Dubai 2022
Mufti Menk – Ramadan 2022 – Boost 09 – Islamic Culture and Values
AI: Summary ©
The importance of the holy month in Islam is discussed, with the expectation of obtaining reward from Allah for their success. The success of Islam is recognized through the belief that the holy month is given to the creator by Allah for joy and happiness. respect for older individuals and being a good hearing person is emphasized, along with the importance of learning to appreciate people and building oneself in a beautiful way. There is also a need to be grateful for one's neighbor's culture and values, respecting older generations, and helping others.
AI: Summary ©
Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim Al hamdu lillah wa salatu salam ala Rasulillah who Allah Allah He was happy here Jemaine
my beloved brothers and sisters, we are indeed fortunate to be seated in the house of Allah subhanho wa Taala this beautiful Masjid
a beautiful place where we are gathered in order to
obey Allah Almighty's instruction. I have one sincere request before I commence can we put our phones down all of us inshallah.
It is the best advice that I can give you here in the house of Allah because we want to concentrate what is being said as for the live streams and everything else. You will see it later by the will of Allah subhanho wa taala.
My brothers and sisters, you know, this is the month of Ramadan.
Is there any month that is more important than the month of Ramadan in the Islamic calendar?
No, there isn't. Allah Almighty has given this month great importance.
And it is the wisdom of Allah. As soon as the month enters, you feel immediately the Rowhani the baraka, the blessings of the beautiful month of Ramadan.
And the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has immediately has told us that we should immediately commence with a bada and acts of worship. So as soon as it is announced, we start with something. What is it? It is the prayer, the prayer precedes the fast. We pray tonight for tomorrow's fast. We prayed the first prayer
before the first fast
and that is why the night of Eid there is no taraweeh because that is the night of joy and happiness and goodness and grandeur and it's the night of the gift of Allah Almighty upon us. Subhan Allah, those who have worked so hard during the month of Ramadan they achieved their reward. And the day of Eid is different for her. For her meaning happiness, joy. They saw me for her attorney for Huttunen indefinitely. He will Farhatullah indulekha era be a one who fasts has two points of joy. The one is when he is opening his fast when he breaks his fast that's divided into two on a daily basis you open your fast that is also very very beneficial mashallah, you have a moment of joy. When you put
the camera into your mouth, when you drink the sip of water. And you read the DUA the hubba Verma who obtained Latina RUCO waterbottle aduro In sha Allah, that itself is amazing. It gives you great joy. It's a moment of dua, it's a moment of spirituality. It's a moment of goodness, and each one of us looks forward to making the DUA that he or she would like to achieve in his or her life be it immediately or later.
So, it is amazing how Allah Almighty has blessed us with this beautiful moment at the time of Iftar. Where if we were if we make a dua we feel already that this dua is really granted to us by Allah subhanho wa Taala
Can you hear me at the back there now?
No.
We heard you say no, that means you heard us
I said I'm sequel for God.
And I'm sick fear failure. God Sheila. Is that better?
My show Mashallah.
The point I was raising a little bit earlier was that Allah Almighty grants us two points of joy and happiness.
As per the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam they saw me for Hatami Farhatullah in the factory he will for Huttunen Delica era be the one who fasts has two points of joy. One is when he opens his fast and two is when he meets his Lord. Opening your fast is divided into two on a daily basis as well as at the end of Ramadan. When the month is over. Both of those moments are moments of joy. A believer feels them
Do you not feel happy when it's almost time for Athan of Marguerite? Don't you feel excited? Don't you feel happy? Where did that happiness and joy come from? I promise you it came from Allah, I promise you it was given by Allah subhanho wa Taala to you. That's why you feel it.
For those of us at the back, who didn't hear me say, I really request you to put your phones down because it's not only an irritation for the speaker, but even for the others. And this is the house of Allah. Let's try and concentrate what is being said.
Ramadan is a month of dua, we make a lot of supplication to Allah, Allah Almighty. At the time of Iftar, we make a supplication. Why? Because you engaged in a very big pillar of Islam. And at the end of the day, you are asking Allah Oh, Allah helped me grant me, give me forgiveness. Be happy with me, except my fast except my Tila of the Quran, except my recitation of the Quran as well as understanding putting into practice make me a better person. Don't make dua for yourself alone. Make dua for your family members, your children, your parents, your brothers, your sisters,
the unmanned humanity at large for goodness for guidance, for cure for protection for betterment of the condition of the people of the globe, because we are living on the same globe. I cannot make dua for myself when I'm in a ship. And that ship we don't know which way it is heading. We make dua O Allah grant us success, protect the ship, protect the captain, protect everyone Subhan Allah. So this is Allah giving us a moment of dua, my brothers, my sisters, every time you engage in an act of worship or you do something good, seize an opportunity to make a good to
seize an opportunity to make a good dua Rabbana Taco Bell
in
the semi unlikely team, or our Lord excepted from us, you are indeed all hearing all knowing whenever you've done a good deed.
Similarly when it comes to the end of Ramadan, towards the end, we are excited because the day of Eid is coming. Don't forget to make dua when Samarra, Madonna Eman and YT sub and who fear Allah Who Mata cardamom in them Biggie, Whoever fasts or stands in prayer in the month of Ramadan with iman meaning with conviction and desire means
with accountability, hoping and expecting a reward from Allah, Allah will forgive all their sins as they exist the month of Ramadan. So we enter the day of eat, clean, pure,
don't spoil it from that day. Let's live the beautiful teachings of the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Now I want to spend a few moments telling you what we are taught by Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in terms of culture that is validated by Islam.
In terms of culture that is validated by Islam, we have a beautiful culture. When we say an Islamic culture, we're talking of the highest values and the highest morals and the highest teachings of character and conduct and the beautiful
way that we lead our lives.
Do you know it is a duty for the young to respect the old and it is a duty for the old to have mercy upon the young?
Do you know that that is a teaching of Islam?
Today?
When we are younger, we forget that age is something chosen by Allah, why am I older than you?
Or why are you older than me? Because Allah chose that to happen. It's a test. Am I going to give up my seat? For someone who is older than me? If I do that I've understood the teaching of Islam, the culture that is validated by Islam taught by Islam the reward that you're going to get in order to make space for the elderly.
When you are in public transport, and you make space for women and the elderly. Isn't that something we're commending? Isn't that a rewardable act? Let's revive this. Many of us over the years are becoming a little bit selfish. It's all about myself, in Islam and in our beautiful culture. It's not all about yourself. It's about us. We are here. Get up for the elderly, make them feel important. They have lived a life beyond yours. They have seen more than you have.
Respect the women for example, at times you have someone breastfeeding or someone who might be expecting or someone who has just delivered or who has little children
Are you going to help them through? Are you going to make life easy for them? If so, you're a good Muslim to begin with before everything else. And if you forget to do that, or you don't want to do it, you need help. That's why we're here today in a beautiful month of Ramadan reminding each other about what about these beautiful teachings? Beautiful teachings. Do you know in Islam, what is the greeting when I meet you? What do I say?
As salam o alaikum, masha Allah wa rahmatullahi wa barakato May peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessings. Do you know that our Islamic tradition teaches us who should greet who first?
You Salam on Monroe, Alka ad? You know what that means? If you're walking past and you see a group of people sitting or even one person sitting, it's the duty of those who are walking past to greet the one or those who are seated.
As salam o alaikum. Why am I greeting you with the greeting? Because I'm walking, you guys are sitting down. That is a beautiful teaching of Islam. My brothers, my sisters, did you know that?
If you are in a smaller number, you should greet those in the bigger number and kalila Allen cathedral? Did you know that when you are smaller in number, we are two guys walking and there's a group of 10 people we should come and say Salam aleykum nice, loud, clear audible and meat from the bottom of your heart. What does it mean? It means
peace be upon you. What is peace? Peace is the opposite of war, right? It means I guarantee you I won't harm you. If anything happens to you. We are in it together. We are going to protect each other here. That's what it means.
You don't just have heartedly say Salah
greet correctly. It's an act of worship As salam o Allah He come to hear that is a beautiful greeting Mashallah. It's a dua you get a reward for it 1020 30 rewards you add to that which the Prophet sallallahu Sallam taught, what is it? What Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh those are the three phrases of Salaam. The first being a Salam or Aleikum, that's the minimum you want to increase a little bit more or Rahmatullahi you want to increase a little bit more wabarakatuh the Sunnah stops there. Some people add a lot of other additions and subtractions if you're making dua for someone fair enough, it's not from the sunnah to add into the salam. The proper sunnah is a Salam o Alaikum
Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh and Allah says we're either happy to be talking here for how you will be accent I mean,
do
nama Hakka Anna, Anna, Nisha in Hawaii, when you are greeted with a greeting, respond with a better greeting.
Someone says A salaam alaikum What do you say?
Riley como Salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh who I added it. And if for example, the Quran says if you are not going to give them a better greeting, at least give them equivalent to what they have said. You give them a covenant. What have you done, you have revived the Islamic teaching, you have lived a beautiful statement where you feel good. Look, everyone lives. In a home in your home. There are people mostly your parents, your siblings, whoever else it may be right next door you have neighbors Adjara
you know what the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says Lasala Jibreel you see any bill jar Hata Vernon to know who you are, refill who you know what that means. Gibreel alayhi salam kept coming to me and telling me about the importance of being good to your neighbors. So much so that I thought that one day he's going to come and say when you die, you need to give him part of your inheritance.
Just as well. It's not like that some of us are so miserly. We don't even want to give our own siblings their inheritance.
Don't deceive people don't cheat people. Minimum is your neighbor. Be kind.
Be kind to your neighbor be good.
The Prophet sallallahu Sallam says you are not a true believer if your neighbor is not protected from your harm.
You're not a true believer. True believers. You need to look after your neighbor. Why? Because in my community, in my society, I want to live in harmony. I want to live in peace. I want to live in goodness. If my family is not in order, I won't be happy. If my neighbors are not happy. How will I be happy every day I'm entering, exiting. I don't know what's going to happen. That's not good. Have a good relationship with your neighbors. That is a duty that Allah has provided that Allah has asked you to fulfill. Have a beautiful relationship with your neighbors my brothers, my sister
Just
similarly,
as the circle grows, you have a community, you go to school,
you go to a madrasa.
You are in a community, you you go to work for example, you drive out you drive in Baraka,
my brothers and sisters, you need to have a good relationship in your community, otherwise, you won't be happy living in that society. Would you like to live in such a society where you're just not happy? No friends, no genuine people? No one around you cares for you. Everyone is all about themselves. Not at all. The Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu Selim says when you are cooking some stew, you can add a little bit of water and give some to the neighbors. Hey, where are these teachings? Where are they?
Subhanallah now we have a new problem. What's the new problem? May be I'm a poor man, the man next door is very rich. If I were to give him a bowl of the soup I make he might laugh it in and throw it in the bin. It can happen right? He might say I don't want to eat these guys. Who are they? The Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam says none of you should belittle what is given to you. Even if it is the hooves of an animal.
The hooves of a sheep. You know what are the hooves? Generally, in India and Pakistan and some of those countries they make a soup out of the trotters. What do they call it? Paya? Yes, subhanAllah if you make those soup of that houve and the Prophet sallallahu Sallam says, don't make a belittlement of something that's given to you no problem. If you wouldn't like to give something. And if sorry, if you wouldn't like to, for example, eat from something don't belittle it, take it accept it with a with a beautiful smile, just a Kamala Kay, thank you so much following the you send them something to Mashallah. And you might want to give it away perhaps if you don't, if it is too
spicy sometimes. Or maybe you it might not suit your diet, no problem, but don't belittle it. The idea is give each other some good gifts once in a while, show one another, that you know what you care for each other. This whole idea that we give, if you give it the hearts become close. You don't have to give expensive things. You just give a few small things. We want to revive this beautiful Islamic culture that is there.
And this is how we would make society a more beautiful place. People are struggling because in the communities, they don't even know each other. How many of you live in a building where you don't know the people living on your floor? Am I right or wrong?
But you're a Muslim?
And when you go and knock on them say look, I'm your neighbor, I just wanted to introduce myself, they'll give you a double leuco Are you sure? Because we've forgotten about this beautiful teaching, they should know you. You should introduce yourself in one way or another just to say you know what? I am here if there is anything you need, please let me know when they park in your parking by mistake. There is a little bit of Tiama that happens there. You know that when they park in your parking by error or someone that's the only time you got to know your neighbor because you know what is my parking water? It's my parking it two minutes it is my parking, get the car out now. I'm not
encouraging you to park in your neighbor's parking. But I am telling you that if it happens sometimes deal with it in a good way. You're a Muslim, that is your neighbor those people live in your building. They share the same space as you if that building were to come down all of you lost something you understand what I mean? You see how many people live in a 50 story building maybe
1000 more.
If the building was no longer there, all 1000 Lost a space that space is probably not so big on the ground, but it was going up. Therefore protect the building together. Protect your space, your goodness, your sanity. You want a life Life is very short. Before you know it. You will already be 20 years old 3040 Before you know it, they start looking you know these old uncles? What do you mean uncle? Do I look like an uncle? Does it happen? You see the uncles and Auntie's when do you become an uncle by the way At what age 40 Okay, let's say 40 Okay, although I don't agree because some people are born uncle's mashallah
but Subhanallah if you are an uncle at 40 Many of us we clock 40 And someone says Uncle You say Do I look like your uncle? Because we want to con ourselves that we are young. You are no longer young fella. Bella, I should do who Abella or Bernie Bernina Santa Allah calls it a should. It is the peak of your life 40 If you're going up a mountain down a mountain and you have 80 years at 40 you reach the top
Now you're going down.
So they begin to call you uncle and soon they will call you that old man. Subhanallah before you know it, it's okay. Life is too short. Be good, be kind. They will remember you for goodness how many people have passed on and we remember them for the good they stood for right or wrong. They stood for a lot of goodness. Alhamdulillah Allah Valley, my brothers, my sisters. Islam teaches us the best of cultures and traditions. The best of teachings, the best of etiquettes
we're in Nicola follow pin alim, the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam was praised by Allah, where he was told you are upon the highest level of character conduct. The teachings are amazing, mashallah, the teachings are amazing. Are you ready to follow that? He helped everyone at home, what is our teaching, to help to assist? Do you help and assist? Or do you create all the work? You know, some people when they need a cup of tea, they sit back, relax, put their feet up. And then they say please, can I have a cup of tea? It's a polite statement because you said Please, but by right, can you not get up and make your cup of tea? No, I like to taste the cup of tea made by other people. Oh
Subhanallah Why don't you try making it for yourself. Okay, today I will make it myself. Then we go into the kitchen, we mess up the entire kitchen, there is so much of a mess but you will only making a cup of tea and half the kitchen needs cleaning. It will take half an hour to clean your mess. You know what
they will say next time. You know rather we make a cup of tea leave it because the mess you make is worth 10 cups of tea. It's a fact go in make your tea clean the place help sometimes once in a while, mashallah you need to make sure you are part of this because my brothers, my sisters, it is not a joke, to be working every day serving people who don't appreciate what you're doing for them. So what's the next teaching we have? The next teaching is appreciate what he's done for you. Appreciate what he's done for you. Subhanallah when someone cooks for you, cleans for you. They do something for you. They help you even if you're paying them, you need to say thank you in Islam, we
are taught to say Josiah Kamala, who
may Allah reward you with a good reward.
Where is the revival of this teaching?
Where is the revival of this teaching? Do we appreciate people you know, some people, they think I don't need to say JazakAllah because this person works for me and I pay them a salary. That's not true. Even if you pay them, you must thank them, you must pray for them. Because if it was not for Allah's help, that they came there, perhaps you wouldn't have been able to achieve what you have. So remember that you need to gather your team at work, and let them know that you appreciate let them know how good you feel as a result of them doing such good work. That is the Islamic teaching.
We are always people who love each other. We are always people who look out for each other, we are courteous.
Sometimes
we forget that Islam teaches these high morals and values. So what happens we pray five times a day, we fast during the month of Ramadan, we give lots of charity, but we don't respect the older people or we don't have mercy upon the young or we're not courteous enough. And we think that that's not an Islamic teaching.
Islam is not only all about prayer, and fasting, yes, that is important. Those are pillars. But Islam is about building yourself today. In this beautiful month of Ramadan. We're talking about building yourselves, build yourself in a beautiful way. Go home, change your life, change the way you speak. Change the expression on your face. That is part of the Islamic tradition. To watch your expression Do you know the prophets Allah Allah Allah Salam speaks about the pleasant expression is an act of charity. What is the pleasant expression?
The smile.
The smile is an act of charity. It's a pleasant expression. So when you are walking when you interact with people, you need to have a slightly better expression. Don't look all gloomy all the time. Some people the way they walk like Subhanallah the whole world is on their head and the mountains are about to be you know, dropping on their head, no smile, it will make it easy for you and others. Even if you have issues. The smile will help you go through with great beauty and goodness
and then we
We are taught that whenever you have, when you want the help of Allah start off with a good deed help someone give out a charity, a sadaqa. To, to theory Bella, we learned that you give a charity, it extinguishes bad destiny.
Something that can change your destiny to a degree is a charity. Give out to charity.
Give people reach out to them,
and so on. So may Allah Almighty make it easy for us to improve ourselves in every way. And may Allah Almighty grant has the ability to understand that together with our prayer in Ramadan, we will develop ourselves as human beings, we will begin to perfect the character, the conduct that we actually have, we will begin to improve our relationship with our family members with our neighbors. And you know, something amazing. Why does the Hadith speak about respecting the older but having mercy on the young because the young belong to a new generation. The new generation does not always think exactly like the older generation. They have new things, they have new technology, they have
advancement, they have so much more, have mercy on them, go easy on them. Don't just block every single thing they want to do because then they might end up doing something worse than what you were blocking them from. So try to think try to understand the merciful talk to them. empower them by telling them how much they mean to you and how much you love them and care for them. That is called mercy. May Allah subhanho wa Taala have mercy upon us. You know, your hammelmann Phil earlier homcom Memphis have mercy upon those on earth and the ones in the heaven or the one the one in the in the skies will have mercy upon you. Allah Almighty will have mercy upon you. As I end my brothers and
sisters I just want to appreciate the fact that we did put our phones down May Allah reward you like I said, we have to say Jezza Comala here as well right? And also for all of you who made an effort to come and attend Please sit please remain seated Don't spoil it here. Otherwise I will have to take back my dessert Kamala
and insha Allah
say it again. Yes. And inshallah tomorrow we will meet at the same place, same time for the next part of the talk by the will of Allah and let's try and keep it on time by the will of Allah and as we are leaving please be very courteous. And may Allah bless you all Hakuna colada masala Allahu Allah Nabina Muhammad