Morad Awad – After School
AI: Summary ©
The stressful tests of life can affect one's life and ultimately determine one's future. It is important for people to stress the tests and not just memorizing them. The importance of stressing the tests and not letting people into one's dreams is emphasized. The speaker also emphasizes the importance of achieving peace of mind and fulfilling life through the tests of life, and gives two hacks for students, including a specific test and a test of life. The speaker gives advice on healthy behavior and achieving goals for future life.
AI: Summary ©
We praise Allah
We seek
His assistance.
We ask His forgiveness, subhanah.
And we send our peace and blessings
upon our beloved prophet Muhammad alayhis salatu wassalam.
And I remind myself and yourselves on his
blessed
and joyous day of yomuljumu'ah
to fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
As Allah reminds us to fear him in
many ayaat, in the Quran.
Where he tells us, O you who believe,
fear Allah the way he should be feared
and do not die except in the state
of submission to him.
We ask Allah that we die in the
state. Amin You Rabbi Al Amin.
Brothers and sisters
in Islam,
there's no doubt
that towards the end of the year,
we go
through
some stressful times.
Especially for those
who are students,
whether it be in school, or in college,
or university,
or
work in the academic field,
in academia
in general.
Because now
it's time
for examination.
Now,
the next
This week
and
perhaps last week, in the weeks coming,
are the times
some of us,
or our siblings,
or our children
will be taking exams.
And there's no doubt
that these long, strenuous hours of studying
and preparing
all come down to one
moment, 1 hour or 3, or 4, or
5 hours.
Whether it be the SATs,
or it be a state, a general state
exam,
or it be the MCATs,
or whatnot.
These exams
are but tests.
Points in life that define our future,
that orient
it, that perhaps in some
cases
dictate
a certain The outcome of these exams dictate
a future to us,
and decide which direction we're going to go.
And because of this,
we find that
it's a very stressful time,
You know, it's even hard for myself like
to, you know, gather volunteers or see where
the youth are. Oh, we're taking test this
week. It's gonna be hard for me to
come because I have exams. I have to
sit down. I have to study.
But there's one exam
there's one exam that we can all relate
to.
Whether we're in school or we're not in
school.
There's one test we can relate to.
Whether
we're young or old,
rich or poor,
strong or weak,
whichever
state of iman
we're in,
we are all taking this one test.
And that is the test of haya,
the test of life.
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala made this
a life
that is simply a test.
And that's all
we should see it as.
The difference between the test
of the life and the tests that we
go through in life,
is that these tests that we have in
school, that we have in life,
we have a chance to make it up.
But the test of life, we have no
chance to make it up.
The tests that we take in life
may or may not affect the ultimate outcome
of our living.
But the test of life will
really 100%
affect
the outcome
of ourselves.
Not only
for a specific duration,
not only for 50 years, 30 years, 20
years or until we get our act together
and move on from the result and outcome
of that lively test.
But the test of life
dictates
eternity to us.
It impacts where we'll we'll
where we'll sit,
where we'll stay, where we'll sleep and wake
up, where we will live for eternity,
our final abode.
Brothers and sisters,
these
these tests that we go through
are no without a doubt stressful because
we can physically see and touch
the
the outcomes. We can see
someone who failed
and someone who didn't fail.
Someone who passed,
and someone who didn't pass.
Someone who got high grades, and someone who
did not get high grades.
And we see physically with our own eyes
their outcome,
their livelihood,
their salaries,
the type of jobs they have, the types
of houses they live in, the types of
peace of mind they have, the types
Everything, we see it. And perhaps that
is the driving force behind us
focusing
Allah on our tests.
Perhaps,
someone in high school
who's about to take their SATs,
or took them and is about to get
the results,
was about to get their final exams and
wants to maintain a specific GPA because they
want to enter in a certain university
that everyone in their family went to, and
they want to go to. But they have
to have this GPA in order to get
there.
It's very stressful.
And the reason it's stressful is because
we can see with our own eyes, and
hear with our own ears
the people
that didn't go there,
and the people that did.
The ones who graduated from that university,
the ones who didn't. The ones who entered,
and the ones who didn't.
And perhaps the reason we're not focused more
on
the test of life which is by far
way more important
than these small tests that we go through
in life. That wallahi,
you can fail right now, stress it for
a week, and I can guarantee you in
10 years, you're not even gonna think of
this test. And you won't even remember the
information that was on that test. And I
could
We can bet on that.
I'm a civil engineer myself.
What? Do I remember how to do, you
know, all that calculus that I studied? Calc
1, 2, 3, 4, whatever.
Differential equations. I don't remember any of that
stuff.
Can I remember? Yes, I can. Did I
pass it? Yeah. Alhamdulillah. I did it.
But do I remember it now 10 years
later? Absolutely not.
You know why?
Because khal, that was a test, they passed.
But you know what?
The test of life,
you're either going to remember it and say,
Alhamdulillah,
I used
it the right way. Alhamdulillah, I prepared for
it. Alhamdulillah, I studied for it. Alhamdulillah,
I tried my best in it. Alhamdulillah, I
dedicated
my whole life towards passing it. Because you'll
either spend eternity
happy that you did what you did, or
eternity
in remorse and regret that you didn't
pass this test of life.
We ask Allah that we all pass this
test of life. And that Allah unites us
in jannahul firdos.
Brothers
and sisters,
the reason I draw this correlation between the
test of life
and the tests of within this life, the
small tests in school and other tests and
what not,
Because we can make this relationship.
But what the Prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
told us in a profound hadith that I
wanna share with you today.
Very profound hadith.
And I want everyone who stresses,
is stressing, or has stressed
an exam that they're going to take in
school, or in college, or in university,
or beyond that,
I want them to pay close attention to
this hadith.
Because what the Prophet
is telling us here will affect both
the test of life and the tests within
life.
The prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam said in
a hadith narrated, Anzayd ibn
radhiyallahu ta'ala Anhu That the Prophet sallallahu alaihi
wasallam said,
He said whoever
whoever
stresses the dunya most.
Like meaning their most stress comes from what?
The dunya and things that are within it.
Allah
will scatter their affairs.
Pay attention to this. Allah will scatter their
affairs.
Meaning, they wouldn't know they're stressing this dunya.
The dunya is always going to come with
new tests. You're done with 1, a new
one's gonna come. You're done with the stress,
another stress is gonna come. Another stress is
gonna come. Because you're following the dunya, and
the dunya is just a bunch of stress.
So the prophet
is saying, whoever stresses the dunya most,
then Allah will scatter their affairs. Number 1.
Number 2,
And Allah will make their poverty between their
eyes. Meaning anyone who looks at them sees
that they're not content, sees that they're not
satisfied, sees that they're not fulfilled by anything
they were given. Although,
they're running like a beast in the forest,
they're working like lions day and night. They're
studying. They're working. They're putting in everything
that they have.
But because the dunya is their only stress,
everyone who looks at them, or at least
the ones
who are seeking the akhirah can see
that their faqr, their poverty is between their
eyes.
He's not living it up.
He's so stressed.
Look, he's so unhappy.
Trying his best, you know, but he's only
seeking the dunya, nothing more.
The only thing that matters for this person
is the dunya.
Tests, examination, since we're in that week, you
know. The whole kutb was focused on that.
And then number 3,
said scatters their affairs. Number 2
is, makes their poverty between their eyes, meaning
visible for everyone to see.
And the third is,
And the only thing they will get from
a dunya, after all this hard work, after
leaving salah,
and not fasting,
and not giving sadaqa,
and not doing zikr, and not getting closer
to Allah, and not going to the duroos
and the gatherings by which they get closer
and closer to Allah dropping all of that.
So they can focus on these dunya matters.
What happens?
The only thing they will get is what
Allah already wrote for them.
Is what Allah already wrote for them. They
were gonna get that regardless.
Not regardless of of of
any
We're not saying that a person shouldn't study
or shouldn't try their best. That's completely contrary
to this point.
Matter of fact, the person should try but
the moment they divert
and their focus becomes only the dunya and
they're distracted from Allah. That's when it becomes
regressive.
That's when it takes us back. That's when
we're starting to fill the test of life
to pass some of the tests in life.
If you get what I mean.
And then the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam
continues
and says, And
whoever
has the akhirah, the hereafter as their main
and sole intention,
what they care about,
what they're thinking about,
what is on their mind,
What does he say?
He said,
See all these scatteredness?
Allah will gather it for them. They're worried
about the akhira.
This dunya
is just gonna line up the right way
without them knowing how or why.
How this thing came in time?
Why this person got to know you today?
And how we introduce you to that person
who then got you a job, and then
this person wrote you a recommendation, and you
somehow got into that university. And Allah will
bring it together. You don't need to stress
it
because when you're focused on the akhirah, Allah
will gather.
It's not us.
Who gathers better? If I tell you, Okay.
You
have 2 options.
Either you organize your life and you write
it you write your decree the way you
want it to be.
You Allah told you, 70 years. Write your
seerah,
your biography.
Okay?
Before,
when you turn 15, take your pen and
paper and write your biography.
And Allah tells you either you write it
or I write it for you.
Who will choose themselves over Allah?
Not a single sane mu'min
that believes in Allah, His compassion and mercy
will choose for them to write their own
decree
than Allah.
Why? Because
Allah
Allah is more compassionate and loving and merciful
than our own mothers, fathers and humanity combined,
and more than ourselves.
So Allah is writing our decree. Why should
we be stressed?
This is it.
Allah wrote our bayah. He guided us. Did
we ask for
it? He brought us to Jum'ah. Did we
tell him, you Allah, I wanna be in
Jum'ah?
I wanna be forgiven. Did you say, I
wanna be forgiven for my sins? No. Allah
gave that to you. He's given you gifts.
He's bringing you. He gave you life. He
gave you wealth. He gave you health. And
then he told you give me some of
it back, and I'll give you jannah. And
some of us still say no.
Allah is giving us everything. And that's
why
Allah will organize and order all of their
affairs for them. He says,
and Allah will make their wealth And I
want everyone to focus on this. Allah will
make their wealth
in their hearts.
Meaning,
no matter what situation they're in,
they will be wealthy in their heart.
Imagine you walk in, and I've been in
situations like this.
I sat in big circles.
Like when I was in when I lived
in Saudi Arabia in Riyadh, there was a
lot of,
you know, like, I was invited to a
house,
you know, big mansion.
Rich brother. And I'm not talking a 1,000,000
or this guy has 1,000,000,000. Like they're talking
about, let's open an airport and buy make
an airplane company. You know, like that that
type of
stuff.
And
when you see the stress,
oh my, I lost this much last week.
Man, the stocks. I can't believe it. The
stress and see all this shit, and I
almost got a heart attack and I went
to this and
Stressed.
And wallahi, I would look at
the Abd al Fakir.
The qari of Quran. The one, you know,
who's from the halaqa, lives down the street
in perhaps a mud house.
So happy that he's just invited to this
palace, you know. And then he's drinking shay,
and then he's invited after that to some
food and tamiz, and like, you know, some
some bread. They're just very happy.
And wallahi, I lived with both.
And when it comes to happiness and wealth
in the heart, I would choose that poor
kid that eats ful and tamis. You know,
ful I don't know if you know for
the beans and and and the the the
cheap 25ยข
bread.
The happiness that they have sitting around, joking
around, eating it, And the amount of satisfaction
Allah gave them
is more than
these guys can ever pay for. Because who
is the one who brings the happiness?
Who puts it in the heart? It's Allah.
So let's go back to Allah for it.
Why not look for Allah?
And the third and last one,
he said,
Allah And this
further
solidifies my first point. Allah said
Oh, the prophet says,
the duniya will come to that person, Meaning
if their akhirah is their focus. Right?
The duniya will come to them by force.
Meaning Allah will force the duniya to come
to them.
You know how we're chasing it? We're trying
to get that job. We want that salary.
We wanna climb that ladder.
Stress it. Don't look it up. It's good.
You strive.
Try to be your best. Do what you
can,
But your heart
should only be connected to Allah.
And your focus
should only be the test of life.
Brothers and sisters,
these are stressful times.
We're going to exams,
and I gave you
the number one life hack when it comes
to exams.
You know what it is?
Focus on your relationship with Allah And when
you enter like that, that peace of mind,
that you're getting what Allah wrote for you.
And when you enter like that,
that peace of mind will give you clarity
in your thought,
will give you tawfiq
and will make you satisfied with any result.
And you will live a happier, more fulfilled
life and Allah will put the wealth in
your heart. We ask Allah to make our
hearts wealthy with His iman. We ask Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala to bless us with and
through Islam. We ask Allah to forgive us
and have mercy on us.
Brothers and sisters,
no matter what happens,
you know, in the tests of life,
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us
Tell my servants
who have
oppressed themselves, who have wronged themselves by committing
sin.
Do not give up on Allah's mercy.
Allah forgives all of sins.
You see how we overcome when we slip
up with the big test of life.
But how can we
say and
overcome
the wrongs that we did in this life.
Failing the big test of life, but going
back to Allah
and getting our act together. But when the
test of the dunya is failed, we can't
get over it.
How is that possible?
And this is why no matter what the
result is brothers and sisters,
as long as we try our best and
we use what Allah gave us, the resources,
the mind, the time,
the everything around us, we do our due
diligence.
We do what we can.
As long as we do what we can,
the result is that in our hand?
No.
Know that the result is in the hand
of Allah and the only reason He gave
you that result is because He wants you
to go somewhere that he wants you to
be at, that you'll be better at.
And that you'll fulfill your purpose in life
with.
You never know.
You never know
where
is better for you but the one who
decreed your life and who wrote your biography
before you were born is Rabbil Alamin Waarhamr
Rahimin
The most compassionate and merciful.
So be confident
and put your your trust in Allah
And know that
each time you get up after a test
or an exam or something that you failed
with a stronger mindset,
you're only going to increase in perseverance.
And you're going
to increase in in
in longevity, basically, in in how long you
keep going, and how persistent you are.
I don't know if you guys know about
the the the the frog and the frog
test. They they said some scientists I forgot
what the test is called, but you know,
some scientists were experimenting
and they put a frog in a cup
of water, a big
cup of water
or a tub of water. Right?
And they they let it swim, and it
kept swimming and swimming and swimming and swimming,
until it eventually
drowned.
And it was
about, say, less than 2 hours later, it
drowned.
And right before it was about to die,
the scientist took out
and the frog lived.
Okay?
They took out all the water that was
in it and it continued to live. But
the next day,
they put the same frog in the same
bowl of water.
And the frog,
it swam
and it swam and it swam and it
swam. You know, for how many hours?
Except for 16 hours before it drowned. Why?
Because this frog,
it already knew that
it swam a lot.
And it was confident
that it could do more and it didn't
want to drown like it did before. So
that
drowning that it
that it went through and experienced the first
time
only made it stronger the second time so
that it can
go 15 times more than it did the
day before.
Ikhwan, when we don't do good on an
exam
or a test,
it should only be fuel for us to
do better next time.
It should only drive us to study more.
And to say, you see this feeling of
not doing good? I'm never gonna feel it
again.
It should only translate into ambition, to zeal,
and to into hard work, Insha Allah
And I wanna give you 2 hacks that
worked for me
in in,
in my studies.
The first is a dua that the Prophet
sallallahu alaihi wa sallam taught us when we're
in a hard situation.
The dua is
Oh Allah. There's nothing easy except what you
make easy, and you make the saddest situations
easy
with your permission. So make the situation
easy for me. That's the first dua.
The second
is
Right? The the Khutbatul Hajj.
Before you take an exam, these these 2
duas,
they work like a charm.
Like every time And you're gonna realize that
when you say
it, the clarity.
Put your trust in Allah. Make the akhir
or your ham.
Before. But do your due diligence, study your
best. I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
on this blessed day of Yomul Jum'ah, in
this blessed month of Shawwal,
which is the month the first of the
months of Hajj,
to
give
our
students success,
najah, and the best of grades in this
upcoming,
weeks. We
ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to make the
students of East Plano, insha Allah, the Muslims
of epic masjid
excel in all of their studies, in all
of their exams. We ask Allah to give
them tawfiq. We ask Allah to give them
success. We ask Allah to give them the
highest of grades, and to make them examples
for everyone around the country and around the
world. We ask Allah
to grant them success
in their studies, and to grant them what
they love and what is good for them
in their futures. We ask
Allah
to bless them with rizq between their eyes
and in their chest. We ask Allah
to gather their affairs that are scattered, and
we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
to make them from those who are connected
to the akhirah
more than this dunya and do not stress
this dunya more than the akhirah. We ask
Allah to forgive us. We ask Allah to
have mercy on us. We ask Allah to
show us a straight path. We ask Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala to help and bless our
brothers and sisters who are defending Al Masjid
Al Aqsa. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
to destroy their oppressors,
to get rid of the occupiers, and we
ask Allah
on this blessed day of Yomul Jumu'ah
to free the Masjid Al Aqsa from its
occupation,
and to uplift all of the oppression
that our brothers and sisters from the east
to the west are going through. To feed
the hungry, and to quench the thirst of
the thirsty, and to clothe those who are
naked and need to be clothe. And we
ask Allah to make us reasons
for their up the uplifting of their hardships.
Go ahead.
Still still what to do.
We want to make dua
for,
mercy and forgiveness
For our brothers, Muhammad Yusuf Kamal. He is
the cousin
of,
one of the brothers here in the epic
congregation,
brother Asman.
And also the cousin of,
brother Abdullah
Shigal. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
to have mercy on them.
For the tarbia program,
we're going to start it back up,
for the month of May. So today at
6 to 8 PM inshallah.
For those who are enrolled, signed up in
the terbiyah program,
do bring your kids inshallah today at 6
o'clock. We'll start
before Asar, which is like in another hour
from now be basically.