Katara Amphitheatre – Qatar
Mufti Menk – Ramadan Explained
AI: Summary ©
The importance of avoiding fear and making people feel satisfied with their behavior during busy months is emphasized in the context of the "verbal month of year" concept. The street of passion is a result of the actions of the Lord, and forgiveness is given to everyone. The importance of protecting one's mind from evil thoughts and avoiding harm to one another is emphasized. The importance of healthy eating habits and giving in a meaningful way for a better experience is emphasized. The importance of character and conduct in achieving good results in Islam is emphasized.
AI: Summary ©
Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
Masha Allah my brothers, my sisters, I commenced praising the Almighty sending blessings and salutations upon Muhammad peace be upon Him, praying for all those across the globe who are struggling in one way or another. And asking the almighty to make this beautiful month of Ramadan a month of solution rather than that of difficulty, hardship and greater problems. I mean,
I must say I was very impressed when I walked in here, I had no clue that this amphitheater was packed to capacity. I didn't even know that there were people seated here. And when I saw that these people are actually all here and there is Pin drop silence. I have to give it to you Masha Allah, may Allah Almighty bless you guys give your baraka and goodness and blessings in every way, the patience and during sitting. And I'm sure I heard that perhaps there might have been people who may not have made it right in here because the place is full.
Today, I'm going to speak about Ramadan. Everything about Ramadan, Ramadan, explained, bearing in mind that we may have people of all faiths with us here this evening.
When I was young,
I recall vividly we used to tell the other children in the schools we have a month of fasting and they would say you guys are crazy a month of fasting, you mean a month with no food, no drink and we used to say yeah, man, mashallah, not realizing that, you know, it's not a month of no food and no drink. It's a month where in which during the daylight hours, you don't consume food and drink. So that's the first understanding when you tell people, Ramadan is a month where we don't eat and drink. You know, it's not the whole month. It's every day during the whole month during the entire month, but at night, the restrictions are lifted. MashAllah Tabata cola. So that's the first point
when we're explaining to people about Ramadan, we must realize that the understanding is such that people don't know it's just from dawn to dusk, and in the evening, all restrictions are lifted, but it is still a month of greater goodness in every single way. You know, my brothers and sisters, if you look at the intermittent fasting that is being promoted by the medical fraternity correctly, and they say you fast at least two days a week and it will help you it will improve your health and so on. We as Muslims already do the two days a week from the time the Prophet Muhammad May peace be upon him, made it clear that it is his practice to fast on a Monday and a Thursday is that not two
days a week and it used to happen from the very beginning and all of us are encouraged to to do the same. And then we have three days a month of voluntary fasting. So the two days a week is voluntary for those who want to achieve a reward.
The health part of it is just a bonus. But the spiritual part of it. The Sunnah, sunnah, meaning the practice recommended by the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him although he didn't make it compulsory is something that we would seek we would seek that reward. So the three days in the month and then in the year there is an entire month the Almighty says this month is mine. The month of Ramadan is mine if you're going too fast correctly in this month, and you're going to stand in prayer at night in the correct way I will reward you with nothing short of total forgiveness. Mon Sol Marama Ivana Iman and YT saben who fear Allah Who Mata dama mean them be woman camara Levana Iman and what is
happen who fear Allah Houma, Taka dama mean them be whoever is going to fast in the correct manner in the month of Ramadan for the entire month. with full conviction in the almighty hoping for a reward from the Almighty. All the previous sins are wiped out and whoever stands in prayer every night in the month of Ramadan with conviction hoping for a reward from the Lord will achieve the same reward of total forgiveness. So what happens it commences with the sighting of the crescent and it ends with the sighting of the crescent. So we go out when 29 days of the previous month of Shaban are done, we would go out at the time of sunset to look for the moon. And we would look for this
crescent and as soon as you see a wow I seen the moon mashallah Allahumma Hilah who Elena there is a supplication to be made, oh Allah let this moon come upon us with ease with goodness with ease with submission with belief with faith with conviction, and so on. A beautiful prayer. You look at the moon
And immediately you realize the month of Ramadan has just come in. It's the month not just a fasting, not just a prayer at night, the month of reformation, the month of spiritual rejuvenation the month, the month of enrichment in terms of your relationship with the Almighty.
When Allah Almighty says in the Quran that he has prescribed the fasting, and he's made it compulsory, he doesn't even talk about the abstaining from food and drink. Listen to what he says. Yeah, are you * Lavina Manu katiba Allah in como se Mancha and cultiva Allah levena Amin cobbling comme la Alaikum.
O you who believe fasting has been made compulsory upon you like it was upon the previous nations in order that you achieve the correct relationship with Allah or with your maker. The term that the Quran means God consciousness, developing the correct relationship with Allah.
Some might translate it as the fear of the Almighty. But you know, there is fear. I've explained it before, but for the benefit of those who may not have heard, when we say, Fear your Lord, what do we mean? Someone says, you know, Allah wants you to fear him. What does that mean? You know, why should I be scared of the one whom I'm worshiping scared of him? mean there supposed to be love, isn't there? So? Yes, indeed, there is supposed to be love. But when you love someone beyond a certain point, you fear hurting them or making them upset or making them angry or doing something they would be displeased with? That's common logic. When a spouse loves his or her spouse so much that he or
she does not want to say or do anything to hurt even their feelings. What are you fearing? You're fearing their anger? Are you fearing there? Them being upset? Are you fearing that the relationship is going to be interrupted or is going to be affected negatively? That's fear that is born out of love.
So when we speak of Allah Almighty, I don't want to upset him. I don't want to be on the wrong side that is called Toccoa. I create a barrier between myself and the anger or the should I say the punishment of Allah Almighty by doing the right things and staying away from all the wrong things that he has asked me to stay away from that is taqwa. So, Allah doesn't mention the staying away from food and drink in detail. He just says you've got to fast. And the idea of the fast is to achieve what is known as Taqwa. There it goes. And that's the reason why as soon as the Crescent is sited, everyone congratulates each other. The message is start floating Ramadan is starting. And the
first thing what happens? What happens? The first thing you do, you rush to the masjid in order to engage in prayer. That's how Ramadan starts. Ramadan starts before you've even stayed away from food. As soon as you see the moon, you rush, you start preparing and you rush to the masjid to the mosque in order to start praying. And it's not just an ordinary prayer. It's a long prayer made up of many units. But guess what, it's not compulsory. It's voluntary, but it's recommended. It was done by the Prophet peace be upon him in a certain way. But it was never made compulsory but every one fulfills it. It's called tarawih. You're supposed to achieve comfort. Raha Raha means, you know,
comfort and ease through prayer. And so when you start that prayer, it's between you and the Almighty, here it is, I'm starting the month of Ramadan promising Allah that I'm going to take it seriously. It's going to change me to make me a better person, I'm going to become closer to the Almighty more compassionate and I'm going to work on my character, my conduct, I'm going to protect myself from doing anything that is wrong. And I'm going to get to a few of these things. So mashallah, the month has begun, Ramadan has started, what happens those who are not so practicing those who are a little bit distant from the Almighty, the month itself automatically brings about a
connection with the almighty you know, you see people starting to dress appropriately just because the moon was sited and it's Ramadan and they say this Ramadan I'm going to dress in a way that's pleasing to Allah so they know people know that I'm supposed to do this anyway. But here I am. It's a boost from Allah. One day you will start doing the right thing in Ramadan and when Ramadan ends you will continue with the right thing by the will of Allah. So if you've done something because it's Ramadan, remember the Lord in Ramadan and the Lord out of Ramadan is this
same Lord. So let's try and continue that inshallah even after the month of Ramadan Ramadan is supposed to bring about consciousness awareness change that can remain after Ramadan you know what's the point of a person consuming intoxicants and doing all sorts of things involved in whatever other major sin they may be coming Ramadan and they leave it the day of Eid, which is the day of happiness and joy at the end of Ramadan, they are suddenly back into all their bad ways and habits. What was the point? You pressed? Pause? You pressed pause when Ramadan was done. You unpause did you continue to play whatever you were playing before. So we're not supposed to do that Ramadan is supposed to
come, you're supposed to exit it in a way that you can feel at least one major change my brothers, my sisters, if you change one major thing in your lives every year that Ramadan comes by the time you are 50 or 60 If Allah gives you that life, you would have changed 2030 things depending on when exactly you started fasting and fasting becomes incumbent meaning it becomes compulsory upon the one who's arrived at maturity, the age of maturity, mashallah, once you're an adult, you should fast May Allah make it easy for those who have just started fasting too fast. I know with our children, we usually encourage them in a beautiful way. And we teach them how to start we show them the
importance of it and a year comes in their lives when they suddenly come and said, You know what, I fasted all my fasts, you should be excited, you should be happy, you should show them that you're really really proud of them. Because it's not easy. It's not a joke.
But my brothers and sisters, Ramadan brings about a beautiful change because it has the blessings of the Almighty It was created as the best of the month of the lunar calendar that we as Muslims follow. According to Muslims, we have 12 months. And the best of those months is the month of Ramadan. And the best time of that month of Ramadan is the last 10 days, in fact, the last 10 nights to be more precise, and the best time of the last 10 nights of Ramadan are the odd nights of that month of Ramadan. Do you know why? Because in those nights there is one night. We don't know exactly which one it is. But Allah wants us to search for it. He wants us to search for it. There is one
night that is more powerful than 1000 months if you were to
worship the almighty on that particular night and seek his forgiveness and praise him, it would be multiplied by so many meanings so many fold that you would achieve the reward of having done the same thing every night for 1000 months, which is approximately 84 years. Now why did Allah not tell us look? That night is the 25th or that night is the 27 Why did he leave it? Why did he leave it for us to search for literally the term in the Arabic language is the hello to search for the Hello les little cadre filled with three middle Asheville.
You search for this Night of Decree and power in the odd nine's of the last 10 nights of Ramadan. The reason is, well, he knows best, but I can tell you what we've understood from it. Imagine if he told you that it is on this day of Ramadan, it would be equivalent to telling you well, you're going to die on this day this time. And exactly at this moment in this place. What would happen people would sin, people will do whatever they want. And then when it comes close to the moment, I'm about to die at 12 o'clock, okay guys, Allahu Akbar, Allah, Allah, forgive me, grant me goodness, I really did a lot of a lot of things in my life I'm not proud of but forgive me. And now I'm ready to go and
then you're standing and waiting for the time. I mean, come on, you can't do that. So the same would apply if Allah told man that look, this is the time exact moment, man is such that he would do whatever he wants. And then when it gets to that particular moment, he would quickly stand and say, Oh, Allah forgive me. I did bad. And I know this is the Night of Decree. Now I know you're going to forgive me and so on and so forth. The same would apply on a Friday. Every Friday Did you know there is a moment they call it PSA in the Arabic language. But PSA also refers to a moment there is a moment some people say an hour. Some people say anything, but it's actually a moment on a Friday.
In which if you were to ask anything, Allah would give it to you. You supplicate you call out to the Almighty for anything. Allah will give it to you. You have a problem. Here it is on every Friday. There is a moment during the day that if you were to ask the Almighty what you want, he will give it to you. Do you know the moment? Well, no, I don't know exactly which moment it is. What's the solution? Well, I can tell you, the solution is keep repeating your supplication through
But the day that's the solution because there is a moment on that Friday that the DUA is answered, meaning the supplication is responded to positively. Imagine if we were told what that moment is, people would be closing down their businesses, everything would shut down. And what would happen, we would then Subhanallah, we would then be able to just pray at a certain time and forget about Allah for the rest of the time. But Allah wants you to continue. And he wants you to struggle and he wants you to try and he wants you to strive so that you appreciate His favours. Many people don't appreciate what they have until they don't have it. When you don't have it, you start saying oh, you
know what, I was so fortunate and I didn't really appreciate what I had. The same applies to your contentment, your faith, your connection with the Almighty, mashallah to America, we must make sure that we do our best to appreciate the famous of the Almighty by showing him that gratitude through faith and worship. We worship the Almighty, like in Ramadan, there are certain things that we're not allowed to do, right. For example, you know, you cannot eat and drink during the month of Ramadan in the day. Did you know that you're also not allowed to utter foul language at all, if you do, the reward of your fast is either nullified or minimized. Did you ever know that so as much as it is
very, very rewarding for you too fast, and obviously, it's compulsory. So you would have to, but you need to know what will break that fast is water,
water,
drink anything, it will break your fast eat anything, it will break your fast, what else will break your fast?
If you were to swear someone or you were to utter bad words, or to lie or to deceive, or cheat, it would minimize the reward of your fast or it would actually break it.
Now, why is that? What's the connection between the two? The connection is the mouth, the mouth, I put water through my mouth. I put food into my mouth. When I speak, I speak with the same mouth, my tongue, what goes in, can create a problem for you and what goes out can also create a problem for you. That's the month of Ramadan. So many of us were Muslim for years. And we don't realize you know what, I haven't been fasting correctly. Because when I fast I still deceive I still lie. I still swear I still save on guarantees I abused and whatever else I do during the month of Ramadan in the condition of fasting what was the point? Weren't you supposed to protect yourself? Now if I am
protecting my mouth from Oh my tongue from saying things that are bad? In Ramadan? Surely I will become used to saying good things. What is Allah done for you? A favor 30 days of Ramadan. For 30 days, you were very conscious of what you were saying. When you come out of those 30 days, you've improved yourself. Already people will notice because I'm so used to not swearing now that I don't swear anymore. I'm so used to not abusing people that I don't abuse anyone anymore. That's a sign that Allah loves you. It's a sign that your Ramadan was accepted. It's a sign that you've changed your life and that's when you can achieve total forgiveness. Are we ready? In sha Allah to say good
words with our mouths good words. In Ramadan, Allah also wants you to protect your mind from evil thoughts. He wants you to protect your mind from that which is negative, you must have hope in the Mercy of Allah. And this is why we say the month of Ramadan if you haven't achieved forgiveness as you're exiting the month of Ramadan, you've lost greatly because it's a sale where forgiveness is being given by the Almighty to everyone. I need it you need it. He wants to grant us the goodness and you know what, if we haven't achieved what we desperately need when it's on sale? When are we going to achieve it?
This is why seek forgiveness every day we know one day I'm going to go one day you're going to go if you get used to seeking the forgiveness of the Almighty in simple words or using simple terms. Oh ALLAH forgive me I've wronged a severe Allah al Amin Oh Allah you are the greatest forgive me for whatever I have done that which I know that which I don't know that which I did openly that which I did in secret. Oh ALLAH forgive my shortcomings. I'm a human being. Repeat that when you say that the Almighty has already registered it next to your name. If you were to die with that next to your name, good news to you. And if you say that every day, like the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him
used to repeat it. How many times do you think he used to repeat that? How many times do you think he used to say Oh ALLAH forgive me on a daily basis.
Can I
hear anyone
100 times correct up to 100 times and the ration says 70 times more than 70 times more than 70. And 100 is actually not contradicting because one is telling you where it gets to and one is saying more than so much. So, if he was saying that 100 times a day, we should say it at least a few times a day, come on, you can't let a day pass without having said Oh ALLAH forgive my shortcomings that which I know that which I don't know, human nature has made me Forgive me and then have hope in the Mercy of Allah because Ramadan is the month of hope. And Allah is the Lord that gives us hope, and he forgives us Cordonnier a bad deal levena smarphone Allah fusi him lot upon autoimmune rock
mattina in Allah Hi, I'm
Jamie.
See, oh, my worshippers, who have wronged or transgressed against themselves wronged themselves.
Never lose hope in My Mercy who is saying this Your Lord your maker, never lose hope in my mercy for indeed Allah is the most forgiving, Most Merciful. He will forgive all of your sins. The month of Ramadan is a month where in which you will notice Muslims becoming generous, generous means you know what, they'll start giving charities Mashallah. Oh yeah, by the way, generous on the eating table as well. You know, it's the only month where you're not supposed to be eating during daylight hours, but we have stored in our fridges and kitchens more food than we have for the other 11 months have you noticed that? I mean, two weeks before Ramadan already your freezers are full everything's
arranged you've got all your savories everything that's the most unhealthy of foods already packed away and everything's waiting Come on, come on, come on. My brothers my sisters Calm down. It's a month where you should eat a little bit less Mashallah.
It's supposed to bring about good health. It's not a month where I missed breakfast I must lunch now for supper. I'm going to have breakfast and lunch and supper.
But that's what some people do. Have you seen them? Subhanallah Have you seen what happens? Mashallah, sometimes people think that if I missed Fajr and bore I need to make it when I'm making my answer so I start off with federal law and answer same rule applies I missed my breakfast and lunch now I need to have my breakfast and lunch before I have my supper dinner.
May Allah forgive us? That's not how it should be. Have you noticed how sometimes we forget that? The way the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him has broken his fast at the end of the day was very simple. If we stick to that simplicity, it will bring about improvement in our health. Look at the date. Ramadan is a month of dates. Do you agree? Ramadan is a month of dates all of you have dates at home. Am I right? There goes Ramadan is a month of dates. You have a date, a date with what?
A date.
Okay, let's talk about having a date at the time of Iftar where you put in the date it is rich in iron. It is very nutritious. It's a superfood, it's something you can survive on dates and water the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him has spoken about it. You have a date or two and you have water so it's a month of dates. Similarly, you have a date with your prayer in the evening, you have a date with your five daily prayers which means you make sure you meet them you make sure you interact with them. You make sure you have the correct relationship with them. You make sure you make peace with them and you make sure you fall in love with them. So you have a date with your prayers. You have a
date with your dressing correctly. You have a date with the almighty every single day you have a date Subhanallah with the Quran where you need to read it. It's the month of the Quran Shahara Rama Ivana nadie Uzi laffy Hilco
it is the month of Ramadan in which the Quran was revealed. So Allah Almighty wants you to have a connection. I'm calling it here this evening. A date with the Quran right? You need to have a date with the Quran, a date with the remembrance of Allah, a date with truthfulness, a date with your children, your family members, your brothers, your sisters, a date with mending ties that are broken in your own families, a date with reaching out to the poor, reaching out to those of whatever faith they may be in humanitarian causes that which concerns all of us today. We are seated here. I'm sure there are people from different faiths in our midst. They are our brothers and sisters here to
listen to a good word about what Ramadan is all about. And that's why we're talking to everyone and I really
Want to take this opportunity again, to thank the Katara this beautiful venue, this beautiful place that has really made it? Well, they have made it available for us and it's amazing. It's such a beautiful event. May Allah Almighty grant goodness to everyone who made this possible.
You know, they call it the Qatar of public diplomacy. It's an amazing place. And I think look at the weather we thank Allah for it. Look at the crowd. We thank Allah we were able to gather
mashallah the ministry of Oh cough and the brothers of the Ibn Zayd Center have made this possible and all of you have come here. And we were all looking forward to this year, we are talking about what Ramadan, my brothers, my sisters, we reach out to one another to empower each other in the right direction. We empower each other if what I've said this evening, will not move you to improve yourself even an inch, then we've wasted our time. But if we got together we felt in our hearts that look, I need to do something to make myself a better person, no matter who I am. And to reach out to those in need, then definitely we've achieved a lot. There are people right now, as we speak,
struggling across the globe in different ways. Some are homeless, some don't have food and drink, some are struggling because of warfare, some are struggling because of natural disaster. Some are struggling because of oppression, how have you reached out to them is a question that every single human being must ask himself or herself if they have an iota of faith in the Almighty. And the minimum reaching out is through a prayer. Oh Allah grant them is. And that's why I seize this opportunity, again, to say, oh, Allah, whoever is struggling in whatever way they are struggling across the globe, including the struggles of every single one of us seated here, make easy for each
one, in their unique circumstances, whatever they're going through in terms of difficulty, create ease for them solve their problems. I mean, that's the minimum as a Muslim, it's the minimum that you owe people across the globe, do you care for them? Now? What is the connection, you might ask? Why should I bother? Those people are a different nationality. Those are a different race, those belong to a different faith, etcetera. What's the common factor here? The common factor is the fact that the maker who made you whom you are trying to please actually made them to whether you like it or not, whether you're they are your friends, or your enemies, the one who made you made them. If he
didn't want, he wouldn't have done that. But he made them as a test for you and for them.
Subhanallah as simple as that, whoever made me and I'm trying to please him, What is Islam all about? Islam is all about worshipping the deity who made you That's it, whoever made me, I put my head on the ground for him. That's all. That's what Islam is all about, I submit unto He who made me no one else. Now, if I'm trying to please him, because I believe my life is in His hands. My death is in his hands, my paradise in his is in his hands, and I want Paradise, he will give it to me, I need to please Him. And if I want to please Him, anything that is dear to him is dear to me. Anything is made, I will respect it, and I will fulfill its rights, even if it is an animal, even if
it is an animal, even if it is a plant, the ecosystem, the ocean, the water, whatever else it may be, why are we as Muslims supposed to be concerned about preservation of the environment? Why are we as Muslims supposed to be concerned about the ecosystem? It is because we believe the one who made us made all of that, and he wants us to please Him. And if we're going to please Him, and we want His pleasure, we need to look after whatever else he has made, as simple as that. Similarly, as human beings, there is one step higher. And that is, we're all children of the same Adam, and the same Eve, the same Adam and the same Hawa in the Arabic language, may peace be upon them. So like
you have children today.
You might have two children, five children, may Allah bless those who don't have children with children. I mean, and may Allah bless those who have children, that the children become the coolness of their eyes. I mean, let's say you have a few children
1520 30 generations down, they will be 10s of 1000s. From those few that you've had, all were your children, one day on the Day of Judgment, you will see them you will see people generations down. And when you are asked or when you ask Who are they will say this is these are all your progeny. Wow me imagine Adam, Adam May peace be upon him. He was a bull Bashar he was the father of all the human species.
Imagine one day when he sees billions and trillions and quadrillions of people who are these they're all your children. Oh wow. Wow Subhanallah normally when you travel to some places they ask How many children do you have you say two is a five someone says 10 Sounds like a big number. And then you get this guy saying I have 20 children. So how many I have 20 twin teach Masha Allah Tabata kala you got to make the Tabata kala loud because you know you don't want your eye to affect them, you know? So you say mashallah Tabata Kala, you know, that means whatever Allah has welder handler, it's a nice thing, but 20 Yes, it's a lot for today, you know, people Subhanallah will tell you Al
Hamdulillah, it's so much. Imagine you see your progeny and your offspring, and among them, they are fighting and killing each other. Is it going to make you happy or sad? Your own children, you're going to call him and say, Listen, you guys, no matter what the problem is, so to matter short, your matter. That's what it should be. Do not do this. That's what you would say as a parent SubhanAllah. Now my brothers and sisters, this happens in humankind, where we tend to forget that we're all part of one broader family, we will be different. We are different. We were created different. We will have different thinking mentalities, different faiths, different inclinations, so much of
differences, but it's the month of Ramadan, for example, that should highlight the fact that we are all part and parcel of one species. We are part of one huge family. We respectfully may disagree, but we will not intentionally cause harm to one another. In fact, we will reach out to one another to save lives of whoever's life is in danger.
The Quran speaks about it when it says, Woman hiya fucka and Amma are here in such me. Whoever saves a single soul, a single person without mentioning what fate they belong to what race they are, whatever else all that is irrelevant. If you save a single human being, it is as though you've saved humanity at large. That's what the Quran says. And if you cause the death of us one person, if you've murdered a single person, it says though you've made an entire humanity that's what the Quran says. Now, why do I say Ramadan highlights all of this because the compassion that is taught in the month of Ramadan is to be able to give to reach out, the reward is multiplied. Imagine the Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him says if you have assisted the person, if far in breaking the fast at the end of the day, you will have a full reward of their fast as well. That's why you have people inviting you for Iftar please come in come in for Iftar we will have Iftar in some of the mosques and some of the other places, depending on different cultures in different countries. But they have these tables laid with beautiful Iftar and they are inviting everyone. Do you know why? For that reason. The reason is, if you give someone a date to open their fast and you give them that first meal as they fasted, you achieve the full reward of the entire facet of that person together with
your own. May Allah grant us ease Why would Allah give so much of importance to that? He wants you to reach out to others he wants you to find out more about them. You know, in Islam, we have a beautiful teaching known as Juma and Jamal. Jamal means the Friday the gathering on the Friday for prayers. And we have Jama meaning the daily congregational prayers, we believe that it should be done in the masjid in the mosque as to the best of your abilities unless you have an excuse. Why? There are many reasons one of them is to be able to meet each other interact, find out what's happening in each other's lives in terms of negativity and reach out to them to make it positive. If
you miss somebody one day, you should be asking what's wrong is the brother okay? You know, and so on is the sister fine. And if the people are not doing too well, you should reach out to them, visit them, perhaps see what they need. The Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says if you meet the need of another, the Almighty will continue to meet your needs for as long as you're occupied in meeting the needs of others. Imagine how beautiful the teaching is. So we reach out to the poor, we are charitable, the food and the drink not just around us, but the circle becomes broader and broader and broader. And so we give Ramadan is a month of giving, you will notice a lot of giving. Your fast
is not accepted at the end of the month as a Muslim unless you've given out a certain amount or a certain amount of food at the end of the month known as sadaqa total feta. Are you aware of that? The fifth round, so what that means it's equivalent to approximately a few kilos of dates, maybe perhaps here in this country. It might be about 20 or 2530 rial. I'm not too sure exactly what the figure is.
But maybe even less, you have to give a certain amount of grain, certain amount of foodstuff food items to the poor. At the end of Ramadan, you have to, if there are 2 billion Muslims on Earth, the 2 billion have to give it SubhanAllah. And the poor people, if they get more than what they actually need, they should give from that to someone else. That's when you're fasting is accepted. The plugin happens at the end of Ramadan, when you give that sadaqa to fatally the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says whoever hasn't given that shouldn't even attend our Eid, you know our prayer of the day of joy and happiness because you haven't reached out to the poor. So your Ramadan fast is not
accepted until you reach out to the poor. Did you know that? Why would Allah say that? Allah says, you know, we created rich and poor and those in the middle, all of them are in order to test each other, who from amongst you is going to be selfish, distant from the Almighty and who's going to give and that's why man, I
mean, sadaqa
a charity has never ever depleted anyone's wealth. When you've given a charity your money has increased if you do it with faith. Imagine when you have 1000 And you've given away 200 300 You will definitely get more from the Almighty. But when you amass and you get more and more and you haven't reached out to anyone, it's not we believe that it's not a means of achieving contentment and goodness because when you share there is greater blessing.
I want to give you a beautiful example of food. Those of you who live in homes where there are many inhabitants many people in the home many members of the family when you have a pot of say your favorite dish, what's your favorite dish? Can anyone say something?
Biryani okay biryani fine mashallah, that person must be from Hyderabad.
Mashallah, Mashallah. So, when you're making biryani, tell me if you're making biryani for two people does it taste better or when you making it for 20 people?
Wallah he everyone will tell you you make biryani for two It doesn't taste nice. Make it for 20 It will taste beautiful. Make it for 200 in a big pot it will taste even more. Am I right? Or am I wrong? Please tell me the experts of biryani. Am I right? Thank you Do you know what that is? That is your the Almighty giving blessings in food when you add to it anything you make in terms of food, when you've made a good amount, it will taste better, it will be better it will have blessings in it. Do you know why the Almighty Who created you wants you to make a bit more and share it with others and give the others and even if you're just to have yourself just the two of you make a
little bit more give the neighbors the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says when any one of you is making a stew add a little bit more water and give some of some to the neighbors. That's what he says it's a teaching in Islam we we learn it, we know the blessings in it. And today I gave you a real life example when you go home, you can think about it. It's a fact that those who are cooks and chefs from amongst us would agree straight away. When I make a proper a proper meal. You know for about 10 people or more. It really tastes better. When you're alone. You don't even feel like cooking. You don't even feel like eating because sometimes eating you know what the Almighty wants
you to sit together, reach out to people find out about them. Let them have a little bit of what you're having. Let them be happy. Let them pray for you. You pray for them. What a beautiful life.
Similarly, in Islam, and in the month of Ramadan, we are taught to reach out to our neighbors in a bigger way. Who are your neighbors? Many of us live in high rises in some countries, perhaps in little clusters of homes in some countries. We don't even know our neighbors. Am I right? We don't even know the people in our compound. We don't even greet them. We don't want to know them. We don't even reach out to them. We have no idea what their problems are. We have no idea who they are what they're all about. That in Islam is wrong. You're supposed to know your neighbors Lazar, Allah Gibreel you will see any bill jar has been done and to know who you are lethal. Gibreel the
Archangel Gabriel when he came down with Revelation, he kept on reminding the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him about the rights of neighbors, the rights of neighbors, the rights of neighbors. The Prophet Muhammad himself says May peace be upon him that I thought one day He will say when a person dies, then part of the inheritance must be shared by the neighbor. To that degree he kept on saying rights of the neighbors rights of the neighbors. Yes, they won't inherit from you but doesn't that show you the importance of being a good neighbor yourself? People complain I don't have a good neighbor. I asked him Are you a good neighbor to begin with? It's a good question. Are you a good
neighbor, but sometimes no. All our dirt and dirt we throw it in that direction. You know you throw it out of the window and all your
Oh bins lie at the door of your neighbor. Then when they come out what are they going to say? Is a good prayer going to come out of their hearts? Do you think they're going to say all the time? Oh Allah bless these people, they've actually thrown all their leftovers in our direction. Oh Allah grant them is help them to understand they're not supposed to do that, etc, etc. Not everyone is a saint who thinks that way. They will curse you. And you know,
the more Eastern you become in language, the curses actually become more colorful.
Trying to wear it respectfully, it's Ramadan.
If it wasn't that probably have given you an example or two. May Allah Almighty grant us ease? No, I wouldn't, I wouldn't. But my brothers and sisters, be careful you reach out to your neighbors in a beautiful way it is the month of reaching out and Allah will reach out to you. And that's the reason why every one of us uniquely has his or her own needs. It's not the same. You know why? While at several Fab Lab in a calm, beautiful verse of the Quran powerful in meaning, do not forget to be virtuous amongst yourselves to one another, be good and kind to one another. What you have, perhaps this person doesn't and what that person has, you may not have, you might be struggling with some
small thing in your health. In your compound to those down is one of the top doctors for that problem, but you never ever knew I was that you never knew they could have solved your problem in a jiffy. But you didn't know because you didn't bother. But if Had you met and connected. You know, one day not too long ago, I was sitting with some people. And I happen to talk to a doctor sitting next to me greeted and spoke to me. He gave me his introduction. He told me what he does. And I promise you the same evening I had to call him to assist someone else with exactly the same problem. And I told myself, this was a miracle. It was a miracle from Allah Almighty. Imagine you sitting
next to someone, will you greet them at least you know, Will you at least talk to them and make them feel comfortable? Like you know you're at home and so on. May Allah make it easy. So this month is a beautiful month it's that of fasting that of prayer that have connection with the Quran that have connection with Allah Almighty the connection with the Quran, the Quran means the repeated remembrance of Allah Subhan Allah Subhan Allah Subhanallah as Muslims we believe when you repeatedly praise the maker, it is very very rewarding because you become conscious of who he is. Glory be to You Oh Allah, glory be to you. Oh Allah Glory be to You Allah. Oh Allah, you repeat it 33 times, for
example, or you repeat the statement of praise of the Almighty 100 times for example, these are beautiful because they are taught by the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, it's the month of goodness, it should soften you character and conduct becomes that which shines or dims.
What have you chosen? Would you like your character to shine or to dim? Today I want to teach you something or remind you of something rather. Do you know as a Muslim,
the expression on your face can become an act of worship, if it is positive. Did you ever know that the expression on your face the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him says the expression on your face in the form of a smile is an act of charity because of what it beams in terms of positivity to the rest who are around you.
But when you have a gloomy expression on your face, you're looking sad, you're looking upset, it causes issues, even your own spouse might be confused what's going on your children or your parents or whoever else it may be brothers and sisters, those whom you work with those whom you interact with. They're going to think of how miserable you are and what on earth is making you miserable. Because if someone loves you, they don't want to see you miserable all the time. So make an effort to have a good expression on your face, you will be rewarded and the Almighty will help alleviate a lot of your other issues that you might have. That's the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. Didn't
we say the month of Ramadan is a month of charity? Well, to Buzzsumo coffee what he Africa sadaqa.
To smile at the at the face of others, meaning when you meet others is actually a charity. Simple, you don't need money to be charitable all the time, but the expression and that brings me to another point when you give in the month of Ramadan, you should give within with a feeling of gratitude that you were accepted to give because that person's need will be met by the Almighty with you or without you. You should be thankful that the almighty used you to give because it's only when he puts it in your heart that you will be able to give if he did not put it in your heart. You won't be able to give anything sometimes there's a very good cause. But maybe the money you
might have might not be clean enough for that particular cause. So you say no, I'm not going to give Well, it's not you're not going to give that cause is going to continue without you. But it's Allah who didn't want your money in that cause Have you thought of it that way? Well, that's one way of looking at things. So my brothers, my sisters, be generous, learn to help learn to give, and generosity comes with good attitude and character. What's the point of throwing something at someone I remember,
there was a man who threw a coin at a beggar in my presence many years ago. The beggar picked it up, gave him he said, We don't accept that which is thrown at us. Did you hear that? Wow, I thought to myself, look at the dignity of a man in need. He's a man in need, because you threw it at him. He says what you throwing things that we don't throw, we don't accept that which is thrown at us. If you want to give, give it with dignity. It's more like Allah Almighty will accept it from you, you've got to actually say, my brother, sometimes you might even want to put it in a little envelope. So it's not too public. And you want to give him or her to say, you know, I see you may be
in need, please use this for anything and everything, whatever it may be quietly, people don't even know. And if a few people knew it was fine for as long as it's respectful, but you shouldn't disrespect those simply because they are financially lower than you.
And that brings me to the point I raised earlier of Ramadan being a month of development of character and conduct. How you talk to people, how do you speak, we are failing because of how we yell at each other, swear to each other. We think the worst things of one another. You see two people walk and you think that worst things. Allah tells you purify your mind, purify your mind, think good things, positive things, it doesn't mean because these two people were together or this person was in that particular place, that they did something really nasty and bad and ugly, can't you have good thoughts for once May Allah protect us has not been is something that is mentioned in
Surah. To note in the Quran, where Allah says, the people who are good always think good of others. But when people don't have that goodness within them, they fail to think that others could have goodness because they themselves do not have it. So the Quran tells us develop the goodness so that you see goodness in others.
May Allah help us imagine all of these characteristics being developed in the month of Ramadan. Now you realize it's not just about staying away from food and drink. It's about Toccoa Allah, Allah contact Akun you achieve the consciousness of the Almighty at the end of it, you achieve goodness, you achieve greatness because you now a person who learns to appreciate the favours of the Almighty upon you. You are a person who has developed your character, your relation with the Almighty. If I were fulfilling Salah to Tarawa, which is the evening prayer in the month of Ramadan every day, surely when I exit Ramadan, those five daily prayers are very short and small, I will sail through
them and it will be so easy. But if I didn't fulfill those in Ramadan, how am I going to fulfill these five that are short and basic in the month, sorry, outside the month of Ramadan, same applies with food and drink. If I could control my food and drink in Ramadan, I will be able to control myself even outside Ramadan, if I'm able to discipline myself, and that's what Islam is about. That's what Ramadan is about. That's what life is all about discipline, you cannot simply do what you wish. You've got to do what is good, what is upright in morals and values, you've got to do that which is acceptable, not hurtful, not harmful, then you can do it for as long as it's upright. If it
is not upright, you quit it, I can't just have something that's not mine by stealing it. That's wrong. I've got to control I've got to actually have a bit of discipline. Islam is about what it's about discipline. It's about rules and regulations that would make you a person who would be content. That's what it is. And that's why we believe a month of Ramadan teaches you create a discipline, if I won't drink simple water.
You know, I want to mention something that's come to my mind now, on social media. I've seen a few of the social experiments that were done in some of the Western countries where
the vlogger goes up to a Muslim and says, Are you muslim? Yes. Are you fasting? Yes. Okay. I would like to give you something maybe an iPhone or maybe something very big. But just one thing, have one sip of this water. One sip of this water. Have anyone have you seen some of those experiments? Okay, have you ever seen a Muslim? Take a sip of the water ever?
No matter what, who it was, I'm so proud to mention today. I've never come across a single person, whether they look religious or not, is besides the point even if it was a guy with whatever and he was just walking around with a guitar. He said no chance I'm not going to have keep your phone and keep 10 phones not once a
For water not before the time No way. Why? It is a sign that people are good. They love Allah and you know what in return Allah loves them because Allah only guides those whom he loves. So for someone to tell you I'm not going to have a drop of water but this person outside of Ramadan they might not even be so practicing. Isn't that a good sign? It's a very good sign. Let's follow up even after the month of Ramadan. May Allah Almighty grant us goodness, I see I've spoken for 15 whole minutes mashallah Tabata Kala
and I've really enjoyed myself here this evening once again,
the Katara public
diplomacy and this entire beautiful gathering that is here, the Ministry of Caf The Ibn Zayd center, my brothers, my sisters, those of all faiths know all of you, the biryani fellows that are there. May Allah bless you guys grant you ease you know what I said today, when you're making biryani make some for me as well. BarakAllahu li Salam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh