Talk delivered at the Africa Muslims Agency – 30 Years Commemoration in Cape Town South Africa
Mufti Menk – Why I Should Give Unconditionally
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of praying and not just sitting in a business or school. They emphasize the need for positive attitudes and helping others, especially those with children. The importance of building one's palace and giving charity is emphasized, as well as the importance of testing one's health and character to determine who they are related to. The speakers also mention a charity and encourage people to donate.
AI: Summary ©
Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
smilla rahmanir rahim In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful Alhamdulillah All praise is indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala for salatu salam ala
nabina Muhammad mahamadou ohana and he was happy when we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam all his companions, his household, may Allah bless them all and bless every one of us. And I'm sure every single one of us has so much of goodness within us and I'm sure each one of us feels that inshallah we can do much more.
I want to start off by mentioning something interesting that I thought about while having Milan was speaking.
I was on a flight that was coming in from Monrovia to Freetown a few weeks ago. And we were flying from Freetown to Accra, and they happen to be a brother seated next to me. And we got chatting, Muslim brother from Liberia. salaam aleikum, Cher How are you so nice to see you, etc. And we were speaking and I told him, you know, people get excited when they see me when they hear about me, they sometimes go beyond the limit. And my father, may Allah subhanho, wa Taala, grant him good health and long life to keep on doing the good he is doing.
He always reminds me, you know what, you are just a number. That's it. Don't ever think that you're better than the people you're speaking to. And don't ever think that you're higher than anyone else. Because if that's the case, you will never be able to reach their hearts speak as though they are better than you. And you just need to get a message to them. So I was telling this brother, that I want to learn something from you tell me tell me something that I can take to people. And he looked at me and he said something amazing. He said, Look, I'm a businessman, Mashallah, I'm here, seated on this flight. I fly every week. And he says,
every time I think about how I started, how we were when we were young, and I want you to pause for a moment and every one of you think about yourselves, or your fathers or grandfathers where they started, there must have been a time when they could not afford shoes. I'm sure you all know that right? There was a time perhaps when they could not afford school fees. Okay. But they were much more content than us. And we today are sitting here such a beautiful function. So panela. And still we have more complaints than all of them put together. We complain more than what we used to when we did not have because that's how materialism works. When you run behind the dunya. Guess what? It
always runs faster than you so panela you can never catch up. You have the latest phone today, the saddest news tomorrow morning, this one later than that you're depressed again. May Allah forgive us. So this brother was telling me I recall the day when we struggled, we suffered. Then I entered into business and Subhanallah I did well and suddenly, boom, everything went because of something that happened. Now sometimes the brother didn't explain to me but some people they have their factories burnt. That's the plan of Allah.
I told him how did you cope with this? He says, it took me not long we did not take me long to figure out that I can never ever suffer a loss. Never. Why? Because when I came into this world, I was naked. I had zero so whatever I have today is more than what I had the day I was born. That's it. That's my motivation. I tell myself Oh Allah, the clothes I have I did not have when I was born. So yeah, Allah, I can never be below zero. Subhana Allah, he says I was closed. When I came on to Earth. I was given things. Imagine handouts, whether it was your folks or someone else is besides the point, someone was kind to you, and that's why you had clothing but when you came onto the
earth, you had zero and when you are going to leave you will still have zero with you besides your deeds, obviously.
And I was very impressed by this. I looked at him and I digested what he said and I thought about it for a long time. And here I am sharing it with you. My brothers and sisters, we have been blessed by Allah in a brilliant and one ways. Why?
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And indeed, if you were to try to count the gifts of Allah, you would never be able to count all of them. For indeed man is not only oppressive, but he is ungrateful, filled with ingratitude. That's what Allah is saying. But we are meaning we are different, we should be filled with gratitude. Part of gratitude is to understand the plan of Allah. Many of us do not understand the plan of Allah. Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about it in the Quran. The Quran is revealed and the sooner of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is there in order to teach us why we're here and what is expected from us while we're here.
So Subhan Allah, Allah says in the Quran, Allah, Allah Baumbach, whom Allah
is, indeed in sustenance, Allah has raised some of you above others, there is a reason. The reason is to test you, what are you going to do I'm giving you and your neighbor, I haven't given him as much as I've given you. What are you going to do? That's all when you die. There are two things, what you earn is one and what you spend is another Subhanallah, you're going to be asked about both. And you know what will happen in the case of a lot of us, we've earned way beyond what we were able to spend some time Allah. So Allah says, we gave it to you. You know, in another verse, Allah speaks of Bani Israel and the tests that came to Israel. And then he says Leon, Lola,
it was in order for him to see what do you do? What's your deeds? I've tested you to see what are you going to do? I've given you to see what are you going to do? So what happens? We've been given, we've been blessed, every one of us is blessed, in our own unique way.
Have you identified that blessing? Some have been blessed in more than one way, the blessing I have, you may not have, but you have a blessing that I may not have. It does overlap at times. Mashallah. But what do I do with it? If I am the top educator in the country, what have I done with it? Have I only made it a means of income for me to live on earth? If that's the case, I'd forgotten about the hereafter. I've taken it out of the equation. I really misfired. I haven't understood. Allah has blessed me with the intellect, that intellect is from Allah.
And I happen to be the best educator or teacher of a specific subject. Have I ever reached out to people without wanting monetary reward, and said, I'm going to spend some time teaching those who can't really afford to get to me. And I'm going to spend a few moments volunteering. They don't always want your money, perhaps they might be able to benefit from your expertise way beyond what your money would have done.
And I always tell people that I learned from the verse that Allah subhanho wa Taala says, Yeah
levena Amanullah
Let
me tell
you who believe, do not nullify your charities, through bragging about it and harming those whom you've been charitable to. You know what that means? That means I must be the most humble person when I'm giving, considering myself fortunate to have been given the ability to give whatever I'm giving, considering myself fortunate to have been witnessing a need and it was made clear to me that there is a need.
Do you know it's my duty to give.
And it's my duty to search and to look for who I should give it to. I don't need to sit in my business, my shop, my school, wherever else at home and wait for people to come and beg from me know, your duty as a Muslim is to go out and hunt. And look, where is the cause? Where can I get Where can I help? Where can I volunteer? Where can I donate? Where can I assist? Where can I be a help? a helping hand? Where can I fit in some might not have much, but trust me, you can make dua,
you can pray. And when you pray, you need to think Allah, that he's given you a heart because that's the beginning. You will never pray for people suffering if you don't have a heart. Whenever I've seen and I'm sure 100% of us, whenever we've seen what's going on across the globe, we bleed
Look at what's happening in Syria. Up to this day. We're not happy. It's not like we're excited about it. We are so upset. We are desperate, we are frustrated. So what do you do? The first step is to call out to Allah. That's the first step. It's the most powerful step. It's not the only step because then Allah has given each one of us a different capacity to do different things. And all those things that we choose to do should be constructive and not destructive. You need to remember that the same applies what's going on in Rohingya right now, none of us could say that we're not bleeding. We're frustrated. We want to see a solution. Even the non Muslims want to see a solution.
They don't want to see the ethnic cleansing that is being perpetrated there. It is frustrating, it is sad, not every one of us can go there. But guess what? Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us a chance to get up for tangent.
When a fan comes to us and makes us point fingers, what is he doing? He's a famous guy, he's doing nothing by saying that what have you done? He said, these are this guy has done nothing. What have you done? Are you passing the buck?
Stop, don't pass the buck.
You might want to encourage people you might want to raise awareness, you might want to say something but it starts with you. If you were really concerned,
Allah says that through your difficulty, he draws you closer to him. You know, when you have a massive problem, diagnose cancer, may Allah grant cure all those who are struggling and suffering with any form of disease, beat cancer, beat HIV beat anything else, whether it is terminal or not. May Allah grant you to say I mean,
when when you're diagnosed with the disease, people react differently, a more mean becomes closer to Allah. It's a gift of Allah.
And I can explain quickly why it's a gift. But before that, I want to tell you a person who doesn't have belief, distances himself from Allah, a person who's a man is dilly, Dally starts questioning Allah becomes angry with me. Why is this happening? What are you doing? I'm calling out to you. I'm asking you. You're not doing anything for me. What are you doing? My child is struggling and suffering Allah. I've called out to you for the last three years. What's the problem?
May Allah forgive us? Allah forbid, never let that happen. Allah subhanho wa Taala says, in Allah either I have bad Allah when Allah tests a worshipping when Allah loves the worship that he tests so if you have a difficulty guess what it will do to you? You did not read used to read Salah you did not you used to do things according to what Allah wanted. But now when I was tapping you, hey, hey, come over. What do you do? You took a bit of time. Now you've got a cough, you still taking a bit of time coffees, nothing, I get the coffee, I don't need to read Salah for that.
But sometimes subconsciously, that's our attitude. Then Allah says, Okay, let me give you something bigger, if that's gonna bring you because I love you, I need you to come to me. So then you get something bigger.
And what happens you still go to the doctor and you're still not reading your Salah, you're still not fulfilling your duty unto Allah and unto the rest of the creatures have the same Allah. That's an important point. It's not just the duty unto Allah, part of your duty unto Allah is your duty unto the creatures of the same maker. He made them being a Muslim, non Muslim, why black, tall, short, in Africa or anywhere else in the world, the other creatures have the same maker who made you, you are no better than them. In creation,
the creatures of the same Allah, you have a duty unto them because he made them for a purpose. That's what it is. So Subhana Allah,
when you are turning towards Allah, because of your difficulty and your hardship, and because of your sickness, it's a sign that you've really been gifted by Allah. And Allah keeps you that way. So now you start praying, because now you start thinking to yourself, you know what, I need to cry, and you get people praying for you. And now you become a softer person, you start becoming conscious of others with similar problems. You start joining little groups of people who have issues, you start calling out to Allah and you start reaching out to people and you that makes you feel better. It makes you become a softer person. And that's what a religious person is all about. You want to know
who is the closest to Allah, He is the person who has the most beautiful character, your closeness to Allah is very closely reflected in your character. Those who are harsh and hard hearted, they cannot be close to Allah fabula
mean Allah.
tala home, what I won't call,
boom in how many? It is by the mercy of Allah that you have become really in
And towards those around you, and you've been hard hearted or harsh, they would have dispersed they wouldn't even want to be in your company.
But when someone is very polite, when someone is very concerned about the goodness reaching you, you want to be in the company, you you are impressed. You feel so much at home, you feel like you know them, you feel so close because you're a human, you have feelings, you have a heart, you have a mind just like this and they are appealing to you because they're speaking the language of humanity as a believer.
So Subhan Allah, Allah draws you close through your difficulty. I mentioned the two points. The one is some people through that difficulty they get closer to Allah, those whose Eman is weak, their belief is weak. They question Allah but sometimes Allah keeps you in your hardship. Do you know why? He knows if I were to take this away, this person might just go back well, Allah knows for certain we don't know. So he says, I love the way you're worshiping me. You're crying to me you're suffering. You get up every morning you reaching out to others you speak so politely Finally, with your daughter is not sorry to give you an example. But
you speak so politely with those around you finally Subhanallah and you're such a lovely person.
Because of your difficulty, Thomas's country keep you like this for a little longer.
And you want it today. Now, while I want to give you a good news karnala houfy Abdi macconnell aberdovey oneota The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says, Allah remains in the assistance of a worshiper, for as long as that worshipping remains in the assistance of another. If you want help, the first thing to do start helping others, you get the help. That's what the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says. And like I said earlier, it's our duty to go out and hunt. You know, I read the hadith of Mojave Jabba the Allahu anhu and 30. There'll be a long rumor when the Prophet sallallahu Sallam sent to Yemen. One of the things he says about second said you should teach the people 123
and then he said,
I live with him and Allah, Allah, Allah.
Allah, Allah, Allah, let them know. Let them know that Allah has made incumbent or compulsory upon them, that they give a charity, it shall be taken from the rich and distributed into the poor Subhana Allah.
That is why Allah gave you more.
Allah did not give you more so that you can amass it to the degree that you have forgotten to build your hereafter. Allah gave it to you so that you can give others what to
do know. Allah says give them from the wealth of Allah that He made you a custodian off.
Do you know what that means? It's not your money law. The wealth belongs to Allah not to you, you're a custodian of it when you came onto the end, like I started off by saying you have zero when you shall leave you shall leave with zero what you did in the center in the middle, your transactions and the way you transact it, that is what will help you in your grave and in your hereafter. So build, build your palace in the hereafter. It is everlasting way beyond your imagination. And this is why my brothers my sisters, today, we are seated here. 30 years of African Muslims agency, having Emraan made mention of my father. I was going to say that anyway. That I recall your dad, May Allah
give him genital for those And for your information. That's the reason why the moment I received the call, I have a soft spot for Africa, Muslims agency.
I told him brother, I will be there. He told me we will cover your costs. We will this I said, Listen, brother, I'm not interested in covering any costs. I will be insulted if you gave me anything. I'm coming for the sake of Allah. And I'm coming because I believe it's good work. And I'm coming because I'm impressed by what has been achieved. And it will see that was sown. And don't you dare think that oh, this is money from the Gulf states. No way. If you think that it's the devil making you run away because of some bad deed you've done from giving.
It is money from here that's distributed across the globe. I promise you, the South African example shines across the globe. It's one country that Allah has blessed in an hour.
In a continent that really needs a lot of help.
So thank Allah, keep on giving when you give a low will give you more. I promise you, man, I don't mean sadaqa the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says, nobody has ever become bankrupt because of giving, charitable Subhana Allah, that's a guarantee from your messenger. If ever you fear poverty, to charity, it will come back to you multiply, I promise you, it's in the Quran. If ever you fear poverty, give a charity. It doesn't have to be all your money like aboubaker Casa de la Mancha, those were the superheroes, we could not compete with them. But what it definitely is small portion, one grand five brands. And this is why when you read surah, Aloha, if you were to read it with its
meaning,
your life will change.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. By the choice of Allah divine choice, he was an orphan. Why
isn't that consolation to all the orphans across the globe, that the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets, the top of the top was actually
this hope for you more than it is for me who had both parents? Wow. Wow.
Allah has chosen you My beloved orphan
child. Allah has chosen you way above me. Your headstart is a few kilometers in front of me. Because the most beloved, already there was a quality from birth that you share that I don't have.
That's why Allah says,
well, Amalia, tema, Salah takahara. As for the orphan, don't be hard on him. Don't be harsh, don't rebuke, don't abuse and often be
Subhana Allah.
And the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him speaks about an orphan, he says, and our coffeyville Yachty mikata. And even gentlemen, myself and the one who takes care of an orphan shall be in paradise like these two fingers, and he joined the two fingers that I'm showing you right now the first and the second.
Why?
Those are in need. People say innocent children. Yes, but they're in that condition because it's a test for you who are around. What will you do solely for the sake of Allah? Will you help? There is a widow the Hadith says those who spend their day are those who assist widows and orphans, for the sake of Allah are equivalent in reward to the one who stood in prayer all night, every night and the one who fasts every day, on condition that you do it for the sake of Allah today. She's a pretty lady. It's help. So Pamela, you know what I'm talking about it's facts. But she's old, you know, she might not be that attractive.
So what hypocrisy is this?
Is that what we've become, is that how low we've become, I'd like to hope it's not the case. You help for the sake of Allah and Allah alone, Allah alone. And remember, if you don't help, it's quite simple. It's going to come from someone else. And it's been proven, read the verse of the Quran, what
do come.
If you turn away, Allah says, We will replace you with those who won't be like you, they won't be like you, they'll be better. So don't think the work of Allah and don't think reaching out to the poor across the globe is connected to you alone, know, if you're on it, it's a favor of Allah, that he convinced you he put it in your heart to give. But if you amazingly, trust me, the work will continue even beyond your imagination with others, it will continue. I remember.
There was a brother who told someone at one of the organizations that you know what, after pledging so much, he says, I'm not giving because he had a little misunderstanding. As he walked out of the office, there was a brother sitting outside. He walked in, he put down a finger, twice the pledge of the brother who just walked out. Wow.
I witnessed this with my own eyes, and I was just looking. And I said, Yeah, Allah, Allah, Allah. Oh Allah, you have indeed spoken the truth.
Replace with someone else. This man walked out. Another thing my brothers, my sisters this evening, I said it elsewhere and I'm repeating it. A pledge is as good as a bird in the sky. Remember that? A pledge is as good as a bird in the sky. When you catch the bird and put it on the table, you have now fulfilled your pledge. Otherwise, I know of many who pledge huge amounts, they never put their money where their mouth is never.
I hope we're not like that.
Are you hearing
What I'm saying, we can pledge the organization's come and showcase for us while we're on our beds through the month of Ramadan, and other times, and we're sitting flicking and we're hearing you know, these people are dying in Asia, and this is what's happening and so on, you know, my brother, my sister, it's your duty to feel the pain of all of those.
Where is the Hadith?
coming?
From the woman Oh, no, like one body, if a single part of it is struggling, suffering in pain, the whole body shall struggle with sleeplessness, insomnia, pain, etc. And perhaps fever.
What was happening and what is still happening across the globe, we all want to help. Well, I can tell you, I started off by saying make dua after that. Reach into your pockets. And you know what, you will not all be able to go there physically, I've been to some places not all.
And what could I have done very little. Had it not been for a lot of people behind me having sent me with a reputable organization to say, you know what we would like to assist, can you take this and make sure it gets to the recipient. And if they're honest Subhanallah you will feel the blessings in your own selves and your children and your loved ones and your community.
So don't think for a moment that you know, what, what are they doing? What am I doing? What did I do? How much do I have? What can I give? So Panama?
I was saying, your father may Allah subhanho wa Taala give him genital photos. I've met him many times, I met Dr. Brockman so many, many times. And they've been with just sad the follow up to my house sitting so many times, you know, sometimes together and separately as well. What was the discussion all about? I was a kid, I was a child. Remember, 30 years ago, I must have been what 15
gave my age away.
But at the same time, SubhanAllah. I recall and the discussion was all about going I used to go out with them to rural areas I used to go out and we used to see what was happening we used to distribute. And you know what that continued all along. So when I see the children of the same men doing the same work with the same dedication, if not now that it's three people, perhaps a little bit more, but the Baraka of that generation was something else. Trust me, I always say this is a sign of acceptance from Allah, I know with us, we've taken from my dad, in my family's from Panama. And I start thinking to myself, when people continue the effort that was good of their fathers, it's
a sign that Allah has accepted it. I see amongst us some seated here. And I know their fathers, some of them are late and their mothers in some instances, and I promise you the brilliant work they were doing is continued. I want to cry when I think of what's happening.
But there are others who keep pointing fingers and their job is only to look for faults rather than to help to assist I'm doing something wrong. Please come to me and guide me Tell me correct me. I'm a human. I'm your child. I'm your brother coming. Tell me Listen, son, Listen, my brother, I think this wasn't right how you said it what you said what you did, I will improve myself, I promise you, you don't have to go out and attack in a way that somehow you're destroying the entire oma and this is what's going on today. We don't do the good work, and we don't want others to do the good work.
Leave them alone. My father taught me that the best of people are those who don't harm you.
I don't need your help anymore. That's what I understood from what he said. My father has a policy he says never ever go out for a collection. I said but why not? We're doing work with millions of dollars. He says, The work is open for everyone to see if Allah puts it in their hearts, the money came from Allah. If you scrounge it out of the people, perhaps that dirty money might come and contaminate the work and we will be divided and splitting no time. That policy is not everybody's policy. It's a very high level.
It's a very high level. That's the reason why you might have known me for so many years, you actually don't know what I do in real life.
Maybe some might know. You don't know what I do in real life. You just know me for a man standing in front speaking and lecturing. That's it. And perhaps tweeting now and again.
Allah bless you all and bless us.
But here we have a fever of Allah. People are coming to to show you how many messages and it's a fact it's not. It sounds so huge. But you know what, it's the Baraka that Allah has bestowed upon someone.
And I'm not saying it's the only organization but I am saying there's a lot of good work happening. Let's
Try and support it through to our through reaching out into our pockets put in a little bit imagine there's a Masjid being built. Or let's say right now, people are going to Rohingya in order to try and help the people and you gave 1000 grants, when you see the people will lie will lie. When you see pictures of how the the aid is being distributed, won't it bring a coolness to your heart to think my 1000 is there hamdulillah
You know, there's a hadith which says, A Masjid and vanilla hula hoop. In general, we have a boon for Allah, this place of worship, Allah builds for them a house in Paradise, we might not be able to afford the large amounts that are required. But trust me, the mercy of Allah is even if you donated a single brick, by the will of Allah, he's not just going to say like, here's your brief. Now that's in the akhira he's going to give you the whole house, even through that brick by His mercy.
So be charitable, reach out, make dua for those who are charitable. And guess what if you don't have much create an awareness by speaking to your friends, your family members, those who are wealthy your acquaintances in a nice way, just create an awareness that you know, this is a really good cause, Mashallah, you know, it might strike them to say didn't give something and if they do, you get the full reward and Daniel Allen Haley,
the one who showed others towards goodness gets the full reward and all of that goodness, amazing, amazing, so I can't afford it. But I'm talking to people who can in such a lovely way that I've convinced 20 guys to give they gave 2 million grants are sitting millionaire. But please, please, don't let yourself become arrogant because of that. When you give, if you want to know I'm going to say a few things today, that you will take home inshallah, when you give.
You've got to remember, the test is humility thereafter.
The best charity is that when you've given, you don't want to score or clock mileage out of that giving.
No, yes, someone might respect you. They might invite you, they might call you, you're a donor, they happy. They want to show you the activities and so on. But when you start requesting your perks, you're getting paid for what you've given in that way, then the reward of it, you're cutting it because you're getting something
the best thing give. And don't expect anything besides what Allah will shall bless you. Listen to this.
In
the true believers, those who genuinely for the sake of Allah, do you know what they say? We have fed you for the sake of Allah. We don't even want from you Recompense. No, do we want you to say thank you. I don't even want you to say thank you sugar. I don't want to confirm you. Thanks. I want it's Allah. Allah, it's okay. What I've done for you is actually for Allah. But because Allah made a need come in front of my eyes, it was my duty to do something about it. I did something and I carried on. That's why the end of Surah Taha, Allah says,
Allah for Allah.
As for the one who is asking, don't rebuke him. You know, the biggest You see, no matter where they are those who come to you in order to ask no matter who they are. Don't rebuke them. Don't insert them. Don't belittle them. That's a verse of the Quran.
There's someone begging on Chrome dome here down the road. Every year I come. I see the same guy.
If I can't give him at least aleikum wa salam, how are you? My brother? Oh, maybe don't say anything. Some people say no, you guys are giving, you're gonna support these guys, you, you you you're gonna create a huge syndicate whatever, hang on, hang on, hang on, relax. Either you give or you don't give the choice is definitely yours. Do it with respect.
That's all don't harm the man. Like I said earlier.
It is better.
To be a person who doesn't give and doesn't harm than to be someone who gives harms.
I give then you've got to hear for the rest of your life. You know, I'm a person I'm going to let you know something personal. To accept a gift from people is very, very difficult. Even if that gift is worth 10,000 rands, I try my best to avoid it. The reason is, I know the payment of it shall be 50,000 times. I'd rather keep your gift. We maintain that respect, and I maintain my freedom.
So canon law.
I'm giving you something about my self. Why did I learn that? It might help me? Yes, you wanted to give me a mobile phone. Thank you. I appreciate your gesture. But guess what? I'm not gonna take you. The reason is, I love you so much. I don't want it to come between you and I. I don't and I know I'm going to
To pay for it because tomorrow you for me 12 at night, I need this, I need that I feel obliged. I'm now a hypocrite, I'm not doing it because I want to, I'm doing it because a guy gave me a phone man. You see what I'm saying? It's tough. Not everyone thinks like that. I am one who prefers to say this and maintain your independence and you can make your decisions. The point I'm raising is when you give someone something ensure
that is respectful if I gave him it for the sake of Allah, if I didn't, I maintain that respect and I walked away.
So this is Allah, Allah plan, unless plan is that he will give you more than what you need, in order to see what you do with the extra excess. A lot of the times we have extra, we forget about building the castle of the akhira while we are building our palace here. And I always tell the brothers Mashallah you know, who work really hard. And Mashallah, when you get to the age of 45 5060, you finally made a little bit of money. But nowadays for our daughters, we looking for the wealthiest of the wealthy, they must already have a house and a Porsche and Ferrari as well as a Porsche, because a Ferrari apparently is supposed to be better than abortion, some heinola. But we don't realize when
we married, when our fathers married,
they didn't even have a house. They didn't even own a car, in a lot of cases, and they worked for 3040 years. And we were so happy. We used to go to school and come back not knowing the rented property, not knowing the guys working so hard when he's sweating, and he's making us but for our daughters, we're looking for those who are already the kings, you know, wealthy otherwise. So what happens? We've compromised the quality of individual because we're looking only at wealth.
That's what it is.
Why am I saying this? Because
the average human around in fact, do you know the majority of the people on earth can never own a home and they will not own a house. If you have a house that belongs to you and you sleeping in it, you already took 30% of the global
Do you ever know that? Check the statistics tonight? There's a shift that you can rely on for those types of statistics known as chef Google.
Yeah.
And to be honest,
you've worked so hard, and now you're 50 years old 5560 you're building your house finally, finally, Mashallah, what's happening? It's gonna take you two years to build minimum two years to be living in Zimbabwe. You can add a zero to that, because we famous to do that anyway. But it's gonna take you a while when you built it. How old are you? 55 how many years do you have to live? You're lucky. 2075. Right. That's a brilliant age. If you're beyond 75, you're beyond average, beyond 70 is beyond average, according to the study. 65 is about average. So hold on, well, Labradors Goodell, I see people are looking at me. So it's okay for you like that, like give you a long life. And Allah give
you health and happiness and contentment. But you're going to live in this house for 20 years. And after that, where you're where you're going to go for another. Already people have passed away for longer than they were alive. We have a thought of what that means. People have passed away for longer than they were alive. Those who died 1000 years ago, they live for 6070 years, those who died 200 years ago, they live for 6070 years if they were lucky. So they've been dead for longer than they were alive. But they prepared for those 20 years in a way that they forgot about preparation for the rest. Allah says if you want to prepare for the rest, reach out to others will do the rest
of
your league with Allah. absolutely important prime. It's number one, don't compromise that. But tonight, we're talking about charity. So I'm telling you, you want to build your app here. You want to build your hereafter you want to build your paradise, to give me give so much that Subhana Allah, Allah keeps giving you I remember once I was sitting
and discussing this matter, and one of the Lama said something that I'll never forget, he says, when you pledge a monthly amount to a certain good cause, say for example, to office, right? I pledge 1000 rands every month or $500 or 100 grands every month for this orphanage, for example. If sustenance written for them, not for you, but Allah gave him through you. So Allah has to give you before you get to them. So you will always have you following what we say.
I pledged it and it's gonna continue a day might come when you struggling a little bit how am I going to give this give it Allah will give it to you. But please understand, you need to work for it. And Allah gives you the Baraka because you work for it In the name of Allah. You don't just sit back and say hi guys. Did you hear what the Mufti said the other day given you shall receive I gave 70
1000 now I'm sitting at home looking at the ceiling, hoping
the tornado might come and wash your ceiling of metal and not do that to us. Could Happen you say that's the angel opening up here, no way. Something gross is gone wrong.
you're lazy, you're sitting back, go and work. If you work, Allah will give you a blessing. Can I tell you
this is by far probably the most powerful statement you're gonna hear this evening. Zakat is the two and a half percent in most cases that you have to give of your savings and there is a way of calculating what you need to look at. And after the year you need to give two and a half percent for who for Allah. It means that belongs to who you are to Allah to Allah, the wealth was Alas, and he gave you 97.5 in interview hang on two and a half is my change. Where is my change, you need to give it to Allah, it was never yours, if you left it in your system is going to take it from you by hook or crook, through sickness, through illness, through accident, through disease, through fire through
anything, the man is going to go from you. It was never yours. He's going to take it if you gave it with your heart. Allah says it will cleanse you mean I'm wanting him
to
take from them that charity that zaca which will clean them, it will cleanse them. It's our wealth. We want that back we gave you 100 and you know, we told you in advance, hey, we're waiting for the change.
Someone comes to your store, they buy worth 9750 they give you $100 bill and you say thanks. What I'm waiting, but the amount is negligible. negligible or not. It's my change. You're gonna be in trouble if you don't give it to me. Okay? same happens with Allah. In fact, what Allah, Allah, Allah, the example of Allah is far higher than that.
This is why they see when we're stuck with calamity and lots of money spent are gone. First question you ask yourself, have I paid my Zakat properly?
I'm sorry to say it is a question you have to ask yourself, you may have if you have, you've ticked that off, it's now something else. Sometimes it's just a test from Allah. A lot of the times if you're patient, Allah will grant you much more. It's just a test. But it's a question you need to ask like, when you're not well, you go for a blood test to check all your markers, not because you definitely have a certain disease, but to tick it off to make sure it's not that. So it's a question you need to ask yourself.
Subhan Allah,
if you want to know the type of person you are,
if you want to know more about yourself, your character because the Hadees is the best form among you are those with the best character that's the best from among you are those with the best character. So if you would like to know, if you would like to know, where do I fit in? There is a test that must test you can test yourself
as well ask yourself one question, the answer of it will tell you who you actually are.
What's the question?
The person whom the world considers the lowest, whom the world considers most insignificant, whom the world considers almost irrelevant? How do you treat that person will determine who you are?
There's no other way.
Did you hear what I say? You see a man cleaning. You see a man guarding the cars. You see someone coming to serve you on the table?
Do you acknowledge their human? Do you acknowledge they probably have families? Do you know what made them do this? Do you realize it could have been you? Do you greet them? Do you actually smile at them? Does it does it bring you in a piece when you see them smile back and acknowledge you? Hi madam How are you? How's your evening and carry on for the sake of Allah just because I wanted them to feel important, then you are definitely very high in character and conduct.
Don't ever forget what I said tonight. All those whom the world considers insignificant. You should never consider them insignificant. It's your test. Allah put them in front of you for a reason to test what did you do? So you can convert it into a huge act of worship? By being kind by? A lot of the people don't want your money. They need you to just be kind be okay. No, that's it.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us from those who can reach out to one Allah
Subhana Allah. If you want to know how generous you are, how generous you are, then there is a test. What is the test? What do you give over and above xhaka?
That's when you will know how generous you are Zakah does not determine
University. You're just fulfilling an obligation. That's it. Above is the guy. What do you give?
Then you're a generous person. Yeah, let make it easy for us. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us, I have so much to say. I've spoken for 45 minutes. And I think that was way beyond my own time that I set myself half an hour. But Subhanallah It's amazing. It's a lovely evening. It's so beautiful here. And I really pray for everyone who's here to be able to carry this message throughout the globe, those who are listening, perhaps on the television, those who may listen to this a little bit later. May Allah make this a means of motivation for all of us means of Murphy's law for the late Mohammed ferry, tuna, and all those who have set up this, the late Dr. Smith, after Amanda Smith,
also whose brainchild it was, and I'm sure there are so many of us doing so much good work, whatever you're doing, may Allah excepted from you may Allah subhanho wa Taala make you from those whose work can actually be increased and let's learn to cooperate with one another. Let's learn to cooperate with one another. That's my last message. We must cooperate with one another because at the moment that oma is struggling do the oma is struggling due to us bickering and pointing fingers and becoming disunited over small matters. I don't need to think like you are believing exactly what you believe etc, etc. But I need to respect you if I respect you I can be united with you with my
difference and hamdulillah May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us all and May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant acceptance to this work and ultimately, may Allah grant us or genital for those in paradise say amin akuto, Cody hada was Allah wa salam ala nabina Muhammad