Living Islam #55

Celine, my mother also realized while he was there to sell them to Sleeman, kathira, mavado myrobalan. Sisters, we are on the,

in the class of

about a man or on the class of

the

living Islam, we ask Allah subhana wa Taala to make it

something that is a benefit for us. Because as I've said many times before,

Islam is a practice, it is the name of a practice, it is not the name of

philosophy or the theory. And any practice is only as good as it is practiced, in benefits those who practice it, and it does not do anything for those who do not practice it.

We are not ethnically Muslim, we are not Muslim, as because of our race, we are not Muslim, because of our color, non Muslim, because of gender, non Muslim, because of nationality. We are Muslim because of belief,

and our willingness to live by that.

And if he, if we want to benefit from that belief, and that is the purpose of believing is to benefit from it, then we have to live by that we have to practice what we profess.

And the benefit we get will be in direct proportion to what we practice.

My brothers and sisters that I mentioned in the last class also that it's a reality of our lives that we talk that what we talk about becomes real for us.

And what we do not talk about, no matter how real it may really be, seems like a fantasy.

A good example, is global warming.

Which is literally a classic case in point.

So is the looming water crisis? I don't know how many of you aware but

water is now being traded on the stock exchange in California as a commodity, so you can you can buy futures. It's not in Islam, it is not permissible. But I'm saying that in California, they have water as one of the Yeah, futures trading commodities on the California Stock Exchange along with oil and gold.

Talk about global warming. I think I mentioned this before and I want to say it again. It should be one of your there are two

extremely important

documentaries that i i think they should be

required watching are required reading, required to study in all schools and colleges. And I strongly recommend that you watch both of these. One is called the four horsemen, four horsemen. And the second one is an inconvenient truth and Inconvenient Truth. These are two documentaries that you absolutely must watch.

Talking about inconvenient truths. The Four Horsemen is a documentary, which is about the global economic system, the global finance system. It talks about how money works in this world, and how the way money is used in order to enrich the wealthy and to impoverish the poor, even more. And it's something that is absolutely critical to watch, because Islam comes with a system, which is the opposite of that enrichment of the poor and the wealthy, being custodians of wealth and being people who will support the poor, not you're not trapped by impoverishing the web, you know, we talk about supporting diversity, not allowing them to be predatory in their accumulation or acquisition of

wealth.

And the very beautiful result of this, which is that the overall economy the size of the economy, will will grow. The whole point of this is that the more we have poverty, the more we have a disparity of income.

The smaller becomes the size of the overall global economy.

Because if the size of the economy is to be defined by purchasing power,

by the ability to buy, then obviously people who are below the poverty line can't be counted in that. So you may have a population. This is one of the classic mistakes that a lot of multinationals made, and continue to make going into countries like India, for example. They go purely by population figures by demographic because they say that there is a population between the ages of 20 and 60. There is so many there are so many people, and therefore, this is the largest within quotes middle class in the world, and therefore, it is the largest economy it is not, because it's not a question of how many people are between the ages of 20 and 60. The question is, what can they buy?

How much of discretionary income do they have? How much of disposable income do they have? How much of discretionary spending Do they have, if they want to buy something, do they have the money to buy that thing, because if they if they want to buy something, and they do not have the money to buy, then just having those people as one bodies doesn't have, right? So for example, the size of Switzerland, as an economy is much, much bigger than the size of countries whose population is 50 times that of the population of children. Now of Sudan, for example, if you go to Somalia, for example, you know, huge populations, but the buying power is almost nothing. Whereas it takes

Switzerland and Switzerland the buying power is enormous, because of the number of people who have the money, the discretionary spending money, the disposable income that they're

so for article talks about how the whole economic system is geared against this, it's geared to enrich the wealthy at the expense of everybody else. Now, as I'm explaining to you this does not make any sense whatsoever, in any way. But May Allah protect us ourselves? I don't know what happens to the wealthy people to the world, what happens to that just natural intelligence, what are you going to do with with the goods and services that you provide, if nobody is there to buy it, if the if the number of people to buy it is progressively becoming less, which is what is happening in the world, poverty is exploding poverty is, is our single biggest calamity, is not war, it is not

COVID-19 by a longshot. It is poverty, poverty is what is destroying us. And you know whether anyone likes to try to accept it or not, but poverty is not seen as a killer poverty is not seen as a destroyed. Similarly, global warming, there are many scientists who are of the opinion that we are already over the top there already, as they say we are, we have gone over the edge of the cliff and we are falling. So I don't subscribe to that. Because if that if I did subscribe to that, then I wouldn't be talking to you. There's no sense. If we are absolutely destined and bound to be extinguished and extinct, then there is no sense in talking about. So I don't believe that, I

believe we still have a chance. And anyway, I am a great believer in the fact that as long as I'm alive, I have to do something worthwhile and useful. So I am continuing to do what I think is was quite useful, which is to try to encourage people to give them hope, to to strengthen them, strengthen them, and to help them in in any way that I can help them.

So my point is that

these two films, I want you to watch An Inconvenient Truth. And this now the reason I'm saying that is because you're talking about what we talk about is very real to us. And what we don't talk about is becomes as if it is a fantasy, even though actually it may be extremely real. Now both the economic system poverty and the danger of poverty, as well as

global warming. And believe me, they are more real than you can ever imagine. Absolutely, critically real. But ask me ask yourself this question. Do you turn off your light turn on lights in your in your home? Do general fans do you worry about about carbon, about your carbon footprint about carbon emissions? Do you worry about using air conditioning unnecessarily? For example? Do you worry about any of these things? Will all of these things contribute to global warming?

You don't do that because we hardly ever talk about

what are you concerned about? COVID-19 COVID COVID COVID because the constant talk is about COVID. We are we have

ticker tapes on television talking about

COVID

COVID details, constantly the conversation is how many positive cases this country, that country, how many people died, and so on and so forth. So COVID has become more real than it actually is. I'm not saying it's not real, it is real. Please do take precautions, please wash your hands, please wear masks, please maintain distance, please stay away from crowds. Don't go into into enclosed spaces. Please don't, you know, have dinner parties and whatnot. Enjoying now and massages and so forth. Again, the We Are Going back to

pretty much 28th 2019 dates were missing now only 25% of capacity, and so on and so forth. But the point i'm saying is that the reason why that COVID is so real to us is because we talk about it so much. Whereas global warming, and poverty, which are truly speaking, much more dangerous than COVID can ever be disavowed. And yet, we live in a world as if these don't exist. Now, why am I talking about this, because this is not

by my topic today is not the environment. My topic is leaving Islam. And my reason I'm talking about that is that this is the situation with our architect. If you look at the archive, look at life after death. Just think about this and say, you know, I wanted to do this as a as a little experiment as a, as a pad. Keep a pad handy. And write down what you talk about throughout the day, you don't have to write the entire conversation, just take notes, so that you will remember,

don't change anything, no praise, no blame, just record what happens in your life. And then, in the night, sit down and see what is mentioned. See what you wrote on this pad. And note is what is it that occupies your attention, your emotion, and your energy the most? And then ask yourself, what in your view is the effect of this on your life? Right? So when you're writing things down, write down and say, Well, how many times do I mentioned the union? How many times for example, do I mentioned my job? My education? Maybe some you know, issues with family? How many times do I talk about politics? How many times do I talk about COVID? How many times do I talk about the global economy?

The stock market, whatever it is, that we talked about? And also see how many times do I talk about the cover of the the grave? How many times do I talk about Jenna jam? How many times do I talk about standing before Allah subhanaw taala? How many times do I talk about God that I will be called before Allah subhanaw taala? To answer for what I did, or didn't do, what I chose to do and what I chose not to do this, think about this as a

just write on all of this right? And don't see you You can only fool yourself, I mean, you can write down a list in which you are only talking about life after it but then you know, that is not true. So be real, be truthful to yourself with this for yourself. You're not gonna show this to anybody, just write down? And then ask yourself, How many times did I mentioned the matter? How many times I mentioned about my death? And remember, as soon as I said that the most intelligent of you is the one who mentions his death the most often. So am I intelligent? Ask yourself this question. And

then ask yourself that going by this list, which is a which is the authentic, Real Time list of what I mentioned, what I talk about my life, what is truly important for me,

right? What is truly important for

now, and then you can analyze this further, you can say, Well, you know, look at the stuff in this and say, what is it that I really that I stressed about? What is it that I was very anxious about? And then ask yourself? Is it was it really worth being anxious about that thing? And was it really worth being stressed about it? was it was it? Was it something that was really worth worrying about? So as can see,

you know,

those things are really worth worrying about. Then one of the ways is, for example,

see the effect of that thing going wrong? What is it that what will happen if

what are you saying? What are you worried about what will happen if that thing

doesn't happen? If it goes wrong, for example, you're looking for a job What if I can't find a job in the next three months? What if I can't find a job in the next six months? But just think about that what what is the worst case and what is the worst worst that can happen?

And then see what

is the solution for that? What would you be able to do? How would you be able to deal with that? Now, interestingly,

some of the things, for example, you know, if I, as I mentioned, if I lose my job if I can't find another job, what if somebody close to me dies?

What if the government in my country changes and a government that is hostile to me? And my kind of that if that government comes to power? What am I fail by career exams? What if I fall sick with something incurable? For example, if I get COVID? What will happen? Now?

Do this, think about this, think about everything that can go wrong, right? That just just fantasize everything that can go wrong, and literally, sort of frighten yourself for the next week? And then ask the question, if all of these things go wrong?

How long will the effect of that last?

How long will the effect of that last?

And then, of course, analyze yourself and see the first of all, the chances of all of these things going wrong at once, the chances of that happening everything together at once is literally zero.

It literally zero, it can't happen. So, you will have only some of these things possibly going wrong. And if that happens, the effect of that, how long will it last? In some cases, it might last few months, in some cases by last few years. In some cases, it will last and in every single case it will end when you end that when you die, that effective one, whatever it was incurable disease is there until when until I die after that. As I say that there is a you know, no cure for cancer except death. Oh, you know, once somebody dies, the cancer dies with it. So the question is that, how long will that effect last? And then ask us about the question. The question is, if I land up

before almost battletech. And if Allah is not pleased with me,

how long

will the consequences of that last?

Right? How long will the consequences of that last? So one is, if the world is not pleased with me, somebody doesn't like what I do.

Oh, he doesn't like me as a person, whatever. How long will the effect of that last? And the second one is that how long will the effect of Allah subhanho wa Taala not being pleased with me? How long will that effect last? These are two questions that I want you to think about and

and then analyze and say, what really am I stressed about? And what should I be stressed?

brothers sisters,

we like to talk about a stress free life. Believe me, a stress free life is a fantasy. Right? It's a fantasy doesn't exist.

Every life has stress. happiness in life is about deciding what you want to be stressed about. It is that simple believe

happiness is to decide what you want to be stressed about not to be free of stress, you will always have some stress, you can decide what you want to be stressed about. You cannot get rid of stress. But you can be you can decide what you what is worth

being stressed about. Now, that's why I asked I first asked you to examine

what stresses you the most. Now

there's our stress over there is no such thing as a stress free life for anyone who's intelligent. I mean, I think the only people who can do a stress free life are people who are extremely, extremely stupid, because they're incapable of conceptualizing anything capable of forcing anything. And they live like animals just for the moment. So I get enough food.

I go, I like animals have babies, for example, you know, baby,

as long as the baby is not hungry, and as long as the baby is not wet. That baby is content, right? So if as long as you're feeding the baby on time, and you clean, clean, clean it up and make sure it's dry and one that maybe has no there's no stress in life. But that's the level of an animal that if the baby is at that point an animal really there's no intelligence there's no thinking there's no

trying to you know, foresee the future or foresee I don't mean it like, you know, some fortune teller, I mean, foresee in the sense of looking at the future from a positive angle and saying what is it that I can do to affect my life?

positively that none of that you know, that a baby has. So, we will have a stressful, but any intelligent adult is going to have a life, which will have some thought in it, it will have some purpose to it, there is a possibility of success, the possibility of failure, and so on. So therefore, that life will have some level of stress.

The Saba will stress, the Sahaba was stressed rasulillah salam was so stressed, there are lots of parallel and you will learn about it. When I talk about your nutsack I went to literally, you know,

destroy yourself or harm yourself, because of your stress that people are not.

They don't they don't believe you that they don't follow you. Right. So this was this was the stress of that I really set up the cyber stress, the great scholars were stressed, stressed,

all the MBAs are stressed, the question to ask is, what were they stressed about? Right?

What was the stress level? And that's the reason why I lost valuable data, give us a solution for stress.

Where is it? Allah basically lie to my inmune Allah said that very early in the,

in this in the vicar of Allah, in the remembrance of Allah, there is it will not there is peace of mind there is

actually. So, mind is that is that is the correct translation for economical

or freedom from stress, you can call it that. And that's because the one was focused on was mantella and seeks to please him over and above everyone everything else.

In doing so, the person frees himself from the only matter which should produce stress in our in ourselves, which is what would happen if I meet Allah and he's displeased with me. So, when the person is focused on pleasing Allah, then this is the real cause of stress, which is what will happen if I meet Allah in a state where LSP is displeased, this question is answered this this anxiety is taken care of, because if I am making the effort to please Allah Subhana Allah, Allah subhanaw taala

we have every hope, that as long as we make the effort, Allah subhanaw taala will forgive our sins, Allah subhanaw taala will

will will, will will forgive the omission that we make. And this is the in line with this reading for this matter as it said that when a when a person goes towards Allah subhanaw taala walking Allah comes towards him running when he goes towards him the you know the the hand span the width of x man and luck comes to him the width of it of the of the length of the arm. So, this is you know this wrong. Therefore, we know that if we make the effort a loss manager will inshallah reward us when the person is only worrying about that, that Allah should be pleased with me, then he will find that his life becomes

stress free in that context. Second thing is that a person who is concerned about the pleasure of Allah swatara is also constantly aware of the presence on earth and his life. And when you are aware of the presence almost monitor your life, the benefit of that is that gives you huge confidence. And the words of chef Sadie angelelli suddenly said car karma, the karma azova cars as a mob of karma, he said Why should I be concerned about my about solving my problems? Because though the problem solver, the one who really solves problems, who has the power to solve problems, he is concerned about solving my problems. This vision doesn't do justice to the to the share, but he said Sokka

Karima karma, karma, karma karma karma has to come to bartonella guys as a matter of secret karma, calm kabaneri wallaga mera kaam ki Veronica karma la y to make up Nikon COVID-19

Moto

G.

So this is the,

the understanding of

of that, now versus just

now you may you may, some of you will, may be thinking but what about people? What about society? What about career and conditions in the world and so on? How can I live my whole life in a state of pay? And the answer is there is no need to live your life in a state of pain. nobody's talking about this. We are saying that it

You are focused on pleasing Allah subhanho wa Taala then your life everything in your life will fall into place you will live a life full of happiness full of peace full of harmony full of success, and inshallah your accurate will also become that we will also make up for success because Allah subhanaw taala did give us the answer. First guru, the guru was guru de la Crone. Yeah, you will live in a monastery with somebody was solid in law, or beauty. Allah said, therefore, remember me, and I will remember you and be grateful to me.

And never be ungrateful, or you will believe, seek help in patience, and Salah. Truly Allah subhanaw taala is with the sovereign allies with the people who are

patient,

my brother and sisters,

the way to real influence, and power and popularity is to strengthen and strengthen our connection with Allah.

I want to repeat that the way to real influence and power and popularity is to strengthen and strengthen our connection with Allah subhanaw taala. When that happens, everything else will automatically fall into place. Fix one connection and every other connection will fix it will fix it. So ignore that one correction, and you will go mad trying to fix a million connections and nothing will work.

That's why I was rather upset be grateful, do not be ungrateful, you remember me? I will remember Think about that. What is the context? What is the meaning what is the value of Allah subhana wa tada renumbering you on is

the Hadees which is an explanation of this act, in a way is where Allah said in bootsy, but by snail remember me, within himself, I remember him in myself when he remembers be alone by himself, I remember him in the same way alone by myself whereby they will both be in company, I remember him in a company which is better than his

right. So this is the beauty and the fun lies remembering just think about that get this, try to get this feeling as a loss rather than as remembering you. Then what is the value of that? What does that do in terms of popularity and success? The word and influence and protection from harm and so on. So all the stuff you're worried about? How can anybody harm somebody whose name Allah Subhana Allah is taking who allies in number three, how can and how can that person be unsuccessful? How can that person become unpopular, or lose significance or lose value? How is it possible cannot have a because Allah is with you, then there is nothing in the world which could stand in your way that

Allah della

I tried talk to bicep this, you know, one connection, we're excited that you say to tie

a tie, job.

That one suit one such that which you think is very difficult and expensive. It frees you from 1000. suit, it frees you from a 1000s of good because

when you make that one says that Allah subhanho wa Taala then everything in the world falls into place, then you don't have to please anybody, everything would be pleased, because Allah subhana wa Taala will constantly be pleased. We know the Hadees of

the Vietnamese or Sallam said that when Allah subhanaw taala loves the person unless while they're called given a Salaam and tells him I love so and so just by name Allah is taking your name, I love so and so. And you also love that person do you believe that I was given this to say you love this person. And also an upset village then

announces in the habits

that Allah loves this person this bad or this woman and all of you also love that person. So the inhabitants of the heavens, the Malacca and the in the heavens, they love that person and love and popularity and is for that person and affection for that person is established in the hearts of the people on the earth. So this is the route I mean the simplest route instead of running around ragged, trying to please a million people please Allah subhanho wa Taala and everybody has automatically will be will become pleased with you. Last America

mentioned this. This is my favorite I have I keep on reciting them.

Every every time we're almost America said when Maria tequila Yala Maharajah COVID Hazel Erica z Takara la Hippo in Allahabad awamori. Khadija La La would equal the chain Katara Allah, Allah does it. And whosoever fears a lot and keeps his duty has stuck or whoever has has taqwa Allah will make a way for him to get him out of every difficulty. Today we are talking about COVID. That is that they're worried about the economy worried about jobs, what must we do? straighten our lives, become a key. focus our lives and say, How can I please Allah, whatever I was doing in my life, which was displeasing to Allah or which could have been displeasing to Allah, let me stop doing it

immediately. no delay immediately. If I was bordering on interest, get rid of that, if I was lying and cheating, get rid of that, if I was abusing my wife or husband get rid of that, if I was making Bhima slander, you know, backbiting people, get rid of that, ensure that you do not do anything, which can displease Allah subhanho wa Taala.

Right, get rid of that, because only if you do that, then Allah subhanaw taala will love that person. And then Allah said, If you do that, because then you become Motoki, then Allah said, then I will extract you from your difficulty. So, you whatever you are afraid of this will disappear. Allah subhanaw taala will take you out of that conditions will not change, but they will not affect you at first, this is the important thing to remember. And then Allah said that Allah will then provide him from sources he could not imagine imagine, think about desert, you know, we we are so stuck to the to the material world, that we look for solutions also only in the material world, we do not see and

we do not understand that solutions can be the drill solutions are really the

data. So it's not only them, not not just not only, but also these are things which are not in the material world, these things are

in with Allah subhanaw taala and Allah subhanho wa Taala

you know, gives us this ability and endless amount of data will solve those problems for us. So, therefore, we need to,

you know, we need to be sure about what we are what we are doing. So I remind myself and you, let us let us think about that and see how do we spread knowledge so Allah said, the allowance will will provide you from sources you cannot imagine that we think of our material world and we say what will happen, this will happen that will happen, you know, vaccine for COVID and stuff for the economic

helping us in economic problems, but I'm not sure I will provide him sources, then that then even more, Allah subhanaw taala said I'm a talker like was the one who has our Quran is the one who has completed go to faith and trust in me, I will become sufficient for that person. Allah will become sufficient for that person. Imagine Allah not even saying I will give this to the Allah, Allah will become sufficient for you, whatever you need, Allah will be there for that. What is the biggest need we have? The biggest need we have is forgiveness for most granted. The biggest need need we have a gentleman and Alaska I will become sufficient and sufficient where and when. Until we exist.

In this life, in the next line, in the harbor, I have I am going to the grave, I will have issues there potential problems, who is there for me alas man.

So what happens when a problem

on the day of judgment and going before Allah Subhana Allah is I will become sufficient for you.

For that, what must you do? What must I do? Become watashi become concerned about pleasing Allah subhanho wa Taala over and above every other concern.

I've already mentioned to the audience of what happens when Allah loves somebody that is above or below the line which is in say, Bukhari, my brothers sisters, let us look at our lives and see what we are paying to get watch believe in his life is a transaction

to get something you have to give something everything everything has a price that no free lunches as they say. So let us look at what am I giving to get what

and then ask yourself, Is it really worth it? Is it really worth it? You know, return on investment. We do this in, in financial accounting and so on any investment we do what is the ROI

What is how much return on the investment Am I getting? And what is the best investment, the best investment is the one on which the ROI is highest. So the return on investment is higher. So the rest of us investment. So what is the return on investment, as a sense in terms of quantum and duration. For example, if I sell my house, and I use that money to go on a world cruise on a luxury cruise liner, I will return with some nice photos and some warm memories, and maybe some amazing experiences and be homeless. Because I sold my house. I sold the house, and I went off on this cruise. And when I come back, yeah, I had a nice experience nice holiday, but I am homeless. Now

what would you call that return on investment? What would you call that return? What would you call it investment? Would you say that? You're a smart guy? You know, you sold your house? And you went on this cruise? Wow, fantastic. What a beautiful experience you must have had, and so on and so on. And now you're homeless on the street a good luck for you. Right? I've tried to find a nice

doorway somewhere to sleep tonight. Yeah, imagine that. Here's also sleeping in an order because he's old house. So what kind of investment is that? What kind of return is that? On the other hand, if I sell my house and I buy two shops, and I rent them out, and I move into an apartment on rent, and I live off the income, what would you call that return on investment. So I used to work and everyday has to go to work by and maybe you know it's sometimes difficult. I may still go to work but now what I have is our house to live in comfortably and I'm getting an income without me necessarily having to go to work every day. And if I'm going to work every day also around the law

This is a supplemental income now what would you call that kind of return on investment so here's a guy who sold his house and rent no clothes years ago sold his house bought two shops, and he and the rest of it. Now who is the more intelligent person now do any permutations and combinations on this? You know saying how to buy gold buy stocks whatnot. What would you call that return? Visa v. Sell house go on a cruise. Now let's see how this works with Allah Subhana Allah, Allah subhanaw taala called is life itself a business he call it a transaction? He said yo levina armano helado loco mala t Jarrah T. Two g komen as I believe he said, Oh believe, shall I guide you to a business that will

save you from a painful torment. Now what is the return on that investment manager I will have a follow through I'm Sadie Punjabi sejati fella, in

our home lives level, unless it were brings one good deed of obedience to Allah shall have 10 times the like they're off to his or her credit. And whoever brings one evil deed, which is disobedience to Allah shall have only the recompense of that like they have, and they will not be wronged. So I was very jealous. Say that.

What is written you know that that's 1,000% This is the return on the investment that is done to please Allah subhanaw taala. Now think about that. What is the one word for obedience to Allah? And what is the guarantee that whatever it is that I'm doing is obedience to Allah and will earn his credit? What's that one word? What's the one thing that if you say I do this, I am home and dry I don't have to worry what is it that is called the sun that is called the sun right. So, I remind myself and you let us think about this context and and try to improve this is our next now my brother sisters.

I want you to we will we'll look at something more about the explanation on ROI and so on.

In the next session inshallah, but for the moment, I want you to give you some give this thought and say that

when Allah subhanaw taala is talking about and a return on investment, what is my investment with Allah remember, no matter how big the percentage of return, it may be, the absolute amount you get will be in relation to the amount to invest even if it is 1,000%. So you're getting one is to 10 at 10 times, somebody invest one rupee is still got only 10 rupees 10 rupees is really what's generally what doesn't buy a cup of tea.

But somebody who invests a million dollars, gets $10 million.

The percentage is the same. What made a difference is how much did we invest quantum of investment

and the question to ask

ourselves, what is the quantum of my investment in math?

Because that will be based the return that I get from the absolute absolute return as well as rather to enable us to live Islam and to fill our lives with the Baraka of living Islam. As well as relatively pleased with us, and to enable us to live a life which pleases and to take us in a state where it

was a little hard on me. It was me