Lecture delivered at Islamia Masjid in Capetown about the importance of doing whatever little we can to spark positive change.
Mufti Menk – Do your bit
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Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim In the name of Allah Subhana. Allah to Allah most Gracious, Most Merciful. Alhamdulillah he was Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah who Allah Allah He was happy here Jemaine
It is only correct that we commence by praising Allah subhanho wa Taala. By sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless them. We ask Allah subhanahu wa Jalla to grant and all goodness, every one of us, may Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us all and grant us every form of goodness.
My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam
Imagine for a moment that you've entered an African village
a village that is very rural,
a village where there is no water, besides, from the river that is perhaps five kilometers away.
A village where there is no electricity, they use candles,
a village where suddenly you notice and you realize
a group of children playing.
They are playing in shorts.
And they are playing with stones. And they've made markings on the sand. And they are jumping and skipping in and out of the boxes that they've made.
And you arrive there Subhana Allah
in your Pajero.
Mashallah you made it the road was tough to actually get there, it was a very difficult road, it took you a long time, you had to make sure you had a spare tank of fuel in order to get there. And when you got them, that is what you saw.
And then
you realized that you had a puncture in two tires.
So what's going to happen? You only have one spare wheel.
And everyone comes, the children stop playing, they come to the car, they see you. They're excited.
They're very, very happy, delighted. You come out and they all dancing for you because they happy that they have a visitor.
And you're more worried about your
two wheels, and how you're going to repair. So there comes a group of slightly older people.
And you tell them, I need your help. Is that what you will say to begin with?
No, you won't say that. You will greet them. He will make them feel important. Why will law he they are human beings will law he they are human beings. They have a life far more content than yours. Remember that? They don't have your Pajero. Nor do they have your mobile phone which happens to be useless because there's no network.
They have nothing, no internet, they haven't even heard of certain pieces of technology that you have, they wouldn't believe that your note seven actually opens with your iris. Just before you had to give it back by the way.
SubhanAllah It's amazing. And then you see these young children. They don't have proper clothing. Like I said,
What would come to your mind
tell you what would come to my mind. And I tell you what could would come to the mind of majority of us because we are human beings.
I am wearing beautiful clothing. And I'm standing here in the middle of nowhere, where people don't even have something to cover themselves. So I come and I tell my children do you know what? We've got our bag out there. Take out a pair of clothing, two pairs of clothing perhaps or if you don't have that, let's find out where exactly these people are so that we can send a little bit of clothing for them. It may be secondhand. nobody's saying new right? But you're going to go back the day you do go back you have plans in your mind to go back and get some secondhand clothing, fill it in a sack in a bed and send it through why because you feeling my children. I spent so much on their
clothing and I buy new clothes for them and sometimes even if we have hand me downs, but it's a good quality. And so panela these people have nothing. Let me reach out to them by doing what I'm going to
Get them some clothes, I'm going to make sure. So Mashallah you might spend the night there, voila, he they will treat you like a king. And they will treat your family like the royal family, they will make sure that they don't sleep in the heart that they sleep in every day, they will make sure the best of it is given to you because you come from somewhere far away.
Would you ever do that in your own house? It's a question where someone's come, a lot of us would say they can ring the bell.
Go and tell them I'm not at home. That's what some would say. And trust our children, they'll go and say my daddy just said, I must come out and tell you that I'm not at all. You know, it can't happen, right? These people there was no question they they do not have that hypocrisy, they are too innocent for all of that they are truly excited. You see it in the smile, they're happy, rural folk, they don't have much, they don't even have much clothing, a watch. They haven't even really seen one, perhaps, and talking of the poorest of the poor. And I use Africa as an example. Because unfortunately, we have some of the most poor communities on the globe. In some parts of Africa, we
cannot deny that. And I'm raising this as an issue because I'd like you and I to do something about it.
So what happens, they will go out and they will get hold of their chickens, and sometimes their goats or their sheep or their animals, and they will not even think twice to actually
prepare that as a meal for you. Who's come from so far, prepare it as a meal. So what happens they will come through and give you a dish you may or may not eat, am I right? You may or may not eat well you might become so hungry, that you will have to eat his Can you watch the thing we don't want to flip this every little one. So you may or may not eat but Allah subhanho wa Taala might keep you there for long enough time that what you have will deplete if it was me, I would take out all my drinks and soft drinks and whatever else and I would start sharing it with everyone because I know as much as I need to prepare for my entire journey. What is more important right now is to share
with the rest of these human beings. Remember this,
then what happens? Mashallah, let me fast forward. They helped you The following day, you made a plan, you did something and you caught an oxcart going somewhere a few kilometers. And you happen to go there with one of the tires you went to a service station where you fill the jerrycan of fuel and they happen to repay one of your tires. And then you came back and you repair you put it back on to this Pajero of yours. And then you drove away. You drove away. What did you do in that community and society thereafter? You sent them close? That's if you didn't forget right? What will happen? They will thank the almighty for the day that you passed. And Allah wanted you to pass by and to have a
puncture or to in order for you to be able to touch the hearts of people in a way that they will never forget. But what did you actually do for them something you before that day would have considered negligible. This is something that's minor. And then you start collecting things I know of a sister somewhere in Canada who started collecting the spay hay jobs. You know, a lot of our sisters and mothers, we have 5060 scarves at home different colors and sizes. You know, if you say pink for a woman, she'll say what do you mean because they are 20 shades
of pink, not of gray.
But at the same time, you need to understand that they have it all. A lot of it they don't use Subhan Allah, there was a sister who started collecting leftovers. And she sent containers full to Africa to different parts of Africa, in order to share to give away that which was good, but used. People would appreciate and they did and guess what you utilize that well beyond
your own use of that particular item. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us acceptance. Thereafter, here comes another man. You're sitting in Cape Town and you're telling the story, you know, I visited this place, I got stuck. They treated me like a king and I did this and that they didn't even have clothing. So there is a man in your midst who's sitting and listening quietly. When you're done. He researches regarding the place. And he finds out that that place is no school, the children from that place, walk 15 kilometers every day to go to school and to come back. And that too. They do it without wearing proper attire.
So he decides I'm going to do something for them. He takes a drive there one of the days or through you he may decide to do it because you know the
You're now connected to it. And he decides, you know what? I'm going to drill a borehole or a well for them, and I'm going to make sure they have water right where they are. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us beneficial rain in this part of the country. We are going through a drought in a lot of the countries including this one here. And may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us beneficial rain say I mean. So the brother decides to drill a borehole and then he decides to build a school Subhanallah not too far away. And then he decides to invest. And after a while
it's the place is blossoming. People are happy. How did it all start? You got stuck.
You were stuck in the dunya and not realizing that while you were stuck in this world, Allah was busy preparing for you as a gift, your hereafter. It is a subtle cartoon jharia it is an act of charity, the reward of which continues well beyond your death, if only but you realized
and you come back to your Masjid and you realize I'm not even here five times a day.
Probably the people who are holier holier means a few more holes, but probably the people who are holier might look at you and they might think this man is not even religious. But no one knows the deed you did. You get the point. We become very judgmental of people. We watch a man and we think this man's a drunkard this man's this this man's that let me tell you, you don't know the current condition of a person who may have been in the nightclubs one week ago, you don't know the condition. My brothers and sisters if you are affected by a bad habit, quit it and cut it today here and now. Allah will bless you. Allah will bless you in a billion ways your Heaven will be made by
the mercy of Allah.
Quit that bad habit. And the rest of us. While we all have some form of bad habits, they differ in degree work on your bad habit. Sometimes it's the way we talk to those who we live with a lie. It can be more dangerous
than somebody someone who's hooked on to a bottle.
Allah forgive us all and help us all give up the bad habits we have. A statement you utter with your tongue can be more cutting than someone who has a personal bad habit. I explained why a man is a drunkard or a man for example, is hooked onto something like say he's an adulterer, something very bad, okay? It's a major sin.
It's between him and Allah in a way that when he seeks forgiveness, Allah will have mercy on him and forgive him. It's between him and Allah subhanho wa Taala. But when you have damaged someone with your tongue, it's now between three parties, yourself, Allah subhanho wa Taala and another human being or a group of human beings. And this is why it is said that when you backbite someone it can become worse than adultery. I'm sure you've heard of that. It can be Western adultery. Because adultery Allah might forgive you when you say, well, I've done wrong. May Allah forgive us all for any immoral behavior that we may have engaged in through our lives, I mean,
but when it comes to another human being, they are not the most forgiving, Most Merciful. They may decide I don't want to forgive this person. May Allah make us from among those who forgive others. But it's your right sometimes you might feel that I don't want to forgive them.
So what happens? You are in a worse situation than that one. Yet, when you came to the masjid or you met someone in the public, or you happen to talk about them, you were saying that one's bad. That one's bad, my brother three fingers are pointing back at you. Unless you don't know how to point and say that one's bad. That one's bad. When Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us.
So here is something that was started off as a gift. Don't underestimate the goodness that every one of us can do. Who has already done and is doing.
I know of people who don't appear religious at all, and I'm not condoning any behavior. I'm talking about the good that they're involved in. Sometimes they've booked a paradise well before those who might appear outwardly religious have
it can happen. And like I said, I'm not condoning.
And I'm not saying that you that it's good not to look, a person who's at least faithful to Allah to bless immoral, or to eat an immoral manner, or immodestly, etc. No, but I'm merely giving you an example to tell you don't judge the people who don't know, you don't know what they are involved in. Thereafter, what would happen? That young boy who saw as soon as you landed all you stopped at that particular village. Suddenly, he goes to school, he's got clothing. And guess what, here comes another wealthy man and he says, and I'm paying
The road so that they can have a decent road. For example, you see a person walking without shoes and they walking five kilometres, and you happen to give them a pair of shoes. And on top of that they happen to be Adidas or Reebok or something of that nature. And these are the shoes you know, they call them the night as
it's the air more than the night that I'm talking about. So what happens they walk cushion. They get in you draw for them. It's a Mercedes Benz. Honestly, they were barefoot. They didn't need a car. They need to choose. That's all you gave them the shoes. It's amazing how it changed their lives. It actually changed their life. And now what happened? thereafter? Someone gave them rollerblades.
Someone gave them rollerblades.
Sorry. They too many mics on me. I think this one is touching the other making a sound. It's not these two. But it's these effect like I was in the White House giving a press conference.
Okay, I think we're done. So someone gave them rollerblades after a while Guess what? After a while, someone else came and decided to give them a bicycle. Imagine how life is changing. The first person who did the big deal was the one who merely gave shoes. Think about it. Don't underestimate this. It's a little act that can be done by anyone, anyone. And you can build your paradise through that. I always say if Allah forgave a man because he was compassionate towards a dog by quenching the thirst of a dog What do you think another human being Sorry, can we go back to where we were Habibi.
What do you think another human being? would actually
you if you were compassionate towards them from Allah subhanho wa Taala. What do you think you would earn from Allah if you had to quench the thirst of another human being? If the reward of quenching the first of a talk? Was forgiveness? Wow. So Panama, so giving shoes to a human being they are after all, a place to a human being, maybe perhaps a bicycle. What happened? Amazing, amazing.
And after the bicycle, they now started going to school riding imagine going to a village. And you see that Superman alive visited here five years ago, they didn't have shoes, they didn't have clothing today, Mashallah. They've got clothing, they've got shoes, they've got little bicycles they ride with and the school is nearby, they've got water, and so on and so forth. And guess what I helped towards it. Maybe I wasn't a rich man. I started off just by giving them old clothes. But someone else saw and I spoke to another person, and the third and the fourth. And guess what it helped and it opened the doors for all of them. One by one, everyone started helping and that
program was duplicated in another village and the third and the fourth. Do you know what the Hadith says? Medicine assume that an Asana can follow.
Whoever sets a good example, will have a reward for that example. And the full reward for anyone who followed that example thereafter, right up to the Day of Judgment, you started the trade. And you get a reward for anyone who's learned from your model. It was a good deed, a beautiful deed What happened? Merci,
merci, the best of people are those who are most beneficial to the rest of the people. Ask yourself, how have I benefited those whom I live with to stop when
we make a mistake my brothers and sisters, we think the best Muslim is He who is stuck up and cause the rest of the Muslims cafe.
That's how the attitude is today across the globe. Change that change that don't become big headed. It's a sign that the devil has got hold of you. Remember that? When you're pious, there comes a stage when you think I'm the monkey that everyone's waiting for.
Be careful. That's when you allow your head to swell. There comes a stage when you might even declare Prophethood like some of the mad people have done.
There was an old man. He used to say he was the most pious in the community. When the rain came. He said it came because of me.
Wonder what you would say now that there's a drop.
Thereafter what happened is sitting in the machine one day in the morning that people decided to play a prank on him.
So they see these eyes from the back and they said Hey, who's this?
Yes, we've come
to take you to mirage. He says okay.
They got him up blindfolded walking out there the donkey waiting outside. They they put in
By the way on the donkey, and they got in walking around, you know that the donkey throughout the night and he's busy thinking I mean first isn't secondary. So when the sun rose in the people saw him mad men, they started shouting, screaming mad so on. He took out his blinds, and he saw what's going on. This is what happened. He said, I went up from Iraq, they said is really cuckoos? Allah subhanho wa Taala. Forgive us. The point is, remember prophet to deceived prophet who these seal the normal profits to come
to be Abadi, the prophets of Salaam, the loss of ambia he says there is no Nabhi after me. The point I'm raising is my brothers and sisters he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam the Prophet sallallahu wasallam says, the best from amongst you are those who are most beneficial to the rest of you.
Ask yourself, how beneficial Am I to the rest of us? If he taught us how to be beneficial to dogs and cats, one might say a dog is a dirty animal. I actually was checking online yesterday about dogs just yesterday. And I saw
a video of how
the bacteria from the dogs how it can actually cause skin diseases and so much of harm that can be caused. And I said Subhana Allah help me look at how Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam says you wash it seven times or you watch it in a specific way. And people want to still argue with the messenger peace be upon him who created the door Allah subhanho wa Taala Allah knows what is best for you and I so learn to follow the rules. You call yourself a Muslim it means I'm a submitted I will follow those rules. But bearing in mind that when Allah subhanho wa Taala has taught us this compassion towards those animals that are not even allowed to consume. You cannot eat the cat, you cannot eat
the dog, but still compassion towards these animals.
What about compassion to the animals you're allowed to eat? What about compassion to other human beings who may not be Muslim? What about compassion to other Muslims? What about compassion to members of your own community? What about compassion to your family, your wife, your husband, your children, your parents, your uncles and aunts and I didn't miss out your in laws.
May Allah subhanahu Allah bless you all. May Allah grant us His compassion, you need to understand the prophets of Allah seven has already issued the statement. The best from amongst you are those who are best to the others in another nation. Included in this one the best from amongst you are those who are best to your family members. Why does he say that? Because it's included in the people and these are people you see every day. That's what it is.
And when they are bad to you, it doesn't mean you must be bad to them. When the dog barks, the dog is barking, but you don't have to say woof woof back at the same dog because you're not a dog. So when people swear you you don't have to swear back because you're not a vulgar person. You need to understand I was do my bit what is my pet I need to rise to the occasion and Subhanallah I need to you know smile back or say something beautiful, respectable? If it's a child or if it's someone I might want to guide them. I might want to say a good word, but I don't need to swear back because that's what a good Muslim Remember that? I don't need to retaliate and react if that action was
wrong. In the same way, may Allah subhanho wa Taala want us ease let's get back to our village Mashallah. It's not transforming. And it's becoming What? It is becoming a town. I tell you why. Because now that people know there's a school there and people know there's water there and people know Mashallah, it's okay. You know, the infrastructure is developing more and more people begin to flock and what happens now you have a little shop there. So panel, a little market attack, shop and something else, and you're perhaps selling and buying a few things. Maybe not you but at least you've given someone the idea or one of the members of the community and in a few years time, trust
me those who have children, may Allah bless you with the best of children and those who don't have children. May Allah bless you to the best of children say I mean,
I tell you, you would confirm
if your child is 15 years old, 16 years old, and they're as tall as you are even taller.
He would say they were born just yesterday. 15 years 2001 my own son one of my children 2001 he's taller than me Subhanallah I can look at him and think twice before I correct him because I don't know what's gonna come in my direction. Allah subhanho wa Taala help us guide us. I recall a few years back when I was delivering a talk at the gates will machinist union and he was playing on the member behind me the 21st or 22nd day of jewels of the Quran. You'll notice that you
Boy today he's taller than me. He's big. He's got a beard. He plays rugby. Subhan Allah.
Allah.
Allah Subhana. Allah forgive us. Allah grant us ease. Tan passes Sophie, those children whom you helped in the village, no time What happened? The young man became a doctor. Wow. He went to school, he was educated. He came back, he's life changed. I reinvested back in his own community, the community changed. So many people became lawyers, doctors, accountants, and so on and so forth. Perhaps a few arola as well. Some people who studied the team, not everyone's going to study with him.
When I say that, I mean specialize in it. Everyone knows you have to know something. You have to know your faith and your religion.
That means you have to know enough that is completely necessary for you as a Muslim, I need to know the five pillars I need to know Salah I need to know the basics. beyond the basics. I don't need to know intricate details of the scene and intricate details of all other disciplines and all other subjects and topics if I want I can ask and sometimes I really don't need to know beyond a certain point. I haven't specialized in it. But whatever I need to know I will learn insha Allah, may Allah make it easy for us to be the best of Muslims. So here comes a beautiful community and 1015 years after you had first arrived there, and what do they do? Whenever you go back You are like a kingpin
so Pinilla You are like a person who is at the top you are a person whom they really really appreciate. And you try to tell them listen, it's not me. It's not me. It's actually the entire community. It's Allah Allah favor Elias favorite as Allah actually made me such that I stopped in the village had it not been for me having had a flat for example, tire, I wouldn't have even stopped here Subhanallah things changed. But I tell you something interesting. The one who brought the shoes succeeded. The one who brought the rollerblades succeeded. The one who brought the moped succeeded, the one who brought the bicycles succeeded. The one who put up the road or paved it succeeded. The
one who put the ball succeeded. The one who actually built the school succeeded, the one who developed it succeeded. Different people do it on different levels, depending on their capacity, availability. And at the same time, perhaps financial as well as the time as well as whatever else they may be doing. Someone might not contribute to your project, because they're involved in another 10 projects that you may not know about, don't become upset, they do good work, support them make dua for them. The problem with us, if people don't do what we are doing or don't support what we are actually involved in, then they are nothing. They are nothing. Don't look at it that way. They are
something they are very important. Perhaps their money is being used elsewhere. Sometimes you go to a rich man.
And he might tell you, you know what I really I would love to help you. But at the moment, you know, I'm committed. And you look and you say, yeah, we know those answers. We know that Salaam Alaikum. And you walk away.
How do you know he might really be committed? I hope he is but actually, he might really be committed.
And sometimes my beloved brothers and sisters now is I'm going to give you the shocker. Allah doesn't want his money. So he's not convinced by what you're saying. Allah does not want that cash that money in the good work you're doing. Perhaps for some reason, maybe he didn't. properly and we don't have to now go
around anyway. Well, why did you go to him in the first place? Isn't it? May Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us? We've got to have this good levy to Allah, perception of everyone. We need to learn to respect one another. You do your bit. That's what you need to do. Ask yourself, how was I involved? Did I give the shoes? Did I give the clothes?
Did I give the bicycle? Did I give the rollerblades? Did I build the road? Did I contribute towards the school? Did I build the machine? What did I do? Did you do anything? If the answer is yes, good news to you. You are building your paradise but you've got to do your bit. That's what it is. The problem was a lot of us we've done nothing. We sit on the sidelines, and we pretend like we're watching a football match. Remember this? Life
is not like a football match. Not in this way. Yes. In terms of time. Each one of us comes with our own 90 minutes and allows you to score as many goals as you can in that way or in that aspect. Yes, we might say slightly like that certain extent but a lot of the times we're just sitting, the grandstand, the VIP tickets, and so on so forth. And we just watching and cheering but we haven't actually we'll keep the ball. We haven't done anything. So what did you do for men
Now it's supposed to be disunited, but anyway, it's still give it to them Man United to win, you did nothing. You were sitting behind your TV and what did you do? You're just yelling and screaming, that's it. Hey, keep watching Bye, guys. The goal, the goal and the goal didn't come. And when the goal came that was it. And when it didn't come, you couldn't sleep. You were depressed, you had to have both. That's how deeply involved you were somehow I promise you it's happening. What did you do?
Nothing did not contribute to the match in any way.
In Islam, ask yourself, How did I contribute? Did I give something you might not be able to afford to put up a machine? But trust me when you give $1 or 210 grands $50? even maybe around oh two,
we have hope in the mercy of Allah, that Allah Subhana Allah Allah will bless us in a way that he will build an entire house for us in Africa. I tell you why you gave a big to the machine.
Do you really think that the Almighty is just going to come and give you one break in the hereafter?
No, no, no way. If what is what you could manage and that was sincerely done for the sake of Allah.
The Hadith says mumpreneur Lima he must been Allahu Allahu beighton feagin whoever for the sake of Allah builds a Masjid.
Allah will build for them a house in the hereafter. Sometimes we can't do it alone. That doesn't do much contribute towards you help in some way. Make dua Allah, I couldn't do this. But yeah, Allah make it easy for them. That would be good. And so on and so forth. you contribute in some way. They are people. Every time something happens in the masjid, they're involved. They want to solve the problem. Have you noticed the sound nothing went wrong. nothing went wrong with the sound but there was a squeak immediately a brother gotta Why? It's a concern. He's worried he wants to see a solution. He doesn't want us to continue for an hour having a problem every few seconds.
What do we do for such a product make to halfway make to have for the others? That's what it is. But the question is have you made to have with him? The answer is no, man. So what do you expect you haven't paid the man You haven't? You haven't contributed towards the machine. If each one of us had to pay one grand for every Salah that we read in the masjid, just for the masala that we use, trust me, the Imams would be better paid in the top notch neurosurgeons in the country.
But if the committee actually didn't eat the money,
but they wouldn't trust me they wouldn't I see a few trustees sitting here. I don't mean any ill Mashallah Allah.
Allah Subhana Allah Allah bless us. But Allah says made to our for them, how many of us have raised our hands and done our bet by raising by saying all of bless the moms, oh, we forget to say that a lot of us have never done that in our life, rather, will completely Allah this summer, getting diarrhea so that you can finish the therapy.
I remember when I was young, 14 years old, and I live far away for the first time. And there was an uncle and I still know who he is his name has gone down in history because Tibet had a good memory at the time. He says, genes, I was so innocent, I didn't even know what he meant. I was leading the way. And you know, I don't like to base it up. Because I see Allah, you know, we're only going to be able to read the way we read in the dunya. So when you zoom through it, you know, I wouldn't like to be coming on the day of tm. And I know I can read well, but I won't be able to because I can only read the way I used to read in the dunya. And then suddenly, all the people will be watching or
whatever. I don't know exactly what conditions it's going to be. But I won't be able to read it because I was worried about the same people in the dunya in the life. So I'd rather read a little bit more melodiously to say, chill on the Day of Judgment, I'll be able to also be in a way that Allah subhanho wa Taala will be so happy that we read his word properly. So what happened? Did you eat beans? Did you have beans? I said, No. He said I thought you did because you did quite fast today. Initially, I said I might have some tomorrow.
And I didn't have a clue what he was hinting at. He thought I had a big problem. So I was busy.
No way. Not at all. That wasn't the case. But remember, remember, we only complain when the mom says something or does something or is a little bit late or is a little bit early and so on and so forth. But we've never made to our or a lot of us myself included. We are guilty of not making dua for the demands of the masjid.
And for the committee members, do you know how difficult it is to be a trustee or a committee member? You get flack from all five corners? Allah forgive us might wonder which is the fifth exam we gave them.
My brothers and sisters don't do that. Do your best to contribute
Many of us use water here when you've used the water commercially put one round in the box, wondering, please people help them pay their bills. But we use the facility entitled, and we go back the lights have been used the air conditioner has been used as hot in the machine. Why doesn't someone put on the aircon? Who's gonna pay? No one tells you that no one asks you. But you got to think it's not free? Did you put in any money? No, you didn't. So then did you make a draw? No, you didn't? Then you have no excuse. If you didn't have the money, and I'm sure you know what if Spirit had a special you would actually go there and spend your money right?
See the nodding of the head? Mashallah. But at the same time, you will say I don't have money to give the machine but what did you do? Subhan Allah.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala. grant us the goodness of our wealth. I'm not saying don't purchase a meal. But I'm saying small percentage. Do your bit. Give something, drop it in the box. No one needs to know that you did it male or female needs to know proper and in the box for change. When you come from your motor vehicle. I know you might be keeping it in the tray. Perhaps you want to give someone here, put a little bit into the machine also. Donate to the madrasa do your bit, give to someone perhaps humanitarian, I got a message today speaking about Syrian Halla, Aleppo, how cold it is and how they need blankets urgently and SubhanAllah. If there is a reliable humanitarian
organization doing that relief work, donate something to them. Even if it's a droplet, you did something to your bed. Don't underestimate it. That could be the old clothes for a little child in the village. There could be the shoes, like I said, the Rolls Royce for that job. Imagine someone who didn't have shoes, they got blisters and everything. suddenly you've given them a pair of your own shoes. for him. It's like gentlemen, Allah subhanho wa Taala. grant us the comfort in the dunya. And
you create comfort for someone alone create comfort for you, you were considerate about someone else, Allah will create for you the goodness and the ease in this world. And
remember that, so you've got to do your bit for everything. Don't underestimate the smallest of deeds, smallest of deeds.
In the same way, my beloved brothers and sisters and now here the topic takes a turn.
We spoke about material items. We spoke about how you ended up in a village. We spoke about how you reach out to them how you did good to them. Let me speak about religious contribution. Every one of us, we believe we are good people, don't we? We believe we are decent. We believe we are trying. Even those who know the sins that they've committed and they know they have a weakness, they may have an addiction. May Allah guide us or May Allah make it easy for you to quit your bad habit.
Even those who know that, but deep down, they know. Allah is yours. Allah is your maker. Allah loves you, I was waiting for you. Allah subhanho wa Taala loves you so much, that he will constantly give you reminders from different angles from different places and people and different types of reminders. Sometimes it's in the form of something that just happened in your life. And suddenly, you took a turn for the better.
Now lots of hammer what Allah goddess, Allah make it easy for us. things will happen in your life that make you turn, but every one of us believes we have some decency, we have some goodness in us. So don't ever let the devil make you think you're a writer.
Don't ever let the devil make you think that you're gone a little bit beyond the limit with Allah subhanho wa Taala for as long as you're breathing, you're still within the limits.
You're still within the limits. It's still not too late to turn back to Allah, no matter what has happened. No matter what you've done, turn back to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So how do we turn? Let me give you an example.
You've heard the example of the materialistic change in people's lives. Now listen, say there's a young man
in the nightclub, drinking womanizing on drugs, doing everything wrong in the book.
And suddenly, as he's walking out, and he's drunk, and he's like struggling to walk,
and you see him
what happens?
A lot of people would not do their bit.
They would actually just say, Serves him right. Let him die.
Or they would say, ooh, son is that let me quickly put it on Instagram. Show the
Let me put it on Facebook. Let me send the message out to WhatsApp to tell the whole world what's going on.
That's not doing your bit, you're compounding the problem. you witnessed something sinful a sin that was committed by someone else, what law he it is a biggest sin to go out and spread that.
Remember that? Because now you are adding salt to injury. And you're making it worse. As a person who's concerned, you do your bit one lucky The first thing that is your duty is to make a dua to Allah regarding two things. Oh Allah, help him guide him, bring him to the right path. Number one, number two, oh, Allah protect me helped me and my offspring, or whoever else is love to you, etc. or protect us from something similar and grant us protection from our own bad habits? Those are the two things you do out for him to offer yourself if you're a man and a true believer, that's your first way of reacting. Did you ever do that? Did you do your bit? We see a sin. Voila, here. We we don't
think this way. Why?
Just because that spirituality and religious at your religiousness from us, is actually diminished. We have taken religion as a faith
that only gauges you. But how close you are to the front when the Salah is starting?
Or
how tight or should I say how well you're covered. Perhaps if you're a female, that's a
while law he as much as it is important to be in the first stuff or to be in the masjid for Salah or to dress appropriately. It is also absolutely important to have the correct attitude towards the rest of us.
Remember that have a genuine feeling when I see you. He must be loved in my eyes.
He must be a feeling you and my brother.
Imagine the non Muslims at the time of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam when he saw him, what was his concern?
What was his concern? his concern was how can I get the goodness to these people?
Is that our concern today? You see someone a stranger, he's afraid Don't sit with him. don't meet with him. Don't even go there. Don't even talk don't even Why? Where did you learn that from? We don't know that. We know that if someone is a stranger, and you see that they're a stranger, trying to help them, help them make to have for them. What did I tell you at the beginning, you don't have money, at least make do out. Beyond that there is no excuse in this particular instance where we're talking about spiritual or religious health. If you don't have the expertise, make it to start off by making the drop it is more valuable than anything else you can give. Because when you make dua
for a third party without them knowing it is called a dour, McAfee
to make do out for your brother. without him knowing. He doesn't know you paid for it. You have a problem. You know we have enmity sometimes among people because a business deal went sour a divorce happened, we broke up for some strange reason. Perhaps he parked his car in the parking place pretty big deal. What you do instead of breaking relation to after them all our guiding Oh Allah soften his heart. keep on repeating that two hours a day will come when the heart will be softened. Even if it means 10 years later, we are impatient. So that's why we don't see results. Have a genuine feeling thereafter, you might want to go to the young man, you might want to help him home, you might want
to carry him you might want to bring him into your house, you may want to do that. You may not want to do it. But you started off on the right footing. You made the draft for him. So what happens? I hate the deed. I dislike what he's done. But he I have hope.
I hope I tell you I've known so many people who've had a bad past and today they are successful. And they are closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala than they were just because someone gave them spiritual shoes. So go back to my example at the beginning. Think of the shoes, in this case, spiritual shoes. He's barefoot. That's what he is. He doesn't have clothing. That's what he is in a spiritual way. He's not covered spiritually. All you did is you offered him secondhand clothing, but it was worth covering him. he appreciated the fact that you greeted him and you kept it a secret. I remember when he one day I entered a supermarket. And I know an elderly man who had a bottle of alcohol. And as
soon as he saw me, he put it behind and he was he was at the tune and he didn't know how to pretend like the bottle
wasn't his when he put it to pay in order to help him. I actually turned around for a moment. And I knew that this man knows that I saw what happened. But
a little while later, I thought to myself, you know what I'm turning around. I hope I haven't encouraged him in any way. So let me turn back and look at him. So I turned back, I looked at him and I said, Uncle house things house, your family house, and I know this man. And he was so embarrassed with what he did. In the meantime, those were the days when you used to have brown packets. I don't know if you remember those Brown. Nowadays, you get them at some fish and chips places maybe. So he had put it in there. He's holding it. He says, Hey, you know where I live? They drink a lot. So they were telling me to get this. I said one could you know what no excuses needed.
In Shall I pray to Allah, that one day you will quit this habit. And I tell you something, uncle. I'm not going to announce it to the whole world.
He was shocked.
Or law he was shocked. For me, that was me giving him the shoes. To tell him you are barefoot uncle. You paid yourself. I've seen your weakness, weakness, meaning you're not clothed. I've seen what happened here. I'm just going to offer you clothing. Cover yourself. Now. Don't worry, I'm not going to announce to the world that your navel is two inches higher than everybody else's. You know? Me Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us.
So this was the thing. I promise you this man. A few years later,
la Akbar he met me at the masjid and I was standing in Jumeirah Salah, he was standing on one of the he was sitting listening to the lecture on the side.
He came after Juma and his face was glowing. It was glowing, literally glowing. He told me of tea. I said yes, he says
he gave me a tight hug. And I could tell that the man was genuine. This was some time later.
And we became very good friends. So much so that when he passed away,
he had asked me to leave the janazah.
before he passed away, he had already said it, this man. And on his deathbed, I went to see him. And you know what he told me?
He says
this was in the hospital. He was crying.
He tells me, I have harmed so many people in this community.
I want to seek forgiveness from the entire community. I don't know how to do it.
I told her uncle Leave it to me. It's a matter of a bulk SMS. Those were the days we didn't really have the internet and all that as much as we do today. It's a matter of about SMS, I got the people who have the data of the entire community because they give funeral notices and all the other notices. And I explained to them that look, this is what has happened. We sent a message to the whole community at the time so and so is not well, he's ill in the hospital. He has said that he is seeking forgiveness from every single member of the community, please forgive him make dua for him. A few days later, he passed away.
His generosity was attended by a maximum number of people. But sometime before he had a bottle in his hand,
told me I remember the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam where he says that they can be a person who does bad deeds for many, many years. And then at the end, they do a good deed. And Allah gives a gentleman and a mother who does good deeds for many years, and at the end, they ended on a bad note, and perhaps they might go elsewhere. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us. Don't underestimate, do your bit, reach out to everyone reach out to the creatures of Allah. I promised you my brothers, my sisters, we who are muslimeen are the ambassador's of Islam. When we meet non Muslims, non Muslims, those who don't share our faith, they don't even have half the Shahada.
We're supposed to treat them with such respect that they feel that this faith is actually the true faith. We have a gift of Allah, the way we carry on in our lives, we cheat in business, we swear we are vulgar.
When it comes to traffic, we want to cut through the traffic here and there. People see a coffee, you know, they see this
is a Muslim again.
Sorry, no offense to the brothers who drove me here.
But at the same time, the point being raised is we need to be courteous on the roads, even more than everybody else. Because you're an ambassador. Come on, you know, I mean, you come out there. You've just knocked somebody's vehicle because you're on your phone and they asked you What's your name sir Mohammed. What an insult.
messenger. What do you mean, sir? On that occasion, maybe you should just say more.
So, these are simple things, but we're not doing our bit. We have to, we go to work those who work with us or for us or who we work for, well, we don't even have time for them. We greet everybody in such a rough way. If we even treat, treat them, respect them. These are human beings. You need to remember the prophets of Allah seven looked at the non Muslims and the enemies of Islam, he may do it for them evidence of it is the gap. Allahumma is an Islam.
Allah asked you to strengthen Islam by the acceptance of Islam of one of these two enemies who are there, either whose name was Abu Jamal or Omarosa,
whom everybody filled. It was
against people who were very anti muslim. How many of us have made to our for those who are anti muslim, there is the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he was worried he was concerned when the kuffaar of Quraysh used to look in his direction he used to one to answer their questions used to go to them and say, is there any question I can answer when they wanted to ask something he wanted to answer them, because he was Harry's, he wanted desperately to see them come true. Because that was his investment. The Hadith says the best investment you can ever make is to help someone in a way that Allah guides them through you.
Even if it's a shoe, the shoe I'm talking about, guided them slightly. You might not be a big share, who really knows a lot about the demon, your character said it all You spoke well, the person started waiting shoes after that someone else came in and paved the road. And after that, another person came in and put a spiritual school. And then they came to the machine and they declared their Shahada not realizing the beginning was you, you're going to get a reward for it. You're going to get the reward for it, while la isla de la
de la coming. Today we see groups on the globe becoming so violent, that anyone they see who breathes in a different way that then they want to kill them. And they say that's the sooner whereas on the occasion of haber, the war was going on. And the prophets Allah Allah subhanaw
taala brought the Allahu anhu to conquer within the walls of Kiva. And the Prophet says, What Allahu Allah, that was a war, the war was going on. He says one line you're going, but I want to tell you something very important.
Remember, you're going in, if Allah uses you to guide one person, it's better for you than the most valuable conveyance on Earth.
The red camera
at the time.
That was a war.
Are you picturing what I've just said, it's a war zone. And the Prophet is saying, did he say go and kill everybody? See them, whoever brings you in a different way? Kill them? Is that what he said? Never. He said, it's a war indeed. But try to guide them. And if they are guided, Allah will give you something better than what this whole world has to offer you do your bit. In other words, Subhan Allah, we are not living in a warzone. But we are still not reaching out to the people. We haven't done our bit, but to do your bit, and for me to do my bit, I need to become a better person. I need to get closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala. And the same of closeness to Allah is a compassionate
feeling towards the other creatures of the same Allah.
That's a sign that you really close to Allah. When someone is not compassionate towards the other creatures of the same maker. They would close to Allah. They might be partially thinking that they are close, but they haven't really understood.
Now Allah subhanho wa Taala guide us. So yes, you worship Allah alone. Yes, you will learn as much as you can. And yes, you will adopt and you will practice upon the Summa of Mohammed salatu salam, but you will make sure you do your bit.
Allah gives us millions of opportunities every day, literally millions. From the moment you get up. You see your spouse, you see your child, those of us who have little children who cry at night. How do you react? How do you react? Do you show your bad habits and qualities? Or do you discipline yourself? The child cried all night. What did you do? Did you say oh my darling wife, you go to sleep.
Go to the other room with the child.
See, only the sisters understood what I said.
I think you didn't understand you didn't really see that coming, did you?
I am going to the other room with the child.
So holla Allah. And if you do that one day so beautifully you know what I was gonna do? It's gonna happen the very next day.
So how Allah Why? To see when you just putting up a show? Is it real here? Have you is that really your quality? But the men you know what excuse they have got to go to work tomorrow eight o'clock.
So panela you're lucky you don't have a wife saying, we'll take the child and go.
Well, awesome, Hannah hautala guidance, I think you've got the gist of what I'm trying to say. May Allah subhanho wa Taala. Bless us, brothers and sisters, there is too much hate on Earth at the moment too much. We need to start resolving the matters rehab, we need to start bringing hearts together. You and I will never think exactly the same. Because you do not think exactly the same as your own father and your own son, who am I and far off and distinct. I'm not going to be your beloved wife, whom you really die to marry. What that means is, you know, well, she didn't die to marry when you died after marriage.
But your beloved wife whom you dearly love, you have differences, you know, when you go to some place, she might order something totally different from you. Totally. But guess what, you still keep on saying I love you.
Even if you don't?
Sorry, that was just on a lighter note. And it's my habit. I don't really mean that. But anyway, what I mean is, I love you. And you might as well I'm sure you know what to say to
this, you want me to give you a quick word.
But why there are so many differences you have between yourself, you you don't get along, you want to resolve you want to make you know, when people say Dad, you know what, I can't get along with my wife, the whole dunya the whole world comes together to say Hang on, make it work, let it happen, solve your problems, sit back, how many of us have had issues with someone? Yeah, whether it's a spouse or a family member. And because we sat down, we've now become closer than we ever were, before we forgive each other for a thing or two that has happened, sometimes big things that have happened. And we forgive each other, we live together, we now have a much better relationship closer
than we ever were before. That is the gift of you having forgiven someone, when you forgive them. Allah gives you a gift. What's the gift? Allah says, hang on, you did such a noble deed here, which is very difficult, even though all your friends were telling you fixing, teaching, get out, get lost, break it, that's a divorce one more, etc, whatever else they will say. But you said no, I'm going to forgive him. And I'm going to live in. And Allah says, As a result will replace you with happiness more than all those who advised you otherwise.
I promise you it has happened. Many of us here probably our evidence for that. I wouldn't ask you to raise your hands and tell me but it's evidence. May Allah subhanahu wa taala help us it's a reward of forgiving when you forgive others, Allah says I will reward you for you. Do you know why? Because you are now showing a quality that Allah has a far higher level off
than yours. I forgive Allah says, hang on, I can forgive in an even greater way. Something's even bigger than what you've just forgiven. And I'm going to show you my mercy at the same time. It can happen, it has happened, but do your bit. What's your bit, your bit is when you have a problem, try to resolve it. Try your best to solve this there will be some instances where you cannot and divorce becomes permissible and perhaps two separate also becomes permissible. But you don't have to become a billionaire about it. Remember that
you don't have to be ugly about because spiritually and religiously. We all need help. My beloved brothers and sisters, my beloved brothers and sisters in this beautiful city of Cape Town. In the same way we see the beauty in the Quran of Allah subhanho wa Taala around us, I promise you, beautify your hearts,
beautify your hearts, beautify your character, beautify your relationship with Allah so that when people see you as a people, they will say Capetown is absolutely beautiful but guess what? The people are more beautiful than the surroundings.
When that happens, we will have succeeded.
Beautiful People when you want to correct someone do it in a lovely way. These are beloved people. These are people who will enter agenda with you
In Sharla, don't have an attitude that I'm the only guy entering gender. That's it, you know?
don't have that attitude, have an attitude that inshallah I will try and help as much as I can. So that allows mercy can give me gentlemen, none of us are going to empty gender based solely on our deeds. No, it's the mercy of Allah that will accept those deeds and it's the mercy of Allah that will actually go this entry into paradise. It's the mercy of Allah, all you've got to do is try to do your best worship Allah alone, make sure that you're trying every day to become closer and closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala.
So my brothers and sisters, my Allah is up.
But at the same time, I asked Allah subhanho wa Taala to bless you all. I asked Allah subhanho wa Taala, to grant goodness to this beautiful city of yours and the country. And at the same time, the oma there are so many who are suffering across the globe, in so many different ways. Reach out to them through to Oh Allah help those who are suffering across the globe in whatever way they are suffering so I mean, Oh Allah help those who are seeking in grant and cure all of those who have passed away Have mercy on them, and grant support and patience to those whom they've left behind. Oh, Allah use us in the best possible way so that we live our lives such that the day we die, you
are pleased with us. Allah subhanho wa Taala grotesqueness, remember, think when you want to invest?
If you had a million rands, what would you do with it? You wouldn't just listen to the first person offering you something, I telling you, I give you 5,000% return, hey, that's good money as my money, that money is not coming back. There's nothing like 5,000% return.
There was how the day before you.
You're gonna think I'm investing here and investing there. Let me invest in such a way that it's secure. And at the same time, I get the best possible return. That's what we do with our money, don't we? You want to open a business? What do you do you study you make sure you did this. You did that. While a lot of your time, your character, your deen your religion works in a similar way, investing where it brings back the biggest return the biggest possible return. And the beauty is you have so much to invest, that it won't be depleted. Your character, your character is such that and your generosity is such that you can give it to everyone, give them time of the day today, I was
speaking to some of the brothers and I'm going to share this with you. And then I will end inshallah, and I was saying, sometimes it's difficult to meet so many people, I would love to give everyone time, I would really love to greet you in person, shake your hand and tell you, you know, my brother pray for me. Or at the same time, I would say how are you my brother? How's your family and so on? Oh, you know, a little bit of a discussion with you. But because it is so difficult. I prefer to quietly run away.
Then to insult people by giving them a half hearted handshake. I don't know if you know what I mean. Imagine I saw you earlier this year, by the way. salatu salam Salam ala, you know, and then suddenly I seen on Twitter and Osama and all the others seem to get this that maybe this guy's getting money from me. That's how people think today, don't they? So I'd rather run away because I don't want to be embarrassed more than anything else. I don't want to disrespect you.
I don't want to disrespect you. If I see you I want to greet you properly. And I want to say salaam aleikum smile. It's an it's for me an opportunity free investment and I'm getting returns more than 5,000% I just got a smile on my brother. How are you shake your head and I don't give a half out of hanchett you know, people who just buy the salon. Come on. Don't wasted opportunities. Like just throwing a note. Don't throw the note. I remember there was a beggar in Zimbabwe. And I witnessed someone threw a note at him. You know what he did? He lifted on the ground.
He says I don't need you don't throw money. Even if I mean me doesn't mean you throw it. It will give money is a NEMA. It's a How can you throw a NEMA you give it with respect. Make sure that that happens. So the same applies when I'm shaking hands it's more valuable than money it is a sonata Do you know that? You shaking someone's hand Did you smile in their face? You shake properly smile in Santa Monica. where I'm standing right now. I'm so fortunately I can smile at all of them all at once.
They were what happens it becomes a sonata I'd rather do it properly or hydrologist run away. It makes you make draft
Let me find an excuse for me because I will definitely find an excuse for you. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us all. Allah subhanho wa Taala Have mercy on every one of us. So this is what I was saying earlier that to respect the people is more valuable for a Muslim than to offer them disrespect. I would never like to have disrespected anyone and if I have now Allah forgive me and me you forgive me to Allah bless us all are Salatu was Salam ala nabina Muhammad wa salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.