Thursday 13 June at 7:30pm at IICO Auditorium, Lecture 1 of 3 in Kuwait.
Mufti Menk – How many candles have you lit?
AI: Summary ©
The importance of finding one's own path and showing love for the community is emphasized, as well as the need for guidance and support for students to light candles properly. The speaker also emphasizes the need for personal guidance and guidance for students to act on their suffering. The importance of not blending words and intentions into one's actions is also emphasized. The speaker also discusses the need for dedication and faith in helping others achieve their goals and avoiding suffering.
AI: Summary ©
Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa sallahu wa salam wa barik ala Muhammad Ali Al Ameen. Nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa tabin woman who can be a son and Elijah Medina.
Brothers and sisters we always commenced by praising Allah subhanho wa Taala sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam The one who came to teach us all the goodness he was chosen by Allah subhanho wa Taala indeed blessings and salutations be upon him. May Allah bless his entire household those who supported him stood by him went through thick and thin together with him, as well as all his companions, may Allah bless them all, and may we all be blessed.
Brothers and sisters this evening we are speaking about candles.
In order to like someone else's candle, you need a candle to start with and thereafter you need that candle to be lit. As you know. If you would like to light the candle of someone else, you need a candle that is lit as well for it to show up at the famous Arabic saying the person who does not have something cannot give it so if you do not have something, how are you going to
project it or give it to someone else.
Every single one of us has been gifted by Allah subhanho wa Taala in one way or another. No matter who you are, what your financial standing is, what your standing of education is, what your spiritual standing is, no matter what your size is, what your age is, you have a gift from Allah subhanho wa Taala. The gifts we have ranged from the very beginning that of a man, a person who believes in Allah subhanho wa Taala alone, who can protect himself or herself from polytheism, who follows the Sunnah of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam,
who protects himself from innovation, who protects himself or herself from any form of
deed that would anger the Almighty. That is, indeed the biggest gift that we could have, that is a man
if we believe we have a gift that others do not have.
Secondly, the gifts that we are given uniquely differ from person to person. Some people are much more intelligent than others. Some people are school teachers, some are professionals, doctors, lawyers, accountants, perhaps some might be working with a job that might be slightly less well paid, perhaps that of a driver or a plumber, and so on. Beautiful that may be your gift. How is it that you used what you have in terms of your gift to touch the hearts of others? Sometimes I get a question being asked by people who have perhaps spiraled up the secular world and they tell you I want to give up my field and I want to go into data. And you ask them, have you learned the deen
whatever you know, you will definitely convey but have you specialized in it, they say no. In that case, my brother or my sister Have you considered remaining in your field, but positioning yourself such that that very field of yours your interaction with everyone on a daily basis, lights their candle, it makes their day they are so happy to see you so happy to deal with you. They feel they've achieved something from you. If that is the case, you're a good Muslim, because we need definitely to acknowledge that there is a necessity of all different fields. Take a look at Harley Davidson.
And I've given this example so many times he was the master warrior.
And he says very clearly that my engagement in the battlefield has prohibited me from going deeper into the knowledge of the boron.
And he says this quite clearly which means there are people who have specialized in different fields and every single field is a field that we have to acknowledge. It is something we need is part and parcel of the oma no point of a nurse or a doctor saying you know what I am not of any use to the oma no way we need you you are one of us. You make up part and parcel of what is known as the oma. We are dependent on one another after being obviously totally dependent on Allah subhanho wa Taala He has created us in a way that to fulfill our daily lives we need to mix with one another. We really need to interact I need for my bread, the baker and I need for my health the doctor and I
need for perhaps refuse collection, someone who might do that and so on without one of them. Or for me to think that any one of them is low, so low that I don't need him in my equation. I have no
understood my whole purpose of existence. So, each one of us is valuable do not for a moment think that you are created without purpose. You know I might be seated here or I might be standing here this evening talking to sisters who might be housewives you know, we like to call them Minister of Interior Mashallah.
So, they might be thinking, well you know, what, what field do I have? The reality is if you are dedicated in that field of yours, look after the home, perhaps look after the children, whatever the you have been chosen for and you do it properly, you will be able to contribute holistically to the aroma of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam you will be able to bring up children who will really help and assist society and they will be brought forth in a way that tomorrow everyone in the community will be proud of the way you brought them up by the will of Allah and the reward you achieve from Allah subhanho wa Taala is something amazing. Everyone speaks often Buhari, the great
Imam May Allah mercy be upon him Rahmatullah la
but those who want to ponder and think, think of his mother, what type of a mother must have had?
His candle was lit by whom? Have you ever asked yourself the question? Ultimately, it's a love of lights, because we know that we can touch people's lives but whether or not they they decide to allow that candle to be lit properly, is in the hands of Allah. Look at what Allah subhana wa Taala says, regarding Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
In one verse, he says, was in Nicoletta de la se la
Stuckey. Indeed, you guide to the straight path. That's in one verse, Allah says, you guide to the straight path. And in another verse, he says, In
demon,
me.
You do not guide whomsoever you wish, but it is Allah who guides whomsoever He wishes. So, a person who's not studied deeply might look at the Quran and think that there is a contradiction here. One hand Allah says you guide to the straight path. The other hand, Allah says, you do not guide whomsoever you wish, but we guide the honest truth there is no contradiction. We are speaking of two different departments of guidance, one department of guidance is to show the path and the other department of guidance is to be able to tread the path. So to show the path is my duty and yours we are giving people the opportunity to have their candles lit by showing them here is the candle put
out yours and take some from mine and inshallah you will be able to walk with a lip candle. Whether or not they actually choose to do that is a different type of guidance altogether. They may see your candle, they may come close range, they may be blowing it there's while trying to like they're while trying to light it at the same time. It's not going to help. So Allah says, like, as is mentioned about the uncle of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam commonly known as about polyp.
On his deathbed when Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was grieving that this man protected Islam in a great way. But look at him, he doesn't want to utter the Shahada. He doesn't want to utter the statement of faith, the declaration of faith. And when he was grieved Allah subhanho wa Taala revealed those verses I read a few moments ago saying you do not guide whomsoever you wish. But it is Allah subhanho wa Taala, who guides whomsoever He wishes. So as I said, to different departments of guidance, getting back to our lives, my life and yours. From the moment I was born, someone has been lighting my candle all along as the years pass. And this candle, we could say it's one huge
flame that grows, from time to time it grows, the flame grows. And we could say that it is made up of several candles, perhaps different departments. So look at it as you want in my life. One of the first people who lit my own candle, obviously, we know Allah subhanho wa Taala is in the equation primarily. We're talking now of human beings, my own parents, and what does that teach me? And it teaches all of us. We all have a duty to our children, have you lit the candle of your child? How do you light the candle of your child?
By being an example by spending time with them by answering their questions by making sure you are there for them so that when they want to ask questions, they ask it to you, when they have a problem for its solution, they will come to you
but if you're not
For them, how are you going to contribute to a society that is going to be healthy, you won't be able to do that. So to start with every successful person, from a very early age, they are people who like their candles. In some instances, you might have school teachers. And from amongst us, I'm sure, perhaps from the sisters, we might have a few more since they are more patient than the brothers, school teachers and hamdulillah. You are there to light the candles of those you interact with completely. I have taught young boys and girls for two years, I'm talking of primary level.
When I first graduated, I was thrown in to teach elephant bar to little children. And believe me, I found something very interesting. Those who are weak, those who are not extremely intelligent, by spending a little bit more time with them, and making them feel like they are actually achieving something and they are wanted and they are not fixed, so to speak, while you've actually lit their candle, they begin to see where the light that was not there before you treated them, the way you treated them. So this is why it's important for us to realize even as a school teacher, when you interact with children, don't just favor those who are intelligent, you need to take the time to
light the candles of those who may achieve much more in the future. Yet, at primary school level, they did not achieve that much. Today, if you look at those who have achieved in society, not all of them were those who are sharp and intelligent at school. Look at us here. What was every single one of us first in class, second class top five, I don't think so. But Mashallah we've achieved who moved us somehow something motivated us, something moved us. So we need to think of how we can continue in such a way that when I leave this world, there are generations of people who will have benefited from the system that we have lived by May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us.
The goodness is not just for me, as a Muslim, I am taught law you may know how to come hotter, you hit barely a female you hit Boolean fct, none of you are true believers, until and unless you love for your fellow Brethren, that which you love for yourself.
Subhan Allah,
you know, common logical translate that it doesn't mean you need to take things out and start giving them to people here and there. That might be another level on its own. We may never get to that brothers and sisters, but the prime level is have a concern, what have you achieved? How can you make others achieve something similar, you need to clean your heart for that, you know, a leader is gauged not just by his leadership, but by how many others he has prepared to take over that leadership of his because he thinks that if I prepare others, they're going to steal my seat. He's not a leader. He's not a leader. He's not confident about his leadership. Tomorrow when he dies, or
when the generation lapses, who's going to take over? We need to prepare people. And this is why what ever goodness you have, whether it is your skills to be a mother your skills to be a teacher, your skill as a whatever, as a parent, a father, a business person, perhaps a knowledgeable person, whatever you have, every day, ask yourself, what did I do to impart the goodness that I have to others?
And if you notice, I'm not just concentrating on the dean aspect of it or the Islamic aspect of it, that is of prime importance. Yes. But remember one thing when you want to give people the holistic life, they will appreciate it a lot, they will realize that you are not just concentrating on one aspect of their existence, but on all the aspects of their existence. Sometimes we want people to come for Salah we want people to read the Quran, we want people to engage in perhaps, you know, different types of lessons, but we've done nothing to ensure that their pockets are filled as well.
Something important, you know what that means? That means the poor man has to go to work. He has to do this he's busy trying to make ends meet and you sit in fact Mashallah, meaning, you know, you've got a nice healthy packet, and you want him to come and do everything But hang on. Have you ever given him a deal? Have you ever helped him in a different way? Have you looked at how he needs help? Where is his candle extinguished? Perhaps if you help him in that direction, without you calling him you will find him in the masjid. Why? Because you've made life easy for him. How many of us do not want to read Salah? Not even one but how many of us have missed a Salah or two? Perhaps a few May
Allah forgive us.
Who wants to miss a salad? No. But who miss ends up missing it? A lot of people because we're busy doing something What are we busy doing fulfilling other issues? My brothers and sisters the prime is
Is Salah, the prime issue is your duty to Allah, if you fulfill your duty to Allah subhanho wa Taala automatically, you will find a lot of ease being created as time passes, maybe not immediately, but it will come by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So if I would like people to achieve something that I want them to achieve, let me look at their lives and see what is it they want to achieve? Can I help them in any way? If the answer is yes, they will definitely come forth closer to what you would like to achieve as well. I hope you following what I'm saying.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. This is why Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam from the very beginning and whatever we say we try to draw it from the life and lessons of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam and the lessons of the Quran. Sometimes they are direct lessons, and sometimes they are lessons that are indirect. If you look at Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam What did he do? There was a stage when the people of Makkah shifted all the way to Medina because they were struggling. When they struggled, did he just say okay, every one of you can keep on struggling and that's it. You know, you have to make your own ends meet and you know, the people of
Medina will make their ends meet. No, he
made sure that something occurred that was so historic that to this day, if people were to implement it correctly, perhaps our crises on the globe of refugees
would be something unheard of, what did he do?
And the reason I'm saying this is we need to ask ourselves a question whilst I'm talking. Can you do this? That's the question you need to ask yourself. We are not saying you're going to have to do it. But just to know how far you are. Ask yourself, can I do this?
They each one of the people of Madina munawwara were made to light the candles of the people of Makkah in one way. And the people of Mecca were made to light the candles of the people of Medina in another way.
So there was something known as El Maha, the fostering of brotherhood, between the two parties, what happened? The people of Mecca, were told that each one of you will be put into a household of one of the people of Madina, munawwara chosen and perhaps even drawn by lots, so it was not your choice who's going to be with you all the time. But it was drawn by a lot. It was your luck, someone whom you did not really know Subhanallah someone whom, just the fact that they will not mean and they shared that Shahada, they were welcoming to your home, they had to share things 5050
they had to share things 5050 think about it. And the reason why I'm saying this and repeating it is because I always tell myself Yala, I'm still weak. I'm weak. I'm very weak. Imagine someone comes up to you and says right one family, your family put up one family. You don't know them. I'm starting to think when they stay in the lounge. Will they stay? Am I gonna cut off my room? Am I gonna push it half? I already start thinking things. And voila, it's a reality. It is shows the low level of our Eman, that's what it shows. It shows janela that we are not on that level of the Sahaba of Allah and home. But on what level? Are we okay we cannot share. We cannot put up 5050 so what percentage
Are you ready to put up with?
Some of us we might say you know what, even the little zakka that I'm supposed to give. I find it difficult You know, sometimes May Allah forgive us. May Allah make us from amongst those who can give. And remember sharing is not only about wealth and money, your time can be shared.
Believe me today one of the most irritating habits is when you're speaking to someone and it happens to nearly all of us including myself. I'm also guilty of what I'm about to say. I'm speaking of reality, when we are speaking to someone and they are busy on their phones.
They are busy tapping buttons, they are busy with their phones they are busy doing something and they are just you are by the way but I'm right there in front of you. I am standing in front of you. You are not ready to talk to me but you are talking to everyone else. Share your time with me for once put that phone down for 10 minutes.
Put the phone away with your families. A lot of us sometimes we have issues at home only because we have not spent quality time with our family members. So we are not only lighting or not lighting the candles of others, but there are lit candles we are blowing them off.
There is a difference between the two there are three categories. People who have a candle that is lit. People who have a candle that is not lit, and people who have a candle that is lit but being blown off by others. So I need to ask myself am I
blowing off someone else's candle. How? Because at home, I'm not a faithful man.
So you're blowing off the candle of your spouse and your children because you create a disaster in your house from nothing. Suddenly, your wife doesn't want you, your children don't want you you've lost them all and you out. Your children have suffered as a result of what you're fooling around Allah protect us. We don't need to do that. In today's age of technology, homes are breaking.
And people's candles are being blown apart solely because we are not responsible, and you will get nowhere. by blowing someone else's candle off, you get no way not at all. Rather light up the candles, take your time, stand up to responsibility. Be a person who is responsible, who can understand
and be happy with what Allah has provided you that is when you will be able to really move forth. And you will be able to lead a happy life full of contentment 20 years from today, you can look back and smile at your own children and say Mashallah I have achieved yet there was a time when the wind was blowing on my own candle. You know, when the wind blows on a candle? What do you do, you have to protect it, you have to protect the flame by putting your hand around it, my candle you're walking with it, and you're holding the flame. Why? Because you don't want any form of adversity. The same applies in our lives, you have goodness, make sure you look after it shape on his Harris shape on
once and he tries and he's waiting in ambush. And he does not want us to achieve. So what he does, any time we have got some goodness, he wants to come and take it away. So he comes in distract us in the form of perhaps something that is to be done that is wrong. You know, distractions are in a lot of different ways today with technology. And a lot of this distraction is found on the mobile phone and the internet. May Allah protect us and make us from those who can use it correctly. This is why people say, you know, the internet can destroy you. And I always say it can also build you It depends how you use it. It's like a knife. You can use it to eat your food and so on. And you can
also use it to cut something or someone that is wrong. May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. So we need to ask ourselves the questions again. From a very early age, we've been moved. Let's move others also at their early age. And if we haven't been moved at an early age in our candles were lit later on. It does not mean that we should not light the candles of the little children. Do you know that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to spend an extra moment with children? Do you know that? He used to spend the time Why? when they were children, he did not use to just admonish them without purpose. Look at the ones when he was praying and his grandson was on his back. It delayed
him from getting up from sujood and frustration to the degree that some people thought what has happened. And then they notice this is the grandson of Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam on his back in Salah. Imagine playing games. I want to ask you a question. We are not inviting the Imams of the Maasai to do the same but if the Imam of your Masjid was in Salah was in sujood, a little bit long because his child was on his back, what would you do? That's a question. What would you do? Now Allah Subhana Allah to Allah protect us really. It reminds me of a story in India, where there was an Imam who something of this nature happened to him and they really harassed him. Apparently this
is supposed to be a true story. You know, some people want to know, is it true? Is it not true? It's not just an example. It's a true story. They say this Imam he was so upset that he told them you know what, you people are hassling me so much harassing me one day I'll leave you Institute and I will disappear.
And so they thought it was a joke. This foolish Imam actually did it when he went in such that and he prolong the first one. So when he prolong the first one, and he came up from it, after a long time, people thought okay, this man has got a long said that today. He went in for the next one, when he noticed everyone is down, he went out of the trap door in the front of the maharam and he was born.
So be careful. If we treat our imams in such a way and I know we are speaking to many nationalities here this evening. But wherever you are from and no matter who you mix with the Imam, you need to treat him thoroughly and properly. He lights a lot of candles you need to know this. And it's not easy. Don't blow his because by blowing his candle, remember one thing it will affect a lot of other candles at the same time you have a problem and issue talk to him in private with respect because you need to know there are people who look up to him with respect as well. So this is why I was saying no matter what our nationality is, when we go back home or wherever we are the Imam of the
masjid. He really needs that extra point of respect from us without it we may be guilty of not doing enough to help others light the candles of others and this brings me to another level. Islam is so beautiful
Sometimes my candle, I might not be able to light so many with it because of perhaps where I am sitting and what's happening and so on. By Me supporting others who are lighting the candles have tons of people, I am getting a full reward of all of that, that is Islam. And this is why we are taught at da Lu alpha v caffarelli. A person who points towards goodness, a person who instructs towards goodness, a person who encourages others to do good is similar in reward to those who have done it or to the duel. And we also learn it when it comes to spirituality from a hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, which is very common Munson assume Nathan has an Eton fella
who was Roman Amina, Bihar, Elijah milk Tamati, a powerful narration showing these candles that are lit, whoever sets a good example. That means they've lived and they've lit a candle for the people to follow, isn't it? Whoever sets a good example, will achieve the full reward of anyone who follows that example. And subsequently, anyone who follows the example of those whom you have laid an example for up to the Day of Judgment without a decrease in anybody's reward. So it means you lit a candle, that candle was lit by that candle lit another 200 candles, you have a reward of 201 candles. SubhanAllah. Amazing. And this is why we say if you support a good cause, whether it is any
of these organizations we have here, and I know in this beautiful country, there are so many organizations that are operating, if you support them in any way, like I said at the beginning, do not underestimate you might not be financially so well off, but you might be able to support them morally. You might be able to light someone's candle through a door. Is that impossible? It's not impossible. But the problem with us we don't sit and think for a moment. People are suffering across the globe today. And we start thinking well, you know, the number is increasing so many people, what are we going to do about it? Leave it in the hands of Allah? No, Allah, it is always in his hands.
Yes, definitely. But that attitude we have is becoming wrong. If I if I have helped financially, to my extent, to whatever I could, in whatever way I could, I now need to start thinking of different ways of assisting, raise my hands, that is not a financial way, but it might be more valuable than finance.
And let me do so sincerely and cry tears in order to light the candles of others. This is something amazing. Today we are weeping voila, what we witness across the globe, and what is happening, one wonders what to make out of everything. When one does where it is going to end. What are we going to hear about next. That is what is happening on the blog today. But if we were really concerned about how to light the candles, how to benefit people how to pass on the goodness, we have, we would be able to come up with a lot of ideas in our own bracket in our own way, in our own system and style. And this is what will touch the lives of those around us making life very, very meaningful.
So if you notice from what I'm saying this evening,
we're concentrating more on people you interact with on a daily basis, starting with your family members, starting with those whom you work with those whom you pass on the streets and the roads and the marketplaces and everywhere else. Whether you are at an airport or any other busstation or you're traveling on a journey by road or by air, whatever it is. Remember, it's your duty to ask yourself, how have I benefited those who are seated around me right now? Right now? How have I benefited them? the bare minimum? Yeah, Allah bless us all. Grant us blessings Yala. Each one of us has different issues, you know, life is not. Life is not just a smooth platter. No, it will have to
have its bumps and ups and downs. That's the will of Allah, that is Allah plan for us. He has kept the road bumpy so that we do not forget him and so that we look forward to a day when we get into paradise when the bumps shall all be gone.
But I have different types of problems.
Each one of us here have different types of issues, some less and some more. Some are more manageable than others, some have health problems, some have wealth problems, some have social problems, some have various other issues that they are going through. May Allah protect us. So this is why when you pray for every single person, that he or Allah, whatever suffering they may be going through alleviated. We are taught by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that the angels are saying, Oh Allah alleviate the suffering of the same person who's making that dog.
Imagine so whose do is more valuable?
Do I have the angels so this is why what is known as a doula for you to to ask Allah to supplicate to him for someone else, without them knowing that you are supplicating for them, sometimes without you really knowing them on a personal level, you just know people are suffering today, for example, in this place or that place, you Allah help them. And that's not just lip service, we feel it sincerely in our hearts, we want to light their candles in one way or another. If you can, yes, the feeling that you will receive.
The feeling that Allah gives you when you have led other people's candles is unmatched. Something that you need to go through in order to appreciate I tell you, when you have given a blanket to a person in Africa, for example, on a cold winter's night, I am coming from Zimbabwe last night was three degrees Celsius. And I flew straight into 43 degrees Celsius.
You can imagine,
and believe me, people who are homeless, people who don't have blankets, people who are struggling and suffering, for you to be able to take it on your own, I'm just showing you what it feels like in your heart. One is to be able to just assist by giving. But when you do it on your own, you have taken a blanket and there's a shivering person who can barely stand and they're shaking, and they've hardly eaten. And you you give them a blanket and they look at you in your eyes, those innocent twinkling eyes. And they give you that smile or those teeth of theirs that have not even been brushed, because Colgate is something they haven't heard of. To be honest with you. When you look at
that your heart melts, number one. Number two the sparkle on their face, you've only given them a blanket, nothing else. You haven't even solved the breakfast problem for tomorrow morning. Only a blanket.
And you see the smile, you know the candle has been lit. Yeah, so Mahanama. The candle has been lit. That feeling of inner joy that you get when you truly light the candles of others is something that needs to be felt on your own. I cannot describe it.
Imagine and I want to take this to the highest level. Imagine what would be the feeling when you have been used to guide someone to the light of a man, which is the most important and most valuable gift you can ever, ever give someone far more valuable than a blanket.
Imagine. So this is why today on the globe, what is happening. People look at Muslims, and they think these people are bad eggs today, someone forwarded me a beautiful article written by Bill Cosby. Have you heard that name before? Yes, most of the older people have heard the name. Younger people they probably know Tom and maybe a little bit of Jenny.
Allah protect us. So Bill Cosby,
I was surprised to read an article today that he had written speaking so good about Muslims to say that, really, we need to take a page from the Koran. This is what the man is saying. He says I watched the American Muslims and how they are so strict with their children. And that's the solution because they don't drink and they don't have these bad habits. And they are so disciplined and so and so and so Subhan Allah so someone somewhere somehow knows that Islam is not just this religion, that people have somehow tainted the image of claiming that it portrays or It teaches that which is evil, no ways. It is the most peaceful blessing religion. But it's up to us not only as seated here
today, but we start with us. You make it your business to improve the image to make it correct. I make it my business by doing what? Get rid of the arrogance. Get rid of it now. Get rid of your attitude. If you have a bad attitude, throw it out. You will never light a candle with attitude and arrogance not ever. Even if you were to give someone Well, they would throw it back at your face because of that attitude. Because of the arrogance. We need to drop it. My brothers and sisters really don't think that because you have a master's degree and a PhD. So that is why you have a chip on the shoulder. You don't need to speak to those who are perhaps cleaning the street and so on. No,
there are people who are far higher, whose aim is Do you know what I might be a big boss, but if I were just to greet this person every day, it might strike them that you know what Islam is a beautiful religion. I've done my duty, love Akbar. What was my duty, honesty, hardworking, dedication. These are duties. These are items if they are lacking you blow people's candles away starting with your own your own candle is blown. Because how will you be able to light someone else's candle when you are not punctual? You are not upright, you are not honest. You are a person who really couldn't be bothered about how he or she speaks.
In terms of the language that we use, we have been granted a brain and in our brains, we need to select the proper language Subhanallah if you are choosing the correct language to speak to one another, you make life so beautiful.
To start off at home, we use the wrong language. It's a crisis, we get into the house and instead of uttering beautiful words, that's the place where we swear our children are being shown our parents are being sworn brothers and sisters being sworn West and all that your own spouse is being sworn. So what happens? It encourages evil.
We have no candle to start with. So this is why I say this evening, brothers and sisters, we take it for granted. Sometimes we don't know where to start. But it's so easy start with your close circle. And this is why Allah subhanho wa Taala says it in the Quran.
levina Emmylou.
fusa Kumara Li Na O you who believe, save yourselves and your family members from the torment of Hellfire from the fire?
Why does he start with yourselves and your family members, because those are the closest circle to you your responsibility your duty. Imagine if we are not even guiding our own children because we are not the guiding light. Whatever we achieve, the world can think you're a top shot. But if your own family members really feel that this man is a huge hypocrite. They are right.
Why do we say they are right? They know you inside out upside down. That's why
Allah protect us I see the silence.
May Allah protect us. It's about time we made our homes beautiful places because that is when you will be able to help others. When a man's home or a woman's home is in order. She can go out or he can go out and help the other sisters or brothers depending on her own or his own situation who they interact with. But when your own situation is a mess, you sit in people Assalamualaikum if you will, that's that's the minimum problem that would happen. People have greeted us on Santa Monica. And you woke up, relax. Look at me say What's up with this guy here? How come he greeted me so badly? You know, what is it? We need to make a difference? My brothers and sisters, you light up candles with
your character? Will your conduct sharing the knowledge you have sharing the goodness you have making people inquisitive? That is a way of lighting their candles? How do you make them inquisitive? By being kind and good, honest and upright such that they ask what is the driving force? What is the driving force behind this person being so kind, I want to give you an example.
There was a footballer in Zimbabwe a true example, who became a Muslim so he came to visit us at the center and he was telling us look, I'd like to accept Islam and so on. And he happened to be the son of one of the ministers at the time. And we started asking him questions, you know, Mashallah, what is it that motivated you? Very interesting question. What is it that motivated you? You know, your your torch has just been turned on? What was it that turned it on your your candle has just been lit? Whose candle lit yours? Do you know what he said? And this is the first time I'm actually saying this out in public. But it's very important for us to know because we are speaking on this
topic. He said I went to Egypt to play football in Egypt, I'm sure you know about Egypt and all li li and Somalia and so on.
To be honest with you, he says I went to Egypt, we were a team. He says we were welcomed by the Egyptian team. That doesn't happen. When we go to play people against people. They make life so difficult, that they don't even want to welcome you they put you up in such a place that you are already demoralized and, and you know, for the next day, they make sure that either the tire of the bus is flat. So you've got to jump out for a while and, you know, experience the heat so that you lose the match. And you demoralize these people came in welcomed us. They put us up at a top hotel. They really looked after us. And the team themselves was so friendly. They greeted us, they spent
time with us. They took us around to see the various sites and what have you. And we came back we had a beautiful match. They trounced us, but at the end of the day, we learned something the hospitality was unmatched. So I started asking myself, the young man says, what was the driving force behind these people being so hospitable to their opponents? Obviously, it's a game, but their opponents, and they were so kind and hospitable.
And so he says, I thought to myself, maybe they are Egyptians. Maybe it's an Egypt thing. Then he says, No, I don't think so. I must be more than that. beyond that. And he says, I was asking myself, maybe they were trying to perhaps your us in a different way. No, it's not that and he says until I came to the answer, that it is the religion that drove them to do that.
It is the religion that drove them to do
He says come time for prayer. They set aside everything in prayer. Amazing. I learned a lesson from this. We look at football or sometimes in some other people and think to ourselves, all these guys are kicking a ball, they have greater access to the hearts of people sometimes than I do. And you do, do you know that
they have great access, you take a look at a top cricketer, a man from my own region, take a look at Hashim amla, I'm sure you would know whom I'm talking about. It's playing quite well today. And yesterday, I think
he has an influence over a lot of the globe. And can I tell you, he's made a huge impact across the globe.
Not just as a cricketer, as a Muslim, you know that.
If you studied his life, and I'm not going to go deep into it is a friend of mine. But I want to tell you, he's created an impact. So if I'm sitting from a member, and I'm ashamed for someone who's a scholar, and I look at and say this man is a waste of time, he's wasting his life. He's actually just playing cricket. And he's doing this and doing that. I don't know what I'm speaking about. I don't know what the globe is all about. I don't know what that hour is all about. And I don't know that no matter what field you're in, you can still touch the hearts of people in your own field, you have greater access to the greater number of totally different people in my field.
Amazing. And so when I was in Johannesburg airport,
perhaps three or four months ago, I met a man with a beautiful beard. And he looked at me and he told me I liked your beard. And I said, I like yours.
So he was wearing a three quarter, you know, bermudas, and so on. So he told me that,
but I'm not a Muslim. I told him you're not a Muslim, or you've got a lovely beard, I would I would have never thought you're not a Muslim. He says I'm an amla supporter.
Now I want to ask you a question. This man loved the beard of a cricket player so much that he actually kept it, he actually kept it. And he says to himself, I'm so proud to be a man who's supporting this guy. Amazing. And I'm thinking, this candle is already semi lit. By what by someone who some of the people think people will never revert to Islam just through watching someone playing cricket, you are mistaken. You are mistaken. Not only are you mistaken, but you don't have any form of experience. May Allah protect us, grant us goodness. So do not underestimate the work of others what we do today, and now I'm going to press a red button because we have a problem, what is the
problem? We think for my candle to glow, I need to blow out the other candidates. That's what we think. So for example, this organization is doing good work, that one is doing good work, this shape is doing good work, that man is doing good work, this person is doing good work. But I want to do good work. Because it's very hard to do good work, I think that I will become popular. When I say these guys are corrupt, those guys are bad. These guys are doing nothing. All these statements are trying to blow out someone else's candle. We spread rumors about others, and we try to undermine the good work they're doing just so that we think ours is going to glow. In reality, the chaos that is
created as a result is so detrimental and dangerous that we hold the wisdom, the wisdom meaning the sin and the burden of the extinguishing of the candles of so many people I have come across messes in so many countries, young boys and girls who will tell you we are totally confused because that we try to listen to goodness, but the chef is attacking that one and that one is attacking this one. And this one is where are people who are united Where are people who are complementing one another so that we can light the candles of as many people as possible without extinguishing even one. Allah protect us. And I'm not only talking here about religion, even in your workplace, even in your home
and so on. In your home, I can give you a typical example. typical example. You might not like it but here it is.
You have a happily married couple, they working very nicely together. They have a few children, Mashallah. And here comes someone else. The man says, You know what, there's a more attractive woman somewhere on the internet, and he's busy with her.
So what happens, Brother, you blowing wind straight into this beautiful candle of yours? You know what's gonna happen very soon, it's going to blow out. Have you ever blown out a candle? Do you see what happens after that? There is a smoke that comes out. Have you seen that? There is a smoke that comes out. May Allah protect us from that. Really for a little while. You might find that a little red lining on that small wick that you have there. And after that, even that's gone. Because it's extinguished completely. Everybody is in darkness. Everybody is in darkness, why irresponsibility. You try to blow out the candle of someone else. And at the same time if you are busy in
interfering with someone else you're blowing out their candle, and the candle perhaps of their entire families. So remember something, be responsible, be happy, be a person who is focused, it's not good enough for us to look at the candles of others and become jealous. No, in Islam we are taught, you may ask Allah Allah, Allah grant and goodness and grant me also a similar candle. That's a good way of looking at things la hacer the elaphiti entertain. The Hadith speaks of a certain type of
jealousy, you know, the English language is not qualified to translate the Arabic sorry to say that English language does not qualify to translate all the words of the Arabic language. So sometimes we use the word of jealousy, but it doesn't translate as jealousy because jealousy only has a negative meaning, whereas in the Arabic language, it could be meaning ribbon, which could include wanting it for them, but also wanting it for yourself which has no word in the English language to describe, because it is a level of Islamic spirituality that you need to enter the faith in order to experience Subhana Allah. So this is why there are two types or two times when you could wish for
yourself what someone else has conditioned that you all you wish not for them to have whatever they have taken away, but for that to also be increased two things, one is wealth, and one is wisdom or knowledge.
So now you use some handle, you are happy, you are delighted and you see people doing things and you want to be in that position Mashallah. So you pray, Allah grant me that as well. And the same would apply in a few other things as well. If you see goodness, you ask Allah Allah grant me as well. The goodness that these people have May Allah Subhana Allah bless us with goodness. So brothers and sisters, are we ready?
to light the candles of our family members to start with? Are we ready? insha Allah?
And then are we ready to light the candles of those whom we interact with at work? Are we ready inshallah, those whom we interact with wherever we are in this country, are we ready inshallah. and thereafter, whoever we mix with and interact with so much so that we will go out of our way to spread the candle, or to spread the light of the candle, even to those who might not have directly interacted with us. Because sometimes we need to net out people in order to reach out to them. Take a look at what's going on today, I can name you countries of people that are suffering in different ways.
We can name Syria and Palestine, Afghanistan and Iraq, we can name for example, the north of Africa, we can name for example, Burma, and Bangladesh, perhaps various other countries, we can name Somalia, and even parts of Sudan, we can name countries and we can go on and on and on. People are there what's happening to them, they have their own situation, we ask Allah to alleviate the suffering, really, we ask Allah to protect them, and to grant them goodness, whatever their problems are, whatever their difficulties are, we may not be able to get involved on a higher level because of who we are. The minimum helped them at least with $1, with a dinner with a little bit, at least
with at least by reaching out to them in one way or another. And we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to protect us from such a condition. You know, I come from a country where there was a stage where people were saying, Are you mad? Why are you staying in this country?
I remember one of the days I met someone, a very, very high level official in one of the Gulf countries. And he told me anytime you'd like, you know, you're welcome to come and shift here, you and your family. And this is from a top level. And I looked at him and I just said, Hey, you know, thank you for the the feeling but I would not leave not even for a goldmine because if you're running away from suffering, you're running away from a test of Allah subhanho wa Taala. It may or may not be permissible, that's another issue. But one day you will have a different type of a test. Imagine if you don't want to write your own level examination today, you're going to have to write
it tomorrow somewhere else, perhaps you're going to have to get a degree maybe when you're old and perhaps it's going to have to come somewhere. So for me and you to think that we are not going to go through suffering or we can run away from it. Ultimately, Allah says, you will be overtaken by the taking away of your life. You know, what's the taking away of your life? It's a sweet way of saying death, love.
If I say brothers and sisters, death will overtake you, you look at me and you say,
but if I say brothers and sisters, Allah subhanho wa Taala may overtake your life with an eternal life. We've waited it a little bit more gently Subhana Allah Subhana Allah, Allah says, I in Amata coup de coeur
de veau Jin Zhang yada, no matter where you are, death may overtake you, even if you are on the long towers or, you know the long, the toll towers and so on.
That will overtake you and me. We need to ask ourselves the little tests
We have which is not longer than 6070 years,
the test of benefiting and benefiting others you benefit yourself and you benefit others have we passed it? How many people have I benefited? And I want to end up with this crucial question. The question is,
how many people have I benefited? Yes, that is one.
How many people today are suffering because of me? That is the question.
How many people are unhappy because of me? How many people when they see me or hear about me they are praying for my demise and my death?
How many people are irritated with my presence? My brothers and sisters? It could be your brothers, your sisters, your in laws, your spouse, your family members, your anyone else those who work with whoever? If the question of that answer is yes, there are people who are affected negatively by me then we have a lot to improve on really a lot to improve on. We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to help us to teach one another whatever we have, you know, today we have Mashallah
residency perhaps in this beautiful country in the Middle East where the first language is Arabic. Mashallah. Do you speak the Arabic language? That's the question. This evening we're speaking to mainly expats. 99% perhaps here, expense? Do you speak the Arabic language? How many years have you been here for?
If the answer is no, I don't speak it and I've been here for more than four or five years, brother or sister, you can do much better. Allah is going to ask you about this Nima. This gift. He's going to ask you have you learned something about Dean? Have you started practicing your faith? Or have you got engulfed in that which you are not supposed to get involved in? Someone might argue and say No, you know what, at my workplace, everyone speaks English. That's not an excuse. You're not only at work 24 hours of the day, you need to make time without that time that you've made, you're not going to achieve anything you need to make the time you need to create you need to sacrifice you
need to do so collectively, perhaps your family you need to pay someone to come and teach you and you need to be dedicated and serious today because we are not dedicated 10 years have passed and all I know is Kihara. When like 10 years have passed, the only thing I can say is give her and if I'm lucky, she's Barack. That's all.
But rather the 10 years you could have known the meaning of the Quran when someone is eating it. You're enjoying it in Salah. So while your candle is lit, and amazingly you're teaching your own child now and you lighting their candle look at the beauty of this candle. It's just been lit. I'm enjoying it because when the Imam says he cannot be
staring. I appreciate my worship of Allah because I can understand what he's saying.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us May he guide us really, I know I've touched on this note of learning. I swear I could go on and on. Because this issue of learning is something important. You have so many opportunities without making an effort, dedication, spending time, money, energy, giving preference to things that you are supposed to be prioritizing. You will never be able to light your own candle in a holistic way. May Allah subhanahu wa taala help us in such a way that the candles that we have lit and the candles that are lit for us they are everlasting and they are not just candles whose wax comes to an end in no time May Allah bless us all until we meet again
inshallah, perhaps tomorrow or perhaps elsewhere some other time, we say and I really do say it was so heartwarming to see such a capacity crowd here in this beautiful city and country of Kuwait and I appreciate your attendance to come in at least this into a word I hope what I've said has motivated us even if it's an inch, we've achieved a lot inshallah. And I hope Allah can use myself and yourselves to light as many candles as possible, so that when we get to the afra if we do not enter Paradise with our own candles, perhaps we will enter Paradise by the candles of so many others whom we have lit by the will of Allah is only his mercy that will drive us into gender. Until then we
meet until we meet again we say masala Allahu wa salam ala nabina Muhammad wa salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.