Mufti Menk – Ramadan 2013 – Pearls of Peace – 16 of 27

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa sallahu wa Sallim wa barik ala Muhammad Al
amin Nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa sahbihi nomophobia can be exciting. Let me do that.
We commenced by praising Allah subhanho wa Taala sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, all his companions, his entire household, we asked Allah Subhana Allah
to Allah to bless them all, and to bless every single one of us and to grant us goodness, brothers
and sisters in Islam.
		

			We all would love concentration in Salah. And sometimes, we know that
		

			the concentration levels that we have in Salah are not as they should be, everyone would like to
improve. So let's look at what Allah Subhana Allah says, He speaks in the opening verses of surah. 2
million, about the successful person, the one who is a believer, the fact that the believers are the
ones who are successful, then he goes on to describe this success. And this success is that of this
world as well as of the next. So it's a it's only correct for us to spend a few moments going
through the qualities he makes mention of and looking at what benefit we would derive by being good
people. So Allah subhanho wa Taala says in verse number one, but I
		

			mean no indeed the believers have been successful or successful are those who have believed me Allah
subhanho wa Taala makers from amongst those who are successful, may make us from those who are truly
believe is in him, me.
		

			And levena whom Jesus Allah to him harsh on those who concentrates in their prayer. So those who are
successful one of the signs is they concentrate in their prayer, when they are plugged in with Allah
subhanho wa Taala nothing disturbs them. Everything is gone out, you know, they say the shoes are
removed outside. Do you know why? Some of the people of late have been saying that that is the
connection between you and the ground the earth. So now that you've removed it completely, you've
left the dunya and the material world outside, you've come into the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala
awaits you. And Allah subhanho wa Taala may grant the strength so Allah says, What levena Omani love
		

			those who stay away from that which is few times and unnecessary.
		

			It doesn't achieve anything for you. It's neither good nor bad, stay away from it. Amazing. We are
taught to stay away from that which is bad and to engage in that which is good. But we don't realize
there is a third category of things neither good nor bad, but a waste of time. So if you are
prepared to stay away from that which is a waste of time, then automatically you will have much more
concentration in Salah Mashallah, I can give you an example. We all have mobile phones. And I think
we all know how to download some applications. inshallah I see the older people are giving me the
looks okay, you might have the old Nokia bricks, but don't worry, inshallah, soon you will be having
		

			a little smartphone, they call it smartphone. And this smartphone, all of us know that when you've
downloaded unnecessary apps, what happens? You know, not all the phones are octacore, as we have the
latest in Samsung, and so on. But some of them are still quite cold. And some of them are still a
little bit far behind. And some of their systems are quite slow. So when you have too many apps that
you are not using, it takes it makes the phone sluggish. And you have you are prone to viruses. And
when you turn on your phone, it takes three four minutes before it actually comes on. Whereas when
you have a processor, a processor that is powerful, in a few seconds, the phone is on you press the
		

			button and as you are pressing it, it actually goes in fact nowadays there are phones that recognize
your eye as we moving down, it moves down. It's a reality.
		

			So we all know that when there is something unnecessary on the phone, or for example, your space in
your storage drive or your little disk that you have the little chip that you have is perhaps not
enough for what you are downloading, you know you have files that are huge, and you have a chip that
Subhanallah only caters for say, eight gigabytes that today is actually nothing eight gigabytes. You
know, I would tell you you'd rather swap that phone for something better. Because the reality is you
need a minimum of 64 gig if you really use your phone. And if you want you can work a plan and get
something even higher. Why am I saying all this? I am saying it because our systems are far more
		

			sophisticated when you have apps in your mind and
		

			In your system that are not necessary, you will not be able to work quickly you become sluggish
concentration in Salah is almost no, when you've got too many things in your head that are
absolutely unnecessary. Your mind has this and that take it out just like your phone. You know, if
you haven't used the app for one year, voila, he deleted you will do a favor not only to yourself,
but the speed of your processor by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So the same applies to us.
In fact, with human beings, it's a higher example. We are far more sophisticated than computers. If
a person for example sits and watches movies all day, when he comes and he says Allahu Akbar, if it
		

			is a soap that he has been watching, he's worried about the fact that it might finish before his
Salah. So and he might or she might not know what is going on. So the Salah is darted through Quick,
quick Why? Because my soap is there and I need to be washed low.
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us this is what happens. So when we waste our time with things that
are totally futile that which is a waste of time, we lose concentration in Salah. So this is why
Allah says the believers are successful. Those who concentrate in Salah, you want that concentration
in Salah Allah says the next thing those who abstained from that, which is few times that which is
unnecessary. So it's a category let's try and get to by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala same
applies to speech. You know, if you're a person who loves gossip, it's impossible for you to
concentrate in Salah properly. Impossible. Why you love gossip The To Do not come together? No, they
		

			don't. So because when you say Allahu Akbar, you're going to think of what you heard. You're going
to think of that aunty Ray and that lady there, and that man, they and this anchor here and the
story you heard, and you might even shake your head, and people are thinking you're enjoying the
recitation, but they don't realize that in actual fact, your mind is somewhere else altogether. And
Allah grant us goodness, this is why we say cut out the gossip. Cut out the backbiting, cut out the
slander, don't want to listen to that which does not concern you and you will find yourself on a
very, very high spiritual level. When you say Allahu Akbar, you are thinking of the words why?
		

			Because before the Salah, your main concern was how do I learn the words that I am saying of Allah
subhanho wa Taala? What do they mean and therefore your concentration is beautiful. So in verse
number four, Allah says, One Medina only Zakat, No, you are not going to be able really to keep
yourself away from that which is futile until you cleanse yourself. Cleansing yourself in two ways.
One is to work on your inner qualities work on your heart developing, you know, we have certain
qualities that overtake us, sometimes when a person has a temper. Believe me, that temper is not
going to go unless you work very, very hard on it. Let me tell you of myself, when I was much
		

			younger, I was quite a temperamental character. So Pamela, but we worked so hard on it so hard, that
really when you feeling upset, you control yourself at that moment.
		

			Do not say something that will be a means have regrets or a statement that will come back to you and
haunt you keep quiet, laughing out at that particular moment and see what happens, you will be able
to think properly, you become a person who's very, very easy to get along with why because your
temper is controlled. But my brothers and sisters today we have tempers we are not we are not
interested in controlling them because we are not working hard enough on them. And we start blurting
and blowing things and we get really so excited that we create issues out of nothing. My brothers
and sisters, if that's the case, we will not be able to cleanse ourselves, nor will we be able to
		

			concentrate in Salah, nor will we be able to be from amongst those who are successful believers.
		

			So let's work very hard to eradicate the bad habits. You have a template work hard, very, very hard
to fight it to combat it in a way that you can become a person after you had a temper. You now do
not have a temper Oh, it's very, very difficult to make you angry. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant
us goodness, and may He make us the most humble of people may make us from those who can really
fight our bad habits and qualities, like I say, and I want to repeat it for the fourth time. without
working hard on your bad qualities. They're not going to go anyway, they will grow they will become
worse and you will become a person who nobody gets along with why you haven't worked hard enough on
		

			your own bad habits. So it's about time we looked at these beautiful qualities of the successful
believers. And we told ourselves that do people get along with me? How am I as a person? Why is it
that people do not get along with me? Let me fight my bad habits. Let me apologize for what I've
done that has been wrong over the years for example, and from today on in by the will of Allah I'm
going to combat the weakness of my own knifes and the devil that is within me Allah subhanho wa
Taala protect us. So Allah says those who cleanse themselves in two ways, like I said, One is to
work on your bad habits and two is to give our charity Why give our charity because
		

			Men by nature clings towards wealth and materialism, you see something good, you've earned a lot of
money. And you know, it's normal to feel the little inclination towards materialism. So Allah says,
Take that out, I come first. Allah comes before your world. So learn to give from that which you
love most, that is the wealth that you have as well. So take it out and give the generous not only
the Zakat, but give much more than that take out charities which are between you and Allah
voluntary, it was not obligatory, obligatory is given. But on top of that, I want to give even more
May Allah subhanho wa Taala make us generous people, this is how we will be able to stay away from
		

			that which is few times and this is how we will be able to become people who can concentrate in
salah and then we become successful believers.
		

			Now in order to cleanse yourself, there is something important we spoke about the inner qualities
but there are other qualities as well. So Allah says verse number five, one Medina only for Jamie
happy Oh, those who control those who protect their private paths. They make sure they do not use
those private paths wrongly they stay away from adultery and immorality. It's a straight and direct
verse of Allah. If a person is not prepared to protect himself from that which is immoral, and if he
or she does not regret when in morality is engaged in by himself or herself, then how does he expect
to be cleansed by Allah subhanho wa Taala This is why the Prophet sallallahu Sallam has said it
		

			quite clearly my job Malema bien, la de la Vega, he
		

			will ever guarantees me the correct use of that which lies between the cheeks which is the tongue
and that which lies between the thighs which is the private parts, I guarantee him paradise.
		

			I guarantee in Paradise, so what we could do by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala make an effort
to control your time and ensure that you only use your private parts where Allah subhanho wa Taala
has permitted May Allah subhanho wa Taala blessed us May He grant the steadfastness and strength
whenever a person has faltered. Remember turn to Allah very quickly for Allah is indeed most
forgiving, Most Merciful. This is why a person cannot be faithful unless they understand the trust
that they have been entrusted with. Hence you find this number eight Allah subhanho wa Taala says,
When levena homely Amana tema de ma
		

			those who look after their trusts that they have been entrusted with and the covenant that they have
declared, they look after it. You know, in marriage, you are entrusted with your spouse, make sure
you fulfill that trust do not abuse it. Normally they say once trust is gone, it's over. May Allah
subhanho wa Taala not make us from those really to rebuild trust after it is lost is not a joke. It
requires a lot of effort. And sometimes it might result may Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us in
something negative. So Allah subhanho wa Taala is warning us also we have an covenant that we have
taken with Allah subhanho wa Taala we have declared the Shahada. We are part of Muhammad sallallahu
		

			alayhi wa sallam oma it's important for us to know that and therefore we fulfill all the obligations
that are upon us and abstain from the prohibitions wherever we have faltered. Like I've said, we
need to turn back to Allah very quickly and ask him for forgiveness for indeed he is most forgiving,
Most Merciful. Then verse number nine, the most beautiful verse, Allah subhanho wa Taala informs us
of the starting point of all this, you want to get cracking we'll listen to this one levena humara
swatting him you have
		

			those who protect their Salawat Salawat, meaning the number of Salah in the day, this is in plural,
and like the first one was talking of the quality of the prayer and the concentration. How can the
concentration be achieved when you are not even bothered about the number of Salah a person doesn't
read further, although he only makes us or for example, because it's convenient or moderate, or
perhaps Asia and thereafter. You know, when he only makes one Salah in the day what type of
concentration does he expect there? Nothing because you don't make any more Salawat if you knew the
value of it, you would make sure you don't miss a single Salah like we said Salah is the key to the
		

			door of many, many points of goodness. But sadly sometimes our doors are closed, the keys are lost.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. You find that key in Salah May Allah open the doors of
goodness for us. So let's all promise Allah subhanho wa Taala Firstly, we fulfill our Salah Come
with me. Secondly, we understand the trust we have been entrusted within the covenant unto Allah by
obeying His commands, abstaining from prohibitions. Thirdly, protect your private path. Fourthly
cleanse yourself both inside and out. Make sure that you
		

			have given you a wealth that is due as well as something over and above that and make sure you work
very, very hard to eradicate your bad habits. Like we said, again, if you are not prepared to work
extremely hard on your bad habits do not think that they are going to go away. In fact, they will
grow May Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. And then we stay away from that, which is few times we
try to get to that level where we know that what's bad, we stay away from what's good, we're
engaging, but what is neither good nor bad, it's in the middle, there is a stage that a person would
get to where that also irritates them. Because it's a waste of time, I'm depleting my resources,
		

			it's like someone telling you that you know what, if you sell your goods to that man, you are going
to make a 20% profit. And if you sell them to that man, you will make a 20% loss. And if you keep on
rotating them here, you are neither going to make a profit nor a loss, you're only going to now
rotate your stock, that's all. So a person sitting back, he will say I'd rather earn the profit, I
don't want to waste my time carting the stock from point A to point B, when I'm not even going to
cover my overheads. You know, in business, you need to make something at least so that you pay for
your lights and water and rental and salaries and so on. But if that's not covered as well, you're
		

			wasting your time. So I'd rather say you know what, let all my workers be laid off for a little
while because I'm neither going to make a profit nor a loss instead of buying and selling and make
everybody work and so on. And you're not even earning anything. This is a similar example to the
deeds we engage in, that are neither good nor bad. Just a waste of time. You're wasting your energy,
you're wasting your time, you'd rather have done something in that time. That was beneficial. May
Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us goodness, and may He beautify us inside out. I mean, so brothers
and sisters, thereafter, Allah subhanho wa Taala makes mention of the messengers and he makes
		

			mention of their names the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him how he was sent in a few aspects of
what had happened. And Prophet Musa Salatu was Salam. And what happened then Allah says, some
		

			rasuna tectona then we sent messengers, one after the other, so many messengers we sent first number
44 minion, Allah says,
		

			Allah Subhana, Allah subhana wa kulana
		

			lebo every time a messenger got to the nation that he was supposed to get to all the nation received
the messenger of theirs, they belied him. So what did we do? You know, when they had us the
messenger, when they disagree when they belie when they fight against the messenger, Allah says, For
ads banner,
		

			ad Howdy. We just followed them one after the other, and nation came, a messenger came, they believe
the messenger they would destroy another nation group and other nation grew, a messenger came, they
believed the messenger they would destroy another nation group, when the other nation came and so
on. So Allah says one after the other, and we made them into history. They became stories that are
being told in history, therefore today they got to us. So what's the lesson? The lesson is if we are
going to belie the messenger sallallahu alayhi wasallam. or become hypocritical about how we are
following him. Allah says, look, the ingredient is very clear when you added this with that you got
		

			you got a fire. Now you're adding the same ingredients. Don't be foolish to think you're not going
to get a fire a lava if someone were to say, put petrol and a little spark and you get an inferno.
So today you come about with petrol and a little spark and you think we are 2000 years down the line
so it will not create a spark you have been foolish. This is why Allah says Watch out we sent it we
sent messages to those in the past. Look what happened to them because of the delay. So you do not
believe this is why Allah has opened the door for us known as the door of Toba and repentance where
we turn back to Allah before it is too late. You know Allah subhanho wa Taala releases and he
		

			releases when a person is a strain for example, the rope is actually released and released until
they go and they continue going. And one day it is snatched so you either come back before the rope
is snatched or when it gets snatched, then it is too late. Allah subhanho wa Taala grounders
protection, exactly why verse number 99 and 100 Allah makes mention of regret. You know, regret is
very good. If a person regrets his sin. Well, ah, it's a beautiful sign. We said it in the past. A
person who regrets his sin is a true believer. But when a person regrets at the point of death, it's
too late love you know if before your journey, may Allah protect us all we're going to speak of
		

			reality here before your journey. You get hooked onto the BBN perhaps or you get hooked on to a
little whatsapp group that informs you way exactly the speed traps are a lot more intelligent
because you might be talking to the 240 like some of us and then when it comes to the point where
you know there's a speed trap you
		

			Moving at 120. And now I found something out in this country up to 129. They won't NAB you by the
will of Allah. If they do, don't come back to me
		

			up to 129, it's a leeway. So you can set your your crews at 128. And you will be comfortably sailing
straight through waving at the cops as well. What happens if you have done this before your journey,
you are intelligent, you take heat, but once you net and you get hit at 200, and now you're arrested
and taken to court, and then you regret and you tell the judge, you know what, I'm really really
sorry. It's too late. We understand it, you got to pay your fine, you might be jailed, and you might
have your license taken away. In some countries, they have the point system where you have so many
points no longer driving for so long bank. Now Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. We are so worried
		

			about the points on our licenses to be honest with you. And the regrets that is after the points
come in is far more and far worse. And in fact, you can do really nothing about it, then Have you
been regretting the way you've been driving before you and then this is why Allah says and obviously
this example is far higher. It's a real life example. And we cannot compare it with anything the
comparisons we've given you only to bring it closer to our understanding but Allah says verse number
99
		

			Neela Annie Murali FEMA Tara can in kalama
		

			Allah says those oppresses who did not want to turn to us. When dead overtakes them, then they will
say one of them will say, oh, Allah sent us back we have now seen we regret we want to go back.
Yeah, Allah Allah says No way. There's no going back. There's no second trial. This examination was
once like we say you only live once. So live properly and remember to obey Allah instruction.
Because this life is the opportunity to build your life after death, you only have one chance to
build your life after death. Remember this, you only have one opportunity to build your life after
death. So you'd better build your mentioned by obeying the last instruction and abstaining from his
		

			prohibition, rather than just risking it and when you get there and this is what happens in Allah
protect us where we say we want to go back Allah says nay it's just a statement that they are
uttering No, they will go back and do it again. This is why they say those who have been nabbed for
traffic fines, even if they paid 20,000 they still dry fast law. Allah subhanho wa Taala groundless
goodness there is only one solution. Have a driver law, Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us and
grandest goodness with us. The solution is follow the instruction of the messenger blindly and
inshallah you will get to Paradise by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So Allah says number 115,
		

			moon, alpha, beta, gamma fall upon a coma bata Do you think that we have created you without a
purpose for nothing? Just like that? Do you think that you were created just to come in and enjoy
and do as you please? Allah says do you think that what
		

			do you think that you're not going to come back to us in order for us to take account of your deeds
and so on? Allahu Akbar you on peace just be conscious of the fact that Allah did not create you for
nothing and be conscious of the fact that you're going back to Allah and you're answerable to Him.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us goodness so quickly making mention of the issue of regret if we
regret once we're alive and we're healthy and we well and we okay then and hamdulillah it will help
us we can delete our points and everything can be gone Mashallah, we'll have such a good record and
reputation we can become the friends of Allah subhanho wa Taala. But if we regret once we see the
		

			angel of death, it is too late. And after that, may Allah protect us we don't want to have the jail
sentence. Brothers and sisters, I move on to Surah Surah Nanda after lights May Allah subhanho wa
Taala grant us some light,
		

			Allahu Akbar, this one Allah has made mention of immorality and the sin, the darkness that it comes
with.
		

			And Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks of how serious a crime it is. We always say be happy with what
you have, work towards what you have. But Allah says when you accuse others of adultery or
immorality, and you do not have for proper eyewitnesses, you just heard the word so you spreading
today Do you know what the latest is? We have systems on our mobile phones. Any rumor that is
created from one corner of some middle town can spread across the globe and we are guilty of
forwarding it which is forward without even verifying without thinking this is a dirty statement.
This is actually accusing someone This is actually this or that we just forward it and we get
		

			enjoyment out of it not realizing we will pay for it. And when we pay for it, the same person who we
might have been talking against might be so innocent, that they
		

			I would say you know what brother I'm making up for you.
		

			And we don't realize we actually pay through our health or wealth or whatever else, our children,
whatever else it is because we have caused harm to that friend of Allah subhanho wa Taala warns us,
he says, never accused people not at all Worry about yourself. One levena masala tea
		

			to be a robotic
		

			Unum shahadat, an Abba Luna
		

			verse number four, so to know those who want to accuse the chase from amongst the believing women,
and they don't come up with for witnesses for good eyewitnesses, then they need to be penalized by
being lashed at lashes because of their statement of false hope. And never ever accept their witness
in anything after that. They are the ones who are sinners. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive us.
You know how serious a statement is when a person says, Hey, those who are having an affair, that
word will lie it is included in this verse. And how many of us our tongues and our systems are
messed up with accusations of innocent people we just see the two perhaps we might have heard a
		

			phone call a man or a woman might have blushed when he answered the phone.
		

			What if a Allahu Akbar May Allah subhanho wa Taala blessed us may open our doors and May He grant us
purity on our tongues don't accuse people we say and we normally believe that it takes a dirty mind
to think dirty. May Allah subhanho wa Taala cleanse our minds and our hearts. So Allah subhanho wa
Taala warns us sometimes people are living without peace in their lives because they go around
accusing people so they have no peace. Their children are not in order. Their health is not in
order. their wealth is not in order and they are living really a suicidal life. Why? Listen to what
Allah says.
		

			Verse number 23, same surah
		

			Sana
		

			Mina de la dunia
		

			those who falsely accused the innocent, the chaste, innocent, believing women of immorality. Allah
says they are cast in this world in the next imagine a case we are sending a statement we are
forwarding a WhatsApp message not realizing I'm actually cursing myself. We are saying something
which is a huge accusation. This is why Allah says that.
		

			You think that these statements are light yet they are very great in the eyes of Allah subhanho wa
Taala Allah does not like that you accuse people, you spoil the reputation of innocent people.
Allahu Akbar, may Allah cleanse our tongues. This is why my brothers and sisters if you want peace,
stay away from indulging in the lives of others, you will have a lot of peace. When you indulge in
their lives, you automatically curse yourself they don't need to curse. Allah says such people are
automatically cursed. And who would want the curse of Allah subhanho wa Taala May Allah subhanho wa
Taala says goddess people accused is
		

			one of the most chaste of all women in existence or who existed. And Allah subhanho wa Taala says,
		

			verse number 11, in
		

			comme la Sabu.
		

			Allah says those who came about with the accusation, they are a group from amongst you don't think
it's bad for you, it's actually good for you.
		

			Now this verse is given to those who have been accused, those whose lives have been made a mess by
others spreading accusations about them. Allah says, Don't worry, you think it's bad for you, it's
actually good for you. You get all the rewards of those people who are talking bad about you, that's
what will definitely happen. So it's better for you, perhaps your entry and this is a lesson for us,
mine and your entry into paradise through our deeds. We don't know if we will manage. So Allah says,
Don't worry, you have the deeds of another 3000 people who spoke ill about you, they are solid, they
have everything that's what will take you to heaven. It's better for you. So let them say what they
		

			want. You know, and Allah knows luck. But the question is, let's make sure our deeds are not being
given. But if anyone has spoken about us, this verse is a reassurance Allah says, Don't think it's
bad for you, it's actually good. You will achieve a lot of cleansing, you will become closer to us
and you get the deeds of people and when their deeds are depleted, your sins or other sins go to
their record. Imagine how pure a person becomes so Allah says, Don't worry, my brothers and sisters
from amongst us those who are being accused, we have good news and those who are accusing we have
the worst news because we are cursed by Allah automatically through our own statement. May Allah
		

			subhanho wa Taala purify us and cleanse us
		

			Then we have this number 19. Today when there is a story of gossip, everyone wants to spread it. We
spread the tale with names. You know, this is what happened. That's what happened. This person had
an affair with that one. This one is impregnated by someone it's outside of wedlock. All that is
none of your business. My brothers and sisters, you don't need to spread that because that is
spreading immorality. You are dropping society's level of morality by making everyone think, Well,
you know what, everybody's doing it. So we're just a part of it. We're just a part of it. So we
start belittling the sin. And this is why sometimes you have newspapers and sometimes you have the
		

			media houses that are guilty of promoting crime because they tell the world how the crime was
committed. So an innocent person sitting there says Hey, that was quite easy. Imagine he went into
the bank and this is what he did. Let me try that with if and be here. You better watch out now
Allah subhanho wa Taala protect us. May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us. This is why we say do not
spread details of crime. Do not spread details of immorality. If you do that. Allah warns us and
says you won't have peace. Listen to what Allah subhanho wa Taala says first number 19 in Medina,
buena, Tashi Allah Alfa
		

			Laval
		

			le movie dunya
		

			those who love to spread immorality amongst believers and to spread the tales and the details of
immorality amongst the believing men and women for them we shall be a severe punishment in this
world and the next for Indeed Allah knows and they do not know. You do not know now Allah subhanho
wa Taala protect us and May He grant us protection really from our tongues and May Allah subhanho wa
Taala bless us inshallah. Tomorrow we will continue with beautiful verses that affect us in our
lives until we meet again, inshallah, we say well Allahu wa Sallim wa barik ala nabina, Muhammad
Subhan, Allah Subhana Allah Mohammed the connection to Allah Highland