Bilal Philips – The Best In Islam #16 – Deeds (3 of 3), Disbelievers, Dislikes, Dowry
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Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh I'd like to welcome you dear viewers to another in our series, the best in Islam.
In this series we're looking at what Allah and His Messenger have classified or identified as being the best, the best in our affairs related to our religion related to our general life, family matters, events, etc. There is a best and Revelation has identified it for us.
In this segment, we're continuing to look at the best of deeds. We looked at a number in previous segments, elements of what we considered to be the best of deeds. And we're going to look at a final narration from the Prophet may God's peace and blessings be upon him, in which he said,
as narrated by Aisha radi Alana, a humble family Ilahi, Eduardo Ha, we're in call the deeds which Allah loves most are those done regularly, even if they're small, what is most beloved,
are regular deeds, in other words, that we don't become so hyped up and motivated. We tried to do everything, but it only lasts for a week or two weeks or a month.
And then we fizzle out, know, what is good is the continual did we establish it, it becomes a part of our life pattern. Because Islam is a way of life. It's not something we do on occasions, and we don't do it on other occasions, for it to be a way of life, then it has to be consistent, it has to have consistency.
So that becomes more important than the size of the deed. Of course, the greater the deed, the greater the reward, no doubt, that's acceptable. That's proper understanding. However, the greater deeds can only be done. If we are able to establish the lesser deeds, we cannot jump to the greatest of deeds. And the smaller deeds that are required of us we haven't done it doesn't work like that. That's not the way human beings function. So one has to establish a foundation that you build the rest of Islam on. And that's why the Prophet SAW Selim stressed the small deeds done regularly, like a person, for example, who hasn't been practicing Islam, they've fallen by the wayside. At certain
point they wake up, they realize I've not been doing what I should be doing. I need to get back to my Islam start to practicing again, I'm not getting satisfaction, you know, in this life, without faith, without belief, without Islam. So at that time, when they come in, then people say, Okay, make sure you make your prayers faster. Give everything is there, do all your obligatory prayers. Do all your Sunnah prayers, do everything. Of course, you might try that first week, first, whatever, try to do everything but then because you've been so used to not doing anything, when you try to do everything all at once you fall apart. So it's better somebody was just waking up, establish your
obligatory prayers. Start with that. Don't worry about sunnah, prayers, additional prayers, just establish your regular prayers
on time, daily, establish that Once that is established, and that now becomes a part of your daily routine. A conscious part because we don't want it to be something which is just mechanical, where there's no reflection. It's just like exercise. No, this is
communication with God. This is our line of communication. And Allah is there. He will answer all of our prayers. So we need to be in regular contact. So
We start off with the obligatory, we established that, once that is established, then you add gradually other deeds to it. So, Prophet Muhammad wa sallam stressed the importance of consistency in righteousness, better we choose small acts of righteousness, and do them on a regular basis, then massive, huge acts of righteousness that we do only on one occasion. That's if we're weighing the two, the little ones are better.
That was the advice of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam. Also, we should keep in mind that what we consider to be small, sometimes Allah considers it to be huge. While we consider to be huge, sometimes the law considers it to be small. So again,
practically speaking, we have to work with what we can handle. Don't bite off more than you can chew, you will choke. So, let us follow that advice of the Prophet because peace and blessings be upon him and be consistent in our acts of righteousness. Eman increases with righteous deeds, but it will only continue to increase. If we are consistent. It decreases with evil deeds, and will only continue to decrease if we're consistent in our evil deeds. So on one hand, we should
be consistent in our righteous deeds and cut out our evil deeds. Make it only occasional not to say we deliberately planet as occasional, but to at least slow down. Stop as much as we can. Though we can't stop everything, at least don't let it be a continual habit and habit of evil.
Moving on to
another theme that of the disbelievers and what is good, what is better? What is the best in their regard? In Surah Al Imran third chapter, verse 178, Allah subhanaw taala had said, well I asked Subhan Allah Dena Cafaro and nama normally Allah whom highroad li unfussy him in nama normally Allah home Leah's dad, who is man,
the disbelievers should not think that my postponing their punishment is good for them. I only postpone punishment, that they may increase in sinfulness. What is being said here, Allah
is
clarifying for the disbelievers, but mainly for the believers. We see this believers engaged in evil, and they don't seem to be punished. They seem to be getting away with it. And the question comes in the mind of the believers, why? Why are they getting away with it? Why are they being punished?
Allah clarifies that their delay the punishment, appearing to be postponed or delayed, this is not a good thing for them. Because the more sins they do,
the greater the punishment is going to be. So that delay only increases the punishment. It doesn't decrease it. So don't think that it's a good thing for them.
And they should not be fooled into thinking that Allah is pleased with them, letting them get away. No.
It is Allah allowing them to increase their punishment, a swift punishment from Allah when we do something wrong, Swift punishment is a blessing.
It's a blessing that stops us in our tracks. It stops us from the evil that we're committing.
So we should never think that it is in fact good for us. That punishment is delayed with regards to our likes and dislikes. Allah has also told us about what is good and what is best and these matters. However, we're going to have to take a small break here now. And we will continue to look at the best in our dislikes.
After the break, Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
so now what a coma
Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh
How many of you have thought about polygamy?
It's a topic which
the Western society the Western world, sees as something negative Islamically Of course, it is a part and parcel of the Islamic marital system.
It is not something harmful to society. In fact, it is something beneficial to society.
It has rules it is not just any man can marry any number of women, under any circumstance, there are rules governing it.
So, it is important for every Muslim to understand
why Polygamy In Islam, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam was polygamous. He had multiple wives. And if we don't understand what polygamy is, when people speak about the Prophet, may God's peace and blessings be upon him, they denigrate him, they speak ill of him, etcetera, etcetera, as in, especially in this area, then we have nothing to say. I mean, we may react emotionally, but we really don't have a proper defense, because we haven't understood this part of Islam. So from this perspective, it's worth taking this course, to get some insight into how polygamy functions within the Islamic system or how it's supposed to function.
We don't judge it based on individuals we see or know etc, and what they have done, or are doing, and have said, we judge it according to what Islam actually says. So, enjoy this course. And share the knowledge that you gain from it to others. So you are rewarded both for your effort in gaining that knowledge as well as the effort in conveying that knowledge as the prophet may God's peace and blessings be upon him told us all, but level and the will of Ira convey whatever you have learned from me, even if it is only a single verse from the Quran. Baraka Luffy comes out of a coma how to live Bearcat.
Welcome back from the break, so, why they come well awkward to lie who bought a cat two?
Before the break, we mentioned our next theme and that is what is good
in what we dislike. What is the best? What is better?
How we should treat matters of dislike, and swirl Baqarah verse 216, Allah states, their wasa and Takara, who che n or WorkRite, or lecom are assigned to him boo che and we're worshiping Allah, whom will Allah who I lemmo well, and to light Allah moon, perhaps you may dislike something which is good for you. And you may love something which is bad for you. Allah knows, and you do not. This is a massive piece of advice for life. Because our lives are between the things we dislike, and the things we like, good times, and bad times. We usually like the good times. And we usually dislike and hate the bad times. However, the fact of the matter is that there are many times when what
appeared to be bad, turns out to be good. And many times what appeared to be good, turns out to be bad. So we can't be judging things on the surface as they appear. Allah knows best. So we need a different approach
to the good and the bad of life. What should our approach be? Now when it's bad, we feel bad, sad, we cry, we complain etc. When it's good, we're happy is can be and
we can think of anything else but enjoy. Know, the way of the believer is according to the spiritual winwin principle. What is that? The Win Win principle we know you win, and you lose
or you lose and you win. Or you win and you win or you lose and you lose
The way of the believer is win, win. You don't lose. When things are bad. You don't lose when things are good. You win in both circumstances. I was that well, Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, he told us that the affair of the believer is amazing. And it is only in the case of the true believer, whenever good times come to them, they are thankful. They don't become so happy, they forget God, they're thankful to God. And Allah rewards them for it. And when bad times, strike before them, they are patient, and Allah rewards them for it. So this is the way that we handle these circumstances. It is based on the principle that Allah said that you may like things which are bad for you, and you
may hate things which are good for you. You don't know. So therefore, we shouldn't become so emotionally worked up, that we lose track of our purpose and our direction, we lose track of the meaning of life, we need to stay on track, we need to recognize that we really don't know the consequence of what is happening around us. What seems bad, may turn out to be good. What seems good, may turn out to be bad. So therefore, when we find a good circumstance, we should be cautious. thankful to Allah, instead of becoming so ecstatic, so happy. So you know,
joyful, that we forget God, as happens to so many people, they forget their obligation to God.
They lose track, they fall off, we should be conscious of God, and thankful to him for the good that has come. And that way we are rewarded for that good. So that good which came is good for us. Even though ultimately, that good. What we saw as good, and we thank God for may turn out to be something which was not good for us. When it turns out to be something not good for us were patient with it. That's what we shouldn't be, we should be patient with it at that point. And if something befalls us, which is evil, the nature is that we don't like it, we dislike it. But what we are commanded to do instead is to be patient with it. Naturally, we don't like it. But that doesn't become the focus
of our dealing.
Were we always complaining that I'd be making noise crying, wailing, carrying on, etc. No, control ourselves that happen. We can't stop it from happening. It happened. How do we deal with it now determines whether it was good for us, or whether it was bad for us. If we're patient with it, then it was good for us. And maybe down the line, that same thing we thought was bad, which we were patient with, and we will reward it for turns out to be in fact something good, then that doesn't affect us.
It's just a good thing. We thank God that it turned out to be something good, simple. We can carry on. This is what keeps us on an even keel. We're not unbalanced. Just when things are good, we're fine. When things are bad, we're not fine. No, we should be fine. Under both circumstances, patient in times of difficulty thankful in times of ease. With regards to dowry, the Prophet sallahu wa salam had said hi to sadati
I sorrow, the best dowry
is the easiest, easiest meaning the easiest to fulfill. So, this is a advice to family, to women. Not to make the dowry is so high so difficult, that it's difficult for the woman to get married. In the first place. Delay. Marriage becomes delayed because dollar has become too high. This is not good. This is harmful to society is harmful to the women.
It's harmful to the men as a result of it in some societies. lesbianism spreads homophobic
chirality spreads, corruption, spreads, * and all these other kinds of things as a result of just
Hi Ma.
So, is this something harmful to the society and the society needs to tackle this, whether it is by marriage funds, this is one of the things which was done in the Gulf, where marriage funds are put together, either by the government or by individuals to help people get married. Or, in some cases, I remember one of the tribes in Judah, they agreed amongst themselves, the Mahara or the dowry should not exceed this amount, they put a practical amount 5000 rial something like this. That's it, no more than that, and they agreed upon to all the elders of the tribe. That was it, they put an end to it
could be done that way. Or a variety of other ways the women themselves,
not asking, discouraging their families from making the dowry so high as to make marriage difficult for them. So truly, the Prophet Musa Salam, as he had said, Cairo sadati, I sorrow, that the best, Maha is the one which is the easiest to fulfill.
So the woman knows that the man that she has chosen, her family has chosen to someone who's going to take care of her because really, the Motherhood is only symbolic. It's symbolic of the preparedness of the man to look after the woman. It's not in a lump sum. That's why some societies they end up having two elements of Mahara. They say the macadam which is given in advance, and the Mahabharata which is given later in case you divorce her as this huge, you know,
burden which is placed on the person to make sure you don't even think about divorce.
Of course, this is not really from Islam, not from Islam, because things may not work out. That is the nature of life, divorce was their
divorce took place amongst the sahaba. So, divorce is not something which is evil, that you know, we have to make it impossible, virtually by financial blackmail, no, this is not the way it is not proper. We should follow the prophetic guidance and make the Mahara, moderate, and manageable and encourage marriage as the brothers are Solomon said, Yeah, mashallah Shabaab minister, Tharman kumbaya friendly, there's always all young people, youths, those of you that are able to get married should marry. He encouraged early marriage. How is that going to happen with the conditions that people are setting today, for marriage conditions, which make it virtually impossible for anybody to
get married before they're 30, they end up in their 30s, mid 30s Going on to 14 before they can think about marriage. This is not practical. What's going to happen in between that period of time, from the late teens all the way up until 30 years old, 35 years old, you know, when desires are the strongest, and they're not allowed to get married, what's going to happen, those desires are going to come out in other ways. And there will be negative, evil, harmful ways, practices as a result of high.
So we need to consider this recommendation of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam and go back to what is in fact the best,
which is most beneficial to society
and most encouraging to marriage.
With that, we're going to close our session with thank you for being with us. In this segment, where we have dealt with some other areas which the prophets are Salem, and Allah, Samantha Allah have both identified what in fact is best. And we hope to see you in our coming segments in sha Allah, Allah willing, so we'll be doing our farewell Salaam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh