Mufti Menk – Financial Difficulties

			Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah, Allah, he was happy
he may. We always praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we praise Him upon all conditions, we praise Him
when things are going well we praise Him when things are not going that well. We send blessings and
salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam For indeed, when we do that the benefit for us
is far greater. And it is tenfold according to the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam.
We also send blessings and salutations upon the messengers of Allah subhanho wa Taala, we ask Allah
to bless them to bless the companions to bless the blessed household, and at the same time to bless
		

			every one of us, and to grant us all every form of goodness, I mean, my beloved brothers and sisters
in Islam, whenever we go through financial difficulty or hardship, we need to bear in mind that
Allah subhanho wa Taala, is in absolute control.
		

			And we need to bear in mind that Allah subhanho wa Taala would not have left us without advice
without guidance, without instruction as to what to do in order to help ourselves for indeed Ulmer
Luma law, the wealth actually belongs to Allah, when you came on to the earth, what did you have,
you did not even have your clothing, your parents or someone else had to close you thereafter, as
you grew older, what happened, perhaps there were days when yourself or your parents or those a
little bit earlier, could not afford a pair of shoes, perhaps they could not afford a motor vehicle
or a car of meaning or a house or even transport for that matter, they were days that that has
		

			happened. And when you leave, you will leave with nothing.
		

			Whatever clothing you have on you shall be removed and replaced with a shroud whatever wealth you
have already, that which you spent, your name will be written next to it that you spent this money
that which you did not spend, others
		

			will be owning it or if not owning it, then they may even fight for it. May Allah subhanho wa Taala
not let that happen. I mean,
		

			so we know that at this moment in time in this country, we are going through such a difficult
financial time, or should I say such difficult times whereas it's so tough to explain to someone
who's not living it as to what is going on. We agree. You tell someone living in Singapore, for
example, that you know, we have something called bond notes, it might take you half an hour to
explain. And even after that, they will not comprehend exactly what's happening.
		

			We are taught number one by Allah subhanho wa Taala. That when you are going through hardship or
difficulty, one of the first things you should do is thank Allah, amazing. How many of us knew that
you have to be thankful? How can you tell me I'm going through hardship I must say, oh life, thank
you. How can you say that? That is what Allah says, Subhan Allah, you want to increase in goodness,
you have to thank him. How can I thank Allah, I am going through such a mess. I owe this one. I have
to do this. I cannot afford that. I don't know where my food is going to come from. I don't know
where my clothing is going to come from. I have no idea how I'm going to survive. My brain is
		

			totally, you know, stressed out completely. My whole system is struggling and suffering. My health
is deteriorating and you're telling me to thank Allah? The answer is yes. That's what Allah says. In
		

			Chicago Toma
		

			wala cafaro.
		

			If you are going to be thankful, we will grant you increase in goodness. And if you are going to be
ungrateful, and because you are going through certain problems and issues. You forget the goodness
that Allah has bestowed upon you. In that case, our punishment is quite severe. Allah says we can
punish, we know May Allah subhanho wa Taala not do that to us. So the way that the Prophet
sallallahu Sallam taught us to show gratitude is by looking at those who are suffering in a bigger
way. Take a look at people across the globe. suddenly they're driven out of their homes. You know if
we think we have a few potholes on the road, because of the rain, take a look at those who have lost
		

			their lives because of floods. They've lost their property. Hundreds of 1000s of people have lost so
much across the globe, you would not be able to
		

			to even go through a little bit of that. So Allah says, I'll let you get away with five potholes on
your street. And that also we complain a lot about. So if you don't want the potholes, okay, we can
fix up the road. But what if we decide to send a flood that will destroy your home and kill a few
people start Zilla, rather thank Allah to say Allah, we are fortunate, we still have a means to get
through. We still have five portals, other places, they don't even have the road.
		

			So this is the teaching of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam. Remember my brothers and sisters, we
cannot stress it enough. Always look at those who are struggling more than you are spend time to sit
on in one place and to think about what's happening. We read stories about people who've lost their
homes, whole cities, like look at Syria, for example, Aleppo, and so many other cities totally
completely destroyed. The hundreds of 1000s and millions of people have no other means of survival
besides thinking of jumping onto a makeshift boats to cross an ocean a few 1000 kilometers. Have you
ever even thought about that? Do you ever think Subhanallah that your problem can be worse than
		

			that?
		

			People with bombs raining all over them left, right and center. They don't know why they themselves
have no understanding of why this is happening. Why me? What did I do? Is it just because I am
saying La ilaha illa Allah? Is it because I'm a Muslim? Is it because the land I am living in has
oil or has diamonds or has gold or something valuable under our feet? What is the reason we don't
know? That's what they will tell you Subhana Allah, but they are struggling. When you look at their
struggling, you will realize what we are going through is nothing. You have a bond note, they don't
even have a note. And they don't even have a bond. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us. So you
		

			have to you have no option. One of the first steps of alleviating financial stress, strife or
struggle is to think Allah, Oh Allah I have. I have what do I have? I have a lot. You've given me
clothing. I've been used to buying new clothing every second year. I don't need that I can have the
same clothing for five years, 10 years, what's wrong. But when you start thinking that the lifestyle
you've been living for such a while, is no longer financially viable, feasible. And if that is your
financial struggle, then my brother, my sister, you need to revise your understanding. There are
people who don't have clothing. Recently, I was looking at the weather in some parts of the Northern
		

			Middle East, Syria and so on. The amount of snow, the amount of cold weather meaning the the the
temperatures, and people without clothing, people who barely have socks, and here we are with
temperatures that are far higher than that. And we have the best of clothing. When I say best of
clothing, the worst from amongst us has the best clothing compared to them. That's what it is. May
Allah grant us the ability to thank him. The problem will lie to us is we tend to just complain,
everything is a complaint, everything is a problem. We want to live such a lavish lifestyle, that it
is so high in terms of financial demand, we cannot meet it. But we are complaining that we cannot
		

			live to that level. Why?
		

			This brings me to the second point, my brothers and sisters, in order to help yourselves and myself
included going through this financial crisis. We have to learn to downgrade our lifestyle, whether
you like it or not. You don't need the latest and the best. You don't need to eat out every day. You
don't need to have a meal until you're full. Remember this, the sooner is to only have one third of
solid one third of liquid one third of air may be your financial capacity might force you to adopt
the sooner my brothers and sisters it is assumed that even if you had money, you're not supposed to
be wasting. So downgrade your lifestyle. I'm being serious. Many people are complaining out of fresh
		

			air. I can't afford my son's school fees. Well, where do you send him? Well, the fees is $3,000 a
term my brother there is another school down the road way it is $300 you cannot collect Zakat of the
community in order to oil the fact that you would like to live up to the Joneses. Not at all. It's
wrong and don't ever you dare complain about financial difficulty when you have not done graded
that. No it's an embarrassment. Well, if you think it's an embarrassment, then suffer the
consequences of not being human enough to lower your level lower or lower it
		

			you don't need to live on such a high level. I know people may not agree with Allah He it is fact
you have to agree. You have to downgrade there's no harm. You have to downgrade if you are
struggling
		

			Financially, take a look at the few dollars that you can save. sit down and write Where have I spent
my money? Take a look, this is unnecessary that is, you will be shocked at how much you can save.
		

			And then you will see there are others who are really struggling. They have nothing so panela and
they are still thanking Allah, they will be there. What did you eat my brother, I had one avocado,
Allahu Akbar. I've heard this with my own ears and they are happy. That Salah in the same Masjid,
you are sitting in Subhana Allah and they are so excited, and another person is so upset and angry
because he used to go out to eat five times a week. And now he can only go out once a week. And for
him that is an issue. And for this man with an avocado he's thanking Allah that He had one avocado,
we are we this is why going back the Hadith says look at those who have less than you Allah you will
		

			always find that you are way above most others way above most others. We have such beautiful soil
that we can grow our own fruits. A lot of us have our own fruits and veggies in our own gardens. How
can you complain? You are lazy, perhaps May Allah subhanho wa Taala not let that happen to us. May
we be from those who thank Allah, and who downgrade who look at others and who realize how fortunate
we are. I do not have the time to go into specific examples. But I've given you one or two. And you
need to look at people around you who are struggling to listen to the news. And you will see those
who were in riches are today not even in rags. They don't even know where they're going to go. I met
		

			a brother in the UK who was from Syria, and he was one of the wealthy people. He left on a boat
Subhanallah he left everything behind him. He owned almost a street, a whole street, everything gone
and his family was so divided that he did not know where members of his family were. And we think we
have problems. Allahu Akbar, we think we have problems. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us.
Thank Allah. I'm repeating again, point number one when you have financial difficulty and any other
difficulty, the first point you do think Allah, many of us think you know what we would start but
not with thanking Allah subhanho wa Taala then thereafter my brothers and sisters, seek the
		

			forgiveness of Allah. That is very important. seek the forgiveness of Allah to ensure that what
you're going through is not a punishment, but rather it is part of the test of Allah life is a test
you have to seek the forgiveness of Allah. Why? Because Allah says all American alohomora
		

			Allah will not punish them while they are seeking forgiveness. So if you are seeking forgiveness,
even what was the punishment of Allah will be converted to a test? seek the forgiveness of Allah,
look into where you have gone wrong? If I am struggling, I need to ask myself, what did I do? Did I
eat interest? Did I use the wealth of someone? Did I cheat and steal? Did I harm someone? Did I hurt
someone's feelings? Have I usurped the rights of someone? Did I sway backbite? What wrong? Did I do
search yourself? introspect. You have to when you come to the AMA, they will tell you know my
brother, don't worry. It's a test from Allah. Yes, that is their duty to tell you. But you need to
		

			know yourself. Search your life sees that as an opportunity to become closer to Allah because we are
taught that whenever you have a test, and that test brings you closer to Allah, it was actually not
a punishment. It was just a test.
		

			If I'm going through hardship, and that hardship brings me into the masjid, while it that was a test
that was a gift of Allah. But if I'm going through hardship, and I start questioning Allah, that
brings me to the next point. Never question Allah asked him, pray to him make Toba to him. Thank
him, but don't question him. Don't say Oh Allah, Why me? Why you there are others who have gone
through more than you? Do you want us to give you something bigger? Do you want us to show you if we
wanted to fix you what exactly we would have done? Perhaps that can happen. So Allah says, Don't say
why you when you came on Earth, your test, you came here to be tested? You a test is like an
		

			examination paper, the questions on your paper were already set, you cannot change them. So stop
saying why you these are your question. These are your questions, answer them to the best of your
ability, then you shall die and get the result of your examination. Simple. Why don't we look at it
as that we say as Muslims, we have come to this world or to the earth in order to be tested. Right?
We all believe that the Quran says and it's a fact as you grow older, you realize how true that is.
		

			So if I were to go to school, and to write the test, what happens? Can I after the invigilators have
handed out the papers in the exam room? And I look at the test and I say You know what? I don't know
the answers here. Why me? Why me? Give me another one here. You cannot do that. You have to try your
best even if you don't know the answer the most the invigilator will
		

			is listening. try and answer all questions. Don't leave anything blank. You may not know. I'm sure
we've heard that right. They say don't leave blanks answering no matter how try attempted. That's
what Allah tells us with our tests, you're going through financial difficulty. Come for Salah
fulfill your Salah on time, the owner of the solution to your problem is in the masjid when I say in
the masjid, I mean, you can get closer to him in the house of Allah. That's what it is. Pray on
time, you must enjoy prayer, cut out everything. I recently came across a wealthy person. And in the
masjid someone told him about his business. You know what he said? He said, my brother, I don't want
		

			to talk about business. This is me and Allah, please don't talk to me about this. I want to go in
and concentrate Subhanallah I was surprised just listening to this. And I said look at people when
they come in, they know this might be my last Salah success is not how much money you have, what law
his success is whether Allah is pleased with you or not. When you get gentlemen, that's it. Even if
you had nothing on Earth, even if you walk we're walking around without a home without anything, no
problem. Allah is happy with you. You can be of a far higher level than those who had a lot. It's
possible. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us understanding imagine, you come into the machine,
		

			you've cut off completely, you go into sujood it's just you thinking of Allah subhanho wa Taala How
beautiful is that? This is why Allah says yeah, I you, Nina monoester in ob sadhana masala in nama
Hamas saw Benin Oh, you who believe? Seek help seek assistance through patience and prayer. For
Indeed Allah is with those who bear patients. And why does Allah not say allies with those who pray?
Although it is correct, Allah is with those who pray. But he says oh you believe seek assistance
through patience and prayer. For Indeed Allah is with those who are patient. One of the reasons is
you need that patience in order to pray as well. So Pamela, you need patience to pray. You need to
		

			restrain yourself from what other things you want to do. At the time of prayer. You have a big
financial problem. If you do not fulfill your Salah on time properly. Please don't complain,
probably your problem will start multiplying. And probably you become depressed rather than becoming
accepted, acceptable or a person who accepts the decree of Allah. Big difference. Allah says when
you get close to me, I don't promise you millions but I promise you will be content. You will be
happy because you are with me and with you. That's it.
		

			Amazing. So what you have to do when you're going through a problem, go to Salah Ghana Rasulullah
Salallahu Salam ala has a Bahama Isla Salah, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam himself when something
was overcoming when something was big, a huge thing came he quickly hastened towards Salah. And he
fulfilled two units of prayer and he called out to Allah brings me to the next point, call out to
Allah. Make dua we call it supplication. Keep on making a supplication your problem might not be
resolved in one day, two days, one year, two years. But voila, he if you continue with your patience
with your prayer with your supplication, humble yourself, thank Allah for what you have. A day will
		

			come when you will receive such victory, that you will be smiling all the way that day has to come
after the darkest hour of the night. Guess what you notice? Daybreak Subhanallah after the darkest
hour of the night, you notice the daybreak the crack of dawn and you start to hate Mashallah The
night is over Subhanallah the same will happen to your problems, your issues, the more problems you
have, the closer they should bring you to Allah you get close to Allah you get used to this a person
who had a problem with his hand and they amputated it. While he if your hand has been amputated,
your leg has been amputated. May Allah make it easy for those whom this has happened to those who
		

			whom this has happened to have fallen into a few categories. I want to make mention of two of them.
One is those who are depressed because I lost my leg. I lost my leg. I lost my leg. I don't know
what to do. I lost it's amputated. Now look, I don't have a leg what's going to happen to me? How am
I going to walk what all those questions are? Are there but can I tell you what a man will do? He
doesn't have a leg. Now he goes he Thanks a lot. At least I have one other leg. He thinks a lot at
least I'm living he will go to seek some medication. They might make him an artificial leg he starts
walking to do it until there comes a time when you will see him walking you won't even know this man
		

			don't have a leg. So Panama. why he's thankful to Allah He walks and he What did Allah do for him as
a result of his positive attitude and his gratitude to Allah, Allah gave him contentment without the
leg Subhana Allah He amazing, but the same problem in another person who just continued to complain
what will happen, he becomes depressed he now needs medication for psychiatric assistance or you
know, solution and so on. And he will not be happy up to the point of death. The other man is
working. He's got a good job is driving everything is happening. This is the same with us when we
have our problems. You're mad
		

			problem, any other problems, social problem, financial problem today we are discussing financial
problems because we are all going through it. I don't think there is a single exception in our
society and community.
		

			So you have to thank Allah for what Allah has bestowed upon you. You have to look at it positive,
keep on going one day, you know, you may think I'm never going to make this no with Allah, you can
do it. I promise you what Allah, you can do it, get close to Allah keep trying, people may sway you,
they may say things to you, you may go through the roughest patch, trust me with Allah, you will
come out of that. Trust me with Allah, you will come out of your problem. But you need something.
Bella
		

			Coco so many times in the Quran, when Allah speaks of major obstacles facing the mock minion, he
says, We will help you when you have supper and toccoa you need to be patient. When you are patient.
Don't tell everyone I'm making some I've heard people say this, I'm making some you know, I'm making
some Why are you spoiling your face? Why are you telling the world you're making someone keep quiet
somebody is such that you should know you're making the subject. You don't need to tell the world
you're making the subject. You just pretend like nothing is wrong such that when people see you,
they think, Wow, this person's got the life. That's what they think. But only Allah knows, you know,
		

			you are struggling.
		

			That having been said, my brothers and sisters,
		

			we need to also consider others. Every one of us without exception. There is someone some way if not
one more people, or if not more people than at least one who looks at us and thinks I want to have
this man's life.
		

			And they don't know what we are going through.
		

			And we look at someone else sometimes. And we think a I wish I could be like this. And we don't know
what they're going through. And this is why one of the scholars it was explaining one day in the
masjid that, you know, the difficulties that people go through a lot tailor makes them for you. When
you are going through a problem. Allah knows he made it for you. It's your test. So the people were
questioning him, he said, Okay, I want every one of you to write 10 of your biggest problems and put
them here in this hat. So in the whole machine, or that you know how many people were listening to
him, they wrote it all down, and they put it in the hat. Then he said, I want you guys to come back
		

			and pick out from this one piece of paper until you are happy that now you need these as your own
problems. What that means is you have to have these problems in life you have to have tests, we've
written down everybody's problems. They're all on a piece of paper. Each one is written a little
piece it's all in a hat. So when they came forward once again, picked up the paper a these are
massive problems. What do you back, pick up the next one. These are even bigger than those put it
back. Where's my paper? Let me look for it again. You get the point. So this is the gift of Allah.
The gift of Allah is your 10 problems are tailor made for you, you Allah knows you will go through
		

			if you knew the problem of the man sitting next to you now you would not want those problems. He
will leave this this this one year is not for me. I can't manage it. Maybe one or two things you are
going through, he's not going through. So it seems like he's leading the life. But you don't realize
it's not that there are other things which you don't even know you don't have the problem about and
they are going through the stress of the age. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease. You can see
this is a relevant topic. It is something we desperately need. I end up with two more things.
Brothers and sisters. If you have financial problems, any form of difficulties, there is one
		

			important way of helping yourself by helping others amazing kennela houfy McConnell Abdo Fiona fee,
the Hadith says Allah will continue helping you for as long as you are busy helping someone else.
How many of us we have our problems. It's all about me, me, me and I even if you don't have what's
stopping you from smiling at someone that smile might make them feel like their problem and burden
is less you greet someone Salam aleikum. How are you my brother, give them the importance because
they are important in the eyes of Allah. They are important you greet someone look at them in the
eye, greet them, they should feel in the heart that this is a very beautiful Islamic greeting that
		

			isn't a bad, that isn't a bad so no one can say I'm too poor to reach out. We're not talking of
financial reaching all the time. What is more important than giving people financially is to do is
to show them the best character and conduct to be genuine towards them. So inshallah that is one
issue that we definitely need to improve on. We need to become more kinder to one another. And the
last point that I'm going to raise before I close my brothers and sisters, there is something that
Allah subhanho wa Taala has instructed us and that is to encourage people to do good and discourage
them from bad in a beautiful way. It's your duty, and as a result, Allah will accept your da you
		

			know when we are making dua and the DA we feel sometimes a I wonder if Allah has definitely heard
it, but sometimes people do feel
		

			When is this going to happen? When is this going to happen? Allah says you need to be charitable you
need to be kind and good. You need to know that Allah timing is absolutely perfect. There is no ways
that Allah timing is not perfect. But on top of that, when you see wrong things in a beautiful way,
try and remind when you see something of a moment where you can encourage people to do good
encourage them in a lovely way. It's called Mr. Bill Morrow for Nana Mancha. The Hadith says if you
don't do that, a time will come. When punishment may overtake you, then you call out to Allah and
Allah subhanho wa Taala will say, you know what, you're not even bothered about the goodness of the
		

			rest of mankind. Why should we be bothered about your goodness? May Allah Subhana Allah Allah bless
you all, brothers and sisters, never lose hope. the mercy of Allah is very near the victory that
Allah has promised you and I is very, very near the victory in terms of alleviation of the suffering
that you may be going through or myself or anyone else. But you need these guidelines and much more.
But today, we've spoken about a few points. I hope that they will help us a coup colada or Salatu
was Salam ala nabina Muhammad