information and live according to him.
Very well said shake very well said because, you know, there's, as we all know, all around the world, there's people who are you know, against it and things like that, but once you say like that, because we have to help protect ourselves we have to protect our families and things like that. And you know, the, the like the
all these studies and the testing and things are showing and like you said the figures Yes, still some who are vaccinated like said very minuscule, I think one like I think in New Zealand and talk about 1.7
Out of 100 people who captured something like a being double vaccinated, and yet the unvaccinated ones, the ones who are getting much more and getting very sick. And they said dying as well, and taking up the hospital beds and things like that. So it you know, it's a reminder that get the knowledge, seek knowledge to understand it. And then from that, we should, you know, see that this is correct and get vaccinated for to help because, you know, otherwise, you know, I'm not saying it's haram not to get it or things like that. But, you know, you could be injuring yourself and injuring your family, which, you know, it goes against our teachings, too. If we're doing something
which does injure ourselves and affect us in a bad way, then we shouldn't be doing that.
So, yeah, it is haram not to get it. All right. Now, wow.
I didn't want to get creepy on something like that. So hamdullah, it's a shame, I just wanted to just wanted to acknowledge a few points that come in the comments, for example, you know, we are not saying that, you know, you don't take black seeds or honey. I mean, those are a part of that. But now we do know that hamdulillah from our knowledge, that vaccine is something that works quite well for for a COVID-19. So this is one of the means in sha Allah to get better. So we never say to forget any of that. So but this is an additional thing. And we do know that this works better for us at the moment, inshallah.
And,
and there's a brother mentioned about that, one of our brother dying, who has a issue with blood clots. And I think if you were to listen to the stories, what she has shared with us, she will also suffer from blood clots, which is what Copan pulmonary embolus. And this is something that known if you were to be infected with COVID, you are in more likely chance to develop blood clot, compared to if you were to get vaccinated. So we have to look into my brothers and sisters, you know, so just to add that I'm a medical doctor. So this is why I'm, I'm answering from this side. So, you know, just you know, we do know that if you are not vaccinated if you get infected with COVID, for example. And
if you end up having surgery, you are more risk of having blood clots compared to those who are vaccinated about six to seven times. So it is a risk. And you know, don't go and look for just one case, but ready to actually look for the whole thing, as I mentioned before, to believe that the whole world is conspiring against you and the Muslims who are working with the company, the devil of vaccine somehow didn't smart enough to understand the whole thing. This is not true. Because we do know that many Muslims who also work in this field, and in fact, if you remember mama Thompson, we invite the one of the scientists that were working out of the developing the vaccine early on last
year, to discuss this with us. And it's a good no Alhamdulillah. So you know, this is something that we need to look in in totality, we have to look in wholesome approach, you know, not just pick what we want to hear. And unfortunately, share, I'm sure you are not on Facebook or Instagram. You know, unfortunately, with social media, you know, because of the way the algorithm work, you you pick something that you want to leave you the one that you really like to hear. And the next thing that they will suggest you will be something that you actually similar to that. So then you end up having what we call confirmation bias, where you keep getting loads and loads of videos or informations or
miss informations about something that make you actually confirm you to believe in something. So this is the way how the algorithm work the way social media work. And if those for those who don't believe me, you can look into those reports about Facebook, they are aware that it affects it causes a lot of problems for some, it causes problems for the youth, because of the way the algorithm works, this confirmation bias you actually keep being fed of the same thing over and over again. So their brothers and sisters so in Shall I hope you understand that. And this from my perspective and share, correct me if I'm wrong? Sure.
I'm the law.
I think we've all shared as much of the truth as we know, today and we hope that those who are watching, listening viewing,
you know, got the message that we wanted to share, which was fundamentally
that COVID In spite of the damage and the harm that is created, it's also has with it a number of lessons that we as Muslims
should have gotten from it should be getting from it and should share with others. Whether it is about our patients about being patient, or being thankful or trusting in a law or reaffirm reaffirming our purpose, the purpose of our creation and also the importance of taking knowledge from the right sources. These are five major lessons, which are fundamental lessons of the religion
and fundamental lessons for life. We hope that Insha Allah, our viewers, and listeners in sha Allah have gotten the message we tried to convey the message and we ask Allah to accept our efforts, and we pray that you have received that message and you in turn will share it with others. Monica Luffy como se
la heat
como Salah Moronta libre catches fire and share just before we go, I just wanted to remind all the viewers wherever you are, if you do want to seek the knowledge, especially knowledge of Islam, don't forget to go to Islamic online university. dub dub dub.io u that edu that Gam it's the best place in sha Allah for you to go and learn the basics of Islam and everything even degrees out then you can do masters there so please go and seek knowledge seek knowledge from the right source SF share have said so inshallah and why am I Thompson j we just closed the program inshallah
check below just say this nice nice beautiful ending so just say aside from everyone does UCLA for watching and stay tuned and please share share this with others and you know, watch more programs in future inshallah and stay safe cycle by Luca masala.