Bilal Philips – Quranic Reflections #05

			Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh My dear brothers and sisters,
		

			this is another verse from the Quranic reflections series. And it is from Surah Al Baqarah Alladhina
you may know in Erbil Arabia where you play Munna salata for me ma Rosa Kunta, whom young sukoon
those who believe in the unseen, establish the obligatory prayers, and spend from the wealth given
to them. This is a verse in which Allah clarifies the main three characteristics of those who truly
are mindful of him. The first point of reflection, is the first characteristic, which is belief in
the unseen. The greatest and most important aspect of the unseen, is Allah Himself. One cannot be
mindful of him, without believing in Him, that goes without saying, We cannot be conscious or aware
		

			of Allah in our lives, unless we have a belief in Him. So if we're not aware of Allah in our lives
at all, then we need to seriously question our own belief in him. Is it only something we are
telling ourselves? Or do we actually believe in him? The second point of Quranic reflection, is the
second characteristic, which those who are mindful of Allah should have, and that is the
characteristic of establishing the obligatory prayers. This is, of course, the second pillar of
Islam, the establishment of the basic worship in our lives, five times daily prayers. This is
essential for us to truly be conscious of Allah, truly be mindful of Allah in our lives, because
		

			that mindfulness should drive us to establish the prayers to maintain that connection with Allah. So
if we're not establishing the prayers, we pray one day, we don't pray another day, we're only
praying on our Friday prayers, or some people only pray on the Aedes
		

			then this is indicative of the failure of our own belief, mindfulness of Allah obviously, is gone,
lost.
		

			The third characteristic, which is the third point of reflection, is that of spending from one's
wealth.
		

			This is based on the understanding that wealth is a trust, which Allah has granted us to be used in
ways pleasing to Him.
		

			That we look at our wealth because this is like a major part of our lives, funds coming in funds
going out. We're concerned, to make sure that enough funds are coming in that we can live a
comfortable life or whatever.
		

			If we are not mindful of Allah, then we can't see beyond our own needs, in our wealth.
		

			The people around us, who may be much more needy,
		

			we are unaware of them. We don't allow them into our
		

			mind space.
		

			But Allah says if we're truly conscious of him, we're truly aware of him, mindful of him, then we
will be ready to spend
		

			from our wealth, the wealth which he has given us. It's only ours in the sense that it has been
temporarily put in our hands. But really, it is not ours.
		

			It came to us
		

			and Allah is the One who gave it to us.
		

			And he has made Zakah
		

			an obligatory duty on every Muslim that has surplus
		

			funds
		

			and it is designed to loosen our grip on our wealth.
		

			We tend to be clinging on to the wealth. But the reality is that, as the Prophet SAW Salem told us,
		

			the wealth which we spend,
		

			for Allah,
		

			that is preserved.
		

			The wealth which we just consume for ourselves,
		

			is wasted. And the wealth that we leave behind is of no benefit to us.
		

			Others now inherited,
		

			and they have it as a trust, as we had.
		

			So, this requirement of zakah is to build a sense of awareness of the fact that Allah is the One who
has given us this wealth. And we have to use it in a way which is pleasing to Him, according to the
principles of Islam,
		

			which the province of Salem demonstrated for us.
		

			So this should develop this awareness and consciousness about alleviating poverty around us. Because
no matter what situation we may be in, no matter how poor we might seem, there are always others who
are poor. So these are the principles
		

			characteristics,
		

			which those who are truly mindful of Allah should have. So it's a reminder to us to reflect on it if
it's not happening in our lives, then know that we are not mindful of Allah.
		

			We lack Taqwa
		

			mindfulness, awareness, consciousness of Allah.
		

			May Allah grant all of us is consciousness.
		

			Consciousness of him.
		

			Baraka lafay comes Miranda to law he will work at