Navigating through the distractions.

Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah who Allah Allah, he was happy.

We praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his household, his companions. We ask Allah to bless them to bless every one of us and to grant us goodness, I mean,

my beloved children, it's important for me to make sure that we're all on one page by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala. This morning, at this beautiful forum, I will be addressing a very, very important topic.

And the topic that I have chosen to speak to you about is navigating through the distractions.

navigation through

you already distracted May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant you is navigating through

distractions. I'd like you to respond when I asked you something in Sharla because we are speaking to a school and a group of school boys at the moment. Don't you consider yourself a schoolboy? Mashallah,

you know, in life, the first thing we need to understand and realize is who made us and why are we here? And where are we going? That is absolutely important. Remember this? Who made us Why are we here? And where are we going? And voila, here it is Islam that has the explanation. Yes, Musa alayhis. Salam came with it as well. Isa la Salam came with it as well. So the Jews and the Christians would also have answers to that. If these answers are, according to the original scriptures, we will have the same answers. But if they are tampered with, we will differ in answers. So let's say

why are we on earth? That's a question that we all ask ourselves. Where did we come from? And where are we going?

When you realize that when you came onto this earth, you came with absolutely nothing, nothing the clothes you have now, you didn't have them?

naked completely.

And when you leave, you're going to leave just with a shroud. That shroud is because of the honor of the children of Adam, the owner of the human being Wanaka C'mon, Ebony, Adam, Allah says we have honored the human being. When we say, Adam, we're talking of humankind, the children of Adam, Allah has honored us therefore, when you are leaving, he doesn't just say just bury them naked as they came all low. For all practical purposes, we don't have our clothing on. But we are enshrouded. So why is it that while we're on Earth, while we're on Earth,

you know, the financial economic levels, the levels of strength, the levels of everything else fluctuate, they go up and up and sometimes down in certain matters, and certain issues up and down. And it's a whole struggle throughout our lives. And then we die. There is nobody, nobody on Earth, who does not struggle, in a certain way you can be the wealthiest person, you can be the most good looking person, the most powerful person, the most popular person, something somewhere, somehow or many things would actually go against what you want, in order to prove to you that there is someone who is in control besides you.

Remember this?

I'm sure you've seen wealthy people pass away. I'm sure you have colleagues your age who've died. Am I right? Put up your hands if you know someone who was at the school who's passed away, put up your hand.

You know, someone who was at the school who passed away, put up your hand Hi.

There goes, which means they will and they are and we are fortunate and we hear stories every single day of people going, where are they going?

Without knowing and answering and keeping, you know, keeping that question in mind. We're not going to be able to focus, we're going to be distracted completely look, you were made. And I'm going to answer you in a way that nobody can deny. Right? You were made by a maker. He made you. Can anyone say no? You were made by a maker besides those who don't believe at all, in the fact that we were made. There are some who say no, it was nature and natural. Just like the school just happened to appear here naturally. No one put it up the same way. There are some people who believe that yes, mankind who is more sophisticated than the school was actually also just, you know, suddenly popped

out of nowhere May Allah subhanho wa Taala

tectus but it's okay. They can believe what they want Where on earth? After all, they are answerable to Allah, not to us, but we will discuss the matter. According to us, we were made by a maker, we are going to go back to the same maker, why did he leave the lifespan of humankind? seven decades, only, on average, seven decades.

You are still in your second decade, am I right? Most of you are just below 20, which means you haven't even cross the second one. Maximum, you got another few to go five. If you're very lucky, you go a little bit beyond that. So kind of law. If you are focused on the day that you're going to leave your distractions will be less. But if you focus on the temporary time, you're going to be here without even knowing At what age you're going to go, you're going to forget that focus is going to go because you're concentrating on something temporary that you have to leave behind.

When a person has a car, the Almighty has kept it such from the beginning to now when you have some possession, there comes a time when it becomes outdated. You yourself don't want it anymore. You can pray today to have the latest car. What's the latest car say something? What would you like to have say?

Guys, your boys don't pretend like you don't want to have a car here. Yes, say a name.

Say it again.

Ferrari. Mashallah. Ferrari 2020. Let's say by next year, if you have it, I promise you within one year, you're going to say I want the 2021.

I want the 2022. Within a few years, we say I don't want this book, this Ferrari, I know that I need another one. So

why? It's Allah showing you that these things are so temporary, what you prayed for also, within one year, you won't want it so much so that when you die, you actually will will not want to think that was available in this world. Because it's not even going to come across with you. It doesn't qualify to go into general.

Not to think, yes, the people I agree. But the things you won't even remember them. I give you one example. We were all born. Do you remember the day when you were in your mother's womb? Anyone? No one?

Like, you don't remember it?

Do you remember when you were swimming all alone? In the wombs of your mother's believing that this was my world? Wow, beautiful place?

You don't remember?

Do you remember when your mother used to eat sweets and chocolate? So I'm just guessing. Okay. And you used to like that protein coming in tasting sweets? Ooh, wow, this is lovely. I wonder what it is? Man? Do you remember that? You don't? Do you remember, as you grew a little bit bigger, and what happened?

Your world became a bit smaller. You don't remember that.

When we were little when you were little when you were small. The distance from here to that door used to be a lot, but it was the same. But because we were small, it was like running the marathon. Now a few steps. And you then the same applies in your womb, as you grew bigger and bigger, and there was less and less space, what happened to you.

I'm giving you an example. If those who didn't believe we were made by a maker, they would probably have believed at that stage that there is nothing in existence besides this life. And that was the life in the womb. Nothing in existence. Besides this life. There's nothing beyond it. And they didn't realize that there's only a thin membrane between them. And the real life after that, which is something that we cannot describe whilst we're in the womb, because nothing in the womb is outside. And nothing from outside is in it.

totally separate

the following what I'm saying? I hope you're listening.

And then you when you couldn't move, and you were thinking that's it, it's all over. Then what happened?

It was all over.

But imagine if you were twins, and one was a Muslim? And he said a no, no, no, he's still alive to come. And the other one says, No, I don't believe you. I don't believe you can't be.

And then suddenly, boom, when you came out to what, this is the real world out there.

Shoot, I didn't even realize this place is so huge compared to your womb that you forgotten every detail of that womb. You can't even remember it that that protein that used to make you excited in that amniotic fluid is no longer relevant. You can't even remember it. You don't even want to know it. If someone presented it to you today you probably puke.

But you came out into the real world.

And you know what Allah says same thing is going to happen to you again, the membrane between us and the asherah is like the pooling of a hair. That's it for a movement. It's called sakara. Just like Labor has its pain. Death has a similar pain. Just like labor differs from person to person. Some five minutes, some

Days some a week, very labor. The same applies to soccer. Some in few seconds they gone and some it takes them longer and longer. So what is the common factor you're going from one type of life to another, so we will be going to another and you know what is so scary. The scary part is not that we're going to go into the era we have hope in Allah and His mercy. The scary part is we don't know when we are going. That's the scary part. Just like how they tell you know, you're approximately nine months and then they say do anytime now

anytime now means what?

You don't know some people have prematurely been born a lot of the premature births they were when they came into the world they will little very small, they could fit in a hand and later on, they become bigger than those sometimes were actually normal births. It's just Allah Allah

so when we lose focus now Why did I start this way? I've said this quite a few times in recent lectures this example because it is a reality when we suddenly believe a terminally ill and you know you're gonna go and whatever else and then boom you in a world in a life in not a world but a life we call it both worlds because that's how we term it but it's a life after after what we call death. That is the eternal life. We're going to be there forever and ever. And when you then the Hadith says you get into Jenna fie harmala Ayatollah Odin and Samia to Allah satara Allah Toby Basha in it there is that which no ears have heard about no eyes has ever seen. And it's never crossed the

thought of a human being just like the first one

never crossed your thoughts.

Now you came into this life after death. But guess what?

Just like you want fuel, you're gonna stand in the fuel queue back in Zimbabwe. And then when you get to the front, you have to pay you got to pay in a currency that is acceptable. The currency of the Hereafter is deeds. I promise you. We amass the RAND and the dollar and we are excited because we can then purchase a house after so many years that costs a million rands and we are so happy that Mashallah we've got a house not realizing we're only going to live there for a few years, and thereafter go to the eternal home that we haven't even prepared for yet. So we lost focus while we were at school. You know, what we used to do was to get excited to smoke cigarettes. And when we

heard weed was legalized, we started

with the weed

Subhanallah

and we were justifying it are these Allah, what do they know? This is so healthy, it's healthier than normal cigarettes, what do they know? If they knew the benefit of it, they would be the first ones in it. I've heard these things.

And then what else we get distracted.

Allah subhanho wa Taala says, Yamani,

tienen, como shavon okama.

Oh, son of Adam or humankind. Don't let shapen distract you. Don't let shapen distract you in a way that he did. To your forefathers, Adam.

removing them from the goodness and bliss that Allah has blessed them with gentlemen.

So we need to realize on Earth, let me be focused, you know what, you carry yourself with utmost respect, while navigating through these distractions, that distraction of the devil was there. It's part of the plan of Allah, you need to prove your connection with Allah. That's what we're here for. Because we know we came from him, we're going to go back to him. We're on earth in order to prove ourselves to Allah. That's why I'm honored. I'm honored to prove myself to Allah, that's my focus. And that is going to be right up to the end. And the same applies to all of us. You are here to prove yourself to Allah, no one else.

Don't forget what I said today. You are here on earth to prove yourself to Allah, you will make He made you is going to take you back. He says, just prove yourself. all the distractions are there, the good things are there. People say well, if Allah didn't want us to commit adultery, then why did he make it so accessible? That's because Subhanallah you know, let me ask you another question. I'll say it in a different way. If Allah didn't want you to commit sin, why did he make sin?

And people say, good question.

I tell you something. You guys have written exams, right examinations, you have something called multiple choice. What does the teacher do? intentionally puts four wrong answers in one right one, why

test you that are you going to do the right thing? Did you? Do you know what we told you? We taught you? You've covered the syllabus, you know that one plus one is two, we will intentionally say one plus one, a, two, B three,

c four,

d 11. E zero. You've seen that right? What are you going to do? You can't say sorry, sir. Why did you put the wrong answer here? If you really didn't want us to tick off the wrong answer, same question you were asking about Allah. Why did you make pork haram? If you didn't want us to eat it? Why do you even create the pig? Subhana Allah, why do you even have alcohol? If you don't want us to drink it? Well, now you have your answer. Allah says, you know the right answer the multiple choice here, you just got to pick the right one finished. The rest of them. Allah tests you.

And you will test us too. But these type of questions the young they ask, and yes, I agree. It's quite simple to answer it. But you need to know, I promise you if I were to die today,

would I have pleased Allah or not?

That's a question. We can all die today. None of you can get up and say, I can't die. And people don't like to talk about death. You know why? They want you to lose focus. They want you to lose focus, and they want the distractions to overtake you. So remember, there are three things that you need to develop in order to succeed. There are three things that you need to develop in order to succeed. Are you ready for number one?

Are we ready? guys in the back ready for number one?

You ready for number one?

Okay.

Number one,

develop your relationship with a lion, he's Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, there's no chance that you can ignore that.

The one who made me

I came on my own. I was in the womb on my own. He decided to send me I came to the world and I'm going to go and be buried on my own. I will be resurrected on my own Colonia puluh NFC, NFC, everyone is going to be worried about himself and himself. And you know what, on that day, I just need a lot to be with me the day you die and the day you are buried. If Allah is with you, you don't need anyone else. If Allah is not with you, you have lost even if you have everyone else.

So the first the cornerstone of any success in this world or the next is development of relationship with your maker with a line is that as soon they come there, and why we say a line is that as soon as because Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam was chosen by Allah to send to give us that message. He was the Messenger of Allah subhanho wa Taala the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So when we talk of developing relationship with Allah, and his Rasool

primarily, we worship Allah alone. We follow the Sunnah of the prophet SAW Selim, we make sure that our five pillars of Islam are in order your Salah, you cannot miss it. Allah blesses you with so much. And he may like I said, Everyone goes through struggles. When he blesses you, He wants you to get close to him. But people when they are blessed, turn away from Allah distraction.

When he tests you, He wants you to get close to him when he tests you with negativity, say your health has failed. He will test you to the point where you almost think the wrong answer is right. But he says, stick to the right one.

When Allah gives you He wants you to get close to him. When Allah takes away from you, He wants you to get close to him.

But people when they get they turn away from Allah, when they are sick and Ill they turn away from Allah at times. It should be the other way around the true believer, you get you think Allah, it's taken away from you, you thank him twice. I always say, you know, when things happen your way you must say Alhamdulillah because it means Allah wanted things to happen that way too.

And when things don't happen your way, you must say Alhamdulillah two times, because now your owner has taken over and he knows what's best for you.

He knows what you don't know, don't become despondent. Like I said, Everyone goes through struggles.

If we had to quit the worship of Allah because of the struggles we faced, nobody would worship Allah on earth, and we would have lost the akeelah but it's the plan of Allah. So that's developing relationship with a lion is Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam by doing us a better, abstaining from Haram.

stealing from haram when I am concerned about halal food, when I'm concerned about that which is halal and haram. It shows my connection with who with Allah

and I will reap many benefits. I don't want to talk about those benefits today, but I'm just thinking

teaching you and telling you that you know what? The first duty and the first quality that is required for success in this world and the next is your development of relationship with a line is possible. Trust me, nobody has succeeded without that nobody.

So when you see people who seemingly successful if they have a relationship with Allah and His Rasool they are truly successful. And if they don't have that relationship, they may appear to be temporarily successful, but they don't have a future.

They don't have it.

Take a look at big big names, you know, of the wealthiest on earth today, and the those who can kick the ball the best on the globe, whatever their names are, some of them are reasonable people, those from amongst them who have a relationship with a lion is a soul, their success will be much more, in fact, it will be everlasting. It goes into the hereafter the others, Allah says it's okay.

On Earth, we will give them

call me Don't let what we have given the kuffar in terms of

facility of this world and provision of this world. Don't let it deceive you. Those are provisions that are temporary, Allah says temporary when you see someone and they've got a lot, but they are earning the anger of Allah it has to come to an end.

That's the first quality developing your relationship with Allah and he's rasulillah salam are we listening?

You listening to what I have to say?

Can I go to the second one, the side is listening Mashallah, more attentively than the side. I think there are less blue jackets on the side.

Mashallah, now we're talking right? Now we're talking.

May Allah grant us ease.

Without even knowing I said it.

Maybe they're scared of the teachers.

The second

developing your relationship with your family, Allahu Akbar. You don't like your family, but your family is what Allah says you want success. It starts with your mother and your father love. As much as you might not like the old lady but she is your daughter Jenna. Mashallah, Allah if he didn't want he wouldn't have put her in the picture. But he chose her as a test for you and the test for her. Allah says Allah subhanho wa Taala wakaba buka Allah

Wiley Dini.

Allah has decreed and decided that you shall worship none but him, and that you shall be good and kind to your parents? What's the connection?

What's the connection? There is a very strong link between the two. That's why Allah speaks about them. I asked you in the previous point that we mentioned, who created you, right? It was Allah.

How did he choose to create you through a mother?

Who chose that mother? Allah, thank you. So the connection.

I was created. The means that Allah chose to bring me onto Earth, my mother.

It's a test she could be Muslim, not Muslim, sinful, not simple. She could be good or bad, tall or short, dark or fair, no matter who, what, where when. All of that becomes irrelevant. It is your mother, that is your father. Make do after them. Even if they are bad, you won't follow the evil that they may ask you to do or you won't follow their bad habits. But it's still your mother. It's still your fault. They could be divorced. But that's still your mother and that's still your father. Allah is going to test you. How's your heart in relationship to your mother and father. And what I said point number two was not only mother and father, your family,

your siblings, you need to treat them with respect. You have a short time on earth with them. Very short. Some people siblings are lost at an early age and others are allowed to grow to old age and their siblings are still around on Earth. It's all a test from Allah, appreciate them. Understand that there is a relationship that Allah wants you to have with them. And Allah tells you to fool

With the rights of your family members, when Islam came in the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was instructed to convey the message. He was first told start with your family members were

the Rashi.

Army

won't, won't those from your asherah those who are close to you, these people from the same family unit, the same tribe, the tribes at the time connected to one person is all that person's children.

When they say Banu Hashim, they're talking of the children of Hashem. But there's a children grandchildren, great grandchildren, great, great grandchildren. Imagine if each one of them had seven sons and seven daughters. How big would that family become within four generations? They'd be more than a few 100 people 1000 perhaps

your family is very important when you go home serve them do something every day at home that will result in Allah being pleased with you. We have lost this today we go home we're on our phones. We get angry because you know what? You're distracting me from what from the distraction itself.

on your phone Whoo, I don't even know what to say who Allah grant us ease and your own mother see someone said I mean as though we said well at Berlin Did you hear that?

Show your own mother is sometimes calling you it's true Mashallah because they are those who are astray. So that's what we are saying.

Now

your own mother is calling you your sisters, your siblings their things to be done many of us are so lazy in our homes we don't make our own beds. You get up in the morning there's no bed why I did away are the main will do it. This one will do it. That one, no son of the prophet SAW Selim you get up you your bidding must be sorted out by yourself. You must sort out you help at the house. In the home, you try you do things the professor seldom was or was busy helping his family members every time he had free time. That's what he would do. When I shut up the law. And I was asked what did the professor solemn used to do in his free time? Do you know what she said?

She said he used to be busy meeting the needs of his family members.

He would help. He would do things, the chores and the errands. And he was the Messenger of Allah subhanho wa Taala. He is the Messenger of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Who are we? We get angry, agitated. Cut your time on your cell phone, please. Allah, you will succeed. Cut your time on your cell phone. Cut your time on your cell phone.

Did you hear what I say? I'm talking of distractions. It's one of the biggest distractions, yes, it has a good use to it as well. But many of us we waste our time. I'm not saying being bad being bad is out, but waste our time. And then what happens to a plan starts coming with other things. Little advert a little this little that then you click on it, then you got to click again. Then you got to click again. Then the zero party party on the other side and you've got a problem.

May Allah grant us ease?

It's a big problem. And then suddenly you say no, it's just so are we just friends, we just buddies. Nothing wrong going. That's the beginning. That's the step. And after that, you distracted your results at school from madrasa flops, your Salah flops, everything else flops. Oh, by the way, there's another distraction. But she actually wakes me up with, you know,

that's a step.

You know, she's made me a better Muslim, you know? So Panama. When Allah told you get up, you didn't get up. But when your girlfriend told you get up, you're up. What does that mean?

May Allah help us that's why I started off by telling you develop your relationship with Allah and His Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, and thereafter the next one, your family, your family comes first.

The day you get married and Sharla soon some of you might be married.

The day you get married, you know what your spouse takes preference and importance, a lot of importance your mother and father have their own level. And your spouse has her own levels of Hannah law. These levels don't clash. They're not supposed to be clashing. But you need to know if you didn't have the time. And if you were not going to make the effort, why did you end up getting married? That's all

and I hate it when boys come and say, Look, I have to get my new car done. Otherwise, I'm gonna fall into Haram.

Okay, on one side, it sounds like a good statement. But the other side you've reduced marriage to sex.

Did you hear what I just said? Because you say look, it's like you're standing and saying, look, I need to get married. Otherwise, I'm gonna do harm. I mean, what are you trying to tell me here? So how are you just getting married?

So that then around can become a law. After that you say goodbye, I need to divorce because now I need to do harm on someone else. So I better just do nikka that's a law.

But this is the attitude. These are distractions when people try to help our allies why because we are Muslims we become we're good people inshallah. So we want to analyze things I am saying, Yes, marriage will facilitate that which used to be Haram, it becomes halaal but that's not the only point. That's why hold it, bear sobre understand sometimes there is an age at which perhaps it's preferable for you to get married. The prophets of Salaam acknowledges it by saying Minnesota I mean, c'mon Bharata foliate. So watch. And then he says woman Lamia Valley, he does. So if you haven't arrived at that age, or that capacity or capability, or you cannot afford it financially or

any other way, fast, keep Rosa SubhanAllah. Fast.

So that's a solution doesn't mean you must just go and do whatever you feel like, may Allah grant us protection.

So that was the second connection. I'm not going into too much detail because I want to give you a bit of time to interact.

First point was develop your relationship with a line is rasuna. second one was your family, your family very important. Remember that respect your family members be an asset, a day will come when they will go or you will go either you go on to another place far off, or you leave into the US here into the year after either way, you are focused, you will have benefited others and they will have benefited you. You miss them and you make dua for them. You must be an asset in your home, Don't raise your voice, don't get angry, don't sweat, Allah is watching and you pay the price for it.

You want to hear the third one and the last one. I said three points. The third one.

If you want success,

serve your communities.

That's the third point. One is a relationship with a lion is there a soul to his relationship with family members, three, his relationship with community society and the rest around you.

How many of us have

community awareness drives? We serve our community nowadays, it's all about us, me, myself and I that's what it is. And I want all the goodness for myself and for no one else. It's for me.

It's for me.

But that's not how it should be. serve your community, you will find Allah.

So the poor, the prophets of Salaam has told us that Allah has kept the great reward just by visiting the sick and the Ill not for the free biscuits they give you but

by by visiting them in order to

elevate yourself to start with. You go there and you realize, Oh, this person was so healthy look at where they are now. I

am healthy today I could be worse than that in a flash. That's why there's a reward to visit the sick and to actually follow the janaza because when you follow a janaza the point that is supposed to be driven home is that next is me.

This could be me it will be me It shall be me one day. That's the point.

So this is why we must make sure that we reach out to the orphans and the widows all for the sake of Allah, what have you done to please Allah, like I told you at the beginning we are on earth to prove ourselves to Allah, you remember me saying that.

This is how we prove ourselves to Allah. And I've mentioned it

so these are the three factors inshallah that I want you to inshallah concentrate on and by the will of Allah you will see a wholesome success, wholesome success. The world is not about running behind that which is flashing, ignoring the instruction of Allah, if Allah has bestowed you with the best and good stuff and top stuff and material items Alhamdulillah for as long as you have not compromised your relationship with Allah and His Rasool Allah Salaam, your relationship with your family, your relationship with your community, you heading in the right direction, the minute you've compromised, any one of those three. You have not grown in a holistic way. People who get a lot but

they don't have community relations.

What happens to them?

They either come across very arrogant. In fact, if you have a business and you want to make money, Allah has kept it such that you need others to buy from you. Some of the wealthiest of the lot. They made their money through selling products to the poorest of the poor. I'm not saying they rip them off. No, they didn't. But they sold his products to them. So if there was no mutual respect, when do you want the Baraka to come from and the blessings to come from? That's why when we are giving Zakah you know what we are taught

You're giving zeca to the poor.

But you must thank Allah and to be respectful to them. It is through them that Allah accepted your wealth in charity. If they were non existent, your charities would not be accepted. And it's a sign of the hour, sometime near the end of times, they will be so much wealth and people will be so rich, they won't be a place to give you a car.

One of the signs of the hour, you want to give charity, you go to a man and say, here's my 10,000 grants zakat. He said, What are you talking? I got 100,000 to give you man.

That's the type of

the last time I spoke about that the boys told me they were boys again, not saying it again to a group of boys.

They said I can't wait for the 10

I said why? Hey, we'll all be rich man. May Allah forgive us imagine what angle we look at things from. But it's okay. Allah subhanho wa Taala bless every one of us and grant us ease and goodness. I don't know how the q&a is going to work. Have a seat? Have a seat. Okay, buckle up. And inshallah I'll speak to you shortly Santa Monica.