Q & A Session

WA salatu salam ala Sayyidina Muhammad while early was heavy Ah man, well they do. So we carry on with her to her gelato, I'm gonna move quickly. But if you notice the way we're dealing with the solos and the verses here is not we talked, we're not talking about the very apparent meaning of the verses, because this whole conference was about how to derive how to derive from the Quran wisdoms that don't seem to be apparent at a shallow reading of the Quran.

So requires more engagement, a level of engagement that is not usually achieved by a one normal mode of reading of the Quran, so requires a little bit of immerse in immersing yourself in the Quran.

The the social etiquettes that the Quran obligations here, by the way, and it's more of a, it's more of a framework and guidance for how we should behave within a social context. But if you notice, this is one of the aspects of the ages of the Quran, where the miraculous aspects of the Quran that these social etiquettes are not only good for healthy for society,

they're healthy for you as an individual in your personal life. So you want to live a balanced life, you want to have balanced relationships, you want to be healthy, like have a good level of well being in your life, these are crucial to this goal. And another level where they actually function perfectly, is your spiritual well being.

Because any of those diseases, by the way, that the Quran that Sula refers to, is very detrimental to your heart. And that's, look, take any system in the world, you're going to find that this system like a legal system, it would magnify one level of our being at the expense of others, at the expense of others. So you will find, for example, in certain, you know, procedures or certain laws, that there's a lot of emphasis on the, you know, the rights of the kids. And sometimes the rights of the kids, they are over emphasized to the point that it trumps the rights of the parents. And thus a derails the whole parenting process. It happens as well, sometimes in family law, that sometimes we

want to guarantee the rights of the husband or the rights of the wife, but you'll find that actually, you know, affects negatively the other person. But it also it might be good at the financial the financial level, the law is good for financial reasons. But it's no good for your heart. It's not good for your soul.

And it might not be good for the society in general. So for example, something about freedom, like sexual freedom. So this is something encouraged in today's you know, world sexual freedom, as long as there is mutual consent, you're dealing with an adult, then you can do whatever you want. And you can use any form of, you know, sexual intimacy, and you are free to do that. That's the realm of your personal freedom. But

there are voices here and there, from historians, from religious people and scholars, and from anthropologists, and from sociologists, and from wise people in society that tell you, this destroys the society, it seems to be given people the right the freedom to do whatever they want, and it seems to be good, but it is compromising on something else is destroyed, it's eating at the society from within, it's destroying the family. And obviously, that basically takes the morality down of the whole society. Because when people engage with a lot of casual partners, by the way, they have to become because they have to become in like intimately and, and emotionally engaged with them and

entangled with them. But casual relationships do not create a medium for that. So what happens, people start to shut down their emotional engagement, one to one personal relationship, and they start objectifying the other person, you objectify that person as an object of sex. And that's it. And this is not a natural process. And when you do that, by default, you're all already objectifying yourself as an object of sex as well. And that's very harmful for our you know, obviously, for our spiritual well being, but also for our psychological health, and for the society and for their family. But look at what the Quran does, the instructions that the Quran gives, it takes all the

dimensions of human life, and the nation of all of humanity, then at the national level of all humanity, at the level of, of a whole country, and a whole nation. And then at the level of a society, then at the level of a community, a religious community, then at the level of the family, then at the level of the individual, and even deeper the spiritual life of the individual and the emotional health of the individual. All of those are met with these instructions. Why? Because that's divine guidance. It's not a human humans, it's just, you know, just try

civics is just like you, you're standing in front of this huge dam, and there's a hole that pops up and water starts gushing forth through that hole. So you try to patch it up, then another hole appears here. So you try to patch it up with the other hand, then another hole appears, you try to patch it up with your foot, and so on and so forth, then patches overwhelm you. That's how we deal with life, by the way, because we cannot encompass the complexity of life as human beings were deficient. Allah Sankara says, Well, my ot terminal Elmy Illa kalila. But Allah subhanaw taala says, Allah, Allah moment, Halacha, who a lot of people have yet doesn't the One who created No, and he is

the one who is subtle, and he's the very well aware of his creation. So the guidance of Allah subhanaw taala, works at all levels and creates a state of balance. And this is why some of the Islamic instructions or Islamic legislations, when they are critiqued, the you can guarantee 100% When they are critiqued a person is a pro is taking a one dimensional approach. And they neglect the other levels of human human existence. So they don't see how it fits within a bigger context of the human experience. So here, I go, again, to the diverse that we explained last.

One last policy that says about people, when people come to you with some type, type, some type of news, don't take it to heart. Don't build decisions and opinions. And don't take any kind of measures based on this until you will verify otherwise you would oppress people, you were drunk people. That's what Jala means you had a good meal in ignorance, but it could also mean oppressing other people acting inappropriately. So that's when you don't have the full picture. And you have a one sided account of of a situation then you definitely go into wrong someone want to latch on whilst you don't know. So this is actually good for you and it's good for again for relationship a

good for it's good for family is good for society, and so on and so forth.

Then Allah Subhan Allah says well more than a few come rasool Allah will you please configure theory minute Emery learned to when I can Allah had a man who was a you know who we could all become? What Carla la como Philadelphia so our ASEAN Allah ecomo Raj, you don't forget la mina la he when it amount will la Hollywood Hakeem, this is the this is probably one of the I would say, the most profound verses in the sequence. Allah subhanaw taala says,

and keep in mind, or you who believe keep in mind that Allah's Messenger is still in your midst, he's among you. He's among you. And that's a blessing that has no rival. It has no parallel. This is the greatest blessings from Allah subhanaw taala. And if we think that sight, hearing physical health is the greatest blessing, then we don't know we don't really appreciate the blessings properly. The biggest blessing that Allah has given us His guidance is access to the Quran, access to the Sunnah of the Prophet sallahu alayhi wa sallam. So Allah here is reminding the believers of His Bounty upon them that remember that the messenger Salam is still amongst you, he is among you

here.

If he were to yield to you, in many matters, you would surely suffer, and you truly suffer the consequences. And that means if the profit is on where to follow your desires, and follow your opinions, you would guys end up putting yourself in a lot of suffering and harm. Why? Because humans are unable to know what is good for them at all levels. And in the long run.

Our decisions

are limited by our knowledge, by the limitation of our knowledge. We don't know the future.

A lot of the things that we know, we don't know them fully. We don't have a full full knowledge about them. We just know some aspects. And then we think we know them. So we act based on what we know, then oftentimes. And that's why, by the way, many of us do things. And we think I've done everything I should have treated the situation properly, then it backfires later on. Why? Because there are many things you don't know about, even in the thing that you think, you know, that's that's the nature of us humans. And that's a reason why we should be humble. And we should not claim always claim knowledge to ourselves. And if you were to read through the lives of the scholars or

meet some of the great scholars, you would notice how humble they are. They are open to be taught. They are always open to be taught. They don't have this kind of dismissive attitude that I know, oh, who are you to teach me? And so on and so forth. They usually have this attitude, and oftentimes you would hear from them something like I am willing to be corrected on this matter. Oftentimes, the scholars would say something like this. Why? Because recognizing and so that's part of knowing yourself when you know yourself, you know, you can't know much. You know, your knowledge is one sided, you just know an aspect of something you don't know everything about one thing, let alone

know everything about everything.

So we should be humble this this we should humble ourselves and recognize that what we know is very little. And Allah Subhan. Allah is reminding me of the believers, that the problem is among you. We're here to listen to your suggestions and your opinions, you would end up in hardship. Because that's where human opinion leads to. But the prophets of salaam take his guidance from Allah and that's what he shares with you. There's what Allah says.

But Allah has, indeed faith to you, Allah has made faith. Allah beautified it to you, Allah made it made you appreciate it and love it and be drawn into it,

making it appealing in your hearts. And he has made disbelief, rebelliousness and this obedience detestable to you. Those are the ones that are rightly guided. So Allah subhanaw taala, saying, It is Allah, Who made you fall in love with guidance, and appreciate it and value when it's not you? It's not you, it's Allah. And he is the one who put the hatred in your hearts towards disobedience and evil. Don't think it's your merit. Even reply him speaks about this so beautifully. Subhanallah and he says, I'll just give you an example of what he says and this is profound.

Because this helps us appreciate the gift of the Quran.

And look at him says when you remember Allah subhanho wa Taala

don't think that out of your own marriage, you initiated remembrance of Allah. No.

He says, It is Allah who initiated this, this remembrance. Allah initiated this remember remembrance, and ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada. willed your remembrance into existence. When he wrote it in on the preserve tablets. Allah wrote on the preserve tablets, that you will remember Allah and that's why you are remembering Him because He wanted you to remember him not because you want to.

So when you remember Allah subhanaw taala, you are not the initiator, you are actually just the conduit through which the remembrance of Allah is taking place. So when you remember ALLAH, the remembrance goes back to Allah and He rewards you for it, although he initiated it.

That's profound by the way. That's profound in the sense that doesn't mean by the way, you don't have choice you have choice. But what the scholars say with regards to good deeds, don't ever attribute attribute them to yourself. You always attribute them to Allah subhanaw taala The reason you're prayed is not because you are good enough.

The reason you're praying because Allah wrote down on the precept tablet that you will pray, so he wanted you to pray.

He wanted you to pray. And the reason you are guided Allah saying here is that because Allah beautified guidance and the truth to you, so that's why you are drawn into it. And he made evil and misguidance detestable to you and that's why you find it abhorrent. That's why you hate it. You don't want you dislike it. Then Allah Subhan Allah says, Allah ecomo Rashid, only people who possess this in their heart, love for the truth and the guidance and hatred for them as guidance and the evil. Those are the ones who are truly guided the Russia doing Russia doing is a very strong word it means it means a lot. It means you are mature in your relationship with Allah subhanaw taala.

Then Allah Subhan Allah says, Amin Allah He went in that way Allahu Allah human Hakim, Allah is saying, this is a bounty and a blessing from Allah. And Allah is all knowing, all wise. So Allah is saying this is a bounty from Allah. The fact that you love faith, and you hate disbelief. Is not from you is a gift is merely a gift from Allah subhanaw taala. So when you realize this, you realize your need for Allah.

You realize your need for Allah, you need Allah, you need the guidance from Allah subhanaw taala more than you need food and drink And eyes and ears and more than you you need your heartbeat.

You need the guidance from Allah because without Allah, writing on the Preserved Tablet, and willing you to pray, to love the truth, and to remember Allah subhanaw taala without him inspiring you to remember him you would not do that out of yourself, you would not do that.

So when you pray, when you do whatever you do when you fish yourself guided a little bit, do not feel good about yourself. Do not attribute that to yourself, attributed to Allah subhanho wa Taala

attributed to Allah He chose you he wanted you to do that and to be in that state and that's why you are in it and you're helpless, completely helpless and that by the way.

So the scholars say whenever you see guidance in yourself or you see obedience in yourself, never ever

Consider your power or your capacity at all attributed completely to Allah subhana wa Tada and that's why Allah is saying fugly min Allah when me this is a bounty from Allah and the blessing from him. When Allah Who anyone, Hakeem,

every time Allah mentions about oh many times when Allah mentions His blessings of guidance, and when he guides anyone him his guides, Allah mentions these two attributes. Either animal Hakeem or azizul hakim Alleman Hakeem because Allah knows who deserves that.

Allah knows who deserves that so he gives it to whomever deserves it. Hakeem here who is from a hikma which is basically here the Judgment, Allah has the power and the mind to make it happen. So without Allah you cannot be guided. Without Allah's permission, you will not be guided even if you try you can you could read the Quran you can learn the Quran you could memorize everything and you could attend all the classes and you can learn everything. If Allah does not will for you to be guided you will not be guided

then Allah subhanaw taala here refers to another thing about believers when or if at any minute have more meaning and appetite hello for us in the hallway now homer in the home island Rafa CAGGIULA TWA had that you know amarilla for invited us to the hallway now maybe they were upset or in the lower your boombox routine in MLM let me know and at what time firstly Kobina Hola, como Hola. Hola, hola, como como.

And if two groups of believers fight each other, then make peace between them. But if one of them transgressions against the other than fight against the trunk, transgressing group until they are willing to submit to the rule of Allah. If they do so, then make peace between both groups, in all fairness, and act justly. Surely Allah loves those who uphold justice, the believers, our butts, one brother, about one brotherhood, so make peace between your brothers and be mindful of Allah. So you may be shown mercy. This is a this is the fabric of the Muslim society. This is the bond, the Brotherhood. The principle here is not the fighting. The principle here is the bond.

Believers are brothers to one another

one brotherhood.

That's the connection between the believers and stronger than blood brotherhood. Why? Because what unites Blood Brothers is genealogy,

physical, physical attributes and physical origin. But what unites the believers is what? spiritual connection and the reality of the humans is their soul and their spirit. So the connection between the believers functions at a deeper level than blood relationships. Then Allah subhanaw taala here shows that, yes, believers could fight among themselves. It's possible why? Because they're not complete, and they're not perfect.

And oftentimes, we get, by the way, carried away we say, How come like these two Muslims are fighting? Yeah, they could fight. Why? Because they're human beings. And they could be mistaken. One of them could be mistaken. One could be on the right, that happens. And that does not take away from them the description of faith and belief, they're still believers in Allah subhanho wa taala. They're still and that shows us moderation Because oftentimes, you know, we humans get very sensitive. Sometimes if someone displays a trait that we don't like or behavior we don't like we write them off completely.

That's immaturity. That's foolish.

It's a foolish behavior and a foolish way to deal with life. Where the what is the prophets of salaam says for example, I should be happy but I wanna I certainly a cornerback a woman, Rebekah Honan Madison, Habiba. Kaoma when you love someone you love them moderately, perhaps one day they will be an enemy to you.

Moderation, because moderation is a very good long term strategy. Again, as we said, we don't know everything. When you love someone you sort of drawn into them. And you you think oh, I know that person very well. No, you don't know that person. You don't even know yourself. There is so many things that you yourself will surprise you with regards to

so don't like throw yourself completely on that person and love them like crazy. You have to love them moderately, because the prophesy says perhaps one day they will turn into an enemy and this is a common experience in life. And when you have an enmity or hatred with someone hate them moderately perhaps one day they will become a close friend to you someone that you love

moderation so yes believers could fight when you see believers fight don't say Oh, they've lost their faith right just like the Howard

just like the courage that's what when when believers makes a mistake the write them off the off the religion out of the religion.

And there is another something a parallel again, some some groups of people, sometimes out of good intention, but most of the time

Out of naivety and out of a big ego. There are scholars for Arizona, and they write them off of the man hedge. They call them why? Because they didn't agree with them on one or two issues. Or they had a disagreement about one thing that he's up to there. Why? Because he made a mistake with one thing, or he disagrees with you on that thing, or he's not with your clique.

Your group, then he what he's adopted, he's not on the sooner.

This is some of us, this is sync went on to the coverage. But at a lower level, unfortunately. But here's the Quran says yes, believers could fight. And what should you do? When you know exactly who's on the right? First you try to reconcile. But when reconciliation is not happening, and you know who's on the truth and who's on the wrong, you are meant to support the ones on the truth, help them to the point that you can engage with the fight against the other ones.

Why that's life. But if you live in a fantasy world, no believers are always good. They don't fight they this that that live in your in your ivory tower, away from life, you won't be able to handle life and real life things happen. The companions of the Prophet salallahu Alaihe, salam, there were wars between them.

But we love all of them. And we respect all of them. And we do not speak about their differences. We don't speak ill about any one of them. Were their mistakes. There were mistakes, yes.

But because there were humans, and we do not put their level down in any shape or form.

So this is about, again, about the brotherhood among the believers and about the fact that Welcome to the real world. Yes, fights happen. Huge problems happen. But it doesn't mean you take away from the people, the description of their faith and their Eman because they're still human beings. So that shows us moderation as well. Then Allah Subhanallah moves on to other etiquettes beautiful etiquettes Yeah, you have Liliana Amendola is Hong Kong moment calm as your main home well and he said Oh Minister and I say you can follow me on what autonomy's will enforce your Comala and others will be a bit sad dismal for SOCO battle Amen woman la mia tube Fabula ecomo body moon yeah you 100

In Amman which Stoneybrook fer Amina Vani in about but then it will add to justice will well I have the Babu come Baba, are you him?

He made him forget two more what Allah in Allah to wobble Rahim. These are profound advice with regards to how one carries themselves with regards to others.

And those are important for the society, for the community, for the families and for the individual and for your heart as a person. So the damage spans across many levels. And the the benefits also span across many levels. So Allah first says, All believers do not let some men ridicule others, they may be better than them, nor let some women ridicule other women, they may be better than them.

Ridicule mocking people. Why? Because of their looks, because of their physical shape, because of their social status because their financial status because of the level of their knowledge, because of their ethnicity because of their language, keys if anything, you mock up people that shows a Sikh hot automatically.

And some of the scholars have to assume they commented on this they say Allah saying, Let no people ridicule others, they may be better than them. Some of the scholars said the moment you mock someone or ridicule someone, you automatically put yourself below them.

automatically put yourself below them. You already made the already done that with your ridicule, because that's not the way that's not the way ridicule does not go with faith and Amen.

It takes away from the faith and the Amen.

And then Allah subhanaw taala talks about women because ritual happens, moreover, among women, happens more among women. So Allah subhanaw taala is just emphasizing Okay, and women as well take care of that. It happens among everyone. But Allah Samantha is emphasizing here women should pay heat as well. Why? Because it's easy to fall into something like that. And by the way, you can find the justification. No one ridicules another without a justification. No one everyone has a rationalization. So no matter how good your rationalization is, never ever fall into ridicule at all.

Do not defame one another.

Nor call each other by offensive nicknames.

How evil it is to act rebelliously after having faith and whoever does not repent, it is the who are the true wrongdoers? Again, these are diseases, social diseases, when you defame others, you knew defame others or when you start, you know, sending

subtle messages signals to just sort of ridicule someone. Again, like a wink, someone passes by you look at your friend and you make this wicked laugh, right? Or smile. Okay, it's just like, look at him. That's what you mean, right? That's what it implies. Look at him. Or look at her. Right? That's slums or hands. Or don't odf Oh, could be defamation as well defaming someone slandering someone. All of this is evil. And again, by the way, there's no human being that falls into all these evils without a justification. So no matter how good the justification is, put Allah subhanaw taala first and again, everything you look at the surah but in the Surah

always judge it within the frame of the first verse. What was the first verse led to a dino beignet the law, He will surely do not. Do not put your opinion, your justification, your rationalization, okay your way before Allah the instructions of Allah subhanaw taala and His Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

That's why Omar Mahatma Gandhi, Allahu Anhu. It was known about him, that sometimes people would argue against him. Whenever the other person mentions a verse or Hadith

he would stop and he would accept it. And the they described him Kano a coffin and Kitab Allah, he used to like when the book of Allah has mentioned words from Allah subhanaw taala mentioned he used to stop by them that's it.

And there is an aeration that's also mentioned it's obviously from the Slovenia yet

but it's mentioned by a lot of in the books of Tafseer. That essentially he said, he saw someone a thief stealing.

He saw a thief stealing so he caught him and he said, Why did you steal he said, Well, law he I didn't steal,

Wallah he I did not take it. So a Sally's Salam said and to build up to it, is I believe in Allah. And I just believe my eyes, since you mentioned the name of Hola Hola, so I'm gonna leave it. I'm going to disbelieve in my eye. Because you mentioned Allah subhanaw taala. So again, do not be very, I would say, daring. audacious. When it comes to the words of Allah subhanaw taala by me, you explain it away by means of rationalization do not do that.

Someone like your, for example, let's say you're ridiculing someone or You are defaming someone or you're talking ill about someone not in their presence. Someone tells you no, that's Riba. Right? That's LIBOR. So you know, no, there is a reason because he's this and he's that and you start coming up with reasons.

start coming up with reasons. And if you really, if you are honest with yourself, you'd realize it's something personal, and it's something personal. I remember there's a beautiful statement from Emmanuel Josie Rahim Allah to Allah, Manuel Josie.

And this is in his books a little hotter.

He mentioned zoo about something about his teachers.

He said, I started with so many teachers, I think his teachers were more than 200. He started with more than 200 teachers. And he mentioned one of them. He says he's the one that I've benefited from the most. He said he was not the most knowledgeable of my of my teachers. He wasn't the most half of the one who memorized more. Okay. But he was the most pious among them.

He would like when when he explains the Quran, he would be right into it, he would be in the mood Exactly. And he would live with the verses. And he would abide by every instruction from Allah subhanaw taala and the messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And

basically, he said he was very good with himself and he would not allow he said, Well, Aamir Khan, yes mobility, but if he imagined he said he, he said in he would never allow any kind any mention of any person in his in his gathering, he would not allow anyone to speak about anyone else, like Reba backbite someone he would not allow that. He said whereas some of my teachers and he mentioned some of them, he said they would

they would allow some some Riba in their Mejlis in their gathering.

Allah Muhammad Ali,

geography with daddy and they would use it as Oh, they would give it the excuse of Johanna Adil. Okay, Johanna deal is about you know how you classify an arranger of Hadith whether he's really

able or not, and then people started using that a bit more loosely, saying, Oh, is that a person you could take knowledge from and in today's time has been used disaster in a disastrous way, unfortunately, unlike against the intentions for which it was put forward, so, he said and they would allow him to be there, but they would give it an excuse like that, but he would not do that. He said, No one had an impact on me in terms of knowledge and in terms of my faith, more than the person who was always abiding by you know, these instructions by Allah Subhana Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Then Allah Subhan Allah says, You know what a bad thing that after faith you go back to all this evil and foolishness for so look for so by the way has double meaning of sin and foolishness. At the same time,

so, so Allah Samantha is saying after you believe you fall into these bad things, what a bad choice to make.

And then Allah Samantha says, Whoever doesn't repent and those are the wrongdoers, and then I will stop with this final verse, Allah subhanaw taala says, Yeah, you already an ominous, terrible, Cathy Ramadan, or all believers avoid many suspicious, void many suspicions. For indeed some suspect suspicions are sinful, and do not spy or backbite one another? Would any of you like to eat the flesh of the dead brother? You would despise that And fear Allah. Surely Allah is the acceptor of repentance, the Most Merciful. Again, this just follows from the same principle this is with regards to backbiting and spying on people on lies just likening backbiting which is very easy for us to do.

Allah likens it to what? Allah likens it to eating the flesh of your brother when he dies, you start taking from his flesh and eating it. How disgusting is this?

Riba is similar to that, but we don't see it this way. We don't see it this way. Again, all of these and by the way, first and foremost, they are for the health of our hearts for spiritual health. And then for the health of our family, our our own emotional health and mental health. And they are also again for the health of the family, then for the health of the whole society, then a whole nation and all of humanity. That's the way as we said, all these instructions, they function at all the levels of human existence will stop inshallah here hopefully, that's that was a good kind of insight into what the Quran tells us with regards to how society should function with regards to

relationship. We'll go into I think, q&a, I'll hand it over to Wesley.

Shawn

we'll see if we can manage by 930 Do as much as possible. If not, we'll stitch it maybe just 10 minutes. That's it.

So let me go to LA Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah alihi wa sahbihi wa Manuela.

So inshallah This is the last portion of our annual winter conferences I mentioned before, we're going to be having a bit of a q&a session. As I mentioned before, there was a Google forum going around to submit your questions. So I've made a bit of a compilation from the questions we got from that Google Forms. So Inshallah, what we're going to do is in the first half of the q&a session, I'm just going to discuss the questions that are given in the Google Form.

And then afterwards, we're going to open up for the audience to ask their questions as well. Okay.

Before going to that, I just want to make a quick announcement that in January, January 18 to 22nd We're having Mufti Muhammad Munir coming, he is a graduate and had the Sciences from the University of Medina. And he's going to be coming in, he's gonna be talking about topics like social media, and some classical texts as well. So please join us for that.

So the first question, which was submitted online, is we hear a lot nowadays of Muslims leaving the faith and becoming atheists. Why is this happening? What can we do to prevent this happening? What can we do to protect our own image and the image of our future generations?

That's a that's a big shot.

As much as we can do, okay, there is Hello salatu salam ala Rasulillah.

You it is an it is a an alarming situation. I mean, let's be honest. It's an alarming situation. And it's easy to bury our heads in the sand and just say it's not there or it's just you know, it's not a big deal or we will get over that.

Any person who is in touch with always in direct contact with this kind of phenomenon, they know that it's not fading away. It's actually on the rise, and it's serious and it's dangerous, but it

Nature is very hidden and subtle. So often people who suffer from these are not they don't speak out. They usually go through a journey in silence for a long time, until they reach a point sometimes of no return. And that's not a good thing. So I think something healthy that first, to start answering the question, what the Muslim community should really do first is build awareness about this phenomenon that it's happening, it's taking place. Okay, and it's there, it's out there. So what that helps us do is that we start to create space for people who might be having doubts.

Because there's a lot of sources of doubts. People are hearing them everywhere, on the web, they're everywhere. In schools, they're everywhere. Among the children among the peers, they're everywhere, by the way, in the video games, they're everywhere. In universities, they're everywhere, on the media, they're everywhere. They're all over the place.

So if we saw everyone, most people are affected by it, somehow.

And if we do not create space, safe space, where people who are victims of such doubts, are able to speak, and come and ask questions, and not feel judged and targeted, and ostracized, and where they can, hopefully get some, some guidance, that's the number one thing that we can actually do. Number one, number two, is

Allah subhanaw. Taala says in the Quran, about the slander of the wife of the Prophet of someone, she was slandered, I showed the Allahu anha letter Cebu shuttle en la Kumble, Hua highroller calm, I don't think it's bad for you, it's actually good for you. And we believe that everything Allah subhanaw taala allows to happen is good for the believers. Even though it's painful, even though there is evil in it, there are people probably losing the faith there are people who doubting their faith. But if we receive that with faith in Allah subhanaw taala and trust in Allah subhanaw taala and we start dua, what we are supposed to do in order to deal with this, in order to engage with

this phenomena, then inshallah will end up being better for the believers. So it could be actually a reason why a lot of the students of knowledge, by the way, live in their own cocoons, and love the students have knowledge, they're outside of the real world. And they live in the theoretical world.

And they think from that position, or from that place, they can judge everything else. But the reality is not.

Because if you are not in touch with society, if you do not speak the language of society, if you're not aware of society, and, and, you know, the means and the norms and the language of the society, and if you are not able to engage with them, and speak their language and capture their attention, they're not interested in you. They're not and they will not listen to you and you are creating a gap. And that's a problem. While we see there is a gap between people of knowledge at all levels, students of knowledge up to the scholars, and the masses of the Muslims, there is a disconnect. There's a huge disconnect, not only here, by the way, all around the Muslim world, there's a huge

disconnect. Because oftentimes, and who is to blame, I mean, every one is to blame. To a certain extent, everyone has to do something to fix that. But on the side of scholarship, scholars are supposed to, and there are scholars by the way, there is a good number of scholars who are in touch, but we're talking, we're talking in general terms, the scholars need to come closer to the layman closer to the people and engage more with reality, engage more with the world engage more with contemporary challenges, and get themselves in fully informed so that they know what problems people are going through. What are the salient issues on the hot issues among people that capture people's

attention, that occupy people's minds, so they can then understand them, and put them within an Islamic perspective and present them in a way that helps people digest them and relate to them in Islamic way. So they can survive through these, you know, kind of experiences and these doubts and these ideologies, and so on and so forth. Another thing that we can do that's important is that then the Muslim layman, they need to, you know, probably take the initiative to approach the scholars, even though you might think you might not be welcomed, well, they might even you might not have a good reception. But it's this is about your faith, you really need to get more in touch with people

of knowledge.

Put a bit more time into lessons and, and courses like the course we're going to have in sha Allah soon with

Sheikh Mohammed Mufti Munir sufferable course there's a lot of knowledge being shared there a lot of the vital information we need as Muslims. So this is an opportunity so people should invest really put in the time bring your children, give them that kind of exposure.

and something that is important that we need to do with our younger generation.

We Muslims, we don't teach our kids critical thinking.

And I hear critical thinking is a very powerful tool is a very powerful tool to help a person not to accept any idea. Before researching it, before studying it, before critiquing it.

The reason people are falling are swallowing all of these ideologies and falling into Atheism and agnosticism and doubt in their religion is because they are swallowing flashy ideas without even scrutinizing them. Because they don't have the tools. Why? Because all our lives, we just told them, Do this, do that, why you have because you have to.

We don't train them in terms of how to fortify their hearts and their minds and not to accept any idea we need. And when I say critical thinking, I'm not saying you know, skepticism, because there is today a lot of they conflate both. That critical thinking is same as skepticism. No, skepticism is like is a philosophical stance. And it's a way to approach things. And it celebrates doubts. It celebrates not knowing it celebrates not arriving at any form of certainty. And in Islam, this is not praiseworthy, as a transitory stage, it might be praiseworthy, but there is a there is room for certainty and the 18. But what we're talking about is critical thinking that you do not accept any

idea or any proposition or any ideology, without studying it thoroughly and properly.

If our children have this, when they grow as adults, and they face all of these ideologies, when they do their homework, they go investigate, they realize that a lot of the propaganda about these ideas is false and fabricated, and very, is so much about marketing. It's not about real substance, by the way, but when when you critique those, and you start to listen to ideas,

other ideas and counter ideas to these and then as you develop your you this kind of critical thinking, you don't swallow any idea, you're not easy, you're not a feather in the wind, anyone wins you over just because of the beautiful speech, you're able to see through the arguments. You know, there was this beautiful statement always that has been throughout, you know, the Muslim history among the scholars, they would say either attentively for Hapa, Sheikh, vaginas Hiang, if you want to know the mistakes of your che, have your teacher, go and study with someone else. Because when you study with one, che, you start to idealize them, you don't see their mistakes. But when you go

and listen to another che and you learn from another chef,

they're gonna say something and there's going to expose some of the weaknesses of your chef. It's normal. But that's how you build your knowledge. That's how you build your knowledge. So you can see you can, you can actually detect that among our schools, there were there was a level of critical thinking, good critical thinking. And we probably we need to develop some kind of a curriculum, some kind of a training for our kids to go through that. So they are immune to ideas. And before they embrace an idea and accept it and start to embrace it as a way of life and as something to live by. Less at least they do their homework in terms of research critique, and they engage in an informed

kind of discussion with it, before they accept it. But most of all, kids you find they are empty, and they go to school, they go to university, an impressive professor is speaking and they are propagating their dogmatic belief in what they cover, cover it up with science, but it's a dogmatic belief, and some kind of ideas. And then our kids are like, sort of mesmerized by this beautiful speech. They haven't seen such like such a complex argument very well organized argument, right? They have nothing. So they say they're drawn into that they lose themselves into it. So we need we have no choice by the way, we have no choice.

So and another thing as well would be to and that's the final thing that I would add those must be a lot of things but again, we should develop an organic relationship with the Quran. Honestly, the Quran has a lot has the answers. It has a profile, it really builds us from inside and outside it has a lot of substance to give us but when we take it as just reading, as I think it wasn't has an anniversary that Allah subhanaw taala sent the Quran so they make the best of it. So they reflect on it and when you reflect you learn by the way, you sort of it means you think it through as well. You take the time to reflect on the idea on this verse and what it means like Abu Abu Abu Abu Salim and

Dharani. He would say that Wallahi I would stand up in prayer at night, and I would be reciting one verse. And that would be stuck with this verse for four nights.

Four nights repeating

Get why he says so much knowledge out of it is coming out on a con stop. He says then I forced myself after the fourth night into the verse that's after, it's because otherwise I'd stay there forever. That's the kind of double we need to do. So when we do that, the Quran fills us up, it makes a strong. As I said yesterday, it gives us a worldview gives us an identity explains things for us. So we approach the world and we are full, we are full. But we don't just want to some people just take the Quran technically take the knowledge, technically, they just want memorize and parrot stuff, and pretend that they know when they want to make a Halaqaat of their own. And they want to

be called student of knowledge and ama shape, and so on and so forth. And what, there's no substance, you can't even help someone deal with their doubts. You can't even respond to any kind of misconception against Islam, you can't even make sense. That's problematic. So the knowledge we have, we have to find a way to build the link between that and between today's global culture, we have to be, you know, the children of our time, we have to speak the language of our time.

political officials, so just in relation to what you were saying that the gap between sometimes students of knowledge and the general population, so we live in a secular society where religion is separated from public affairs, and education and law and and sometimes we find Muslims also separating between Dean and dunya, we find that Muslims feel that if you want to be a good Muslim, you have to leave secular education and restrict your worship, going to praying and fasting, etc. And then we also see that there have been categories made between practicing Muslims, and non practicing Muslims and obvious and sometimes there's a huge gap between the two. So where did this

kind of thinking originate from and is it Islamic? Well, that's a few questions. Play. First secularism. Yes, yes, we live in a world where there's secularism as a way of life, because that's what happened in Europe after the Dark Ages. The Renaissance was all about separating church from state and so on, so forth. And

so that's basically a way of life. It's a system of governance and financial system and so on and so forth. But my problem is when the Muslims, the practicing Muslims, when they do this kind of separation as well, there is a secularist.

There are secularists, among Muslims practicing Muslims, that and these are the ones that are referred to who want to live in their ivory towers, and they just want to read books of the old and they don't want to deal with the real life and they don't want to engage with life and understand it so they can, you know, sort of build the bridge between the knowledge that we our scholars have left and the knowledge of the Quran and the Sunnah. And then how to apply it because just knowing the knowledge itself and and not being aware of a situation it's shameful it's dumb to me, I'm Allah says, he says Mendham. Yariv and Murad Minam losos will work at Phil Hulk, for whom obviously don't

la Muslim, this is a person who does not know, you know, the texts and what is the intent behind them or and, and the Sunnah, and does not know the reality of the situation, the life that they're dealing with, then they are bringing corruption. They're not bringing about something good.

And he says before a person gives a fatwa, he has to have the knowledge of what they're calling to the material, the substance, the idea, and the world Maduro and the recipient, and the situation, the social situation. So you have to know all of that. So when I think there are there are people who have, who haven't matured, who haven't matured personally, and they have their own phobias. And they love Islam, and they want to learn Islam. But when they learn Islam, and they see that they have to engage with society, they're scared, they're not comfortable, that's out of their comfort zone. So what they do, they try to shed a light of religiosity on their choice to stay in their own

territory, and not engage with life. So they would dismiss life as this is a distraction from the truth, a distraction from Allah, a distraction from so on and so forth. And there's a beautiful story actually, that was at the time of Cotabato. The Allahu Anhu. A man came from the one of the tribes in the Arabian Peninsula, he was a very eloquent man. So the Arabs really celebrated eloquence and a good speech. So every time a delegation would come to one with it would be one spokesperson and they would show all their linguistic skills or their articulation skills. So he spoke in front of a normal hot tub and he was a very like eloquent man. And he says an external hot

tub was a man with a white with a gray beard and a gray hair fully white. And America was listening to me

and I was speaking and saying good things. And then he said I started talking about the dunya is takes us away from

The aphorism I started putting down the dunya putting down the dunya then the man who's nexternal hubub he says, I don't care you have Shep is a young man take it easy. Take it easy. Look at says something. He says well use all Illa dunya Illa Allah just three minute

Latin michelina Deena something like this is as you know, take it easy young man, can you make it to paradise or to the Acura without using this dunya. So don't just dismiss it in that way.

So he says, I asked who this man was, they said this was over, you know, cap, lovely Allah who I know. And I leave not be tolerated Allahu Anhu. He said, A dunya Mr. Atul akhira. This dunya is like a fertile fertile soil where you grow your seeds for the akhira. So when you are dismissive of dunya by the way, you end up on the shelf. No one listens to you. No one learns from you. No one cares about you. And you may You make no difference. You want to live that life. By the way, if it's healthy for you spiritually, and you're, you're good to manage it. Go ahead. There were personalities throughout the Muslim history will just live like that because it was good for them.

But don't force that and legalize it and give it like sugary kind of

scent just because that's your personal choice.

Humans are going to engage with life. And the aroma of Rabbani robot noon the great scholars like Shiva, Islam, Tamia, what would he do? He was with people in the market. In everything they did, he was part of them. Yesterday, Chef COVID gave a very beautiful talk. Honestly, if you guys haven't seen it, go and watch it. It was really like one of the best talks I've ever heard, by the way, honestly. It's because he spoke from a daily engagement with you know, issues that Muslims face face in the workplace, he gave very beautiful perspective on everything he said. And he had a personal experience himself. And you can tell the difference when someone is speaking from books. And someone

is speaking from a personal experience that is informed by revelation. And he knows what he's talking about. His lecture is extremely beneficial and very practical. But if someone like me would were to speak about workplace, I really don't know, you know, what you go through. So I would be giving you something based on my judgment and won't be accurate, won't be helpful won't be beneficial. So, so I think the problem where we have the secularism is that because we are afraid, and I think all of this has actually psychological problems, honestly has nothing to do with religion has nothing to do with religion. So I heard sometimes people like I remember a couple of

years back I was

I use a lot of stuff by the way, I use a lot of stuff from Chef and Stan with me. Yeah, I am.

But I don't use their terminology. I don't use that terminology for one reason because it would be for me more of a digression to go on the side explain what their terminology is, and it would break the flow. So what I would use, I would say I will use their argument exactly how it is, but I would use English terminology. And then I get brothers who come to me and say you don't teach religion you teach psychology.

Honestly.

And this is not Islamic.

Well, what do you think the Muslim scholars were doing? It shows you've never read

a lesbian Have

you never read like it because Allah you will never read

it mean to me you're not I mean, you ever read. Josie. You will never focused in the statements of Abdullah no bollock and so on the tambourine? Really? And it shows you haven't read the Quran? Because the Quran talks a lot about the inner experiences, for example of the of the hypocrites, right?

Yes, Abona Coolessay hadn't added him they think every accusation is against them. That's a psychological phenomenon. And Allah describes the believers as well in a lot of psychological. But if I don't use the I don't use the Arabic words, because I don't need to explain them. I'm just giving you the gist of it. So again, so but what's wrong with psychology?

What's wrong with psychology? And it shows you haven't read for example, Chef.

Abdul Rahman Rahim Allah to Allah, the shake of the teacher of women. I mean,

he wrote a book and a small book and some very beautiful book. It's called lusail. Mafia, it had higher to say that the beneficial means to happy life.

And

I think a year and a half ago, we explained that here in a war era, do you know how he wrote the book, he was getting treatment, medical treatment in Lebanon.

And that was in the 50s 1950s, maybe late 1940s. And because he had, I think high blood pressure on some issues, complications as well. So he was being treated in Lebanon. His son eldest son was with him and because she had documents that he loves books, books, so much so he would send his son go

One such library books and book bookshops and get him whatever. So he brought him a bunch of books and one of them was Dale Carnegie's book, stop worrying and start living the word like the classic self help book, right? Show it to some of some of our brothers showed us some of them, oh, that's not Islamic. We don't need that we have everything in the Quran, right? Let's see what Scheffer Sadie, the great professor of the Quran would do, what'd he do? He saw the book, he loved it.

And he said, This man is a wise person.

He's a wise person, he told his son to go and buy a few copies.

So he kept one copy in his own personal library. And he put a couple of copies in a public library he himself was building in his city on Asia, out of his own pocket. He financed the library Public Library for people to encourage them to read. And he got two copies to put them in the library so people could read it. And anyone who asked him came to him with a problem, personal problems, he would recommend the book he had some copies to hand them to people.

Well, I was able to there,

he wasn't a secularist,

then you haven't, you haven't read what the Muslim scholars how they benefited from all different sciences. So the secularism is problematic. Islam creates a framework for us to approach life, everything in this life. It's either something that brings you closer to Allah, you utilize it, regardless what it is as long as it's halal.

Or it pushes you or distract away from Allah or distracts you, then it could be either inherently haram or in your situation haram because it's just merely a distraction, but it could be good in itself. Or it is something neutral. If you can use it for something good, it becomes part of your journey to Allah. If you can't make use of it, then you just, it's out of your radar. That's it. There's nothing other than there's, that doesn't leave anything out. By the way, nothing is left out everything. Islam gives you a framework where you can put everything in its right place, you know, whether you need to use it, or whether you can utilize it, or leave it or stay away from it. That's

it as simple as that. And by the way, like those sciences again, in them, there are theories, there are facts,

you still have to approach them with a critical mind. critical mind you don't accept anything or everything. Just because there is a lot of theories. There's a lot of interpretation in science. Yes. Even the way the questions are being formulated sometimes is biased. But there's all there is data that you can benefit from and then you can utilize. And this is a practice of Muslim scholars throughout the ages, by the way, so there's no reason for no basis for secularism. And

unfortunately, we have this we have this a lot.

Oh, this is not from Islam, leave it

Okay, fine. If if you don't, don't feel you can use that. That's your personal choice. But don't generalize this forced people into it. Like one of the tabs in said to one of his students, and he noticed that he was very judgmental and very sort of

domineering in his approach, and he wants to decide for people he hijacks people's experience with Islam. So he said to him, you're gonna yell at him in certain Islamia loveliness, Roderick says, Oh, my, my son, don't, you know limit the vastness of Islam based on the limitation of your chests. Don't do that. Don't do that. So again, like if you find something you're unable to relate to it find it doesn't mean it's not Islamic or it cannot be used for good thing. Probably can be used for you with hamdulillah that's your decision, but don't force it down the throat of any anyone when else and is there a Has there ever been some sort of

classification practicing Muslims non practicing Muslims, what had the union arrangement of the Union? Our teacher shift my whole half of the whole lot to Allah. He spoke about that extensively, and he said this is one of the modern bidders. He says ALLAH SubhanA classifies humans into three.

From in home volume on the NFC woman home sir Bill Campbell hieratic Nila was the verse helped me out from last

woman home locked acid. So there are three people, there is one ones who raise too good. These are the only ones who rush to doing good. And they're always enthusiastic about doing good things for the sake of Allah. They're very selfless and they learn and the and they always enable and they prey on any opportunity for good they do it. And there is once we're in the middle, they do their obligation. Sometimes they do some of something voluntary, something extra, these are marked as it is just economical economic approach to the religion. And there is the holy moly NFC. They're not doing what they're supposed to do. And these are levels and degrees. He says this is only true

classification. People will write doing much more than is merely required from them. People who are lingering right in the middle with what is required of them up and down a little bit. And there is other ones who are not doing what

is required of them. Sometimes the same person fluctuates, by the way.

So that's the only classification but practicing person, no practicing person, this is the partisanship. And this is one of the reasons by the way, why the laymen are not coming to the scholars, and why the students of knowledge are not reaching, as well, to the layman, we should break these boundaries. Honestly, they're very detrimental. They're very bad for our communities, for our societies, everywhere. This dichotomy should not be there at all, because and this dichotomy is mainly based on what on the physical

or the apparent manifestations of being religious.

So you could find a person with a beard

and the wearing a thought, but they could be committing Zina. They could be drinking alcohol. And I'm not saying By the way, the ones who have been hit with or do this, I'm just there are cases, there are really cases that I dealt with, personally, I and I know them very well. Okay, and they commit these grave sins, right? But when they see someone and they see someone who is not wearing a job, hell breaks loose. He's out of the deen

out of the deen. Okay, that's that's an outcome a consequence of what of that kind of false dichotomy? No, your apparent thing as for people that's not with Allah subhanaw taala Allah looks at everything about you.

Okay, that's it. Perfect so we'll open the floor for questions from the audience inshallah.

And for the sisters they can text the number

if we don't quite get questions for a bit then I'll continue reading the questions that we got online when you give them a threat they start putting their hands

Yeah, you can just you can go ahead go ahead Yep.

The pirate

the parents

no way I see the power of themselves we, myself included.

Okay, the question is about, okay, like parents should prepare the kids in order to fortify them to be strong to deal with whatever happens in the world. And to see these I deal with these ideas and handle them.

Again,

I'm being descriptive. I said, that's the situation. And let's see, this seems to be the solution. Now, what does that mean? It goes to the car Adelphia that I mentioned in the previous talk, mele, etymology, Bula behave our algebra. Whatever is required to fulfill a worship becomes also worship. A means to Awadhi that's the only means to this to fulfilling this obligation automatically becomes a worship. So now it becomes an obligation by the way upon the parents to start educating themselves.

And not only the parents, Muslim organizations, masajid Imams, teachers are obligated as well, to start building something like that, by the way with the children doesn't have to be something complicated complex, is just a matter of reading the Quran, reading the set of the prophets, Allah sending them and you know, I really wonder Why does an appearance at some level when they see their kid has gained some level of maturity, say say to their kid, like seven years old, eight years old, maybe they see the guy, the guy the kid has wit.

Come let me tell you something about life. Let me tell you how we came about into this world. Let's see. Look at the Quran. He says. This is our history. And um, was the first one to be created. We will put into paradise, Allah, we're gonna meet the angels Prostrate to us. This is so special about humans. Allah subhanaw taala honored us. And then because of a sin, the talk about the sin and how it was done. Don't talk about it in a very dismissive way. Well, by the way, we're very judgmental and dismissive with our kids. Like, don't do it. I will, I will, I will, I will smack you to get it. Like I'm not talking about you. I'm just talking in general. But anyway, so give them a worldview.

Tell them and that's good for you as well. That's good for all of us. You see, then we were brought down on Earth to see how human history was on earth. Adam, Adam was there. The he worshipped Allah subhanaw taala. Allah gave him Hawa that Allah gave him children, have you long copied what happened between them? That was our history, then humanity was about a panto. He there's a bass of the Alana sessile Bukhari right? For 10 generations they were upon to heat worshipping Allah subhanaw taala. Where do you think this world came about? How do you think this world cannot Allah created it who sustains it? Create the kind of context make it a daily conversation or a weekly conversation with

the child

I'll promise you, they'll open their mouth like this in amazement, and amazement. But the thing is, we don't do that with our kids. We go pray, did you pray?

Did you do your homework? Did you memorize this page? That's all we teach them about Islam.

But we don't bother about creating the leader, the belief system, that will most likely get you to a point where you don't have to say to your kid, go and pray.

Honestly, because you've already put them in a position of responsibility of their life, that's your life. That's your experience, you are healing this world for this reason. And that's what's going to happen with you, they will take you seriously man, I better take care of my life, I better take care of my relationship with Allah subhanaw taala. But we underestimate kids, by the way, we underestimate them. But if you create that context for them, it's very powerful. But it's an obligation upon the parents obligation upon the teachers, obligation upon the Imams and the teachers to build that, and as well to get themselves as informed as possible with regards to what challenges

that kids go through. Most of us don't know what our kids see in school, or what they go through. And we think all we know, no, our life was different, that times are completely different. And that's why yesterday I suggested something and I still suggested again, don't think by hearing what happens in universities and schools, you know, what's going on, just take one day in a university, go and attend classes, and see how the students you know, treat each other and how they deal with and look at peer pressure and attend a biology class or a psychology class or a philosophy class. And I'm telling you, you're gonna get some more gray hair

honestly,

but the thing is, we assume or I know No, we don't know really we don't know

ourselves well.

We can do something we don't we don't know we start teaching ourselves as much as we can do locally for long enough son in law was law does not overboard and burden assault more than it can take balaclava? Yeah. So we will take one question from the sisters.

With the with the journey of reshaping our worldview and trying to connect to our true identity, there's sometimes can be a sense of loneliness, or a lack of understanding from those around us. That comes along with it. How does one cope without losing focus good for you, that's a good sign.

Feeling lonely, that's a good sign that you're actually okay, withdrawing, and you are doing something on your own.

And the best, the best remedy for this sense of loneliness is that you have created a gap because you've been you've been dependent on people so much emotionally and under companionship. Now you've withdrawn yourself and I'm not saying detach from people. I'm just saying withdraw yourself a little bit when you feel this loneliness. Okay, fill that gap with Allah.

fill that gap with Allah, it might be hard at the beginning, pick up the Quran. And just remind yourself these are the words of ALLAH, I'm going to read them the you don't know how to read the Arabic start reading the translation, these meanings are from Allah, I'm going to start reading these meanings. And I know Allah is watching me now and no one can know when to connect with Allah through His words. And then it's good now to bring your Akita in the names and attributes of Allah to life. Okay.

You realize you just had some realization in your heart, Allah Anna was watching me, Allah, this moment is watching me. bringing your awareness to this point, by the way, activates this belief, because this is in the background and is not very active. We see Alana was watching me what does that mean? He's, he's hearing me now. He's hearing my words. It's an opportunity should I should ask Allah Subhan Allah for something, do that, make it personal, you will be surprised I'm telling you, actually, you will start withdrawing from people will start withdrawing from people and you only you will deal with people only when when there is a need. And that's not a bad thing. By the way, when

there is a religious need or a worldly need, that's when you will deal with people. But every time you deal with people for a while you will miss the time you spend with Allah.

And that's a healthy sign. So let's say what's happening now when you feel lonely, that's a very good thing. By the way. It's just you realize you originally naturally as a human being have a gap. You've been filling up with junk food.

With a lot extra kind of mixing with people over mixing with people, which is actually not healthy. You need to mix with people to a certain extent. But over mixing is just hijacks your system. So now you realize, okay, the gap is there. Good. You've taken a step back. Now it's time to move in the right direction, one step forward, you start filling that with a connection with Allah subhanaw taala. Read something that you really enjoy with regards to Islam. Maybe this

Fear of the Prophet SAW Salem or maybe a book of faith, or a book of aqidah or a book of Hadith where you really find yourself drawn into that fill that space with it and you will be surprised how much you grow inshallah.

So we will take another question from the Brotherson

Go ahead.

philosophy that's, that's a can of worms. So, can I just repeat the question? Yeah. So the the question is that, is there any room in Islam for philosophy?

Okay, ideally speaking, ideally, speaking with Revelation, you don't need anything else.

But

we have to understand something about philosophy,

philosophies, informed cultures.

And they infiltrate them, and they start to create them

start to create these cultures. So, culture, Western culture today, there's a lot of elements from philosophy that have been taken, introduced into the public culture. And everyone is just living by them, and we thinking by them, and when, once you absorb, you know,

a philosophy or something you don't realize it's even though you don't realize you're thinking by means of it anyway, you stopped seeing it. So our life is full of philosophy, by the way.

So should the layman learn philosophy? Advice is it could be very confusing. But when someone studies Islam very well, very well. There is a value in some students of knowledge of some scholars being aware of philosophy, understanding it very well,

where they can tell what's right and what's wrong from it, because philosophy has good things and has bad things. But it's a mixture of everything, and it could be very dangerous, potentially. So so they understand it. And they help people navigate their culture, because it's full of philosophy and help them relate to Islam and to the Quran in a healthy way. And that's what For example,

many of the Muslim scholars tried to do and some of them really fell into the slipped into problematic areas like a Zadie. I think if there had been was it that'd be that said that was me Rahim. Allah all has that he did a very good job to retract from philosophy and fix a lot of the things.

He said Allah zali if teller alphalisa Fattah, I will Montauk, from Alameda.

LSD, Florida, he he swallowed a philosophy and he could not vomit it. Okay. But you find for example, even Timmy shatter Islam and Tamia. He studied philosophy extensively. And he wrote a book or ailment clean my response, a refutation of the philosophers,

and so on and so forth. So there are things, again, about philosophy that sharpen the mind and help one develop clear thinking, but there's a lot of pitfalls in it. So this is what I would say anyone who wants to study philosophy, they must have a good reason why they want to study at first. And that should be to help. I mean, with something Islamic, and how would that be, is what I explained. But first, a condition, they have to have a very good grounding in Islamic sciences. And they have they need to keep checking with a lot of scholars and people who are aware of this. So doing it on their own is still very risky again, that's, that's what it would be.

Okay, so we'll just take two quick questions from the sisters here. So one is a sister is working at a hospital cleaning rooms, bathrooms, bloody floors, she delays her Salah till she reaches home, then she showers and prays a slushy miss. This usually occurs in the winter due to the shorter days. So she prays to her and also another time because her clothes usually have not just what would you advise her?

Okay, I think it's definitely answered the this thing in principle yesterday, and he said, basically, yes, prayer has to be prayed on time. And the advice he gave, which was very practical is what you do what they call the scholars call, Jim Sawari is basically you pray the hood right at the end of its time. And you pray. So right at the beginning of its time, so he ended up it seems like you're combining them but you're not you're praying for right at the end of its time, and also right at the beginning of its time. So maybe the gap between them is two minutes, let's say you leave it for them. Okay, so that's a very good way that you can pray both Hassan Assad and the same break,

but to delay them till the mother is incorrect and is not acceptable. The excuse the sister is mentioning here is that she cleans the hospital. So there is blood and nudges and so on so on and so forth. Well, there's a difference in

Other scholars with a blood is legit or not. But regardless, even if she's, let's say, cleaning washrooms, etc, and maybe beds and sometimes there is some some impurities there. What I would say, if you're able to, like have some kind of an outfit outside that when you cleaning all the debt is there when you pray you take it off, that would be a very good solution if that's not possible. Now, let's say what you do whatever you can, because purity of your clothes is is a condition. And the condition is done up to your, the best of your ability. So if you try to clean yourself if the first solution doesn't work, if you tried to clean yourself up, clean your clothes as much as possible

quickly as time permits, and then you prey on acid as described yesterday by Sharon Yvette. This is what you should do, but delaying a lot on acid to the McRib is not correct and should not be done.

Just another quick question from sisters, because this question came in three times.

Can we eat at a table where pork is served? Does the same ruling as alcohol apply? Like for example, going to dinner with non Muslims? Okay, with regards to alcohol, there is a specific curse with regards to

10 things with regards to alcohol, the one who makes it the one who drinks it, the one who carries it delivers it, the one who sells it, the one who serves it, the one who's even sitting right at the table where it's being served. But we don't find the same kind of specific warning with regards to

pork. So.

So I would say it could be we make an allergy, and we take the same ruling and apply it to pork, but it might not be actually a warranted kind of of an allergy. So for me, I really don't know. I really don't know. But I would not I would not venture to say that. You know, we treat porque just as we treat alcohol because there is a specific thing about alcohol. But what I would say here as a general advice use Ulduar. And what are even if something is doubtful, or could be maybe could be halal. Okay, better to avoid it altogether. But to avoid it altogether, that would be my advice. Yeah.

Did you want to stop?

I am going to take one more question. Okay. One more question. And we'll take one more question from the button Sheldon.

Right.

So

hold on two

seconds.

So the question is, why is culture so strong that people hold on to culture, even when it's against the deen? Yeah, that's a good question. By the way, because if we don't understand the power of culture, we would undermine

you know, the struggle some people go through to practice their religion, or to maybe move into converting to the religion of Islam, etc. And if we do not understand that as well, we will not understand how much we're already governed by our cultures, but we are blind to our cultures. So we think, Oh, I'm not following my culture. No, you're, you're you're actually drowning in culture, every one of us, by the way, and most of our most of it is just we're unaware are unaware of those aspects.

Culture is the operating system, can you run your iPhone without the operating system? Can you run your

Samsung without the Android system? Can you run your computer without the windows or whatever system, it doesn't run, we need that. We need a culture.

And cultural gets fed not with speech. But with how the world is structured around us, we start observing things and internalizing them, we say things, this is how things should be.

That's it, for example, father goes to work mother stays at home. That's the culture you grew up in, we say that's how things should be, then we see something else. It's like, it's a shock. Like, it doesn't make sense. That's wrong. Why? And that because you don't have a reason by you just it's self evident, right? Someone who grew up in a culture where the mother works, there are places where actually the mother works. And I think that's where Southeast Asia is, the mother is supposed to work and the father can stay at home. So when you grow up in this culture, and you say, see other cultures men are going to work what's this like stupid? Why is it stupid?

That's how we treat culture. So culture is so much in our flesh and blood, that we don't realize it and cultural by the way, as a principle is very good. Because culture is more of a common operating system. Like our culture, by the way when we and by that's why by the way, and this is good for Muslims to understand.

You know why when non Muslims

are very sensitive when they see the Muslims

are not willing to share their culture or to sort of blend into the culture.

Because anything, or any person that behaves

outside the boundaries of the culture, people see automatically as a threat, you become unpredictable. Because culture is shared. We have a set of beliefs and expectations, I expect how you're going to behave, you expect how I'm going to behave, right? That's part of the culture. When you dress up normally, I know you automatically fit within the culture, I know what to expect from you, you know what to expect from me, it's part of our survival. But when if someone walks in here, dressed up in a funny outfit completely out of place out of what are you going to do? You don't know how this person is going to behave? He could start yelling at me right here now, right?

He could, and part of me would actually be ready for that he's going to behave strange and weird. Why? Because he's not abiding by the culture. And I don't know what to expect from him. Because we need to understand each other somehow, I need to reduce you into something I understand and your, your, you reduce me to something I understand. So we can communicate. So we can have some level of expectancy, I know what to expect from you, you know, what to expect from me, and life could go really smoothly. But if we don't agree on that, I'm scared. You could pull a knife. And I don't know why you could start trying to physically attack attack me, right.

So anything you do strange, by the way, humans, that's human nature, when anyone starts acting outside of the culture, automatically, it's registered as a threat, as a threat.

So we have to realize that when

people see Muslims behaving differently, by the way, they're gonna automatically it's not like they are just bad people.

That's why people fight for their culture, to the death to preserve it. So it's not that they're bad people. But automatically, once you're outside the boundaries of their culture, they see you as a threat. So we need to understand how to communicate with people to calm them down, to help them understand we're not a threat. That's very important, but and it's problematic when you start judging people, oh, they, they judge me, right. They're just acting as human nature, by the way, according to human nature. So culture is extremely powerful. And this is part of the challenge of us human beings, that from the grounds of our culture, we start pulling ourselves and slowly you can't

change your culture, by the way, overnight. Slowly, slowly, you start putting your personal culture in line of the book of Allah and the Sunnah of the Prophet SAW Salem.

And if you want to live and make a difference in this world, and live a healthy life, emotionally healthy life, you will also need to find a point of peace between you and the culture of the country you live in. Otherwise, you're not going to be healthy. No way. No way, impossible. Impossible. Or you will, you will end up doing isolating yourself living at home, or in a small enclave completely separated. If you want this life for you. By the way, I'm not saying don't do that, that's good for you add to it, I say if you want to live a life of making difference, you have to be able to build bridges and find you love some sort of a formulation or configuration. That is true to the Quran to

the to the Sunnah, and relevant to your times.

It and it's hard work. It's harder, we're gonna look at the scholars of the Muslims, by the way, they did that exactly that exactly that they were the fit within their culture. But that doesn't mean you accept the wrong things in the culture, but you know how to deal with them? Yeah, because culture, a lot of the culture is most of the fabric of the culture is just common sense and normal and good and can be accommodated in Islam. But there are certain things that are off and these are the ones that you probably are going to struggle with. Yeah.

sokola herscherik. So inshallah we'll close today. We did have a lot more questions, but unfortunately, time was limited. So JazakAllah for coming out. We really appreciate your time. The turnout was quite good. And there's a Google forum going around for feedback. We'd honestly really appreciate if you'd give some feedback

because it would help us improve future conferences. Subhanak Oklahoma will become dickish should do Allah Allah, Allah and Estelle he'll call to village