Mohammed Faqih – Virtue Ethics Part 2
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AI: Transcript ©
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam
tonight's focus will be on the importance of
virtues or we're going to define virtue with regards to those to our relationship that has to do with the causes
of matters. That's
the second point that I wanted to make before we begin is the importance of authenticity, especially when it comes to the matter of the people ask me
different questions over last week, and I wanted to make this comment because I get these questions.
When we attribute something to a law,
or His Messenger, sallAllahu sandmann, it's better be authentic, and it better be something that is accurate and correct, we should be as accurate as possible. Now, of course, with the poor and if anyone wants to come and tell you a lawsuit such and such, all you have to do is what
go through the floor and open the 604 pages, go through them scan through them and you will be able to verify whether that is true or not. Right, where people sometimes may
miss
miss, where people may attribute something to a loss of power to the poor, and that may not be accurate would be in there either translation or in their,
in their, it would be a misunderstanding of some kind. They may misunderstand or misrepresented. But it's very difficult for anyone to come and say, oh, Dr. Asad says such and such that is not true, because you will be able to, to catch them on that. Now, however, another type of violation, or
I would say,
offense, in my opinion, is most common amongst Muslim Muslims. And that is attributing things to the prophets of Allah and Islam that are not true or accurate.
misinterpreting what the prophet said, that's, that's a big, big issue. But there is even a bigger issue when people attribute something to the Prophet sallallahu that he did not say, whatsoever. And this is a common disease. Anyone, anyone nowadays will come and say, well, the Prophet sallallaahu I've said, no one will question that person.
And if that person has a beard, that's it.
Right?
Someone asked me, as to the process as such, and such as it, I don't know, I don't know all the Hadeeth there are 1000s of them.
I'm not a lawyer, and even if I was available, but I didn't have everything that the Prophet sallallahu Sallam said, I'm not at Isha. And even I didn't memorize everything that the Prophet sallallahu Sallam said, so. And I'm not advocating I'm not a Muslim, but I'm not.
Right. So I said, Ask the person for their reference as to where they got the headphone. So the person who had to ask this individual and then came back and they said that their source is the Prophet
said,
I said, I asked for a reference and what book what collection of Hadith we live in Prophet,
Yanni, we may have like Sahaba amongst us and we don't know. And they directly heard it from the Prophet, that's their source, they met the Prophet.
So, yeah, this is getting out of control. So person has to
they said hello, during the time of the Sahaba. The Companions did not question each other's credibility, they did not ask, well, where did you get it from? Because they knew each other. Right. Then after that, during the time of fitna, and, you know, deviation and sectarian division and fights, Mohammed even the Syrian explains, you know, he says, Can when is alone It is not it? He said before that they did not ask for like reference or for
right, fella what back in fitna
is it and when the fitness took place, meaning the division that took place after them, the murder of man, he says are looser, Molinari. jellico. They started saying, You must name your sources, where did he get it from? So if someone comes from that generation, it says, The Prophet said, since that person did not meet the Prophet,
right? It's a second generation or third generation, like Muslim, someone that didn't meet the Prophet, that person will be asked.
The scars will demand that person who must as a Muslim, ask that person where or who they heard it from, and they will have to name their source and they better
We have to verify that they were able to meet and hear from that source, and so on and so forth. Thus came the study, or the science of this net. And if you remember, a few few months ago, we had here,
Professor
john, Jonathan Brown, just about right, we had him here. And he's he's basically a professor of habit. And he was talking about chain of reporters how that came about. So that's when they started demanding. And they said, and this is one of the unique,
one of the unique qualities or one of the unique, distinctive features in Islamic Studies. This is what makes Islam the standout from all other religions. It's not this, this study is something that we were very proud of why, because that's the mechanism
through which we can authenticate or verify any report. And we know so when we say this hadith is authentic or weak, that means we can trace it back with great level of accuracy, through scientific methods, back to the Prophet salallahu alaihe Sunnah. And we know each and every single person who was involved in that in the transmission of that heavy, you will not find this in any other tradition, I challenge anyone to find this in any other tradition. So this is something that that is not only that makes us proud, but it should be something that we we respect, because the scholars put a lot of work in doing this, and studying, you know, hundreds of 1000s of chains, hundreds of
1000s of fingers throughout history, to make sure that these individuals are credible, not only did they study
and verify whether these individuals are credible, this cause went to the extent of studying whether this the two individuals who are transmitting from each other have met or not,
just because they lived around each other's town or around the same time, that does not mean that they met. So they have to establish, they have to have enough reason to believe that the two actually met and had the opportunity to exchange ideas. If that is not verified, then this is considered to be with
an interruption. Right? This will actually bring down the level of that ad down to to a level that may disqualify that may make it unacceptable, or at least that chain of reporters. So this is the amount of work that scholars can put. And now simply people can come and just say whatever. That's why Mohammed in the Syrian said fella party fitna or some ordinary jellico piombo in an alley, as soon as
people who have any deviation or have any ulterior motive, their their narrations or reports will be discarded.
Abdullah Mubarak says, and it's now domina, Dean, chain of narrators, this is part of the dean
whatever it is snap, and if it was not for this process of snap chain of reporters in narration, Laconia, Masha, Masha
anyone would have said whatever they want it and attributed to the prophet SAW life in it. And our tradition would have been like any other tradition, where things are attributed to the prophets without any proof. And we don't even know whether he The Prophet said it or not. Right.
And he also said in the handler in Medina, he said, This knowledge is deep. It's your DNA, your way of life. It is how you worship Allah subhanaw taala for the young lord, I had to come
out to dinner. So let one of you Be very careful, very meticulous, very particular.
lets him or her examine as to who it is that they're getting their Deen from. So this is a very serious issue. So therefore, whether it's me or anyone, right,
we should give you a reference.
And if I don't give you a reference, because it is popular, or if I say it's, and you might have an issue with a Hadith, always ask for reference.
And a person should not should not have any problem with you asking for a reference. Allah subhanaw taala says, Yeah, you handed in an ominous or you believe in jack Professor formula, if a person
you know, comes to you with with a news with a piece of information, potentially, you know, verify it.
Right. And so I wanted to bring this. So we know
from
and I did not print the page that has the references.
Yep, I don't have the page that has the references. There is one page where it has all the references.
But there's so let me
Let me just put it this way, there's a lady that I know was in a seminar, who's a companion came to the office.
And he asked him about virtue.
Bill, you heard the word better, right? That Allah Subhana, Allah says
the word better came in the poor and in many places, like for example, the bitterroot Valley then showing birth to our parents, right? That didn't come into play that came in that in the Hadith, but then
it defines their scouse head, that bill is
a terminology that encompasses everything, that our loss of habitat is pleased with, whether it be a statement, or an action, or a deed of some kind, any deed, any deed that pleases Allah subhanho wa Taala will be considered better. So when we talk about validating, and validating, that means a deed doing a deed or behaving or treating the parents in a manner that is pleasing to Allah. So that's why it was called beruwala. De right, in my opinion, a very accurate word in English, in which into which you can translate the word builder, which would be virtual. And that's a that's what, what I meant. I mean, tonight, we said virtue defined, right, this is the title of tonight's session. It's
a continuation of last week's discussion, right virtual different. So what is virtual? That gives us an answer, but in this Hadith of
the Prophet also defines it. And these are the two definitions that I want to, to examine tonight with you. Now,
in the end, also Albert is mentioned as a station, or as a status or as
a state that a believer should aspire to. Right, because the law says
to
a born you will not receive, you will not attain better, until you spend from that which you love.
So it talks, this verse talks about and this is the sort of Avalon verse 92. Right,
verse 92, Allah says, then $10 bill, you will not receive, you will not attain
bill until you spend from that which you love. Since this concept involves us spending from what we love, we better know what it is right? Right. So better, so it must be. So this implies this verse implies that bitter is is is somewhat of a state.
Something good something, something that that we should aspire to. When this verse was revealed.
I will tell her what one of the companions, one of the wealthy companions of the Prophet, he went to the prophet and he said, Allah says that we will not attain better until we spend from that which we love. He said yes. So he said, Indeed, I have this piece of property in Bella, which I love the most is one of its descendants in a prime location. Very nice piece of
you know how many trees palm trees it had in it. According to some reports, a hotel has property had over 600 palm trees.
I went to visit a brother. Well, we went to this house very, very nice house in the hills of Riverside. And they had palm trees. And one of the brothers pointed to one of the palm trees he said, You know how much that palm tree costs
anywhere from 15,000 to 30,000 depending on the type and depending on the size and
right so let's say it's 10,000 10,000 times 600 do the math brothers one
lotto
6 million 6,000,001 shot
one piece of property said
why because he wanted to attain better if this is what he's gonna get. This is what will get me better than i'm gonna i'm giving. So if he is willing to give to pay this kind of price to attain better then we better know what better is. So what does the Quran or how does it put an defined bill which I said would be
the word for better in English in my opinion on lockdown Ireland is is what
virtue. So what is virtue?
We'll look at the Quranic definition
and examine or in the light of the Prophet statement because I know as soon as a man, one of the competitive prophet I started his story came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to inquire about better.
He came, he hears the Quran saying better and better and better, there is a center. So he wanted to know what what exactly isn't there. So he came to the Prophet sallallahu.
And then he asked the Prophet, he said,
almost, you know, like, tell me about a bill, what is it that define
something in a, in a, in a, in a language that I can understand and comprehend? What did the father say?
He gave him towards
tours. He said, Alberto said
he defined into two words just don't follow.
He
said, Bill, this huge, comprehensive concept, and we'll see what the Quran said about it. Right? His personal follow
me means beautiful or beauty. Sound, good? Hold on means we defined it last week. disposition, natural dismissal. So that's why you find some books translating this is a good conduct, or good behavior and good behavior. What so what is good behavior? We'll have to look at it. Now what does the Quran say about Allah?
Allah subhanaw taala says, Listen
to aloo mashery memory, verse 177, all sorts of bacara
it is not of bear that you turn your faces or bear is not limited to you turning your faces towards the east or towards the west.
Anyone can do that.
satellite dishes can be turned either direction as
well as hinda. But however, and Bill bill is meant to be law, number one, whoever believes in a law
which of course defines the relationship between a believer in a loss of Hamlet Allah, it is that of belief.
And the beauty of the Quran is that the Quran begins with email. Why?
Because in Islam, Eman is the foundation of bill is the foundation of our context. It's the foundation of our way of life. It's the foundation of everything.
So the Quran begins by saying that bill consists of an avid abunda to believe in a lot. And then it lists the some of the articles of faith, when the Omen after and the last day
when men equity and the angels will kitabi and the book when the yin and the prophets in the messengers. Now many of us will say, Oh, we got it. We all believe, in fact, we always talk about it to non Muslims, we say do you want to know what Islam is? And is to believe in Amman as messengers in it, we can list all of them, we have them memorized. You know, we memorize these things at a very early age. But that's not where it stops.
Because anyone can profess that anyone can claim that Remember last week how we said, The Prophet said, all you who profess faith with your tongue.
And faith does not go into your hearts. Stop harassing, stop abusing Muslims. Remember, I said the Prophet said he's talking to the Muslim community during his time because even the Muslim community during that time had people with all kinds of issues, deficiencies. They were hypocrites. So one day the prophet and he was very upset. He said, Oh, you who profess faith with your tongues?
Yeah, I'm not sure I'm an M and A Billy Sani he.
Right? He said, Oh, you who profess faith with your tongue. While faith does not make its way to your heart, meaning you're not true believers yet, stop. He said, stop hurting, stop abusing, stop harassing them, they're believers and stop going after their faults.
Anyone can claim that they believe in a lot in the last day. But if that does not translate, if that does not show in what comes next, then that person is not a true believer, or that person has some kind of
I would say interruption some kind of dichotomy, some kind of disconnection between this comprehensive package that we call Islam. So what does the Quran say after that doesn't stop right right there but it goes beyond that will actually matter. And at the same time that person gives
of his wealth.
They give Matt a lot of behind while they love them the money. This is again, consistent with the verse from Surah Al Emraan, verse two, verse 292, where Allah says, You will not attain better until you spend from that which you love. Here again, and verse 177, of sorts of login says, It is he who gives wealth in spite of his love for it, well, I can either be, meaning you don't give something because you hate it, you don't have to hate wealth, it's natural to love wealth. So while you have that natural love and attachment, you still give. And also it means that you don't give from that which you want to get rid of, you know what I'm talking about the things that expire, or they're
about to expire, things that you don't like, or things that your wife doesn't like, or you don't like, you know, say things that you just want to get rid of things that you want to recycle. Right? Like, no, you get from that which you love.
This concept of how Allah was so
even Omar, every time he falls in love with something he gives it.
So one time he had this camera, very precious, very expensive camera, and we were talking about Lexus and s 460. something of that nature. And he loved that camel. That kind of was a nice ride. It was a very smooth ride. You know, even camels by the we don't know about that we think of old camels look alike. And they're all the same. No, no, no, no, there is a big difference. Do you know that camels prices range from anywhere from like, $1,000 all the way to hundreds of 1000s hundreds of 1000s
like one camel,
depending on the breed of the camel, so I've been I've had a very precious, very nice, classy, right? fully loaded
camel.
And he loved it. And one day he realized He's like, I love this camel. He was so obsessed with it, you know, watch it, take care. And then he realized that he is becoming very attached to it. So he said, someone asked him, you know how so what do you think of his cows? Look, I love it.
It's like, it's as simple as precious camela. And then he, he remembers the verse. So he said, and since I love it, it's the most precious
property or pride that I have. It's feasibility. So he gives it
so what did his wife or the members of his household have started to do? anytime they know that he likes something, his favorite items, they will keep it away from him. They will not let him like sit, sit, if he's sitting and there's, there's something that he likes in front of him. And he's sitting down with difficult or thinking they will take it away. Because if he he will remember then to give it away.
Or to fool people come or if some if a needy person comes, they will hide all the precious things that he likes, because he's going to end up giving them away.
But anyways, so it is natural that we love wealth. So Allah says your if you have the ability to control that love and not be controlled by that love, and still managed to give of your wealth or from your wealth, right? That is a sign of virtue. Who Who should we give to? Because sometimes someone says yeah, I give from my wealth to
drive people and bribing people or is it okay to give her you know, to the politicians and the poor campaign? You know, sometimes there are certain Okay, I take it back I take all that back. All I'm saying is that sometimes it's a lot easier for us to give to popular causes
then it is to give to not so popular causes. Right? So that's why a lot directives and he tells us as to what are the things are the areas where we need to focus? So what is the first thing that a lot mentions? We're at Amanda, Allah be here they will Cordoba.
They will corba those who are the closest to you.
And family, Thai brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, you know, the closer the more right they have, they will call but when he uttama and the orphans who have no one to take care of them.
And nowadays of how there are many of them out there, many of them every time a disaster strikes, you know, you know that that's going to leave behind so many orphans, right? orphans, what am I sacking and the needy or the poor, Lebanese Serbian, and the way fair or people who are stranded, you know, three was set in
and those and those who come begging and asking if they get it gets so bad with them that they have to go and beg or ask what federal court and in freeing slaves
so these are areas where one could give but that's not where it stops, and further
virtue. All of these things by the way, so far defined, very
Welcome to Salah, those who established a comma establish, they pray properly, they pray on time, they pray consistently.
And
so, so they they pray properly,
they pray on time, they pray consistently.
Only then a person will be considered someone who does accommodate Salah establishes Salah, praying three out of five does not does not is not considered. You will say that person prays, the Quran doesn't say and those who pray.
Because many people pray there are some people who pray. I mean, I know a lot of people there are atheists who pray whenever they need something. There are people who don't pray all year long, and then they prey
on eight and during finals.
When we need something we'll pray.
We'll pray. That's that's what it doesn't say. And those who pray it says well upon us Allah, those who stablish the prayer, those who are the only you're considered to be as, for example, people who build this message and we're committed to this message Dane and construction takes you say, oh, that this is a person who established the message if you're not a person who establishes something unless you're committed to that art. So basically, what this verse is saying is, those who are committed to the cause of Salah, those who are committed to solid commerce, Allah will act as a cat and those who deliver carry there is a current delivered, right?
Now those where someone has to go in to * or takes a cat, no, no, those who deliver delivers a cat. That's what it says, as well as a cat. But that's not where it stops.
Because some someone might say 100, and I do all of the above.
That's it. But when you examine their relationships, when you examine their virtue ethics, what we were talking about last week, they're weak, they fail.
That's why the program comes and says, Wait a minute, the package is not complete. The system has another it has some other areas that you have to attend to. Bill still has some elements that you have to complete one more for him either.
And those who fulfill their promises whenever they promise.
Integrity, integrity, that's an ethical value. Those who fulfill their promise, whether it be to their spouses, they promise
right?
I give you the my daughter's hand, right? Well, since now, I have a daughter, I can't even say this, okay. I give you my neighbor's hand in marriage.
I don't want anyone to assume that okay, your daughter is our sons. Right? I give you right, what I what I take your hand in marriage in accordance to the book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and sometimes people will will state or mention with them is this is a promise.
This is a promise.
Right. So, there is there is a there is a promise there is a pact. There is an In fact, this path is very serious a lot posit mythical vallila is a covenant. So a covenant was established,
witnessed by the father of the bride, her uncle, her grandfather, her cousin, her cousin's in laws, right? The father of the groom sometimes or his cousin, his uncle, his everybody in the family as well as 10s, or hundreds of community members in the presence of the chef or the local Imam, this is a serious, serious deal
with all these people witnessing it.
So this is a promise, we'll move on to the idea of fulfilling the terms of that contract is an obligation. It's an ethical, it's unethical,
is Islamic slash moral and ethical
duty.
So Allah says, it is of better than a person will not fulfill better, unless they are ready to fulfill their promises.
To anyone that promises maybe to a business partner, it may be to a boss.
Right? It may be to to your professor, your teacher, it may be to your neighbor, and maybe to the land in which you live
or to the country.
To which or for which you for whose visa you apply. It's a promise, you have to fulfill the terms of that contract and that promise, so integrity will move on.
And then what slavery and I feel best, and those who are patient, and steadfast at times of best World War where in advance at times of adversity
at times of calamity
times of misfortune, at times of war, those who are patient in different circumstances,
they do not lose their contentment or their
they do not lose their patience after mentioning all of this,
right, so Allah mentions two of the most important ethical values
integrity, and sub sub perseverance.
By the way, you know why, because they say integrity or honesty, right, is the mother of all virtues.
Southern
is the father or sustains them without somebody who cannot, because you could be an honest person, you could be a loyal person, you could be trusting or trustworthy, right. But if you don't have patience, you might want to lose it.
So, if you have these two, from if you bring these to the marriage of some sort, and so, integrity, produces all other virtues, everything. So, Allah subhanaw taala highlights these two, on behalf of the rest of the values and the beautiful qualities that a believer should have, right, this is the complete package. So, there you have the aqeedah. There you have the articles of faith, there you have the Pillars of Islam, there you have the principles of Islamic moral value or system.
Then, if a person has this package or if a person is working hard towards fulfilling his or her duty towards towards this package, this entire package, then that person is someone who is attaining or is in the process of attaining better.
And if you bring the Hadith of the Prophet that we mentioned earlier, and this you will see that it complements one another. So, the chorus little lights on the lolly, and you will see that he is a lot and surround himself was an embodiment of that. Now, what do I What do I want from saying this inshallah will conclude now,
it is very important that we remember that, that, once again, that virtue, as defined by the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam leads to agenda
for the Prophet says, went in and built it in a genuine
that's how a person qualifies for gender.
And it is very important that we understand that this is an ongoing process.
Right? That we do not give up on this.
It is very important that we understand that everyday should we should we should become better individuals, that our parents better husbands better wives versus better parents, better children, better brothers and sisters, we have to improve. Because sometimes we think we have this this, we think the person is either good or bad. This is black and white thinking doesn't work. And somehow, and I concluded this story. Yesterday we were talking about at UCI, we were talking about the story of Abu Bakar in Oman, when they argued in the presence of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, which was quite a shock for some people. Because this story happened. In the around the eighth or the ninth
year of the Hadith of the Prophet. Yanni working on Omar knew each other and they were companions. They were the companions of the Prophet, the two closest companions of the Prophet. So I said them for about 15 or 16 years.
Yes, one day a worker. And somehow sometimes when we talk about the Sahaba, we think of them as like legends, perfect angels. So how about human beings? So when the worker said to the Prophet suggested to the Prophet of the Prophet, he nominated someone, he said,
Mbit would be the best person that you put in charge. There was one tribe that came from the central part of Arabia, let me tell you,
and they pledged their allegiance to the Prophet before they left a worker advice the prophecy was and he said, You should put the mob in charge. So he nominated cabinet mohabbat. Rama right there, right? Then they're set to the process. I send a messenger of Allah, you should put a crab in the house. He's a better worker got upset. He said. He said, Oh, you only wanted to contradict me.
You always do this or what?
I would say no. And what became the president said, No, no, no, but I think he started defending his choice, a worker, lawsuit. And he raised his voice. And they argued with each other as the father was trying to calm them down. The two went, kept just, you know, shouting or their voices started getting louder and louder. That's when the process of them just kept quiet. And that's when they realize that they're arguing in the presence of the Prophet and they say
Human beings they are human beings.
But they learned their lesson. Why? Because the why revelation from heaven intervened. Immediately Allah subhanaw taala revealed verses from solid alpujarra Yeah, you had an avenue to Adam obey the law, you're actually teaching them multiple lessons.
Yeah, you're letting me know, let us water control consulting, maybe when I teach how to
do not, first of all, do not improvise. Do not go ahead of yourself in the Presence of Allah and His messenger. Number two, do not raise your voices above the voice of the Prophet civilize him, don't you ever do it again. Number three, do not call the Prophet. So I said, we're talking to him like you talk to each other. Remember, he's the Messenger of Allah. Number four. Those who lower their voices in humility before the Prophet are those whom Allah subhanaw taala has tested their hearts to be suitable for taqwa. It's a sign of taqwa. After the revelation of this, and until the Prophet passed away, I will back up can barely be heard talking in the presence of the Prophet, barely. And
Ahmad would whisper Omar who was very loud by nature, he would whisper. They said, After that the Prophet had to get so close to him to hear what he's saying, oh, what are you saying?
What are you saying?
Yeah. Right. Because of, you know, Allah. So what I'm saying is even the competitors of the process that have had to be taught, right, so there's nothing wrong with us making mistakes. So long, we're learning from this decent stakes, and we're becoming better individuals. And this is what the Quran
and the Sunnah of the Prophet are there for, right. And as they said,
I told you this, I think
a wise man told me, he said,
good choices come from. He said, good choices come from experience.
And he said, experience comes from bad choices.
Right? So we asked a lot of faith and he dies. Are there any questions the show?
Okay, now, here's your homework challenge. Our homework, of course, anytime we hear something good is that we,
we implemented, number two, that you teach it to someone else. Number three, you pass this on to your children. So this is the point of this, I'm not here to luxury, I'm here to remind myself, and make sure that that I abide by this. And also when I go home, you know, because the promise of the best of us the best of his family, right people that we take for granted. So we abide by this and we improve in terms of our relationships. Number two is that you teach this to someone, you share it with someone, if you're taking the bus back to your residence, right share with someone on the bus, I don't care who it is. But the
next conversation or gathering or opportunity, you have to share this with someone share anything that you heard today with someone number three, pass it on chautala, to your children and the members of your household. For example, what do you start to? Do I start with starts spending money from what I like or where do you start?
Yeah,
that's a good question. I would start from where Allah started.
Right? Allah subhanaw taala says, with a little M and M and A B left. What do mean after what am I left with? What keytab when they begin, and then the manifestation of that, and this doesn't mean that you should, this doesn't mean that, Okay, I'm going to come and I say, okay, for the next five years, I'm going to work on those five items that were mentioned in the IFRS. Until then, nobody asked me about spending from my Well,
that's not what it means. Because it's, you need to work on all these, these are parallel tracks, right? So you work on all of them at the same time you improve, but we know, right? We know that, that the,
the depth
and the strength of your belief in Allah and His angels, and all of that will affect the person's a lot a man's right. And every time you have an opportunity to, to manifest or demonstrate that in giving or sharing, you know, then you do that as well.
I'll give you an address, that one time one of my teachers gave in advance, he said, every opportunity that you have, no matter how little it is, right?
Take advantage of it, do your best. He said because you never know. Maybe that opportunity
that that that that moment, that opportunity may be what you get gender or you get rewarded for maybe that opportunity is that that missing link in your life, you don't know.
And he used to use a Hadith of the Prophet when a man walked by a piece of an object. He thought to himself, okay, I should remove it. He could have said no big deal just walked away. Right? I didn't call
So he removed it. And that was it, Allah forgive his sins because of that. So you never know. So he said do not, do not belittle any opportunity. He said also, because you don't want to regret. Well, like there are so many times when I had an opportunity, I said, Okay, I can do something else instead, right, and then you miss that, and maybe you don't get to do anything else you'd like I should have, I should have. So you don't want to say I should have. So take advantage of every opportunity that you have, I think that will strengthen that this concept of pressure. No, it's not a condition that a person has to be, has to be Muslim or has to be a believer or has to be if a
person is needy, and you can give it to them. But we said you start with you,
with those who are the closest to you relatives, for instance. Now, the reason you start with relatives is because the Prophet said when you give and maybe a relative, relative, first of all, you know, you should attend to the needs of your relatives, you know, before anyone else, right.
And you should not your relatives should not have to go to strangers, if
a family member can help them, okay? Number two, when you give, it's like a double dip.
Right? Because when you give when you give charity, or when you give aid to a relative, not only is it an act of charity, but it's also similar. That's why the prophets that are in the household are katan vasila, it's two things, you're doing siliconera him so you get double reward for it, you get the reward of giving someone and you'll get the reward of of silicone regime connected, keeping the ties of the rules, so you get the reward.
Like is that the mechanics of how economic
incentives if he was elected in Amsterdam, the sun had also been happier to us also.
or four people come or if some if a needy person comes, they will hide all the precious things that he likes, because he's gonna end up giving them away.
But it is, so it is natural that we love wealth. So Allah says, Your if you have the ability to control that love and not be controlled by that love, and still managed to give of your wealth or from your wealth, right? That is a sign of virtue. Who Who should we give to? Because sometimes someone says, Yeah, I give from my wealth, to
I bribe people, any bribing people, or is it okay to give her you know, to the politicians? And if we're campaign, you know, sometimes there are certain, okay, I take it back, I take all that back. All I'm saying is that sometimes it's a lot easier for us to give to popular causes.
than it is to give to not so popular causes. Right? So that's why a lot directors and he tells us as to what are the things are the areas where we need to focus? So what is the first thing that a lot matches? What Amanda and I have been, they will corba
they will corba those who are the closest to you.
And family, Thai brothers, sisters, parents, cousins, you know, the closer the more right they have, they will call but when he uttama and the orphans who have no one to take care of them.
And nowadays of how there are many of them out there, many of them every time a disaster strikes, you know, you know that that's going to leave behind so many orphans, right? orphans, what am I sacking and the needy or the poor, Lebanese Serbian, and the wayfare or people who are stranded, you know, Sri was set in
and those and those who come begging and asking if they get it gets so bad with them that they have to go and beg or ask what federal court card and in freeing slaves
so these are areas where one could give but that's not where it stops and further
virtue. All of these things by their software defined virtual well commerce Allah, those who established a comma establish, they pray properly, they pray on time, they pray consistently.
And
so so they they pray properly.
They pray on time, they pray consistently, right.
Only then a person will be considered someone who does accommodate Salah establishes Salah plain three out of five does not does not consider it. You will say that person prays the Quran doesn't say and those who pray because many people pray there are some people who pray. I mean, I know a lot of people there are atheists who pray whenever they need something. There are people who don't pray all year long and then they prey
on eight and during finals
When we need something we all pray.
We Okay, that's that's what it doesn't say and those who pray it says upon us, Allah, those who stablish the prayer, those who are the only you're considered to be as, for example, people who build this message and we're committed to this message Dane and construction takes you say, oh, that this is a person who established the mesh if you're not a person who establishes something unless you're committed to that cause. So basically, what this verse is saying is, those who are committed to the cause of Salah, those who are committed to solid commerce, Allah will act as a cat and those who deliver carry there is a current delivered, right?
Not those where someone has to go into * or takes a cat. No, no, those who deliver delivers a cat, that's what it says, as well as a cat. But that's not where it stops.
Because some someone might say 100, and I do all of the above.
That's it. But when you examine their relationships, when you examine their virtue ethics, what we were talking about last week, that week, they fail.
That's why the program comes and says wait a minute, the package is not complete the system has another has some other areas that you have to attend to. Bill still has some elements that you have to complete one more for him either.
And those who fulfill their promises whenever they promise.
Integrity, integrity, that is an ethical value. Those who fulfill their promise, whether it be to their spouses, they promise.
Right?
I give you the my daughter's hand, right? Well, since now, I have a daughter, I can't even say this, okay. I give you my neighbor's hand in marriage.
I don't want anyone to assume that okay, your daughter is our sons. Right? I give you right, what I what I take your hand in marriage in accordance to the book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and sometimes people will will state or mention what the matter is, this is a promise.
This is a promise.
Right. So there is there is a there is a promise there is a pact. There is an In fact, this path is very serious, a lot closer, mythical vallila is a covenant. So a covenant was established,
witnessed by the father of the bride, her uncle, her grandfather, her cousin, her cousins, in laws, right? The father of the groom sometimes or his cousin, his uncle, his everybody in the family as well as 10s, or hundreds of community members in the presence of the sheriff or the local Imam, this is a serious, serious deal.
With all these people witnessing it.
So this is a promise, we'll move on to the idea of fulfilling the terms of that contract is an obligation. It's an ethical, it's an ethical
is Islamic, moral, and ethical
duty.
So Allah says, it is of better than a person will not fulfill, unless they are ready to fulfill their promises.
To anyone that promise may be to a business partner, it may be to a boss.
It may be to to your professor, your teacher, it may be to your neighbor, and maybe to the land in which you live
or to the country.
To which or for which you for whose visa you apply. It's a promise, you have to fulfill the terms of that contract and that promise, so integrity, we'll move on to the idea that I do and then what slavery and I feel bad sir, and those who are patient and steadfast at times of best world war were in at best a times of adversity,
a times of calamity,
times of misfortune, at times of war, those who are patient in different circumstances,
they do not lose their contentment or their
they do not lose their patience after mentioning all of this
right. So Allah mentions two of the most important ethical values
integrity and sub sub perseverance.
By the way, you know why? Because they say integrity or honesty, right? is the mother of all virtues.
Southern
is the father or sustains them without somebody who cannot because you could be an honest person. You could be a loyal person. You could be trusting or trustworthy.
Right. But if you don't have patience, you might want to lose it.
So if you have these two, from if you bring these to the marriage of suburb, and so integrity, produces all other virtues, everything. So Allah subhanaw taala, highlights these two, on behalf of the rest of the values and the beautiful qualities that a believer should have. Right? This is the complete package. So there you have the aqeedah. There you have the articles of faith, there you have the Pillars of Islam, there you have the principles of Islamic moral value or system.
Then, if a person has this package, or if a person is working hard towards fulfilling his or her duty towards, towards this package, this entire package, then that person is someone who is attaining or is in the process of obtaining better.
And if you bring the Hadith of the Prophet that we mentioned earlier, and this, you'll see that it complements one another. So they'll cut us a little light on the law. And you will see that he is a lot and surround himself was an embodiment of that. Now, what do I What do I want from saying this inshallah will conclude now,
it is very important that we remember that, that, once again, that virtue, as defined by the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam leads to agenda.
For the offices, we're in and build my ID in an agenda.
That's how a person qualifies for agenda.
And it is very important that we understand that this is an ongoing process.
Right? That we do not give up on this
is very important that we understand that every day should we should we should become better individuals, that our parents better husbands better wives versus better parents, better children, better brothers and sisters, we have to improve. Because sometimes we think we have this this, we think the person is either good or bad. This is black and white thinking doesn't work. And somehow, and I concluded this story. Yesterday we were talking about at UCI, we were talking about the story of Abu Bakar in Oman, when they argued in the presence of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, which was quite a shock for some people. Because this story happened in the around the eighth or the ninth
year of the Hadith of the Prophet, Yanni, and we're working on Omar knew each other and they were companions. They were the companions of the Prophet, the two closest companions of the Prophet. So I said them for about 15 or like 16 years.
Yes, one day a worker. And so how sometimes when we talk about the Sahaba, we think of them as like legends, perfect angels. So how about human beings? So when the worker said to the Prophet suggested to the Prophet and the Prophet, he nominated someone, he said,
Mbit would be the best person that you put in charge. There was one tribe that came from the central part of Arabia, let me tell you,
and they pledged their allegiance to the Prophet before they left a worker. Advice. The prophecy was when he said, You should put a bit in charge. So he nominated a cabinet mohabbat Rama right there, right? Then they're set to the process and send a messenger of Allah, you should put a crab in the house. He's a better worker got upset. He said. He said, Oh, you only wanted to contradict me.
You always do this on what?
I would say no. And what became the president said, No, no, but I think he started defending his choice, a worker lost.
And he raised his voice. And they argued with each other as a farmer was trying to calm them down. The to what kept just, you know, shouting, or their voices started getting louder and louder. That's when the process of them just kept quiet. And that's when they realize that they're arguing in the presence of the Prophet and they stopped.
Human beings, they're human beings.
But they learned their lesson. Why? Because the why revelation from heaven intervened. Immediately Allah subhanaw taala revealed verses from solid alpujarra Yeah, you handed in amarula. to Adam obey the law, you're actually teaching them multiple lessons.
Yeah, you're letting me know let us control consulting maybe when I tell you
do not, first of all, do not improvise. Do not go ahead of yourself in the Presence of Allah and His messenger. Number two, do not raise your voices above the voice of the prophets of Allah. Don't you ever do it again. Number three, do not call the profit center or talk to him like you talk to each other. Remember, he's the Messenger of Allah. Number for those who lower their voices in humility before the Prophet
For those whom Allah subhanaw taala has tested their hearts to be suitable for taqwa. It's a sign of taqwa. After the revelation of this, and until the Prophet passed away, I will back up can barely be heard talking in the presence of the Prophet, barely. And Ahmad would whisper Omar who is very loud by nature, he would whisper. They said, After that the Prophet had to get so close to him to hear what he's saying, oh, what are you saying?
What are you saying?
Yeah. Right. Because of, you know, Allah. So what I'm saying is, even the competitors of the process have had to be taught, right? So there's nothing wrong with us making mistakes. So long, we're learning from this, these mistakes, and we're becoming better individuals. And this is what the Quran
and the Sunnah of the Prophet are there for, right? And as they said,
I told you this, I think
a wise man told me, he said,
good choices come from. He said, good choices come from experience.
And he said, experience comes from bad choices.
Right? So we asked him lots of faith, and he dies. Are there any questions the show?
Okay, now, here's your homework challenge. Our homework, of course, anytime we hear something good is that we,
we implemented, number two, that you teach it to someone else. Number three, you pass this on to your children. So this is the point of this, I'm not here to luxury, I'm here to remind myself, and make sure that that I abide by this. And also when I go home, you know, because the promise of the best of you is the best for his family, right people that we take for granted. So we abide by this and we improve in terms of power relationships. Number two is that you teach this to someone, you share it with someone, if you're taking the bus back to your residence, right share with someone on the bus, I don't care who it is. But the
next conversation or gathering or opportunity, you have to share this with someone share anything that you heard today, with someone number three, passing on chautala. To your children and the members of your household. For example, what do you start to? Do I start with starts spending money from what I like or what you start
to learn? Yeah,
that's a good question. I would start from where Allah started.
Right? Allah subhanaw taala says, where that came from an AMA villa. What do you mean, after one of my life, if you will keytab you when you begin, and then the manifestation of that? And this doesn't mean that you should, this doesn't mean that, Okay, I'm going to come and I say, okay, for the next five years, I'm going to work on those five items that were mentioned in the IFRS. Until then, nobody asked me about spending from my Well,
that's not what it means. But because it's, you need to work on all these, these are parallel tracks, right? So you work on all of them at the same time you improve, but we know, right? We know that, that the,
the depth,
and the strength of your belief in Allah and His angels, and all of that will affect the person's a lot a man's right. And every time you have an opportunity to, to manifest or demonstrate that in giving or sharing, you know, then you do that as well.
I'll give you an address, that one time one of my teachers gave in advance, he said, every opportunity that you have, no matter how little it is, right?
Take advantage of it, do your best. He said because you never know. Maybe that opportunity,
that that that that moment, that opportunity may be what you get gender or you get rewarded for maybe that opportunity, is that that missing link in your life, you don't know.
And he used to use a Hadith of the Prophet when a man walked by a piece of an object. He thought to himself, okay, I should remove it. He could have said no big deal, just walked away. I didn't cause this and so he removed it. And that was it. Allah forgive his sins because of that. So you never know. So he said, Do not Do not belittle any opportunity. He said also, because you don't want to regret. Well, like there are so many times when I had an opportunity, I said, Okay, I can do something else instead, right? And then you miss that. And maybe you don't get to do anything else, like I should have, I should have. So you don't want to say I should have so take advantage of every
opportunity that you have. I think that will strengthen that this concept of pressure. No, it's not a condition that a person has to be has to be Muslim or has to be a believer or has to be if a person is needy and you can give it to them. But we said you start with you, you can with those who are closest to you relatives, for instance. Now the reason you start with relatives is because the Prophet said when you give immediate relatives
First of all, you know, you should attend to the needs of your relatives, you know, before anyone else, right?
And you should not your relatives should not have to go to strangers if
a family member can help them, okay? Number two, when you give, it's like a double dip.
Right? Because when you give when you give charity or when you give aid to a relative, not only is it an act of charity, but it's also similar. That's why the prophets that are in the household are cotton vasila it's two things. You're doing selected Ram. So you get double reward for it, you get the reward of giving someone and you get the reward of of selected regime connecting, keeping the ties of the rules, so you get double reward.
Like is that the mechanics of how economic
incentives
had also been happy with the muscles