Mufti Menk – Advice For The Youth

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Al
hamdu lillahi wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah, Allah, he was happy, Germaine, we praise
Allah Subhana Allah, the creator nourisher cherishes. sustainer provide a protector cure, the one in
whose hands lies absolute control of every single aspect of existence. We praise Him
unconditionally. We send blessings and salutations upon the best of creation, the most noble of all
profits, the gift of Allah subhanho wa Taala to us, Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his
household, his companions, may Allah bless them, may Allah bless all those who struggled and strove
		

			over the years, to bring the deen to us. And may Allah bless every one of us, and our offspring, and
May Allah bless humanity at large. I mean,
		

			my brothers and sisters, we know that our time on earth is quite limited. We have seen people who
are stronger than us pass away, we have seen people who owned more than what we have passed away, we
have seen people in greater authority than we perhaps may have ever been passed away. That is a
lesson for every one of us to recognize that we are on earth in order to fulfill a role in order to
do something. And that, according to those who believe and we are all believers, as Gemma at will
muslimeen. The group of believers, the group of those who have submitted unto Allah, we believe that
this purpose is to worship Allah subhanho wa Taala in such a way that we lead a decent life, and we
		

			pass away better than the life that we've LED on Earth. For this to happen, we need to know the
rules and regulations and we need to be encouraged from time to time to go back and follow these
beautiful rules and regulations. For indeed, no matter how difficult it may seem, that there are so
many rules to follow. The more rules you follow, the more refined a human being you become. The more
disciplined you are, the greater a personality you become. The closer you get to Allah subhanho wa
Taala because by disciplining ourselves as per the instruction of he who made us who knows better
than us what is better for us, we would definitely be heading in the right direction. My brothers
		

			and sisters, from this particular introduction, I'd like to get straight into a beautiful hadith of
Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that is made mention of by Abu hurayrah, of the 11. And it is
an authentic narration, he speaks of categories of people on the Day of Judgment, who will be given
a special shade. Now you and I know that if you are at a busy airport, or you are standing in a
queue for something very important, or you happen to be in a very, very crammed up place where there
are so many people, even if it was something simple, like a football match, if you were to be
singled out and brought to the front, let's be honest, how would you feel you would feel very, very
		

			important someone standing there holding a board with your name, you know, you walk straight, you
see, oh, had this not been here, perhaps I may have found it a little bit difficult, etc. You feel
important, you feel like you have been valued. You feel that you have now reached a level that
others perhaps have not even if it was just as I said, a football match or a cricket match, you are
now seated with the VIPs that means you are someone you happen to be a person who deserves it
somehow. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us an understanding that similar example shall be on the
Day of Judgment, but in certain ways different different because there is no corruption regarding
		

			the hereafter. Sometimes you have a person who doesn't deserve a place but you know, because maybe
he might have paid someone to achieve something. So he's picked out in a way that's clandestine. And
in this particular instance, regarding the Hereafter, it's got to do with your deeds. It's got to do
with what you did while you were on earth to become a VIP on the Day of Judgment. So on that
particular day, there will be seven categories of people who will be called out in a beautiful way
to say you are a VIP Almighty Allah subhanho wa Taala wants you to come through and to give you a
special shade. On this day when it will be so hot or when it is very, very hot. The sun according to
		

			the narrations will be as close as a foot above our heads. People will be drowning in their sweat
according to the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam each one's perspiration equivalent
to the amount of salt
		

			That he or she had perpetrated without tilba which means if you engaged in sin, but you repented to
Allah, then that repentance will have wiped out the sins completely. So remember this, but it's only
for those who died in a condition whereby they did not repent, who will regret May Allah subhanho wa
Taala protect us all. So from this beautiful Hadith the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says
Sebastian, you will know whom Allah houfy li yo ma La Villa de la ville Lu. There are seven
categories of people whom Allah will grant his own shade on the day that there will be no shade
besides is exactly how that shade is going to be. I cannot describe beyond the description given by
		

			Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam All we know is it will be an absolutely superb shade filled
with coolness and comfort on the day when it will be most needed. Some of you who may have gone for
Hajj May Allah take us all for Hajj and May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for those who've
made an intention to go for Hajj this year to you know, in the peak of the heat, if you were to be
standing in arafa how you would actually feel the heat of the day, but the spirituality of the day,
the desperation the moment Subhana Allah that do our how badly we want it to be accepted and so on.
Imagine if we were granted a beautiful, cool, cool shaded place. How would we feel? So Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala says these seven, I will call them out they will be called out on this particular
day. The first one, Mr. Moon Adil. Now the reason why I start with this is because it's the
beginning of the Hadith. And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam talks about a ruler or anyone
in authority over anyone else. And is just just now when we say Mr. monatti primarily, it refers to
the leader of the nation, the leader of the people who is just a person whom when he was sitting in
a position of authority, he did not abuse that power, he did not misuse it. In fact, he was honest,
he was upright, he was just he was fair, he was balanced and SubhanAllah. As a result of that Allah
		

			says, You deserve a VIP status. Because when you were at the top, you were so humble, you were so
honest, may Allah subhanho wa Taala not only grant us honest and beautiful leaders, but may Allah
make us from among those whenever we have authority, even in our own little homes, over a person or
two or more or less. We are people who are just be just at your workplace, you may have authority in
your Masjid, you may have authority in for example, your home you may have some authority, perhaps
sometimes if you are traveling as a group, you may be a person responsible and in charge. Do not
abuse it, make sure you realize how important it is to be just as a Muslim, Allah subhanho wa Taala
		

			would never give such a high status to a person had it been something minor or light or something
small or easy to achieve. When you are in authority, make sure that you've done the best that you
could while they're bearing in mind
		

			that that authority will be taken away one day by Allah subhanho wa Taala you cannot remain in
authority forever. Even if you're a father in the home, you have a certain sense of authority. Make
sure you use it correctly. Don't do what your whims and fancies dictate, but rather do what Allah
subhanho wa Taala has asked you to do regarding your family members and your children. Let's move
on. Then the Hadith says Sha boon Nasha fee bada Tila hit Allah.
		

			A young man or woman who grew up in the obedience of Allah during the days of their youth, when they
were bubbling and bursting with energies, they directed and channel those energies into the
obedience of Allah rather than anything sinful. Subhana Allah, so as you're growing older, and as
you becoming adolescent, and you find yourself at a time when you feel like you are on top of the
world, in strength, and you feel like you can do anything and beat anyone up, you harness yourself,
you actually bring yourself within the obedience of Allah, you utilize that energy in the obedience
of Allah. Brothers and sisters. From this, we learned that the youth have a lot of energy, they are
		

			energetic, that energy needs to be channeled in the right direction. If you are not going to use
that energy in the right direction, you will not be able to achieve the maximum from that particular
age and stage of your life that will not come back. Subhan Allah there is an Arabic poem or a little
couplet that makes mention of how a person would regret saying Allah Allah
		

			shabba doo Yeoman, you know, oh old man is saying, I wish that my youth could come back even for a
day Subhanallah it's not going to happen, because well, ah he as you get older, you realize you are
no longer, as strong, as powerful, as energetic as you used to be when you were young. That is the
plan of Allah, Allah, Allah.
		

			Allah, ba, da, ba,
		

			da, da,
		

			ba,
		

			ba Ba, makes mention of it in the Quran, he creates mankind in a condition of weakness from that he
transforms it into a condition of strength. and thereafter, he returns it to a condition of weakness
again, and gray hair Subhana Allah, this is the gift of Allah. So while you are in your peak, make
sure you use this age in a way that is the most beneficial. If you have $1,000, for example, and you
are to start a business, you would be foolish, the first thing you do, go call all your friends and
have a meal and say, Don't worry, it's 1000 I don't mind I actually can take everyone out for a
meal. Hang on, you were given the money in order to start up a business, start the business perhaps
		

			when you get a profit, you might want to then call your friends for a meal etc. You don't just start
off by eating into your capital because you know, your intention is there. Yes, I do want to be
charitable, I do want to give but I cannot eat into this capital of mine. This is why Subhana Allah,
Allah subhanho wa Taala has kept the rules and regulations of Zakat so fair, so fair, that the tools
of a trade there is no Zakat on because that's those are the tools of the trade. How can I pay on
the value of the tools through which I'm going to earn by which I will become charitable May Allah
subhanho wa Taala grant us a deep understanding. So my brothers and sisters, this hadith the Prophet
		

			sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says, as you're growing older, think about it. Think about your
energies, channel them in the right direction today, we have the masjid make a little group of
people get to the masjid when you get to the masjid. Don't just come and read your Salah and walk
off find out about the condition of the brothers and sisters who are there and perhaps others who
may not have come find out why those who are sick and Ill show concern you are a young man you are a
young woman you have energies you have so much Allah has bestowed upon you, you have a fresh mind
inshallah not contaminated by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala you can come up with some
		

			beautiful brilliant ideas, share your thoughts, your ideas, they may not be considered always, you
know if we have 100 youngsters, and we are talking about how best we want to pack the packs for
example for the desk for for those in Khayelitsha, for example, and put a smile on the face of the
orphans and the widows, you might have 20 different ideas at the end of the day, we have to choose
one of those 20 don't become despondent because your idea was not chosen. inshallah another time.
It's impossible humanly to follow 20 different opinions for one thing, we have to follow one, and we
have to discount the other 19 even if they were good opinions, may Allah subhanho wa Taala help us
		

			share our views with the idea that they adjust views. They don't have to actually be adopted, and
may He never make us from those who become upset when our opinion was not the chosen one. Because
there are others equally important. They are also good people Mashallah they gave their views. This
is just a piece of advice, or practical piece of advice. So my brothers and sisters, you come into
the masjid and it becomes a community affair. It's no longer a personal thing. It is a community
affair. You are concerned about the elderly, you don't see someone you inquire about them. You go
and visit them. You pay them a visit or a phone call to find out my brother, I didn't see you today.
		

			I hope you're okay. He might tell you I am not well, you make a dua for him. You tell him we are
praying for you. This type of social cohesion is definitely stemming from the correct channeling of
the of the energies of the youth. That's what it would be. We need to make sure that we as a
community as as an oma, we feel part of one another by channeling the energies today, unfortunately,
and it's a reality. People prefer to sit with a computer game with an iPad with a phone as old as
they are playing little games that will not get you anywhere. We get so excited with these games.
I'm not saying don't play them at all, but you may want to make sure that you have balanced your
		

			timing. You know, I don't know why the older people are seeming to giving me an hour meaning
seemingly giving me an eye. But it's okay even if you're slightly older, you might want to sometimes
refresh your mind by seeing how
		

			The games work. However, we should not be spending more than a certain amount of time on things that
don't have any benefit, no benefit at all. For the broader society, broader community, you can spend
a little bit of time to refresh yourself, and it should stop there. Thereafter, you continue into
real life things. Think of projects for those who are orphans, for those who are destitute, when we
see beggars on the street, I'm sure they wouldn't like to beg. Well, I hope so. But at the same
time, Subhana Allah, we need to think of ways of alleviating their suffering. Have you ever sat with
some of them to say, look, what's your story, they might have a story, that's amazing. And it might
		

			inspire you to do something small. I know of some of these people who are homeless.
		

			Some of these homeless people, you know, back at home in Zimbabwe, they call them street children
Subhanallah because they don't have anywhere to go. And I know of some who've been to school
thereafter, and they've come out big businessmen. So panela how someone had a concern someone
shared, someone sponsored, someone collected, someone did, and Mashallah I bear witness that there
are so many from amongst our youth who are participating as volunteers in so many of these
activities, may Allah subhanho wa Taala make it a means of encouragement for the rest of us, I mean,
so as we develop
		

			these energies that Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us, we will grow, we become slightly older,
when we marry, we make sure we marry correctly, my brothers and sisters, marriage determines the
rest of your life and how it will pan out, the choice you make for the person you want to live the
rest of your life with needs to be very, very wise, it should not just be made spur of the moment.
So panela, you need to think about it in advance are the qualities in this particular person I'd
like as a father of my children, or a mother of my children? Are they really there? You know, do
they really fit that particular position that they're going to be holding in my heart and in my
		

			life, because sometimes the decision we make regarding marriage can actually shatter the dreams that
we may have had as a person just prior to marriage? May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us.
If you're a spouse, please support your spouse in goodness in that which is in the obedience of
Allah, you are still young, you are still included in the term youth. So you are still growing? May
Allah subhanahu wa taala make it easy for us, we need to support one another. As family members as
brothers and sisters, let's go out and solve problems, not create problems. Every time there is an
issue and a problem in society. Ask yourself
		

			have I been part of the problem? or part of the solution? The answer should always be one of two
things. Either I'm a part of the solution, or I haven't participated in it. I haven't participated
is better than being part of the problem. So panela for example, you find a WhatsApp message doing
its rounds. You find for example, nowadays, people say things, they put up things, they have a
status on Facebook, on the internet, etc, they say things you need to ask yourself, Is this good or
bad? Is it productive or counterproductive? If it is productive? Then Alhamdulillah let me forward
it let me make sure maximum people can benefit from it. If it is counter productive, am I going to
		

			try and make it productive? If it is a problem? Am I going to solve it? Am I going to try and
inshallah minimize it? Or am I going to just blow into this fire and try and get the flames to the
maximum? If that is the case, what we start doing is we start forwarding it we start creating bigger
issues, then is that a young man who grew up in the obedience of Allah is that a woman who grew up
in the obedience of Allah when we are busy getting excited because others are fighting. That's not
the sign of a good character person. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us the best of character.
		

			So my brothers and sisters, there is a lot that we could actually say regarding this particular
category of people, the youth who have grown up in the obedience of Allah, wherever you have
faltered, go back and turn to Allah. Remember, punia EBI de la Vina.
		

			fusi him, la panattoni Rahmatullah in La Jolla. Pharaoh Zulu by Jamia in,
		

			say O Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to my worshipers who have transgressed against
themselves, never ever lose hope in the mercy of Allah for Indeed, Allah subhanho wa Taala will
forgive all your sins, indeed, he is most forgiving, Most Merciful. What a beautiful, beautiful
verse, the Hadith the Prophet sallallahu
		

			wassalam tells us something powerful in three words, at a boom in a dombey. Kamala gambella the one
who has sought forgiveness from a sin is equivalent to the person who did not commit the sin at all.
Amazing what type of mercy These are the words of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam. So if you
have done something that you are not proud of, change it today, seek the forgiveness of Allah
promise Allah, Allah the day that I arrive on on that day of judgment, I would like to achieve this
beauty and this shade Forgive me Allah, I know you will give it to me, you are merciful. Oh Allah
subhanho wa Taala. So this is something that we need to learn from, we need to be hopeful in the
		

			mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala. It doesn't mean that you've had a false start, so to speak for
your race, that you are suddenly disqualified completely because this is not just an Olympic race,
it is life. Allah gives you countless chances for as long as you're alive.
		

			Allah gives you countless chances for as long as you're alive. So keep on going. And keep on turning
to Allah subhanho wa Taala, no matter what have hoping the mercy of Allah and Allah will open your
doors, start doing your good deed. And I want to mention one more very interesting point before we
move on to the next category.
		

			And that is my brothers and sisters, when we commit sin. We commit sin privately, we are embarrassed
to show people what we are doing. And in fact, it is good that people do not commit sin openly
because the mercy of Allah is more closely connected to a person who's ashamed of what he's done in
terms of wrong than the one who's proud of his sin. You know, you go out and commit adultery, and
then you want to post a video of it as Davila that's not a movement. That's not a Muslim, right. But
		

			a person who committed the adultery in private and is embarrassed and didn't want anyone to know
there is a greater chance of Toba for that person than the one who's proud of the sin. So when we
commit sin, we like to commit sin. privately.
		

			Subhan Allah, is that not true? We don't want anyone to know I did something wrong. I, I don't want
anyone to know what I've done. In order to combat that. And in order to become a person close to
Allah, I encourage myself and yourselves to do some good deeds in a similar fashion. You know what
that means? hide some of your good deeds such that only you and Allah knows that you did this good
deed no one else knows. So if I have read the Quran, say I read 10 Jews, for example, today, I don't
need to put it on Twitter, Mashallah, I've just completed my 10 Jews Alhamdulillah. And everyone
says Subhan, Allah Al Hamdulillah, those 10 Jews, you say to Allah, nobody's going to know what I
		

			did for you, you and me. That's it.
		

			We have a habit, someone completes an entire must have in the day, and they put it up and they say,
Wow, this person finished the whole of the Quran through the day. Yes, someone might have seeped or
leaked that information. However, try. Consider what I'm saying. Try to hide some of your good deeds
so that at least on the Day of Judgment, when the bad deeds are seen, to be happy to have been
committed in secret, they will be a whole host of good deeds that would also have been done.
		

			in secret. No one knew that you used to feed a certain poor person. So panela no one knew that you
used to cry in the night, every night, no one knew used to get up for 200. For example, no one knew
that you used to care for orphans. No one knew that you were a person who visited the sickly now and
again, quietly on your own. Nobody knew that. That's good, because now you have balanced something.
Now you have a good deed where, you know, Allah knows and it's a secret. Imagine how that would be
in your favor on the day of judgment when you know, you have that smile and you are saying some kind
of law. I know that something I know Allah knows, no one knows. Subhana Allah, may Allah subhanho wa
		

			Taala bless us all.
		

			Let's move on to some of the categories mentioned in this beautiful long Hadith the Prophet
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says Raja lanita have Baffin la EH de la la de la la. This applies to
the youth and even those post youth. The Hadith says the categories of seven of the people who will
be granted that shade, two of them are those who love each other for the sake of Allah alone. They
gathered for the sake of Allah, they departed also in the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala. We love
you not because of your money, not because of your authority, not because of your popularity simply
for the sake of Allah, I may get a chance to tell that to you, I may not get a chance to tell that
		

			to you. So how is love for the sake of Allah? Let me tell you, when you hear someone saying La ilaha
illAllah Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, they should already be one level of love between you
and them. They should be that is love for the sake of Allah why this person
		

			And shares the Shahada that I have the minute you you feel the hatred in that there is something
wrong with your own Shahada. That is what it is. There is something wrong with your own Shahada. How
can you hate others who Attila ilaha illAllah Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, even if they're
making a mistake, you dislike their mistake, you dislike their error, but you don't dislike the
person you love them. Then you see someone coming into the machine, what are they trying to achieve?
They are trying to get closer to the same Allah you are trying to get close to so we are all going
in the same direction. When the World Cup was here in Cape Town, people started giving each other
		

			lifts to go to the venue because they didn't want a massive of vehicles there. So they were all
heading for the same match. So we decided to create a lift club you know what I'm talking about? So
in the same way, we're all hitting two gentlemen, let's create a lift club. I help you you help me I
love you. You love me Mashallah. I see you in the masjid. I'm so happy Mashallah you're reading
Salah. It doesn't mean that this uncle is taking so long Institute. So he's a big show off? No, he
is worshipping Allah, you need to love him for that. So Pamela sister who's trying to quit her job,
and you see her on the street, it doesn't mean you have to greet her. And you have to make yourself
		

			known as a young man. You know what? I'm available by the way, that's not how it should be? No.
		

			You need to make dua for her without her knowing that you've made up your heart needs to feel this
connection for the sake of Allah, that's my sister, if you see any harm in her direction, or if
there is an opportunity to render any form of assistance for her, you should be the first one before
anyone else because you have a deep connection. And she's trying very hard to dress appropriately at
a time when it is not easy to dress appropriately due to the Islamophobia across the entire globe.
So Shouldn't it be a means of your happiness you smile Mashallah look at the sister look at the
brother Mashallah they are trying so hard. You see people reading the Quran, you see someone giving
		

			a charity, think good things about one another. Someone gives a charity don't say he's just boasting
because he's got a lot of money. Those are negative thoughts. They are not heavenly. They are not
divinely inspired thoughts. They are thoughts that are actually coming and stemming from the evil of
the devil and the evil of our own selves. So let's protect ourselves from this. This is why the
Hadith says If you really love one another for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala and obedience
brings you together, you deserve VIP status. Subhana Allah radula Nita, ha, Buffy La, La La, la,
another quality, another category of person, or Julian kalba, whom Allah Campbell masajid, a young
		

			man whose heart is hanging in the masjid. In the case of the sisters, it would be true that her
heart would be hanging to the Salah, the next Salah When is it going to be as soon as the time
enters you fulfill your Salah you deserve VIP status. As soon as the time of prayer enters, you drop
everything you fulfill your Salah. You deserve a VIP status. You can start today Subhana Allah, it's
not difficult.
		

			The Hadith continues. In fact, the Hadith says Raja Luna that who mo attune Rahman, Sabina Jamal,
Allah in need of Allah, a person who is called a man who is called to sin. And the same would apply
to a woman who is called to adultery or fornication. In a scenario where everything is facilitated
the person calling you is extremely good looking extremely wealthy, everything is facilitated. And
you only say, I fear Allah. I can't do this. I can't do this. May Allah subhanho wa Taala strengthen
us in the face of sin. Today's sin is available wholesale, you are indeed a VIP. If for the sake of
Allah, you can say I can't do this. Allahu Akbar. When it's right in front of you, nothing is
		

			stopping you. Your energies are trying to push you in that direction. But your closeness to Allah
makes you say you know what? Not me. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us from sin. No matter what
sin it is, my brothers and sisters will lie. If you stay away from it for the sake of Allah, you
have contributed not only to your own closeness with Allah, but to society and community, cleansing
it and inshallah improving the values and moral standards of society and community. May Allah
subhanho wa Taala Allah grant us goodness, I want to end with one last category, Rajan, the Kerala
hollein father,
		

			a man or a woman who remembers Allah subhanho wa Taala. alone. When you're alone, you remember the
last time you heard the verse of the Quran, perhaps you saw one of the signs of Allah subhanho wa
Taala. You pondered over your condition over the mercy of Allah. And that made you cry.
		

			If your eyes were filled with tears, because of the love of Allah subhanho wa Taala you deserve a
VIP status. Allah says we know we've seen we've watched sometimes you hear stands you get
goosebumps. You think of Allah subhanho wa Taala my brothers and sisters, I've spoken for half an
hour. I asked Allah subhana wa
		

			Allah to make us from those who can take home at least a single lesson and inshallah we can improve
ourselves all the qualities we have, let them be divinely inspired, let them be beautiful. Ask
yourself it's not difficult, what how I think how I operate as a human being, is it good or is it
bad inshallah every one of us, myself included, there is room for improvement. Let us inshallah
seize the beautiful opportunity of the last 10 nights of Ramadan, to change ourselves to improve our
relationships with those whom we live with, to seek forgiveness from our parents, our spouses, our
in laws, our children, our brothers, our sisters, to kindled a relationship that is broken would
		

			definitely get you into gender to fill those if it was done with the correct intention. My brothers
and sisters, these are just some of the good deeds that we as youth need to consider very, very
seriously. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us all a good life and an even better death and an
even better life after death. appunto kolyada masala Allahu wa salam o Baraka ala nabina Muhammad