Mufti Menk – Best Advice for the days of Zul Hijjah

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah who Allah Allah He was happy Jemaine All
praise is indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam, his household, his companions May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless them all. And may
Allah subhanho wa Taala bless every single one of us. I mean, my brothers and sisters, I'm sure, we
are aware that we are within the 10 best days of the Islamic year. And I'm sure we've come across
the Hadith or we've heard it, the hadith of a bursting of the Allahu and Homer, wherein he says that
the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has said, Ma'am, in a year, I mean allama lasala Kofi hin,
		

			Habu Illa Allah, He means Javi lash, they are no days of the year were in good deeds are more loved
by Allah subhanho wa Taala, than those that are done within these 10 days, referring to the first 10
days of the month of the ledger, we are well within these 10 days. But I want to draw your attention
to a few very important factors. When we think to ourselves, that Allah loves good deeds during
these days, more than he does throughout the year. What's the first thing that comes to our minds?
I'm sure almost all of us, myself included, we start thinking of doing extra deeds, and we start
thinking perhaps I can read the Koran, perhaps I can do some nephele and sooner, perhaps I can be
		

			charitable, perhaps I can, you know, do something that is voluntary, etc, not realizing that that is
not where you start. That is never a starting point. And this is something that we need to clarify,
because many times shaytan makes us think about that which is voluntary, when we have not yet
considered that which was obligatory and follow up. And this is why the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam says that Allah subhanho wa Taala has said that the most loved deeds, the deeds that I love
the most from any one of my worship is of those deeds that I have made compulsory and forever upon
them, which means your Salah, it means your czaka it means you're fasting in the month of Ramadan,
		

			that which is foreign, it means also that we should be abstaining from that which is haram, that
which is sinful, because what is the point really, of a person who engages in lots of voluntary
deeds, but they are perpetrating adultery, they are deceiving and cheating people they are consuming
usually an interest they are perhaps gambling and on drugs and so on. We need to make a greater
effort to become from among those who can quit this. So if you during these days decide that I have
could this bad habit that I have had for so long? Well ah here it is better for you than engaging in
extra voluntary deeds while you have wiped them out by perpetrating sins that are major May Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala help us to abstain from major sin. So when you hear that Allah loves good deeds
the most, the first thing that should come to your mind is from that which is compulsory. Do I get a
forfeiture? Let me get up early. Let me take a little bit more time in the way I fulfill my Salah.
If my ledger is five minutes every morning, let's make it 10 because this is a good deed. It's the
deed that Allah loves the most and I am in these 10 days of the ledger and I would like to improve
myself as a person. So let me start increasing in terms of the quality of the good deed. Sometimes
we end up missing forever. We miss our father and then we sit with a sooner salah and we fulfill
		

			without having made Kava Kava meaning that which is fulfilling your last Salah that which you missed
for some reason, you now need to make it up it's called Kava. So it's more important to do Kava when
it is to do the sooner or that which is voluntary. My brothers and sisters, this is a very
interesting point. When we would like to please Allah subhanho wa Taala The first thing we should
do, we ask ourselves two questions. If you want to please Allah subhanho wa Taala you ask yourself
two questions. The first question is,
		

			have I fulfilled my obligations unto Allah? Allah asked me to do certain things Allah has requested
from me certain things. Have I fulfilled these things? Very interesting. Allah asked you to fulfill
your Salah. Allah asked you to do so many things. We know what the duties are.
		

			Allah asks you to dress in a specific way, Allah asked you to speak in a specific way. Allah
subhanho wa Taala has required from you that you eat a specific type of food etc. Have I fulfilled
the obligation unto Allah obligation that we just follow? The second question is, have I stayed away
from that which will anger Allah? Those are the two questions. If you can answer those questions
with the correct responses, you are heading in the right direction now shaytan will come to us. What
does he temper with? shavon usually tempers with one of these two things, either he makes you leave
your firearm or he makes you engage in sin. So now Allah subhanho wa Taala teaches us one of the
		

			greatest acts of worship. Do you know what it is? He taught it to Adam alayhis salam, a very great
act of worship after a sin was committed and Adam alayhis salam ate that which he was not supposed
to eat.
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala taught him some words or like gave him a few words taught him these words.
What were these words? Are abana vollum
		

			fusina ilam del v Lana Watashi
		

			wa ilam Delphine Lana.
		

			Lana coonan meenal for serien o R.
		

			O Allah. Now Allah is teaching Adam alayhis salam to say this. So we need to say this too. We say
our abre banner, Valentina and Susana, we have wronged ourselves. What we did just now was very
wrong. It was oppressing ourselves. And if you don't forgive us, and if you don't have mercy upon
us, we are going to lose. So Allah taught Adam alayhis salam, those words are the money Salam said
those words genuinely and he was forgiven, and Allah made Toba, one of the biggest acts of worship,
so much so that the Hadith says Toba, wipes out whatever sins you've made in the past. You know,
when a person is not a Muslim, they've done whatever they may have done in their past life, they
		

			revert to Islam as they enter the fold of Islam and declare what we know as the Shahada bearing
witness that there is only one deity worthy of worship, who is Allah and bearing witness that
Muhammad peace be upon him is the final messenger of Allah once they declare that Shahada guess what
happens to them, all their bad deeds are wiped out, all their bad deeds are wiped out, it is
selected formatting. It's not that everything's wiped out, all your bad deeds are wiped out. That's
what happens when you engage in Toba for those who are already believers, because sometimes a person
might feel you know, when you don't really know or you don't have deep knowledge, you might think,
		

			look, you know, people who enter Islam they're forgiven totally right. What if I exit it and enter
it again, and formatting my hard drive right? That is foolish thinking Subhan Allah, we are not
allowed to think that way. Allah does you a favor. Allah says we will give you that as a gift. If
you just ask Allah forgiveness. Subhan Allah, that person was not a believer, they accepted Islam,
you are a believer, you just have to say, Oh ALLAH forgive me, that is such a great act of worship.
I call upon yourselves and myself during these 10 days to engage in that which is most beloved to
Allah and that is seeking forgiveness of Allah subhanho wa Taala and declaring the remembrance and
		

			the greatness of Allah. Why the chorus mama he fie
		

			maluma the Quran says, encouraging us to remember the name of Allah during specific days, go to the
Tafseer and you will find that some of them of Assyrian have said that these specific days are the
10 days of julija we are in them right now. So remember Allah often, we all know that we should
increase that bill. Don't wait for the day that the tech be commences in the masjid after the fire
of Salah. Don't wait for that day. Yes, when that day comes, you will participate in that tech bill
that is read after Salah but throughout these 10 days we are supposed to be repeating that tech beer
and various other tech bierut What is that tech B? tech B means the declaration of the greatness of
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala and it goes as follows The sooner wording Allahu Akbar Allahu Akbar La ilaha
illallah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar Allah Subhana Allah amazing words. There are two different
ways of saying it. You can have three tech beers right at the beginning. So you could also say,
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, La ilaha illallah wa Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar, Allah
hellhammer. Either you say twice or thrice right at the beginning, you're declaring the greatness of
Allah. You are saying there is none worthy of worship besides Allah and he is the greatest and All
praise belongs to Allah. So Allah says, say that Subhana Allah do we say it another
		

			A very interesting aspect is when you remember Allah within yourself, like say, My mouth is closed,
I haven't moved my lips. In my mind, I'm thinking of Allah, it's an act of worship. And the Hadith
says, Man, the Quran, if enough see the cartoon goofy enough, see, whoever remembers me, within
himself, I remember him within myself how Allah knows best. But Allah says, you know, people do
remember Allah within themselves. It's an interesting act of worship, very important. But I can
teach you a greater act of worship, to make an effort to move your tongue to move your lips to use a
bit of your voice. Why? It's a very big act of worship far greater than thinking only start saying
		

			it. So when we are sitting, a lot of the times what happens to me nowadays, I'll be honest with you,
you read in your phone and you get a message someone passed away, someone is sick, someone or
something bad has happened. For example, sometimes you end up saying in Manila, you were in LA Rajon
in your mind, and you make a dua for them in your mind. While la he let's not forget just because
technology has advanced, we need to also say that aloud, Oh ALLAH forgive him all or kill him. Let's
seize an opportunity my brothers and sisters, people have passed away. May Allah give them genital
fair those who say I mean,
		

			people are sick and Ill right now as we are talking May Allah subhanho wa Taala, cure them, whoever
they are, say amin, and one more people are struggling and suffering across the globe as we speak,
whoever they are, wherever they are, we pray for them. May Allah alleviate their suffering, amen. So
to see it, why is it better because your tongue bears witness your voice bears witness your organs,
bear witness your lips bear witness, it's a great act of worship. For example, if you were to
remember Allah, with your tongue, and if you were to get up and you were to fulfill two units of
prayer, what would happen the two units of prayer would probably get you to a place slightly higher
		

			if it was done in the proper way because I tell you now your whole organs the organs have moved,
your feet have moved your your forehead is going to bear witness for you that this man frustrated
and a caribou Maya Kunal Abdullah, be here who was searching, the closest you can ever as a worship
or be to Allah is in the position of sujood prostration. Allah loves that position. So if Allah
loves that position so much, and these days are most beloved unto Allah, why don't we fulfill our
Salah at least the follow up on time. I want every one of us myself included, to bear in mind one
thing whenever you are reading your Salah, please take your time. Why? The Hadith says Sally Salah
		

			thermodyne every time you fulfill Salah, fulfill it as though it is the final prayer that you are
fulfilling in your life farewell prayer. If someone told you listen, you're dying at two o'clock.
This is your last Juma I think up to five to 10 In fact, we will extend it beyond right we want to
die in Salah May Allah subhanho wa Taala be pleased with us when he takes us away. And honestly
speaking if I can just divert for a second, the best death is that death when Allah is pleased with
you, no matter what age you pass away, no matter how you pass away, no matter who was with you and
wasn't with you and where you were all that is irrelevant. If Allah is pleased with you, while Allah
		

			He you have the best depth. And if Allah was displeased with you, even if you died smooth, sweet
without much feeling so man, Allah, trust me, we have lost. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us
goodness. So let's go back to what I was saying. We have the best days and we have the best acts of
worship. Now. If we bring them together, we'll realize one thing. Today is a Friday. Do you know
that the Friday is the end of the Muslim mean the end of the week? It's actually the best day of the
week without a doubt Cairo Yeoman pallid Fie shrimps. The Hadith says the best day that the sun has
risen upon yo Giamatti the Friday fee Holika Adam on it. Adam alayhis salam was created and so many
		

			things have happened on this day. But I tell you,
		

			if the Friday is the best day of the week, and the 10 days of the ledger are the best days of the
year. What do you think would be the value of a Friday inside of those 10 days? Let's seize the
opportunity to seek the forgiveness of Allah May Allah forgive all of us. May Allah forgive us. May
Allah forgive us for those sins we've committed that we know and those that we don't know. And
together with that forgiveness, may Allah purify our hearts so that we can become people who are
consciously changing themselves bringing themselves closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala that's the way
now one clarification also, some of you might be thinking, what about Ramadan? Surely Laila to
		

			Qatar? Surely Ramadan? I tell you very interesting. Ramadan, the nights are better. The last 10
nights of Ramadan are the best nights. Here we are talking about the best days see the difference.
Why? Because in Ramadan, we have one night that is more powerful than
		

			1000 months and that is Layla. We'll call them Laila to qaderi. Rome in elfi. Sha. Allah says The
Night of Decree known as Laila to Qatar is better than 1000 months. So that's the best night and the
best 10 nights or the last 10 nights of Ramadan. But the days because there is the day of arafah
being the ninth of the ledger is the day of arafa it is the most powerful day it is yo Mahajan,
Akbar. It is called the day of Hajj. That is what it is. You miss arafa you missed Hajj.
		

			What should we do? While I tell you the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, you want to know
how powerful is the day of alpha. If you have gone for Hajj, you are in alpha. But if you have not
gone for Hajj, the sooner is too fast on the day, the ninth of the Ninja, try not to miss that fast
because the Hadith says you can feel to center it forgives and expiate the sins of the previous year
and the current year. Amazing how powerful this beautiful day is. One day, the ninth of the ledger
fasted fasting for the non * non * means those who are not gone for Hajj. If you are in hajj,
not assume that too fast on that day, because it's a day of action. And it's a day when you are
		

			actually going to be an RFI, it's hot and whatever else might be, and you might be busy. It's not as
soon as too fast. When you're in charge. You're there. When you're not in charge. We're lucky. Our
hour is going to be on a Friday, Thursday to fast that particular Thursday is such a great reward. I
encourage yourselves and myself in Sharla if we can too fast on that day, because it's a beautiful
deed and Allah says you know what, I love the good deeds the most during this season so much that if
you are too fast on that day, I'm going to forgive all your sins. I'm sure we all want a new
beginning. I'm sure we all want redemption. I'm sure we'd all love to earn the pleasure of Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala so here Allah is giving you a bonus. Now, have you ever thought that how merciful
Lord is Allah subhanho wa Taala every little while he gives us a blessed day, a blessed season, we
have Muharram you have the 10th of Muharram powerful Subhan Allah, you have the season of Hajj, you
have the season of ruhija, one after the other it comes to three times a year. And this is amazing,
because Allah keeps reminding us, no matter what shavon has done to you, My Mercy, one droplet of it
will wipe out what ever shavon has done. Remember that you can have worked with shaytan for 70
years.
		

			And then you can have spent one minute with Allah that one minute, trust me. If it was done
correctly, it will wipe out 70 years of what the devil has built within an individual. So never lose
hope in the mercy of Allah. But we need to be moved. We need to be motivated, too many distractions
happening around us. That is why Allah says Hang on, start concentrating on your love that which is
compulsory, you'll enjoy it. How many of us pick up the Quran, and we read even the verse every
morning, I promise you, my brothers and sisters try it. It's not asking of much one verse, one
verse, every morning, even from your phone, your application on your phone, pick it up, read one,
		

			only one, trust me, it will go to two and two, three, and you will enjoy it and you will look at the
meaning of it and you will start passing it to your friends. That's the power of Allah. If haram can
magnetize you so much. When you forget Allah, trust me, when you start remembering Allah, that Allah
will magnetize you in a more powerful way. Trust me, it requires an effort. You see, one might ask.
So if Allah knows everything about us, then why did why didn't he just tell us Okay, guys, you know
what I'll give you agenda? Don't worry about your deeds. No. The thing is, Allah has placed us here
in order to recognize us with us being our own witness. So Allah knows me, Allah knows you. Allah
		

			knows everything about us. But what about you? Imagine there was a court case without witness, they
just jailed you, you would say, but I didn't do this. So the judge says, Well, we knew you were
going to do it. So we jailed you, you know, before I remember there was a certain person, whenever
he used to send a child to go and do something he used to call him and slap him and say, Now take
the milk, he says But why did you slap me? He says what's the point of slapping you after you drop
the milk and other slap you before you drop the milk so that you don't drop it? So similarly, it is
injustice or it is unjust for anyone to punish us for a crime we did not commit. So Allah says go to
		

			Earth. When you go to the earth, do whatever you have to I have told you what to do, what not to do.
When you come back. You can bear witness against yourself. You can bear witness against yourself.
Did you do this? Yes, I did. Who did it you do deserve the punishment? Yes. Guess what? Through my
mercy, I'm going to forgive you. You can still go to Jenna. That is Allah. May Allah grant that to
us.
		

			That is the amount of Allah subhanaw taala.
		

			You read on
		

			to ballet while you read on
		

			your own a chahatein tamiu manana.
		

			Allah says in the Quran, he wants to forgive you Allah is looking for any excuse to forgive you, but
those who follow the their desires, whims and fancies. Shahada means immortality, the immortal parts
of the world, they would like the rest of us to actually be twisted, a very, very strong twisting to
be diverted in a very, very strong way. Let's not be diverted by the devil, my brothers and sisters,
let's remember that Allah subhanho wa Taala has mercy encompasses everything for him, to have asked
us to do things so that we can bear witness for ourselves or against ourselves, we have an
opportunity to prove ourselves. So let's prove ourselves to Allah the same way. If someone were to
		

			ask you, do you know this brother? The answer is I know about him, perhaps I have seen him. But if
you're asking me for a point of reference, I need to have done business with him. I need to have
traveled with him. I need to have known him lived with him, I need to have been interacting with him
and done dealings with him because I need to have checked him at a time when things did not go his
way. That's when he can prove himself. Remember this?
		

			All of us, we don't know each other. Besides, he's a brother of mine until the day you are bitten by
the person when things don't go their way. When you learn. Oh, now I know why things did not go his
way. There was a loss in the business. He cheated me something happened. The same applies with Allah
subhanho wa Taala. But Allah knew everything where Allah says, We leave you and us libera to him. We
leave you we let you do whatever you have to the day things don't go your way. Do you actually think
Allah does it bring you closer to Allah because I promise you, when things are bad, you turn in one
of two ways. Some people become very bad, they start questioning Allah, you lost a life You lost
		

			someone's someone lost their health, something bad happened. What do some people do? They start
questioning Allah, they go far away from Allah. In that case they lost.
		

			But a moment when you have a problem, it's supposed to bring you closer to Allah. So your problem
defines you, not only with Allah, even with the rest of the human beings, mark those words, write
them down in gold ink and read them every day. So Pamela, your problem defines you. When something
happens in your life, your family, your spouse, a big mistake happened. It will define you Who are
you, you only get to prove yourself when something very bad happened or negative happened or
something happened in your life that was not according to your liking. That's the only time the only
time you can prove yourself and that's when we prove ourselves. That's when we get to know each
		

			other. May Allah subhanahu wa taala help us prove ourselves to Him to begin with because when you
prove yourself to Allah, trust me, you don't need to worry about anyone else Allah will deal with
everything else. May Allah subhanahu wa taala bless every one of us. May Allah subhanho wa Taala
grant us all genital for DOS, and May Allah subhanho wa Taala make things easy for us in the dunya
as well as the era of poo colada or sallallahu wasallam Allah Baraka, Allah Nabina Muhammad