From the Light Upon Light Conference in Birmingham
Mufti Menk – Never Feel Despair in His Mercy Again
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the culture of fear and dread in Islam, emphasizing the importance of fulfilling someone's statement and finding one's mistake to elevate one's status. They also touch on forgiveness and regret, as well as setting boundaries and not giving up on one's expectations. The speakers stress the importance of forgiveness and setting boundaries to avoid future mistakes. They provide examples of successful lives where forgiveness was achieved through actions and actions, and emphasize the need for forgiveness and not letting anyone do anything bad to oneself.
AI: Transcript ©
salaam aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
Mashallah, that was actually one of the bests that I've had. Mashallah
Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah Allah Allah He was happy and
we bring the loss of Hannah Montana upon all conditions. We thank him for everything that he has bestowed upon us. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions May Allah bless them all and bless every one of you. May Allah bless your offspring those who come up to the end May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant you the offspring, and May Allah make him the coolness of your eyes. May Allah subhanho wa Taala keep us all steadfast My beloved brothers and sisters here in this beautiful city of Birmingham.
Firstly, we all know that as submitters unto Allah subhanho wa Taala, we would definitely know who Allah is, we know that He is the Creator, the nourishment that cherishes the Sustainer, the provider, the protector that cure, the one in whose hands lies absolute control of every aspect of existence, we know that because the term
is declared right at the beginning of the Quran in surah, Al Fatiha the opening surah for the opening chapter of the Quran, where Allah subhanho wa Taala says
Alhamdulillah Allah Allah me All praise is due to Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah mean, some of us just say, Lord of the worlds Have you heard that Lord of the worlds, it's not wrong, but it's only a portion of the meaning made up of three letters of the Arabic language, bah, bah, bah, bah, it actually refers to the one who made you the one who created you, whoever he is, he's called Robin, the one who made you who nourishes, cherishes, provides takes care of, etc, etc, all the aspects of existence in his control. That is, that is Allah subhanho wa Taala. So, we also need to know that, you know, when you're young,
and you're born into a Muslim home, you're actually very fortunate. But sometimes we take it for granted. And this is why the reverts into Islam tend to be slightly stronger than the born Muslim. Sometimes the born Muslims have contaminated their belief in Allah subhanho wa Taala with a culture that sometimes happens to contradict this faith. Culture is a good thing, when you say this person is very cultured, what do you mean? You mean, they have high morals and values, you mean that they are pleasant, they know the do's and don'ts, they know how to treat and talk to people, etc. But sometimes when culture contradicts this deal, you've got to throw it out. There's a lot of racism
that comes because every single tribe thinks it is better than the other.
Now, you might think you're not racist. But if you search deep down,
you might find a slightly different answer.
Because you think you're better, your family's better, your people are better, those around you are better. That's racism, that's tribalism sometimes. Do you know that? Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us and Naboo Sahaja cas9 image there is a saying that goes like this people are equal, like the teeth of a comb, like the teeth of a comb. Now, my brothers and sisters, why did I start this way? Because when we are young, and we are in the Muslim home, we are told, fulfill your Salah. Then I used to say perform but then I realized Salah is not a performance. Salah is actually a fulfillment of a great act of worship. I still sometimes would probably say performance a lot. But you know what
we mean? I think a more appropriate term is fulfill Salah, fulfill it because it's a fulfillment. So if we take a look at it, we've been instructed And sadly, a lot of us with generation of our parents, they just told us if you don't you will be
punished. You will be punished. And this is why when we heard Yeah.
We always translated it as oh you who believe.
Say,
Fear Allah, that was the translation of it. That's a very simple translation that sometimes does not really explain the term
What is not exactly translated in one English word, Fear Allah, it is more to do with the consciousness of Allah based on the love that you have for him that will result in you not wanting to go against this command because you love him so much. That's what it is. When we say stuck Well,
he says and I've said this so many times and touch, bay naka de la he will fire Taka is to create a barrier because in the simple Arabic language which means a barrier. So step one is to create a barrier between you and the punishment of Allah subhanho wa Taala. What do I feel, I feel the punishment of Allah subhanho wa Taala by doing what I fear it or I create a barrier between myself and the punishment of Allah the displeasure of Allah by following the commands and instructions and abstaining from the prohibitions as best as I can. So this is where the term taqwa comes in. But we were taught fear Allah be scared of Allah. Whoo, I'm so scared. Now. I'm going to read Salah because
I fear Allah, it will to some of us Mashallah. But I promise you they are some doesn't work with them.
They become so fearful that they think that they are going to be burning in the fire forever and ever.
Look at the magician's at the time of the Prophet Moses May peace be upon him.
They engaged in one one frustration, and Allah loved it so much. Allah says I forgiven them as a result. They were executed thereafter by the Pharaoh. But how many frustrations? Are they engaging? How many times did they say Allah is our Lord? Once? Allah gave them? How many times do you and I pray for Allah subhanho wa Taala I've lost count and hamdulillah if Allah except one of those, trust me, Your place is paradise inshallah we'll be there may Allah subhanho wa Taala make it such that when we do a good deed, we don't lose it by renaming thereafter or by following up with bad rather than hadebe says, and this is important for us to make a note of, as we say, as an
assassin. When you do a bad deed, follow it up to the good deeds so that it will wipe out the bad deed. That's what we are taught. If you do a bad deed, follow it up with a good deed so that the bad deed is wiped out by your good deed. Imagine that's the gift of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Here we're talking of minor sins, sins that sometimes we perhaps don't even know is committed, we take them for granted to a good deed. And then the Hadith says colic in nursery follow can Hassan
please people, all your conduct with people should be the best.
Meaning your character, the way you treat people, the way you relate to your fellow human beings must be the best, because that is how you will engender. When the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was asked about paradise, he was asked a simple question.
What are the qualities of those who are will be in Paradise, we want to know the main features the main qualities so that we can also work towards it. He says two things takala
the consciousness of Allah and good character and conduct? Why those two? Have you ever asked yourself? Very simple? The first one is your relationship with your maker. The second one is your relationship with the rest of the creatures of the same maker.
Did you hear that? The first one is your relationship with your maker, powerful unconscious of Allah. The second one is your relationship with the rest of the creatures of the same maker how he made you he made them how you have a right to exist, they have a right to exist, how you have this right and that right? They have similar rights, do you fulfill their heights, something very interesting. So as we grew into the next generations, we found that instilling hope was primary. It became the driving factor. The world is full of gloom. The world is full of problems, depression, people are struggling even financially in the rich countries, people are struggling.
You know, you might think, Oh, I live in Britain. So Wow, the people of the rest of the world think the guys who live in Britain, they're so lucky. They are so fortunate not realizing that a lot of the people are paying loans if they're working very, very hard. They work morning to evening, five, six days a week, they don't get to see their children as much as they'd love to and so on hard work. So life is a struggle, in the midst of that struggle. When I think about Allah, I must have positive thoughts. Everything is negative enough, but my Allah, He loves me. He really loves me. And he loves me so much. He made me He guided me and he's given me so much hope that he called
In South America, manual rocking, Most Merciful in a special way, or in a common way, and most merciful in a special way.
He calls himself the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful. That's Allah. Never in the Quran, do you find the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala, where he says, he's going to punish you, if you get what I mean. It's always about mercy about love about compassion. And yes, he does say that tribution and just and so on, because justice does definitely. Or justice is a quality of those who are great. So if those who are great justice would be a good quality then allows qualities far above all of those. So kinda like that is Allah, he's the just back together with that justice. He is most merciful. He forgives when you know, you can do something about someone who's actually done something wrong to
you, but you still forgive them what happens? It means you are truly merciful. I know I can penalize you, I can punish you. But don't worry, it's okay. You know, it's fine. I don't want to continue in this way. I want to forgive you so panela and I want you to know that Allah is more merciful upon us than anyone else can be towards us. Remember that? It's in the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the suckling mother with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asks, Do you think that this lady can actually cast her child into the fire? And they said, It's impossible, she will never do that when I want you to know that Allah is much more merciful upon us than this woman
can ever be upon that particular child. So we need to worship Allah, loving Allah, Allah, he needs to be an element of the love of Allah such that a barrier is created between me and the displeasure of Allah. I want to worship Allah because of taqwa. Because I love Allah, I'm so conscious of his love for me. That's why I want to wish him I love him so much. He takes care of me, he's given me my eyes and my nose, the faculty of hearing and all other faculties. Subhana Allah has granted me the ability to be here this morning, or to listen to this later on Subhan Allah, He loves me, surely he does. And don't think that the difficulties that are placed in your life are actually part of the
punishment of Allah subhanho wa Taala. They are reminders from Allah subhanho wa Taala indeed. But if they result in you becoming closer to Allah, they were a mercy of Allah, some of us have never called out to Allah subhanho wa Taala until we fall ill and sick or we have a financial problem or a medical problem, or some form of an issue. And then we tend to Allah and we say, was this a punishment? Well, if you turned to Allah as a result, it was actually the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala. It was actually Allah gift upon you. So
we all make mistakes we do. Because we're human beings. Every time we hear you know what, I'm a human. Never use the fact that you're human to intentionally perpetrate a crime. I'm human, you know, so I'm going to the club tonight. Come on, take it easy. I'm a human being. So I'm going to drink a little bit. Take it easy. Don't use that as an excuse to sin. But if you have sinned out of human nature, because your illness or your soul has driven you
towards that
seek Allah's forgiveness, I tell you why.
Imagine if your little child whom you love the most has done something wrong and comes to you and says, I'm sorry, please forgive me. What will happen? Don't worry, my son is fine. Okay, so Panama. Don't worry. That's okay. And they do it again. What will you do? It's okay, you're my son. And they look at you. And they come with the space of this cutie pie, you know, and they just broken so many nice things of yours. The whole lot of glasses was actually dropped. What do you do you look to say, Don't worry, so long as you're not okay. Don't worry. Do you know allies more merciful upon you, then you can be upon your own child. Do you know that? So when your child comes to you once, twice,
thrice as human beings, the fourth time the child comes, if they've done the same thing, we might interpret it in a different way or react in a slightly different way. As much now, you know, you've damaged my car once you damaged it the second time. You damaged it the third time, my son's looking at me Mashallah. You damaged it the third time, take it easy, relax. You've got to be careful the way you drive. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant a steadfastness but with Allah. It's not like that. You can seek forgiveness a million times.
we'll forgive you 1,000,001 times. For as long as the conditions of seeking that forgiveness are met, he will forgive you because he swears that you will be forgiven. He says, never lose hope in my mercy. And he doesn't only tell that to us, he tells you how
to make it clear to us therefore, there are so many narrations where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in his words explains to us the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala. In a narration, he says, as a boomin, Adam become
the one who seeks forgiveness from a sin, any sin is equivalent to he or she who's never committed the sin.
In a verse of the Quran, Allah subhanho wa Taala says, towards the end when he speaks of so many sins, and he speaks of the punishment of those who perpetrate the sins, do you know what he says? In
one case?
Yes, people will be punished besides those who seek forgiveness, and if they've sought forgiveness, and they do good deeds after that, do you know what, they will be so gifted by Allah that the bad they did will be converted into good deeds, and put on the right side of the scale because they followed up the bad was Toba meaning with repentance. And at the same time, they did a lot of good deeds thereafter. So Allah says, because you change your life, if you have really changed your life, the bad you've done in the past will be considered a good deed on the Day of Judgment. But if you haven't changed your life, you've repented for a sin, one sin, another sin, a third sin, the
conditions are as follows.
Number one, admit your sin. You don't say, You know what? I committed the sin. But that was my friend who made me committed. Fair enough, the friend might be involved, but you admit you were wrong. I was wrong. That is what I did was unacceptable.
I am to play. That's condition number one, condition number two
regrets.
I need to feel regret and remorse. If a person comes to sister says, I'm sorry for breaking the glass and they walk away and they're smiling. And you're gonna think to yourself, this person is not really sorry, are they sorry, they're not really sorry. They just telling you that it's okay, I'm sorry, it's with their mouse. But when a person is remorseful, when they are regretting, you will find a change a little bit. So if they broken something sorry for giving you the example of breaking the glass, but it's something very simple, and it can happen, it happens to us. So what would happen is
the second time, or should I say when a person says I'm sorry, and they really regretful they will do something about trying their best not to repeat it. That brings us to the third condition. The third condition is you ask Allah for forgiveness. The first one is you admitted. The second one is you regretting? Yes, I did this. I'm very sorry about it. And I seek your forgiveness for Allah. That's the third condition. I'm asking you please forgive me, oh, Allah. And the fourth one is to promise you're not going to do it again.
Now, that's a tough one, right? Because a lot of people say, you know what, what I did is wrong. I know. But I don't know whether I'm going to do it again or not. No, don't say I know who I don't know, for as long as when you asked the last forgiveness, you knew in your heart, you were genuine, and you will try your best never to do it again. that's acceptable in the eyes of Allah.
Allah knows you're a human being. So say, for example, a person has committed adultery. And what happens is they they say, oh, Allah, I admit what I did was wrong. I regret it. And I asked you forgiveness, and I promise you, I won't do it again. And they cry, the warm tears. So Pamela, and they fulfill their salah and they try to change their life, you have to make sure that the person who committed the sin with you your relationship with them changes to a certain extent, because you don't want to be caught in the same situation that facilitated the first session.
and thereafter, if for some reason, some time later separated from your seeking of forgiveness, from that particular sin, you happen to fall, Allah says, Go back and seek the same forgiveness again. What if it happens a third time? Go back, seek the forgiveness a third time and the fourth and the fifth and infinity. Allah will forgive you for as long as you asked him for that forgiveness that is called for that
is the meaning of the name of
the world.
You know, when we say staff, people and so panela it refers to two things, because the Hadees is meant
for a simple man.
Whoever seeks forgiveness ALLAH forgive them. It's over. That's what the Hadith says, You seek forgiveness, Allah will forgive you sure.
Allah says,
Allah says
ohama
explained to my worshipers tell them and this is why he's explained it so much. Tell them Oh, my worship is those who have transgressed against Allah
and those who have oppressed themselves, Alina has Rasul Allah And for those who have gone beyond the limits, themselves, they have wronged themselves. Allah subhanho wa Taala says, la mochila. Do you want to hear what Allah says? He says, never lose hope in the mercy of Allah. For Indeed, Allah will forgive every single sin that you've committed because he is most forgiving, Most Merciful. I am hopeful. I know I'm a criminal, meaning I know I've done wrong in the eyes of Allah subhanho wa Taala. I know I'm a human being I know the sins have committed. But guess what? I'm so hopeful because I have a lord who's more merciful upon me than my own mother and father.
I hope and I will smile until the point of death, I will have hope and I will continue having hope no matter what has happened in my life, no matter what type of sins I've committed in the past, it's okay. So for as long as you have sought the forgiveness of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Trust me, you need to develop that hope Allah will forgive you. Because why shaman has a plan. What's his plan? He knows a lot. He trusted us not to lose hope.
So he makes us lose hope. And that's exactly what a lot of people do. I receive a lot of messages, a lot of questions, a lot of emails, a lot of comments when people say will Allah forgive me? The answer is always Yes. If you're prepared to seek forgiveness, Yes, Yes, Yes, Yes, he will. And perhaps he has already but you don't even know.
Someone told me I've been seeking forgiveness every day 20 times for the ones that I committed a long time back. You know what I told him Mashallah, when you seek forgiveness, Allah will elevate your status now because that sin was probably wiped out with the first time that you asked for forgiveness. The first time you asked it allows wiped it out now that you asking again and again, Allah elevating your status. Allah elevating your status higher and higher. In your heart, you need to know you need to feel that you are forgiven. We're not so bad that Allah will not forgive us. No way. Don't let people tell you, you. There's no TOEFL you will love Allah forgive us. Allah says.
Da even means two things. It means the one who seeks the forgiveness and it can mean the one who has forgiven
but Allah does not call himself
the one who's forgiven once. He says
in the Arabic language when those who have studied emphasis would actually know it's called turkey when you want to emphasize something you say. So one means the one who forgives those who sin that is repented. And then they send and repented and then they send them repentant. And then they send them repentance. Then they send them repentant, right up to the end. That is
he is the one that too well. So one might ask, what's the difference between Eastern
and Toba?
I'm sure we've heard that a lot of times say sounds little love. So we say a sub zero la Hola, tubo LA. Do you know what the difference is? I still feel la actually means I seek the forgiveness of Allah. Oh Allah, I am seeking your forgiveness and as to who la caja or LA v means I am returning to him or to you or Allah, to return to Allah. So when you return to Allah subhanho wa Taala that means I've changed my life. That's what it means.
Something has happened. That has made me change as returned to Allah. So when you just say a subtle bit of law, yes, you're asking Allah forgiveness. But when you have engaged in Toba, that means you have returned to the right path.
When your little TomTom coming to Birmingham tells you that you need to make a U turn. What do you do? You don't just keep on going straight thinking it's okay. It's okay.
It will adjust itself it's fine. So panela you try and make a U turn as soon as possible, right?
Because you know that oh, I don't just say I'm sorry, I'm sorry. If I say I'm sorry. And I continue following what I think is right. Although I'm being guided otherwise you know what will happen? I will end up in the wrong destination. But if I say I'm sorry, I'm going to make a U turn right now I will still get to the destination.
May Allah subhanahu wa taala help us? May Allah subhanho wa Taala guide us so my beloved brothers and sisters, when we say Allah is
it is actually not us who seizes It is him sapan Allah.
The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tells us
in the la de la,
la Li, una Ha.
Tomasi will lay
out what a powerful nation every day, Allah stretches the hand of mercy. Allah stretches his hand to forgive those who have committed sin by night. And every night Allah stretches his hand to forgive those who have committed sin by day, every day, until when did Allah say we'll only do it for the first 20 minutes of you know this thing or that thing? No, for the first 20 minutes every Juma? No, until the sunrises from the west.
That means until the end of time.
And there is another narration that says in Allah, Allah Allah.
Allah will accept the forgiveness of any worshiper, for as long as they have not arrived at the point of Bergara, which means right is the point of death.
When your soul is being removed from your body, that's the time when the doors of Toba are closed before they're totally open, wide open completely. That is, that is the mercy of Allah, my brothers, and my sisters, never lose hope in that Mercy of Allah, He loves you. And I promise you when you have difficulty and hardship, you need to know that's the reason why we are. Nobody on earth does not have difficulties or hardship, including the presidents and the wealthy, and the leaders and those who have materialistically absolutely everything. They also have problems, they have issues, they will also come a day when they too will die. They will be on their deathbed, just like the
others more powerful and more wealthy and more good looking will on their deathbed just before they died, you know, but we're going to a better place. Definitely. I have absolutely no doubt. Allah does not allow you to suffer beyond a certain point. But when Allah subhanho wa Taala tests you with something you may perceive as negativity,
it's actually supposed to draw you closer to
it, it's supposed to make you realize that this world is something temporary. This world is something that is not supposed to be filled with all the roses, perhaps I have more than I deserve.
It's the gift of Allah. But when I get into the Hereafter, I will definitely see a lot, I will definitely they have the best of the best. Allah has promised that to me. So this is why when we say
we need to smile and we need to say that's my Lord. That's my maker Subhana Allah, you know if your son or your daughter or your relative or someone you know happens to be very, very famous or happens to be the best sportsman certain view Mashallah we have marine algae with us by Allah subhanho wa Taala, granting goodness and ease, but at the same time.
Okay, let's use his example. When he got the century, a little while back, right. What did we say? My boy that right? That's our boy, man.
That's our guy, man. Make dua for him. May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us champions of the D. Remember, whatever you doing in life, you're always an ambassador of the D. Every one of us. Even if you're walking in the streets of Birmingham, you're an ambassador of the dean, carry yourself. Well, that alone is carrying yourself well. It's already the beginning of doubt.
Even without uttering one word. So we say we get happy is and that's my guy. That's all dude, man. We're lucky I want to teach you something the example of a life far higher than anything we would be able to cite. But whenever we hear the names of Allah, we should say that's my that's my that's my major. That's the Most Merciful. He's the one. I love him. you dedicate to to absolute unconditional love. Not to your boyfriend.
girlfriends no to Allah.
And then you know what will happen?
Next Allah subhanho wa Taala dedicate your life to him, so that when he comes to work, you know what I'm going to do since my last half an hour ahead of time, and I'm going to get up and say I love you. This is just for you. And I get up and I make my boo boo. And I know how difficult it is. So Panama, you know how fortunate you guys are. You can set your clock for 730 and you can still catch Salatin. We can never do that in Africa. Impossible. One of the books, one of the perks, you can be fasting every Monday and Thursday, and every 13th 14th 15th of the lunar month. And you know what it will be 30 breakfasts and the late lunch. That's all it is. And you'd have fasted. Wow. And it's not
wrong to ship to Africa when Ramadan comes because then we have the bonus
pieces this time. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us. mela gratuity. She's a dean. Islam is a beautiful religion. Allah is the best,
the best ever.
The deity that is obviously the highest.
Nothing compares with Allah subhanho wa Taala. We are fortunate we have him as our as our maker. Because I promise you if he wanted to punish us, he could have done it a long time back. But Allah Subhana Allah Allah says, Allah, Allah Allah.
Allah will never punish them while they are seeking forgiveness. This is why when something happens to you, the first thing you see, obviously we see in the ledger in La La Jolla, depending on what exactly has happened, but we also say a sub to the La, La La, la, May Allah forgive us, may Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us a good returning to him. Because when you are seeking forgiveness, Allah won't punish you in that condition. Allah Subhana Allah Allah will not punish you in that condition. I have spoken for my minutes I told the brother I would complete at a quarter two, so and hamdulillah I hope and I pray that a few words I've said have motivated myself and yourself. We get
closer to Allah subhana wa Jalla we have hope in the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala we repent to Allah, no matter what has happened, and we never allow shaman to make us feel that Allah is not going to forgive me. No, not me, no matter what, no matter what you've done. Allah subhanho wa Taala will forgive you. Do you know that she is a sin that Allah does not forgive you. But a lot of us don't understand what that means. There's no contradiction in what I'm saying. Because when Allah says I don't forgive, shoot, he's talking about those who die without repainting. If someone dies without repainting the mercy of Allah is he says, I can forgive all the sins but she's just one
thing I'm just telling you. Now I'm not going to forgive that. So say for example, I've committed so many sins and I died. May Allah not let that happen to me. But if I died without asking Allah forgiveness, he will forgive me is looking for any excuse to forgive all my sins besides one. So when we say Allah will not forgive, we're talking about those who died in that condition, without repentance. Then Allah warns you with a stronger warning.
Because if you look at the Sahaba, the companions of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the majority of them they were actually Muslim. Prior to accepting Islam, they were polytheists they worship idols and stones and so on. What happened in Islam is to Puma cobbler, the ministry enters the fold of Islam, everything deleted.
The same applies to tell him when you repent to Allah and you turn to Him, it deletes everything bad that you've done in the past, when you go for Hajj, you come back as clean as the day you were born, the day your mother gave birth to you. Have you ever heard an explanation of that? I can tell you one sentence.
A lot of people say you come with a clean slate. I say no, no, it says you come with a clean slate.
The sewers are wiped out, but your goodies they are carried through to Panama. They are carried through it is selective deleting, you know, when you delete the hard, hard drive or you want to format the hard drive or your phone, you want to actually reset the factory settings what happens? You need to back things up
if you want them and if you've just done that everything's wrong, the good and the bad. But when it comes through Toba, Allah says the bad is deleted the good we keep it It remains May Allah Subhana Allah Allah grant us goodness, Abou kolyada are Salatu was Salam ala nabina Muhammad
salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.