Mufti Menk – Path to Paradise 3

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Alhamdulillah wa salatu salam ala rasulillah even Allah, Allah He was happy.
		

			We praise Allah subhana wa Jalla we thank him upon all conditions we send blessings and salutations
upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, we ask Allah
Subhana Allah to Allah, to bless them all, and to bless every single one of us and to grant us all
goodness, my beloved brothers and sisters, the last two weeks I have been speaking about ways of
entering paradise, Allah subhanho wa Taala wants us all, to work towards entry into paradise.
		

			And as a result, there are so many messages that were sent in order to remind us how we would be
able to earn that paradise and how we would be able to save ourselves from heading in the wrong
direction. So to worship Allah alone, that is primarily the most important thing. If a person
worships Allah alone and does not associate partners with Allah Subhana Allah to Allah in any way
and in anything, when there is a very great hope for that person because Allah says he can forgive
any other sins that are committed, but he will not forgive association of partnership if a person
dies without having sought forgiveness, from that association of partnership with Allah subhanho wa
		

			Taala. So say someone has committed some cheating. Someone has associated partners with Allah in
something. And after that they happen to repent, there is still good hope for them. That's the mercy
of Allah for as long as you're alive, you are within the exam room. When you are inside the exam
room. For as long as you are within the time frame, you will be able to change your answer. I wrote
the wrong answer in a mathematics test. And after that, I crossed it out and I wrote another answer.
The other one was also wrong. I crossed it out. I wrote a third answer that was also wrong. I then
asked for more paper. I got it and I wrote the right answer. So what I'm still alive, I'm in the
		

			exam room. But even if your papers are blank, and the exam is over and you walked out of the exam
room, it's over, it's gone. So this is the example of life we are in a massive examination. For as
long as you are living, there is nothing that Allah subhanho wa Taala will not forgive if you change
your answer if you seek the forgiveness. If you ask Allah Subhana Allah, Allah to grant you
forgiveness, he will forgive you. Yes, if you have wronged a fellow human being there is a little
bit more involved because now there is another person involved. It's their rights. May Allah
subhanho wa Taala. Grant us ease. I'll give you an example. If you are in an exam room, and you have
		

			stolen the pin of the person next to you in order to write your answers, just an example. Your
answer might be right but you have another case to answer what is it? You stole someone else's pin?
It's up to them to decide, Okay, nevermind, let it pass or for them to say no, I went to jail this
man because of my pen. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease and May Allah subhanho wa Taala
grant us an understanding. So I mentioned many points. I want to continue from that.
		

			From what I spoke about, you might say, Well, it wasn't exactly at this venue? Well, the answer to
that is these talks are available online. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us all ease Muslim
Central, is the app that you can actually use in order to get your lectures on your phones as they
are delivered. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless those involved. So if you go to Muslim central.com,
you will then find these applications with free audios 1000s 10s of 1000s of speeches, and you will
be able to listen to them on your phone as well as in most other platforms. So the point I want to
raise today, I want to start off with where I left off last week and that was the point of good
		

			character and conduct. You and I know that a person has two duties, two primary duties The first is
a duty unto Allah subhanho wa Taala. He made me I owe to him worship, because the one who made me he
is the only one who has the right to tell me what to do. He has the right he created me so he can
tell me stand on one foot and that will be considered an act of worship. But Allah doesn't tell us
things that are foolish. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease. Some people stand in the sun
harming themselves, putting their hands high and so on and thinking that knife the sun scorches me,
it means God will be happy with me. No, no, Allah only tells us that which is beneficial for us.
		

			This is why Allah says, Allah Allah.
		

			Do you know what that means? Indeed for him is the creation he created in the first place. He is the
Creator. Therefore he has the instruction. He can instruct because he made
		

			So panela It's a powerful verse, powerful portion of the verse, because Allah has created therefore
he has the right to instruct. So when Allah tells us five Salah a day, those who believe that we
were created by Allah, they will understand this is the creation, I need to fulfill this Salah
because Allah made me and has required that I do this man, Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us an
understanding, however, we have another right and that is the rights of fellow human beings. We
touched on it a little bit earlier when I mentioned the pain, but remember, it's not good enough to
read Salah in the first stuff or to read five Salah a day but you swear this one you cheated that
		

			one you deceive that one you back bit about this one, you did this and that against that one, etc,
etc. And you think I'm going to paradise. The test is twofold how your relation is with the makeup
and how your relation is with the rest of the creatures of the same maker. Wow. So panela how your
relation is with the maker and how your relation is with the creatures of the same maker, the
others, so not only mankind, it extends even to animals, even to the other creatures, even the
plants in the ecosystem. You cannot destroy what Allah has made without a purpose just because you
felt like it. Okay, today guys, we're going to go out I got a new sword to cut trees, we're going to
		

			test this out we're going to cut down the whole forest. That's not right, you just testing a hacksaw
or testing an electric so that's not fair. That's not good enough. It is a sinful behavior because
you are destroying the ecosystem without purpose. But if you have a building to make, you have
reason it's troubling, it's hindering there are many reasons it's quite broad, then you say
Bismillah and you do what you have to be Allah Subhana Allah to Allah grant us all and understanding
so when we talk to one another my brothers and sisters many times we talk to each other we get upset
not because of what was said but because of how it was said
		

			we need to jot this down we need to make a note of this in our families in our homes, with our
parents with our brothers and sisters with our family members, community members etc. Mostly it's
not to do with what you said that offended the person it's got to do with how you said it that
actually offended them no matter even if you want to sell tell someone how stupid they are. There is
a way of doing it may Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us okay, I don't mean it exactly on that
point. But I hope you understand what I'm saying. You can say what you want in a beautiful way come
across extremely good. You know if I say my brother You know nothing you are wrong. What do you know
		

			already I've caused enmity. But if I say my brother Mashallah, we've benefited from you. We've
really Mashallah you know, so much that has happened. Would you consider if perhaps, and then you
mentioned your point? Wow. Subhana Allah, the person who has a mind he will understand Whoa, I've
been told in a beautiful way that Guess what, you know what you're wrong. lavaca Allah subhanho wa
Taala grant us so there is a way of speaking this way of speech is known as part of your, your
character, your conduct. Many times people work for us, we sway them, we shout at them, etc. They
are not upset because you issued an instruction, or they are not upset because you corrected them
		

			having made a mistake. They are upset because you insulted them, you disrespected them. That's what
it is. You sway a man big, big swear words. And you expect him to say no, you know what, you work
for me? So I'm allowed to do that? No, no way. Even Allah Who created us has never insulted us. So
who are you? May Allah subhanahu wa taala, grant us ease. So this is love and character and conduct,
we can get to a level of a person who's engaged in constant worship, just by developing our
character and conduct, the way you talk to people, the way you interact with them the way you
fulfill their rights. You know, the respect of elder people, we've lost it, but the Prophet
		

			sallallahu wasallam stressed it that you know what, if you do not respect the elders and have mercy
on those who are young, you cannot call yourself one of us. sapan Allah. You cannot claim to be a
follower of Mohammed Salah Salah when you don't have respect of the adults, you don't greet them,
you don't respect them, your mouth is foul towards them. And you want to call yourself a follower of
Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam Mullah moussaka, Kabira while Amir Hamza de la samina according to one
narration, you cannot call yourself a member of the oma truly if you don't do certain things. For
example, another narration says man rashanna, fillet Salman, whoever cheats us cannot be called One
		

			who is totally following Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, you know, the literal translation is very
scary. It actually means whoever cheats us is not from amongst us. Wow. Someone might say that means
they're not Muslim. Well, that means they cannot call themselves true Muslims, correct. They can't
call themselves true Muslims. May Allah subhanho wa Taala strengthen us so there is a narration
where the Prophet sallallaahu salam says, a man can actually achieve the rank of a person who fasts
constantly and stands in
		

			Prayer at night just through his character and conduct.
		

			So,
		

			if you want to reward of having stood in prayer all night, and you want to reward of having fasted
every day, without actually having fasted or stood in the prayer, yes, you fulfill your basics
basics meaning the foreign that which is compulsory. You can't say, Hey, you know what my character
is really good. And I don't have to pray five prayers. My character is good here come Ramadan. And I
actually don't have to fast because we were told in the masjid the other day that you can get that
reward. If you speak nicely to people, you fulfill their eyes, Don't be foolish, there are some
duties and obligations unto us that we need to know. And we would know they are considered an
		

			obligation for so I cannot change that I have to fulfill that. But beyond that, I will achieve full
reward if I fulfill the rights of other people and I develop my character. I reach out to others. I
become selfless to a great degree. I help people in need as much as I can. If I cannot help them, I
say a good word to them. And when I need help I ask Allah someone might help me those who cannot
help me, I don't get angry with them. That's a very important point. When we talk about good
character, we always say help people, but we don't ever talk about how when you are in need and
people don't help you. You need to find an excuse for them. Sometimes you ask a man Hey, I just need
		

			$1 and he carries on walking. I just need the dollar he carries on walking. bad character is for you
to start thinking this man is arrogant. This man is proud he might have given 10 other dollars to 10
other people that particular day and because the 11th one he didn't give now he's a bad man.
		

			Or he might not have something in his pocket or maybe he didn't even hear you. Maybe he didn't hear
you. I greeted someone once and they didn't reply.
		

			And later on I told him my brother You know what, Mashallah Baraka I just want to clear something
from my chest here. I greeted you. You didn't reply. Were you upset? He said well, ah he I didn't
even hear you. I have so many problems of my own, my mind was preoccupied. I have come across so
many people nowadays like this where they are sitting doing nothing you greet them they didn't even
look up because nowadays you and I know the stress is a lot and man has become weaker. So we sit and
we worry. We sit in think so much that when people are passing some people are saying things we
don't hear it so panel unless it's about money, that we hear it very fast. Mashallah, Allah subhanho
		

			wa Taala, grant us goodness and these. So my brothers and sisters important for us to find an excuse
for those who sometimes might not behave in the best way towards us, that is also part and parcel of
your own good character and conduct. May Allah subhanho wa Taala. Grant us goodness, last week, I
made mention of the narration, and I actually ended it slightly incorrectly where I said you can get
to the level of the messengers, and you can get to the level of those who are pious through your
character and conduct indirectly that may be correct because Allah subhanho wa Taala says in the
Quran, whoever follows Allah and he's an assumed he will definitely be granted the ranks or he will
		

			definitely be resurrected with those who are pious, those who are high those who are close unto
Allah subhanho wa Taala, those who have died in the course of Allah subhanho wa Taala and the
prophets etc. But when it comes to good character and conduct if it were to be part of the entire
package, what does that mean? That means you cannot say like I said earlier, look, I've got good
character and conduct but I don't really meaning I don't worry about the other person's I don't
really believe you have to be a believer, you have to be doing good deeds. And on top of that, you
have to be having good character and conduct you fulfill the rights of Allah subhanho wa Taala and
		

			you fulfill the rights of the rest of the creatures of Allah, you cannot do one of the two you have
to do both. If you want gender, you will have to do both. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us all
and grant us all ease. Then we need to know something pride. Pride is something that Allah detests.
He doesn't like it. What is pride. Pride in the Hadith speaks about two things. Normally when we
look at a person with a nice car, he's got the latest BMW, you know, the new nine series. And what
happens is as he's driving into parallel, we look at him in history. Check out this guy. He's too
proud. He's arrogant he thinks is a big deal. You know, and when he ways that you Santa Monica, just
		

			because he's got a nice car is now waving at me look at this guy, he thinks is a big deal waving
because he's got a big cup. That's our weakness. That's our sickness. The poor man. Well, what?
Well, the rich man, he actually greeted you out of his goodness. Allah didn't say that the man who's
got something expensive is proud. No, the Hadith says that pride is not connected to your clothing
and your convenience, etc. For as long as it is within what Allah has permitted. It's allowed. Yes,
if you are wearing clothing that is considered that of pride, dragging it on the ground, etc, etc.
That may be considered pride. But the Hadith says two things. The Hadith says pride is actually when
		

			a person rejects the truth that comes
		

			To them number one. Number two is when a person despises other people, you belittle people you sway
them, you market them, you joke about them you say bad things about people, etc. that is pride. I
have a dirty nickname for you. That's pride. Did you ever know that May Allah forgive us all? When
we were kids sometimes we used to call each other names, you know, fatty and skinny, etc. If the man
doesn't mind, no problem. But if you have a nickname for someone that they don't like, you know, my
bones are and whatever else, to be honest with you. If they don't like it, you have a problem. It's
part of pride. Because you are despising someone that for answers well.
		

			Don't call each other detested nicknames. Don't call each other detested nicknames, call them a good
name, you know? Mashallah, may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us is one mentor me That's why I call
my wife beauty although she's not so beautiful. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us all
understanding? Well, that would be another act of worship. But you need to look for the beauty in
people my brothers and sisters all of us have beauty given by Allah subhanho wa Taala goodness given
by Allah, Most of it is shown through character. Did you know that a person's beauty that is within
character is far more
		

			noticed than their outward beauty? It is far more loved than the outward beauty a person who is the
look of the world for example, if their character stinks, no one wants to even go near them. But a
person who's mediocre no one thinks they really handsome or really beautiful, but their character is
so great, they smile at you even without half of the teeth and so on and they greet you and they
help everyone people will say Wow, what a lovely person you know, may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant
us a balance of both, I mean, I mean, so it is important for us to know if you want to go to Jenna
you need to reduce self of pride. The reason is the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says lie at the origin
		

			netta Totten Ola Hulu Jen Letterman canopy kalbi with Carla Batman hardily min cable, he will not
enter Paradise in whose heart is even a mustard seeds with Wait, wait with of pride. And the other
generation I slipped in. He will not intergender it who gossips and spreads gossip. So remember when
you talk say good things about people behind their backs, say nice things. We all have a weakness I
promise you, we all have a weakness that we need to work upon where we say bad things about someone
behind their backs. There is one exception when you are allowed to do that. When it has happened to
you personally, you have a first hand experience with someone and you need to warn the others about
		

			the evil of that particular person. You have a right to say things you know, like I've always said,
a person who goes to the police to report says, you know, this man did something bad to me. And he
says, Well, what did he do? He says I can't tell you because I'll be backbiting or you go to the
judge, and the judge says What happened? And you say look, I can't really say because that will be
backbiting but you have to understand, Allah says law, your HIPAA law will be sued. In law,
Mongolian, Allah doesn't like you to make, you know allowed or to say openly, some bad unless you
have been oppressed and you are seeking justice or you are warning people. For example, when someone
		

			wants to do business with another person, or when someone wants to marry into another family and
they come and ask you how are these people I want to do business with them or my son wants to marry
the daughter. It is your duty? To be brutally honest, brutally honest, in a respectable way.
Obviously you don't have to swear big words. But if you are not honest, you are not a good Muslim.
Because these two things are extremely important brother I'm going to put my money here. You knew
the man was a cook you knew he cooked you and someone else and you didn't even tell me and you knew
this boy was on drugs and you didn't even let me know Subhana Allah but make sure what you are
		

			seeing is absolutely accurate. That Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us all a deep understanding so the
point being raised was let's not gossip backbite about people all we lose the chances of us entering
into Jenna. Similarly once the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was asked by a man regarding Jenna, and the
Prophet sallallahu Sallam told him helped me to achieve Help me Help me to help you to achieve
Paradise by prostrating a lot
		

			by prostrating a lot. What that means is by fulfilling your Salah and by engaging in extra
prostration for the sake of Allah, it is the most blessed act of worship where you are closest to
Allah subhanho wa Taala So, you want paradise Yes, inshallah you will have the paradise but help me
to help you get that Paradise by prostrating a lot. Subhan Allah, may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant
us ease so what that would mean is when you prostrate it's an act of worship that will inshallah
make your entry into Jannah easier. Therefore, take your time in frustration. When you go to sue, do
you know what such there is? Isn't it when you go into that position of frustration take your time,
		

			that is your Jelena it could be. It just could be Imagine if you
		

			Come on the day of judgment and you are a person whom, in your community you were the most in such
them. What would happen? May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant goodness to all of us. Okay, not every
one of us can be the one who was the most there has to be one person, isn't it, but we can all be
people who have improved in how we make such that, you know, normally in Ramadan, people read
tarawih and even Salah the general Salawat that we read, you know what happens when it comes to
Sudan we literally go down and we shoot up again as though there was a spring on the ground in June
we went like a trampoline down and we up again and then people say oh, that Imam he's too good. You
		

			know why we finish in 20 minutes? That's it we out? If that is the case, how do you want paradise?
Come on, take your time. Go down. The Hudson acaba, Maya Khalid Abdullah who was the closest the
slave is to Allah is when he is in frustration and you are irritated when you get there so irritated
you don't even want to take your time go they think to yourself, wow, I'm so close to Allah subhanho
wa Taala say your car, you want to make some drama, etc. No problem Subhana Allah May Allah subhanho
wa Taala grant us goodness and ease. So if you want to get into general, one of the good ways and
easy ways is to constantly make sujood and to find yourself in frustration, this would mean your
		

			duty fulfilled and over and above that, you are still fulfilling a lot more. Then I want to make
mention of a few more points. One is on the Day of Judgment, they will be certain people, they will
be certain people who will be called out to go to general. So a caller will call. What will the
caller See? One of them is Amen. Lena can we imagine ALLAH hafiz sobre la? Where are those who used
to praise Allah during times of difficulty and times of ease, bring them bring them Subhan Allah
they will be granted that special calling on the Day of Judgment you want it when you need to thank
Allah upon all conditions, praise Allah, you suffer a loss, you praise Allah Alhamdulillah all light
		

			could have been with. I am alive. I'm okay. People are not dead. Here. I've lost something. May
Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us all recompense for what we've lost. You want gentlemen, remember,
praise Allah, this condition. I remember one day when I was a student in Madina, munawwara one of my
friends took me to meet a shake, who was sick, or he had just been involved in a car accident, he
lost a leg. And when we entered the hospital, they asked him what happened. And he said,
Alhamdulillah I lost my leg. And I was like, you know, we were young, I thought maybe this man
saying the wrong thing. You know, new Muslim, they don't know. When you when you ask him about
		

			something instead of inshallah, he says Alhamdulillah instead of Alhamdulillah he says a little
luck, because they mix it up. But this was a person who perhaps I thought he's in so much of pain,
he's not realizing what he's saying. So he said, Alhamdulillah I lost my leg, you know,
Alhamdulillah we were traveling and it wasn't even my fault. Alhamdulillah someone bashed into us?
And I'm like, what's going on? Then he said, I think Allah because I've never used my leg to walk in
the wrong direction.
		

			And I thank Allah because he took my leg away before I committed sin would that particularly and I
think Allah because it could have been worse. And I always will thank Allah because I'm alive. I can
still praise Allah, I have greater chances, etc. will lie. That day changed the way I look at
things. Now when a problem happens, and I see people at great loss when I go to them, I said,
hamdulillah thank Allah, it could have been worse. could have been much worse. Thank Allah subhanho
wa Taala. He's giving you opportunities chances. So it is true that the prophets of Allah Salaam
says that a caller will call out on that day to say Where are those who used to praise Allah? Not
		

			only in good days, someone announces, you know what, I'm doing a deal with you for $500 100 I got a
big profit three $500 Big deal. You and I know we are struggling today. Right? So it's a big deal
and handler handler What about if someone says you have a loss of 500? Use Alhamdulilah. For the
last week I've been making 2050 5020 Today I'm suffering a loss. But Alhamdulillah you've been
looking after me? Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. Allah for 20 years you looked after me now for one
year I'm struggling. Ally. Thank you, man. You've given me so much. You buy a salon the lesson we
learned from him. According to one of the narrations. He told his wife when his wife told him Why
		

			don't you call out to Allah to help you etc. He said to my wife, Allah gave me good health for so
many years now, sickness, I haven't even gone to one 10th of the number of years and you want me to
start complaining to Allah subhanho wa Taala May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease. May Allah
subhanho wa Taala bless us. Similarly another way of entering Jenna when you have children and you
look after them, especially daughters made mention of in the Hadith, two daughters, three daughters,
you look after them, you give them a good upbringing and you get them married off while they have
had a good upbringing for you is gender by the will of Allah obviously it's up to Allah subhanho wa
		

			Taala. Like I say, you cannot just do the one deep like one day I told people that you know when you
a man achieved forgiveness because or a woman achieved forgiveness due to a cat, a cat and the one
youngster says a
		

			You know what? I know I've been to heaven because I've got seven cats. I don't have to read Salah
anymore don't have to do anything anymore. I just got these cats. I look up brother ASPCA, leave it
for them. May Allah subhanho wa Taala, grant us ease. You need to know something, we will be kind to
animals and compassionate. But that's not only what Islam is all about. It's just a part of it, it
shows that you are generally a good Muslim. So the same applies to these rules and regulations. You
cannot just say, hey, I've got three daughters helaas I don't need to fast I don't need to do
anything else. May Allah subhanho wa Taala Quran does is listen to my brothers and sisters. Why is
		

			it so important to look after your daughters? get them married? And why do you in general as a
result, many reasons one of them. When you have daughters, they're not going to carry your lineage,
they're going to carry the lineage of someone else. But you looked after them, you brought them up,
you You brought them up, not for you for someone else. That's why you will get when you broke them
up in a way that you are going to give them to another person and that person will have greater
authority over them than you. That's why you get gentlemen. But in this world, some cultures they
charge you in the dunya already they say look, I looked after my daughter you got to pay I did this
		

			you got to pay I did that you got to pay if that's the case, forget about the gender aspect of it.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease for us, all of that comes with gender. Allah says we will
pay you we will give you gentlemen otherwise what was the point it's it will become an investment. A
man says and I heard someone say oh, I'm going to be rich man, why I've got six daughters are going
to charge so much You don't even know me Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive that type of thinking. So
my brothers and sisters, let's remember this. Also a very interesting point is and I will end on
this note. When we look after orphans and we look after widows inshallah, it will make our path to
		

			begin easy.
		

			When we look after widows and orphans, it will make our path to gender easy. Why? Again, the same
reasoning many reasons. But one of them is similar to the previous point I raised. These are people
they don't belong to you. They belong to someone else. They belong to Allah, that's it. You are
paying for them, you are helping them you are kind to them, you are reaching out to them. The orphan
is someone else's son, someone else's daughter. But Allah says when you help them, I will give you
agenda because you are helping someone who doesn't necessarily belong to you, you're not going to
get much benefit from it.
		

			When you help a widow, remember, you will engender because one is she lost her husband, to his she
was already away from her father because she was someone else's wife. Sometimes the fathers are not
there, etc. So you need to know when you do it for the sake of Allah, then you have a great reward.
Similar reward, like we say, a person who is constantly in an act of worship. That's the narration
makes mention of this even when it comes to widows and orphans, that if you were to look after them,
it would give you a reward of someone who's in constant acts of worship. May Allah subhanho wa Taala
make our entry into general easy, and May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless you all, may Allah subhanahu
		

			wa Jalla grant a small, gentle and May Allah subhanahu wa taala really and truly grant us the bond
of brotherhood that we so desperately need in the oma sallallahu wasallam Oh Baraka, Alana Vina
Mohammed