Mohammed Faqih – The Best Provision – Taqwa
AI: Summary ©
The speakers stress the importance of hedging during a journey to achieve rewards and avoid sexual interactions, as it is essential for success in the field. They also stress the need for plenty of hedging and preparation, as it is essential for avoiding offense and letting others know of one's actions to avoid harm and harm oneself and others. The conversation emphasizes the importance of learning to be mindful of oneself and others' actions to avoid damaging oneself and others.
AI: Summary ©
So,
in a Hamdulillah, who was serene who was saphira who I said he was we let him surely say it I Marina de la palma de la la,
la la, la la la la la, la la la sharika shadow under Mohammed Abdullah pseudo bad.
May Allah subhanaw taala bless this gathering.
May Allah azzawajal surround us with His mercy. And we asked a lot of Egypt to shower us with
tranquility and blessings.
The topic I want to discuss with you today comes is something that is mentioned in many verses in the Quran. But as you know, a lot of people are preparing for the, for the journey of their lifetime.
How many people who performed Hajj
how many Cathy hedger, you perform know, how many people made hedge for performance? So two, from this side three, okay.
How many people are making hedges here? Who's who's doing hedge
right. Now, if you were to make Hutch this year or next year and you want to travel
and you go ask anyone, usually, you know people take tips from those people who go went through a particular experience, what should What should I expect, right. And one of the areas that a lot of people discuss is
that which has to do with since this is especially in the old days, it used to be a long journey, right. But even nowadays is still you know, two to three weeks. So long journey you take. So, usually talk about you know, what should I prepare, one of the things that people also focus on is, you know, packing, preparing, what what do you think I need most people by the way, overpack right? Most people take stuff, perhaps they may not use 50% of what they take.
Right?
So, Allah Subhana, Allah in Surah
Al Hajj Surah Baqarah sorry, in the verses that talk about that Hajj, says, I'll help you Ashura. megamat. Hajj is during well known months. And by the way, we are in the middle of the months of hedge.
Right, people think the month of hedge is the last month, which is that hedger, no, actually the month of hedge is multiple months,
these months are chawan
little character, and the ledger, and the only thing is that hedge the actual hedge itself is, is or the final steps of hedge are to be made, or the main, the most essential parts of hedge, you know, can only be performed in a particular, you know, week or, you know, set of days
within the month of the ledger, the 12th month, but you can start the process of Hajj pretty much from after Ramadan, you can actually get into the state of Hajj in the into the state of Iran from the first day of show what,
right, but you have to wait. So a lot of people for convenient purposes they they of course Wait, that's number one. Number two, in the old days, the reason you have this wide window is because a lot of people didn't know, when they're going to arrival, their estimated time of arrival wasn't really known. So they needed a wide range, like a window of time, like an extended window of date. So some people used to arrive right after Ramadan. Some people would arrive the character and they they had to be in a state of *. You see, if you're coming from far east or you're traveling from far west, and you're taking weeks or months to travel, you don't know when you're going to arrive.
Right? So lots of how Allah gave us this extended period of time, during which you can get into the state of a harem, but the actual head itself, so you have to be you have to make it to Mecca by the ninth day. That's the cutoff day because after on the ninth day, that's the main day of Hajj. And then the next day is the greatest day of Hajj, the the 10th Yeoman not right. Most rituals are done on that day and then at that point is over pretty much whoever doesn't make it by them Colossus done. They will have to wait for the next for the following year. Michelle,
no salad. kit y equals Sena Can someone turn on or talk to Brother Simon to turn on the AC is it's hard, isn't it? Yeah.
So Allah subhanaw taala in this ayah talks about
the month, the month of Hajj, like right
Then he says from federal the fee hindle, hatch, so whosoever whoever has made Hajj obligatory upon himself, whoever is going to commit himself or herself to make Hajj during these by entering into the state of Iran during this period
had Nino Can we turn on AC okay? Whoever does that whoever listen to this whoever so Allah Subhana Allah says Hajj is well known months period of time, whoever decides and commits himself or herself to performing hajj during this, then
there is to be for him or for her for that person, they should pay attention to the following
no sexual relations, once they're into the state of a heroine, once you make the commitment
and you start saying a baker lahoma bake.
Once you get into the state of a crop, you cannot No no, no sexual relations or anything that leads to it. Number two, no disobedience or acts of disobedience. No, since they should not disobey a loss of halotolerant messenger deliberately, you should refrain from that Uranus, you have to be in a state of full devotion.
Right.
They say that if you if you commit any of these things, while the hedge may be technically accepted, but your hedge in terms of reward because there is a great reward awaiting a person who performs hedge, but it has to be sound hedge it has to be accepted.
And huduma row or Lisa who is a Ileana, I have Jerry sound, there will be no reward for that hedge except gender. The reward for hedge is nothing but gentle. And a person who performs hedge comes out of their sin like the day they were born pure, they're born again. It's your purify from all of your sins. This is what hedge offers you. So in order for us to get that reward, you know, you have to commit not to commit any of the violations of hedge and the violations or sins. Right? You have to stay away fell out of Africa, no sexual.
Right? Nothing of a sexual nature when you're in a state of a health number two,
for devotion, number two, no acts of disobedience or sin. Number three, when Dan and Phil had and there should be no disputing during how you should not dispute or argue with people, you should not engage in any of this. So you have to be at your highest moral commitment.
Very difficult state to be in.
Right?
So Allah Subhana, Allah says, and whatever good you do, Allah knows it.
So again, this is a hint that you should do as much good deeds as possible.
Then Allah subhanaw taala says,
Who do you think will pass this test? Who do you think will be able to do something like that? You need plenty of preparation, you need plenty, you need plenty of piety. So Allah Subhana Allah says and take provisions, this is going to be a long journey.
Right. So take provisions prepare yourself. But indeed, however, the best provision
is Tableau what to do.
The best provision is taqwa. So Allah subhanaw taala says, Take provision generally, meaning prepare yourself, take enough food, enough money, you know, enough fuel, enough drink, make sure that you sustain yourself, because it's going to be a longer journey. Right. And then nowadays, of course, prepare yourself ahead of time, make sure that you have your visa, make sure that you have your vaccination, make sure that you have all the requirements in place, make sure that you have reservation, make sure that you have good hardgrove that you're going to make sure that your path to performing hajj, and whatever accommodations you need are all taken care of. But this is one aspect
of it. This is just one, there is something superior, something better than that. A lot of people pay attention to this. You know, they make sure that they have their, you know,
Gatorade, they made sure that they have their vitamins, they make sure that they have their supplements, they make sure that they have their energy bars, they make sure that they have their, you know, like they're going on a right. And some people even they make sure that they pack all kinds of things, you know, a couple of shades, you know, umbrella is like they're going to, you know, to the desert like there will be no you know, Saudi Arabia by the way. So it's a it's a developed country by the way, you know, they have plenty you know, people take unscented materials, they
They're there. You know everything right? They overpack. Most people overpack, but the one thing that is neglected or forgotten is what? What matters the most and Allah azza wa jal highlights in this verse, what is Allah azza wa jal says, What is overdue. But however in the hydrazone taqwa the best provision is taqwa. Why stop when necessary, because without taqwa you will not be able to do what?
You will not be able to have a sound hedge. There is no way that you're going to refrain from sexual behavior, you know, any violation in that regard, there is no way that you will be able to avoid sins and acts of disobedience. Imagine two weeks, three weeks, nothing you cannot. You cannot lie you cannot, you know, abuse anyone. You have to be patient. You cannot even argue. Well, I will argue that you need plenty of taqwa you need unless you have plenty of taqwa, you won't be able to pass the test. So this is where I'm going to stop and take it and focus on this concept of taqwa.
You know some how am I preparing for this session? It made me realize no taco inadequate enough.
The most essential
element
that should define
our relationship with Allah subhana wa Taala is taqwa. The key to Paradise is taqwa. The Prophet was asked what gets most people to enter taqwa agenda. He said taqwa.
And we think we have an understanding of it.
Yet we fail.
Or if we don't fail, if we're not failing, then we were really struggling to practice it. Right. And in my opinion, I don't think we fully understand it. As a matter of fact, we can't even pass it on to the next generation. Explain to your child what taqwa is.
Try to explain it. If somebody comes and says to you, what's up what a lot of people say, Oh, the fear of God. What do you mean? I should be afraid of Allah. But we can't even explain it.
If somebody was to come to you and say tequila, tequila, a lot of us find offensive that What do you mean exactly? What did I do wrong? We are offended if somebody says it tequila, which means observe taqwa. Or some people translate it into fear God, what do you mean? What have I done? What tells you you know, what makes you think that I'm not you know,
we get offended, we find a fence in it.
Rama it was said to people like our model, the Companion of the Prophet Allah, Allah, Allah said he didn't have any issue with it. As a matter of fact, it was said that when somebody said to Rama tequila, Rama was shot What?
He will be nervous, he will start sweating and say what have I done? You know what's going on?
Right?
So,
so if you look at the verse in the Quran, Allah Subhana Allah in Surah An Nisa makes it one of his
one of his
commandments to people.
The reason why we shouldn't also be you know, offended is in the Quran, you'll find God constantly calling upon the believers. Yeah, you have nothing in common. Oh, you believe in Allah.
So Allah is calling upon you as a believer, and he's telling you tequila. If you're a believer, aren't you already somebody that has taqwa of Allah? Why do you need Why do you need to be told that as a matter of fact, right? Allah subhanho wa Taala? What does the law say to the Prophet? Even the Prophet himself? Allah says, Yeah, you have to be a tequila.
Oh, Prophet, it tequila in the imperative form. So what is the support? We really have to understand it. Let me just take you back since we were talking about journey. Let's just go back to the original journey. Right? Somebody asked me this week.
Oh, God, God, the Almighty says in the Quran, that he created Adam, from, of course, Earth from the substance of this planet,
for this earth.
Right. That's what the Quran says. We'll call our buka. Your Lord said to the angels in the jar, I don't fill out the halifa.
That is Adam. Okay. Now, if God created Adam, to be to live on Earth, why did God then ask him to reside in paradise in general?
Why
wasn't he created for Earth, but God told them to reside in paradise.
It's a test. It's a test.
You see, there may be
Many answers given by the scope, but I'll just give you, I'll give you just, you know one answer. Right?
Indeed, God created Adam to come to earth, reside upon this planet. Right? And that him and his children should, in addition to taking care of this planet, this is the place this is the place where they're going to be tested.
But to go where then,
but to go where, after their mission on earth is over, where are they supposed to go?
To gender, right, so to gender, so God, your heart had to tell Adam about gender. Now you can tell somebody about a place, you can also make somebody see a place, you can describe it to him. And he says, this is where you ultimately belong, this is where you're going to go. But it makes a big difference. If you were to take that person and place them there and say, You know what, you get to live here for a while, so long, you do not let your sinful nature overcome you. But if that happens, you're leaving this place.
Now, of course, Adam alayhis salam made a mistake.
took him out of paradise. Right. But after he got a taste of it.
Right, Stephen Covey says begin with the end in mind.
Now, Adams mission became what?
Going back there. So you're gonna go to Earth, you're going to serve your time there. When your time is over, make sure that whatever deeds you do, will bring you back to this place that you know very well, that you are familiar with. Not only that, but you need to pass on this message, this message to the next generation.
Those of you or children that didn't see it. You see, there was a big difference. If Adam wants to tell his children, you know, there's a place called gender it was described to me or your mother in law. And I right. saw it. We were seeing, you know, there's a big difference between somebody saying, Jenna is this and this. And for him to say to his children, Jenna is where your mother and I were.
That's where we spent our honeymoon.
That's where we were, we had the best of our days there. And then we made a mistake. And we came here.
Make sure that you catch up with us there. That place is beautiful. We were able to do this and this and this now is somebody that experienced it.
Somebody that experienced it.
So we need to go back there. What is the key? What is the provision that is going to take us back to Taco taco Bala. Because when you don't have taco or when the level of taqwa in your system diminishes, guess what happens? You're going to eat from the tree.
You're going to eat from the tree. And it would be very hard to resist.
Earth as it is is nothing compared to agenda. I mean, imagine the level of you know how tempted Adam must have been, you know that tree, right? Earth is nothing, it's garbage. It's really garbage. It's curse, yet we cannot resist the temptation that we see in this life. We cannot, you know, resist the glamour, some of us in spite of us knowing what law is some people I mean, you must have heard about the, you know, the Ashley Madison, you know, nonsense. You know, somehow some people, you know, people look at at some of these people who were caught and they're like, How stupid because could somebody be so how long? This is us human beings. We do stupid things that we cannot even but once
we're caught we realize that stupid, right? The one thing that is going to prevent us or protect us from that is taqwa. And that's why we have to understand what taqwa is. We have to understand what it is what it means exactly what it takes to earn taqwa. Right? Allah subhanaw taala in the Quran says that all children of Adam, right, because in gender they had Adam and Eve were clothed. It was part of their privileges. They didn't have to work for it. They didn't have to go look at you know, through their wardrobe and pick something, you know, we sometimes go, we're like, I don't know what to wear today. I need to match. They didn't have to go through that. They automatically were closed.
The minute they committed the sin, they lost that privilege, but it lahoma so they were fine. They were they were exposed. And that's why even in the old, you know, in the Old Testament, right?
It says similar to what it says in the plant, they started basically to pull from the leaves from the trees of genda from the leaves to cover themselves. They lost their privileges. But once you come once they came here. Now here you have to work for it. You have to earn it. Right you have you have to earn it. So Allah Subhana Allah says you have any Adam and Zen and equally bad so you worry so ethical, that we have indeed for
provided you with the material that you need to be able to cover yourself to cover your faults because you know our bodies no matter how great your body might be, and I know some of us might say, you know, go like, my shell is a beautiful body, no matter how great your body might be, right? Even those who have the acne, the those who are proud of their body, and we all have deficiencies, no sane person unless you're totally out of your mind. No sane person can come and expose their body in public. Unless they're really out of their mind totally. We all saw loss of habitat, a human body as as beautiful as a loss of habitat as creation might be, but a lot of causes. So it has to be
covered. It has to be cloth. clothing is what beautifies us what distinguishes us from other species makes us you know, it's just part of it. You know, so loss of habitat says we have indeed given you that that's a gift from God.
Right What Isha and feather,
help, however, what he does with taqwa vaniqa. However, the clothing of taqwa the garment of taqwa that is the best.
You could you could be, you could be dressed up better than anyone else. But if you don't have Taqwa, you'll be just despised by everyone. taqwa is what covers our faults, just like our our spiritual and moral faults, and deficiencies just like clothing or the material that we were covers our physical faults and deficiencies. So Allah Subhana Allah is with those who have Taqwa. Right. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam one of his companions came to him and asked him for advice. A Buddha in particular, when he asked the Prophet sallallahu Sallam for advice, he gave him three pieces of advice. Number one, it could have Taqwa of Allah, wherever you may be. Right?
What they say as an answer to them why no matter how much taqwa you have, you're still going to make some sense. So when you commit a sin, make sure that you offset it with a good deed.
And don't don't claim this righteousness. Don't think, you know, some people say, you know, hamdulillah I haven't done anything in my life that I regret, and haven't done. I haven't done anything major. Well, I everyday we sin.
We commit things. And then we wonder, we wonder why things are happening to us. We commit things that if
you know, our pious predecessors work to examine, they will say, how could you live with yourselves a lot, somehow that is merciful. We don't even we don't even notice them. We don't even realize that we're committing something wrong. We don't even think it's a big deal. I'll give you an example. I'll just give you a very simple example. And again, my my job is not to make us all feel guilty and stuff like that. But if we do feel guilty, it's fine. That means we still have some conscience. I'll tell you that, you know, how many of us can go
through their day, without backbiting or without gossiping about somebody else?
Without backbiting or gossiping about somebody else? How many of us?
And you know, I used to think I used to think that it was a small, bad, bad deed, guess what? It's a major deed. It's a major, but it is a serious thing. Right? This is just something simple. So how could we come at the end of the day and claim say, I haven't done anything? We always do things. This is just a very simple thing, right? So because of that the prophet SAW said constantly do good deeds to offset the bad deeds, especially the ones that were not paying attention to. Right. Number three, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to him wahala can NASA be holed up in has to make sure that you engage people or that you beat you know, when you deal with people, give them the
best of treatment, the best of treatment. So this is what the Prophet told his companion who came to him, asked him for advice. The first thing that he began with was a tequila. Every time the promises send them sent someone imagined the prophet SAW Selim chooses the best person for the mission.
So did the companions or those who are in charge of ibaka, Rama and everyone that came after him, when they put somebody in charge, they're telling this person, you're trustworthy. But what was the first piece of advice that they gave that person? The first piece of advice is tequila.
Tequila.
Mohan when he puts her mother in charge when he was dying, you know what the first thing that he said to him was? Yeah, Omar, tequila, Fear Allah. What was the last advice that prophesize Selim gave us, gave his own man his companions. He says it takala fear Allah be mindful of Allah. And he specifically mentioned in your treatment of your women, and he specifically specifically mentioned in your treatment of your servants, and in the treatment of your slaves fear Allah de la.
So that was
over and over again, the prophets of Solomon He began his speeches, he's talking to the most pious
of communities. He's he's talking to the chosen people to the best community ever. His companions, his own students, the best of people. He's addressing them but every time he began a speech, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam began with what three verses in particular every single time yeah you Latina amor de la haka toccata.
illa Anta Muslim on and then you
become the first verse of surah three Certainly, sir. And then the verse from Surah from the end of swords. Yeah, you're Latina takala Coco Cola, Sarita. Why would the private repeat this over and over again, every scholar, every teacher that I had, whenever they began, whenever they started anything, they always started with that.
I tell you the most the most, you know, one of the most powerful moments one of the most profound moments that I had was, I had one one meeting with a great scholar by the name of Abdul Aziz bin Baz Rahim Allah, whom I have some attitude towards growing up, right. But finally, when I met him, I was supposed to translate for him. His first speech, the one thing that that shocked me the most was when he started to talk. The first thing that he began with was, I advise you or remind you and myself of the taqwa of Allah will see when FCB takala.
That's the first thing that he said. And when I came to translate that I choked, I don't know why I was I was only like, 19 or 20. I choked. I couldn't.
We'll see cofc with Apollo, constantly, this is what they all began with. You know, this, this concept was so clear,
was so central to them. That when they
when they spoke to their children, that's what, that's what I want you to do. That one of the reasons I wanted to discuss this tonight was that I felt like I need to discuss this topic over and over again, we need to really get to the bottom of it understand taqwa and work on trying to master it right, but also pass it on to the next generation. Our children have to have Taqwa. That's the only thing that can protect them. They have to be mindful of Allah subhanaw taala, wherever they might go, whatever they may be, because we're not going to be around them. We won't be able to monitor them. They have to remember that. So Omar Abdulaziz or Omar sorry hapa wrote his son
Abdullah. So he says, Am I bad?
For in the OC Kavita cola. This is first and foremost, I advise you to have Taqwa of Allah. Fear God be mindful of Allah. Then he explains to him why, for in many Taka Hua, for whoever has taqwa of Allah, Allah preserve and protect him. What is it that we want for our children the most.
We don't want them to drown. We don't want them to get hit by cars. We don't want them to overdose and die. We don't want them to get shot. We don't want them to get hurt, we don't want them to get sick. We want them to be protected and preserved. That's what we want. The number one thing that we asked for our children is what?
safety, we want our children to be safe and sound. And then we want them to be guided. And then we want them to be successful in life. And then we want them to be happy and so on and so forth. But the first thing that you want is you want to make sure that your child is safe and sound that they're healthy. From day one actually, from the moment you realize that
that you're in the process of becoming a parent. Right? The moment you realize that you have a child on the way you want to make sure that that child is safe and sound. nothing bad happens to them. It's heartbreaking for any parent to see their child suffer. Right? It's heartbreaking. So that's what we want. We want them to be protected. So Omar says to his son, he knows what real protection is. facing humanity hahaha. No matter what we try to do to protect our children the only one that can protect them as a lot and that's why we say Allah Hafiz right loss of habitat. Yaqoob was a prophet when he sent his kids what did he say to them for La Jolla and heavy la who are Hamel Rahim.
Allah subhanaw taala is the best of protectors, no one else can can protect. But
this is the will of Allah Xhosa. So Omar says to his son, you want to be protected by a law beyond the sight of Allah and Allah azza wa jal will protect you, woman Corrado, who jezza and whoever lends Allah subhanaw taala. Right, whoever gives a law as it was just something, right. If you lend the law as origin, Allah subhanho wa Taala will repay you will pay you back.
Right? Well, my shikara who is either and if you're thankful to Allah, Oh son, Allah will give you more.
And I'm telling you, some of us might say it.
You have to have this conversation with your children. Well, I used to think that maybe maybe I'll have this conversation with my child when my child is like 14 or 18. Or when they're when they're old enough to understand No, I'm starting to have this conversation with them now, at the age of six and seven, they need to know this. Believe it or not, they do process it. So you mean if I do the Yes, they need to process it. We just need to simplify it and share it with them. Well, my Shaka Rosada Then he said to him was Allah taqwa Moskva, una Coachella a pelvic. He said make sure that you put a quote before your eyes. That is basically taqwa is is your gauge. dupois is your GPS.
depth. What is your guide? Right.
And make sure and taqwa is also what purifies the heart.
So he explained to him with taqwa is
he defined taqwa what turquoise
disease, said to a man that he really cared about who will seek a better color. He said, I advise you to be mindful to have Taqwa of Allah again, mindful or fear, fearful of Allah.
Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah for Allah does not accept anything but that
this attitude that we have with a lot because some of us have this self, you know, sense of entitlement that we know Allah doesn't accept that Allah as we just said, it took a lot to party, fear God, be mindful of him. Some people are even if you know they don't even like the word fear. Be mindful of God and fear him as he deserves to be
Subhana with Allah be mindful of him as he deserves to be. Alonzo just doesn't accept anything less than that. That's number one. Number two, he Allah doesn't accept you, but to think of him at all times and to consider him in everything that you do. To consider a loss of health and everything that you do. That's what Allah wants from us. And number two, Allah subhanaw taala. What are your hameau Allah Allah Allah does not show mercy except to the people of taqwa says.
When I was Cebu in the Allah and Allah azza wa jal rewards the people of taqwa and he goes on and on and on. What I want us to walk out with today is right as we understand this concept of taqwa, right? is two things. One,
try to get to the bottom of it because taqwa manifests itself. But because somebody might say okay, what is it exactly? How do I know that I have Taqwa of Allah. Right? It manifests itself in different in different ways. taqwa of Allah manifests itself in different ways. So we're going to give examples of that, but also we want to talk about
how do we attain it?
Before we end the night, inshallah. So,
one of the scholars was asked,
how,
one of the scars of overtime on the Sahaba Actually, it was Abu huraira de la, he was asked, he said, somebody told him what is exactly taqwa, you know, literally took what means to shield or safeguard yourself, to protect yourself from something, right, something that you either fear or something like so it's about being cautious. Right, is to be cautious. So, so in order for him to explain it, he said to him, Have you ever walked in a path in a pathway that was full of thorns?
You know, you walked in, in a bushy area where there were thorns, and there were all kinds of
and the person said, Yes, of course. So he said, so what did he do?
He said, You know, I, I kind of, you know, rolled up my, you know, my, my garment. And I watched my steps, and I made sure that I watched my steps. I watch every step and I made sure that I avoid any any spot that has, you know, thorns, right.
And whenever I saw something, that might be harmful, I stayed away from it as much as I can. I tried to I stayed I kept as much distance as I can. Whenever I saw an area that was clear. I, you know, I stepped in it comfortably without you know, so, but I still had to watch my steps until I passed that, that area.
What is it that taqwa that's step one?
That's step one.
So basically, you you go through this journey called life, right? until you reach your destination gender, watching every step.
And asking yourself does this step please a law
Or does it offend them? Should I take this step or not? You consider a law as in every option in every decision that you make in every action and reaction, if you are provoked, and somebody comes in says, you know, something to you offensive, before you respond to them, you ask yourself is going to be pleased with this response?
Is this response going to be for the sake of God? Or is it going to bring the wrath of God upon me, because some of us think that when we're provoked, we were justified to do or say whatever we want. And it's not the case. Brothers and sisters, as a matter of fact, they said, if somebody abuses you, if somebody does not feel a lot in your treatment, and the way they treat you, the best thing you can do, or the best punishment,
the best,
like the best punishment, right, is for you, to fear God in your treatment to them, and your response.
Right, so if somebody didn't fear God in the way they treated you, and they abused you, if you get to their level, and, and, and do whatever they did, you're not any better than them. The best thing you can do is for you to fear God in your treatment.
to somebody that did not fear God and his treatment or her treatment to you.
That's the best thing that you can do. So how can we attain taqwa?
By the way,
the prophet SAW Selim used to pray for taqwa. He imagined the province of Salem, who is the most pious of people of his era was and the reason I wanted to make to mention this is because we usually say, is one of the best, most powerful tools, but I just want you to remember that it has to be something that you really care for, and something that you desperately ask a lot for it but if you don't know the value of it, you're not going to ask Allah azza wa jal, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to ask a lot for it along the NFC taqwa.
zakiyah antihuman zakka. So the promises of used to pray ask Allah azza wa jal to make his soul to give his soul this mindfulness or conscious that make make him someone who fears God. He used to ask Allah subhanaw taala to system in that regard.
Along TFC, taqwa zakiyah and taka hieromonk, Zika and
Ebola, so how do we?
How do we attain dakwah?
We have to understand that there are different levels of taqwa different levels, am Rahim Allah mentioned six levels, six levels of level number one
to avoid cover.
To avoid cover, to avoid denying God or rejecting him or questioning him, or questioning his authority, or denying him that requires a level of topo By the way, there are some people
may Allah subhanaw taala, preserve us and protect us. They don't have any problem
saying or doing blasphemous things, or asking blasphemous questions, or say, Well, you know, somebody's not too long ago, somebody and I was shocked with the level of adults with the level of just with the audacity of the of that individual. Why does God do such and such? Why did Allah ask, I was like, wow, this is someone who's tough, whatever was really going long, low, very low. We gotta be careful. Be careful before you out of these words, this is god you're talking about to whom we belong, and to whom we shall return. Subhana Allah to Allah, you know, and in the old days, I used to be offended until I learned from my teacher, one of my teachers recently, you know, when I
asked him a very offensive question, I asked him what you know, or told him about a very offensive case? You know what he said? So Panama, so panicum, academic and aerobatic. He said, I am just amazed by God's grace, that people ask these kind of questions. And guess what, in the Quran, Allah tells us that they do. They did ask these kind of questions, and God out of His grace, and out of his mercy and kindness and love, he answered these questions. He didn't say, How dare you ask me this question. He actually answered these questions. He responded Subhana Subhana. So to have the level of taqwa where you avoid saying or doing anything that offends God at this level, where you
actually deny his existence, or associate others with him, or deny his authority,
right, some people believe in the existence of God, but they deny his authority.
He has nothing to do with me, I can do as I wish.
Right? So that's number one. The second level is
To avoid doing anything, right, that he did not approve off
seeking, or, or as an act of worship.
And that has to do with with, with avoiding innovations. Some people have the audacity to come and say, I love God, I want to worship God, they don't. So the first they recognize God's existence, and they want to worship God. So what do they do? They have the audacity to decide for themselves how to pursue God. So I'm going to choose my own religion. I'm going to choose my own rituals. I'm going to decide my own spirituality, spiritual is my spiritual path is something that I'm going to decide.
Guess what?
Right? God is one, so is the path leading to him. And God is the one that has the right to determine the terms. And he's the one that tells us how to seek His pleasure, and how to worship Him, we cannot determine that on our own.
It has to be him. Right? So you avoid that you avoid giving yourself the right to worship God as you wish you worship God as He wills
not as you wish. That's the second one. The third one is to avoid committing major sins,
major sins the difference? And then of course, the fourth one is to avoid committing the fourth level, which is higher level is to avoid committing minor sins. What's the difference between major and minor answers? Because some people think, no major sins or whatever law minor says, no problem. It's just minor know, the difference between major and minor since both are held on both are prohibited, but there are different levels of prohibition. major sins usually are sins grave sins, right, that were, you know, that involve punishment, that there is like a punishment for it. Right? God, you know,
or God or the His Prophet cursed a person who does these things, do to the, to the, to the, you know, severe nature of these acts, right? They're condemned in all of the previous scriptures, right?
minor sins are immoral acts, right acts of immorality, bad things that we shouldn't be doing. They're offensive, right? But they're very hard to avoid. And sometimes we may not notice them, they're still wrong. But out of his mercy, subhanho wa Taala said that these minor sins, if you continue to strive to do good deeds, Allah subhanaw taala wipes him away. Constantly, you know, when you pray five times a day, especially when you pray in the machine in German, but guess what, they get washed away.
Right. But if you're not doing this, if you're not constantly worshiping Allah and doing a lot of things, they don't get washed away, they pile up,
they pile up. And sometimes they could be the ones that make the difference on the Day of Judgment. There are many people who come on the Day of Judgment with piles of good deeds, you know, what will destroy their good deeds, there are minor sins, not the major sins, they avoid the major sins, but the minor sins, they have committed so many of them, right, that their good deeds will not offset them.
So we need to watch out and be careful. So that's why it's even a higher level to avoid minor minor since the fifth level is where you become so mindful, conscientious of a loss of habitat and to the extent where you avoid even permissible things.
Right? Where it's okay, but you just don't want to have too much of it. Because it's distracting. It's okay. But you just you're at a level of taqwa that's, that's very high, by the way. You know, it's called wara. wara.
Right? wants you to strive for it. But it's not mandatory.
One should strive for it, but it's not mandatory, but it takes you to a higher level.
Right? That's it. And of course, the sixth level, right? is where the person actually and this is these are the most special of people, these are people who manage their time very well. Those people who know their priority very well. They do not even engage in anything nor does their heart or know nor do their hearts get attached to anything other than Allah.
Right. Allah is the number one and only priority in life. This is this is this is the highest level, the level of the the prophets and the messengers and all of that, right.
So how do we get how do we get there? How do we get there? So the first step towards that brothers and sisters is to love and lust
because when you love somebody
Right. When you love somebody, you will be mindful of them. 24 seven, when you are in love with somebody or something, you are always thinking about it. So if you're truly, truly in love with a lot, you will think about them. And if you think about our lives, you always have Taqwa fresh in your in your heart, and the things that will help us love Allah Subhana Allah is reading for Allah He, by the way, when you read Quran, especially after you reach the age of 40, by the way,
when you start reading the Quran and can't call and response answers all of your questions two or three days ago, I, you know, I'm sitting, we're all upset by some of the pictures, some of the things that we saw, we can't make sense out of this, you know, all of these things that are happening, but then when you open up and you find answers, you find comfort, you find peace.
Right.
of the things that will also bring us closer to the level of a law is when we do beyond the mandatory beyond the minimum requirements, when we start doing good deeds, right extra good deeds, voluntary good deeds, try it. You know, some people just want to do the bare minimum, Salaam Alaikum. Brother walaikum salam What time is Salatu. Juma?
Well, we pray at 1230. I mean, we start at 1230. No, no, no. What time is the Salah? What do you mean is 1230? Is the first shift? No, no, no, what time is the actual Salah? Well, whenever the Houthi is done, when the sermon is over, okay, what time is it over? Approximately? Why? Because that person wants to come five minutes
before
the Salah invested, they don't want to, they don't want to come ahead of time. Two people should be asking, How early Can I come? How early is the masjid open? Can I come at noon, and sit for half an hour and read the code and and prepare myself and be of those people? That's what we should be doing? Right? You know, and I understand some people maybe are very, you know, that it's they have a very tight schedule. They don't have enough, you know, you know, but some people it's sad when you have people just hanging out or try to run some errands. And for some reason they want to make they want to deposit their checks. Right? At that time. Yeah. Why can't you deposit after five? Why can't
you deposit on Saturday? Okay, and take it back and deposit something in your account for accurate, come here and deposit some goodies that they just want to come last minute, right? bare minimum?
Right? You know, someone came in and you know, what's the minimum that I have to fast? What's the minimum that I have to, to pray, you can't just depend on that. Right? If you want to love a large budget, you need to continue to do to seek the love of God through doing extra deeds. Right, not only paying your two and a half percent of the cap, but giving charity try it is very fulfilling. It's very powerful, going and helping people right making a difference in other people's lives.
Also to remember a loss of habitat to think about him and remember him I don't know why some people whenever they remember God, they're they're like depressed, or upset or afraid or scared. The remembrance of God should bring happiness or comfort to your heart to say so Pamela hamdulillah just to think about it. There's something wrong by the way, if if whenever you're reminded of God, or you remember him, if it if it depresses you, or if it scares you, and you're terrified, and you're thinking of death, and you become anxious, and you become you know, you know, you have like anxiety attacks, then there is something wrong.
There's something wrong in your relationship with God. That shouldn't be the case. Right? And of course, to be in the company of those who love a lie and talk about God all the time. So the love of God is one way that we can we can attain taqwa another way of attaining taqwa is to remind ourselves constantly is to be mindful of Allah remind ourselves that God is watching us. We are in his presence. subhanho wa Taala. We are under his watch is called maraca. maraca is when you're, by the way, do you know that we have surveillance cameras here? We have security cameras, right?
We do. Yeah. All over, you know, right. You didn't know this. So you know, so if you know that there are surveillance cameras around and you know, you're gonna be very careful. Right? In terms of how you like you carry yourself, you know how you conduct yourself, right? You have to be, you know, I went to one of the massages
one time, at the end of the budget, there is a panel, there was a glass like panel. When you look at it, it's like reflecting It looks like a mirror.
It's a mirror you see your own reflection.
The administration had to put signs in that machine to say this is not a mirror. Brothers, this is not a mirror, the sisters on the other side, see everything that you're doing.
They had to put that that side because people will go and stand in front of that. That that
Mirror. And there may be like a sister praying, praying sooner, like right in her, he's standing in front of her doing all kinds of things. Some people like fixing, I mean, it may be the best thing is people are but there are some people like you know, cleaning their teeth, picking their nose and stuff like that. And the person on the other side has to see all of this. Right.
So when you know somebody is watching you, you're gonna, you're going to really watch what you do, right? So maraca means that when you basically remind yourself constantly that everything that you're saying you're doing is watched and known by Allah subhanho wa Taala.
Right. And that will definitely increase the level of taqwa in your heart. Number three, is increasing your knowledge
to
increase your knowledge to know what is Helen and what is wrong. A lot of people don't know. Everything is like blurry. Everything is like gray, or everything is helpful. For some people, everything is hella isn't everything. Or for some people, everything is how long, you know, they even begin, they even begin their question is in such an such haraam, like, how, Who said this? How long? I thought it was how long was it just feels like?
It doesn't work like that. I mean, one of the reasons we have a debate last week on you know how that made
it happen. Right, was just to stimulate the audience, and to remind us that there are fine details, right. So seeking knowledge, taking advantage of classes that we have here, taking advantage of sessions, workshops, taking advantage of the program, that we have a program like cis, that we have, it is important imperative for us to understand our religion, to understand increase your knowledge. And by the way, when you increase your knowledge, taqwa should increase with it. It's known in America, Mohammed, a valiant Allah, those who know a lot of the most will be mindful or fear him the most. Right? Number four.
And this is a tough one, we have to struggle, you have to struggle for your taqwa, you have to fight for it. You have to strive and you have to fight for it. And who are you struggling with or against yourself, your own desires, right? Your own desires. So you have to really, you know, deal with yourself. Allah subhanho wa Taala says, that manpower of a man half a comma b as for the one who is mindful of his stand before his Lord and fears that one hour and prevents himself from its desire
for an agenda to heal, our Jenna or paradise will be his or her abode, we really have to learn to say no to ourselves and our desires.
One of the worst things that you can do to yourself is, okay, have you been like, you know, you're talking to yourself? My dear, my darling, my love? What do you wish? What do you feel like having? What do you want to do? What do you want to try? What are you craving, and you just keep, like, some of us live our lives. Or, you know, I mean, again, this is a common struggle that we all have, we think that we have to fulfill all of our desires, we don't have to fulfill all of our desires. dounia is not the place where all desires are going to be fulfilled. Never, ever, no one has ever been able to accomplish that you will not get all of your desires fulfilled in this dunya we need to
stop spoiling ourselves in our souls and destroying it by trying to satisfy ourselves.
Right? And guess what, what law he nothing will satisfy your soul. Truly, except the love of Allah subhanaw taala, nothing, nothing is going to give you that we're pursuing look at people who have everything. And they should be like happy, they're miserable.
They're miserable.
Right? So we need to learn to teach ourselves the world. We need to tell ourselves No,
you're not going to get that house.
You can afford it and had through * that means
we're gonna pass on this car this year.
Right?
You're not going to wear that dress. It's not appropriate.
Right? We need to start telling ourselves, you're not, you're not going to go and do this or do that.
You're not going to fall for this trend
is inappropriate. We need to teach ourselves, right. And they said they said that neffs like the soul or self is like a child. If you spoil that child and give that child everything that they desire, you destroy that child. But if you if you win that child, if you train that child, it may be a painful process, but it will be for the advantage.
For the benefit of that child when neffs will completely right
when next will completely
and that
when the yes hello
that the flute oil filter from
oneness initiative Allahu Akbar Allah, Allah
Subhana Allah. So anyways, the poet says that that this child, if you continue to give that child milk, right, that child is going to get used to it, they're going to hold on to it as long as you can go.
Right?
They will go on on there. Now, of course there are some maybe we should debate that. Right? But if you wean that child, it's a painful process, but that child is going to stop
when natural capital into human who Shabana hugged
me and felting me,
way into slimly and felting me so this is what the soul is like. This, right?
When Neff Sukup, literally into milou.
Shabana hooked into Flim Flam, me.
Last point here, the fifth point here of how we can increase our taqwa is to be aware of the tricks of shaitaan.
And I may, over the past year have been mentioning or talking about chiffon. But I have noticed that over the years, we stopped warning, you know, and perhaps it has to do with my children.
You know, my children, they asked me about SharePoint. You know, it's real, by the way, right? For some reason, we stopped talking about it. We don't like to talk about some people say, you know,
she thought is not a metaphor.
She thought is not a metaphor. And by the way, just just for you for your information for your information. state of Kentucky. There's a huge debate right now. Is it Kentucky? Kentucky, right? Hmm.
No, no, no, no, sorry. Sorry. That's not Kentucky.
No, no, no, there is there is a state i forgot which was was I think, can it can it Kentucky or Connecticut? I forgot Kentucky or Connecticut. They have I think it's Connecticut. They have they have a
statue.
statue for the devil
placed in one of the I think one of the
city or government offices, you know how like, they have in some places they have the 10 commandments. Right? They have the 10 commandments.
The Supreme Court have the 10 commandments, but also many states they have the 10 commandments in their courts, or the city hall and stuff like that. So now you have
what do they call them? Satan worshippers? They have a name for them. No, they have no they have an evil satanist satanist like so they have now Satan is this is a sect growing sector. Unfortunately, by the way, it's not only growing in America is also growing in in the Middle East. Right. Now they have Satanists who said, you know, if you can have the 10 commandments, we want to have a statue. And they actually had that
they had last week they were talking about Did you see that? Did you see the lions?
You know, Satan, clearly, like they worship, they worship and we are now approaching that season. Their season called Halloween is coming up. Right? So already you see all the costumes and all of that they're preparing for that. Shabbat is being worshipped openly, openly, of course. So they they interviewed a police officer who said listen or the chief of the police in that in that in that city is like our responsibility is to protect everybody's freedom. And they have to protect Satanists are being protected by human beings.
shape and shape as well worshipers. So it's a real thing. English, lm la Kamini Adam a letter with a shape on Adobe. So not to understand that there is something called sway, you know, shape on Satan. Right. And that he has what? Sorry, exactly like I said Detroit, Michigan
in a spot, you know, Detroit is in a miserable state. But they
Yeah, so Detroit. Thank you. You're right, Detroit, Michigan. As we speak, this is a this is a this is a debate that is taking place as we speak last week, right? So Satan is being worshipped. And by the way, Satan utilizes all kinds of tools that were so addicted to that were used.
And he is, you know what the promise of something said to the companions, he, you know what he taught us, he taught us he said, when we go home, we should say, Bismillah.
And then when you walk into your house, you should say, Assalamualaikum.
And when you eat your food, you should say, Bismillah You know, when we fail to do that, what happens? And I'm not making this up. This is what the Prophet taught taught us. When we don't do that Satan, what
he says the night with us?
He spends a night,
Russia and maybe Taiwan.
Right? And not only that, they will they will dine with us.
The Devils will dine with us. Right? So when you walk into your house, you're supposed to remember God in your house, we're told, right? Because again, remember Satan's mission in life is not to is not the you know, freedom and liberty and pursuit of happiness.
That's not what he wants to achieve in life. That's not what No, no Satan's mission in life is to go after each one of us and ruin that experience for us. The Strip, take away from us liberty and freedom and take away happiness. That's what he wants to do. So he's not going to leave you alone. So in our homes, and I'm not trying to spook you or anything when we go home, right? We're supposed to say salaam aleikum, remember Allah subhanaw taala the Prophet So I sort of said, Do not turn your homes into graveyards, meaning pray at home, pray the wife at home, pray nothing, get up in the middle of the night and pray read for a household where the Quran is recited three days, sorry,
where sorts of Bukhara is recited.
No devil will come near that house. Right? So we need to do these things. We need to read the Quran and we need to make our homes a spiritual, you know, spiritual places. Right? protected. Right? guarded from from otherwise, you know, and we wonder why we're, you know, upset, I'm depressed, I'm kind of I have anxiety, you know, somebody will like, two days ago, a brother came to me said, You know, I have anxiety when I'm at home.
So then when he told me about his lifestyle, I said, Of course you're gonna have anxiety. So I said, well, but when he comes to the machine, he feels comforted, he doesn't feel the same, the same anxiety.
Mind you, he has roommate, he's not by himself, he has a roommate and all that. But still. So I said, you need to remember loss of habitat in that household in that house. You need to mention God. Right? Make sure that that why it's it's it's real, it's real.
So so we need to to be aware
of Satan and his streaks in his ways. You know, because Satan is not going to come and take taqwa all together away from you know, he's going to take chips but he's going to go and take taqwa one bit of a you know, everyday he will take a little bit of it away from you. He knows the more taqwa we have we are protected, the harder it is for him to tempt us, the less stuff what we have, the easier it will be. So therefore, what happens take stuff away, strip it away from from individuals. And sometimes it starts with things like you know, hideout falling apart, you know, causing us to do certain things or getting as addicted to certain things or a certain behavior or a certain trends.
We're so addicted to it that we're willing to you know, risk our taqwa for it you know. So, so, we need to be very careful and make sure that we we we we protect ourselves from the tricks of shade pond.
inshallah, we will continue the discussion in the future but if you have any question regarding
this topic, please
feel free
to ask the question.
You no evidence Josie said I have to tell you this and Josie said in the machine panel yet Hello Alan nice if you could remain Keno
right? Where is he to timucuan woman whom were killed or Anna Maria poverty him off let him tell him what led him he said shaytaan Satan, he will only invade your life as much as he can or whatever you allow him. So, when you give him more room,
right, he will take more, he will he will invade you know and take more and more. And he said he's By the way, Satan is very, very weak. And his ability to do that diminishes the more awareness you have the more you are aware and the more knowledge you have his ability to do that diminishes. Right. He preys on those people who are heedless people who are in a state of of love. That's home he preys on, right. So be aware of that, but
A lot of people. So, questions system will start with a sister site.
Yes.
reciting Surah Baqarah right. So the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says in the beta lady took her Orpheus, Oracle Baccarat toto shape on a house in which certain bacala is recited.
The devil doesn't enter it.
So, the scholars again, this is a very general statement by the purpose of the scholar said, Okay, so how often should it be decided? Is it enough once in a lifetime or frequently, so some scholars argue opinion that it should be decided once every three days? Some people say over three days, some people say a week, you know, a month, but I think what long to Anna Atomy should not be less than a month, because the the believer Muslim is supposed to finish the whole quarter and at least once a month. So that means
once a month to Baccarat is recited. So we'll learn how to analyze it if you can, if you can manage to read it every three days or every week, then it's better. Like the more you do it, the more protection you get, right. But if you can't write then at least once a month, Now, the question is,
okay, can I play? Some people say, Can I play a tape.
And of course, some scholar says you can do that, you know, but in my opinion would love to run out of ideas for you to recite it. So here's what I tell people.
If you want to play sort of Baccarat do it by all means as as many times as you want, if you want to do it every three days or every day, if you make it but make sure that once a month you read it you read the whole surah in your household, yourself. Right?
Of course, you know,
reciting also item kursi. Right? Every night and every morning, or before you go to bed. Likewise reciting the last two verses of Surah
Surah Al Baqarah. Right every night is also key. Yes.
You can hear Yeah, if you can't read it yourself and you want to play it and then read it as the chair. No problem.
By the way, if you're going to play it and listen to it, it's better not to recite with it and listen. Listen to the recitation. No.
The same as reading it. If you're listening and paying attention, yes.
Yeah, I mean, of course the reward of reading it is greater but listening to it. Listening is like reading.
Yes.
Any questions?
Okay, shall we will conclude by the light Allah I just want to leave you with a statement of soufiane authority. So if you had authority or him Allah made a profound statement regarding taqwa.
And feel free to tweet it if you wanted to. So he said in the title law, cafe kindness, in the title law,
cafe kindness. We're in it the ITA nurse named Johan come in Alicia.
Right. So he said, if you are if you have Taqwa of Allah, if you fear God, if you fear God, He will take care of people for you.
He will protect you from people and he will handle people on your behalf. But if you are afraid of people, if you fear people,
they will not be able they will not avail you from Allah, they will not be able to protect you from God.
Right? The most common thing that we have is we fear people, we're mindful of people. We're self conscious around people. But we were not as self conscious be, you know, before Allah subhanaw taala as we are when we are around people, and Sophia said, you know, let it be the opposite. For if you fear God, He will protect you from people but if you fear people, they will not protect you from God. Right? So May Allah make us of those who fear Him, those who are mindful of him may have loss of habitat and make use of those who who are provided with the best of provision and that is the provision of taqwa. My understanding is that
inshallah Tada.
Next week, we have Dr. Ahmed with us inshallah Tada. The following week. We have a very exciting program about dow and the Dow, our committee in the Dow program that we have
And then the week after that Heidi after that is going to be most likely the second day right the second day of raid and there will be no FF And on that day
so
you know, so you know try to share with the ologists here
try put that on your calendar and then the week after that we have an exciting program as well as Charlotte Allah welcoming back that judge, inshallah Tada. So remember them in your prayers of salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah.