Bilal Philips – Man’S Provisions
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hamdulillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam
ala alihi wa sahbihi. For many stand medicine natalio Medina,
operates due to a law and Milan Peace and blessings, the last prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and all those who follow the path of righteousness until the last day. The topic of today's call
was about how Allah has set the provision for every human being in this life, and how that setting for each and every one of us is a trial and the test
from the time that we're born. Whilst we're in the room, as an embryo, we're informed by Prophet Muhammad SAW some of them, that angel comes in the beginning of the month,
and blows in the spirits. And at that time, the angel also records certain things concerning each and every one of us. Among them, is what we will earn in this life, the total amount of money, wealth, etc, that we will never manage to gather around ourselves. All of it has already been written, written, ultimately, in the loss and my foods.
Were all the destinies of everything was already written, some 50,000 years before the creation of this world, according to what the prophet Muhammad SAW Salam has informed us within again, the time, the birth of each and every one of us. And we know that when we die, none of us will take from this world, anything that we didn't bring in with us, besides IDs. So it's something for us to reflect on. That our provision, what we are going to earn in this life has already been set. It doesn't mean that we don't strive to improve the quality of our life, that we are fatalist, some may try to describe Muslim slum as being a fatalistic type religion where, because of these teachings, Muslims
cannot progress. They are backward, third world, etc, at this point in time, because of the fact of their belief in destiny. However, this is not the case at all. Because prior to this period, where we were the third world,
there was a time when we were the first world where Muslims were the rulers, although they didn't divide the world into first world and Second World is the president rulers now defined, divided, but the Muslim world was the leading world, the world of knowledge, the world of science, the world of progress and development. That was the Muslim world world where people were quite rich, we use the riches for the benefit of people. I mean, some of us this, we're not saying they, but many use this, for the benefit of human society, growth and development. And the belief that they had then, in terms of destiny are the same beliefs that we have now. So the reason for the
backwardness of Muslims today has nothing to do with their belief in the destiny, which is a part and parcel of our faith. The sixth pillar of faith is belief in the destiny, what is good, and what is evil relative to ourselves. This is part of what our belief does provide for us is a sense of contentment, contentment, after we have striven our utmost, we know we are obliged to use whatever means are available in this life, together, for ourselves, whatever we can, Allah has provided the things of this life, for our benefit. And it is our right to try to utilize to gather as much and utilize it as best as possible. However, when we make our utmost efforts, we then put our trust in
Allah, as to the results of our efforts. Because no matter what we plan, no matter what we desire, no matter how hard we strike, what has been destined for us, is what will come to us. So, this life is a test for each and every one, according to how Allah has set the provision for us, some have been given a lot, some have been given little. But in both cases, it is a test. Allah has created men in a state of social interdependence. That is that he cannot exist as an individual. They cannot function
independent from the rest of mankind, to fulfill his needs, he must depend on other human beings,
as other human beings depend on him to fill their needs. So there's this interdependence, all human beings depend on other human beings. And Allah has made some rich, wealthy, and has made some for destitute. And when he made this situation, he also placed certain rules and certain principles, in order that this separation or this
difference between the rich and the poor, not be a source of harm to men, to human society, but that it be a source of benefit. That is, that difference that is there is fundamentally for the benefits of human society, for the benefit of the human, for the human being of the individual, it is a benefit in the sense that it is an opportunity for men to develop, the higher qualities, the higher spiritual qualities, among which are generosity, generosity, kindness, concern, care, all of these qualities develop only in a circumstance where there is a need, where there is a difference. If we all had the same amount of wealth, then there would be no one who would be in need for us to give.
And there would be no challenge to our desire to possess a lot of creative enough and natural desire to possess to own but at the same time, he has created a circumstance where there is a need for us to share. And the quality of sharing is a higher quality, the quality of possessing is a necessary quality in this life, for survival, we have to have a natural desire to want to possess certain things which are necessary for our existence, but the higher quality is the one of sharing,
giving of what we have, not holding on to it that firmly. So, the circumstance of the life is what creates an environment in which the higher spiritual qualities of kindness, generosity, sympathy, etc, can develop. Therefore, it is, for those who are law has blessed with an excess of wealth, or with plenty, that they have a responsibility to share with those who are in need, not merely those who come to them with their hands out,
begging, asking, but it is their responsibility to go and find those who are nice to hear. Because it's not a favor, that we do for those who are needed when we give because they put their hand out, this is a rice which they have. But even if somebody is not putting his hand out, we are required to go and find those who are in need. We know amongst the heads of expenditure in this account, there is those who are considered to be poor, who are known to be poor, who we give, because the knowledge is available to those in charge of the distribution of the car. But there are also those who are not known. And it's the requirements of the community to go and seek these people out. Those who are
poor, but
do not wish to put themselves in a position of begging, they would prefer to suffer quietly, we have to go and seek these out. So it is a blessing, a blessing from Allah. If we become a source of helping other people, that ally has given us plenty, and put us in an opportunity to help others because the plenty that we have received is by the destiny have a lot. And if we share that plenty with others, Allah blesses us rewards us for that.
So he has granted us a favor. And then He rewards us for utilizing that
this is a great blessing. It's from the grace of Allah that He gives us this opportunity. And the amount for today have been reported by Ronnie in which the performance has informed us that Allah has some people whom he has chosen to bless with wealth in order that they may share this wealth with others and to help those who are nice. However, if they do not do so, then a lot takes it away from them and gives it to others.
And, of course, you also quoted the verse in the Quran in which a lot said, whether in Chicago as he does, and if you give thanks to Allah, for what blessing Allah has given, then he will increase it. But if we this belief, then his punishment is great, if we think a lot for what he has given us, not thanking merely by words, words, the beginning, we spoke about that in the previous session,
that we are required as Muslims to thank those who helped us bank a lot, what is given us, however, the greater aspect of banks is in living, that gratitude, we thank the law, by giving of what he has given us, this is the greater effect. And when we do not do so, this is what is described as fraud in the AMA, a, this belief in the blessings of God, and a lot of promise, a severe punishment for those who disbelieve in his blessing, this believing not in that they're saying, well, this is not from Allah, but in not giving, sharing of it with others,
are we not using it in accordance with the laws of the law, this is a disbelief, disbelief in action, when the amount went on, quoting various Hadith, all of which speak to the principle
of Muslim, helping those in need in this life, that if we see a Muslim, in a state of calamity, and we help that Muslim Allah will help us removing some of the calamities of the Day of Judgment, that the reward that Allah gives us on that date, will be of the same description or general description for
what do you give us on that day will be similar to what we do in this life, that if we cover a Muslim pose situation is terrible. Rather than spreading it all over the place, and creating ill feelings of Muslims towards this person, we cover it and try to help this person get himself together, then Allah will cover some of our sins, on the day of judgment that we would not like to be known to everybody. This
is something which department has encouraged us in a variety of settings, we make things easy for our Muslim Brothers, somebody makes borrowed money from us, we know that individual doesn't have the means to pay it back, we have a choice, we can either take him to court or you know, put him in a situation which is very embarrassing, etc. and force him to pay it back. Even though he has no means or we can take it easy with him, let it slide, we can either cancel it, put it in the category of Zika, because he may be a recipient of Zika or South Africa. Or we can give him a period of time because we might need the money to we might be in need of that money. So we just say okay, we'll
give you a longer period of time in which to pay. But the point is that we make it easy for that individual, that if we do that, from the Day of Judgment, when we will be in need of a lot taking it easy on us, in the instance, certain judgments in certain cases, then he would do that for us. Then he quoted, you know, other well known hobbies. You know, when the Muslim is described as the brother of his fellow believer that he does not oppress him, he's not scornful towards him, that Muslims are like one building one structure, each part supporting the other department is weak is supported by the parts that are strong. And all of this, the helping and of course, the helping is not only
limited to Muslims, for Muslims, it's helping everybody but of course, we have to start with our Muslim brothers and sisters, because they have the first right on whatever Allah has blessed us with. But that help goes beyond them. Also, we see people others who are in need, we know during the time of the righteous talents, etc. monies were given to non Muslims within the Muslim state to help those who need those who are poor. So Muslims do not limit their kindness or their generosity etc. Only to other Muslims. No. But first and foremost, they must
find to their buckets and faith is just like a person who is kind to everybody, but he is terrible to his family. We say no and this is rubbish.
We must start with your family, you have to first and foremost Be kind to your family, to your children, to be generous to them, etc. And also be generous to those outside of your family.
So with those who are closest to you, you have to start with them. It's no good being very kind and positive to everybody outside with those who are closest and nearest to you, you're not. And we know the amount pointed out, the problems are seldom, I'd emphasize that the essence of the message of Islam was what is called macadam, we'll
send them had said in the mobile resume the minimum Academy,
that I was only sent, the essence for which I was sent was to complete the most high and noble of the character traits, good character, all of the things which are known in all of this society, not necessarily each and every one. But everything which is known to be Noble. Islam, is about establishing that is about calling people to the essence of the message of Islam is about everything that we are required to do in Islam is to help to develop, develop these characters of kindness, carry the desire to help others in all forms, whether by closing those who are in need of clothing, providing housing for those who are in need of housing, guiding those who are in need of guidance,
etc. All of the things which human beings considered to be noble, the principles of Islam, from A to Z all train the believer to develop these characteristics. This is at the highest level. But even at the very lowest level, the Prophet Muhammad wa sallam has emphasized that we show kindness to mankind to people in general, even at the simplest level, as he said, to greet your brother with a smiling face. This is charity, even on this very low level, a lot of council as a form of charity, as a good deed, to greet your brother with a smiling face. And this is not to smile, which is the opportunistic smile. I know in the West, people are taught to greet with a smiling face, if you work
in a store, you are told to keep a smiling face, you work at the counter, you're selling goods, you must smile at the customer. Because Western teaching Well no. The intention here is not to smile, because you're trying to do sadaqa you're trying to do to do something nice to this person, you're smiling so that that person will come back the next day. And see you have ulterior motives behind your smiling, trying to capture this person, as a regular customer. So you are instructed as a worker to smile. No matter how you feel. You could have had a lousy night, the night before you got up late, can hurt you hardly awake. But you have to stand there with a plastic smile on your face as
you serve everybody. That's a different kind of smile. In Islam we are even in the circumstance you don't feel like it's it's good to smile at your budget when you greet others smiling. But your intention here is not for ulterior motives. your intention is to try to show a piece of kindness to make an effort in a circumstance where it is difficult for you to show a piece of kindness because when you smile at that person, it makes a person feel good. Though you are not feeling good, you are trying to make others feel good. And that effort is blessed by law as charity. And even the removing walking on the street and seeing a broken piece of grass and nail stick with a nail in it. Just
removing that from the way
that we should never consider anything too small to do any acts of goodness of kindness, you should never consider it too insignificant. Because the rewards which a lot promised us are for those who do kindness of all types at all.
And none of us can say that we are so certain of all the good rewards from a law that we don't need anymore. We've had enough an opportunity to do good comes and some people say okay you go ahead you do it. Why not? You were lining up in the masjid in the masjid for Salah. You'll see some people there the space comes in the line. Some people tell you fill the space. Why not? You know, Solomon said the best of the lines are the lines which are closest to the amount.
It's very foolish, very ignorant. For a person to tell others go fill the spot and they send back because they want to be close.
To the doors, when the salons, they can leave more quickly. Because they're very ignorant, rightfully. So we should never be one, to encourage others to do good. And forget ourselves. Because all of us are in need. And we will be in need, when we stand before a law on the Day of Judgment. And when we do charts, when we share, when we give to those who are in need, we should do so as demand advisors with a smiling face, we should not do it with pain on our face, where the person can feel every every reality of sticking out, you know, it's it's like a strain for us. Somebody comes in need, and you know, your face is so twisted, you're giving but you're looking at, you know, it's
pitiful.
You're destroying your act of charity, when you do it in this fashion. Though it may be painful, or not painful, nobody
likes to give up what they have, because everybody's afraid of tomorrow and the day after, etc. But in spite of all we might feel inside, it is important for us to give our charity to give with a good faith and good smile. And we should also hide the charity, not to give it in front of everybody you know, you have some people are very famous, when they give you know it's recorded in the newspapers, big sign, this Masjid was built by and you see so and so and so donated by this book is printed, this printing cost was paid by so and so. And this is in the companies where there are people who have and are not giving a person may give publicly in order to encourage those others to give. This
is the exception to the rule to encourage others. But most of what we see this announcement of the giving the structure this is not of that type. It is more one of glory. My name is recorded as being the one who did this and did that and gave an unfortunate because when one does such an act, in order that people might say what a generous person not wanting. We know Batman's lemma says that amongst the first would be thrown in * would be a judge, this wealthy individual who gave a lot gave him all this wealth. And he asked what do you do with your wealth? He said, I gave it for your pleasure. And I would say no, you gave it to people would say what a generous man he is. And you
received what you thought in that life. There's nothing for you in the next life, you'll be dragged off on his face and thrown in jail. So when we give charities we do it in order to promote ourselves in an egoistic,
egotistical fashion. When we destroy the value of the goods that we do, if we are able to keep in mind that charity is an obligation, it is something which is compulsory on us. If we want to succeed in this life, it is compulsory.
If we keep that in mind, that can help us to get away from the attitude of trying to show off and doing charity. The difficulties that we might find in sharing, what do we have any quoted a verse from the Quran, in which Allah speaking of the righteous, describes them as saying in the monitor mo commonly what Sheila he, Natalie dohmen Kwanzaa, and Willa Shakira, verily, with these you, we provide for you food and drink, for the pleasure of the law. And we don't wish from you any reward or anything. We're not doing it for the reward, or for this, we're doing it for the pleasure of Allah, that Allah be pleased with us. If you find yourself humble enough, if you don't think 100
enough, Mashallah, we still doing, we're not doing it only because you will think we're not doing it only for a reward that may come in this life. But we're doing it for the rewards that Allah has promised us when we do that which is pleasing to Him. And of course, reminding us all to the charity, though we may do it in accordance with all of the principles. If after we have done it, we remind people of that charity that we did, you know, we did good, but we never let the person forgets what I did for you. Or we follow up the time that that we have done for them with some form of ill treatment. Then we destroy again, the reward of the good that we have done. If we have done
it for the sake of Allah, there's no need to remind that if the time comes when we need a favor the format person and we asked them and they're not willing to give us it is not for us to say Don't you remember when I helped you when you were in need? I know this is
valid.
This is what we'll be driven to want to say. But we should try not to say that, because we did that for the sake of Allah. Not that the person will help us in the future, do unto others as you would have them do unto you. You do for them as you would like them to do for you, but you're not doing it for them in order that they may do it for you. So in summing up, we could say that the essence was a reminder to us, that our provision in this life has been set by it's been set as a test for those who have well as those who have not, those of us who have, have a, an obligation to share with those who do not have those who do not have an obligation to be patient, to strive to have, but to be
patient and to be content with what Allah has destined for them. And the way in which we handle ourselves in this life, will determine our state in the next life, the good that we do for those around us, by sharing the blessing which Allah has given us with others, this good will be multiplied and come back to us in the next slide, we should also keep in mind that no good is too small for us to do, we should seek to hear to help at whatever opportunities are presented to us, we should encourage us to do so and we should ourselves be the person doing good for the pleasure of Allah not for what we wish from people, whether the praise or good of the same quality, you are
listening to the best lecture series, we will be back after this short break.
Boy is a hidden says in an old movie, he mean a shameful new Raji levina.
For the
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boom fee, for
those who believe and do good work, such a rightful owners of the garden, they will abide they're in.
Welcome back. You're listening to the best lecture series. The topic of today's sermon
was that of sincerity, and the role of sincerity, in religion, the term for sincerity use, narrow because a gloss and the Imam began the presentation on sincerity by quoting a verse from one of the sutras or chapters at the end of the Quran, the one known as and bayona. And in it, you know, Allah says, Well, my only rule in Delhi, Abu Mohammed, Allah who did that, they were only commanded in a way actually, we're all only commanded by law, to worship a law, making our worship of him sincere, you know, to worship Him in such a way that our religious acts, what composes the religion for us, is one based on sincerity. This is all that Allah has commanded us to do. This is the this is the
foundation of the faith.
And, in fact, there is even a statement, we're in the problems. So let me know had said that whoever says law, law law will enter Paradise, it made a general statement of this nature. Then He further went on to clarify, repeating the same statement, but by saying where it says line that will last sincerely from his heart will identify that.
So, he makes a distinction and in the general sense, where it says lie that law will lead to paradise. But what is meant by that is are those who say it sincerely from their hearts, that if a person at any time in his life, sincerely says lie a lot, it means that once faith has entered your heart, it will never go, you may do wrong, you may stray, but you know, once you have tasted the reality of faith, which causes you now to be sincere in your declaration, then you will ultimately attain paradise and the Imam. I went on to point out that when people are insincere in what they're doing, eventually, they're insincerity will be exposed. They know a person may pretend sincerity for
a period of time. However, even
Essentially, the circumstance will catch up with him. And the reality of that individual will be exposed. And furthermore, from an Islamic point of view, a heart, which lacks sincerity, you know, is the worst of hearts, because this is the heart of the hypocrites. This is the heart of the enemy of Allah. This is the worst of mankind. So it is the situation that we have to check ourselves about, to be certain that we are in fact, sincere in what we're doing, whether it includes the the religious, obviously, religious acts, or whether it is with regards to x, which we normally consider not religious, per se. Because really in Islam, the principles cover everything. And the concept of
sincerity is something which is required in all aspects of our life. And there is no way that we can be truly sincere in our worship of Allah, but insincere in our dealings with you, other human beings around us, these two don't come together. If we're insincere with our dealings with people, we will be insincere with our dealings with a lot, because it is on the basis of our sincerity, to a law in our worship, which causes us ultimately to be sincere in our dealings with other human beings. Because our relationships with other human beings are governed by the laws of law. So how can we possibly be sincere to Allah and yet break his commandments in dealing with people? No, it means
that the true sincerity is not really there. The amount mentioned that in one of the latter battles,
when the call for Jihad was given, and people were invited, to take part, there were people who came to Prophet Muhammad SAW some of them who wanted to join in the jihad. However, due to the lack of sufficient materials for them, you know, weaponry,
means of transport, etc, they, there was no opportunity for them to join in the jihad. So these individuals, you know, turned away, they're described, you know, in the crime described in this era, as turning away from the past, I saw them with their eyes filled with tears, you know, this opportunity, the opportunity to go out with the problems as alum, they were not was not available to them. And so you know, this move them to tears, they were very sad. And he gives the example, also of one Arab desert, Abu came to problems as salam accepted Islam, and started to practice the religion as sincerely as he could. When the time for the Battle of Tabor came, he went out with
them, they fought the end of the battle, they were dividing up the booty, you know, what was captured from the enemy was divided up amongst those who took part in the jihad. And when they brought the portion to him, he asked, What is it and said, Well, this is the portion of the, you know, booty, which is for you. So now I didn't, you know, make bear either this, I didn't make my oath of allegiance to the Prophet Mohammed Salah for this, this is not what I made, therefore, I made they are to go with him to find an arrow in my heart, he pointed to where his heart was dying, and achieving fire that this is what I made. So the problems that Solomon said, you know, that if
that is really the case, then, you know, he will attain paradise. And surely, you know, after this, the,
they went on, I think it was, I don't know, whether it was the same battle that we went out for another battle or something to that effect, and the words they were bringing the wounded and the dying, etc. I mean, his body was amongst them, with a heart with an arrow in his heart, and the prophets of Salaam, you know, had stopped them the companions were taking his body and not Is it him, you know, the one who had said this, and they said, Yes, and
no had said, that he spoke the truth, and that he would attain paradise. Now, in the in the lifetime of the problems are solemn, there are some people who did identify as being amongst those people who go to Paradise, you know, and this individual was one is unnamed, nobody knows what his name is, specifically in the, what has been recorded of the biography. The problem is, I tell him, but his story is known and because of sincerity, then whatever a believer does, becomes an act of righteousness, whether and equal to the same problems as the one who plants, you know, trees or whatever, or plants,
vegetables or things on a farm, whatever each act of planting that is doing, this becomes an act of charity and act, righteous Act, which is added to the scale of good deeds. When he spends on his wife and his children of his money. This becomes x, which are good deeds which are recorded in his favor, because of the fact that he's doing it for the city.
Have a look. And this is what turns it all into good deeds. And it's important for us to reflect on the various statements of problems, as well as those of a law, you know, which remind us about the importance of sincerity of, you know, checking ourselves out, mean reading those verses where in the for example, law says, that rarely hears and sees all things, you know, that Nothing escapes him, whatever we may portray to people, what is really in our hearts, which we're thinking, you know, what we speak about silently, privately, what most people can hear a lot here, a lot sees, he knows, you know, by reflecting on these types of verses, we help ourselves to, to realize that we can not
hide anything from Allah, that we ultimately have to stand before law in and Allah says in some other verses, you know, that if you hide, we know what is in your hearts, he knows what is near. But there's nothing we cannot hide anything from Allah, we will have to stand before Allah. And we will see before ourselves all that we did, what we thought, what we intended to do, etc, intentions, this will all become clear from the Day of Judgment, and we will be rewarded accordingly. And he also departments as well have also pointed out that, you know, whoever fights when they fight, you know, whatever their their intent was, whatever purpose they were fighting for, then they will be raised
on the Day of Resurrection accordingly. And he gave example, also of a situation where the Protestant sentiment said that, you know, the day of judgments, there would be groups of people, Muslims, who would come before a law with a collection of deeds, the size of the mount Tahoma, however, these deeds will just disintegrate, and V has nothing. And the process and them explain that it is because whenever they were alone, they broke the rules of Allah, they did a lot of good deeds. But whenever they were alone, whenever there was nobody to see them, then they broke the laws of it means that the acts that they were doing, they were doing, for sure, they're doing it because
of the pressure on the society or their family or whatever, is why they were doing these good deeds. But whenever they were alone, there was no pressure, no one there to watch them or anything, then they broke them off is the and this is the this is the way of the Kaffir. This is the way of the disbeliever. Because he doesn't feel that there is a point of accountability, whatever he can do and get away with he will do. Whereas the believer, his whole approach to life is different. Because he is doing righteousness, not because he fears being caught by men. He's doing righteousness, because this is something commanded by God. And he knows that he ultimately has to account for himself
before God. So it means that whether there is a police out there, or the police is not out there, he's going to be righteous, his actions don't change according to the circumstance. He is on a straight path, do we refer to it as the straight path, the path of the righteous is not one which varies from circumstances, one path, whatever the circumstances, he's heading along that same path, the straight path. And then he gave another example of a Hadid furnished apartments and Solomon said that there are first three people who would be thrown into *, these three people represent three groups of people, you know, one would be a martyr who was brought before a lot. And a lot will point
out to him, the various blessings which he gave this man, and the man will acknowledge the blessing. And then allow will ask him or what did you do with Islam? You know, you are given these things. You have responsibility. Now, what did you do a lot gave him strength, ability to fight for knowledge. So he says, Well, I use this ability to fight for your sake. Allah, I fought and I died for your sake. But a lot of us say No, you didn't fight for my sake. You fought so that people would say, what a great fighter. What a fantastic, you know, Mujahid and the people have said it. So there is nothing for you in this life. So he will be drawn away on his face and thrown into *. He's the
first the second will be a scholar. Allah will ask him about the blessings he gave him and the man will acknowledge it also. The j just gave me this knowledge gave me this opportunity. So long enough, what did you do with it? I thought people would
give them knowledge of Islam and guided them. For your sake, Allah. Allah say, No, he didn't do it for me. I did it. So people would say, what a great show. What a knowledgeable man. How great and pious and noble is this person. And people have said in the dunya, so there's nothing for you in this life, and he will be drawn off in his on his face and thrown into *.
The first will be a rich individual a lot, one will not give huge amounts of wealth, a lot will again recount to him the blessing the man will acknowledge. And you'll be asked, what do you do with it? And he said, Well, I gave him charity, how many people you know, 2 million to this, 2 million to that 5 million here and there he gave all over the place, give for your sake, and allow
you to do it for my sake, we did it. So people will say what a kind and generous man look how kind and generous he is. You did it for praise that light and you got it. So there's nothing for you in this life to be drawn off on his face and thrown into him. And these three people, why why does the process alum, pick out these three and of course, this is because Allah has revealed this to him, although we are understanding that this the meaning of this goes beyond these three people, but still, these three people will be brought before a lot and others like them and thrown in fire first, before all the other people. In other words before the disbelievers etc, will be brought up
for the day, the first of the people who release individual who consider and call themselves Muslims, who are you know, honored amongst Muslims, as martyrs, scholars, you know, as, as charitable individuals, they will be the first to go to help.
Why? Because these three individuals, these groups of people, this these categories, these are the categories also, which take a person to the highest levels of paradise. So it seems like a double edged sword, you win a lot gives you this, it can either take you to the highest level of Paradise, if you do it with sincerity, or it can take you first to help the lowest levels of help if you do it without sincerity, because these are all trials to test. So this is something that we all should reflect on. And what this all shows us is that amongst the biggest thing to destroy sincerity, is what we call showing off in Arabic is called Rhea. Rhea, it means doing things to be seen or to be
heard by people, this is the major factor, which destroys sincerity. So it is something that we have to be constantly fighting against. And we do so by remembering a law by maintaining modesty, in our dealings with people, we try to avoid, you know, because people will push you out there, people will praise You, and cause you to start to do things for the praise. Because being praised people cheering and clapping This is something which makes anybody happy. In our natures I like that we like to be
fairly nice, fantastic. This is our nature, you know, and this is why, you know, you see the people who are the pop stars and so on. So, you know, once they've been out there with 1000s of people clapping and cheering, and it is something and they become addicted to it. You know, and to fall off the charts, you know, and not become so popular anymore, it becomes devastating for them. When the numbers dwindle, they don't have people around them anymore becomes devastating to them. So much. So they end up committing suicide, taking drugs, killing himself one way or the other. This is the nature of men. And this is why prompt someone said it if somebody comes and and is constantly
praising you to your face, throw dirt in his face, throw dirt in his face, Chase him away, don't allow him to do it. And this is why also among the things that we seek refuge in a law from, you know, in the beginning of the salaat, when we say I was blessed to live in a shape on the regime minhang z that is the product of shape on whenever he that is the pride being blown up with pride, when and the poetry of the pride. The progress on them said that no one would enter Paradise who has a mustard seed weight of pride in Israel, because pride is what drives us to do things. For sure. Because we recognize that doing things for sure this is the factor which destroys destroys
sincerity. Now what causes us to do things for sure. Pride is one of the major factors which drives us to want to do something so that people will praise us pride. So it means it's something that we have to work constantly against. It is the original sin.
It is the basis of the argument of Satan when Satan refused to bow to alarm and alarm and why you didn't vote. He said what? Because you made me I'm better than Adam. Why didn't boss Adam he said because you made me
From firing, you only made him from gray. Fire is greater than placement.
This was this price. This is what caused him, though he knew a lot better than you and I, he knew a lot better than you and I last spoke to him directly. Anybody here in law spoke to
anybody who says that is in trouble really. Anyway. So it means he knew a lot better than you and I, we may have some doubts which creep into our mind, because we've not seen the law allows us communicating with us directly. Or, you know, we believe in a law based on our faith in what the prophet Muhammad Salah was brought to us that he was a prophet of the Lord, what he brought was the true message. So there is a lighter truth.
But he had certainty of knowledge. But pride, destroyed his faith. So that that knowledge could not be translated into a living faith, which would cause him to obey a laws commandment. So this is why we have to be wary of pride, to strive against, in ourselves, in our children and our families, and our friends, we see it happening, it's our duty, you know, as a brother to advise another brother, we see it coming up these feelings, these expressions being, you know, in the person's actions or his words, that he's expressing concepts of pride and sort of, we have to it's our duty to advise the brother, you know, not that we should go to another brother and say, you know, I was really
boastful, isn't it, you know, look at No, that's not good, because then we're committing sin, then we are now committing sin, what we should be doing, we should be taking our brother side and say, you know, brother, really, you know, you shouldn't say these things. It's not good. You know, Satan, Satan, will take you away with this. And it'll cause you to be misguided. So we have to strive against pride. And we have to develop for ourselves also a good knowledge of Islam. Because, again, doing things for show can also be a result of a lack of knowledge. The person comes into Islam. He knows the basic Pillars of Islam. He accepts Islam, he starts doing what everybody else is doing.
But he doesn't increase his knowledge. He doesn't read from the Sierras, I said the autobiography, biography. The problem is I tell him to learn about the way of the Prophet his ways, modest way, his moderate way, the way of his companions the same way. They said, when people came to see to see the problem is I tell him, he was sitting in a group with his companions, no person came to, to look for the problem or some they're asking, they're looking, you know, to want to try and find out which one is the Prophet. He looked like everybody else. He wasn't wearing they expected somebody wearing special role, maybe sitting up on a, you know, on a chair or some kind of a special chair, you know,
he was not he was not distinguishable from the rest of his companion. That is Manistee in practice. So we need to read from the Syrah to know about the life of the Prophet himself, Salah, to read the Hadees, Luca Hadid was described the problem on sa selam, you know, to know more about the Muslim character, what constitutes the Muslim character, you know, getting into the depths of knowledge concerning, you know, what is required of a Muslim and Islam. If we don't develop this, we stay in a state of ignorance. And it's also easy for us to be misguided and do things for sure. Because we don't have knowledge that what we're doing is in fact, wrong. That's what we were doing before we
were Muslims, we did these things. Because what we did before being Muslim was not, it has nothing to do with Islam. So in a situation where people don't fear a lot, they're not doing things for the pleasure of a law, where they're just doing it, you know, for their own personal pleasure. But it's very easy to do things for sure. Because it is pleasurable when you do things and people praise you. So that's what we were doing before, you know, those of us who became Muslims, or even those of us who were Muslims in name, and were born again into Islam, same situation, because without fear of Allah, that what we do, we do it for the dunya for this world, and we do it to be praised. So when
we come into Islam or we become reawakened to Islam, we have to gain the knowledge, which will help us to be able to distinguish between the right and the wrong in this area, this area of pride, very, very dangerous. And then, the amount mentioned, a Hadith, which was narrated by Abu huraira and found in the collection of Hadith known as suelen. Timothy, in which he described them you know, in the last time they would appear amongst Muslims, individuals who would seem to be very righteous but in fact were extremely evil. Instead of their tongues would be like honey when they speak what they said would be so beautiful and pleasing to be like you know, taking honey, but their hearts would be
the hearts of wolves. So and also we have diverse in crime The law says this you know, Amina nasty my Your job is to hold the hoof and hide the dunya there is amongst mankind, some whose speech
This life would amaze you. Well, you shouldn't be. And he was sort of the sort of buckler, you swear by alaba what is in his heart, you know that it's really a man who I learned to focus on, and he will be the worst of enemies zolotow This is the general situation, they will appear in greater and greater numbers in the last day. So we pray and ask a law that will not be amongst them. And he also quoted a hadith by Isaiah bliss Abbot,
in which he said, that, you know, whoever strives for the things of this life, that allow it causes the efforts to be scattered. And that poverty would be between his eyes that he would be, you know, always fearing poverty. And he would only get what a law has written for him anyway. And this is the reality those people who have all the money and everything like that, you'd think that when you get all that money, you're living high living fine, there should be content now and relax them, you know, everything is fine. But no, you find that they're always worried they're more worried than when they had less money, the more money they have, they want to make sure keeping accounting
accountants and accountants to check the accountants and you know, making sure nobody's stealing any money. And not only that, they want to make sure the money is increasing. That's why you see when the West is talking about losses, you know, this this year, the company had so many losses, barely enough losses. What it is, is just that their profits are proportionately less this year than it was like that's considered a loss. You see what I'm saying, you know, the capitalist, purely capitalist mentality where, you know, everything is about this dunya. I mean, everything is a loss rate, because money is not increasing, it is decreasing in any way. It's a loss. So he sees himself
poverty, like staring him in the face all the time, the fear, ultimate fear of poverty, and it leads many of these individuals to live very wretched lives, very, very wretched life. Whereas the person, you know, who strives for the next life, Allah will gather his fears, and he will gain contentment in this life. And the dunya will chase him, this life, the material, the wealth is also will chase him, he won't have to go after it running here and there, it will come after him. He'll be the one saying no, I don't want you know, this is the promise of the performers are similar, which is based on revelation from Allah. So if we believe that Mohammed Salah was the Messenger of Allah, carrying
the final revelation of Allah, then we have to accept this, we have to accept this reality, that if we strive for this life, then we will live a wretched life. No, on the outside, it may appear that we're living a very comfortable, pleasurable life, we have to believe this is real. And if we strive for the next life, we make our major efforts for what Allah has promised us in the next life, that this dunya this life will be very easy for us easy in the sense that we will be content to that situation, not that we won't have any trials. Because no, when we commit ourselves to striving for the next life, then we will have more trials than we ever had before in our lives, because problems
are limited, that the profits are the ones who receive the most trials in this life, then those people who are like the profits received the next most. So the more righteous you are, the more trials you have in this life, but because you know the purpose of life, you know, what these trials are, therefore, they are there to develop your faith, to make your faith stronger. You know, like the heat of the fire. When you put the aura that contains gold, you heat that gold or to separate the impurities from the pure substance, the heat of that fire, this is like the trials of this life for the believer. It just helps him or her to separate out the impurities and bring forth that pure
faith, which is a phase which is contest provides contentment for the individuals in these times worse times of trial. So he'll be content and he'll go through the difficult as the dunya will be after. Like the trials the prophet SAW Selim face and at the same time the people were offering him the wealth they say you want to be the king will gather wealth from all the people in Medina and Mecca and make you the wealthier you want women who gather all the women for you the best you put the US to choose the ones you want to all these things were being offered the dunya chasing the profits. At the same time, they're trying to stop him in other ways through boycotting trying to
kill him and all these other things. So it's a mixture, you'll find a mixture of both things happening, the same static forces, trying to stop righteousness in both ways, either by direct evil acts against you, or offering you things which would cause you to divert. But when one's goal is the next life, then one is able to see through these things, the trials, you were able to handle them. Whether it is trials in terms of personal tragedies, calamities, etc, or its trials in terms of rich
richness well, pleasure, etc, you're able to handle it and keep going forward. And this is the promise of Allah. And it is the basis of our sincerity, our faith in Allah, our sincere our faith, which is real faith, producing righteous deeds which are for the sake of Allah. This is what it will carry us ultimately, to paradise carries through this life and its difficulties to the pleasures of the next life. So we have to as individuals, assess ourselves, a law has given us means in the crime problem homosassa lemon has given us means to assess ourselves to check ourselves to know Are we sincere in what we're doing? Or are we not? sincerity can be judged? We don't have to ask somebody
to tell us. Are you sincere? No, no, we can figure it out. If you do something, there's an Islamic project there for us to do. And you take part in it. But when somebody criticizes you, or does something you don't like you said, I don't have to take this. So you don't take part in. This is a sign of insincerity. Because if you are sincerely doing that, for a lie, doesn't matter. If somebody uses, you know, language you don't like or they said something you don't like, you don't like the way people are doing it. This is not going to stop you from doing it. Because you're doing it for LASIK. If things are not going your way. You know you're joining a project Islamic efforts. And you
have an idea it should be done this way. But everybody doesn't see it that way. And they say no, it should be done that way. Please, no. Okay, if you're not going to do it my way I'm, you can't have my support. Again, these are signs of insincerity. You couldn't possibly be doing this for a long while you're doing it because you want to do it your way. You want to lead you want to be the one in front of everybody else, following you taking your advice and your ideas. So we have to strive against the signs of pride, which destroy our sincerity, we have to increase our knowledge of Islam, so that we can protect ourselves against pride and
other forms of deviation which causes us to do things not for the sake of Allah. But for the sake of ourselves. What is pleasurable to our nuts or our soul? our self or our ego? This is a beagle. me. I want we're not saying you destroy this we we want. There is a me. Some people go to another extreme in order for you to be really righteous, you have to destroy ego, no ego. No, I know me is an extreme because Allah made us with iron mine, but it just has to stay within the bounds that Allah has set. So that summarizes basically the contents