Maldives, 31st October 2022
Mufti Menk – Islam, Kindness and Benevolence
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AI: Transcript ©
Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Bismillah R Rahman Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen will be Hina staying on a Sunday on a Sunday more Allah afford in sulky, Germaine Bina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa to be in a woman to be at home be a son in Isla yo Medina with that.
My brothers and sisters, Islam is based on the worship of one deity who is the maker of entire creation. That's the basis of Islam. If someone were to tell you what is the main teaching of this faith, it is called worshiping your maker alone. That's what it is. Whoever made me I call him the worship to one and I believe that he alone deserves my acts of worship. None besides Him, deserves an act of worship. And this is the whole gist of what we call the shahada or the statement of faith, a shadow Allah ilaha illallah wa shadow anna Muhammadan rasul Allah, when a person enters the fold of Islam, this is the sentence this is the statement. What does he or she say? He declares it by
time believes it in the heart and works towards it with his or her organs. The statement is, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah. Don't we say that we say it often, I bear witness that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah. And I bear witness that Muhammad May peace be upon him, is the messenger of Allah. So if you look at the first part of that beautiful statement,
you will find that you are declaring that you will not worship anyone besides Allah because there is none worthy of worship besides Him. And for this reason, we need to protect ourselves when we've added the statements, in order to be true to that particular statement. So the first part of the title that you see behind me says Islam. This is what Islam is, we believe
that none shall be worshipped besides he who made us We also believe that Muhammad peace be upon him was sent by Allah
as a messenger to deliver the word of Allah. In the case of the last book, we are fortunate to have it with us in our hearts, and in our midst, the Quran, that is the message of ALLAH, so we respect him as a messenger. But we don't render an act of worship for him or to him, rather, the highest level of respect is given to the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. And for this reason, we are taught that every time you say his name, you must add next to it sallallahu alayhi wa sallam May peace be upon him or peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family members, his companions, etc. That is called respecting the Prophet. Why? Because he was chosen by Allah to deliver a message
to you and I,
now that we've had a brief introduction, as to the main pillar of Islam,
you would be perhaps,
knowing that Islam has another four pillars.
Someone says, How many pillars does Islam have? The whole world will tell you five pillars, even the non Muslims, many of them know Islam is based on five pillars. So the first pillar we've spoken about it is the founding pillar, it is the main pillar, then, in order to be true to that pillar. We engage in worship for Allah, what is it? What is the next pillar, the prayer, the five daily prayers, so what are we doing? We are confirming that here is an act of worship, taught by the messenger and fulfilled by us only for whom
need us and no one else. So we will bow and we will prostrate in what is known as record and what is known as sujood, solely and only for Allah.
And we will do that as many times as he has instructed us, you and I know it's five times a day. And we will do it as an honor. My beloved brothers, my sisters, when a person is weak, as a believer, he or she may pray because he or she has to pray.
That's good enough. I'm praying because I have to pray. I'm doing this because I have to do it. My Lord has instructed me I have to do it, I'm doing it. That's good enough. But there comes a time when your relationship with your maker becomes so strong and you realize the broader benefit of the teachings and of these pillars that you enjoy the prayer so much that you are no longer doing it only because you have to do it but rather you have progressed to a level where you are doing it because you want to do it. Big difference. To do something because you have to do it you get over and done with it. Okay. Many of us are foreign soldiers. You know, what's a foreign soldier? Get
into your foreign and move out? That's it. No sunnah. No, nothing? No nothing. It's a follow up soldier. You fulfill Your basic duty, but Allah says, You know what, swim deeper into the relationship. MashAllah Tabarrok Allah, what would you do? I now go ahead and I come early for the prayer. I start off with sunnah which is voluntary. It was done by the Prophet peace be upon him but he did not instruct us to do it. It was just something he did that is encouraged. Those who would like to may follow that. Very rewarding. Absolutely amazing. So you start off with the Sunnah you fulfill your father, you might want to infer meaning that which is compulsory, you might want to go
into that which is nothing, nothing meaning voluntary. It's from me, it's not even sunnah. No, is it compulsory, it's something I want to do more, I want to do something that's not instructive, but it is permissible and Allah allows me to do as much as I want, then you draw closer to Allah, you know why every act of worship, that has a compulsory aspect to it has a voluntary aspect to it as well.
We thought of this, let me explain. I've explained to you about the prayer. After that, what do we have? So we have a beautiful pillar of Islam, which now
makes you and I confirm that I'm not the only one on earth here. And it makes you realize the favor of the Almighty upon you.
When Allah has bestowed upon you something he tells you look out for those who don't have what you have, because I made them too, because they are my creatures to just like I made you I made them just like you have the right to be on Earth. So do they, but if I have given you something they don't have, then I want you to share it with them. Wow. I want you to share it with them. So now you ask well, how much should I share with question right? How much should I share
what do you think the Almighty has prescribed? What percentage can you say it?
Can you say it every one of you
two and a half percent? Two and a half percent? Mashallah, so, the Almighty has prescribed that if you have a lot, you must look out for those who do not have and give them two and a half percent but if he wanted he did not need you to do that. He could have done it himself one.
But
only
Allah here is gonna wire Allah Musa Corolla one was done with
no fee. Kita being OB, what amazing verses of the Quran. Allah says nothing that moves on Earth except that its sustenance is written by Allah, its provision is on Allah, Allah, Allah here is OHA and he knows where it will come forth and where it will go down. He knows everything. So if Allah has taken it upon
himself to provide for everything that he has created. Do you really think that he is going to miss you and I? Do you really think that he needs you and I to provide for someone else? No, he doesn't. And this is why watch the beggars. I pray that Allah protect us from begging because it is not no bull. But out of desperation, sometimes people do bed if you have anyone who begs watch them. If you don't give them someone else has just given them. I'm not encouraging or discouraging because you need to distinguish between the one who is really desperately in need, and the one who does it as a job. Subhanallah Some people enjoy baking, they come out and say, You know what, every day I'm just
going to ask if at the traffic light, for example, there are 1000 people who stop every hour. If 10% of them give me $1 I get $10 An hour Whoa, that is a bigger salary than you and I at times may Allah Almighty grant us is so professional begging is prohibited in Islam. You know what that means? You become a beggar. That's your title. Imagine your passport it says
occupation said beggar Wow, mashallah and you traveling to Hawaii for a holiday? Mashallah, may Allah grant us protection, really. So, Allah says that, we do not rely on you to give but we want you to give because we want you to earn the reward. The reason is, the net working that connection, that compassion, notice the word kindness, it's a pillar of faith connected to kindness, that is a car, if you are not kind enough, and you will not compassionate enough, and you will not merciful enough, and you will not forgiving enough. And all those are connected to kindness and benevolence, you would not be able to fulfill your Zakah correctly.
So, a pillar of faith is to reach out to others with a certain type of kindness, with a certain type of compassion, I need to feel for you if I'm going to reach out to you and you reaching out starts before Allah gave you your sustenance. You see, in English, if you say a charity, it has in it in its definition, that which implies that it is totally voluntary. So Zakat is not actually exactly a charity because it has in it that which is compulsory. So it is charitable, but necessary and compulsory at the same time, the two together. So when someone says Zakat is charity, the English language doesn't have a word to describe exactly what Zakat is. However,
before you had your wealth, you were supposed to start already being kind to people with different types of charities that are not monetary.
Does anyone know of an example of a charity that is not mandatory, but it's still called a charity?
Example
A smile mashallah a smile, you smile, it's a charity. Come on, guys. Even if you don't have to smile. It's okay.
The most genuine of smiles are the old people who don't even have teeth and the old man is busy smiling at you shy that he has no more teeth left. That's genuinely from the heart. You begin to smile and you might even shed a tear to say look at this uncle here smiling at me mashallah embarrassed about not having teeth.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless all of us, not just with good teeth, but with a brilliant smile. And you know what? Use it often.
Use it often smile at people. It is more valuable than money that you give others. I've seen people give beggars by throwing the wealth at them. Trust me, you're losing the essence of the giving. You give with dignity because you're a Muslim. You give banking the Almighty that He has given you an opportunity to give amazing that's a true Muslim, a true Muslim will thank the almighty Oh Allah, I thank you for giving me an opportunity that the wealth you gave me was used in such a good cause. Because if Allah does not want your wealth, you won't use it in a good way. You will pledge to give the mosque or the masjid and you won't end up giving because Allah doesn't want your money then it
can happen. It has happened and it does happen. So thank Allah, ask Allah to show you the good causes and then when you give, give with dignity and respect, respect that person.
There is a chef who from
Kuwait, who made mention of a story of a Kuwaiti, who before the oil was discovered, was working in India for an Indian family, because Kuwait was a poor nation prior to oil. And he says, oil was discovered, and they call their citizens back and this man came back to Kuwait. And some time later, they made so much of money that they decided to call the son of the person whom this man used to work for, to come to the Gulf and to work.
And when he came, the old man tells his son,
the Kuwaiti old man tells his son, he says,
I want you to treat this young boy with utmost respect and kindness.
He says, Yeah, well, obviously, I will. Why are you specifying this particular boy, among others?
So he says, well, Allah, he, when I worked for his father, they maltreated me they abused me, they really did not treat me well. So look how Allah has turned the tables that today, it's the other way around. I want you to treat him so well, that the tables do not turn.
You understand what he's saying?
Unfortunately, man is such when you have, you tend to think that you are justified in your wickedness, that's men.
When you have and you have whether it is power, position, wealth, good looks as well at times is a test from Allah. As Allah has bestowed, recognize the blessing. Understand it's temporary nature. No matter how good looking you are, trust me a day will come when the wrinkle will appear, whether you like it or not, subhanAllah you have to face it. It's temporary. It was there for a while. When you have wealth, a day will come when something your wealth will not be able to buy will be in front of you and you are stuck, it can happen. Or if you have wealth, the day may come when it goes how many have struggled and suffered you've seen rags to riches and riches to rags we've seen both be kind
while you can for indeed it is not only contagious, but it comes back with a greater reward. Kindness breeds much more kindness, and it actually builds community and society and makes you feel like you want to be a part of the community.
People don't want to mix not even with their family members nowadays. Why? Because everyone treats everyone else roughly. But if we are kind, compassionate, we think about someone else's situation before we even open our mouths. Kindness is not just monetary, I've explained to you it is also that which is priceless without money, like a smile. Also a good word. For example, if you were to think before you spoke to someone, if you were to empower them, if you were to say something good to someone, it is also a charity that is also kindness be kind in the way you communicate with one another show that you care and you will change society and community
show that you can ask people as salaam alaikum Peace be upon you how are you? Is everything okay? How's the family? Mashallah. And you know, when the test is when they say things are not going well? I just suffered I need $1,000 What do you do? Turn around quickly. That's not what I was asking you. I'm gone. Subhan Allah, may Allah make it easy for you. May Allah grant you goodness, you can rattle out as many do hours and supplications as you want. It's empowering. If you really cannot help financially and we won't be able to help everyone they might not like us thinking this man or this woman has but they're not giving me no problem. But a good word. You said you did not rebuke them.
This is why when Allah Almighty speaks about in surah Taha the beggar
he doesn't speak about giving the beggar.
He speaks about the beggar. And he doesn't speak about giving the beggar listen to what he says. While I'm
Illa
fallot and how they goes, Allah says As for the beggar, it's easy for him to say, give him try to wrong. As for the beggar, reach out to him, give him Allah says do not rebuke him. That's the minimum.
You find. Look at the kindness of Islam. A person whom you might get frustrated because sometimes really, they're going beyond the limits in their begging it. And like I said, it's something discouraged. It's not something
In that is noble in Islam, it is only to happen when someone is desperate. But Allah says when someone is asking, don't rebuke him, Do you know why Wallah he you do not know that condition. You do not know what they are going through put yourself in their shoes for a moment before you even respond. If you don't want to look up don't but don't rebuke don't swear. Don't accuse
look at them if Imagine if you had to look at them and say, we were told about you last night, you know, the Sheikh was saying you guys are all just making money. You're this is all professional begging, you don't talk like that. That's not how it works. Not at all. You need to understand the goodness of the tongue is priceless. I'd rather you don't give me money, but respect me.
May Allah Almighty grant us goodness and respect. So the kindness that Islam teaches through the pillar of Zakat is way beyond just the wealth. It is an entire pillar, which is made up of so many factors you need to go out, keep an eye look for people see those who don't have, treat them with respect, honor them, give them in a way that they are not embarrassed. You know, you can't look at someone and say, Oh, yes, that guy. Yeah, I've been giving him the car for the last 10 years. What do you have to publicize it for? What do you have to embarrass them for don't do that the kindness includes giving with dignity, respect. That's what it is
a pillar of Islam. Islam is the only religion and I said this yesterday, the only religion that has as a pillar of faith, a pillar of faith,
then you must share what you have that others don't have when you have beyond a certain point. So the only religion that tells you that?
Why, in order for our brotherhood and sisterhood to be strengthened as well. Are we not all brothers and sisters to begin with in humanity and then in faith as well?
Are we not connected through a common root? Are we not part of the same species? If I am in pain, surely everyone else should be in pain.
And the minimum they should do is to pray, to ask Allah to help me and to be kind to me.
When we see someone down, don't knock them further down, lift them up. That's how Allah will bless you. A day will come when Allah will have already uplifted you before you could have fallen because you always uplifted others.
It will happen. Sometimes you find happy people mashallah, you know what, sometimes they are happy because they make others happy. Because they're always there to support others.
And I said sometimes, because there is a test and the challenge for the kind hearted at times, you're very kind hearted, the ugly world out there might take advantage of your kind heart and knock you down. Doesn't it happen? You're very kind hearted. So you're helping everyone you are so forgiving. And so but people are stomping all over you and trampling your own family don't value you, the people around you don't even you know why? Because Allah Almighty has written for you a greater reward than all of those due to your patience and your sub. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, we believe as Muslims, the greatest of all. He went through a lot of that they mocked him,
they said things to him. They told him they tried against him. They did not appreciate anything. He was still very respectful, very polite, very calm, very contained. He continued to repeat the good message he helped where ever he could.
But the patience he bought was way more than any one of us would ever bear.
If Allah chose for his most beloved such great tests, then surely when he chooses for us some tests it's a sign of His love. In Allah either a hubbub the nipt Allah. The hadith says when Allah loves a slave, he tests him to see more your teacher at school, and I see some principals and some of them seated here whom I met earlier, your teacher at school, when they see that you are intelligent and you're doing well what will they do, they may give you a test that the others have not had in order to promote you do a level that the others have not gotten to agree. We understand that at school but we don't understand it with the deen of Allah. When you are close to Allah, another test comes in
when you
even closer. Another test, a bigger test comes in, calm down, calm down, take it in your stripe seek the help of Allah. The reason I say this is when we are kind to people.
Let's get the intention correct
because you and I know in our faith intention plays a pivotal role in determining the reward of your actions in a Malama Lubin neons right. Indeed all actions are judged by their underlying intentions. So
when I heard and when you heard in the Quran Wallah who your hipbone sinning, Allah loves those who do good.
What do you do?
You do good? Are you doing good? Because you think the person in front of you deserves the good because they reciprocated or did something to deserve it? Or are you doing it because Allah loves those who do good?
What's your intention? If we were taught to do good to those whom we believed deserved? Goodness, we would hardly be good. Because in our minds and hearts, they don't deserve to be any of this goodness, right? Because we have a human being, it can happen I have a difference of opinion. I have this I have that. But Allah says forget about all of that you do good and be kind because I love those who are kind. So your kindness to them is not because of them. It's because of me. In that case, if they do not appreciate it, you are still so happy because Allah watched it and appreciated it. Wow. Subhan Allah, you follow? How many times have we been good to people part of the plan of
Allah the same people we were very, very good to are the ones who let us down. How many times did that happen in all our lives? You know why? It's Allah going back to that verse testing you telling you that you know what you did good. Did you do it for them? If you did it for them, they will let you down. You do it for me. I will not let you down Subhan Allah Subhana Allah amazing so purify the intention when you are doing something kind just say Allah this is for you. In that case, your friend You did good to them your enemy you did good to them animals you did good to them the ecosystem you did good to eat everything else mashallah, in this beautiful city of formula.
You have the tiger shark that is unique. Am I right or wrong?
MashAllah people come from everywhere to scuba dive mashallah they offered me to Al Hamdulillah to go and witness these Tiger Sharks name is a bit scary but mashallah, it's true.
What a beautiful place. It is up to you to preserve your beaches, it is up to you to preserve the water. It is up to you to preserve the island or the city. It is up to you to do all of that, why you are being kind not just to yourself and to others but to generations that you may never need to come. That's what it is. That's part of your kindness. It's part of Islamic teachings. It's part of the true concern that a believer should be having.
May Allah Almighty protect us
and our environment I mean,
so
are you still talking about that pillar of zakat we reached out to someone we gave them two and a half percent but guess what, guess what? Allah Almighty tells us like I said earlier, everything that you find that compulsory in there will be a voluntary similar to it. So Salah and prayer there is a compulsory there is a voluntary the fasting you know there is a compulsory there is a voluntary Mondays and Thursdays voluntary it's a sunnah beautiful, try it out it helps when medicine tells us Monday, Thursday intermittent and so on and so forth. We are quick to say hey, I'm going to lose weight and it's going to help my health it's going to increase my you know, strength of the mind and
so on. But when the Prophet sallallahu Sallam told us then then it's a matter of intention, my brothers, my sisters. So as much as there is a compulsory there is also a voluntary, in zakat exactly the same before I talk about it, what about the hajj, there is the major pilgrimage which is compulsory at a certain point of wealth and ability. But there is the minor pilgrimage known as the Umrah right to wrong ombre ombre is not absolutely compulsory as the Hajj is but you may go as many times as you want. It is beneficial. It is encouraged, May Allah take us their time and again, I mean,
my brothers and sisters, Allah is watching how much we give when we are giving the charity the Zakat.
As I said,
two and a half percent, work it out correctly.
rather err on the side of, you know, be be cautious when you're working it out.
I'd rather having given more than two, having given less you follow what I'm saying? When you have to work things out, work it out correctly give for the sake of Allah but Allah says Let me give you an example of $100 Okay $100 $2.50 is mine, that's what Allah says. Right? After that, how much are you going to give? Allahu Akbar? How much are you going to give? So, if you gave to $2.50 you are rewarded because why you gave me what was mine. But now I want to see are you going to give from what is yours?
Are you going to give from what is yours? That's where we distinguished the people. Then your kindness reaches a new level. The Companions used to give so much the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says the best charity that you could ever give is the charity that you are giving wild fearing poverty yourself.
And giving so much that I might just not have for myself No, for as long as for now you do have give.
See what Allah does. And VP Abner Adama on fake I like oh son of Adam, spend and I will spend on you give and I will give you amazing.
This is only a charitable aspect of the faith.
But come to the Lord of the Worlds he calls himself the most kind, the Most Compassionate, the most forgiving. Those are the names of Allah.
And he wants us to live by those qualities to a degree that benefits us.
Because the same qualities when we speak about Allah, they are on a level befitting to him beyond our imagination, but when it's speaking about us, Allah wants you to be kind. That's why Mala yellow hammer Allah your hammer, beautiful Hadith, whoever does not show compassion will not be shown compassion. To get out beautifully. It's whether Mala Humla your hammer, imagine the meaning of it is vast. Whoever does not show compassion will not be shown compassion.
So would you like to be shown compassion, be compassionate See,
Allah Almighty has prescribed goodness.
In Allah Katha been a Santa Allah has prescribed goodness, kindness, compassion,
even at a time when you least thought it would be applicable.
You know, you and I, we consume food. We eat food and hamdulillah May Allah make it easy for us.
The food needs to be halal.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him taught us that when you are
sacrificing an animal for consumption purposes, make sure it is a swift, quick, clean movement in the name of Allah.
Don't let the animals struggle and suffer even at that point.
So if you if you are taught kindness to animals,
what do you think it would be regarding humankind?
We spoke about your expressions, you show kindness with your expressions. I have tried this. And I've tested it. If you become a little bit conscious of your expression, you will be in positive energy.
Did you hear what I just said you become a little bit conscious of your expression on your face at all times. Even if you're sitting right now. Instead of frowning looking this way. Try to have a slight bit of a smile.
See how much positivity it will be.
People would love to sit around you just because they get the positive energy, nothing else. Where did it come from the sooner that's what it is.
Never be too quick to judge people. When you see them. You don't know what they're going through in their lives. They might be going through a lot. It might require you to get up and say a word of compassion for their lives to just change at that point.
The world out there is cruel. You know what it does. When it sees you in a good position, it will come to you to try and drop you. And when it sees you already dropped, it will come to you to try and bury you. And when it sees you already buried, it will try to bury those who loved ones to you as well as the world. But Allah Almighty tells us learn
to be considered. Imagine the kindness of Islam is taught even when dealing you achieve the mercy of the Almighty when you are buying and you're selling on condition that you are thoughtful and compassionate about the other party Rahimullah hungry in some hand either by some hand either shitara
Allah has mercy on the one who is considerate of the buyer when selling and considerate of the seller when buying.
That means I'm selling something I want for it $20 I know that by that I will have made a profit of $5 Perhaps which is a decent percentage.
And here comes a man dressed very well. And he tells me how much is this? I look at his car.
Look at his clothing. Smell his perfume? I say 40 bucks my brother
What's that? You double the price simply because you saw the man had the decent vehicle and everything else? Subhanallah where is the compassion? You didn't even think you quickly just said it because this guy's got money, he must give it to me Subhanallah we was the compassion. The same applies when you see a poor person selling a product. Don't squeeze them to the degree that they go home saying I only made 50 cents out of this deal. And I was planning to make $5 to at least bring food for my children home and I couldn't do it today because there was a wealthy person who squeezed me Have you noticed in a lot of cases the wealthier the people are the more they will squeeze you
notice sorry maybe not in this beautiful city or country but it is happening
I have to cover my back right
so it happens where people Allah bless them with millions but when they go to buy something from the side of the road, they will squeeze the guy and squeeze him and squeeze him until they get something for almost free and they think they did a good deed my brother you've got so much of wealth you need to take out double and tell his brother look this is for what I bought and I just want to give you some more or keep the change mashallah we also have those type of people who say Keep the change, Mashallah. So, when you are buying something from someone who doesn't look like they have much, yes, you are allowed to bargain bargaining is part of the Sunnah. Someone says this is 50 You say don't
give it to me at 14.
But there is a limit to it. You don't squeeze the guy until you bring him right down to 20 and he's desperate for something so he's selling it to you but you have you won't achieve the Mercy of Allah Allah says, Allah's Mercy is upon the one who is considered of the seller when buying and considered this man has a family, probably no one has bought for him and so on. I recall the days when I used to live in Madina Munawwara some of you might have heard this in some of my talks.
I used to volunteer at a certain store that used to sell a bias you know, these cloaks that women were
and I was a teenager.
And I remember one of the brothers who was sitting with us, a customer came in and said I'd like to purchase this product. They showed them the product they showed them the power they told them the price everything they said no the size, everything is good. Yes. Okay. Can I take this? So he said Hang on the same product, the same size, the same everything. If you go to the shop that is just there and he pointed where that shop was? You will get it there. He says But why he said no pick it up from them and give them the money.
He says But why he says because so many customers have come to my store today. And that store. No one has come yet and he has the same stock.
Wow, I learned something. You think we could do that here?
Let's be honest. Do you think we could do that here?
In sha Allah in sha Allah, masha Allah here, and not only just here, but in many countries, we still need to look at that model of compassion. I'm sure it was with our forefathers. But as the world has become more materialistic, we've also become more selfish. That's what it is. We have much more but we are more self
It's about me, myself. And I, that's it. So much so that if they asked you for a recipe to make a cake that they liked, you refuse. No chance.
It's happening. I can't why it's mine. Share it, because you might die soon at least they'll remember you every time they eat the cake and say, may Allah have mercy on that man or woman. Right? So share it.
So that's where we've gotten. The brother phoned the other store and said, Listen, I've sent someone, this is what they want. This is the price that I agreed it was a decent price. So please, can you give them the stock? In my mind? I said, SubhanAllah. I've learned something that even if I had to pay fees, I wouldn't have learned otherwise.
compassion, kindness, you thought about your brother? What's he going to do? How is he I made so much?
If someone were to open a store similar to yours across the road from you? Wouldn't it be like a small camera that came about your greed is already the signs of the hour? How could you open I have a cell phone shop here and right next door, how dare you open a sane cell phone shop SubhanAllah. And you want to sell the stock at $1 cheaper than mine? Where is the shame?
But you go to some countries where all the
mobile phone shops are in one area, all of them, everyone, all the shops where you're going to buy a certain thing in one area and so on, it happens.
I remember there was a brother who told me a story. He comes from a city in Africa. He said there was a chain store that opened in front of me selling the same hardware that I was selling. And every time I put my price outside, you know you advertise your price. They put it $5 Less
cement $45 across the road, they would say cement $40 You don't get customers, because people $5 is a lot. He says when I put it at 40 He put it at 35 I put it at 30 He put it at 25 That was my cost I could not go lower than that. So I thought of a plan anyway, he says
I put it at 25 He put it at 20
I put it at 23 and 15.
He says I went to the store his store and I cleaned out all his stock I came back and put it at $45.
So the managers got together one day and he told the
he asked the chain store manager he says How did you manage?
Meaning Why do you do this? You know? So the chain store manager says no, I want to know from you How are you coping below costs?
How are you coping below cost? He says I only had the price for you. I stopped selling the day you went below the cost. But I used to put a price outside for you. That's all. So these types of tricks and this type of business it's not supposed to be you need to be good enough clean enough to talk to each other to say you know what, let's agree on something. It doesn't happen today. Oh, it's very rare.
It's very rare. May Allah Almighty grant us goodness and compassion. May Allah Almighty help us to reach out to others my brothers my sisters, I would be failing in my duty if I didn't mention some of the most common a hadith regarding kindness to animals. You know that a man entered paradise or he was forgiven all his sins by Allah because he was kind to a dog. I'm sure you're aware of that. What happened? There was a man in the desert on a very hot day who was very thirsty and he found a well
and he went down into the well to drink water He quenched his thirst and he came up
for either Caliban Yan has yet Kulu Thora Minelab Hush.
The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says as this man came up, he noticed a dog
like panting or breathing heavily sniffing into the sand out of tremendous thirst.
Imagine you notice a dog I don't know what the population of dogs might be, but in my part of the world, especially the Muslims, when they see a dog, they run in the other direction.
Does it happen here as well?
Some are saying yes, some are saying no, no. When you run it runs. When you stand in front of it, it remains
when you're bitten don't come back to me. Inshallah you won't be you won't be. But my brothers, my sisters, this man looked at the dog, it could have been anything else he mentioned. I've said in the past, imagine if it was a beautiful bird.
Beautiful, but why dog? I tell you why dog, dog because there is nothing about a dog that would want you to be compassionate to it. If you don't like the dogs.
It's a dog.
Dog is a strange word. People use it to sway and they use it also to praise
you and to sway someone call him a dog he's sworn at but he loves his dog so much. He's hugging it everyday. Subhanallah now what they say it's strange.
So the dog, he came up and he thought to himself, this dog is as thirsty as I was before I went into the well. It has no means to get in. Let me go in. He went into the well. He had nothing to take the water back up. So what did he do? He removed his leather sock at the time the type of shoe they used to wear it was known as a hoof. He took it out he filled it with water he came back up imagine he got to the dog he made the dog drink from his shoe.
Adidas Mashallah. We probably wouldn't even want anyone to touch it man, a small piece of dirt and it's over piano is there you start shouting people and screaming what happened to my shoe? Allah grant you is some of them filled water in the shoe for a dog for a dog Subhanallah look at the compassion. You know what Allah was watching? Like I told you, you do it for who do it for Allah. Allah was watching
the man quench the thirst of the dog. Allah says We forgave his sins done, because of the love, the compassion, the kindness that he had towards what
an animal that many people would run away from.
That's one
magnificent teaching regarding kindness in Islam.
So, my beloved brothers, my sisters, cruelty is the opposite. When we are cruel, when we are hard and harsh and unreasonable to people when we put them down, when we try and close their path. It is a debt. It always comes back to haunt us unless we've been forgiven, not immediately, but somewhere in the future.
Sometime
cruelty oppression doesn't go unchecked by Allah. He watches he knows he gives you a chance to make amends, he gives you a chance to seek forgiveness. That is Allah.
And if you don't, and you continue without having changed your system, a day comes when it will come back to you. How However, Allah knows how.
So learn to be kind learn to be compassionate.
Moments ago I mentioned about the community how it becomes so beautiful to live in a neighborhood where everyone cares for the other. A greet you they talk to you. How are you? How's your dad? How's your father? Oh, you know your aunt wasn't too well. How is she doing now? May Allah grant her cure. And then you go your way when they see you Salam aleikum, anything, and they might give you something you give them something when they leave you look after the house, when you leave, they look after your house and so on. That is the original method. That is how it should be happening. It's a neighborhood. It's a community when one child is going through a phase of life where they're
dwindling a little bit due to adolescence or whatever else it may be. You don't just rule the child out reach out to the child come let me show you don't do this. You know smoking is very bad. You shouldn't be smoking. The worst part is when the chances but Uncle you're smoking for 20 years. What about that?
It happens right?
A good answer. Bianca Lucy that's the whole reason why I'm telling you to stop because I know what it did to me. wasted my money destroyed my house did all the now I'm addicted. Anyway, it's not supposed to be that it's just supposed to be we reach out to them in a good way. You see at the moment we have a scourge, a scourge of intoxicants across the globe, young people are being tested and tried with what with intoxicants or drugs and various other vices
Let's reach out to them. These are good children who have lost the way, temporarily, inshallah only temporarily have hope that they will come back. They will. And they shall. If we were to be written off because of a sin we committed or something wrong we did in our lives, all of us would not be spared.
But Allah knows, people say, sometimes you went to the wrong path, you came back, sometimes you did something wrong, you regretted repented. But what is really a disaster is when you stay down, when you fallen, you fell because of something and you remained there for a long, long, long time, then it becomes problematic, don't get up, serve the cause. Life is very short, contribute positively to your family, to your neighborhood, to your country, to the nation to humanity, you can change the world by doing something grand and great, you can change the world who said you can't, you can.
But if you don't have a feeling for some for others, you won't be able to do anything.
I sit and I look at the wealthy people at times. And I'll end on this note, it's a beautiful note.
They earn a billion, the next billion is easier than the first one.
And then they earn another billion and it becomes so much they are never going to spend that much in their lives. I want to ask you a question you can answer it. If I were to ask you, How much money do you want to make to be able to retire and stop working anymore for the rest of your life? Give me a figure. Can anyone shout out a figure?
1 million? My brother, my brother 1 million. Let's add let's make 10 Okay, let's give you another nine 10 million, okay, you're happy. So he is saying if he has 10 million he will retire. I promise you when he makes his 10 he will want another 10 and another 10 And maybe a million? How many of us we were thinking okay, when I make my first so much a come down? I'll relax. You have already made it. Do you agree? And what are you doing? You're just aiming a bit higher? Are you going to spend it No, My children, your children really Subhan Allah, may Allah grant us ease. I promise you, my beloved brothers, my sisters, the son of Adam, nothing will fill his belly besides the dust of his
grave.
No candlelit Niada, my word DIA and they may have been lepta la Hey, Martha DITA, if the son of Adam had two valleys, meaning a human being two valleys full of gold, he would still I out the third, he would want the third one. And he's got two whole valleys.
But recently, I've come across really wealthy people whom at a certain point, they said, You know what, our children are set, everything's done. I still have billions. All of this is feasible. Allah works. All of this is a charity. Wow.
Read about the stories.
recent times, there are people who have done this, where they say, It's okay, everything, let it continue. All of this shall go back to those who don't have, because I've made billions 19 20 billion and the man's giving it. And he says, Let it be why I don't even need a billion myself in my life. You will not going to spend it. What do you want?
May Allah help us. So there are people who do that. Whereas men is quite miserly. When he has he wants more. And when he has more, he finds it difficult to share. There was a brother who started a business and he told me, I want to promise that this percentage of my turnover must be given to Allah. I said my brother make it a small percentage because it will grow so big that one day, it's going to be hard for you to give.
So he made it a very small percentage. I can't recall exactly what percentage it was now, but it was a very small percentage. One day he phoned me a few years later, he said, check what you said is so true. That little percentage and giving is so large in amounts that it becomes difficult to give it out.
Another wealthy brother owns a lot of buildings. He says, You know what? I have so much but I don't have cash to give the second I said brother sell your buildings one by one. How can I sell my building? But if you don't have the money, somehow you're going to need to get it a woman says I've got so much gold for example, and I don't have the cash. We'll give some of them
Go or sell some of it.
May Allah Almighty make it easy for us remember don't cling to things such that you become forgetful of your duty of being charitable, being kind, reaching out to others and thinking about
the holistic picture, not just you, it's everyone, all of us are together, the virus came and inshallah it went.
What did we learn from it a lot. It left a lot of lessons. It taught us a whole new set
of guidelines. It renewed in fact, the set of guidelines that we did have, that we'd forgotten about. You have to care for one another, your elderly parents, your little children, whoever else it is reach out to them in every single way. It's not just monetary.
It's with a good word. It's with compassion, kindness, it's with putting yourselves in the shoes of others before you actually react or before you do something or say something.
May Allah Almighty bless every one of us inshallah we meet in Jannah, to infidels, and may Allah Almighty have mercy on us and make us from among the merciful, your humble woman, Phil ERBE, your homcom Memphis Allah, have mercy upon those on earth and the Almighty will have mercy upon you. And indeed, Mercy is definitely a portion of kindness. Akula coli ha ha SallAllahu wasallam albaraka al and Amina Mohammed was Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh