Understanding our purpose #3

hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa salatu salam ala ala l mursaleen. Allah Allah He was happy his main alright. Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. Welcome to the program. We are looking at understanding our purpose.

I spoke to you about the purpose that Allah subhanaw taala set forth for us in the Quran in two ways. One, Allah subhanaw taala described what he's decreed as the purpose of the individual, where he said Rama Calico Ji novoline sila Labrador, he said, I have not created a human being and jinn for any purpose other than to worship me. And we discussed that in detail. And we looked at how it is actually possible to convert every single action of ours into an act of worship. The second purpose that Allah subhanaw taala decreed for us Muslims collectively is where as Ramadan Allah subhanaw taala said come to Mahara Medina Project llenas de Marana bill Morrow forgotten how Nigel

Moncure what took me no Nabila. And the last one that I said that I select to do for the benefit of people in general. And therefore, your job is to your work is to enjoin good and forbid evil. And you believe in Allah. And we discuss that in detail about what this means, and what the responsibilities is, which devolves upon us Muslims, to live in this in this world. And finally, I described for you what I see as our objective of life, our purpose of life, it is to live a life of such grace, that we benefit all those who we share the planet with, and is to live a life where we are seen as role models, and benchmarks and examples of integrity, quality, and contribution. And

also it is to live this life, where all those around us are delighted and thankful that we live with them, and that they regret our passing. So therefore, now, what should we do? Let us let us now come to the action part of this thing, and say, what is it that we should do? If you accept that this is our responsibility? If we accept that this is the purpose why we have been created, then what should we do? The first thing, obviously, is to assess ourselves where we stand today. And I think it's very important for us to be to do that with complete integrity, and complete frankness, without attaching any blame or praise, and to face the facts about our current situation, both individually,

as well as collectively, individually, how do we stand as Muslims, collectively? How do we stand as Muslims, and if those facts are some of them, at least, are negative, that's okay, we face those facts, we never try to wash whitewash them, or we never try to hide those facts. So we never tried to pretend that things are better than they actually are. Because if you do that, then you cannot actually devise a cure for the real illness. Because if we pretend that the illness is only a cold and not cancer, then naturally we will not we will treat a cold when actually we have cancer and that that is a obviously it's not, it's not a winning situation to be. At the same time, however,

very important for us never to lose hope in eventual success. Because hope is the founder of energy, that is the founder of energy and drive that takes us forward if you lose the hope. If we lose hope in success. If you start despairing, if you start believing that we cannot succeed, then we won't even try to make an effort to succeed. So we should never lose hope to apparently paradoxical things. One is to face the brutal facts, but not allow them to drag us down, not allowed them to get us depressed. And for that we never lose hope in actual in our eventual success, because we remember that Alhamdulillah we believe in Allah subhanho wa Taala, who is the creator, and the Sustainer, and

the controller and the owner, of everything that exists, all that we know about, and all that we don't know about. And therefore, we never lose hope in success because insha Allah, if we work with sincerity, and we work with integrity, and we work with truthfulness, Allah subhanaw taala and his help will be with us. Now my brothers and sisters, I want to say to you one thing very clearly.

A window of opportunity opens in the life of every man and woman when he or she has a unique opportunity to make an

impact and influence others, those who succeed are the ones who anticipate and prepare for it and recognize it, and act. When it opens. This window of opportunity opens and remains open for a while. And after that, it closes. And remember, once our window of opportunity has closed, then our life is effectively over, even if we remain alive. My submission to you is that I believe that our window of opportunity is open. Now, the question to you is and the question that I asked myself, are we ready to take advantage of that opportunity? My brothers and sisters, the world needs standard bearers of Islam. The world needs standard bearers of Islam, like a drowning man needs a The world is desperate

for people to show them how to live, the world is desperate for a new social order. The world is desperate for a new economic order. The world is desperate for a new political order. The world is desperate for a new system of education, for new ethics and values, or rather to say, to bring back the ethics and values that once upon a time used to be common ethics and values in this world, transcending boundaries of culture and religion. There was a time when they were when when operation and when shamelessness, and when promiscuity, and when gambling. And when money lending on interest. All of these things were looked down upon all of these things were criticized by every religion in

the world. Today, we have reached a spot where the only people who criticize this are the Muslims, and Alhamdulillah I think we must be very proud of this. And proud I don't mean arrogant, proud, I mean, proud in terms of being confident that Alhamdulillah we as a nation still stand for the original foundational values, which are of benefit to all of humanity. And that's something to be proud of. It's not something to feel apologetic about, because the rest of the world seems to have changed his mind about these things. No, we stand for faithfulness to our spouses, we stand for no promiscuity. We stand for social and moral and ethical values, and we make no bones about it. And we

are not apologetic about it. We stand for that. We would like to be recognized for that. And we would like to be known as those people who stand for those so called Old Fashioned values. It is we stand for nobility, we stand for chivalry, we stand for being polite, we stand for forgiving women there do we do not apologize for that. And hamdulillah We are very happy we stand for that. Now what is a standard bearer? Or who is a standard bearer of Islam, a standard bearer is one who stands for and exemplifies in his own behavior and self, the standard in which he or she claims to believe. And he does that, because he believes in that standard with total conviction. A standard bearer is one

who stands out and differentiates on the basis of the standard that he or she exemplifies, and is therefore different from the general population. A standard bearer is the one who the world will call a stranger. Why will the world called a standard bearer of Islamic strange, because in a world which is characterized by corruption, somebody who stands for integrity will be a stranger, in a world that is characterized by the exploitation of women for all sorts of advertising for exploitation of women, in the name of advertising, in the name of beauty pageants, in the name of beauty context, in this name, and that name. A personal standard says that I stand for the dignity

of the woman and the dignity of the woman is in covering herself and not in exposing a body and becoming a sex object, that person will be called a stranger. In a world that is characterized by lack of respect for elders, a person who stands for the for respect for elders, will be called a stranger in a world that is characterized by lack of affection and care and concern for the young and low concern for their upbringing, and no concern for their tarbiyah a person who stands for all of those things will be called a stranger. But let me give you some good news, my brothers and sisters, if you are among those who dare to be a stranger, are you among those who asked you this

question? Are you willing to be called a stranger? answer that question for yourself, because if you are willing to be called a stranger, then let me give you the glad tidings of gender. I am not giving you the glad tidings of gender. I am giving you the Harris or Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where he said brother al Islam are even worse I Oh, do worry, Ban comma bah bah, bah, bah bah, which means he said sallallahu sallam, Islam began something strange and it will return to be

Something strange, so give glad tidings of genda to the strangers if we are willing to stand for Islam, and if we are willing to be called strangers by the world, then let us rejoice and let us feel content. And let us be consoled. Because of the opposition that we are going to face. Let us be consoled by the words of Mohammed Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who said give the glad tidings of Jannah to the people who the world will call strangers and why will they be called strangers because they will stand for Islam? Alhamdulillah. We know from the Sierra that when Russell Russell has embraced Islam, when he came into the world with this message, and when his

Sahaba the few who were there with him in the beginning, when they took this message to the people, they were called strangers. They were looked down upon they were opposed. People said these are strange people, what kind of things are they talking about Alhamdulillah today, we have an opportunity to give benchmarks to the world to give standards to the world to become outstanding, become a brother and sisters, only the outstanding stand out and that is the key issue of success is to differentiate if there is one word that I can say to you. The key to success is to differentiate and how to differentiate to differentiate on the basis of our standard, the who is our standard. Our

standard is Rasul Allah, Allah Allah Allah Himself, because Allah subhanaw taala set by the standard, well said, look at Ghana leconfield are so little la sua to Havana, livan Karna here to LA Havas, Yama, la cara was the Kerala haka Tierra, Allah subhanaw taala said indeed, you have indeed in the Messenger of Allah sallallahu sallam, a beautiful example, a beautiful pattern of conduct for anyone who wishes to meet Allah subhanho wa Taala. And who believes in the final day, and who engages in the remembrance of Allah subhanho wa Taala greatly, and that is our standard. What is a standard bearer of Islam, a standard bearer of Islam is a walking talking reminder of who Rasulullah

sallallahu Sallam was a walking, talking reminder of the beauty of the message of Islam. That is what a standard bearer is. My brothers and sisters, I invite you to think about that. I invite you to read the Sierra and I invite you to try to model your life and to make yourselves standard bearers of Islam. After the break. We're coming to the break just now in a couple of seconds. After the break, inshallah we'll talk about how to do this inshallah in some more detail Jazakallah Heron Don't go away. This is the break a Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato

hamdu Lillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah. But I was talking to my brother and sisters about who is a standard bearer of Islam. And I explained to you that our standard bearer of Islam is a person who stands out and differentiates on the basis of Islam stands out and differentiates in every aspect of his life. I explained to you that who is the standard on what is the standard on the basis of which we stand out and differentiate the standard is Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam himself, because Allah subhanaw taala sent him as a standard for all of mankind, where he said, lacob can Allah comb, Pharaoh Sula, Hassan, Hassan, the issue to understand here, when we say stand out and

differentiate on the basis of Islam, today, when we talk about standing out on the basis of Islam, or differentiating on the basis of Islam, we seem to restricted only to our external appearance and to the way we perform Salah. But this is not what we understand from this era of enemy sallallahu sallam, because Russia is Allah Salam stood out and taught people to stand out on the basis of every single aspect of their life. He taught his Sahaba to stand out on the basis of physical appearance. Of course, he also taught them to stand out on the basis of their manners. He taught them to stand out on the basis of personal piety. He taught them to stand out on the basis of how they did

business on their marami lat. And he taught them to stand out on the basis of their society that they created. Now why? Why is this focus on all aspects of life? Two reasons my brothers and sisters. Number one, is our claim that Islam is not just a bunch of worship rituals. Islam is a complete way of life. Now if we make this claim and Alhamdulillah this claim is correct. Islam is a Deen Islam is not just a Muslim. Islam is a Deen and if Islam is a Deen, and if it is a complete way of life, then obviously the Muslims must demonstrate Islam in every aspect of their life. If a Muslim demonstrates Islam only in his in one aspect of his life, and then leads the rest of his life

according to some other system, then obviously that Muslim is not differentiating on the basis of Islam. So it is our claim that Islam is the only is the is a complete way of life. So that is one reason why we have to differentiate on the basis of Islam. A second reason

Why we have to differentiate on the basis of Islam? Is because my brothers and sisters, only when people see a benefit for themselves, will they adopt our way, please understand is very clearly, you know, there is a, there's a saying that there is a FM station that all the world listens to. And that FM station is W III FM. And that stands for what's in it for me. Anything you want to sell to people any idea you want people to adopt any cause that you want them to take on and to support. The basic question sometimes asked, sometimes I'm asked is, how will this help me? If I follow this method? How is it going to help me in what ways is going to help me? My brothers and sisters, we are

looking at a world today, which is asking us this question and saying, You want us to accept Islam, you want us to enter in Islam, show us how Islam will benefit us. Remember, they are telling us to show them. So telling them at that time when they want us to show them about the akhira does no good. The al Qaeda is a man will hype. The person who is not yet a Muslim is not asking you for a theological lecture on the Manville hype. He is asking you to show him in this life, how Islam benefits him or can benefit him as an individual in his own profession, in his own field, in his own country, in his own home. I think that is the big challenge that we have to face. Let me give you a

very an excellent example of how powerful this dow through action is. I'm sure all of you have heard about the Montessori way of education. Montessori schools. What how where did it get this name from? There was one woman in Germany, Maria Montessori, who decided that little children have to be taught and they have to be educated. But little children don't like to sit in a class and listen to lectures, diligent little children like to play. So how do you get children who actually want to play to learn things which are useful for them? Very simple answer, teach them through play. So what does she do? She creates a whole system, she invents the tools for it. She invents the toys for it.

She invents the methodology of teaching for it. And it becomes what is now known globally as the Montessori way of education. one woman's work has spread in the entire world. There is perhaps not a single country in the world, which does not have a Montessori School, and most countries have 1000s of them. People go and learn how to teach in this method. They go and pay money to buy the tools and they bring them home and they teach their children using this method of Maria Montessori. Many of them may not even know the name of many of Maria Montessori. Obviously, most of them have never met the person but they have they liked the method so much that they go and take it. Question do my

brothers and sisters is is Islam not at least not as good as the Montessori way of education? What do we think about Islam? So Allah achieve, we want to take Islam to people and give it to them free and they run away from us. They don't want it whereas this is something which is beneficial for them in this dunya well Ashura, we should really have people beating down our door wanting to enter Islam, we should really have a line of people starting from our door all the way to Timbuktu wanting to enter Islam, we don't have a single person who wants to enter Islam Subhanallah I know there are people entering Islam in different countries and different numbers I am talking about where Allah

subhanaw taala said that people will enter Islam in in large hordes in big groups. Here the corona fee de la EFY de la semana de said you will see them either Jaya and also la he was in fact when the help Allah subhanaw taala comes and when you are given the victory wolfforth what I can say the whole una de la fuerza, that you will see the people entering the deen of Islam, enough watch in huge hordes. So Allah May Allah make us among those who are destined to see this, how much of gladness it must give to the heart that we are able to see this so how to love and unless rather than told us what to do, when that happens, when that happens when we make tower to Allah subhanaw

taala and we glorify his his his greatness. So I'm saying here that this is our challenge today that how can we present Islam to people where they can visibly see a benefit for themselves? And believe me, this is not difficult, this is not difficult at all. It just needs some application of the mind and it needs some effort. That's all it needs. Because let me give you an example. Take the banking system our current banking system, if you go to if you go to any person you say current banking system is based on interest, so find very good. I want to get a loan. I have two banks. One bank wants to give me a loan at 24% per annum interest.

Another bank wants to give me the SEC is willing to give me the same loan at 10% per annum interest, which bank will I go to? and from which bank? Will I take a loan? It's a no brainer, obviously, you will go to the bank where the interest is less. Now as the same person that question, how about I create, I give you the loan? At no interest? 2410 is better than 24? Because it is less? How about zero? Now, would you like to get? Would you like to get a loan with no interest? What do you think people are going to say? It's a No, no, I want to pay interest. No, people were delighted, absolutely delighted if they are able to get a loan, and do not have to pay an interest on it. On

top of that you tell people how about I give you a loan without interest. And then I also help you to pay back that loan, I help you in your business, I give you some advice, and so on and so forth. I am almost like a venture capitalist partner with you. And I help you to grow your business. How would you like that? Now tell me who on earth would say they weren't like that. And that is the Islamic system. The Islamic system is based on no interest. And the Islamic system is based on compassion, and sharing of profit or loss now, so Allah now the problem is that we don't present these things to people in that way. And therefore we are stuck. And therefore we are stuck with this

system or that system. So we have to make this effort. But brothers and sisters, success comes at a price.

And the price of success depends on the goal.

success comes at a price. And failure also comes at a price. Success is not free. Neither is failure that do decide for yourself which one you want to pay for. You want to pay for success, or you want to pay for failure, which one do you want to pay for? Because both come at a price?

You know, all of us, all of us must face must experience one of two kinds of pain, all of us must experience one of two kinds of pain, the pain of discipline, or the pain of failure? Which one do you which one do you want to experience? You want to experience the pain of discipline? Or you want to experience the pain of regret or the pain of failure? Ask yourself this question. So success has a price. Now the question to ask ourselves this, what do I need to do in order to be successful as a standard bearer of Islam, and we start working on that after we look at it, and using the word price. But perhaps a better word to use is investment. Because really speaking, if I'm working on

myself, to improve myself, to ensure that I demonstrate Islam in practice, so that I become the most loved person among the people I live amongst, so that I become somebody that people will rush to, and people are influenced by and people love, and people will follow who are benefiting. I'm not doing this for anybody else. So really use the word price probably is not the best word, investment is the word because I'm investing in myself. And if I can't, if I invest myself, then I know that I'm only improving more and more and suara. In this game, the improvement is in two places, there is improvement in this world, which results in a better life for myself, more friends more influence.

And it also results in sha Allah in the pleasure of Allah subhanho wa Taala which translates into a beautiful situation in the akhira. Now, most people, you will find one success, but they are not successful. Not because they don't want success. But because they have they have not defined success. They do not know what is success. So they are vaguely chasing something and they don't know what they're chasing. And let us not be in that group. Let us define success. So I'm going to give you two jobs to do. Number one, I want you to write a success definition for yourself. How do you define success? Number two, I want you to put a price tag on that. What investment Do you think you

need to make in order to be successful, successful as a standard bearer of Islam? What do you need to do in order to become a standard bearer of Islam? In order to become a walking talking model of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, I asked Allah subhanaw taala to bless your effort to give you his his Newsline, your effort so that when you walk in the streets, the angels will shake hands with you and they will call each other and show you as a demonstrator of the method of Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam end of this episode Jazakallah O'Hara for Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato

game changer.