Hajj and Unity

Salam aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah Allah Allah He was happy as

we commence With the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And in the name of Allah Subhana Allah Allah, the Lord of the worlds the creator of entire creation, we send blessings and salutations upon the greatest of all creation. Muhammad ibn Abdullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the greatest and the highest in status, not only from all of mankind, but even the messages that Allah sent Rasulullah sallallahu was granted the highest status, and we are fortunate to be from his own man, to be from those who follow his instruction completely. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make a steadfast and may He make it easy for us to follow the footsteps of this greatest creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala I

mean, my brothers, my sisters, we are in the month of Hajj. And Hadji, as you know, is the fifth pillar of Islam. And Hajj as you know is not compulsory, except upon those who can afford the trip, who managed to go who have the permission to go etc, certain conditions need to be met, and then it becomes compulsory. If those conditions are not met, then it's not compulsory for example, a person cannot afford it, then it would not be compulsory, a person is unable to travel for some reason. It's not compulsory, a person is not given permission to go in terms of perhaps visa and in terms of authority, not allowing that travel. For some reason, it becomes not compulsory and that is from the

Quranic verse, one in

Sydney jewel by the man is de la la is

indeed Allah subhanho wa Taala has made it incumbent incumbent upon us

that we fulfill Hajj, meaning Hajj has been made compulsory for the one who can afford for the one who can manage it. stupa actually means ability. So the affording of it from a financial perspective is only one aspect of it. Then from a health perspective then from the authorities, etc, etc. However, what we need to realize is, why did Allah subhanho wa Taala make Hajj at one time, everyone has to go in the month of the Legion to Mina and then to arafa and then to deliver and then back to Mina and pelt. All the people have to do it at one time. Why didn't he say you can go at any time that is convenient to you?

Yes, Amara you could. ombre is the minor or the lesser pilgrimage we call it the lesser pilgrimage because there is no English word that describes the word Ramadan of Arabic.

So Allah says when it comes to Hajj, there is a specific time that all of you will do Hajj anyone who goes on another day or another month. It's not accepted, it's not considered Hajj. The same applies to Ramadan. It's one month of the year. Allah didn't say, Okay, you've got to fast 29 or 30 fasts, each one of you can do it when it's convenient for you know, Allah says this is the month, you see the moon you fast you see the moon, you have read.

I want to take it further. This act of worship we have right now Joomla there is a specific time within which it must be fulfilled

on a specific day of the week, why did I decide that it has to be at a certain time a certain date when it comes to Joomla when it comes to Ramadan, certain timeframe, when it comes to certain place certain time. Have you ever thought of it because he wants us to be together as an oma?

He wants us to be together as an oma. He wants us to recognize each other to realize that you are but a number

to realize that. The arrogance, the haughtiness, the pride, the wealth, the authority, the looks, everything becomes irrelevant. You are in the sub insula. You are standing with whoever is next to you, you do not choose you don't book a seat in a muskie, you don't.

The only time that you have a place that may be reserved

For those of knowledge, or those who have memorized the Quran is right behind the Imam because the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says that behind me should be those with intellect those with knowledge. So that's why sometimes you find the month of Ramadan or on a Friday some of the days they have a few spaces that they might say please don't sit here this is this is for the Imams and various other knowledgeable people etc.

Because the prophets of Allah Salaam has instructed that and in case the Imam makes a mistake, someone needs to correct him in case the Imam breaks his Voodoo and walks away someone who knows what to do thereafter and how to continue should be right behind it so they can carry on some hand Allah it's amazing, but otherwise no booking of space Why? Because you are just like everyone else. What happens in had, everyone has to wear the same clothing everyone especially the men, the women have restrictions but they are much broader Mashallah broader restrictions which means certain things like gloves, etc, etc. You may be told you're not allowed to do this and that and you're not

allowed to apply this or do whatever else but when it comes to men, even the cloth that you wear, there is a restriction governing that particular cloth clothing.

So no one can say microns Levi's.

Levi's.

Think of another brand Gucci. Hara. Have you seen the Gucci? I won't be surprised if people do have a little text. But it's bogus. You know that, isn't it? It's a fake.

It must be simple, straightforward. My brothers and sisters sometimes when we think of Hajj, we just think oh, wow, it's a pilgrimage, we'll do it once in our lifetimes. Some people save for it, some don't even save for it. When you begin to save and put away money for Hajj, it's a sign that your level of connection with Allah is getting somewhere meaningful.

How many of you young, when you start earning, you put aside 100 grand

a month towards your hedge? What will happen in a year you got 1010 years 10,000 I hope the travel agency will be off by that time. So panela at the moment, it's still okay, shall I say affordable? Because I was speaking to one of them. And I said, but rather Why does it keep going up? He says well, it goes up there it has to go up here as well. Because the more we save, the more it's just going it's like you reaching out to something you know, when there's a little child and you trying to reach out and you want to get them somewhere you keep pulling it pulling it back until you get them to where they want. We save 10,000 it became 12,000 we save 12,000 it became 15,000 When is it

going to stop Subhan Allah

I pray that Allah make it easy for us. So this agent was very intelligent, you know what he told me? He says, well, it's not fun if you can't afford it. So if it keeps going up, it's just not fair.

You have to be wealthy to be able to go but my brothers and sisters you have to try to save up for that Hajj inshallah, yes, there are necessities, your food, your accommodation, etc, etc. But you have your savings, you need to make sure that you want to fulfill one of these pillars of Islam, one of these pillars of Islam. And when you go, there is something unique, you will meet people from all over the world. That's one of the benefits of having it at the same time.

So as much as we think, oh, we are religious people were reading Salah, you are going to meet people who are really religious, as much as you think you fulfill the rights of your parents, you will see an old man carrying an even older woman, and he says that's my mother. How old are you? He says I'm about 70. And how old your mother she's 9570 year old man carrying

his mother, what happened? You were reminded that no matter how much you are doing for your parents, there are others who do more.

That's the benefit of going together. You see people how they get along how they talk and people watch you as well. Sometimes they thank Allah they're not as bad as you and I because we have bad behavior. Sometimes we get upset. Why?

The chips that they fried is not crispy.

Come on, come on you talking. And the people look at you and they start laughing at you talking of chips, man. SubhanAllah we're in hajj.

So people learn others we get to see what's the priority of a person. That's why I always tell those going in hajj that there is a great chance that what you have been spoiled regarding in your life. Allah is going to take that away during your blessed journey to show you you're going to do this without that.

So if you're spoiled regarding space,

You have a home where you have one bed and space for 10 other beds that you actually just sit in lounge around, you have lovely spacious homes. When you get there, you might just have

such a small room.

That's Allah

watching, we took away one thing you were accustomed to.

Now we get angry, roll our sleeves up, go to the people downstairs or go to the agents or whoever else it was. And we start screaming and yelling and shouting and swearing. Whereas the Hadith says in the Quran speaks about those who go for Hajj, the characteristics need to be of a very high level, you're not supposed to swear or be abusive or commit immorality, that's when you will come back a clean person. But when you went we tested you with just it was a bit but it was just a little bit less space. You couldn't perhaps put your bags the way you would at home.

Yes, if you were ripped off my brothers and sisters, you have every right to take it out.

But respectfully,

Brother, you cheated me. I need a bit of room

Subhanallah you might not even want to say you cheated me say to my brother. If you go back to the record, I paid for this room but you didn't give me this room. You gave me another room, perhaps you'd like to rectify the error.

And maybe if you cannot, perhaps you might consider refunding. I remember once there was a Haji saying, You know what? My agents giving me a whole refund. I said you might have to make your hat again.

Actually, it doesn't have to come from a ruling perspective. He doesn't have to but I was I was just trying to, you know, joke with him to make him think Oh, no. So should I just give him the money back? You know, so kind of law. Madden, if you were to get a refund for the hedge? It's a question that would come to your mind. Do I now need to go back? The answer is no. You did the hedge.

If someone gave you a refund when you did hedge and there was a mess, one of the owners? Well, one of the managers of one of the hotels told me and I'm going to say it because

it did happen.

He says you come from South Africa. You know some people don't know the difference. Zimbabwe, South Africa. It's all in southern Africa. So I look at it and say yeah, okay. He says you know, you guys you bring cockroaches in luncheons.

I said Why? He says I've had so many cases of people who come and they say cockroaches they also Africans. He says they open the luncheon and they release the cockroaches into the room and then they get a full refund of whatever's happening. I said hey, I hope that's not the case. I'm a Zimbabwean by the way.

But if that's the case, I hope it's not true. I actually spoke to him. I told him I don't think so. Perhaps there are cockroaches in your hotel, you know, he says we fumigated the thing. I said, Look, you better get a check. Because nowadays, you know, as man advances, man advances, these mosquitoes and cockroaches, they also advanced you know, flies could never fly backward. They could always fly forward nowadays, they flying backwards. I mean, they saw advancement, I wonder how but some form of advancement. The same applies to the mosquitoes Subhanallah they becoming resilient, and they becoming, you know, different breed altogether. But the same applies to us, man, when we develop

think of it. Are you developing solely for your survival on earth? Or are you also developing because you'd like to build your hereafter?

Ask yourself the difference between a believer and a non believer is that a believer is focused upon the hereafter more than upon this life. Notice I said more than which means you are allowed you have to you have to have some form of actions deeds work, etc to make you or to allow you to survive on earth to live comfortably to a degree where you don't compromise halal and haram but your main priority is the hereafter. It's the focus on the hereafter.

Now we met in hajj, Mashallah all together. So I met people from Africa. I meet people from Australia, from Europe. I need people from India and Pakistan, Indonesia, South America, North America, you name it, they are there they are there.

The oma as weak as we have become because of our disunity, Allah is showing us if you are united look at the strength.

Look at the strength.

Have you noticed something? When you go for Hajj during a Haram, everyone is focused on something no one starts asking you tell me something, what sector do you belong to?

Tell me something which must have Do you follow? Tell me something.

How do you read your Salah this way that way? Because if you read it that way, I'm not going to give you the water

No one does it, it becomes irrelevant because we are all enhanced, which means I'm a Muslim for me to have been there in the first place.

May Allah grant us an understanding,

we will have differences. And I have said this so many times, we will because we are human, what you are convinced by, I may be totally convinced by something else, but allows me to ask me and ask you separately, and he's going to judge us separately. Allah is not going to judge you based on what I thought of, you know, will he judge me based on what you thought of me, but Allah will judge me based on what he knows about me.

And the same to you.

So there is scope for difference of opinion in Islam, there is scope,

we will have differences. We don't need to give up what we are not convinced or what we are convinced by, we don't need to give it up. And what we're not convinced by we don't need to adopt it.

If someone cannot prove to you from what Allah and His Messenger have said, and you're not convinced by you don't have to change your life, and you can answer to Allah. That's the beauty. But I still love you. You know why?

In essence, you're trying to please Allah. In essence, I'm trying to please Allah. In essence, I'm trying to follow the sooner Muhammad Sallallahu sallam. And the same applies with you.

So this is why when we have differences amongst us, we should learn a lesson just from the Hajj, there are so many other lessons we can learn, but from the Hajj, that we are all together. And we are different people with our differences. Nobody's compromising what they actually firmly believe, but they are respecting the other because the objective of fulfilling the hug in the specific timeframe is what everyone has in common.

I need to get it done. If you see an old man struggling, you're not gonna look at him and say, What's your name? No, you I can leave you struggling to walk away? No, it's such a silly question. Such a silly question.

I wish upon law, my shirt is Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. I'm following Allah. I'm here on Hajj, the pillar of Islam. Salah if someone says please give me a space to fulfill Salah. When you give that person a space to fulfill Salah you are getting a full reward of a Salah that is fulfilled because you facilitated it.

When someone asks for a lift to go to the masjid, if you give them that lift, you get a full reward for whatever goodness they did in the masjid because you facilitated it.

When you help someone Why does not love you so much.

Because if Allah wanted, that person would not need that help from you or from anyone else. But Allah just gave you a chance he showed you someone looking just like you. They have hands, they have eyes, they have a nose, they have a mouth they have so much just like you they have parents they may or may not have children or spouses or siblings but you are just like them in creation. Do you care for them?

Once you prove you care for them, you arrive on a new level, in your relationship with Allah. That's why when you save one life, the Quran tells you, it is equivalent to you having saved entire humanity, you pass the test. What was the test you passed? Your heart was clean enough to save a soul. And that verse where Allah says woman, ah ha ha

ha me. Whoever saves it. It is what a soul. Allah didn't say a Muslim. Allah didn't say a person from your tribe. Allah didn't say a person who thinks like you, Allah says, a soul.

You save a life. It is equivalent, in reward, and in meaning to having saved entire humanity because number one reward I know I will get from Allah. But I've started the trend, that if this happens,

I must save the person. If this happens, we must all try to save the person Subhana Allah.

How much do we have in common? When people speak of unity? Sometimes that word is such it's been used so much and explained in so many different ways that people get irritated. They don't want to hear that anymore.

Unity, unity. You know why? Because we've confused as I've said earlier in other lectures, we've confused unity with uniformity.

We think you were the same way united, I am telling you, when we are different, we are united. As long as we respect each other. We united Subhanallah unity doesn't mean you need to be the same. Like I said, we are going for hearts, but we are all different. We are we have a purpose. We're all different. Who wants gentlemen, everyone will put up their hands. But

to get to gender, there are a million ways. The deeds I do may be different from the deeds you do. Yes, the pillars will overlap, but everything else, perhaps it won't. But you will go to Geneva and so will I, by the mercy of Allah. You work towards it. Don't think for a moment that Jana is yours and yours alone. Jana belongs to all of us because it belongs to him who made us he will give it to us through His mercy.

When your heart is good enough to be able to look at someone you dislike, and you say Oh Allah guide them so that they can have Jelena as well. You've now arrived at another level. But when you start despising them, belittling them, abusing them, swearing them, insulting them, that is the root of disunity.

When you have a difference, you will still remain respectful because you

are a Muslim.

You need to respect yourself to begin with, and then everybody else, the problem with us, we use language

that proves that we don't respect ourselves, young people, old people, as well.

So panela

we hear new swear words, new swear words, we don't even know they were swear words. We might even say thank you, because we don't know what they say.

But it makes us cheap. If I were to utter a vulgar word, it wouldn't even suit my face.

If you were to utter a vulgar word, go and stand in front of the mirror at home and say this stuff. But I mean, say the same word again, in front of the mirror. Like you tell me to yourself, look at your face. And look at how you're saying it.

If you have a droplet of Eman within you, you will tell yourself this doesn't suit me. Because the Hadith says a more mean is not vulgar,

not abusive. Don't say hurtful words. Many of us we make those we are living with suffer. Just because we think we have a bit of authority. That's it.

Allah is watching you will never get away. Never. He's going to take it from you. You will see that all

of your actions, your bad actions, it's going to come give it a bit of time. You better repent before that day comes.

So we have the beautiful hatch.

I know you may have heard and you probably will still hear more lectures about Hajj because it's the season. But I pray that those who go for Hajj, really and truly come back with 100 mabou.

What is

it is a Hajj that was accepted by Allah to the degree that the person returns as pure as the day they were born.

So how would I know if my hedge was abroad or not? The answer is yes. It's quite simple actually to pick it up. quite simple. How? Number one is

that had which was fulfilled in a way that your life changed when you returned is a Haji mob rule.

Even if two three aspects of your life have changed, but something changed big time ever since this man got back from Hodges not missing Salah in the first song or he's always at the masjid. It was never like that before inshallah hajimeru

ever since this man got back with his woman got back no more vulgar words hajima boo, ever since this uncle got back. No more smoking.

Mashallah, may Allah make it easy, Allah make it easy. And the reason why I mentioned it is it is a bad habit. You know, here in this part of the world, when you talk about smoking, everyone looks at you. They look at you checking the pockets of my cigarettes.

But it is a bad habit. I feel honored to be able to speak about if it's a bad habit.

So if you can quit any bad habit and you have quit it and you notice it and you feel it and you've come back from lunch and something has changed, good news to you. But if you came back and you straight back into the gambling

back into the pornography back into the clubs and the pubs back into the adultery, then what hash mob rule was that your father might be done, but I promise you Something is wrong.

You may not have to go back but maybe you might think about it to go for another voluntary one. If sock allows you by the way.

mela make it easy. I know of countries where they have to wait 20 years before they are accredited. So we are still not there. Some of us I think the maximum is about five, six years, which is a lot, which is a lot. But it's getting there. Because more and more people can afford the trip. You go and apply for hygiene Indonesia and other countries you might have to wait for 3040 years in some cases.

We are lucky.

But I want to end the same way I started. What lessons did we learn from the Hajj? What lessons did we learn from coming together today in this Masjid? Look at the colors every race is here.

ethnicities. I think almost every ethnicity is here. We are here in Cape Town. SubhanAllah. It's holiday season most parts of the world. A lot of people are here from all over the globe.

We feel the love the Brotherhood.

Reveal the goodness if you don't clean your heart, clean your heart

rate of hatred. No you don't hate the person, you might hate the deed. You love everyone. We will keep promoting that the person who may be a stray totally far from the deal within our hearts, we may dislike what they're doing, but we have a good hope and we would always reach out to them in the most loving way. Subhan Allah

Subhana Allah and the minimum, don't abuse people. That's why for the Hajj to be rewarded. The Hadith says whoever goes for the Hajj and doesn't commit immorality is not abusive, and doesn't

use his tongue in a negative way. That is the person who would actually have the harsh mob rule. Because the importance of it is such that

your whole life should rotate around good words, abstaining from bad words. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us May Allah make it easy for those who are going and those who have gone and even those who are remaining May Allah make it easy for all of us. May Allah grant us goodness, may we be vehicles of spreading love and kindness. And may we understand the true meaning of unity and that it is connected more to learning the respect of a difference rather than being exactly the same in everything abou Cali hada masala Salama Baraka Nana