Mirza Yawar Baig – Living Islam Session #11
AI: Summary ©
The lectures in Islam are designed to encourage practice and learning, rather than being rude. The golden period of history is emphasized, along with the importance of avoiding fear and loss in relation to money and the concept of "good loans." The speakers stress the importance of avoiding fear and loss, finding ways to contribute to society, and considering "overcome of culture."
AI: Summary ©
Hammer,
Ireland sisters.
Before we start with today's class, which is on living Islam, I just want to clarify something from yesterday's class which was applied Syrah in case anyone has any doubts in the matter, which is the issue of the Halley's
where we saw Salim said whoever the landowner rated that also said he is not a Muslim, he is not a Muslim is not a Muslim three times. And they asked him this years ago who's not a Muslim, he said the one from who's had from who's evil, his neighbor is not sick.
And in another place, they're
the one from whose
hand and his tongue, the neighbor is not outside.
Now, the important thing to understand is here we are not rushing around anybody, we're not saying that somebody because if somebody irritates are a word has not been used, because that's not the intention of these at all. So in case anybody had that impression, let me clarify that there is that is not the meaning.
causing trouble your neighbors is a major sin. And emergency means that Allah will not forgive unless the person makes a wise depart unless you're okay with the other person. And then of course, if that happens, then Allah has the
has the ability, and Allah has the wish to, to put the person in Jannah or give him whatever punishment he wants to give him. So that is, it's a major sin, but it's not a question of the facade. It's not a matter. Obviously, I didn't mean that in any case. And anyway, if somebody has that impression, please get that impression.
We are not saying that somebody would say he's not a Muslim, the Roman Saracen himself is not pronouncing that we're on anybody. And we also operate runs interfered with, do you want to sit on a chair, please? You okay?
So I just want to make this clear the purpose of these lectures also, let me say the purpose of these things, you don't have any mistaken impression This is not a format number one. Number two, the purpose of these lectures is not to
make rulings on fifth. I am not a movie, I never claimed to be a movie. So please don't take anything I say as you're voting on anything, I do not be rude or anything at all.
I am narrating a hadith and I am giving you the reference of the Elise and I'm explaining to you what I understand from that we are loss manager and it would be to say that which is beneficial and correct and May Allah forgive me if I make a mistake, you also please make dua that Allah forgive me if I make a mistake. So the ill treatment of neighbors is something that is a major sin and if we do not seek forgiveness on us, then this
has the willing has the ability and he can punish and we ask Allah to protect us from his punishment. So when I say he is not a Muslim, he is not a Muslim, he's not harassing people. He's just saying that emphasize how important that matter is. So it is not almost demeaning this person is not exhibiting the qualities of a Muslim so I just wanted me to clarify that.
Before we go any further today inshallah in
terms of, of leaving Islam,
the Hadees of in Navajo, on the authority of Savannah of the Lando Rasulullah says, the people will soon summon one another to attack you as people when eating invite others to share their food. Someone asked will that be because of our small numbers at the time, sorceress Adam said no, you will be numerous at that time, but you will be froth and scum like that carried down by a torrent of water. And Allah Jalla Jalla Allah Who will take the fear of you from the breast and hearts of your enemy and cast your hand into your hearts. Somebody Ursula? Ursula, what is Alba Han nebuchadrezzar Petunia? remote he said love of the world and dislike of death.
We repeated this on the authority of sovereign the law
said the people will soon summon one another they would call one another attract you as people when inviting when eating, invite others to share their food someone asked will that be because of our small
numbers and the time let me know you will be numerous at the time, but you will be froth and scum like that which is carried down by a torrent of water by floodwaters. And Allah subhanaw taala will take the fear of you from the * and hearts of your enemy, and you will cast Allah hand into your hearts. Someone asked him, Allah sallallahu Sallam what is alpha, he replied, love of the world and dislike of death odilia remote, and this is in Santa Vito, the important thing to remind ourselves, first of all, is the purpose of these lectures, as I mentioned, is not giving the rulings This is to remind ourselves of how we need to practice Islam and how we need to live by Islam.
Because in this, there is benefit for us in this world, and the next. So after every lecture, we do that formally here, but even if we forget to do it, or we don't do it, that I request you, when you go home, do what they excel between, which is given what I learned today, what is it that I will start doing, what is it that I will stop doing? And what is it that I will continue to do? So whatever I learned today, given in the light of that, what is it I'm doing today, which I should not be doing. So we stopped them in the light of what I learned, what is it that I should be doing, which I am not doing? So I start with it, and then the light of what I learned today, what is it
that I am doing, but now I do it with greater
and greater emphasis because I also have now a texture,
roof, while the validity of what happened. So this is the purpose is to remind us to practice. Islam, as I keep saying all the time, Islam is the name of our practice, knowing about Islam is necessary only in order to practice Islam. If you just know about Islam, and we don't practice it and believe it, then there is no benefit to that, because just knowing about something does not benefit you only working on that will benefit you when when the thing is a matter of practice of wanting to just be reading history, for example, I know some of these words, you know, but same even there, I mean, if you haven't given the example, even then if I read something about history, one is
to just know it, and we leave it at that because nothing much to be done. But a more beneficial way of reading history, for example is to reflect on what I learned and say, What do I learn from this system? And how can I apply it in my life today? Nothing the same has these processes.
And if we go into the history of the of the Muslims themselves, we come to
the Peter For example, one period is the is known as the what we know as the golden period of history, which is the the almost the tail end of the bustle when the kingdoms of
castellana, before the Mongols attack before rolling, who attacked. So Buddha was at that peak of learning and so on and so forth. There was, you know, literally libraries and universities and all kinds of things in order to pick up. And then later on, after that the Andalusian Empire was formed. And then this traditional learning continued. But if you look at it, we can say, Well, you know, that is one side of it, which is
the
Learning Centers of learning about that, and so on were very vibrant and alive.
But then what happened to the whole thing? I mean, why, why is it that Hulu came and the mobile completely leveled everything, they wiped out everything in
the kill practically every living person there, and then the Andalusian empire that lasted for a few centuries after that,
we'd have on to that as well. Now, if you take that history, and you say, what is the lesson we are learning and then you apply this and if we see where the problem was? Now,
think about these two things. What is HIPAA? First of all, what is duty?
dunia in the context of the
technical meaning of it in Islam is something which diverts your attention away from those who handle data and
so do not just this world as in a geographical sense or physical sense, right? Islam for example, is not
against making money for example, that is not against
Being with Islam is not against, against having power and authority, the very fact that in Islam, there are detailed rules of how to deal with money. Right? What is allowed? What is haram? What sources of earning are haram? What are not allowed? Where do you want from? Where do you spend the showrooms or coffee shops, the whole detailed
system of inheritance.
Now think about that if making money was not permissible, if poverty was extraordinary and elevated in Islam, there is no point in having a whole list of you know, a whole system of inheritance because I am not supposed to have any wealth. So what is the point in telling me so and so will inherit despite that, but I have nothing. So what we'll do, we'll enter nobody. So very, the very fact that there is a whole system of inheritance shows that
these do happen. What Islam does with regard to that, let me let me take this a little further. So this is as far as money is concerned about power and authority, political power, different kinds of Power Authority, and so is it is it permissible in Islamic Buddhism? Something which is which you should pursue? What must you do? Again, the same, the same logic applies, because Islam as a detailed set of things, for example, told us who to appoint as a mirror and who not to appoint as an enemy? What is the basis on which you appoint, what are the duties this or that Now, obviously, if it was prohibited, for example, if there were if Islam had the system that was there in Coptic
Christianity, for example, or Hindus and so on, so forth, where the world itself is considered as negative, so, you must not have money You must not have power, you must not have wealth, go sit quietly in one, you know, cave somewhere and reject the dunya. If that was the case, then there would be no laws of inheritance there would be no rules of you know outward where to or where to spend. any of that is there will be no need because we are supposed to be doing
something.
Does anybody by chance have an extra phone on them that may not be there? accidentally?
Double check or missing a phone? Anybody? Everybody I checked. I checked my many times.
I checked many times.
You didn't you didn't pick it up? You didn't pick it up accidentally picked up deliberately nothing.
Box.
All right. So if that was the case, if Islam was some in Islam, asceticism was to be extraor, leaving the dunia was the purpose that none of these rules would have been there. Right. But that's not the problem in Islam and large data centers into this world, with a whole system of how to live in this world and how to run the affairs, our own affairs and the collective affairs of people in the world in a way, which is beneficial to all people.
So this itself is proof that Allah didn't send us into this union rejected
limit.
Now, that is the reason why laws matter. I gave a lot of rules. And this this is where, for example, we have the I have the Nia Illa, Allah subhanaw taala said, verily, the life of this dunya is nothing but mythology, which is translated in various ways, it is deception it is,
you know, it's a figment of the imagination, and so on and so forth. Now, if you think about that, and say, What is Macau? For example, if I have a, if I have a car, car is a car, but how is it deception? It's a physical thing is there right? If you don't believe me lie down in front of it. I'll run it away, you know.
So, I mean, the question of ours is a figment of the imagination, what is the meaning of our Guru with regard to that? Think about that, what is meant there for example,
I need a watch to tell the time.
But as I say, sometimes people buy a watch to tell the time and sometimes people buy a watch to tell the world
not to tell the time, right. So I'm wearing a watch which costs a million dollars. And every time I raise my hand I do this. So you see the watch. I make sure my my sleeve slipped back to see the watch. So the watch has nothing to do with killing the time the watch is I am projecting this image that I have this great billionaire, and I have a watch which is which costs a billion dollars. Now this is methodical
Because it's a figment of the imagination, this is this is what you are creating this image that you are creating of being you know more than what you are. Right? For example, car, what kind of car should you have, technically speaking, have a good car have a reliable car, have a car, which is, you know, it will take you from point A to point B and won't break down
the highway somewhere. So good car comfortable car bells and whistles friends, no problem.
But there is a car America there are cars which are transportation, there are cars, which I call depreciating assets.
Right? I mean, why would you put a million dollars into a car or into anything where the million dollars actually loses value over time? Why would you do that? That just shows bad financial planning bad financial understanding, why would you put money into a thing which is a depreciating asset?
Yeah, but somebody told me this earlier, you know, the red McLaren
has already bought it in, in California. And then they sold it in the UK. And they bought in California for 5 million pounds $5 million, and sold in the UK for four, 5 million pounds that at that time, it was almost double. So he said this is not a depreciating asset as a good go buy a McLaren. But you know,
you get the you get the you get the overall meaning of what I'm saying the the issue of the dounia when unless Batman dunya he's talking about this is not talking about the actual physical possession, I build a good house and I'm doing that I come from I come from a place where our
nobility are not even not even royalty, the nobility,
the houses, you know, one of the novelty, it's a it's a big Taj hotel now in Paris, I have not mistaken that thing has about 90 rooms.
So the point is, is things like that is the issue is what is it that you are trying to do? Now I'm not saying that necessarily. Therefore, Bologna massage, no. There are machines which are built again, not so much to. And again, I'm not going into somebody's heart to say that but I'm saying if you look at the budget, you have to wonder is this Masjid a symbol of
taqwa of Allah subhanho wa? Or is it a symbol of ostentation of the person who build that muscle
goldplated domes and all kameen carpets? Well, I mean, it's impossible to pray in the budget because a carpet has got so much of
some of them these carpets are very beautiful, all silver, Persian carpets, but it has so much of design in it, that when you are standing it see things simply moving and you know, all kinds of stories are happening in this carpet world.
So how would I make sudo by going into this garden, and maybe I won't come back out?
So what is this? This is the symbol of taqwa. Is it a? Is it a sign of somebody who wants to show up and say, Well, this is the kind of money I have what what is
the point I'm saying here is this bumper lunia is talking about this love for the world, which disconnects us from
the hope of the day and the love for this world produces two things, two very bad things. Number one,
it produces a love for the thing. So you are going to spend a lot of time and energy and everything else effort in getting it. And second thing is it produces the fear of losing it.
So people who love the lunia are also constantly living in fear of losing that. What will happen to me if I lose my position today, everybody looks up to me, what will happen to me How can I sit in a car which is smaller than the one I'm driving? Now, if I if I move from a big house to a small house, you know, somehow I'm now a smaller human being? What about my all this Java Java, there is a people actually psychologically speaking, they're living in a state of fear, the fear of losing them. Whereas somebody who does not have that, he will have it he may give it one of the show him with
some years ago, he passed away,
both very, very generous, extremely charitable man. So in the gondolas reading that they had for him, one of his friends he said, so and so was wealthy. He said, we are also wealthy.
But the difference between him and us is his wealth was in his hand, and our wealth is in our heart.
He said that is the difference. his wealth was in his annual used to give it away freely. Our wealth is in our hearts, which
doesn't come out when we want to give it doesn't cover difficult for us to give charity because, you know, we feel Oh my God, I've got to lose it and this is the issue of is this
the fear of loss? Because again
cognitively speaking from the knowledge of Islam, what is charity? Is it loss or is it good?
Good, right, charity is investment with Allah know this What
are
they
so, that he
has an idol do means a different meaning but but Hassanein used to laugh so hard is it it is to when you borrow you go and ask for the money when when you time for payment comes you laugh.
So, this is
so anyway that's not the meaning of the the actual meaning of the word is a good loan,
a loan which gets you a Santa with Allah subhanaw taala. So, what is the property the concept of it means that you are treating charity as an investment with Allah, for which Allah subhanho wa Taala will give the reward. And Allah mentioned that they desire the forest in North America and elsewhere, where Allah subhanaw taala mentioned even mentioned specific things Allah said one is to 10 Allah say one is to 700 and then Allah, Allah will give the lady so this is the concept bar when we give charity simple sometimes I ask people to do this, this is a
total of the amount of charity that you paid for this year.
And then total up the money that you spent in the same year. On for example, holidays. Maybe you bought some things gadgets, or maybe you want a car, right? total of that which one is more
nuts again, I it's not me. I'm not saying I'm not even talking about if you go to holiday, please go.
Nothing wrong. But that holiday is not investment in anything. Believe me that much also is true. You are allowed to do that. No problem. Angela, please, by all means.
But the charity you are giving is investment with Allah subhanaw taala. Do we really believe it's investment in here? Yes. But in here in the heart? Do we really believe that?
This is Andrew saying these are the signs of a Petunia what is una poco dunya is to love the dunya in a way where it distracts me from Allah subhanaw taala and it
ties me down in the world where I don't want to lose it. I am afraid of losing it.
I'm constantly living in this fear
is a beautiful story
about one of the Dario
and his name was had him
hadn't been awesome to learn how to murasa he was one of the great fabulous scholars and his chef was shafiqul bulky.
So happy story is that happened when NASA decided to go for Hajj.
Do you know those days husband long journey costs a lot of money for many months.
So he made mention of his family and he said to them look I have collected enough money to go for lunch.
But I don't have too much money to leave behind with you guys so you will have to rough it out. So is it okay do you permit me to go
so his wife said no. If you have if you don't have enough money to live here with us then you don't go when you have enough money then you
were his children's and various things. His little daughter.
His daughter said
she said we have faith in Allah.
In the lava Rosa COVID-19 Allah subhanaw taala said Verily Allah subhanaw taala is the rasa is the provider. You provide with this power and authority. She's a cool
look after
him.
He decided we went
after he went Now a
couple of weeks passed for route
not everybody obviously the mother or the other sibling and so on. He told his girl I see a big mouth you talked all this stuff of what is gone well the
father also got
the You are the cause of all this.
So when this pressure got a lot on her,
she went inside the house
into a small quiet room
and she raised her hands
Jimmy Dore
as you said you're gonna
go do
what you say is true.
And you said under the hood, and you said oh by the
way, live Amaya Takayama life
user, the one who has done what?
I will extract him from his difficulties.
And I will provide him from sources that he cannot imagine.
And the one was tawakkol Allah, Allah will become sufficient for him.
Because he went to deliver she met his daughter. Before she could lower her hands. There is a knock on the door
because it opens the door, there is the soldiers of the governor of the place.
So the ADC the governor he says the governor is passing by.
He's thirsty we have we don't have water, can you give us some water?
So this girl went inside, she got water, she got into a nice, you know, nice john. So I need to go and he made it look nice and so forth. And
this man took the water to the governor, the governor drank the water, and he found this water to be good. Allah subhanaw taala put Baraka and what
he really loved his water using water what this water was beautiful for him.
So when he drank his water, he asked him where to get his work from they said, Sandy is from this house, the house
is whose house
he said.
He said the scholar is serious. He says then we have to work excellently
view works. So they said nobody is not there. He's gone for Hajj. He says gone for us. Yes. He said then to look after his family is our responsibility
in his absence.
So then what he did was, you know, they used to getting these
outrageous with gold coins in them. So he put his hand in his pocket, he pulled out his pouch of gold coins, and he threw it over the wall of the house.
So he's got a bunch of gold coins which went over this.
And then he felt that this is not enough.
And talking about the issue of proper dunya and Taka, Allah.
So he said to his people, he said, Whoever loves me do what I do.
Then I might do the governor's a whole lot of people with him. Everyone
threw their pouch of gold coins around his houses later because gold was everywhere.
This little girl started crying.
The mother said to me, You are a strange creature. Well, we were starving and we are nothing and so on. You are a smile on your face. Now. So bottom borders, Kamala has given you a crime. So what's wrong with you?
She said, I'm crying because
the generosity of a human beings notice.
One single thing.
One single thing, the generosity of a slave of Allah, a human being is like this. What will be the generosity of Iraq?
What will be the generosity of
this is the meaning of removing
who will
have money you should have money there's nothing there's nothing glorified or romantic or poverty.
If Allah has not given us a different issue, but just being lazy and not working,
right, this is not from Islam.
Work hard, earn money, have power have authority, but don't keep it to the heart.
Don't give it to the hand. Using invested
in the back of Allah subhanaw taala let the whole world benefit
and the horrible horrible benefit from it.
It's like a it's like a like a huge tree which is which has shade and which has is full of fruit.
What happens if somebody throws a straw and the tree what doesn't drink even return fruit
will chicken or leave on it has it hasn't the good
old building
gotta hustle mode again comes from the same thing because when we love the dunya you don't want to leave.
I remember something I saw here right here in the Springfield area
22 years ago and I was up here for some reason I remember going to a dermatologist,
the camera executive a robot, but one of the one of the hospitals. So I went there and I went to somebody's house as a company. I didn't get to see the doctor. I was sitting there in the in the waiting room.
And all man came. This man was walking with a walker.
Very old man is walking with a walker, can you walk and as he came past me, I got a very strong smell of urine.
So I knew he was incontinent, maybe you know he was passing urine. So incontinent. Imagine that. What kind of quality of life that parents so he comes there and he says to the receptionist, I have to figure out she said, Sir, do you have an appointment? Yes or no? But I was emergency.
So she's the worst.
So he's kind of bald on his head. He says look here and there is some discoloration he said this thing could be cancer.
This could be skin cancer. I must see him now
My life is in danger. I'm thinking to myself what is your life worth immediate life is in danger
look at the state you are living in i mean you know if I was in that state I would want to die I mean, I wouldn't want to live like this with your urine is going and this is that
love for this
love of living? I'm not saying you are either please die No, I mean, it is it is it permissible and we must ensure that you know we do when we take whatever treatments and so on so I'm just saying that the the unwillingness to let go of this world It prevents us from charity it prevents us from living peacefully it prevents us from dying please
and the reason I'm saying that when this happens when these two qualities come into the heart and love for the union
and along with that comes a fear of depth and uncover here which is a dislike for them
so the manager takes away power from you
you'll become slaves
because anyone can do
anyone can do you mean it's a carrot and stick
the carrot will also work and the stick will also work people forget carrot and stick works only for donkeys but if you become a donkey that it was really
who wants a carrot? Nobody
except donkeys.
But if we make ourselves donkeys and whatever the character is very attractive anybody can give a little bit of something
somebody asked me the other day I mean these are generalizations that don't apply to everybody obviously, but somebody asked me the other day they said you know how is it that our people are foreseen everywhere
a male Okay, well, I mean we will talk about politics he said how is it that Muslim leaders are for sale everywhere anybody can buy a Muslim
they can again as I said doesn't apply to everybody but there are enough examples there Why is it we are for sale if
you do anything for money, you do anything for having some you know miserable authority somewhere
observe the time will come
when people will invite each other
to destroy him like people invite each other droplet.
And the question is, is it is it because we will be fewer number because you know they are used to a system where just a handful of them used to win wars, I mean a handful of them a couple of hundreds of them and they are getting victory and they are doing things and you know, the they are conquering territory and this is why we're on this change.
So the automatic thought is maybe there is nobody there maybe just two or three people.
Not if not because it would be fewer number.
Because you see the example he gave he says like the form on a flood.
If you've seen a flash flood, it carries all or a devotee you know dry grass and small sticks and the wool or a form and stuff on it. It looks big because it's all this form but it weighs nothing.
It
has no weight.
Today think about today think about this who is asking for example if you take different kinds of decisions being taken in the in the cabinets of the world, the parliaments of the world.
In the Senate's of the world,
about Muslims decisions about Muslim countries, who's asking for our opinion about them?
Who's asking and saying, What do you think?
Nobody,
they don't care two hoots then take a decision. And obviously they are taking a decision, the decision won't be for you, it will be for them.
If you benefit, your own benefit doesn't make any
difference to them.
But does anybody ask us? What do you think? Because you are the guy who's going to get affected? What's your opinion? Nobody.
They don't care, because we have no weight, where it comes from contribution
doesn't come from talking about contribution.
Just to give you one small detail
from 1900 to 2010. So 110 years. And before that, if you take a look at in astronomy, if you look at the names of stars, and constellations, wasting
60% of the names of celestial bodies
are Arabic 160%.
But if you take the period from 1900 to 2010, which is a period of 110 years, three Muslims, only three won the Nobel Prize in science in physics incomes,
preview,
one of them, I don't know if
you can debate that till
the white one. So what happened was
simply he's talking about the golden age of Andalusia and the golden age of that, how many, you know, libraries were there in but that doesn't make any sense. If I simply asked you to show for a show of hands, if I just ask you, how many of you have read one book in the last three months?
How many people how many books have you read in the last three months? What is the answer? So what's the word of talking about the number of libraries? And what do you do that we don't read?
We do not read.
I remember somebody people keep on doing these surveys, as though I'm not vouching for the accuracy of the survey. But one survey said that there were there were these figures, which said that in America, the average person, the average American reads, I think 22 or 28 books per year. In the UK, it was about 30 books a year, the whole of the Middle East is half a page per year.
All the Middle Eastern countries combined half a page per year.
As I told you, maybe the numbers are not exact, and accurate. But the fact remains the number of books sold. For example, Jerry, which is a very big major bookshop in the Middle East, you take the
word of Barnes and Nobles take the take the number of books sold, there is not even a comparison.
Not even a competitor.
So we have to get our act together, we have to start becoming contributing members of society. We are net consumers, but we don't
just consume
nobody's first consumers, people respect contributors.
So we need to contribute in all fields. It's not just a matter of, you know, Islamic thing, something that other people are not even interested with it. We're talking about other fields, we talk about science and technology, or agriculture, we're talking about social work, you're talking about education, you're talking about public health, different fields, what is the contribution of Muslims?
That is what will give us this wasn't, that's what will give us this influence. Because then, like everywhere else, people respect and they are like those who give. Nobody likes those who take. So if we become the world at one point in time, this is the tragedy, you know, if we were people who never contributed anything, then I could say we know all right, so we never did anything, we cannot do anything now so big.
But that's not the case.
We were huge, huge, huge contributors.
And then we just fell off this off the side of the earth or something goggles.
Now this is not a this is not i'm not saying this to make you depressed, depressed or anything but you know, come back back on the table, which is that this is changeable. We need to change that. And each one of us needs to work in his own our own personal space to say, what is it that what is it that I can do to contribute to the rest of the world? If I get to one thing, let me
Do that one thing.
Don't worry about how many people are coming how many people are listening, let nobody Come, let nobody listen you do what?
Allah Subhana Allah will take that to where you are today.
Right? We are supposed to be pleased with you to never be never. And to never be displeased, we ask no smarter enable us to live
according to the Sunnah
and to live in a way, which is obedient to Allah subhanaw taala. We ask Allah to show us ways to contribute in this work, and to help us understand that this contribution is investment in ourselves in our own asset. We are not doing it for somebody else, doing it for ourselves. We ask God to help us to understand this. And to do this and to continually continue to do that in the last day of our lives on this earth. We ask Allah to take to keep us in a state of obedience, and to take us in a state of widgets was gonna be very
tactical