Moutasem al-Hameedy – Reflection On Ramadan – Special Lecture

Moutasem al-Hameedy
Share Page

AI: Summary ©

The importance of trusting Islam during the pandemic and the importance of praying with Allah's actions is discussed. The speaker emphasizes the benefits of praying and receiving support from others, including the ability to pray and receive support from others, the importance of staying healthy, and the importance of sharing experiences with others to build personal relationships. The success of Islam's teachings and the importance of giving in a spirit of Islam are also highlighted, along with challenges faced by the pandemic and the importance of social distancing. attendees are encouraged to use social media to promote giving and bring their own experiences to the event.

AI: Summary ©

00:00:42 --> 00:00:47
			Learn unit shape on your word Jean
		
00:00:48 --> 00:00:53
			Bismillah you have manuals wahi in
		
00:00:56 --> 00:01:00
			mi
		
00:01:04 --> 00:01:16
			z Give me Give today to help with the expansion of the Abaco data center Toronto's flagship center
for Islamic learning worship and community
		
00:01:19 --> 00:01:24
			Your gift will help to expand our Islamic programs into a full fledged Islamic school
		
00:01:30 --> 00:01:35
			we're Lolly Loveleen
		
00:01:50 --> 00:01:50
			was
		
00:01:54 --> 00:01:54
			minutes
		
00:01:59 --> 00:02:03
			to come home here always always believe just me talking
		
00:02:07 --> 00:02:07
			to you
		
00:02:18 --> 00:02:19
			just watched
		
00:02:20 --> 00:02:22
			So what time is it gonna be like I have time
		
00:02:27 --> 00:02:28
			less than 40 minutes left
		
00:02:48 --> 00:02:48
			so
		
00:02:49 --> 00:02:51
			we started yesterday was
		
00:02:53 --> 00:02:58
			very very experienced and we learned from our mistakes even though we only done for one day
		
00:03:01 --> 00:03:01
			guys
		
00:03:06 --> 00:03:08
			know I feel like I'm getting
		
00:03:10 --> 00:03:14
			medicine so when I go back home I know I'm already I'm already ready
		
00:03:27 --> 00:03:38
			so right now we have three sisters that are supposed to be in the multi purpose room getting ready
for serving and in the kitchen we have two sisters we have a couple more to make the tea
		
00:03:54 --> 00:03:56
			yesterday 100 loaves of the first day
		
00:03:58 --> 00:04:01
			we estimated according to the past two years that by 300 people
		
00:04:02 --> 00:04:06
			but we had food for 350 but yet still was not
		
00:04:08 --> 00:04:10
			so far how many do we have? How many we're
		
00:04:12 --> 00:04:13
			probably around like 200
		
00:04:16 --> 00:04:23
			Yesterday they made less food so there wasn't enough for everybody. So today we're gonna expect the
package more food.
		
00:04:24 --> 00:04:28
			I feel like we hadn't mastered yesterday it was just a little bit
		
00:04:32 --> 00:04:34
			this is like less than yesterday.
		
00:04:35 --> 00:04:36
			Less than yesterday
		
00:04:39 --> 00:04:45
			the other brain word the packet right now. But yesterday we didn't get that many people so
		
00:04:47 --> 00:04:48
			even more but now
		
00:04:55 --> 00:04:58
			the emissions are flowing people. A lot of people coming in now
		
00:05:02 --> 00:05:08
			What are the eight so six minutes left and we're still waiting on more right to come
		
00:05:17 --> 00:05:17
			along
		
00:05:25 --> 00:05:26
			let's head on
		
00:05:40 --> 00:05:42
			Long Long
		
00:05:50 --> 00:05:51
			Shadow
		
00:06:17 --> 00:06:18
			Hi
		
00:06:59 --> 00:06:59
			are you
		
00:07:04 --> 00:07:12
			whoa fooled Rafi came along
		
00:07:27 --> 00:07:27
			should
		
00:07:30 --> 00:07:31
			I shouldn't I mean
		
00:07:32 --> 00:07:33
			the shepherds yes let's
		
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35
			get on
		
00:07:38 --> 00:07:42
			somebody's been given so did you can I see what you have
		
00:07:46 --> 00:07:48
			leadership leadership right yeah
		
00:07:50 --> 00:07:52
			and today's that's today's topic
		
00:07:56 --> 00:07:56
			for today
		
00:07:59 --> 00:08:01
			is the new style of future leaders
		
00:08:05 --> 00:08:10
			and this month comes at a very critical point
		
00:08:21 --> 00:08:22
			as we go through this month
		
00:08:23 --> 00:08:25
			as we go through the physical changes
		
00:08:28 --> 00:08:55
			to welcome to this special night everybody is lost lost all day all day. start first with hamdu
lillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah and special nights is the is the last night of Ramadan and
it's been it's been a very special Ramadan may you be unique Ramadan
		
00:08:57 --> 00:09:42
			Ramadan that I don't think so anybody that living to living today any Muslim that is living today
ever experienced it. And we we ask Allah that nobody after after us experience this something will
be this will be urban and the history books. Make sure to make sure that you write you write your
reflection reflection as inshallah we'll go through his reflections day. And this hopefully will be
future generation to benefit from this kind of above and beyond that we lived in what was
challenging, overall also very beneficial. It was it was also some unique unique in its ways that
that may make time I can personally tell you, I think I think was this was the first time in about
		
00:09:42 --> 00:09:49
			in about 10 years or more we had a record that I had an actual more than more than two days if not
in my house.
		
00:09:50 --> 00:09:54
			So this is again very experienced that unique
		
00:09:55 --> 00:09:59
			experience of having that with people and that God's done. We
		
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02
			Agile than many, many things.
		
00:10:03 --> 00:10:22
			At the same time, there was a lot of faith that came with it in a personal level and and also in in
different levels for the community. And so, tonight we have a special lecture my brother, martyrs
Mohammed insha Allah who also joining us from home in the La de la
		
00:10:25 --> 00:10:29
			Kamala Villa very considerable good hamdulillah how are you?
		
00:10:33 --> 00:10:38
			I'm having a difficulty filari here but I can see you you look beautiful.
		
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41
			Today, this year,
		
00:10:43 --> 00:10:43
			but
		
00:10:44 --> 00:10:47
			does that California mobility may Allah reward you?
		
00:10:48 --> 00:10:55
			hamdulillahi rabbil Alameen wa salatu salam ala Sayidina Muhammad Ali, he was Herbie he may in
ominous
		
00:11:06 --> 00:11:07
			you're here
		
00:11:08 --> 00:11:13
			to choose moments for you and we inshallah
		
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16
			will be able to
		
00:11:18 --> 00:11:24
			just reflect on this Ramadan Ramadan this year and what was special about it? So
		
00:11:25 --> 00:12:10
			I'm going to jump right into, you know, the topic without having to get into a lot of introductions.
One thing I want to emphasize is the verse where Allah Subhan Allah says in the Quran, and he
actually Allah refers to an incident that was extremely painful and very challenging for the Prophet
sallahu wa salam and his wife, Aisha Radi Allahu Anhu. And on top of that, also for the overall
Muslim community at the time, and this was the slander or when I shall not be a loved one who was
falsely accused and slandered of committing something grief. And Allah subhanaw taala as he refers
to this insalata note, Allah says, Lhasa, whoo hoo, Shavon, Lacan, Bella, who are here on La con, la
		
00:12:10 --> 00:12:55
			says, Do not think that it is actually bad for you. It's indeed good. And this is a rule that we can
apply to everything that happens in our life, everything that happens in our life, we can actually
apply this rule and we should apply this rule for it. And this comes from our trust in a lot, that
our immediate experience might be inconvenient, maybe we feel uncomfortable, or maybe it is painful,
and overwhelmingly challenging, yet hamdulillah our faith going through the hard times, and we are
able to see this lining in every cloud. And that's what we want to do with this Ramadan. I don't
want to sound too dramatic, but I know many people were very frustrated before Ramadan many people
		
00:12:55 --> 00:13:20
			were actually scared concerned, how are we going to have a meaningful Ramadan? How are we going to
worship Allah subhanaw taala in Ramadan and utilize it and enjoy it because of worship is actually
enjoyment, enjoying the closeness to Allah subhanaw taala. And I've been trying to follow with many
of my brothers and the people that I'm in touch with, from different parts of the world as to how
this Ramadan has been food has been for them.
		
00:13:21 --> 00:13:43
			And I've been hearing for the most part very positive feedback that people are saying that they have
had probably the best Ramadan in their life, something they never expected to work out for them. And
this has been my experience. And I think it just makes so much sense. The only ones who I think did
not really manage to get a very special
		
00:13:45 --> 00:13:50
			could not fathom the fact that they were not able to actually,
		
00:13:51 --> 00:14:32
			you know, worship in Ramadan as they did every year. So there was somehow stuck in their ways. I
don't want to demonize these people. Again, I'm just I just want to highlight this issue is that
whatever Allah brings in our life is actually for us, is really good for us and our faith in Allah
entails that we trust Allah subhanaw taala. Because if we if we are unable to trust that Allah
brings us the best that Allah runs over life and Allah plans our life in the best way that works for
us, then there is something some there is some issue with our faith. There is a there is a glitch
and there's a problem that we need to fix. So this kind of optimism comes from our faith in Allah
		
00:14:32 --> 00:14:35
			from our trust in Allah subhanho wa Taala
		
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36
			that
		
00:14:37 --> 00:14:59
			whatever he brings to us, even though on the surface at face value, it might seem challenging and
painful and unpleasant. But the reality is Allah is making things unfold in our favor. And that's
how we want to see this Ramadan. And I think this is something we should just before Ramadan here,
Abu Hurayrah platform, we actually should this fact that accept the circumstances
		
00:15:00 --> 00:15:48
			positively apply this verse that Esther will show up on lock on value. I don't think it's it's bad
for you. It's indeed good for you and another verse. And so let's look at our last one down there
says Whassa, Takahashi and Wahoo high on Lacan was to hit bushy and who should record? Paula, we
were into data, alimony, and perhaps, and how often that you would hear something or abhor
something, and it's good for you. It's in your favor, and how often you actually love something,
when it's harmful to you. It's painful, it's not good, it's evil. And Allah knows, and you do not
know. So this is how we were supposed to actually approach Ramadan and Hamdulillah. Ramadan is not
		
00:15:48 --> 00:16:04
			over. Many people are under the impression that, yeah, there was a lot of talk about the 27th night
that it was the best night and some people have just put their guard down, and they start slowing
down. And they did not did not determine to seize the last few nights or these last.
		
00:16:06 --> 00:16:44
			Man, this would be a very grave mistake. You don't want to do this. Because we have we have no
guarantee that Leila either was any of the past nights we don't have any guarantee. All we have is
feelings. And yes, there's a lot of feelings for many people but that there is this is not a this is
not guarantee in any sense of the word. They little contract could still be this night between
nights and this is a very impressive night. And it's still a from a luncheon is out to me 30 days,
so Friday, so Friday. Oh sorry. So Saturday ends up being the 30th day of Ramadan. Then tomorrow
night is actually the last night in Ramadan. And we have some Hadith although the
		
00:16:46 --> 00:17:27
			bit of weakness in it, but it mentions that they could be the last night in Ramadan. So we don't
want to be you know, happy about what we have done. And then miss out on a great opportunity. And
all the nights of Ramadan are blessed. We're not here only for Laila. Butter is definitely ultimate
goal and our biggest prize but all of the nights of Ramadan are blessed all of them, in all of them.
Allah Subhana Allah forgives people and all of them Allah saves some people from the hellfire and
all of them. Allah shows His mercy and all of them Allah answers the DUA in all of them. Allah
Subhana Allah guides people. So we want to use these nights and wannabes stay steadfast, during this
		
00:17:27 --> 00:17:38
			nice night, until the last minute, in Ramadan. We're gonna want to do that. So this is my second
point. Now, what was special about Ramadan this year?
		
00:17:40 --> 00:18:21
			What was special about Ramadan this year and this point really stands out for me is that he
challenged our assumptions about Ramadan, especially for those who managed to use Ramadan well,
because we thought that we could not pray unless we were in congregation, we were at the masjid. We
thought we could not enjoy the prayer and feel the whole show and the sweetness of Salah unless we
had a very good Imam with a very beautiful melodious voice. But we figured out how many people
figured out that you could actually enjoy taraweeh even me maybe even more than previously, when you
pray by yourself. And when you pray with your family, when you are the one who's leading when you
		
00:18:21 --> 00:18:39
			are struggling, when you are holding the most half or when you are repeating the sorrows, the small
number of sores that you have memorized. But still, despite the difficulty and the challenges and
the limited resources that you have, you still, you know, continued and you still did what you had
to do and you still
		
00:18:40 --> 00:19:07
			you're striving to get closer to Allah to worship Him and not to waste this month. So many people
figured out that there was a hidden treasure that we were not aware of. And at hamdulillah Allah,
bye, bye, shaping our circumstances at this time of our life. In this way, Allah subhanaw taala sort
of forced us gently forced us to open our eyes to
		
00:19:09 --> 00:19:38
			a new world of potential. So for many people, this was this was the case. So we had to we had to
explore something new and to explore a new beauty of our connection and our relationship with Allah
subhanaw taala and we woke up to the fat because many of us feel helpless by themselves. Many people
feel that they are dependent, completely dependent on their local masjid or their local imam or they
shake in their life, or a friend or a family member or a scholar
		
00:19:39 --> 00:20:00
			realized and I think we realized this this year that although we need these people in our lives,
that they can be a great support and they can be a source of guidance for us. But we can see that in
our relationship with Allah subhanaw taala we don't need to depend on anyone but Allah subhanaw
taala that Allah has enabled us Allah has made worship. Allah has made the whole country
		
00:20:00 --> 00:20:35
			cept of worship, the whole relationship of devotion towards Allah is accessible to every human
being, regardless of their level of education, regardless of their social status, regardless of
whether even they know Arabic or not, there's always ways to connect with Allah, you can just open
up your heart and speak with Allah even. And I'm just going to give you a very extreme example.
Imagine someone who knows no Arabic whatsoever, no Arabic whatsoever. Not even in fact, he had they
could not recite the Fatiha in the Arabic language. And let's say it's a new Muslim, right and they
wanted to pray they could actually pray by asking Allah for Paradise, asking ALLAH asking ALLAH
		
00:20:35 --> 00:20:39
			protection from the Hellfire seeking Allah's guidance, even in their mother tongue, and
		
00:20:41 --> 00:21:22
			through the the the acts of prayer that they have learned up until this point. So again, although
all of these people being around this is a great support, but still, when when it comes to a point
where we have to worship Allah, we know that all we need in our life is Allah subhanaw taala. And
the little we have means a lot in the scales of Allah subhanho wa taala. So that's the first benefit
I think, Allah Subhana Allah has bestowed upon us this Ramadan, and this is going to take me to the
second one. The second point of benefit, I think Ramadan really this year, she gave gave us this
beautiful blessing.
		
00:21:24 --> 00:21:55
			And, and this blessing souls that sort of solves a problem. We have a common experience. Probably
maybe maybe maybe every one of us has been through this. In Ramadan, you are praying telawi Everyday
at the masjid, and you are fasting, and it seems like it's like it's effortless. You're enjoying it,
you are in the mood, you are riding the wave of this whole kind of worship that everyone is involved
in the group spirit. And the thing is after aid,
		
00:21:56 --> 00:22:09
			you know, there is no pmla there's no prayer at night. There is no fast, the sweetness that we
experienced in Ramadan is gone, we go back to our daily routine as we had been, are we as we were
before Ramadan
		
00:22:10 --> 00:22:15
			that's that's a concern that and they'll probably that's an experience that all of us have been
through.
		
00:22:16 --> 00:22:24
			And this year, I think Allah Subhan Allah gave us something special, because in this year, for most
of the time, you were on your own.
		
00:22:25 --> 00:22:49
			Only maybe the only support you had is your immediate family members. And thus Ramadan this year in
terms of circumstances, like supportive circumstances and congregation was pretty much like all the
other months in the year, like throughout the whole year, it's the same thing you're on your own.
You have to worship Allah by yourself or with your family members. And that's it. So you need to
depend on your own will.
		
00:22:51 --> 00:23:36
			to muster your own motivation and inspiration. There is no group there is no congregation around to
help you there is no beautiful spirit of the group to carry you and make it easy for you. There's no
Imam with such a beautiful voice to lead you in the price. So you actually feel in the zone, you
have to do that yourself. Everything is Ramadan this year is pretty much like every other day in the
year. And what this does, it just shows us that we can actually carry on what we have learned this
Ramadan to the rest of the year. We you used to pray you pray to Allah we at night of Ramadan this
year and you realize you didn't need the Imam. Although if there is an Imam, it's just such a great
		
00:23:36 --> 00:23:44
			support. You didn't need the masjid although it's a great support, it's a great thing to have the
Masjid. There is no congregation to help you and support you and to carry you.
		
00:23:46 --> 00:24:25
			But still, you are able to pray you are able to enjoy a lot internally, you are able to recite the
Quran, you're able to connect to Allah subhanaw taala. And what's the difference from Milan is over,
you still have all of these available to you. You have the time you can actually stand up in prayer
to say used to pray a tracker every night in Ramadan, at least at least is after Ramadan, maintain
two or four raka just do the same as you used to do and Ramadan. It's not a big shift. By the way,
it's actually just a little bit of downgrade. You're just downgrading the level of intensity that
you had in Ramadan, just tempering it down a little bit. So it suits your daily routine. And it's
		
00:24:25 --> 00:24:59
			more sustainable. And fasting. You fasted everyday in Ramadan, well now you can probably fast every
Monday and Thursday and you realize, hey, I could do that I don't have to have my thyroid domestic,
I can still faster kill a stick, I can still carry myself throughout the day, because and I can
enjoy this fast and I can make it meaningful. And I can open my fast at home with my family and it
still means a lot and it's such a profound experience. So hamdulillah brought Ramadan to this year
to the level of our daily life throughout the year. And we saw that even when
		
00:25:00 --> 00:25:20
			Our daily routine or daily schedule, schedule, our normal lifestyle, we could actually accommodate
what we usually wait for Ramadan, to start practicing, you can actually do that without so much
change and shift in your lifestyle. So if you if you if you put, let's say half an hour of the
Emmeline every night, you at that half an hour.
		
00:25:21 --> 00:26:12
			And if you just can't even put half an hour, nothing less, nothing less than 20 minutes, stand in
the presence of Allah and pray to emulate, pray to Him as you stand and recite whatever verses you
have memorized, it's not so Ramadan, Subhan Allah, Allah broke Ramadan to how our daily life is run
throughout the year. And Allah opened our eyes to the fact that we could actually do it, and we
something that is sustainable. And because we had to tap into our willpower, we had to take
responsibility for our worship. And Ramadan. This year, we had to take matters into our hands, to
observe the fast properly, to pray our tarawih properly, to recite the Quran, and maybe to listen to
		
00:26:12 --> 00:26:53
			the Quran and to make Vickers and when many people I know many people, you know, they only wake up
for Fudger in Ramadan. And probably many, many of you realize that it's actually not difficult to do
that at home throughout the year. So it's something doable. Allah is teaching us this Ramadan, that
what you guys went for Ramadan to do is actually accessible to you. And it's doable, and it's very
viable throughout the year, you're missing out to out on it. And the only thing that is separating
you from it is something like a is like a glass ceilings that it's an imaginary barrier that you
have erected between you, and what you could actually do during the month of Ramadan. So this is
		
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54
			this is another benefit.
		
00:26:57 --> 00:27:10
			A third benefit that I think that many people, I heard that for many people is it strengthen the
family relationships. Because of the lockdown. Many people were working from home.
		
00:27:12 --> 00:27:51
			And some people unfortunately lost the job. But it comes again, with an upside to that, that the
person has to stay had to stay at home. And here you had fathers helping the wives, with the kids,
maybe with some house chores, and you had the whole family together, waking, waking up for the whole
the pre Dawn meal eating get together the baby the father or the mother waking up the kids, and, and
then preparing the food together and then having it and then praying together. And that's where the
family came together beautiful. praying together, praying phygital together, maybe the five daily
prayers, and that would that would be great. And this is something still we can do even outside of
		
00:27:51 --> 00:28:11
			Ramadan. When everyone is in the house, or whoever is available in the house, we can still do a gym
at home. And then when we open our fast together, we know when we are on the dinner table, we are
opening our fast together we have just performed this great act of worship. I know the beauty of
opening your fast with the congregation and the message.
		
00:28:13 --> 00:28:53
			And having many people around you it's the spirit of the community is so beautiful. And it's so
commendable and sweet. Yet, you probably we have figured out this year that even at home, we can
still have such a profound experience of opening all fast. And it strengthens the bond within the
family. It brings the parents closer to their kids and the kids. Kids are not going to school. So
the kids were brought, again closer to their parents. I know many people saw this not as a blessing.
But they saw this as unfortunately as a curse. Because many people become annoyed with their kids.
And I know you know kids are noisy, it's by nature, kids are noisy their kids, they're not mature
		
00:28:53 --> 00:29:38
			yet they are learning and they learn by making so much noise making trouble by getting themselves in
trouble by breaking things by you know breaking the rules. And this is how kids grow this is how
they learn now we can't expect kids to be something that they are not we can expect kids just to
behave themselves. So Allah gave us an opportunity Allah gave us a beautiful gift and and we don't
want to abuse it and Luke look at it negatively as it's it's it's a predicament it's actually a
beautiful thing. And this is something although i i personally make a point to spend time with my
kids and try to educate them. But this Ramadan, it just went to the next level naturally I didn't I
		
00:29:38 --> 00:29:59
			didn't really plan it ahead of time. It just happened it flew so naturally, and I found myself in
their presence more often. And I found myself that I could easily get distracted and get annoyed
with all the noise they make. And then I decided to look at that positively. I'm I'm I'm here with
them at home and this
		
00:30:00 --> 00:30:29
			Do something good. These are kids and they want to learn, and they want to improve them, they want
to grow. Let me let me be more involved in this. So I figured out I started just, you know, having
discussions with them, talking with them, telling them stories, some stories from the Quran, some
stories from the Hadith, telling them even stories about myself, there are things they, they, they
never knew about me when I was a child. So I had an opportunity to tell them about that same thing
happened with their mother. So
		
00:30:31 --> 00:31:07
			I think it was such a great blessing and the fact that we just wake them up for school, and we have
a spark for them. Like almost every year now for the past three or four years, I've been just
opening my first domestic with the congregation. And it was maybe just a couple of times that I had
my Iftar or opened my fast with my family. And it was such a beautiful thing this year to do that
everyday with my family, it was such a blessing. It was beautiful to see the kids fasting, and going
through this whole day without food and drink, and how persistent they are and how sincere they are
in completing the fast and,
		
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09
			and
		
00:31:10 --> 00:31:19
			praying their prayers, and even standing up at night and making grants interesting just to talk to
them about do and tell them what to do. Because they come with questions you never expect
		
00:31:20 --> 00:31:49
			it like some of the kids, they just say, you know, I don't know what to ask Allah for. Like, I don't
know what to ask him for. And then it's beautiful. When you tell them you can ask Allah for what you
want. And then you tell them, you share with them certain things that they can make dua about, they
can ask Allah for health, they can ask Allah for wealth, they can ask Allah to forgive their parents
to guide their parents, they can ask Allah to show them the truth, they can Allah, they can ask
Allah to give them strength to be upon the truth.
		
00:31:51 --> 00:31:55
			They can ask Allah to help the poor, the ones in need.
		
00:31:56 --> 00:32:39
			The ones who are under unfavorable conditions, you can ask them to make dua for their relatives for
the siblings, and, you know, even make their own wishes. And this for the kids, this is like a new
world opens to them. And I personally was surprised that they didn't know that I thought they did. I
thought it was too obvious to be to be, you know, taught to them. But they actually many of them
just it like, it wasn't obvious to because they thought you were supposed to ask and ask in a very
rigid way about very specific things. So again, it's it was an eye opener, it made me it made me and
I received the same feedback for many people, it allowed the parents to know their kids more at a
		
00:32:39 --> 00:33:21
			more intimate level, you sort of become more friends with your kids, and your kids love it, and they
grow with it, and they enjoy it. And the bond strengthens. And then that's a beautiful thing,
because we have, it seems Muslims generally speaking, especially. I mean, it's in the Muslim
countries, but also Muslims come to the west, they want their kids to practice and they do it by
means of coercing their kids, and being very judgmental over the kids. But when your practice of
Islam and your kids practice of Islam comes within the framework of the family doing something
together, the wound for the family, the kids, the first impression that kids have about practicing
		
00:33:21 --> 00:34:03
			Islam is a homely feel, is a family feel something they feel nostalgic to something they feel a
sense of belonging to. And, and I think this is an organic medium for how we practice our religion
and how we educate our kids. The problem is that we are too busy, and we just want to give dry,
strict instructions to our kids, hey, perform the prayer did you make although Did you pray that?
Did you do this? Did you behave in this way, and it's very judgmental. And unfortunately, you know,
some kids cannot get over that and it causes them to cause this whole approach to backfire. And some
kids as they become teenagers or maybe adults, they actually start having problems with the whole
		
00:34:03 --> 00:34:29
			concept of being a Muslim. So so I've seen these as very beautiful and important, you know, lessons
that we could actually have I personally learned from Ramadan and I've received some feedback from
people again from different parts of the world. With regards to these. One thing that I want to
close with is the relationship with the Quran. Honestly, the relationship with the Quran this year.
It's something
		
00:34:30 --> 00:34:59
			something I've never something I have never never ever experienced. I don't know it was such a
special feeling about the Quran. And I guess I was trying to make sense of that. My, my XSplit my
simple, simple, humble explanation was that every time I was very busy being at the masjid, busy
getting ready for taraweeh getting busy with the family and other responsibilities and
		
00:35:00 --> 00:35:19
			To us, it was all about just, you know, going through whatever the quote that I wanted to read, or I
wanted to revise, and or preparing for some classes, and maybe answering some questions. But this
year I slowed down, I myself slowed down in terms of almost everything in my life. And I figured out
		
00:35:21 --> 00:35:37
			that I could build a personal relationship with the Quran. Really, you could build a personal
really, it's probably I felt that before, but not with the same intensity that that I felt this year
that I was reciting the Quran, it really felt like a two way conversation
		
00:35:38 --> 00:36:23
			of it felt like back and forth it, the Quran felt so organic, so dynamic, so alive in my experience,
that I really for some, sometimes when I was reciting, sometimes I would stop with a verse and
repeat it many times, trying to just to keep conversing with it, because there's something that
hooked me up there. And I didn't want to keep resetting, I just wanted, something was calling me in
that verse. And I was just paying more attention, more attention. And in that moment, the whole
concept of time just evaporated, I lost track of time, and I felt completely immersed in the
experience. And this is something I don't recall having that level of intensity, you know, of
		
00:36:23 --> 00:36:39
			engagement with the Quran before honestly. And I think this is the blessing again of quieting
moments because don't forget, we are social beings. But again, although we humans love
socialization, but when we are among people, you know, our stress hormones are being
		
00:36:40 --> 00:36:42
			are being secreted and and produced.
		
00:36:44 --> 00:36:52
			So, although it's engaging, it's beautiful to be in the company of other people, but it's stressful
at the same time. It's like the bittersweet.
		
00:36:54 --> 00:37:47
			So it's stressful. And when when there is stress, our hearts constrict our chests contract. And our
hearts become sort of, you know, shielded, we're not open, we're not open, but Subhanallah with this
Ramadan this year with I would say maybe because a more of an introverted person. But I really felt
like stress was at at a minimum almost non existent many times. And then I had just had the luxury
to open up to what I was doing. So like so conveniently, and so naturally, that I was extremely
beautiful. And, and him and helpful to him, they lay on behind me. And let me share with you some of
the stories that I actually actually received. I received images, you know, Asuna was revived this
		
00:37:47 --> 00:38:09
			year, which is the Sunnah of having a Masala or MSG, that poem. So you choose one room, or one
corner in the house, and you call it an masjid. And this was something that was practiced at the
time of the Prophet SAW Selim. So the companions had in their house, a masjid. They would pray a
Yama later there, they would pray their sunnah there, the ladies would pray that
		
00:38:11 --> 00:38:48
			so many people did that this year. And it can be a convertible one it can be again, when you need it
for Salah you can just pull the rug and you can have a move the chairs and everything ready. It can
be that it doesn't have to be just completely reserved for the prayer. I mean, it's completely
reserved for the prayer, that's perfect. But if you don't have the space, if you don't have the
facility, fine, if it's convertible in still do that and use it, it's a great thing. It's a great
summer, so it was revised. And I've received many images from people actually, you know, taking a
picture of that of the the mistake that they made, oh, they arranged at home and it was beautiful.
		
00:38:49 --> 00:39:04
			And then I had images of people praying with their kids and with their family. And many of the
parents they actually got there, some of the children who were learning Quran who were studying the
Quran, to lead in the salon to take turns, and that was beautiful. These are memories for life or
the good.
		
00:39:05 --> 00:39:17
			And some of them were actually giving like a reminder to one another. The kids sometimes take a turn
and giving a reminder sometimes the father sometimes the mother, sometimes the sister and so on and
so forth. Such beautiful it's like a very vibrant environment.
		
00:39:19 --> 00:39:56
			Even the babies little babies were actually taking part in families and they were playing around as
the as the adults were were praying and sometimes they were actually mimicking the acts or the
positions of prayer and that's really beautiful. So, so I think people really this one will open
people's eyes, Muslims eyes to what they can do at home, and inshallah this could be done with the
MLA and it could be done with regular fasts, maybe twice a week, at least at least three days a
month. And this is the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and
		
00:39:59 --> 00:39:59
			someone
		
00:40:00 --> 00:40:01
			The stories that I received
		
00:40:02 --> 00:40:27
			many of the people that sent to me, they said they would actually keep the routine that they got
from previous years and they would pray ate like half telawi at home. So they already exhausted
everything they knew from the Quran. So they took turns everyone who knew something by heart, they
actually they lead the prayer and they recited that, but they run out of that. And then they took
the fatwa where you could actually hold the must have been selected. So are we only
		
00:40:28 --> 00:41:07
			in the Sunnah prayers, so they held the most Haven't they recited and some people actually completed
the Quran more than once just praying by themselves. Just and these are people who did not memorize
the Quran. But they did that by reading holding the must have internally and reading from it. They
finished the Quran twice. And for some people this year, they actually I heard from some people this
year, they have completed the Quran for the first time in their life, first time in the life because
when they pray with the Imam, the sometimes here and there, the Mr. Raka here to rock others,
sometimes they come late. Sometimes they have to, they have to leave early, so on and so forth. So
		
00:41:07 --> 00:41:50
			even when there was a hard time naturally missed some parts of the Quran, that this time they
actually did it themselves. And thus they completed the Quran for the first time in their life. So
again, what seemed to be at the beginning as something that we dreaded, turned out to be a great
blessing from ALLAH SubhanA wa. And for those who did not utilize Ramadan well this year and maybe
go down because it did not come as they expected. I really say there is a there's two nights still
left this night. And maybe the night the coming night. So use it, don't waste time. And if you see
Ramadan was at a good note, this is a reason sha Allah that Allah subhanaw taala will multiply your
		
00:41:51 --> 00:42:26
			reward will forgive your shortcomings and will accept from you and put guidance in your heart
because of this level of devotion consistency. And I would say determination to even sees the last
even if it's the last minutes in Ramadan. So this could be the last night if tomorrow ends up being
the last day in Ramadan. This is going to be the last night so you still have a few hours those
giving them the Western Hemisphere hemisphere. You still have some hours a number of hours, five six
hours you know use them utilize them do not always
		
00:42:28 --> 00:42:44
			pray with people think you know a pm Ramadan is only the prayer no you don't pay me late. You pray,
you recite Quran you do dhikr Subhan Allah Subhan Allah or hamdulillah Al Hamdulillah or a variation
of all of that in a life and you can do to
		
00:42:46 --> 00:43:02
			ask ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada for guidance. ask Allah for health and wealth and ask Allah subhanaw taala
for love in your family, ask Allah to relieve away any kind of ailments, or health issues or maybe
mental issues that you have or stress and challenges
		
00:43:03 --> 00:43:08
			or anything asked about the process. Professor Sam said,
		
00:43:10 --> 00:43:33
			Allah have any a stick here, whoever asks of Allah, let them ask for so much if you ask for a lot.
Because you asking the most generous and Allah does not like there's nothing negative about you
asking a lot a lot, it's actually a good thing, because it's supposed to come from a place of hope
within. So these are things you can do this night, you can do this night. And
		
00:43:34 --> 00:44:13
			and, again, keep keep that in mind, the most important thing is that your heart connects to Allah,
all of these external actions are actually good, but they are supposed to come from your heart,
you're supposed to experience them in your heart because you are performing them. And one great
thing that you can actually do, and it brings tremendous, tremendous reward from Allah subhanaw
taala is actually the sadaqa sadaqa you can do that. And hamdulillah Allah made it easy for us these
times because that you can do so the anao immediately, and that's why just coming online, and you
can actually do the Salah, and again with Allah Subhana Allah, Allah says, In Ramadan, Allah
		
00:44:13 --> 00:44:59
			multiplies more than 700 times over. So this is a lot, you let's say someone, someone donates $1,000
And imagine it's written more than $700,000 almost a million close to a million just by donating
$1,000 That's a lot of reward from Allah subhana wa Johanna, why because Allah bless these times.
The thing is, we have 11 months ahead of us, where you don't get the same level of multiplication,
you don't get the same level of, of how many times over your so that will be multiplied. So it's an
opportunity and it's leaving us soon. So we want to use this and with this I'm going to close with
again, first thanking all of our community, our local community in that is close to Ebola and in the
		
00:44:59 --> 00:44:59
			GTA.
		
00:45:00 --> 00:45:42
			area and our online community that follow us and I'm really surprised at how many people hamdulillah
keep up with us online through our specifically our YouTube channel and other social media
platforms. And a really, and I thank them so much for the generous support many of them actually
were very supportive even financially, may Allah may Allah reward you may Allah accept from you
hamdulillah Ohio has been a work of the community and it has been the product and the beautiful
outcome of this community coming together believing in a message and in a cause and in the future of
our kids are and our future generations. And so inshallah I pray that it will always be like that,
		
00:45:43 --> 00:45:50
			and it will be a beacon of light in our community and for Muslims in the West. And with this, I
encourage you to
		
00:45:51 --> 00:46:31
			donate to Ebola Your Life Center, it's one of the houses of Allah subhanaw taala and your donations
in Charlotte, you're you're actually lending your land is sort of loaning Allah subhanaw taala money
that he will grow for you. And he will give it to you with all of its profits on the Day of
Judgment. So this is such a great opportunity or loss. Well, it's brought it close to us it's just a
few clicks by going online Chalon I believe the links are available on the screen, you can actually
share a lot and send a donation and handle the community has been very generous both our local
community and our online community. They have been very very generous, very supportive. There's an
		
00:46:31 --> 00:47:03
			outpour of support and beauty and positive messages. So may Allah reward you and may Allah accept
from you on May Allah make this a means for you to enter paradise and a means to save you from the
Hellfire you and the ones that you love your parents, your spouses, your children, your siblings,
and your family and all your loved ones. So may Allah accept from you is a common law one I'm going
to hand you over Inshallah, to brother has an Earth man the general manager at Abu Huraira center,
because he has some messages to share with you, Salama
		
00:47:05 --> 00:47:05
			Vic,
		
00:47:07 --> 00:47:09
			are you and gradually generated for those
		
00:47:12 --> 00:47:54
			and brothers and sisters May Allah reward you all. Just wanted to give you a quick update. First and
foremost we want to say that Kamala hair, Bella Baraka in your wealth in your health in Iran, for
everybody that have been supportive to the masjid throughout the years, and this year as well. And
Hamdulillah we always been blessed in this masjid, to have such a beautiful congregation who truly
care. Because see it from the personal messages that we get to see it from the phone calls, we can
see from the emails we receive from the drawers that people make. So Alhamdulillah Alhamdulillah we
are blessed with that. And so that's something that we always going to be thankful for Allah
		
00:47:54 --> 00:47:59
			subhanaw taala that brought us as a very diverse community together in this field.
		
00:48:00 --> 00:48:02
			And St. Martin was saying,
		
00:48:03 --> 00:48:39
			throughout the years in this masjid, we've been trying to enhance ourself as much as possible to go
to the next level but do the best thing what we see for the community within the rules of Islam and
with the Quran and Sunnah of holding it and teaching our kids while we having a vibrant community
that going. And this year for sure, with the COVID-19 has been challenging, but hamdulillah it that
challenge is there's a bit of ease that's coming in from the 27th night, a bit of weight been sort
of
		
00:48:40 --> 00:49:14
			took shifted from our shoulders, that was on Hamdulillah that night by now we raised close to
$300,000 300,000 Hamdulillah. That's from the Mercy of Allah subhanaw taala and tend to everybody at
the end. And the thing is, I look back in the data. I was looking and seeing that the surprisingly
FC a lot of young people, a lot of names that recognized a lot of young students who donated between
seven nights.
		
00:49:15 --> 00:49:59
			On the we have different platforms that people was donating on the online platform, only the average
donation was 100. And about $8. With a lot of young people can donate a lot of people gave small
amounts that added to the big number. Of course there were those people who called in with the
pledges with the big numbers who who called or who sent and pledged the big numbers hamdulillah but
a lot of young people and that made me really really proud to see how the even the young care for
them as you how they contributing the people who used to before maybe put in the donation box or we
never used to notice now we see the
		
00:50:00 --> 00:50:28
			And that's something encouraging we're seeing that the future of this Masjid in sha Allah in good
hands with these young youth going up and caring for the masjid. And it doesn't matter how much they
give, it matters that they learn the giving goes for Lucha brothers and sisters giving it is better
for us and for us first and foremost than anything else this is I tell this to my care to tell this
to my family, my nieces and nephews, the only saving that we have is what we give him the sake of
Allah everything else that we
		
00:50:30 --> 00:51:19
			earn, we consume, it either goes to the garbage bin or it goes like that, but we consume everything
is that we have the true saving then in the true bank account is what is in Allah subhanaw taala. So
I want to encourage you again tonight is the last night that we have is the last art nights, it is
just a special night that we have to take care of is this night that we also have to value the same
27 I did feel very, very, very special. On that night, the 27th Night was something very special for
me. And this night though it is it is the last on night and Allah Subhana Allah knows where the
ferrets to encourage you again, to support you'll see as usual numbers on the screen that wasn't put
		
00:51:19 --> 00:51:56
			usually put up. So you can we have this amazing feature now for the text to donator is something
that you set it up one time or forget about it, or that number you see on the screen, just one time,
text the word give and then just follow the prompts. And then after that, anytime you want to give
stuff out you just have to put the amount and set and forget about it never have to set up a put a
card number again or anything that it's just one time you put it and every time you feel you want to
give us a look at you just give it some amazing features. Take advantage of insha Allah that
whenever you're done whatever you want Allah subhanaw taala to take you out of difficulty in
		
00:51:56 --> 00:52:29
			southern Africa with salah but you have to run to the server that is truly changes, transforms lives
and makes things easy. Doesn't matter at this Masjid. It doesn't matter where give learners the act
of giving, no matter what give in every cost. You see, another must be here tomorrow raising funds
will put a small amount small amount here you never know you're here is you never know which masjid
or which area you gave something that multiplied in 1000s and 1000s tomorrow for you. So we have to
learn that act of giving and given the sake of Allah at all times Sharla
		
00:52:30 --> 00:53:16
			I don't want to be taking much of your time I don't want to be fundraising here. We're not going to
have a sign coming up here. Showing tonight how much we raising. We're not doing that. Tonight.
Tonight, we just want to update you and thank you and say particle Africa we want to encourage you.
So I guarantee you if every person who give the 20 sign, however small amount they did, that would
almost multiply the number by to insha. Allah will the online donation that came so that will be
encouragement for us. In terms of the the sha Allah, as you know this year right. There will be no
need in the massage. It's the congregations are still not uplifted, so sorted, he will be prayed at
		
00:53:16 --> 00:54:00
			home, we'll be releasing a video of Shannon Watterson explaining how certain age should be done at
home. And the little pamphlet insha Allah to take care of, but what I get asked you all though, so
how to read still have to be valued, meaning a home, still get up early, with your family with your
kids, dress up, make sure the kids are dressed up, make sure you adjust up, pray together, have a
good breakfast together. And then at 10 o'clock, between 10am and tofu, please come to the masjid
drive to the parking lot. We have some goodies for the kids that we want to give. So bring your kids
come to the parking lot while you're inside your car. Everybody stays in their car, we honk we get
		
00:54:00 --> 00:54:17
			slammed, you know given the social distancing and we'll give candies and goodies that we have and
other goodies that we have for the kids and the adults as well. So between 10am On the day of eight
Charla which could be a Saturday or Sunday you know you will find out the sha Allah
		
00:54:18 --> 00:54:56
			from 10am to noon please come and drive through give salam to us bring the kids like to feel it at
them get a goodie bags inshallah. And at least it's something to do. I know there's nowhere to go.
There's no jacket cheese, there's no places to go. There's no Wonderland, there's nothing to do this
year. But at least they could come drive by the masjid and get those goodie and we see these
beautiful faces that we used to see and we see you to also because we used to see all the time here
in sha Allah and the families together or more time, the lesson value this day of at sha Allah and
that's also dressed up for it. Let's have a good breakfast at home that makes it still special. Just
		
00:54:56 --> 00:54:59
			because we can come to the masjid. Does that mean you're not going to
		
00:55:00 --> 00:55:42
			Lose the taste of Day of eat. You call your families and friends who say goodbye to them. We follow
all these acts of sunnah you get up in the morning we don't eat till after we pray to So after all
that the show will be explained in the video and more in the law. So again I was checking now as you
see me I'm checking the see people still donating all inshallah Mila What do you please keep
supporting your Masjid This is the last night that we will be inshallah and do proper line the last
night at night it could be the last night opera by itself. You know, you have a lot tomorrow is the
29th today by the declared so tomorrow stay tuned you will find out when we announced if the moon
		
00:55:42 --> 00:56:25
			was cited or not. So today you have to take advantage of it don't leave any credit. This is the last
shot insha Allah pray a lot a lot, a lot of South Africa do whatever act of worship we can inshallah
also again, thank you very much Zach of Allah here for your support. And as this continue, we will
have many programs coming up in sha Allah online. And by time we shall this is lifted up to have the
assume our normal programming and hope that summer comes with ease restrictions that we could have
people again and proclaims again inside the Masjid. Of course still we have a vaccine dog. We have
to be ready when he come to the masjid they come in different norm that we cannot be the same till
		
00:56:25 --> 00:56:40
			we have a vaccine for this disease and ask Allah to take him up to lift this disease from us. Insha
Allah, Zack of Allah here bark Allah people. Ask Allah to bless each and every one of you is Aquila
here, Salaam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh