Kamil Ahmad – How Pornography Affects Faith
AI: Summary ©
The transcript discusses the impact of pornography on people's faith and spirituality, as well as the importance of protecting people's health and protecting others' lives. It emphasizes the need for individuals to stop their behavior and work towards their emotions, as well as the importance of avoiding addictions and working towards a resolution before entering a habit. The segment also touches on the dangerous nature of slavery and the need for individuals to take it seriously.
AI: Summary ©
hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala terminal a colonial Holla Holla Holla Holla Holla Jemaine. While early wa sahbihi wa many Tara behavior was gonna be so nasty to me Dean along the alumna and Fiona one foreigner Bhima alum Tina was a dinner arrangement while I'm at a
wedding. And help help can also connect what is looking at diva Elina LLP develop even more zucchini, HD nada, we are the journey will occur from a mother art. Salaam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh.
Our topic tonight is how * affects faith.
And what we're going to try to do in Sharla in this session is basically look at how
prenuptial * affects * addiction, how it affects
two aspects of our faith. One is our spirituality. And the other is our ideology.
And so a loss of Hannah who to Allah created us
have to have two things
have a body and a soul. And the nature of our soul is that it has certain desires, it has certain cravings that it wants to fulfill. But it can only fulfill those cravings and those desires through the body. And so this is how our soul is connected to our body.
And Allah subhanho wa Taala mentions how most, most people their souls, lean and inclined towards evil. That's the nature of the soul in the nafsa amount or to be soup that the neffs its nature is to be inclining towards evil. And so the very test of our life, the very
reason why Allah subhanho wa Taala created us is to test us to see who among us will bring their knifes under their control
and
to submit to what lies please with as opposed to those who would it that's a very test of our lives. And so you have one group of people who will bring their evil inclining soul under their control, only allowing it to desire and crave what ally is pleased with. And you'll have another people who they will let their soul loose, giving you total freedom to do as it wishes.
And so this is the only way of getting closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala
by doing what pleases Him and staying away from what displeases Allah subhanho wa Taala. So basically what * addiction does, is that it causes a person's heart, it causes one's heart to become more and more distant from Allah subhanho wa Taala because now you love and crave what Allah subhanho wa Taala hates and is displeased with.
And in the end of the day, you only have one heart. Either you're going to fill it with what is pleasing to Allah, or you're going to fill it with what is pleasing to your neffs which inclines towards evil. And this is further explained in the hadith of today for even a young man robiola one who said that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that fit in
to our own fit and honor could fit in
trials test. temptations are presented to the hearts one by one.
Any heart that accepts them, these fitting these temptations,
they will be left with a black stain.
But any heart that rejects them. They'll be left with a mark of purity so that the hearts are of two kinds.
One that is a dark heart that has turned away and become like an overturned vessel
and a pure heart that will never be harmed by any temptation any fitna as long as the heavens and the earth exists. So here in this hadith the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam placed the hearts
when exposed to fit in all kinds of fitting
into two categories.
The first are heart, which when it is
exposed to temptation, it absorbs it like a sponge that soaks up water leaving, leaving this heart to become dark and black.
And what this does, is that it causes the person to become conscious
used, he won't be able to distinguish between good and evil. He'll see good as being evil, and he'll see evil as being good. And also what it causes is, it causes one to set up his how're his desires, as his judge.
Over that which the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam taught, the other heart is the pure heart,
which, you know, basically it has the light of a man.
And whenever temptations are presented to it, it rejects them, it opposes them. And so it's it's a man and it's light becomes more radiant,
and more powerful.
So this is why it is said that
our gaze when we look at something hold on
that lustful gaze.
It is the gateway to the heart.
The soul a craves it,
and it'll end up leading to the heart.
And we have in a hadith
mentioned by Hakeem in a mustard rock, it's a hadith that is disputed over its authenticity.
Where it is said that the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam said that
the gays, that lust for games, is an arrow, from the poisonous arrows of a police.
And that whoever abandons it, out of fear of Allah, then Allah subhanho wa Taala, rewards him with a man that he finds the sweetness of a man in his heart.
Why is it said that it is poisonous this arrow, because even after you take out that arrow,
the poison is left in the body. And this is the reality of those who are addicted to *, that even when they're not looking at
what is haram,
and not enjoying it with their eyes.
Even when they're not doing that,
their hearts and their minds and their souls have already absorbed it and it remains with them. It remains with them, corrupting their soul and their heart and also their mind.
And this is why eventually that poison, you know, if you were to be if you were to be attacked with a poisonous arrow, and you take out the arrow, that poison remains in the body, it causes you to become sick.
And it also can cause you to die as a result. And that is exactly that is the very example of the heart.
And so the hearts are of three kinds, the healthy heart, the sick heart, and the dead heart. And so what * addiction does, is that it eventually leads to the death of the heart. It eventually leads to the death of the heart. And so the point is that a person when he is addicted to looking at her arm and *, it becomes difficult for him to
perform acts of a bad
to do good deeds to worship Allah subhanho wa Taala and it becomes very easy for him to come home.
Again, here we're talking about addiction and not someone who may have, you know, looked at * once in his life or, you know, twice or three times we're talking about addiction.
And an example of Salah becoming difficult
is
that you won't find anyone who is neglectful of their Salah except that they indulge in their lustful desires.
So Allah subhanho wa Taala mentioned in Surah Timonium
that
they're succeeded after the generation of believers. They're succeeded generations after them. Who What did they do? A ba salata whatever or sherawat they neglect to their solo ad, and they followed their Shahada. And so sure, what are the lustful desires? Also Allah subhanahu italie said regarding Salah insalata 10
annual fascia you will welcome Salah is supposed to deter a person from what from immorality, from indecency, from Xena from looking at her arm and also from moonclerk from evil. So,
if it is not doing that, then it means that the person is neglectful of his Salah. So all of this shows us that
it all shows us
That
* addiction, it really takes a hit on a person's on a person's Dean and his spirituality
by basically destroying his emotion and making him less of a practicing, and religiously adherent Muslim.
So this is on the one hand, how
* addiction affects our faith, our spirituality. Now let's move on to how
* addiction affects
affects a person's ideology.
And so another way that * addiction affects our faith is by causing our a man to really hit rock bottom, such that it shakes our yaqeen
it shakes our conviction in this Deen and it gives rise to all kinds of shubo hot, all kinds of doubts concerning our concern in our faith and concerning our Deen of Islam.
And we've always thought that
doubts in our Deen
that they come as a result of exposure to deviant ideological trends that are out there in the world.
Whether it be atheism,
secularism, liberalism,
all of these various isms.
And even not these,
you know, Cofer ideologies, but even general doubts that come to our minds.
We've thought that we have this
traditional way of looking at it, that the reason for it is exposure to these deviant ideologies or individuals and sects that promote those ideas. But
not many of us have pondered over the connection between
shahadat
our lustful desires, and should we had these doubts concerning our Deen and how indulging in shahadat it eventually leads a person to adopt very, very dangerous shubho hat. And so, the reality is that all deviant ideology throughout history
they sprouted from the ground of shahadat
from the Hawa from following one's desires.
No sect appeared in Assam history, except as a result of certain individuals who followed their desires, their whims and their desires, instead of making their whims and desires to submit to the deen of Allah and to you know, what Allah subhana wa tada has revealed. And so there is no, there is no
ideological doubt out there. Except that emerges from the womb of a shower. A lustful desire that a person had,
whether it be related to our physical desires, such as, you know, Xena and wanting to commit Zina, or it could be something else, such as desiring to have some kind of status in this world, or wanting some kind of power and influence, wanting to become famous, and so on and so forth. These are all these all come under the category of shalott.
And so, looking for short term enjoyment in this dunya is the primary reason for why a person
commits, you know, Cofer or commits a sin.
And if we were to look at that example of atheists,
most atheists
if you were to examine their lives, they become atheists at a time of strong shower.
While they're young,
while they're healthy,
and it's rare to find a believer who is healthy and then becomes an atheist. When he
when they become old. It's rare to find that they would, that they will leave their demons
Or that they would become atheists, atheists, or when they're ill, and sick.
And so, resisting our Shahada is a must, before they turn into before they turn into shubo hat, and then into habits that become difficult for us to disengage from.
One of the evidences that we can mention here of how, or the relationship between shoe blue hat and shadow art is that shape on
one of the ways that he, you know, drags a person into into Iran
is to show through Shahada through his lustful desires.
Then, once he controls him, and that person becomes addicted to that, you know, particular shower, he then tries to encourage him What if I shot what enter Hulu Allah he mad at Alamo shaytaan he only commands you to do evil, and Elsa shot in decency in morality, Xena, and so on and so forth. Well enter kulu Allahu Allah tala moon, and that you say about a lot that what you have no knowledge of, meaning that you change the deen of Allah, you know that something is haram. And you say it's had.
And so this, these are the steps of shaitan he doesn't come to you right away and say and say to you that you know what this thing is clearly Haram,
find a way to legalize it and make it harder, no, he first makes you to enjoy that thing. Makes you become addicted to it, then after he's taken control of you.
And you realize that, you know, there's no help for me, I can't, I'm addicted to this, I have to find a solution for this. So let me legalize it. Let me make it Hello. And so this is one example of how
of how shubo hot lead to, to Shahada, and, you know, basically legalizing our shadow art.
And so this is one example. But there are other examples as well, of how * addiction, it raises shubo hat.
And so what are some examples of doubts that arise from this kind of addiction? The first we mentioned, trying to legalize what is heroin?
And so a person he stuck in this addiction? And he says, You know what?
There's no other way for me to get out of it.
So in order to, you know, get rid of his guilt,
he says, Okay, let me find, let me find some opinions of some scholars who have permitted it. And so then he goes out searching for these weird and strange opinions of stuff, certain scholars who have said that, for example, *, there's nothing wrong with it. It's completely helot.
And so on, and so forth. So he tries to find ways to legalize what is harmful. Another example is
someone who's stuck in this in this addiction, and he has turned to a law for help.
And that does a lot to rid him of this addiction.
But then, he finds himself constantly going back to it.
And this addiction, it's a real addiction.
And, you know, there have been researchers done recently, which show how this addiction is even worse than addiction to drugs.
And so such people, they, they try their best they struggle, but they're there they don't find any way to rid themselves of this addiction, even after making a lot of drama. So what happens is, they start to question Allah subhana wa tada and question his existence, because why isn't a lot accepting or answering my dua? Allah subhanho wa Taala answers the door of the person who's in distress. So why isn't Allah addressing or answering my dua? So this is how this is how * addiction leads to, to a shoe bohat this is one example. Another example
is
certain people who they think that the only way to rid myself of this
guilt
of this addiction that I'm involved in,
is by just renouncing Islam completely
renouncing Islam completely.
Let me just leave Islam. And that's it.
That's it, end of story, I don't have to be guilty anymore. I don't have to worry about this problem anymore. And this is what leads a lot of people to atheism. This is what leads a lot of people to atheism.
They had a certain shower,
that they just could not give up, whether it be * addiction, or, or another kind of shock what
a lot of people they are addicted to certain things that have become a part of their lives, certain desires, that they just can't find a way to rid themselves of, and they know what to sin. And they're constantly constantly being told that, you know, this is a sin, this is her arm, and they can't rid themselves of it. So they find that you know, what an easy way out is by, you know, just believing in Allah.
And it is the case with regards to whether it be Muslims or non Muslims who have eventually adopted atheism.
Majority of atheists today are not atheist because of a deep conviction that there exists no God, that there is no existence of a supreme being know, the majority of them resort to atheism as a result of not being able to give up their lifestyle.
Another example of how
* addiction can lead to doubts and lead to a faith crisis. And shubo hat is certain people who they become addicted to
various kinds of *.
That also includes
certain things like homosexuality.
And this causes them to, basically,
okay, that kind of lifestyle. And so you find certain Muslims today who have no problem with a homosexual lifestyle, and they say there's completely nothing wrong with it. Also, another example is
those people who are addicted to *. Another example of how it leads them to doubts concerning Islam is the adopt a superiority complex, or an inferiority complex, where they look to the kuffar as being more superior to us.
As you know, they have all the enjoyment in the dunya. And we have nothing. And so these are some, these are some of the
examples of how Shahada lead to a shubo hat.
And so, there are some people who embrace these doubts and these ideologies, with their desires with their whims, because it firmly grounds for them, their, their evil doing and their lifestyle. And so they want to escape from that label of being evildoers, to intellectuals that, you know, call me an intellectual instead of a sinner.
And this is why it is of utmost importance for us, to free ourselves of the slavery of our health, our whims, and this is the most dangerous kind of slavery, the most dangerous kind of slavery is to be enslaved by our, our, our desires, which is why Allah subhanho wa Taala refers to the Hawa as the Deity, the God that people worship for our item and it turns out that Allah hoo ha, what Allah Allahu Allah?
Do you not see the one who has taken his God, His Hauer
and a lot caused him to go astray based on knowledge.
And so, in conclusion, we need to take this issue seriously. Those addicted to *, or those of us who are parents and we have children.
The danger of them being exposed to * is very, very apparent. And I'm sure as the other speakers will talk about, you know, the exposure of * today is unlike ever before. And so we need to take this issue seriously.
And the only way that you can survive this fitna, if you are addicted to it is by not giving up in this battle against your enough's and against shaitan, again shaitan will larina jahad rufina then the unknown su buena, those who strive and struggle here a lot uses the term jihad.
Those who strive against the nuts They are the ones who Allah says that He will guide them to his ways, meaning that Allah will guide you to all goodness, as long as you can continuously struggle against your knifes. As long as you don't give up, then eventually a loss of Hannah who were to add will open up the ways for you, you will overcome this addiction. You will be victorious over it not only will you see it in this dunya but you will see the fruit of that in that era. And Allah subhanho wa Taala commands us to not give up. Yeah, and you are Latina Amma no spirou was saburo. Morabito what Taka La la la quinta flee Who are you believe? Be patient persevere in patience. And
what have you to stand your guard against your enemy against your knifes and also Against * on stand you know in resistance, what double La la la quinta flee Hoon and fear Allah so that you are successful. So stand firm in resistance, and build your defenses, build your defenses. You are right now, in a battle against your enough's and its desires, its inclinations and against shaitan. So you need to build your defenses. And and you need to strong and you need to stand strong. In that resistance, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam compared the believer to a date palm tree. And one of the ways in which the believer the movement resembles the date palm tree is that the date
palm tree is the kind of tree that stands firm and solid in even the fiercest and strongest of storms.
And likewise the believer, no matter which storm comes in hits him.
No matter how strong the show how wet are his desires, his lustful desires are, no matter how strong they are, he will stand firm resisting those desires and he won't give up. That is one of the ways in which the woman the believer resembles the date palm tree We ask Allah Subhana Allah to help each and every single one of us, especially those who are addicted to this problem. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to help them and we ask Allah subhana wa tada to protect our young ones and our children from this
very fierce fitna, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect them all. How they will so lucidly Morocco Allah Subhana cologne no biharmonic a shadow Allah Allah Allah and Crystal fuuka were to booty Lycos, salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
and there'll be the law will be going on and we'll continue with
the q&a panel. So Sabine allow just ask you the question and if you see it suitable you can answer as you see fit inshallah.
This question is for chef Kevin.
The question is, how can someone crude purify their soul or their heart after being addicted?
I Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah Allah, Allah, he was so happy he married a man that
basically, when it comes to a sin that we commit, whether it be watching *, or committing Zina, or whatever it may be.
The very first thing the very first step that you take is to turn to align repentance. This is the very first step. And in order for your repentance to be correct and accepted by a law, it has to include, first and foremost, you stopping that sin right away. So you can't be you know, involved and watching * and asking a lot for repentance. You have to stop it immediately. So you're done from it. And you don't stop, you don't continue in it. The second thing is you have to have remorse and regret in your heart. So you can be enjoying within your within your heart. You're enjoying what you saw. While you're out.
asking a lot for repentance. That's not an acceptable repentance. So it has to be remorse, regret, deep down from within your heart. And the third point regarding repentance and accepted repentance is that you have to make the strong resolve and determination to never ever go back to that sin ever again. And yes, obviously, with regards to this addiction or any other addiction, this
intention and determination, to not go back to it, it's something very difficult to to bring about, especially when you've done it hundreds of times. And every time you you ask a law for repentance, and then you know, you end up going back in the cycle. But don't ever give up on that intention. Don't ever give up on that intention when you're making Toba to Allah. Because that intention, right there is the key is very key to purifying your heart. Because you've made this contract with a law, the law, I am never going to go back to this ever again. If you end up going back to it, without having the intention, that's a different story.
But if you make the intention to never go back to it again, then this is the very first step. This is the very first step towards purifying your heart. Because now Allah knows, Allah knows that you are serious, that you're honest with yourself, and you're honest with Allah. So now a lot will help you. The next step after that, once you've done your tober is
in order to, you know, leave that behind you.
The next step is to busy yourself, too busy yourself in a good deed, to be yourself in a good deed. And that's why Allah subhanho wa Taala says in Al Hassan RT, you would have been associate good deeds, they make bad deeds to go away.
And so when you do a good deed, it causes the bad deed to go away. And, you know, there are so many different good deeds that you can do,
you know, busy yourself in reciting the Quran, these yourself in praying Salatu
Salam tahajjud fasting, as she mentioned, you know, regarding this very topic, fasting
is a good deed, it is an activated, do it.
And so many other good deeds that you know, one should busy himself with, because in the end of the day, the end of the day shaitan comes to us. shaitan comes to us when we are free, and we are not doing anything, we are free, we're sitting around, not busying ourselves with anything. And that is a golden opportunity for shaitan to come to you. Because when you're not doing anything, that time needs to be filled. So if you do not fill it with something good, then Trayvon will come and fill it with something with something bad. And so these are the steps that one should take towards, towards purifying his soul, and cleaning his heart of that filth that he was involved in. And obviously, the
greatest thing that one should not forget about and that is turning to Allah
seeking His help seeking the help of a wasp. Because in the end of the day,
it is impossible for us to
to overcome any challenge except by a lot allowing us to overcome it. There is no challenge out there in the dunya whether it be related to our Deen or related to our dunya except that the only one who allows us to overcome that challenge is none other than Allah. We on our own can't do anything. So turn to Allah for his help.
The next question is, I try to quit. But I still fall back into sin. And I make it too hard for las panatela to forgive me.
But I don't see no results. And I'm losing faith. What would be your advice?
This brings us back to what we spoke about in the lecture earlier today. Where
people who have this addiction, they do ask Allah subhanho wa Taala for help. And we mentioned this very example as an example of how
this addiction leads people to shubo hat to doubts concerning their faith
and so basically
You know, what I can advise such a person is, as we mentioned not to give up. That's the key here, not to give up. And so this is a constant valid battle that we are in. And don't forget, don't forget that you are in this battle. And Allah subhanho wa Taala put you in this test.
Don't look at others and think that, you know, others are not being tested was such a huge test that I am facing.
But rather realize that Allah subhanho wa Taala gives every one of us a test based on our own circumstances. So yes, you may be seeing others not going through the same thing. But that doesn't mean that they are not going through other tests. That according to you are easy, but according to them, you know, for their circumstance, that test is is is, you know, they're looking at you. They're looking at you thinking that your test is easy. And so a person regardless of the test that he's been put in by Allah subhanho wa Taala he should always realize that it is a test from Allah
has given us and you trochu and your Kudo M and now only after noon, or so Hannah Butera asks, do the people think that you know, it will be sufficient for them to say we believe in Allah. And then that's it, Allah subhana wa, tada will leave them without putting them through a fitna without putting them to the test. And so, realize that this is a struggle, it is a fitna, it is a test that you need to continue with. And remember that in the end of the day, as long as you are constantly turning back to Allah subhanho, wa Taala, as long as you are constantly turning back to Allah, then this is a good sign. This is a good sign. Don't say, you know, I keep going back to it. And then I
keep doing towba I keep asking a lot for help. And then I go back to it, and you're in the cycle, and then you start to give up hope. No, as long as you are in this cycle, you are far better 100 times better than the one who, you know, after a few attempts he gives up. That's, uh, he gives up. And, you know, he thinks that's it, you know, I'm done with this.
And so as long as you are continuously, you know, battling through this, then you are, you are upon, you're upon the right path. And I ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to, to, you know, strengthen your resolve and
to keep you strong upon that path.
I mean, I mean,
this question, also, for sure comment. It says, What's your, what's your thoughts on saying, Well, I'm not going to masturbate for a week. So basically, an oath Is this how? And is this a smart way of worshipping, and also, is there a funnel for this?
Basically, when it comes to
making an oath, to stay away from a sin, the scholar is basically mentioned that we're not supposed to make such oats. And so an oath should only be for doing a good deed.
an oath should only be for doing a good deed. So you make an oath that, you know, I'm gonna, you know, given sadhaka, you make an oath that you're going to do this such and such good deed, when it comes to abandoning sins. We're not supposed to, we're not supposed to make an oath by a law that, you know, if I go back to the sin, then you know, I'm going to fast for example, you know, 10 days, or I'm going to give this much in sadhaka. And so, if a person does make such an oath, then he does have to, he does have to pay the kuffar for that. So, it means that he does have to, he does have to do what he made, you know, an oath by but he should not do that in the future. He should not resort
to doing that in the future, but rather he should take the other means to stop that sin. The other permissible means that are mentioned in the Quran and in this one.
This will be the last question for sure common shell and then we'll go to we have I think one or two more questions for Shanklin.
This question for sure camera says how to make your thoughts pure of women who are how long for me since I'm married, but I started to lower my gaze and look away since the last two or three years. I still need some advice and guidance.
Definitely lowering one's gaze is the
is the first step there is no doubt about that.
And, you know, that is the command of Allah subhanho wa Taala meaning I hope boom and I'm sorry him. Why follow Fujifilm Delica as Karla home, in the Wahhabi room be milestone, say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze
and protect their private parts for that is pure for them, and allies well aware of what they do. So this is definitely the very first step and you know, what you're doing is the correct thing. And if you, if you were saying that you've been doing this for the last two, three years, then Hamdulillah, your your what you're doing is, is good and you're upon the correct path.
Now, if you lower your gaze, and still, you know, those thoughts are coming to your mind. Perhaps you know, you were addicted to * in the past. And that's why, you know, these thoughts are coming to you.
Then, in the end of the day, you just have to constantly struggle with your enough's, because in the end of the day, your thoughts are a product of the cravings of your nerves. And obviously shaitan as well. So what you need to do,
is you need to continue to struggle against your nerves, do jihad with your nerves. So whenever you have those thoughts, whenever you have those thoughts, ignore them, you know, stop, persisting in those thoughts. Don't allow yourself to get carried away in those thoughts. And also, don't forget to seek refuge in Allah from shaitan. Because like I said,
these are the two sources. If you're having these thoughts without looking at women, then where else are these thoughts coming from? They're coming from your enough's that has those cravings of the past. And they're coming from shaitan. So you need to continue to struggle with your nerves, and you need to seek refuge in a lot from shape.
And when you say, ooh, below him in a shape on the road, Rajim and you seek refuge in Allah from shake on
it, try your best to ponder over the meaning of what you're saying, don't just say it without pondering over the meaning. You are saying I seek refuge in a lot from shaitan, who is the cursed?
Who is shapen? We know shaitan has so much power.
But when you bring to mind who you're seeking refuge in, then this helps you to put things into perspective. You are seeking protection and help in none other than a loss of hunter who without a who is far more powerful than shaitan. And so when a person seeks refuge, let's say you know, he's outside and it starts raining very heavily. He's going to look for shelter, right?
Where is he going to look for? Look for shelter under some flimsy weak place where you know, the rain is going to hit him? No, he's going to look for the strongest protection. And so when you say who do Billahi min, Ash shaytani r rajim. Keep that in mind that you are seeking protection. In the strongest protection, there is no greater protection and refuge, then the refuge with a loss of one who went to so when you have that conviction in your heart that you know, it is a law who's going to protect me from shaitan. Then a loss of Hannah who without a will reward you for your Eman in him and your trust in him. subhanho wa Taala Allah will reward you by actually keeping tripod away from
you. So these are the two things you need to do. Whenever you have these thoughts, obviously as well. Don't forget, try to busy yourself. Busy yourself whenever you have these thoughts with the remembrance of Allah with the remembrance of Allah.
And so when you remember Allah with your heart and your tongue, then this key keeps away all evil thoughts isn't like to Allah.