Delivered at The Jawatta Masjid in Colombo, Sri Lanka as part of the Building Bridges Series Nov 2016.
Mufti Menk – Fitting In Without Giving In.
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of building bridges and not harming people who do not deserve the same thing. They stress the need to not react to small talk and not give up on helping people. The speakers also touch on the importance of reaching out to people who need help, such as reaching out to those who need help with money.
AI: Transcript ©
Bismillah
wash up on me,
wash
in
Joe
smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah
My beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, we praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household all his companions, may Allah subhanho wa Taala bless them all, and bless every single one of us. You see a big smile on my face. You must be wondering what made him suddenly smile. So I can let you know because I did not give him but I fitted in I tell you how.
I walked into the masjid and I know whenever I've come to Sri Lanka Subhana Allah, it is very hot and humid, it is different from the weather of where I come from. So I need to make sure that I am prepared for it. So Subhan Allah this year, I did not sweat as much as I've sweated the previous years for those who know. But today when I walked in here in this Masjid, and I did deliver the Juma from the same Masjid. And at the time of Juma I did not really sweat much but when I walked in right now I felt the heat intense feet and Mashallah I noticed two coolers one to my right here and one on the mimbar. And usually I prefer the coolest to be in front so that they can blow if they're the
back. They don't help me. The reason is, they will blow my cloak, they will blow the scarf and I will be pushed towards you. So panorama. So there was no point as soon as I got up, I realized, let me ask for this one to be turned off totally because if it is blowing, it's going to blow on my face here where the scarf will keep on touching my nose and I will have to keep on pushing it back and I won't be able to talk to you. But I smiled when I realized the brother case for me so much. He wanted to turn it on again.
He didn't realize that I asked that it be turned off. But I want to give you good news. When I come usually the place where I stay beautiful place. The air conditioning unit is working. The brothers traveling with me would know that this year, I'm telling them, switch it off. Turn off the fan. Turn off the air conditioning unit. Why? There's a reason. I believe that when I get used to the air conditioning unit and the fan in your country, when I come for the talk, I find it difficult, I'm sweating, because I'm used to cold weather but if I turned it off already in advance, and I've become used to it for a few days. What happens when I stand up in front of you? Even if it's hot, I
may sweat but not as bad as I do always. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy. The reason I'm telling you this is part of the topic. My brothers and sisters across the globe we find the Muslims are being looked at with the wrong eyes. We do find that and the reasons you know Muslims are being blamed for that which Islam
does not teach, but perhaps it could be perpetrated by Muslims. Sometimes it's not perpetrated by Muslims, or it sometimes is done by people who want to spoil the name of Islam yet themselves, they're not Muslim. And this is why Be very careful when you're on the internet, for example, those who encourage you to join groups that promote terrorism, and that promote the killing of fellow human beings. Sometimes, they are just people who are trying to lure you into a trap. Sometimes they could be people who are trying to nail the Muslims. And that's all so you are busy responding, they are trying to convince you you don't know they don't belong to anywhere besides those who want to
tarnish the image of Islam. So what happens? You keep on responding and replying. They keep on replying, you responding and you find that at the end of the day, they've convinced you to do something unacceptable. And then maybe
Allah forgive us. So if you don't know how to use the internet correctly, don't use it. You don't need to use it. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us I started off with this point, because it is disaster. Across the globe, we are facing challenges. Our young minds are frustrated, and rightly so we are all frustrated to a great degree because of what's going on on the globe. We cannot say we're not frustrated, we want to see this. You know the killing stop everyone. As a human being if you see killing, you become frustrated, you want to do something about it. You want to stop in how do I stop it. So while you're frustrated, don't allow yourself to become part of a bigger problem instead of
part of the solution. Remember this, when there is chaos somewhere the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tells us if you do not see that clearly, absolutely clearly what is right and wrong. Stay away from it. Stay away from it. You cannot enter into territory that is murky. You don't know people say I want to go, I want to go and do what I want to go and help the oppressed. Do you know who is the oppressed? Or is the just chaos there? Or will you be able to reach the oppressed? Which side will you be on? Will you be on the side of people who do not have the blood of human beings, the blood of the innocence on their hands.
One might argue rightly that all the sides are guilty of having blood on their hands, all of them without exception. All of them have the blood of innocent human beings on their hands, whether they call it collateral damage, whether they call it whatever. In that case, you say and you pray for them, and you try and help them in a humanitarian way. It's a Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he says there will come a time when they will be a fitna and the one who is
the one who is sitting down will be better than the one who is standing up and the one who is standing up will be better than the one who is walking and the one who is taking part in it.
The one who is walking will be better than the one taking part in it, etc. So he's encouraging us to sit. Put, may Allah subhanho wa Taala. Forgive us. Why? Because of chaos because of confusion. Imagine you enter a place and three people four people are fighting.
And each one is trying to hit the other and you don't know who is the thief from amongst them. You don't know who is the * from amongst them? You don't know who is the criminal from amongst them? What are you going to do? Are you just going to side with the guy with a beard? Perhaps he might be the biggest criminal? He may be the *? How do you know? In that case, you don't know you are confused. You really don't know you need help to find out what's going on first. And until you don't know absolutely what's going on. You won't even be able to help the person who is struggling. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease. So we have problems because of this type of a
problem. The whole world thinks all of us are bad people. That's reality. As a result of that some of us have given up our faith. You know, something happened in America, something happened in France, something happened in Belgium, bad things have happened. In the name of Islam. We are not a party to it. We don't even agree with it. But at the same time, the Muslims are affected. Sometimes immediately after that. You find the sisters begin to remove the job. The scarf is gone. The minute they stop, they shave off their beards if they had one in the first place. And what do they do? thereafter? They stop attending the machine because they don't want to be seen walking to the
machine. You start wearing shorts, you know, and you start wearing a T shirt with pictures of women in front and the back so that you don't recognize yourself as a Muslim. I promise you a lot of those who perpetrated crimes in the name of Islam were they
are not
a part of Islam.
A lot of those who have perpetrated crimes in the name of Islam, yet those crimes are not a part of Islam. They are not a part of the teachings of Islam go and study their lives. I have, I have taken the time to go and look, who are these people? What's their background? their background is nightclubs, drinking, womanizing, clubbing, gambling, doing some form of bed, and perhaps the next day, the next week, something later they perpetrated hideous crimes, in the name of you and I, who are born Muslim, perhaps, who've been practicing Islam for generations in communities that are really decent. And they have been moved our kids into that type of behavior, causing them to say,
Look, I'm going to do this, but go and study their lives. Sometimes they just tend to Islam recently, somewhere behind in their history. They were far, far, far astray. People sometimes accept Islam as a revert, and May Allah strengthen them. But sometimes, in that emotional moment, they become more extreme than the people who are born Muslim and they don't realize and understand that hang on, you've got to learn from the sooner Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, you don't just become extreme overnight. No, you don't. And you don't even become extreme over a period of time. You've got to understand your limits and your lines. You've got to go and learn the deen. I
remember, someone gave me a story of a person who accepted Islam. And suddenly he came in, he said, I want to do this and I want to do that. And I want to delve into this and I want to go and fight here and I want to go and kill them and do this. And that brother says I told him that you know what, you just even go and learn how to read Salah First, go and learn how to read the Koran. I have asked people who tell me, you know who get excited and they start saying things that are bad Brother, do you know how to read the poem, but you have a big mouth, very big mouth. You know, they are keyboard warriors, you know who are keyboard warriors. They sit on Facebook, and they sit on the
internet. And they swear the whole world they call everyone coffee. They encourage people to kill one another. They encourage the Muslims to kill one another. They encourage Muslims to do bad things against others who are to Allah Allah if Allah Muhammad Rasul Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and who are they? It's a small boy, a small girl, someone who can't even get off to save their own life. And who is they sound so big, like they have a nuclear power behind the keyboard.
And you don't realize who is this who is behind it says nobody is someone who can't even read the poem. They don't know Surah Fatiha. They don't understand the meaning of the words of the Quran. They don't understand that the hadith of a Buddha
and several others of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam even that.
So many of these narrations were the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says,
You killed someone.
Did you open his heart to see what was in his heart? How could you have killed him? So this is no he said.
But he was only lying. He was how do you know he was lying? The minute he says
that says
you cannot judge the person. I'm talking here of inter Muslim killing into Muslim chaos. People are going out and they are saying, Oh, you don't pledge allegiance to the chef. So now we can kill you. Where did you get that from? Where did you get that from? Where did this deviancy come from? Allah subhanho wa Taala. Forgive us this business of thinking we can kill and we can hurt and we can harm and that one's a cafe. And this one is a fragile and that one's a facet. Be careful of those statements. They are the root cause of civil war in many countries. Remember this. So watch out. When someone gets up and they say that means a cafe. He is calling for civil war. That's what he's
doing. He's asking for deep problems in the nation. That's what he's doing. And the others are busy saying stop fighting, stop killing. And then we say No, those are deviant. But why? We are saying stop killing stop fighting. stop swearing each other stop helping each other reach out to the Muslims, the non Muslims, I am a Muslim, how do I fit in, I fit in by keeping my identity as intact as possible and still going out to help those who are not Muslim to show them that I might fit in. I will fit in, but I'm not going to give you
in order to fit in any nation. You don't have to give your beliefs up. You don't have to give your dress code up what you want to do what you believe you'd like to do. You don't have to give that up. You have to go out and help and assist as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam did
and when you go and assist that is when people will see
This is a system with a job and Mashallah she has taught my children and she comes out she speaks with respect, she is honest, she returned the money that we brought all this is a brother. He's wearing his headgear, he was going into the masjid. And look, he helped my daughter, my daughter was about to be kidnapped. And here he helped her, etc, whatever else it is, all the floods happen or something disasters happens in some countries, there are earthquakes, some form of a disaster, and you go out and you help without giving your identity up in order to show that unity will be in diversity.
We are diverse, we are different people, I speak a different language from you, but I love you, I care for you, if something happens to you, and they and I will not impose on you to do something according to my whims and fancies, and I don't expect you to do something according to my whims and fancies, etc. I don't need to.
someone chooses not to be a Muslim, Allah says, what will
be come from
me, woman.
For the truth has come from your Lord, whoever once they should believe wherever once they can just believe, and whoever whatever action anyone does, they will face the consequences with Allah subhanho wa Taala. Allah says,
There is no compulsion when it comes to entering the fold of Islam. You cannot force someone to enter Islam. You cannot compel people to enter the fold of Islam, if they want to choose not to enter, they are free to do that. So Panama, that's the verse of the Quran. I cannot shove down someone's throat, to accept what I believe. It's up to them. They need to answer to Allah, they will give me an answer to Allah, all religions believe. The Christians believe that whoever doesn't take Jesus as their personal Savior will go to *, literally, they believe he has no chance.
That doesn't make them extreme people.
So when the Muslims say if you don't believe in Islam, perhaps you won't have a chance in the archaea? Well, it's just like what the Jews say as well. That if you are not, if you don't belong to this group, that's it, you have nothing for you in the hereafter. These are matters of belief. Everyone is free to believe what they want, and they are free to propagate it in a beautiful way. It's a human right? That's what it is. You don't know the Human Rights go and find out Subhana Allah, but in the same way, you have the right they have to. It's not just you who has the right remember this. Don't feel like you're the only one in title that that's if you are passionate about
your belief, you really believe that you will go to heaven. No problem. You keep on believing that but you need to understand other people might believe differently. They might believe differently, and they will be as passionate about their belief as you are about yours. That's why Allah has kept the Day of Judgment. Maliki me. He says he is the Owner of the Day of Judgment. He's the judge, He will judge between the people. You believe this, they believe that you know what we discussed it. And we did not agree. So now we will go on to the day of judgment and tell us who was right and wrong. That's what it is. But we have a crisis. What is the crisis inside the Muslims themselves? We
already become a love. villa. We become earlier our we are Gods on our own. This man is in jam, that means no chance this woman's going straight to *. Who are you? The last time someone said that? I told him how do you know that? Are you ready to find out who's coming in? You're the gatekeeper of health that you know what's happening.
Now Allah forgive us Be careful of this type of deviance. It is devious, no matter what they tell you is you couldn't believe that what this person is doing is disbelief. You can believe that. But you have no right to go around spreading war amongst people. The Muslims are killing each other. And we need to stop that we need to stop it. How do we stop it? By learning to love one another? Yes, you have your differences. Talk about them. There's no harm with respect. speak about what you believe with respect. Look at the scholars who speak. Take a look at the International auditors take a look at people in your own community who talk you will categorize them immediately. This one only
talks about other people and they only swear these people and they only say that one's a coffee. This one's the fastest. This one's a budget, but they have no core teachings to teach you. They have nothing to give you nothing to offer you. And another one. He never talks about it. He never talks about others. He talks about what is right
And what is wrong, he wants to empower the people to say my brothers, my sisters become better human beings learn to help one another learn to reach out to one another. So you need to be intelligent enough to know who is teaching you that which is extreme, and who is teaching you that which is acceptable. That which is the middle path as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says,
the best of affairs is the middle path, the middle path, that which is in the center. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us from either extreme.
Some people are not bothered about the deen at all. That's another extreme. Some people will tell you we don't believe in the tsunami of Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam that's, that's an extreme. That's the other extreme.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us and May Allah subhanho wa Taala open our doors. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us in every way. Like I say, my brothers and sisters, it's important for us to reach out to one another those who are seated here and those who might have chosen not to come no problem. So Pamela, we still love them. And those who believe something else they are our brothers and sisters in humanity, they are human beings they are you need to remember that. And the human being is higher than an animal you need to remember that Allah subhanho wa Taala says that sometimes the deeds of some of the human beings or deeds that are done that perhaps might drop them lower than
an animal like Allah says those who perhaps call out to others besides Allah subhanho wa Taala, Allah says, Allah, he can can.
Those people perhaps they are like animals, or they are like cattle, or maybe even worse, leave that to Allah subhanho wa Taala. It is the right of a lot to say what he wants, but it's not the right of ourselves to tell someone you don't and you pick and you so on and so forth in a derogatory manner. No.
If that's the case, we will cause problems May Allah forgive us, may Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us, you can express what you believe is right, and what you believe is wrong, you have the right to express it, you have the freedom of expression, and you speak in a way that is respectful.
I can say my brother, I don't agree with you on this point. You believe this, I don't actually believe that. No problem, I did not give me but what happened.
As a human being we fit in some kind of life today. This is my family, you are members of my family from the town of La Salatu was Allah subhanaw taala. We are all part of one family. So we need to fit in as human beings, we need to fit in in such a way that we look at each other, we complement each other, I look at you, my brother, I respect you, I love you, I support you, I salute you. But if I have two disagreements with you on those two points, I won't see eye to eye with you not on those points. But all the other points, you're my brother with us the difficulties we have one difference of opinion, two differences or three and that person is like already an animal and worse.
And for us they are worth not worth living. Who are you to take that life away? Who are you to propagate that this person needs to die here. Now, who are you to say that? And who are you to do that?
Maybe in the court of Allah subhanho wa Taala It was you who was meant to die. So leave it to Allah, a person will live How long will he live for he will live for 6070 years Subhana Allah after that he has to die, he's going to die. Why do you want to take him away? 20 years earlier? Let him live his life. He's going to go anyway. He's going to answer Allah subhanho wa Taala Yes, if a person has perpetrated murder and the crime, then the law will take its course it will. And then they will be dealt with accordingly in this world, prior to when they get to the hereafter because they perpetrated a heinous crime. But we are talking here about fitting in with everyone else. How do I
fit in? Yes, I fit in I talk to people, I greet the people, I respond to the greetings of the people. I respond. I will smile, I will reach out I will help. I will contribute to community society, I will contribute to my nation. I will make sure I'm an upright citizens because we all live in different countries. We cannot say Oh, you know what? I don't need to contribute here because these are not Muslims. How will Why am I living here in Panama? Why are you staying here, you want to live here you will uphold the law. The reason is you have to contribute whether it's your taxes, whether it's everything else, and even if it's voluntary, you will contribute. When the
nation is struggling, you will stand up as a citizen of the nation. And you will help and assist because that's what it is. Like I've said in my previous talks in this beautiful series known as building bridges, that when calamity strikes all the lines and barriers drop you become a human being
Human Being I'm a human being, and so is everyone else. And the way we say this, my beloved brothers and sisters, when someone is struggling, suffering, someone's life is at stake. A Muslim is taught to save that life. A Muslim is taught to help save the life, not to live it, not to ask them, Hey, what are you what's going on, etc.
As much as I may not be gay, if someone is dying, is drowning, his suffering, and he happens to be gay, I will help him to come out. It does not give me the right to kill the man just because he's gay. Not at all. Remember this.
He's a human being at the end of the day. And if I was drowning, guess what he would probably dive in to take me out. Well, I say no, no, no. let me dive back with you again, dive back in. Let someone else come. No, you need to think what is being said. I'm not talking from fresh air. I'm giving you some knowledge to tell you how sacred human life is human life is it is sacred. We need to know this. I'm speaking from the pulpit of this house of Allah subhanho wa Taala to inform you to let you know my brothers and sisters, it's about time we understood how sacred life is. And yes, there will be people who hate us. There will be people who will dislike us, but we've got to do
something positive about it. Don't do something negative about it. What does that mean? Someone hates you, they dislike you, you get up and you say I hate them. I dislike them as well, I this and I that as well. And you say swear words and everything else in return. You know what you've just made the problem bigger. You've just been a part of expanding the problem, you have not been a part of the solution. But if you want to solve that matter, and that problem, then my beloved brothers and sisters, you will understand this person doesn't know what he's saying. This person doesn't understand. Let's educate them. So you reach out to them somehow they might not want to listen to
you initially. But if you sow the seeds of goodness, that tree will grow even after you have passed away.
People say what's going on what's happening in the world? Look what's happening in the States. Look what happening elsewhere. These people they hate Islam, they hate the Muslim, my brothers and sisters come down Come down. seek the help of Allah subhanho wa Taala get up do your work. Don't give up your faith just because someone said Islam is a bad religion. No, if that's the case you will never be a proper Muslim.
But when you are identified as a Muslim, when you you will face a little bit of persecution because that the Prophet sallallahu wasallam predicted it already. The Quran says while at the smell own Amina Latina
woman Allah Nina Shaku Cathy Kathie
Lee coming as milho you will hear a lot of difficult words, a lot of verbal abuse, a lot of persecution that will come to you from people who belong to other faiths. But if you are patient, and if you are conscious, then that is the best thing you could do in this view what you need to bear patience, no matter what Allah knows what happened to you, is not even a fraction of what happened to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam but what did he do in Paris? He raised his hands after he was bleeding. He says Allah,
Allah.
Allah, Allah, Allah guide my people, they don't know. They don't know what they're doing.
So Allah says, bear patients, you will hear lots of bad words. Don't give up your faith, their patience to reach out because you want to show you are the bigger person. The faith you follow is far more humanitarian than any other faith. The Muslim, the Muslims who donate charities are by far the biggest percentage of donors of charities in the whole world. Did you know that? Go and find out go and see read about it. The Muslims who donate charities are by far the largest percentage of a single group of people who donate charities.
That's because your religion has taught you to give, that's why. So keep giving and keep giving to the right cause. Make sure your charities are going towards something good, give those who are trustworthy.
And this is how Subhanallah you will be able to build the bridges, you will be able to live with all those who are your neighbors and so on. You know, it brings me to a point in Islam
the Prophet sallallahu
selam says lasala gibreel Do you see any bill job has to
be through jabril la salatu salam continued to remind me about being good to my neighbors, until I thought that perhaps he might tell me when you die, a share of your inheritance must also go to your neighbor. Did you hear the Hadith? The Prophet says that kindness to your neighbors and the fulfillment of the rights to your neighbors jabril Ali Salam told me that so many times that I thought one day is going to come to me and say, when you die, a share of your inheritance must go to your neighbors. But he didn't say that yet. I mean, he didn't come down.
So this shows the importance of fulfilling the rights of your neighbors. And who are we talking about?
Who are we talking about? A neighbor?
The hubby did not say a Muslim,
a neighbor? Whether he is a Muslim or not a Muslim, he has rights over you. Did you know that? That's your neighbor. Why? Because that the neighbor and the other neighbors make up a neighborhood, the neighborhoods make up a community, a society, a little suburb, the suburbs make up a city, the cities make up a country, the country is to have a law, it will be strengthened if the relationship between the nuclear Homes is strong.
But when your relationship with your neighbor is nothing No, he's not a Muslim, I don't need to know about you know, inquire about him find out about their health, find out about their needs, when they're going on holiday the relationship should be such that they can give you the keys of their house and say you know what, we're going out for two weeks, please take care of the soul. Wow. Not like nowadays someone does that to you. When they come back to the house belongs to someone else. You sold it and you got the money. And everything happened. And you went in and started pinching all the appliances will lie a Muslim should live such that they trust you so much with their belongings
when they're going they bring their Ferrari to you. And they tell you look, I'm going to Harare but you can keep my Ferrari for two weeks.
So down the line when they come back after two weeks, they find it exactly as it was not where the tire slashed and everything the windscreen broken. And everything else happened no matter Allah subhanho wa Taala help us this is how we will fit in when we learn to fulfill the Islamic rights that have been delivered to the non Muslims, they've given to the non Muslims. And if you look at the fuqaha, the jurists and how they've explained the rights of the neighbors, they see if a neighbor is a non Muslim, he has the rights to be fulfilled. If he's a Muslim, he has double rights because one is that of a neighbor. And two is the fact that he is your brother in faith over and
above being a brother and a sister of yours in humanity. So Panama, and it is a relative, he has three rights. The first of being a neighbor, the second of being a brother in faith, and the third of being related to you imagine it's explained.
So at least fulfill the first rights. Take care of the book after greet the neighborhood must be warm. You don't have a neighborhood that is very cold and dry. People walk and go you know people who live in high rises before we used to know who's living on the second floor, third floor who's living here and they for the right reasons, not because they have a pretty daughter. No, no, but for the right reasons.
See, the youngsters know what I'm talking about right?
You get the uncle every day in Salah. Not because you want to greet Uncle, you I his daughter May Allah forgive us. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us.
And the day you hear she's married you stop greeting Bianca.
Now Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us. So there was a time when we used to know the people we used to help the car park and all the common areas the water, the tanks, because we live in the same building. And we all cooperate because when you cooperate you will be able to lead a peaceful life yourself to begin with.
But nowadays, high rise building you share the same lift, you go in come out, people are frowning at each other. Each one is on his phone or her phone Subhanallah and you didn't know that the girl you're dating online is actually your neighbor you're in the lift every day. And you say hi. And she she's replying Hi. And she doesn't know if you don't know it's, Allah forgive us. The world has become so antisocial with social media. The world has become so antisocial with social media.
And this is why if you want to know how antisocial a person is in real life, you just need to ask them. Do you have Facebook? They say yes. You have Twitter. Yes. You have Instagram. Yes. You have Google Plus. Yes. You have LinkedIn. Yes.
You have what else we check? Yes. What else? Tell me a few things. One. You have WhatsApp. Oh, I can't forget that one man. You have WhatsApp? Yes. You have telegram? Yes. The minute they answer Yes, all of those, you must know that there is a problem in the house. There is a problem with the children, there is a problem with the phrase, they are very antisocial, they are sitting on the screen. But when someone visited me today, and I asked him, Are you on Instagram, this is no, I said, Alhamdulillah. You don't need to be on it. And I'm sure you have a happier home than others.
You don't need to be on it. Now you might think, Hey, you being a hypocrite because you own it.
If you know how to use it, and you are disciplined, by all means it's a blessing. It's a good way of contacting people. I mean, Whatsapp is a big blessing. But WhatsApp becomes a pain when you go home. And instead of hugging your children and kissing your wife, and you know, you're just on WhatsApp, as you enter the door, no one that you don't even bump into them, your head bumps into them. And you just say, hey, and you're still on your phone. how we've become so antisocial. You see, this is why now when I asked you, are you on Facebook, please just tell the truth. Don't lie. To say yes, unfortunately, I know.
What I am teaching you is discipline. I'm not saying give it up. I'm saying set aside the time. I will check my message from this time to that time, tell your friends if you urgently need me for me, because I'm not going to be checking my WhatsApp messages throughout the day. As soon as you're thinking and seeing your pants you can't sit down you can't you're scratching weights itching you need to pick your phone up and quickly check just because thinking that's it.
You can't even sit for a second. It's like revelation came to you from the heavens, come on. Relax.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us learn to fulfill the rights of others do not be antisocial. How can you fit in your society, when you when you have not even thought about them, you don't even give them you don't even reach out to them. So panela
they have a meeting in your community to decide law and order or to decide something that affects the entire community. Everyone attends but the Muslims don't attend. Why.
That's when people start looking at you and saying, Look at these people they don't want to attend, go for the meeting, go with your identity, smile at the people, greet them come up with good suggestions contribute towards it sacrifice a little bit that is called da da actually means fitting in. That's what it means. You fit it in. You presented the team without even talking to them. So Panama, but we don't participate. Why these people are not Muslim. Well, when the trouble comes, don't blame me blame yourself.
Because when these were easy, you did not participate, participate. Go out, let them see Allah has blessed you by putting people who belong to a different faith right next to you so that they can see how you live.
Don't become closed such that no one was talking to me. No one was talking to my children. No one was talking to anyone. No, we have to change that. You have to see people think you're a terrorist. That's what they think you are, change it How are you going to change it? By showing them who you really are. Let them see your Salah when they hear the word of Mahatma coming from your house. They mustn't think that house is going to blow up just now.
The media makes them think Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. We say Allahu Akbar a million times a day. You hear the other? Allahu
Allah.
Beautiful, it sounds.
What do you think is going to happen immediately after that? People are going to pray. That's what's going to happen. So when the non Muslims hear Allahu Akbar, and this is Don't worry, that's a call to pray for them for the Muslims, then you know you've interacted correctly.
But you've never told them what you are about. You never share anything. You've never invited them into your home. Now they can come in here, your house a mosquito something even in the masjid the Prophet sallallahu Sallam used to invite the Christians and the Jews and the others go and learn about a new food. A time of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam mosquito number one, the mosquito of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam himself. He called him some of these people in groups they lose their they say they're inside the masjid. Do you know that going about it in the Sierra? The problem is we don't so when someone tells us we look surprised. Hey, I think he's making a mistake. I think he may
be he doesn't know what he's talking about. No. I'm giving you facts.
But it is. But we have become so close that sometimes we are to blame the breaches of bed by us not built.
Go out and build these bridges. Reach out to the people in Muslim reaching out is very important as well. Someone belongs to a different set.
Be careful
how you talk about them.
You need to reach out to them. You need to understand their human beings.
You need to understand what you believe you don't want to compromise it. So learn more about what you believe. You may want to discuss it with them in a respectable way. But that doesn't mean you need to promote the idea of harming them. That's what I'm saying. Did you hear that? It does not mean you need to promote the idea of harming them. If they are your neighbor, guess what? You still owe them that right of neighborhood. So Panama, even though they belong to another set, imagine
you owe them the rights.
You protect the property of your neighbor in his absence, that is a right that you owe your neighbor no matter who he is Subhanallah
my brothers and sisters, it's extremely important for us to reiterate and repeat that we need to build bridges. How can we build bridges? by not giving up your identity? you are who you are, you're a Muslim, be proud of that Islamic identity. There's nothing bad about Islam. We've lived Islam for years, so many people who are not Muslim, they are entering the fold of Islam every day. No need to give up your faith. No need to give up what you live by. No. But you need to start looking at the others in a way that you ask yourself, what have I done to benefit those who are not Muslims? What have I done to reach out to them to teach them about the D? What have I done to help them in their
suffering? What am I done? The reason is, when you can answer that question correctly, you will at least soften the hearts of those who dislike Islam and the Muslims, because now they will know these people are not actually bad. I have a neighbor. He's got a long beard it stretches almost to his navel. But he is such a darling. Wow. He's such such a beautiful man. He actually assists and he helps. You might find some of the non Muslim women saying I wish I had a husband like this. And you look at the guy say what the guy with a big beard like this? Yes. But the good guy, what a lovely individual. How did that happen? Because somehow you reach out to them. You showed them the goodness
they saw it.
It doesn't mean you need to give up your faith know, if you passionately believe something, and you don't need to insult someone else who believe differently. Take a look. I'm going to give you an example. I've given it in the past, I want to give it again.
You know the Hindus, they don't eat meat. Okay.
One example is just an example. for you as a Muslim, to go and offer them meat knowing that they don't eat meat.
That is insulting. Don't do that. build the bridge, by respecting the fact that these people don't need me.
I don't have to think I'm a Muslim. So bother them. Forget about them, whatever they feel, I don't mind. No, they are human beings. respect them, perhaps they will learn to respect you.
They will learn to respect you because you respected them. Say you know what I know you can even talk. You know what I know this is not for you. So I'm sorry.
You know, I remember visiting a certain man. He was an ambassador of a certain country. He was not a Muslim. And I visited him. He invited me to his house.
And voila, he I will never forget with me was my father. And I think one of my brothers was also willing.
And he said that day that you know what?
In honor of you entering my home, I have removed all the alcohol from my fridges. I have taken the dogs all out and I've put them right at the back and I have cleaned this house.
I was thinking you think a Muslim would ever do that for a non Muslim? Do you really think that there is an ambassador of a nation he did not have to do that he could have had someone come to offer me alcohol he could have added just to see how I react. He could have had it.
But he did not want to install? He said I've removed it even from my fridge. Who told you to do that? I was not going to
I'm sorry, Your Excellency, can I please set your feet? You know, before I enter here, I was not going to do that. But this is the man was building bridges. That's what he did.
The respect I had for him after that was something else. I knew this man is not a Muslim, but he is bothered about the feelings of the Muslims. How many of you as Muslims would be bothered about the feelings of someone who believes in something else from you? The answer is very few I can answer on your behalf. Very few. Why we think we are Muslims. That's it. I know we are Muslims. I know we believe we will go to gentlemen, and I know we will go to gentlemen. But guess what you have to know and it doesn't work that way. On this. You have to build bridges. Those are human beings, the prophet peace be upon him build bridges. That's what he did. And that's how the people saw the
beauty of Islam. If they did not enter Islam, the minimum is they stopped eating it.
They realize its value. They respect you. You built a bridge.
You went to school who taught you how Muslim teachers? Am I right? Have you ever gone back to them written them a letter to say thank you very much to them. 35 years old, I have a multi million dollar business. And I always remember that you taught me A, B and C in grade one. Have you ever done that? The answer is probably no. For 90% of us Why? Oh, they were not Muslims, but they taught you goodness. And it tells you not to forget goodness done by anyone for you.
I remember I visited one of my teachers who taught me in grade six, and he was on his deathbed. And he was shocked. He told me not even my family members have come to visit me. Here you are. And I was old, meaning I was already graduated qualified. And I was into my own business. And I heard he was not well on his deathbed. For your information. He was dying of AIDS. I still went to see him.
Why? Building Bridges? You might say, well, that's gonna be a dead bridge. No, not at all.
It's the thought that count you did it for Allah, not for him.
Do you do good only to those who do good to you. If that's the case, you're not a good Muslim.
When you do good to someone, don't do good to someone because they deserve the goodness from you now,
in a law you
see, Allah loves those who do good. That is why I'm doing good. I'm doing good to you not because you deserve for me to do good to you. I'm doing good to you. Because Allah loves those who do good. So I'm doing it for him so that he loves me.
Did you hear how to build a bridge? Allah teaching you how to build bridges. Allies telling you do good to people, because I love those who do good. Don't do good to people because they deserve or don't deserve. That's another issue. When you can do good to someone who does not deserve goodness from you, because of how they've harmed you and attacked you and how they have caused loss for you. That is when you earn the love of your maker who made the same person. What do I share in common with the non Muslims with anyone who has different inclinations. And believe me, what I share in common is the maker who made me guess what, whether I like it or not the exact same maker made him
or her. That's what it is the exact same maker, you look at the people of other faiths in your own nation. What do you have in common with them a lot. But the strongest point is Allah who you worship, that person was created by the same Allah that is why they are sacred in terms of their life. The life is sacred, because the giver of the life is the exact same giver of your life, who entitles you to take it away? Who tells you take this life away how
you follow?
So look at them as family members, my brothers and sisters, from a distance from a distance they are family. At the end of the day, we're all from Adam and Adam is from, from the dust. Subhana Allah if Allah wanted, he could have created Adam from gold from silver from platinum. But Allah says, No man, I make you from dust for you to realize that you're all equals, and you're going to go back into the dust. That's what it is. This superiority complex that we suffer by sometimes really destroys the bridges. There are people on the globe busy trying to build bridges and others are burning, every bridge that is being built.
Don't be from among the latter tones.
So my brothers and sisters today we've shared beautiful words. We have shared beautiful words. And these words are connected to how to deal with the crisis that we are facing. Every nation faces a different problem.
They are
You need problems in all different countries, different problems.
Some countries are busy trying to ban Islam, some are busy trying to bend the HR, some are busy trying to bend a beard, I don't think they're gonna get there so quickly. But anyway, some are busy trying to ban and whatever else. And some will probably want to ban Muslims completely. But I tell you, don't panic about it, keep on building bridges, a day will come when the public of the same nation will say No, we won't allow this to happen.
We all have friends who are not who are Muslims. That's what they will say.
How many of you know non Muslims? And how many of you have friends who are not Muslim? I'm sure everyone in the mosquito put up their hands? Well, you need to understand if you do business with them, or you do any dealings with them, and you reach out to them in your own little way, there are five or 10 of the friends. Well, the rest of them are deserving of your kindness, just like those whom you know.
Perhaps they know someone else who's a Muslim. Sometimes you hear I've heard some non Muslims, some religious leaders belonging to faith other than Islam. Sometimes I've heard their statements against the Muslims that are harsh, very harsh, and you know what I think to myself, sometimes they say kill these Muslims do this to the Muslims and the Muslims and do this to them and nothing. And I say, if your faith teaches you that I want you to know that my faith does not teach me that. So Panama
if your faith teaches you to harm and kill and maim and destroy and Berlin and and you know, cause harm, cause destruction, my faith does not teach me that it teaches me to reach out to you and give you some water when you are thirsty.
Subhana Allah Subhana Allah.
But sometimes people hear such fiery comments and they get fired up themselves.
Subhana Allah, there's no point of getting fired up at the moment on the global level.
We actually need to reach out to people I tell you what's happening.
The general non Muslim masses across the globe are so curious to know more about Islam.
never in the history of the globe, have there been such a large number of people really looking into Islam with a magnifying glass.
So what is happening? It's, it's given me an opportunity to reach out
to Dr. Maha because
the profits is one lie. If one person is to be guided from by you, if Allah uses you to guide one person, it's better for you than for him. Now. You know what? I miss?
That which is valuable in terms of conveyance, the red camera.
So my beloved brothers and sisters, let's learn to reach out to people let's not react in a bad way, people will do bad because maybe they were taught that way. Maybe their upbringing was somehow wrong. Maybe they it was deficient in some way. Maybe their religion teaches them something bad. Our imaging does not teach us bad, we will get up and do goodness. And don't think for a moment that we don't want to see solutions to the problems on the globe. We all would like to see solutions to what is happening in Syria. We want to see solution to what is happening in Iraq. We are bleeding regarding what is happening in Libya. We are bleeding regarding what is happening in Palestine. We
are bleeding regarding what is happening in so many places across the globe. But my brothers and sisters, you've got to think very deeply what the solution is, rather than just using your emotions, getting excited and going to make the problem bigger than it actually is. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless the soma May Allah subhanho wa Taala return to the sooner of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam May Allah subhanho wa Taala soften our hearts towards one another. And may Allah subhanho wa Taala help us realize that we need to live with the Muslims, the non Muslims, we need to live with those who love us those who hate us and we need to try and reach out to all of them in one way or another
akula Kali hada masala, Omar Khan and Amina Mohammed was Salam alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh