Bilal Philips – The Development Of The Muslim Character Through The Five Pillars Part 2

Bilal Philips
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The speakers discuss the importance of community and finding one's blackhood to support one's political and cultural values. They stress the need for individuals to be around God to be part of a community and find a black community to support one's political and cultural values. They also emphasize the importance of learning about Islam and its cultural implications, as it is crucial for everyone to be able to take control of society. The speakers stress the need for individuals to practice and learn about the concept of Islam, rather than just reciting the Bible, and to be true to one's own values.

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			short talk, what I gained,
		
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			because in many cases, I find myself
		
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			becoming just as the lecturer mentioned,
		
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			mechanical or ritualistic, and one or more of the five pillars of Islam or any other of the
		
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			injunction of Islam without internalizing the meaning behind them, which is a direct result of, and
the purpose of changing the character and developing the character, Allah
		
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			give us that insight, and help us develop our tech.
		
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			Brothers and sisters, I would hope that these questions, as always, you know, Islamic in perspective
series,
		
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			we try to keep the questions revolving around the topic. And as we mentioned earlier, that's the
questions will be in two parts. Number one, the first part, which will be revolving around the
topic, which is developing the Muslim character
		
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			through the Islamic, excuse me through the five pillars of Islam. And then the second part, which
will be revolving the questions that is revolving around the books that Chanel has authored.
		
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			So I'm going to read them out those questions that are not pertaining directly to the topic, and
inshallah, if he desires, and if Allah will, then we'll come back to those questions which were
weren't directly related to the topic.
		
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			The first is, in an effort to develop an Islamic community, do you suggest that we as Muslims buy
homes and property in proximity to each other, for example,
		
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			also, should we ignore the issue of river as it relates to mortgages,
		
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			I do suggest
		
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			that Muslims have to live in close proximity to each other. This is not something which
		
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			is something philosophical, which has no basis. In reality. If we look at the history of the
problems, I tell them, what we see is a period in Mexico and Muslims are scattered
		
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			there.
		
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			The influence that Islam had on the Mexican society, we're in only 300 plus people accepted Islam
during 13 years.
		
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			And then we see the period of Medina where Muslims lived in close proximity, and started to make
decisions, and
		
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			started to determine the flow of their lives and a with relationship to the other communities around
them. And we see in that period of 10 years, in some cases, 200 people accepted Islam, in one
instance, where individuals would come as representatives of a tribe and give his oath of allegiance
to problems or solve on behalf of the tribe as a whole.
		
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			And when we look historically, through the various Islamic movements, whether in Africa and Asia,
etc, we see that the success lay in the implementation of that
		
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			model.
		
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			We see what has happened to Muslims in India, and Muslims in Pakistan.
		
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			The Muslims who migrated made the hedra to Pakistan. I mean, they still have problems, it doesn't
say that they're free of problems, you know, because they really didn't implement Islam, in the
course of the actual governmental structure of the country, I mean, that stage was not completed,
but the physical migration
		
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			has protected them from the acts of violence which the Hindus perpetrate on the Muslims daily in
India. We see in India itself where the Muslims are concentrated in certain cities like Hyderabad
and others.
		
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			The violence acts of violence are much less than where they are in smaller numbers is reality.
		
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			It is a necessity for the Muslims to come and live together in close proximity,
		
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			for their own survival, for the survival of their families, for the survival of the religion,
amongst them, it is a necessity. And until and unless we realize that
		
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			we will continue to have
		
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			huge segments of our society Islamic Society, designated as lovable come in group accepts Islam, and
they are unable to pass it down to the next generation. The new generation, they go into another set
come into Islam
		
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			And that process is continually repeated.
		
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			That's what that's the situation that we'll find ourselves without, with few exceptions.
		
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			And
		
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			not only that, there will be many aspects of Islam that we will not be able to fulfill will not be
able to practice.
		
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			Because the pressure of the society around us, will force us to conform to the norms of that
society. And until Muslims formed themselves in such different types of communities, where they can
now determine the norms of their area,
		
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			then they will continue to be subject to the violence and the corruption, which has, you know,
produced amongst Muslims. You know, crackheads, you know, I hear about, you know, this brother, he
was really down in Islam, you know, but fortunately, now, he's a crackhead. He's going through
rehabilitation, you know, that Brother, you know, he was just that he got caught selling dope.
		
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			You know, you have a little boy, use of was named use of
		
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			hockey, you know,
		
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			was involved in gang *, you know, I mean, these kinds of things.
		
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			I use the salami.
		
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			I mean, a lot hosey maybe wasn't a Muslim, but I mean, some, maybe his mother was or his father
wasn't, they got divorced, or whatever, you know, but somewhere along the line, there was a Muslim
input there, but it didn't go anywhere.
		
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			And we'll hear more and more of these
		
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			people committing violent crimes in the psyche, and having what we classify as Muslims.
		
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			And with the, you know, the spread of drugs as it's because with each year, I mean, we may look at
crack as being hit, but it isn't. I mean, next year, a year after next, something else is coming,
that's gonna be even more devastating than crack, you know, and it's gonna rip off, and other
segments of the society, males and females, young and old.
		
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			And the only way we can stop that kind of thing is by establishing communities where we are in close
proximity of each other.
		
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			Where we can protect the children,
		
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			and the women and our brothers.
		
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			This doesn't mean that we no, go wholeheartedly into river into interest, mortgages, etc, it doesn't
mean that
		
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			because this is something prohibited, and we know that we cannot produce Hello from Allah.
		
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			If we take her on means, we're not going to end up with Hello, and it may look good. But it won't be
Hello, it will have the curse of a law
		
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			instead of the blessing of Allah.
		
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			So we know that the steps have to be how you have to follow what has been prescribed by law. And
what that is going to require is a certain amount of sacrifice, on the part of those who
		
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			make this kind of a step,
		
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			it's going to mean that
		
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			it will have to be an integrated move.
		
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			If we look at, for example, the community here, the vast majority, say coming from Afro American
background, coming out of a society of high unemployment, you know, low education and all these
other factors, we look at that reality. So the majority are many who come in, are coming out of that
kind of a background, they do not have the economic means to make such a move.
		
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			At the same time, have a large body of people or emigrate, you know immigrating here to America,
we're coming from other countries with high skills, etc, are able to set themselves up very nice
homes and you know, making a lot of money. So it means that for such a community to work,
		
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			that aspect of the Muslim community, which is part of the community has to be infused with the other
aspects.
		
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			It means that the barriers would separate, have to be broken down.
		
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			That community has to be, as I said, a Universal Community. It will reflect
		
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			the Muslim world, it will not be an afro American community. It can't be because that would not be
universal. It will reflect the diversity of backgrounds of the people who have accepted Islam or who
have come over here from Muslim countries.
		
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			That is the reality.
		
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			As much as we might feel, you know, based on past experiences with peoples of other cultures, we
have to go beyond these experiences. We have to realize that universality, which can only become
manifest
		
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			in a true Muslim community wherein all of the aspects are integrated.
		
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			So
		
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			By utilizing all of the facets of the Muslim community, the physical, the intellectual, the
economic, you know, the spiritual, when we bring these all together, then it is possible for us to
create that community.
		
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			Without being involved in mortgages revised.
		
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			There are a few of these questions revolve around basically the same topic. And I'm going to read
them anyway. Just in case, you don't feel like I'm trying to slide you, or trying to throw your
question in the garbage or something like that. But a few of them revolve around what I think he
answered. In this first question, maybe two or three of them, I'm going to read them anyway. So
last.
		
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			One is, what are some of the ways that we can go about forming a Muslim community? And I'll read
another one, so that we can probably kill a couple of birds in one stone? And do we have Islamic
communities in the United States or Canada? That you know?
		
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			And?
		
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			And also, I have asked this question before other events that shape the good character?
		
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			In a Muslim, Muslim? Indeed, indeed, how do we develop this good Muslims, quote, unquote, good,
quote unquote, Muslims, that we would like to be see it work,
		
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			to see it work with our families and unity with brotherhood and developing an Islamic State.
		
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			Okay.
		
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			As I said, the development of the Muslim character,
		
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			it comes to a process, one of education,
		
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			in the sense that those people who are newly coming into the community, when they are being taught
Islam, that emphasis is placed on the character
		
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			to that Muslims in the course of their dealing with each other,
		
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			keep in mind these factors, these things, the negative character traits have to be addressed.
		
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			Faculty routed out when people deal with each other. But ultimately, in order, as I said, that the
major way in which it could be dealt with is through that physical community.
		
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			That way, it can be dealt with, on a large scale.
		
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			As we exist now as as it exists now, as individuals. I mean, it involves individual introspection,
yes, each individual has to look into himself or herself. Look at the Pillars of Islam, look at the
principles that I outlined and many other principles that I'm sure they will find once we start
looking at them in terms of listen character, and they have to try to deal with themselves.
		
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			So it becomes, because of the situation that we exist in, a lot of the weight falls on the
individual here.
		
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			The community can help or, you know, can provide some support in his programs in his educational
program, you know, the individuals who represent the leadership, I mean, they would need to spend
extra time together to help to root out these characteristics. So they become example, to the rest
of the community. And they can systematically try to deal with it amongst the other members of the
community. But the problem is that when you have people who are scattered fragments, who have no
allegiance,
		
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			how can you insist that an individual start to develop these traits? He wants to curse your brother,
you shouldn't. But you know, who are you? Who are you to tell him not to you until he feels himself
committed to something? Where are the ideals of that thing become his ideals, then it's very
difficult for that individual to change.
		
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			This is why I emphasize the necessity of that community.
		
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			Question in one of the ways that we can go about forming the Muslim community.
		
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			One of the ways
		
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			involved
		
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			looking
		
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			in the area which exists here
		
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			for any area, which has the potential for emigration, where people could make 100 to
		
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			the land prices are reasonable or the possibility for development there is reasonable
		
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			and once that is decided upon, then
		
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			Those individuals who
		
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			have the dream, because it's right now it's a dream. And this answers the question about
		
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			Islamic communities in the USA and Canada. Right now it is a dream.
		
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			These physical communities to a large degree don't exist.
		
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			To most degree, there are efforts being made in different places, I've observed some efforts. But in
on a realistic and complete kind of basis, I don't believe it exists. I've not heard of it. I've not
seen.
		
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			But those people have the dream would have to then begin by making the sacrifice because people, the
masses of people, unfortunately,
		
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			are like sheep.
		
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			And when the lead sheep going one direction, they go in that direction. I mean, that's just the way
they are the masses of people. I know, we all like to think of ourselves as individuals. But
generally speaking,
		
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			to individuals are those who are prepared to make that sacrifice, when they call for sacrifice
comes, everybody will get up, what do we find is not only a few, these are the two individuals
		
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			who are not prepared to make the sacrifice, they're part of the flock. Boy, it means that those
individuals who have that vision would then have to lay the groundwork work by making those initial
sacrifices,
		
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			the vision has to be thought it has to be spoken of it has to be encouraged, you have to be
nourished in our children, and our wives and our wives, you know, in our groupings, in our
gatherings, we this vision has to be nourished, we have to reach out to other communities that have
similar problems, you know, where there are some people who share my share this vision to try to
incorporate them. And at the time, when we find we have enough people to make this step, then we
make that step.
		
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			So, there are two sides to it. One
		
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			a concerted effort if there is, you know, a core group that sees the importance, then they have to
make an effort to start to look the site to seek information concerning real estate etc. to try to
find a viable points.
		
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			Those
		
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			at the same time, there has to be an educational process for the community to try to enlighten the
community to try to give them a part of that dream. And to try to reach out to bring in the other
elements which are necessary for the establishment of the community.
		
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			These two questions are almost the same. Would it be more appropriate to use the term reference the
statement you made those more fortunate?
		
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			those less fortunate, as opposed to turn to the turn those above you? And those below you If not,
please elaborate and also.
		
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			Well, the second question is basically the same.
		
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			I do not understand what is meant by do not look to those above us, but look to those below.
		
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			Okay, the first question, I think sort of clarifies the, the concept of looking to those above us
above meaning those people who
		
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			are on a higher level
		
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			of economics.
		
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			You know, if we put things on a scale, we have up and down,
		
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			you know, that which is above and below, above the poverty line below the poverty line.
		
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			I mean, these are, we don't need to get too philosophical about him, you know, really, I mean, the
reality is what we live.
		
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			The reality is that this above or below, it has nothing to do with the worst of the worst of an
individual. We're not talking about a person who is above us in work.
		
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			He or she may be above us, in the sense that they're on a higher level of economics.
		
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			Or if we're to put beauty on a scale, and each and every one of us has a scale of beauty. You know,
we have a line which we say below that we call ugly. Above that we call pretty or handsome. You
know, we have, you know, different levels on that too. There are people who feel Oh, man, I wish I
look like him or I wish I look like her. You know, this is Mesa, you know, this is above.
		
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			I mean, it's not to say that that makes them worth more than the people who are below
		
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			because a lot doesn't look as impressive as Elon says the law does. Look at your form,
		
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			your outer form. He looks at your deeds, your heart you need
		
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			But this is just the reality of life. And as I said, and only to get some philosophical about it,
you know, I'm not trying to put anybody down or anything, you know, it's just the reality that we
live, you know, we have scales.
		
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			So, what the Hadees was saying is that
		
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			when we see, we open a magazine, and we see somebody who looks we feel Oh, man, what a lucky Dude,
you know, whether he's got a Mercedes and he's this, you know, or is just looking like, you know,
the one that all the girls is supposed to be running after, you know, when we look at such an
individual from Godzilla missing, and we should look to one below in the sense of one we say, Boy,
man, I don't look like him.
		
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			You know, and, you know, at least I got a guy you know, you don't even have a car you guys take a
bus. This is what why so we can be appreciative of what Allah has given us.
		
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			Not that we may feel proud, because of course, this is wrong. Pride is something despicable in
Islam. Right? From Swaziland says, you know, one was emergencies where the pride of his heart will
not enter Paradise.
		
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			This is why proper sentiment also given us the dry when you look at yourself in the mirror, not to
say, well, ah, you know, make my character good as you have made my appearance good.
		
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			You know, you don't get off on yourself, when you look into their butts, remember that there's
something more important, which is your character.
		
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			What if you are new to Islam, and you don't come to the message, because the people there are in one
group and you don't feel part of that group?
		
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			And you don't know what they're talking about. And you don't know a lot about Islam? Because you're
new to the dean, what's, what should I do? What should I do? I pray at home and go to Friday prayer,
but mostly I stay silent.
		
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			This is what I mentioned earlier that this is dangerous.
		
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			It's dangerous for a person, especially a new Muslim to stay by themselves. Because by staying by
oneself, one now becomes pray to Satan. As Alan said, The wolf snatches the stray sheep.
		
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			That's the one that wolf snatches, when the sheep are in a group, they can defend themselves, the
sheep goes off straight.
		
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			And both of them I also said, you know, whoever goes astray, like goes off away from the main group,
he goes off and ends up in *
		
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			and shall not go off by yourself eventually is going to take you to *, because you're open to
Satan. Satan can make certain things up, you're appealing to you, you don't have any input from the
people around you. Now you're not discussing you're not interacting with them so that if you got a
bad idea, they can say, Well listen, that isn't quite right, you know, brother, or sister you need
to think about this, you know, this Islam religion, this we didn't acquire, and we didn't know so
you can get some inputs. When you're by yourself without an input, it's very easy the idea comes to
your mind, you know, sounds right to me, you know, and then you go ahead and do it and you end up
		
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			in *.
		
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			So, such an individual male or female, in spite of the fact that you know, they may feel outside of
the group, they have to go try to be amongst the group.
		
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			You know, even though they may be looked at with suspicion, beginning etc, they have to keep coming.
by interacting with the group, eventually the barriers will inshallah break down if they are
sincere, and the people who formed the group in the masjid inshallah, they're sincere people, they
may, they may have developed some traits that are not good traits, you know, in the sense of
Sikhism, you know, this happens to
		
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			many Masjid many groups, when they get this sort of elitist kind of feeling which develops amongst
them, where they look at anybody who's not a part of being an enemy of, you know, this kind of
attitude, which is dangerous also in itself.
		
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			So that individuals should strive to be amongst that try to bear the harm, the difficulties that
they may face, but a lot of hand is on the group on the community. And they need to be a part of
that community, if they find after coming into the community that in fact, these people are evil.
		
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			In fact, their intent, their friends, etc, are evil, then they need to be away from that community
and find another community.
		
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			But they need to be with the community, at least in our situation where we're not living together,
physically, people are scattered, it becomes essential that as much as our time as possible, should
be spent around God fearing.
		
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			This is essential for not only the new comer to Islam, but as well, those people who have been in
Islam for some period of time. This is just basic. If they want to survive, they must
		
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			Be around, you know, God fearing we're
		
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			gonna try to get these questions answered as quickly as possible, because the time is
		
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			going quickly.
		
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			And also, I'd like to know, the system has the system set up any questions that part of these
questions? Okay. All right, the next question is in order to have a Muslim community, there must be
an immediate a black community in light of this here in North America is it advisable that Muslims
if they are or pledge of loyalty to a local Amir, even though we don't have a visa
		
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			and Amir in this community in this situation is like a coordinator,
		
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			he is not a mirror mini
		
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			to whom you're going to give back to you know, to give back to this coordinator is in fact a form of
data. It is something which is became popular amongst various Sufi circles, you know, the Sufi
groups, which evolved, which were you know, there will be given to the share of the order, you know,
this tradition and as some of the movements developed in the recent times in the 20th century, were
these practices, these cultural practices now, were also infused along with their efforts to develop
a viable movement to make climate change, they incorporated some of these ideas and among them is
this idea of there. So, you may find it amongst some of the well known
		
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			movements. However, if we go back in the past and look amongst these early Muslims, you will find
that this they are that we know around today was not in the practice and practice. And furthermore,
it becomes very dangerous
		
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			when people associate this Amir coordinator with
		
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			the Amir what we need because it reads, rivalries
		
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			and division, which Muslims in this country cannot afford to, to live with.
		
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			It's destructive.
		
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			The Amir for us is only a coordinator, he has should have with him assure, you know, people who
		
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			have good knowledge of Islam
		
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			the other information which is necessary to run the community and the decisions should be made.
		
00:28:04 --> 00:28:09
			In the light of discussion is not there should not be arbitrary decision.
		
00:28:11 --> 00:28:19
			The Amir should not overrule the Shura in this type of circumstance, because he's on is a
coordinator.
		
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21
			He's a coordinator
		
00:28:22 --> 00:28:46
			and once we give the coordinator the qualities of the ameerul momineen, the head the halifa, the
Muslims, then we open up ourselves to deviation, where that individual without knowledge may make
decisions, which are harmful to the community as a whole. And there is no way of checking such
decisions.
		
00:28:54 --> 00:28:59
			The characteristic of generosity should this attribute the author to a non Muslim as well most
		
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03
			definitely,
		
00:29:04 --> 00:29:07
			generosity is that something which you know, you turn on and off.
		
00:29:08 --> 00:29:25
			generosity is as a characteristic as a Muslim. Part of the Muslim characters is something which
should be displayed in all circumstances. Of course, one has to have priorities, you know,
prioritize things if he has
		
00:29:26 --> 00:29:45
			food to give out money to give out, he has to go according to those who are most in need those who
are closest to him. I mean, he doesn't leave his family and express his generosity to his neighbors
and his family are in need know, he has to take care of his family first generosity begins at home
		
00:29:47 --> 00:29:59
			when he that deals with those people outside of the family circumstance, similarly within the Muslim
community, Muslims have a direct right over the wealth of each individual. So
		
00:30:01 --> 00:30:06
			He has to give them priority over non Muslim. But it doesn't mean that he's not jealous.
		
00:30:08 --> 00:30:18
			If the circumstance exists for him to be generous, where he is not neglecting a Muslim in order to
be generous to a non Muslim, then he must be generous or non Muslim.
		
00:30:20 --> 00:31:02
			And in the course of Tao, this is essential if a person doesn't feel because generosity is something
which affects the character in such a way that the person you know is pleasant, is a pleasant type
of person. Because, you know, I tell him, I said, greeting your brother with a smiling face, his
charity is an act of generosity. So, when that Muslim has this kind of characteristic, when he
greets people with a smiling face, it is not something he smiles at the Muslims when he says non
Muslims is frowning. No, I mean, this is going to be his way. When he greets non Muslims smiling in
a pleasant manner, then they are likely to be attracted to what he has to say. They're likely to
		
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03
			want to listen to what he has to say.
		
00:31:04 --> 00:31:12
			So it becomes something which is essential for us to carry on our realistically.
		
00:31:17 --> 00:31:29
			Brothers and sisters a shout out to round up these questions for the first part of these questions
and answers and get to questions that revolve around the books that have been offered. The last two
questions
		
00:31:30 --> 00:31:39
			regarding the topic, can you give us in the degree of blessings one received by visiting the Muslim
who is still
		
00:31:40 --> 00:32:02
			the degree of blessings and visiting the Muslim who is ill? And the second question is, and let me
inshallah, the Hadith and gentlemen, no with 40 Hadees. You're not a believer until you love your
brother that would you love for yourself? Can you tell us more on this? Even from the Quran? And why
is there so much backbiting and slander?
		
00:32:07 --> 00:32:12
			Well, the degree of blessing for visiting
		
00:32:14 --> 00:32:15
			Muslim was ill,
		
00:32:16 --> 00:32:19
			you know, I can't really say in terms of
		
00:32:20 --> 00:32:28
			fingers, you know what, this one classified in terms of degrees, I don't really understand quite
what the person is referring to. But
		
00:32:29 --> 00:32:50
			we know that this is one of the rights that a Muslim has, on another other Muslim, that when he is
sick, or when she's sick, that they are visited. I mean, it is something compulsory, a right on each
and every Muslim. And we know this also had these were no allies referred to
		
00:32:51 --> 00:33:25
			a person visiting a Muslim was sick, as if that person was visiting Allah. So Allah has put it on a
very high level. I mean, it is the duty, this is part of the concern. This is part of the the
Islamic character that he or she feels concern for the brother and sister, you know, who was ill, to
try to come to recite them, to pray for them, to wish them? Well. I mean, if we don't have that,
then we don't have a bond.
		
00:33:26 --> 00:33:45
			We don't have really the bond of community for Muslim get sick, nobody goes to visit that person or
knows about the person, whatever it means it's showing us that the community really isn't there.
It's just something theoretical, something in words, because this is part of the DNA, which reflects
the Muslim character, and the Muslim community,
		
00:33:46 --> 00:33:48
			as far as going into
		
00:33:49 --> 00:34:03
			one not truly believing until one loves ones rather what one loves for oneself, to try to elaborate
and that would, you know, involve another lecture. And also, in all honesty, I think that
		
00:34:04 --> 00:34:06
			the principles of the Muslim character,
		
00:34:07 --> 00:34:09
			provide us with
		
00:34:10 --> 00:34:10
			the
		
00:34:12 --> 00:34:20
			attitude, which would give us the kind of concern for our brothers and sisters, that we should hold
		
00:34:22 --> 00:34:25
			this love for our brother, or sister Muslim.
		
00:34:26 --> 00:34:39
			What we love for ourselves can only come from the Muslim cancer. One who has the various facets that
make up the Muslim character. generosity
		
00:34:41 --> 00:34:59
			can only come with that characteristic in all of the various characteristics we just spoke about.
They're all reflected in that love for the brother and sister what we love for ourselves. So I feel
that with the development of the Muslim character, then this maintenance of the problems I tell
them, you know,
		
00:35:00 --> 00:35:16
			can become manifest in people's lives can be real, because it's very easy to say, it's a piece of
that. But it only becomes real, when we live it. When we have the kind of characteristics which
produced in the Muslim, that love for our brother
		
00:35:18 --> 00:35:25
			said that among the seven people who are shaded by the throne of Allah, on the day when there is no
shade
		
00:35:26 --> 00:35:29
			is one who loves his brother.
		
00:35:30 --> 00:35:31
			For the sake of Allah.
		
00:35:34 --> 00:35:35
			That's the bottom line.
		
00:35:36 --> 00:35:44
			That's success. But that can only come when we have internalized the characteristics of the Muslim.
		
00:36:04 --> 00:36:04
			Okay.
		
00:36:06 --> 00:36:17
			This next question is, is it feasible and important to send ourselves and children to school for
particular things, and in parentheses, business, politics, sociology, etc.
		
00:36:18 --> 00:36:21
			And in the parentheses, which would
		
00:36:23 --> 00:36:32
			allow us to better gain some control of society in order to establish the law of a law. And I'll add
this other question with this one.
		
00:36:34 --> 00:36:51
			I would like to go to the Middle East, to go to Islamic school to build my feet. And so, as well as
the bill that I mentioned this thing to build up the community here, how can I get into school,
meaning Islamic school? The first question, thank you,
		
00:36:57 --> 00:37:08
			it is a requirement for us to send either ourselves or our children, to some institutions, which
have skills which are necessary for functioning in the society.
		
00:37:11 --> 00:37:12
			business,
		
00:37:13 --> 00:37:16
			you must have Muslim businesses. But the point is that
		
00:37:18 --> 00:37:41
			if a person has to study it, they have to study is from an Islamic point of view, they learn the
western capitalistic approach, and they realize it or analyze it according to the Islamic outlook,
they should be familiar with the Islamic principles concerning business. So, what is useful from
that degree in business
		
00:37:42 --> 00:38:07
			will be used to benefit the community and what is not verified. And a person who goes through such
training could then devise courses for the next generation of Muslims where they could learn the
valuable business practices and concepts without having to waste time in learning that which is an
Islamic and
		
00:38:10 --> 00:38:14
			and that applies to the other fields, I mean, fields which
		
00:38:15 --> 00:38:18
			have no real value, you know, beyond
		
00:38:20 --> 00:38:21
			personal
		
00:38:24 --> 00:38:27
			preferences, you know, like, for example, dads,
		
00:38:28 --> 00:38:36
			go to school to learn dance. I mean, this would be nonsensical for Muslims to do so or to put their
children to go and learn.
		
00:38:38 --> 00:38:53
			It doesn't say Islam prohibits dance, but dance in Islam is something which falls along particular
lines, you know, it's not the type of thing which is displayed on stages where people become, you
know, artists and you know,
		
00:38:54 --> 00:38:56
			and where corruption is bred.
		
00:38:58 --> 00:39:10
			Because what we find when we look into society is that corruption tends to be concentrated amongst
the artists, the various fields of entertainment, where people, you know, their lives are devoted to
entertaining other people.
		
00:39:12 --> 00:39:33
			This reads, the kind of corruption is a sociology, psychology there, which, which promotes
corruption. So, Muslims as such, would not spend time and effort into these kinds of fields, but it
doesn't say that some of the things would not be a part of the community, but it would be a natural
part as opposed to a
		
00:39:36 --> 00:39:45
			an organized, you know, segment of the community that would be specializing in this particular thing
for the entertainment of the rest of the community.
		
00:39:46 --> 00:39:49
			So, buying those type of
		
00:39:52 --> 00:40:00
			segments of education, I would say, the vast majority of the other aspects of education available
		
00:40:00 --> 00:40:09
			You know, have definite benefit to the society, the Muslim society, and we should emphasize the
furthering of education.
		
00:40:11 --> 00:40:54
			I mean, there is an attitude, which developed in the past, amongst Muslim communities where, you
know, people were feeling well, shouldn't go to the Catholic schools and learn under cafard, and all
this kind of thing, right. But that is destructive, it will destroy the community. Because one
cannot build a community without architects, without doctors, without lawyers without the various
components, which make up the community. So it is essential that we encourage our children, those
people who accept Islam, maybe in various fields, they should be encouraged to go ahead, and to go
right to the end of the field, not just get a BA, not just the MA go and get a PhD, you know, go for
		
00:40:54 --> 00:41:34
			it, you should be encouraged to get as much of that information available, so that they can become,
you know, a guiding light now, for others. Of course, we're not saying to go and do this and neglect
your Islamic education, Islamic education needs to go side by side, you have to be constantly
studying, be in contact with other Muslims, in study groups, etc, to, to balance to keep, you know,
a correct view on what they're studying. So they don't end up going off the deep end. But they will
be necessary. I mean, when you want to set up institutions, which would be alternative institutions,
to the existing ones in societies, you have to deal with people who have gone right to the end,
		
00:41:35 --> 00:42:06
			regardless of the end and have mastered those various fields, this is an absolute necessity. So we
have to encourage those brothers and sisters were out of school, you know, they should go back into
school, if they have the means that the system provides some kinds of educational courses, whatever
that are available, they should get on in there and get these, these get this information, so that
they can improve the quality of their lives, and so that they can also be a part of building a real
Islamic community. And also, this would
		
00:42:07 --> 00:42:47
			change to a large degree, the relationship that we hold with the immigrant communities, because
these immigrants, many of them are coming with skills, and they're living particular kind of lives
and, and what they see of the indigenous community, as portrayed on the television, etc, you know,
the violence and the crime and all these different kinds of things. And maybe even some of their
contacts with some of these, you know, individuals from the community, which tends to be, you know,
with hands out, you need some you've got money, I want some of your money, you know, God bless you
out, you got to share with me. Now, this kind of,
		
00:42:56 --> 00:42:57
			we also find
		
00:42:58 --> 00:43:06
			that the Prophet Muhammad and his wife, Ayesha reported that every night before going to bed,
		
00:43:08 --> 00:43:10
			when he sat in his bed before going to sleep,
		
00:43:11 --> 00:43:12
			he would put his hands together,
		
00:43:13 --> 00:43:22
			he would go in his hands, and then he would recite the structure of the plan, along with the
following two chapters, asteroids, Surah
		
00:43:23 --> 00:43:23
			Surah.
		
00:43:25 --> 00:43:36
			And then he would wipe his hands over his body, from his head, face, both of his body, whatever
else, she would do this three times.
		
00:43:37 --> 00:43:41
			Now, these different narrations from the companions of the Prophet
		
00:43:44 --> 00:43:52
			SAW us that this chapter, had a special place in the hearts of the Muslims.
		
00:43:53 --> 00:44:01
			So much so that some would recited in every prayer that they made at the beginning, there is
recitation of Quran or closing the rest.
		
00:44:05 --> 00:44:09
			And this was something which is approved by the prophet.
		
00:44:11 --> 00:44:18
			Furthermore, he informed us that it was equal in value to one third of the five.
		
00:44:21 --> 00:44:29
			What this means to us one third of the quiet, it doesn't mean that if we recite it three times, this
is actually equal to recycling.
		
00:44:31 --> 00:44:32
			Because that would then
		
00:44:34 --> 00:44:49
			discourage people from bothering to recycle. If you're going to get the same risk reward from
recycling the chapter three times as you would get from recycling or reading the whole plan. And why
bother to read the whole for others to be much more difficult, this will take you weeks, maybe a
month, maybe more.
		
00:44:51 --> 00:45:00
			The idea here, what was understood, not that it was equal in the sense that it may be you may
replace the recitation
		
00:45:00 --> 00:45:04
			In the Quran by reciting three times, but that if we were to take
		
00:45:05 --> 00:45:10
			all of the topics of the Quran and we were to put them in three main categories
		
00:45:12 --> 00:45:20
			this chapter covers one of the categories. One third of what the Quran is talking about, is found in
this chapter.
		
00:45:23 --> 00:45:27
			It summarizes one third of the concepts of the
		
00:45:34 --> 00:45:35
			before reciting the Quran
		
00:45:37 --> 00:45:39
			are told by a law
		
00:45:40 --> 00:45:45
			in the chapter known as the V. vs 98.
		
00:45:49 --> 00:45:56
			Corruption for an trustees Villa Manisha Banerjee. Whenever you are reciting the Quran,
		
00:45:57 --> 00:46:02
			you should seek refuge in a law from the curse of Satan.
		
00:46:04 --> 00:46:05
			This is a commandment
		
00:46:06 --> 00:46:07
			for us to do so.
		
00:46:09 --> 00:46:09
			Why?
		
00:46:10 --> 00:46:11
			Because
		
00:46:12 --> 00:46:14
			in the second chapter of the,
		
00:46:15 --> 00:46:19
			the second verse, a law says, Valley, Calcutta.
		
00:46:23 --> 00:46:26
			This is the book in which there is no doubt
		
00:46:28 --> 00:46:31
			guidance for those who fear God.
		
00:46:34 --> 00:46:34
			This book
		
00:46:36 --> 00:46:39
			is the only book existing on the earth
		
00:46:40 --> 00:46:45
			that contains 100%, the Word of God,
		
00:46:47 --> 00:46:50
			as we say the whole truth, and nothing but the
		
00:46:52 --> 00:46:56
			law says it is the book of guidance for those who fear.
		
00:47:00 --> 00:47:02
			It doesn't mean that anybody who picks up the book
		
00:47:03 --> 00:47:04
			and they read it, they're going to be guided.
		
00:47:06 --> 00:47:13
			Only those who fear a lot. When they pick up that book, and they start to read it, they will be
guided.
		
00:47:14 --> 00:47:16
			And I will tell you from my own experience,
		
00:47:17 --> 00:47:22
			in the eastern province, amongst the American troops.
		
00:47:24 --> 00:47:26
			Over the past three months,
		
00:47:28 --> 00:47:31
			we had a number of cases of people
		
00:47:32 --> 00:47:48
			who would pass through the tent, we had a tent set up an information tent, with information about
Saudi Arabia as well as information about Islam. And in one quarter books, islamic books are being
sold, and among them copies of the fine.
		
00:47:50 --> 00:47:51
			We had people
		
00:47:53 --> 00:47:54
			who would come through,
		
00:47:55 --> 00:47:56
			buy a copy of the plan.
		
00:47:58 --> 00:48:03
			Leave come back a week later and say, How do I become Muslim?
		
00:48:05 --> 00:48:09
			We gave them no explanation about Islam or any detail. No, they just took the book.
		
00:48:10 --> 00:48:11
			They read it
		
00:48:15 --> 00:48:17
			because they feared God.
		
00:48:19 --> 00:48:20
			Myself, I tell you very honestly.
		
00:48:22 --> 00:48:23
			When I became Muslim,
		
00:48:25 --> 00:48:27
			I the first book I read was not too far.
		
00:48:28 --> 00:48:33
			And probably if I had read the Quran, and I have looked at it to some degree, it would not have
died.
		
00:48:35 --> 00:48:42
			Because at the time I was a communist. I didn't even believe in God. So when I picked up the Quran,
and he said
		
00:48:44 --> 00:48:44
			there was nothing in it.
		
00:48:47 --> 00:48:51
			Instead, what I found by reading a book called The
		
00:48:52 --> 00:49:02
			Islam the misunderstood religion by Mohammed Scotto, in which he made a comparison between Islam,
Christianity,
		
00:49:04 --> 00:49:08
			communism, capitalism, socialism,
		
00:49:10 --> 00:49:15
			from a social, religious moral points of view.
		
00:49:17 --> 00:49:26
			He was he showed me clearly that the system of Islam from an economic social moral point of view was
far superior.
		
00:49:28 --> 00:49:32
			So I became convinced from a political point of view,
		
00:49:33 --> 00:49:36
			that the system of Islam was suitable for
		
00:49:38 --> 00:49:40
			running a state and benefiting people.
		
00:49:41 --> 00:49:59
			But as far as believing in God, this game stages later, because you don't go from a total, you know,
denial of the existence of God to the acceptance of God you know, in a second, something which may
take time unless, you know, sometimes some people have certain
		
00:50:00 --> 00:50:03
			You know, crises in their life, which can cause them to
		
00:50:05 --> 00:50:05
			turn to God.
		
00:50:07 --> 00:50:22
			But for myself, I just I'm just saying that to say that it is as a loss in this book is guidance for
those who fear God. So if a person truly says God, he picks up the choir no matter what his
background is, he will be guided.
		
00:50:24 --> 00:50:25
			So knowing that
		
00:50:26 --> 00:50:28
			we know that the evil force,
		
00:50:30 --> 00:50:36
			evil forces, Satan, and his compatriots,
		
00:50:37 --> 00:50:56
			they want for us what is guidance, they want us to stray from the path, they don't want us to find
guidance. So naturally, when a person goes to get the plan, to read the plan, they're going to try
their hardest to make sure that the person doesn't benefit from the program.
		
00:50:59 --> 00:51:00
			And we all know,
		
00:51:01 --> 00:51:10
			we are encouraged to read the crivelli to read some for our daily, you know, as it said, the Quran
is the most widely read book in the world.
		
00:51:13 --> 00:51:14
			Unfortunately,
		
00:51:15 --> 00:51:18
			most Muslims read it in a ritualistic fashion.
		
00:51:19 --> 00:51:24
			You know, they don't know Arabic, they learn how to read Arabic, and they just repeat the words.
		
00:51:25 --> 00:51:27
			But they don't really understand when it's being said.
		
00:51:29 --> 00:51:34
			But still, those who would go to pick up the Quran to read it, to understand that
		
00:51:36 --> 00:51:42
			Satan, or the satanic forces will come and try to discourage the person from reading. And
		
00:51:44 --> 00:51:46
			so what happened, you sit down to either
		
00:51:48 --> 00:51:52
			set your time, decided you're going to read the Quran at this time, every day.
		
00:51:54 --> 00:51:55
			You open the choir.
		
00:51:56 --> 00:51:57
			And you find yourself
		
00:51:59 --> 00:52:00
			stretching, or
		
00:52:02 --> 00:52:21
			I decided to get heavy, no, right, your eyes weren't heavy, what's your name before you picked up
the car. But all of a sudden, you pick up the car and you find yourself, you tell you that the
thought comes to you kind of tired now, you know, after fudger, early morning, maybe I need some
more sleep. I read it later. So you close the book.
		
00:52:23 --> 00:52:26
			And of course you can visit the rest of the day you don't need it that day. And
		
00:52:29 --> 00:52:32
			this is how the satanic forces can source
		
00:52:34 --> 00:52:40
			from the past without you realize. I'm sure you've all experienced this a lot. Because Salah is
recitation of
		
00:52:41 --> 00:52:42
			our prayer,
		
00:52:43 --> 00:52:49
			you get up to break and you are quite fine before as soon as you get up to pay your phone, half the
people are playing in their yard.
		
00:52:51 --> 00:52:53
			Wave you start yawning as soon as you get up to
		
00:52:56 --> 00:53:00
			this is a part of that
		
00:53:01 --> 00:53:13
			tonic issue effects of trying to serve people away from benefiting from the guidance that is there
in the reading of the Koran, the remembrance of God.
		
00:53:14 --> 00:53:18
			So because of that, we find that Allah has commanded us
		
00:53:20 --> 00:53:25
			that whenever we are going to read the fine, you should seek refuge in the law.
		
00:53:28 --> 00:53:35
			And this means doing it sincerely. Because if you just go through the ritual, you know you're going
to reach out the dilemma shape on resume.
		
00:53:36 --> 00:53:41
			But it's just words you're saying. And don't be surprised if you find yourself yawning and closing
the book.
		
00:53:42 --> 00:53:57
			Because seeking refuge in a law is something which has to come from your heart. When you seek refuge
in God, to protect you. You have to say it's with all your heart, it has to really come from your
heart points to have any effect.
		
00:54:03 --> 00:54:06
			After seeking refuge in the law, we begin the recitation
		
00:54:08 --> 00:54:14
			by saying Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim in the name of a law inefficient, the Most Merciful.
		
00:54:18 --> 00:54:22
			This is something that we are encouraged to do generally in our lives.
		
00:54:24 --> 00:54:26
			Before doing things we say Bismillah
		
00:54:28 --> 00:54:29
			to remind ourselves,
		
00:54:30 --> 00:54:34
			that we're doing it in the name of God for the pleasure.
		
00:54:36 --> 00:54:42
			Why also, because if you are in the habit of saying Bismillah before doing
		
00:54:43 --> 00:54:47
			then if you are going to do something which isn't good. You're going to feel shy to say this.
		
00:54:50 --> 00:54:54
			And this may catch you to help you to reflect and say, Well, no, I shouldn't be doing this.
		
00:54:55 --> 00:54:57
			I can't say Bismillah before I shouldn't be doing
		
00:55:00 --> 00:55:07
			shouldn't do anything in this life, that we will feel shamed to say Bismillah in the name of God and
		
00:55:13 --> 00:55:15
			the first verse
		
00:55:16 --> 00:55:18
			of this chapter, a very short chapter,
		
00:55:19 --> 00:55:20
			revealed in Mecca,
		
00:55:21 --> 00:55:25
			comprising of only four verses,
		
00:55:27 --> 00:55:30
			the first verse on one law,
		
00:55:32 --> 00:55:33
			say,
		
00:55:35 --> 00:55:37
			a law, a law
		
00:55:40 --> 00:55:41
			is unique.
		
00:55:45 --> 00:55:46
			Say,
		
00:55:47 --> 00:55:48
			the Prophet Muhammad
		
00:55:52 --> 00:55:54
			was commanded to tell the people
		
00:55:55 --> 00:56:04
			when we read the Quran, this is the same thing we should say this is something that should be a
part, a basic fundamental part of our faith.
		
00:56:06 --> 00:56:06
			A law
		
00:56:08 --> 00:56:12
			is unique. And I didn't say a law is one.
		
00:56:14 --> 00:56:16
			You will find this translated as one
		
00:56:17 --> 00:56:21
			as one, but actually the word which means one is washed.
		
00:56:23 --> 00:56:30
			This is the word which really means in Arabic, there's a difference between the word wash and the
word.
		
00:56:32 --> 00:56:36
			Alok would have used the word Rashid here, but he chose to use
		
00:56:37 --> 00:56:38
			and Allah
		
00:56:39 --> 00:56:40
			is one of Allah.
		
00:56:44 --> 00:56:46
			But Allah uses the name here.
		
00:56:49 --> 00:56:49
			What is
		
00:56:52 --> 00:56:53
			the difference is that
		
00:56:54 --> 00:56:56
			when you say wash one
		
00:56:58 --> 00:57:00
			This doesn't stop there being another one.
		
00:57:05 --> 00:57:05
			What do I
		
00:57:06 --> 00:57:10
			mean if I say there is one bottle of
		
00:57:12 --> 00:57:13
			water here.
		
00:57:14 --> 00:57:16
			It doesn't mean that