Mufti Menk – Ramadan 2023 – Reviving the Spirit #25

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Leyland to call the following

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fish

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Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatu Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi wa sallahu wa sallahu wa salam ala Mala Anna Baba who was an early he was a hobby of mine. During Ramadan, we usually give things we make parcels and we give the poor, we look at those who have less than us, Allah has kept it in such a way that as you're hungry through the day, you are meant to be thinking about those who don't have food anyway, one of the beautiful blessings and benefits of the month of Ramadan, generosity, the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, the companion say he was the most generous person throughout the year. But in Ramadan, he was even more generous than the wind that

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blows. When wind blows, it doesn't miss anyone. The same applies in the month of Ramadan, the generosity of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him is being described by the example of the wind. Now, that means he gave and he was kind towards, and he benefited the people as much as he could. We are believers. Similarly, we are human beings. And beyond that, if we take a careful look, we're actually part of the creatures of the Almighty. Don't ever allow yourself to forget that the same maker who made you made everything else. So learn to respect and fulfill the rights of everything that he has created. And inshallah you will be the best human being. And you will be able to live

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your life in an amazing, unique way. In the month of Ramadan we learned to give community is extremely important. What would we be giving if we didn't have connection with community or with other people. This is why in Islam, we're taught to respect the poor so much, by understanding that if they did not exist, we would never have been able to engage in an act of worship, known as giving a charity. So Allah has created people on different levels. Here are the poor people, not because they wanted to be poor, but because Allah Almighty wanted you to fulfill this community service, this charity, he wanted to use to have opportunities to engage in acts of worship that could earn

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you paradise, even on their own SubhanAllah. It's amazing. So whenever there is a cause, and you can benefit benefit, whenever there is a cause, and you can reach out, reach out. And without being part of a beautiful community, life becomes less meaningful. The reason is, people who live in healthy communities where everyone knows just how to deal with each other, they come to pray five times a day, perhaps maybe if they're out of the area, or they have an excuse, or they're out at work or school or whatever, they might not be there five times a day, but at least once twice a day, they get to meet, they get to greet each other. And that's it. They know the limits and the barriers,

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people don't like to be asked personal questions. So when you meet people in a community setup, try to understand where and how you've met this person, and how close you are to them. Anyway. So if you're very close, they may want to volunteer to tell you a little bit more about themselves.

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But if you're not so close, then people are not comfortable with questions. If you like the community to participate, make it easy for them to participate, appreciate, appreciate big time, those who come and make an effort to attend and participate and reach out. And don't ask too much of community members. Because you don't want to irritate people, people generally feel, look, I'm a free person. I don't need to be in this whole community thing. But at the same time, we who are supposed to be part of the community, when we make it beautiful, they will come they will see the benefit of it, we should try our best to attend. And those who are in charge when I say in charge, I

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mean those who might be seniors, or who might have helped set up and there has to be someone, we should make it very easy for people appreciate them, who they are, what they do, how much they can give, what they can give not everyone can give wealth, some can give their time, some can give a word of advice, some might just be able to pray for you. No problem. Don't push them, thank them, appreciate them, even if they have not done much. But for us, we need to do as much as we can. And we need to try our best and we need to reach out. So one of the beautiful

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All teachings of Ramadan is to gain this community feel. You get to know people, you know, when you've traveled together, be it for a spiritual journey like the pilgrimage, Umrah, or Hajj, or be it on holiday, when you've been with a family or a pea, or a group of people, or a little team or maybe some grouping, you become a little bit closer to some of them, and you begin to know a few more of them, you will enjoy it when these people are decent people, they don't interfere, they don't demand they don't tell you to do things you're not comfortable to do. But there is a relationship and a bond that is developed. Allah wants that to happen in every community, and then

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across the communities and across the barriers. So you reach out to people starting with the smallest circle and you go beyond that. And then you go beyond that, and you go even more. And in this way, you get to know the needs of the people. And I promise you when Allah has exposed for you, the needs of someone or a community, it is your duty to do something about it. You're going to be asked about it. Allah will ask you, I expose the needs of XYZ in front of you. You could do things why didn't you do? One you could have?

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So what should I do? Well, the minimum is I should say a prayer for them. I should say a good word to them. Sometimes it's difficult because people expect more from you, but you know your capacity. And sometimes you might have a few doubts. Maybe some people think I know this person says they're in need. I believe they may be but I'm not too sure it's fine. You're a human being. So you may not need to give in terms of money or whatever. But what is very important for you to do is pray for them and say a good word. Look at Surah to Doha. Allah says, a messiah Isla fala XR one of the most powerful verses. As for the beggar do not rebuke him. Allah didn't see as for the beggar, the one

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who comes asking the one Assa is a person asking you for something, as for a person asking you Allah did not say that you should give them that is your discretion. And obviously it's recommended from other sources that hadith and so on. But Allah Almighty in Surah, Taha says, Do not rebuke the one who is begging or asking, may Allah Almighty grant us goodness and ease. The reason is, that is a beautiful, powerful way of wording things. Look, when someone asks you, I was expecting to be told that I need to, perhaps give them whatever I can. Allah says when someone asks you don't rebuke him, which means say a good word to them, oh, walk off, but at least pray to earn a reward. Say a good

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word. May Allah bless you may Allah ease your suffering, I pray for you that Allah grants your goodness, and so on. That's the minimum beyond that, dig deep into your pockets. Allah will never ever cause your wealth to be depleted because of a charity you've given. That's a guarantee. That's the words of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. He says, No one's wealth has ever or no wealth has ever depleted because of a charity. It's never depleted. So we ask Allah Almighty to help us to be generous, and to continue giving. So the community is very important. We make people feel good, they will want to come together, they should pray together. And we should look out for the needs of

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the community, you might want to put up a school, you might want to be part of something, you know, that the community needs, you might want to have some recreational days, you might want to have some fun days, something to protect the children to give them full focus. To help them get to know each other people complain and say, Oh, my child wants to marry for example, somewhere, you know that I'm not too happy with it. Well, have you ever introduced your child to places where you would perhaps be happy, they don't even know anyone that you would be because you didn't interact? You divorce yourself from the whole community. And now you expect your children to know people in the community

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you're accustomed to, or you're you grew up in? That's unfair. So if you like all of that, you need to make sure you're a part of the community. And you need to put aside some of your differences at times, depending on what it is obviously, but you need to make sure that you make an effort with your community. It's not easy serve them, help them. And if you're a part of it, let's not always look at what is this community doing for me, but rather, what can I do for the community? When we look at it that way, everyone will look at it that way and make life meaningful for you and your family. So let's look out this is the reason why

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visiting the sick isn't a great act of worship. Remember visiting the sick, it doesn't necessarily mean you need to physically go there anymore. Because nowadays we have technology that would allow us to visit the sick via phone call, perhaps via a VideoCore, perhaps via a message.

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Yes, where applicable, you go and visit in person and you will get a multiplied reward. Sometimes it's not applicable you by your visit, you might just be making life so difficult for them, if they're in need of rest, and if they're in need of a piece, and perhaps if they don't want to see you at that time. So it doesn't mean because the Hadith says visit let's all go 10 Guys, and we will visit the sick person, you make them more sick, they will become ill they might die as a result of the anxiety and the stress. How may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us wisdom? So remember, the Hadith tells you visiting? Yes, ultimately, it's a physical visit, but you can visit in other ways that

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perhaps may be more appropriate for the situation that that person is in? Why did Allah give so much of importance to the visit, it's community development. You want these people to know you're not alone. We're all with you. We're praying for you, we care for you. And if there is anything you need, guess what we're going to try our best to reach out to you and to help you with it.

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In that way, you take a look of the as you take you take care of the widows, the orphans, the destitute, perhaps the poor, those who don't have those who have lost their jobs, those who are sick, and Ill like we said, the elderly, those who have disabilities, all of these are taken care of by the community. And that is Islam. That is the way the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him taught us and that is how you earn your paradise. So let's learn to be positive members of the community. It's not easy, it's a sacrifice. And at times, we need to work very hard to develop people and ourselves in order to enjoy a beautiful community where we care for each other. But at the same

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time, we know the limits and the lights Akula kolyada are sal Allahu wa salam ala Nabina Muhammad Laila to call the

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