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A Path to Paradise 2
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Channel: Mufti Menk
Episode Notes
Jumuah Lecture from Masjid Al Falaah Harare, Zimbabwe
Episode Transcript
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Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah, who Allah, Allah, he was happy. And we praise Allah subhanho wa Taala. 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, we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to bless them all, and to bless every single one of us. I mean, my beloved brothers and sisters, last week, we went through some of the ways of earning Jenna and paradise. My goal and your goal should actually be achieving entry into Jenna. Yes, in this world, we may have goals, I perhaps want to lead a life that has a little bit of
comfort in it and hamdulillah I perhaps would like to have a life whereby it would look to me that I am successful, and I can at least look after my children or I can at least try and help the next generation. However, the success of this worldly life is very temporary. Remember this extremely temporary, take a look at an extremely successful person, a very successful person, he would have to have gone to school here I'm talking about the worldly life. He perhaps went to school, he went to college, he went to university at the age of 25. Perhaps if he graduated, he might start working, he will earn a little bit of a salary, he will come back. And he if he becomes a very big businessman,
by the age of 45, the earliest say 40 to 45. He now has a little bit of money. And he's a happy man. He has a family perhaps with children, and he considers himself extremely successful. The question is, how long is that success going to last? That's the question, not more than 2535. If you're very lucky, 45 more years. If you live up to 65, they will retire you. If you live beyond 275, perhaps you may enjoy the fruits of it. But things will start becoming into or you will be seeing things in perspective. And you will realize that true success is actually the day when Allah subhanho wa Taala tells you that you have now achieved paradise, because that is everlasting, as compared to the 25 to
35 years that you had in this world. So those who are wealthy those who are in authority, those who have a top job, those who have lots of qualifications, make sure that whatever you have, you use it in a way that when you don't have it, you won't regret anymore. You use it in a way that when you don't have it at least you will say to yourself and hamdulillah I spent it in such a way that eternally I will achieve gender welfare those I will achieve gender, and this is why we are looking at deeds that would actually help us to earn this gender. I spoke last week about the tongue and how important it is to say correct words to protect our tongues from abusing people, etc. And on top of
that, to make sure that tongue is moistened all the time, with the remembrance of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Similarly, to engage in his little farm is a powerful way of earning gender. And Allah subhanho wa Taala makes mention of those who have sinned, those who committed sin in terms of immorality, whether it is adultery, whether it is perhaps the watching of pornography or engaging in any form of immorality, Allah subhanho analysis if those people remember Allah, and they repent to him and they change their ways, they do good deeds for them will be forgiveness and paradise. This is the hope Allah is giving us because if Allah says only those who are good will intergender when
we have made mistakes, we start thinking now I'm not good enough. So Allah says Hang on. If you have made mistakes, we will show you how to become good once again. This is Allah subhanho wa Taala. So one of the beautiful ways of earning Jenna is actually to seek knowledge. It is amazing how the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says men Celica Perry and yelton me Sufi men. Sahil Allahu Allahu
ala Jenna, whoever spreads a path. In order to seek knowledge meaning you made an effort to go and learn, you either traveled or you either spent money, effort, energy or any of your resources included in this Hadeeth any resources of yours that you have spent in order to try and learn in here primarily knowledge that will teach you your link with Allah subhanho wa Taala is being referred to although the scholars have included from a distance that which would be of worldly benefit alone. Remember this, that which is of worldly benefit alone, it is also important knowledge, but you cannot learn that knowledge at the expense of the Islamic knowledge. What this
means is when it comes to Islam,
There is a minimum I need to know it is called ma Who am alumina? Dini? bedarra. That which is the information of this particular Dean that I necessarily need to know. That minimum? I cannot know less than that. So if you're a Muslim you say, but I don't know how to pray you better do something about it today before tomorrow, because that's not good enough. If you say I'm a Muslim, but I don't know the six pillars of his Eman or the five pillars of Islam, then there is a problem you need to change that immediately. This is something extremely important. So my beloved brothers and sisters, remember knowledge primarily, yes, it does include all knowledge, but at the beginning, it is the
knowledge of your link with Allah subhanho wa Taala you cannot say I did not know this is not this is Sheikh or I did not know that this is not allowed or this is an innovation etc, etc. You need to learn the basics at least you need to know what is required of you as a Muslim. More than that people specialize. Someone might become a doctor, someone might become an accountant, someone might become a plumber, someone might become something else. Subhana Allah, a technician or whatever else, it is no problem on condition that you have the minimum knowledge of the deen so when you make an effort to go out to learn the knowledge of the deen, Allah says, through that effort, Allah will
make easy the path of your entry into paradise. So it's one of the ways of earning gender to go and learn. Now you might ask How is that? How is that let me go and learn and Allah will make my path to gender easy. Well, very simply put, when you go out to learn, you will learn how to get paradise. That's why you will be able to get to paradise. For example, if I were to tell you Look, my brother, there is a destination ahead of you. And just read this map book for a little while, it will make it easier for you to get to that destination. So if you don't read the map book, it becomes very difficult. But if you spend the time, effort, energy, even if it means 15 minutes, 20 minutes to sit
with someone they can explain to you turn left turn right do this, do that. And then when you get onto the road, you know how to get to that destination. The same applies you spent the time to learn ways where to turn when not to turn what to do what not to do so you will get to general quite simple. That's why the Hadith says whoever treads the path of knowledge through that threading of the path and through the effort that the person has made. Allah's mercy dictates that that person's path to paradise will be made easy May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant us the ability to learn knowledge. I want to pause for a moment and say my brothers and sisters spend the time learning the
Quran, learning the meanings of the Quran, your path to paradise will be made easy primarily that is the book that tells you how to get to gender. That is the book that tells you where to go spend the time learning the biography of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam and it will help you to become a better Muslim, you will feel appreciation you will be able to acknowledge and understand the effort, the goodness and all the beautiful teachings when you go through the Hadith when you go through the life of Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam etc, etc. So my brothers and sisters make an effort. We see the Quran See, we see it on our shelves in our homes. A lot of the times we treat it as an ornament. We just
need a little bit we put it down Come Ramadan, we will sit and read the Arabic we've never ever thought to ourselves. Let me try and look what my own Allah is telling me. We all call it Kalam. Allah we believe it is the word of Allah. What is my Allah telling me when I go back to him I can at least say I read the book. I understood it. I tried to put it into practice he will say for you is gentlemen, it's over. It's over. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala grant agenda. So my brothers and sisters make an effort to learn the Quran. Spend 10 minutes a day not more than 10 minutes, one verse. It's a challenge that I have put forth so many times. Many people have taken it up and they
have said yes, we have definitely changed start off but dedication will lie 10 minutes a day with the Quran the meaning of it only how many minutes can if you have the time go more but we are not asking you for anything beyond 10. To start off with 10 minutes a day inshallah your path to Jannah will be made extremely easy by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
Then there is another way of earning Jenna, Allah is the Creator. He created me He created you he created other human beings and he created all other creatures. Allah says when you are merciful towards the other creatures besides you whom I have created, I will be merciful on you, your hammelmann fill out your ham Comanche summary have mercy upon those on Earth. Allah didn't say human beings. Allah didn't say Muslims alone. Allah didn't say that only a certain species, anything and any creature of Allah on earth have mercy on the creatures of Allah so much so that even
When for consumption, we need to slaughter an animal, we need to do it in the most humane and quick, swift way. Because you need to have mercy even upon a chicken that you would like to eat Subhana Allah. This is where the rules of halaal come in. If you don't have mercy on an animal, Allah will not have mercy on you. So what do you think is going to be the status of the one who has mercy on human beings as well, I want to draw your attention to a beautiful narration. And there are more than one, but there is just one I'm going to mention of a man who went into a well in the heat of a desert, and he decided to get some water and he drank a little bit of the water when he came out. He
saw the Hadith says for either Caliban, young colusa, mina latesh, when he came out, he saw a dog that was actually sniffing into the sand because of hunger. So what happened? He says, indeed, this dog is as thirsty as I was, let me go down again and bring some more water and let me quench the thirst of the dog. We are not talking here of human beings, we're talking of animals that we would consider lower than human beings. Okay. In fact, a dog is an animal that you and I know there are rules and regulations regarding the cleanliness, the purity, the impurity, that's the type of an animal if Allah wanted that could have been a chicken, that could have been a bird, it could have
been a goat or a sheep or a cow or something of that nature. No, it was a dog. So Allah subhanho wa Taala decided to choose this, obviously, it was Allah subhanho wa Taala through Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam who informed us of this. So the men went back into the well. He filled his boot, you know, he filled his boots, or his leather sock, that which he was waiting on his feet. He filled it with water, and he came out and he quench the thirst of a dog. And the Hadith says as a result, he was forgiven. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us forgiveness, because he was compassionate towards the dog. The question I have today, people are using the name of Islam, to perpetrate in
justices to perpetrate heinous crimes using that name yet, Allah says, even to be kind to a dog can result in your entry into paradise. What do you think? What do you think is expected of us regarding other human beings? Well, even higher than dogs SubhanAllah. So my brothers and sisters, think carefully, you want to go to gentlemen, you need to have compassion in your heart. The Hadith says your hammelmann will be your ham, commanderie sama and another narration says layer hammy laahu malayer hominess. The first one says, Have mercy on the war on those on earth and the one in the heavens will have mercy on you. Remember that you want the one in the heavens to have mercy on you,
you need to have mercy on those who are on Earth. Secondly, the next generation says, Allah will not have mercy upon those who do not have mercy on fellow human beings. I repeat, Allah will not have mercy upon those who do not have mercy on fellow human beings. Law, your hamdulillah who Malaya happiness, there is no debate about this. Remember, you need to fill your heart with compassion, convert the hatred that you have into mercy and compassion. It is the qualities of that heart that will primarily earn you gentlemen through the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala May Allah subhanho wa Taala Have mercy on us, this term of Rama, Rama and mercy of Allah. It is one of the names of Allah
Al Rahman Al Rahim, a name that Allah loves so much and he asks us also to show a little bit of the quality that he has May Allah subhanho wa Taala make it easy for us. Similarly, one of the beautiful ways of earning gentlemen is to develop your character, your conduct, the way you carry yourself, the way you interact with people, and with the rest of the creatures of Allah subhanho wa Taala narration of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam he says, I am a guarantee, I stand guarantee
of a place in paradise. For the one who leaves argument for my sake meaning for the sake of Allah, even if he is correct. You know, to argue with a fool there is no point the best thing Salaam and you walk away, that's the best response. But when we get stuck in the mud with foolish people, the only thing that will happen, your reputation goes, your health goes your link with Allah begins to become weak because you are spending effort, energy time that you could have used developing your link with Allah doing something that is absolutely unnecessary. So Mohammed Salah Salam says those who leave arguments for the sake of Allah
Law, even if they are right, I guarantee them a place in general.
We're talking about how to get gender, the second part of the same duration. The Hadith says, I am a guarantee of a place in gentlemen, for the one who leaves lies, even if he is joking, even if it is just joking falsehood, total falsehood, a lie. You know, sometimes people lie to you big lie. And then when they are caught out, they say, I was just joking. Have you heard that one? I was just joking. My brothers and sisters, those type of jokes are not welcome. You want a place in paradise? Stay away from them. May Allah subhanho wa Taala, forgive us, May He grant us goodness, and May He grant us agenda to the third part of the Hadith. He says, I am a guarantee of a very lofty place in
gentlemen, to He who has perfected or who has developed his character and conduct, how you talk how you carry yourself, your expression on your face can become an ibadah. If you have a beautiful expression on your face, whereby positive energy is beamed from you people look at you they feel happy because you are smiling will lie it is an act of charity, why you have reached people and help them become positive. That's why a smile is an act of charity. Because when you smile, it's positive energy being being you are donating something to other people around you. What is that? positivity A man was said he looked down he had a bit of a problem. Someone told him something when he saw you,
you gave him such a big smile. He just forgot about what happened. Didn't you give him such a big gift? Didn't you actually reach out to him in a beautiful way when I looked at you I really felt good. When I sit in your company I feel so good. Amazing. That is a charity that is something so beautiful. My brothers and sisters This is how we will be able to engender develop your character and conduct because if you develop your character and conduct the Hadith says a man can reach the level of the pious and those who are loved by Allah and even that of the prophets through his character and conduct. Subhan Allah now one might ask, What if a person doesn't believe in Allah?
And they have developed character and conduct? It's a question. Here we are talking about how character and conduct can earn you a place in gender? Well, if a person does not believe in gender or the Hereafter, then obviously Allah subhanho wa Taala says he doesn't oppress anyone, he will give them what they consider as paradise. What is the aim? What do they consider paradise, this worldly life? So Allah gives them wealth, luck gives them health. Allah gives them status, Allah gives them respect. Allah gives them various other things in this world when it comes to the alpha that's between them and Allah. Allah already told them your coupons are spent, your coupons are
spent you don't believe so? What was the point? Now you want to ask me for goodness, when the whole test was rotating around belief, you dropped out that belief because we don't depress we gave you what you considered the ultimate gift. A lot of people today they live for this world. They don't live for the hereafter. So anything and everything they want they do is connected to happiness and goodness in the few years that they have remaining on Earth. So they don't mind how they earn the money but they want to earn it whether by hook or by crook you tell them about interest you tell them about what is haram, they are definitely not interested because according to them, I need the
donor by hook or crook May Allah forgive us if that is the case you will get the dollar but with it you will not get happiness you will not get a lot of other things because of the cook part of that hook. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us and May He grant us ease. However, true believers they will work hard they will try to earn they know life is a struggle, but they know that we are earning because we have a family to feed we have various other duties and we will not compromise the law of Allah if Allah said this is haram it is haram we will stay away from it even if we are losing something material because we know ultimately primarily we will only be gaining May Allah subhanho
wa Taala make it easy for us to live in this world as well as to develop our character and conduct in a way that we can achieve gender. Another generation I want to make mention of is where the prophets of Allah Selim says such and such a person will not intergender the whole janitor mechanical behemoth Karla Huberty Min hardily min kibin. A person who in whose heart There is even a mustard seeds wait worth of pride won't intergender no place for him in general. He first needs to go if he's a believer, he needs to go somewhere else in order to clean himself and then he can come to agenda. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease. But if it is a person who doesn't even believe
what does he expect? The point being raised is let's protect ourselves from pride, pride and arrogance. Now one might say I've got the best car, I've got the best house I've got the best clothing the best perfume, the best cell phone and people consider me proud. So the Sahaba asked a similar question on messenger. So a lot of them we like that our convenience is nice
out the place of staying is nice. They were worried he says that is not pride. Pride is when you reject the truth. That is pride. The truth is glaring you in your face shining upon you 40,000 watts in your face above, the truth is shining, and you just reject it. That is pride. That is pride. No place in Ghana for such a person. Not at all. The Hadith says it loud and clear. When the truth came to you, you rejected it. That is what Allah doesn't want. He sends the truth to you, not once, many, many times through many, many different avenues in order for you to change in order for you to realize to understand, but no you don't. That's it. Allah says no place for you. May Allah protect
us from pride. The second part of pride is humbleness, those who despise people.
You make a mockery of other people you despise them. very unfair, unjust if that is the case, no place in gender for you. May we beat May we learn to respect one another. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive our shortcomings May we be from among those who can change our lives because my brothers and sisters when we learn to respect one another, we have a beautiful community. When the community is beautiful. We have a beautiful aroma when the oma is beautiful, we have Subhana Allah fulfilled what was required of us by Allah subhanho wa Taala May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us Oh Jenna, and May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us in a way that we can be thankful to him upon all
conditions. inshallah, if given the opportunity, and if we remember, we would like to continue on some of these paths to paradise in a way that we can understand whenever we see things how best we would earn Jenna, may Allah subhanho wa Taala make the path to gender easy for every one of us. Remember, when you pray for someone else the angels are saying mean for you as well. When you pray that someone else gets gender, then you also inshallah would be a person whom the doula would be befitting for that you would also get Jenna but it's not good enough to continue to make do out make do out but your life is heading in another direction. I am making you out all I want to go to blue.
Take these people to blue, but I'm walking towards kariba some handle even if I get a lift, I'm going to get to the wrong place. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease walk in the right direction seek help and Allah will make that path easy for you. May Allah bless us all sallallahu wasallam Oh Baraka Alana, Bina Mohammed