Mirza Yawar Baig – We see with our knowledge
AI: Summary ©
The speaker discusses the history of Syria and its importance in protecting people from suffering. They also mention the struggles of Islam during the time of Islam's (ph), which is the largest city in history in the world. The Empire was created by individuals with similar wealth and power, covering a large area of territory, making it the largest in history.
AI: Summary ©
First and foremost, I want to congratulate all
my Syrian brothers and sisters here.
We have alhamdulillah many of them here, many
of them very close and dear friends of
mine and of course all over the world,
as well as all the Muslims and all
good people everywhere at the ouster and removal
of this shaitan in human form called Bashar
al-Assad.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala punish him
as he deserves to be punished.
We are seeing as we are, as the
time passes and as the days unfold, we
are seeing the prisons being opened and stories
and scenes of horror that are unbelievable.
I mean at least, I don't know, I
don't consider it to be a disability of
mine that I am unable to imagine such
horrors.
I think it's a good thing that I
am unable to imagine such horrors but completely
unimaginable.
So, alhamdulillah, congratulations, mubarak, mabrook to all of
you.
And we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
for his help for all people who are
oppressed everywhere.
As we speak the story of Palestine, the
story of Gaza continues.
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to
relieve those people from their suffering as well.
We are witnessing history and progress.
When we read the accounts of what happened
in Syria in the last few days, we
can say that we were witness to it.
Some of us can say and I am
one of them who can say that about
the fall of the USSR, the Union of
Soviet Socialist Republics, which seemed to be invincible
completely.
I remember a time when this was the
two great forces in the world, one was
America, one was the USSR, not Russia.
Russia was never an equal force to America.
It was the USSR and it's gone.
I remember the high end people of my
age, I am sure we remember the monarchy
in Iran, Raza Shah Pahlavi, the grand coronation
that he organized, the ceremony of great pomp
and splendor.
He and his wife, Raza Shah Pahlavi and
Farah Diba, these were there, their two children
were there with them.
We saw many things, I don't want to
make a whole list of it now.
In one of my fajr reminders, I have
listed all of them.
But we saw also regime changes in Egypt
and other places, Iraq.
The question is, what lessons do we learn?
Now Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us
about the way the world works and to
look beyond the obvious.
When we see events unfolding where those who
thought that they were impervious and immune, suddenly
had to run for their lives and seek
refuge and all their wealth and power could
not save them.
We must thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
for his mercy and grace in delivering those
who were suffering under these and other tyrants
and helping them out of their difficulty.
Now imagine, if you think of each one
of these people, imagine all the power to
do good and to leave behind the legacy
of honor that they had.
Given the kind of wealth and the power
and the authority and so on that was
offered to them, what they could have done,
instead they did what they did.
And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala warned us
about this.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said, Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala said, But
just a word of caution, given the recent
history of regime changes, the Syrian people must
beware not to focus on the toppling of
statues because in previous such events, while the
people were occupied in celebrations in the streets,
their destiny was being sold without their knowledge.
And I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
to save the people of Syria from this
fate.
More importantly, we must ask ourselves what we
can learn from these events to correct our
ways.
For this we have the Quran and the
Sunnah of Muhammadur Rasulullahi sallallahu alayhi wa ala
alihi wa sallam.
I remind myself and you that we see
without knowledge.
Where we see beauty in a building, for
example, an architect sees the strength of the
structure that enables the vaulted ceilings and the
flying buttresses.
Where we see a person merely as perhaps
a bit heavy and out of condition because
they start panting if they walk up an
incline, a physician sees possibilities of kidney malfunction
and congestive heart failure.
Where we see rulers and empires rise and
fall, a historian sees the material and political
reasons for that.
While a person of real insight sees the
hand of Allah behind the unfolding events.
There is a world of difference between sight
or vision and insight.
One sight is to see as anyone sees
with eyes that every human and every animal
can do this.
The other is to see beyond the obvious
to the root cause, the reasons why it
happened.
May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us
the ability to learn lessons from what He
shows us.
We see with our knowledge.
Everything that is alive has a vision.
However, only Allah's men have insight.
The difference between sight and vision is a
great difference.
The sight is from a heart that is
illuminated by the light of Allah.
This is why Allah said, Did they not
walk on the earth and have hearts that
they use to understand?
Or ears that they use to hear?
Indeed, it is not the eyes that work,
but it is the hearts that are in
the *.
The device of true insight is a sound
heart.
Allah said, Have they not travelled through the
land so their hearts may reason and their
ears may listen?
Indeed, it is not the eyes that are
blind, but it is the hearts in the
chests that grow blind.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala gave us many
examples of those who He gave power and
wealth to and what they did with it.
He sent warners to them who tried to
correct them, but they were so drunk and
intoxicated with what they had that they ignored
and killed their messengers instead of thanking them
for their guidance.
When they had exceeded all limits and lived
as if they had eternal lives and were
beyond being questioned or called to account, Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala told us what He
did to them and why.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said, When they
became oblivious to the warnings, We showered them
with everything they desired.
The doors of the heavens, the doors from
which descend all the blessings of Allah, material
things, I don't say these are not blessings,
these are tests.
The doors which open from which all of
this descends, this door was open.
Allah did not say, we will stop things.
No.
When they had exceeded their limits, they had
been warned and they kept on doing it
back over and over again.
And we see that literally happening before our
eyes in Syria.
Allah said when they became oblivious to warnings,
we showered them with everything they desired.
But just as they became very prideful and
full of pride and arrogance and completely engrossed
in enjoying and using and misusing all that
they had, they were seized.
Suddenly we seized them and they fell into
despair.
No chance even to make tawbah.
So the wrongdoers were utterly uprooted.
Completely cut and uprooted and all praises for
Allah.
Today as we see what has happened in
Syria, we can only marvel at how blind
human beings can be.
Not to see what Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala warned us about.
This is why we need the reminder of
the Quran.
Where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told us
about the reality of this life.
And we need this reminder again and again
and again to read the Quran with understanding
and to reflect on it and then look
into our own lives to see where we
fit in.
Remember these ayat are not only to warn
rulers.
They apply to every single one of us.
In our own sphere of power and influence,
no matter how small that might be.
So before we disobey Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala or oppress anyone, let us ask for
the price tag.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala reminded us that
this life will end.
That we will know who won and who
lost only on the day of judgement.
The winner of the race is decided only
at the end of the race, not during
the race.
Allah warned us that true success is to
be saved from Jahannam and entered into Jannah.
And that the life of this world is
deceptive.
Allah said, Allah
said every soul will taste death and you
will only receive your full reward on the
day of judgement.
Whoever is spared from the fire and is
admitted into paradise, into Jannah, will indeed triumph.
Whereas the life of this world is no
more than the delusion of enjoyment.
I remind myself and you that reality is
hidden behind events.
See the story of Yusuf alaihi salam for
example.
From being the victim who attempted murder, to
being sold into slavery, to being wrongfully accused
and imprisoned, to being made the ruler of
Egypt.
The hardships he faced were the training camps
and safety nets for his future elevation of
status.
Each was difficult and painful to bear.
But it was his faith in Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala and the guidance of Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala, which comes to anyone
who Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tests.
That kept him going to victory at the
end.
Take the story of Ibrahim alaihi salam, which
is the story again of test after test.
From being thrown into the fire to being
commanded to leave his wife and their infant
only son, in a desert valley almost a
thousand miles from their home.
929 miles is the driving distance, Google tells
me.
To being commanded to slaughter that son in
sacrifice, when he returned to meet them for
the first time after that.
The result was that they were given the
noble and holy task of building the house
of Allah, the Kaaba.
And Ibrahim alaihi salam's place of standing was
declared a musalla, a place of prayer.
The actions of his wife, our mother Hajar,
of running between the two hills of Safa
and Marwah, and the test that the father
and son faced when they had to decide
to obey the command of slaughtering and being
slaughtered, these were all made the manasik of
Hajj.
The sacrifice itself was made as a means
of khair and baraka for all Muslims until
the last day.
The water that came out for the use
of Ismail alaihi salam and his mother Hajar
alaihi salam, zamzam, continues to this day.
Witness to this entire story, a life of
obedience of that blessed family, to be commemorated
in worship until the last day.
And the person who goes through that, who
enacts, who reenacts the incidents of that life,
he gets a reward and she gets a
reward of all their sins forgiven.
And they emerge out of that as if
they had been born on that day.
We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to
grant us Hajj and to forgive all our
sins.
In contrast, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala narrated
the stories of the pharaoh of Egypt, ruler
of the largest, most powerful empire of the
time, of Nimrod of Babylon, again one of
the great rulers of the time, of Shaddad
and Haman and Qarun who were their sidekicks,
very wealthy, very powerful nobility, and showed us
their modern day counterparts, some of whom still
walk the earth, who are remembered only to
be cursed and reviled, notwithstanding all their wealth
and power and glory.
That money can buy them super yachts and
private jets and palaces and luxuries and gold
-plated cars, but it cannot buy them honour,
it cannot buy them gratitude, it cannot buy
them love of people, it cannot buy them
Izzah and Ikram and Waqar, because those are
not for sale.
A lesson for those who wish to learn
and not live like animals in search of
sensations.
When you read history, and that is one
of the most important reasons to read history,
you see kings and empires that are the
stuff of legends.
Let me share some numbers with you, give
you some perspective.
West Springfield, this town in Massachusetts, is 17
.5 square miles in area.
And out of that 16.8 is the
land area.
Massachusetts, the state, is 10,500 square miles
in area.
The United States of America is 3.1
million square miles.
Now, we come to the empires.
The empires of Alexander, the Roman Empire and
the Ottoman Empire, at their peak, were 4
.2 million square miles.
So, they were, no,
the empires of Alexander, the Roman Empire and
the Ottoman Empire, at their peak, were 2
million square miles.
The Banu Umayyad, the empire of the Umayyads,
which the Abbasids took over.
The Abbasids did not actually do any further,
any major conquest.
So, they inherited that empire and they continued
with that.
That was 4.2 million square miles.
So, the empire, the Muslim empire of the
Banu Umayyad, Banu Abbas, was double the size
of the empires of Alexander, the Roman Empire
and the Ottoman Empire.
And it was 35% more and bigger
than the United States of America.
At its peak, the Mongol Empire, started by
Genghis Khan and continued by his sons Kublai
and Hulegu and so on, by his sons
Hulegu and his grandson Kublai, covered approximately 9
million square miles of territory, making it the
largest contiguous land empire in history.
That is three times the size of the
United States.
And finally, the biggest empire in history, the
British Empire, that covered 13.7 million square
miles, which was, which is about 24%
of the world's land area.
And it lasted for 400 years.
Till they asked the question, where are the
kings?
Where are these people who created these empires
and who ruled these empires?
Where is their wealth and power?
Aynal muluk?
Aynal sarvatum?
Wakuvatum?
Aynal juyush?
The reason I am giving you all these
numbers is to underline two things.
One, those who ruled these empires were not
merely rich because of their stock value in
a make-believe share market.
They were astronomically wealthy in real terms.
Actual gold, silver, precious stones, land, you name
it.
And on top of that wealth, they had
raw power and absolute authority to do absolutely
anything they wanted.
They had armies which could wipe out nations
and did.
They could order the annihilation of entire populations
and they did.
They could take away people's wealth and liberty
and lives and they did.
Yet, where are they today?
Where are they today?
They are in the same place where you
and I will be one day.
Where is their wealth and power?
How come all that wealth and all that
power could not save them from death?
From meeting Allah swt.
All that remains today of the Mongol Empire.
Absolute rule over nine million square miles is
one stone turtle shaped pillar base from the
city of Karakoram.
And of the British Empire.
They used to say the sun never sets
over the British Empire.
And somebody quipped and said, because even God
doesn't trust them.
Doesn't leave them in the dark.
Of that British Empire, the relic is a
monarch who has as much power as a
king in a deck of cards.
TabarakAllahu.
Al Malikul Haqqu La Ilaha Illa Huwa Rabbul
Aqshil Kareem.
Allah swt said about Himself and I remind
myself and you about this.
Qul Allahumma Malika Al Mulk.
Tu'ti Al Mulka Man Tasha'a.
Wa Tanzi'u Al Mulka Min Man Tasha
'a.
Wa Tu'izzu Man Tasha'a.
Wa Tuzillu Man Tasha'a.
Bi Yadika Al Khair.
Innaka Ala Kulli Shayin Qadeer.
Tuuliju Al Layla Fi Al Nahari.
Wa Tuuliju Al Nahara Fi Al Layli.
Wa Tukhriju Al Hayya Mina Al Mayyiti.
Wa Tukhriju Al Mayyita Mina Al Hayyi.
Wa Tarzuqu Man Tasha'u Bi Ghayri Hisaam.
Allah said, say, O Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam, O Allah, Lord over all authorities.
You give authority and power to whoever you
wish.
You give land, you give government.
You give authority to whoever you please and
you remove it and you take it away
from whoever you please.
You honour whoever you please and you disgrace
whoever you please.
All good is in your hands.
Surely you alone are most capable of everything.
You cause the night to pass into the
day and the day to pass into the
night.
You bring forth the living from the dead
and the dead from the living.
And you provide for whoever you will without
limit.
I remind myself and you that Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala sent us His kalam, He
sent us His book, He sent us His
speech, His word, through His Messenger sallallahu alaihi
wa sallam to teach us how to navigate
this life.
So that we can become real winners of
this race.
Man amila salihan min dhakarin aw untha wa
huwa mu'minun.
Fala nuhiyannahu hayatan tayyibatan wala najziyannahum ajrahum bi
ahsani ma kanu ya'malun.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is saying in
surat an-Nahl, whoever does good, whether male
or female, and he is a believer, two
conditions, must have iman, must do good.
He will surely bless them with a beautiful
life, hayatan tayyiba, with a good life, pure
life.
And we will certainly grant them according to
the best of their deeds.
See the mercy of Allah.
Allah is saying, I will give them for
all the good they did, but I will
not reward them for each action, according to
the value of that action, I will reward
them for each action, according to the value
of the best of their actions.
See the generosity of Allah.
Only Allah can be this generous.
This is the way of Islam.
To show us this way, Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala sent his messenger, Muhammadun Rasulullah sallallahu
alaihi wa sallam.
And Allah said, laqad kana lakum fee rasoolillahi
uswatun hasana liman kana yarjullaha wal yawmal akhirah
wa zakarallaha kathira Allah said, indeed, in the
messenger of Allah, you have an excellent example
for whoever has hope in Allah at the
last day and remembers Allah subhanahu wa ta
'ala after.
Simplicity of expression is the surest indicator of
total mastery of the subject and enables the
presenter to present it in a way that
can be easily understood by everyone.
Someone said, mastery is to be able to
express the idea in such a way that
a five-year-old can understand it.
Who can do that better than Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala himself?
He created the world, he created its rules,
and he created its outcomes.
He told us that the way to live
is to follow his messenger sallallahu alaihi wa
sallam.
Always be aware that we will die, that
that can happen at any time.
That winners are decided at the end of
the race.
So focus on winning the race and not
get distracted by anything at all.
And if we do this, then we will
have a beautiful life on earth and Jannah
in the hereafter.
Now what can be simpler than that?
I ask Allah this for all of us.
Wa sallallahu ala rabbil kareem wa ala alihi
wa sahbihi ilayh.
Bi hurmati l-Habib, bi hurmati l-Fatiha.