Mufti Menk – We pay, while yours is FREE!

			Salam alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu
		

			Smilla he will Hamdulillah he was Salatu was Salam o Allah Abdullah, he Rasool e Muhammad wa ala
Ali, he was a big mine,
		

			my beloved brothers and sisters, it is my first time in this beautiful part of Zambia, known as
Livingston. And mashallah the beauty of this place is unique because every one is gifted by Allah.
At times, when we have a gift ourselves, we don't know it, and we don't appreciate it. Whether it is
the place you live in or you yourself. The reality is, you have a gift from Allah, what is it, look
for it, search for it, ask Allah to guide you to it, and thank Allah for it. Because every one was
created by Allah, He is the Creator, He made us. He put us on Earth. Some people think, Oh, I come
from a poor country. Some people think, Oh, I come from a poor background. Some people think, Oh, I
		

			don't have this. And I don't have that. In Islam, we are taught to look at what you have. Look at
what you have. If you look at what you don't have, you will not be able to thank Allah. Few minutes
ago, our Imam Schreib he said let in Chicago to La as he then it means if you are going to be
thankful, I will give you more. In order to be thankful you need to count the favors of Allah upon
you. Today I want to tell you something very interesting. And I want to ask you a few questions.
think in your mind right now.
		

			How many favors has Allah given you? Well, Allah He won't be able to come up with the answer because
		

			they are innumerable. You cannot count them. Your eyes, your nose, your ears, your lips, your chin,
your head, your face, your cheeks, your identity, your hair, your your hands, your feet, your nails,
your fingers, your kidneys, your heart, your spleen, your liver, your intestines, your high, your
veins, your arteries, your blood, the the list goes on and on. We are only looking at you you
yourself. We haven't even gone beyond that right Subhanallah imagine to go beyond that the food you
have the literal you have the clothing you have the accommodation, you have the water you have the
weather you have the beautiful the nature that you have in this part of the world, the animals
		

			people have never seen animals. I have come with a friend of mine here. He said it's my first time
in Africa. My first time to see this animal, my first time to see that and I'm thinking wow, we come
from here we take it for granted. If you see an elephant you might even not even look or if for you
it's nothing it's maybe even a nuisance, right. But for others they see an elephant they are paying
money. They are paying money to come here minimum $1,000 to come here to see something that you
you're just looking without payment Allahu Akbar. You understand? You are looking without payment.
There is no payment perfect for you. It's what is this that I hope there are no elephants today. And
		

			they are making the I hope that elephants today so when you see the elephants that do have clashed,
you are saying I hope there are no elephant they are saying I hope the elephant isn't it. The same
applies the Victoria Falls that is here. Right across here. few meters from where we are, I want to
tell you that people pay money, they pay large sums of money to come just to see I mean you who are
living here you think to pay I will never pay for this thing right or wrong. Because why you lived
here you grew up here or you are living here now for many years. So you take things for granted.
Allah says when you don't have something you will appreciate it. When you have your wife, you have
		

			your husband, you don't appreciate you are talking like as if you are talking disrespectfully to
anyone you don't and when they are gone, either they die or maybe it's time for Allah divorce
happens, something happens then you appreciate a I had a good wife. Too late now, isn't it
appreciated now? They looked after your children they cooked for you and same applies to husbands.
We don't appreciate our husbands sometimes and what happens then after everything is over or the man
is dead? Then you say I had a good man he was looking after me. Now I am stranded. Right? So
similarly every gift of Allah, please look at it. See, understand and think about it, that Allah
		

			Almighty has blessed us Wallahi in a way that others they are even jealous of what we have Wallahi
You see sometimes you have people
		

			they I'm going to give you a proper example because Allah said that he created us different colors,
different sizes, different shapes, different races, different parts of the world, different tribes.
		

			When people all of this is in order to recognize one another, if we were all exactly identical, life
would be boring. Life would be very boring. Imagine if your food and my food was only one thing,
that's all you could eat. What would happen on earth? You would see bananas, you wouldn't know what
is this because I don't need those. They're not It's not food. Allah says, We gave you so many
different types of food, that you yourself don't even know what there is on earth. We we know you
you don't know. That's Allah. So in a similar way, when Allah made us different shapes, shapes and
sizes, sometimes some people, they are from one race, right? That race, we know them because Allah
		

			says We made you in different races in order to recognize one another, appreciate one another, in
order to respect one another, in order that Allah tests you for you to see and realize from Allah
subhanho wa Taala His favors upon everyone. So say, for example, in one part of the world, some of
the people are very small, and they are weak, weak, meaning physically, they're not strong, and they
are very small. But maybe Allah gave them something else they might be, for example, their eyes
might be extremely sharp, or they might be able to think in a different way. Or they might have some
other gift of Allah, maybe they are quick, or whatever it might be. And in other parts of the world,
		

			people might not be short, they might be tall, right? Generally tall, big people with lots of power,
and they might not have something else. They might they might have one thing, two things, maybe not
another thing. So all of us we complement each other for that reason. Also, I was talking to a group
of children yesterday, or the day before yesterday, in Johannesburg, and I was telling these
children Allah has made us differently because the question was, what would you like to be when you
grow up? I can ask you the same question slightly modified because you are already grown up that
what type of job would you like to have Wallahi in this masjid, most of us will have different
		

			answers. One says I want to be a driver. One says I want to be a pilot. One says I want to do
something one says I want to be manager of shop. One says I would like to be engineer. That is the
answers. Why are these answers not the same? Have you thought of it? Because it's a gift of Allah?
That we can all help each other? That's why they're not the same.
		

			If Allah made us the same, all of us are drivers. Who would we drive? We're all drivers. Who am I
going to drive? No one. Because everyone's a driver. You understand? For example, if everybody is
wanting so this is something unique, it's a favor of Allah. Allah has blessed us with diversity.
This part of Africa is blessed in a unique way. Wallahi we have so many things which other people
they pay only to come to look at. They can't even touch. They look at you understand. This morning,
we went out to the in the jungle walking. How are we working? There? Were some lands working with us
this morning.
		

			Do you think if I go to one of the other continents like Europe, I can work with lions? No chance?
No chance? No chance? Do you think if I ended up going somewhere else? Somewhere in the world. I can
see some giraffes and all that. And I can interact with the rhinos. We went yesterday to the rhinos.
And the warden told us we can come down we can go we can go close. We can actually, it's okay. So
long as you know how to do it. You need to stand in a certain way. Walk in a certain way. It says
you know, you know that is here. People are paying $100 to walk with lions. Am I right? 100 My
brother just keep two lions. Are you okay?
		

			Am I right? Just keep two lions. That's what do you do for a living? I keep two lions.
		

			And tell them I'll charge you $20 Give our lives 120. Right. Look at the gift of Allah. People.
Well, look, we have the falls here. It's one of the wonders of the world. Someone was telling me
Niagara Niagara in Canada. I told him Do you know what? This is? Natural and touched by men
completely and it's the one it's the one of the seven natural wonders of the world. If we are silent
at night, I'm sure you can hear the water from a distance isn't it?
		

			You can't stop that water. Allah knows. There are seasons sometimes it's more sometimes it's less.
So my brothers and sisters in my life Allah gave me something which he didn't give you and in your
life, Allah gave you something which he did not give me. He didn't give me so thank Allah it's that
is Allah's plan he gives everyone different in order for you to help each other while at
		

			seven Fab Lab comm don't forget to be virtuous and kind and good amongst yourselves between each
other amongst each other. Be good behind. If there is a baker for example, one day when you need
bread, you know I can find the baker a please keep me two loaves you keep you because you are
friends.
		

			When you have
		

			have a set of good friends in your circle. Anything you need, you can pick up the phone or your
friend will immediately say I will help you why? Because one is this one is that one is the other
one. One is that one, everyone is different. You need medicine, for example, one of our guys either
works at the clinic or he is a doctor or he is a nurse or whatever he may be or she and suddenly you
are helped. Why because you have a good relation with everyone. But when you have a bad relation
with community, you can't live alone. You cannot live alone. My brothers, my sisters a big mistake.
When people think that me I have I am rich and powerful. I am famous. I am what and they think I can
		

			just treat everybody how I like that's not true. One day when you are in need, people will say
Alhamdulillah they will be happy. You see when someone passes away, what do we see in Lillahi wa
inna Ilayaraja and we have some death in our communities also, Imam was telling me about some people
who passed away May Allah give them genital favoritos and some of those who are sick and ill May
Allah give them cure. If I am sick and ill I want people to make dua for me, right? If I pass away I
want you guys to say May Allah have mercy on him. Oh ALLAH forgive him. Allah Houma Villa who were
hum who was a king who filled Jana Hamdulillah. But do you know there are some people when they die?
		

			The others they say mashallah humble? Are you sure? Bow to find out? II and hum Mashallah. It was
very good news, right? He finally died? Do you really want to be the type of person so just treat
people with respect, talk nicely to everyone. Be helpful. When people come to the masjid they must
be happy. They must be happy. Why? Because everyone who is going to greet them is going to ask how
are you what is happening and so on. I don't want something from you. But I just want you to know
I'm your brother. If there is something really that you need, you cannot do on your own. I'm here. I
will try. So one day I said this in the masjid when I walked out. Some young boys came shit I need
		

			$1,000.
		

			I said to my brother, I you know what is it? You need the money sir? No. You said if I need
something I must ask you.
		

			And you are my brother, I love you and everything. But let's make dua to Allah to give you $1,000 He
said okay, but you said there must as I said, we ask Allah but what I meant is that when you are
good to each other, well now he it's easy. Life becomes easy. I didn't mean it that as soon as I
walk out, come and say I need this I need no no, no.
		

			But my brothers and sisters, Allah has favored us. Thank Allah, you know, I want to give you a
massive gift that you have. Right now. Check the weather.
		

			We are sitting as though we are in a condition.
		

			The temperature is approximately right now 22 to 25 degrees. I don't think it's more than that. Not
even 2522 23 It's According to my understanding. And I promise you it is as though you are living in
a con people pay money in order to turn on an air condition to get it to this level. Allah says I
will give you for free. Keep it you don't need it. When I walked into the masjid Imam told me today
there is no electricity. I said so what I will speak loudly, they will hear me they he said there's
no power. I said Allah has given us power. Don't you have some power? Harness? We will talk we raise
our voice a little bit. Thank Allah if I want I can complain and cancel say there's no electricity.
		

			Nevermind, you talk I'm not talking. I could do that isn't it? Meaning it means that I have not
adjusted but when I adjust and say so what Allah gave us a good voice. We are here in the masjid we
will talk we will record it we will beam it across the whole world inshallah.
		

			The whole world must hear what happened here in Livingston.
		

			Because it's a masjid, it's the house of Allah. Allah has given us the ability. But if I want to
give up I can give up for a small thing. So my message to the young boys and girls and the mothers
and fathers and my brothers and sisters do not give up. Allah has blessed you. Don't be upset. Allah
has given you work hard, develop good habits, cut out your bad habits be focused wala he you will
achieve the dunya and archaea. Allah has promised you you will achieve this world and the next. You
need to work hard, be focused, thank Allah. And this is why Allah Almighty tells us very clearly
through the blessed lips of Nabi Muhammad salallahu Salam. So this is a Hadith where the Prophet
		

			sallallahu wasallam says in Ruru Illa men who are do not come when you want to look at material
items of this world, what Allah blesses people with, look at those who have less than you who are
below you, so that you can appreciate what you have. And when it comes to religion and connection
with Allah, look at those who are above you, so it can encourage you to do more. So you see I'm
doing three Salah a day. Sometimes in some places they do
		

			One Salah a week which is which Salah
		

			Juma you see you know already right? Some places they do one Salah a week, some they do one a day to
a day you are a Muslim how many Salah in the day five Subhanallah so if you are reading three, you
have not yet gotten to the level, look at those who are doing better and doing more and tell
yourself in sha Allah I will what I will get there. When you see someone you are doing five salah,
you see someone doing sunnah as well and so on, say in sha Allah, I will get there when you are
dressing in a nice way, for example, our sisters and so on even the brothers, then you say inshallah
I will dress like this. Why do I say even the brothers, brothers, they usually tell the sisters, you
		

			need to dress like this and dress like that. But the same guy, his jeans is halfway down his bum,
and he doesn't mind. And he's walking around, you can't even go to sujood because if he goes to
sujood, what happens? There is a big problem. So you need to also wear loose clothing, which covers
you properly. The ruling is for both men and women. Maybe the framework is set for all of us. So
remember, when you see someone doing better than you in religion, you always look to them and thank
Allah, Oh Allah make me strong. I want to do that and even more, but in terms of wealth, always look
at those who have less than you. You know, I have had people
		

			who have who have told me, I need a car. Right? I need a car. So for example, I need a car. It's
true. Or you might need a car. I say what do you have right now? He says, I only have a bicycle. I
say Wallah, he my brother, there are people who don't have a bicycle.
		

			There are people who don't have a bicycle. So while you need the car, it's okay work towards it. But
don't pinch, don't steal, don't beg, don't watch don't do and what happens. You will get it by the
help of Allah.
		

			In the meantime, don't forget that you still have more than other people. Am I right? You have more
than other people. I have a bicycle. If you don't have a bicycle, I have my legs. I'm able ask those
whose knees are packed up. You know, as they grow older the knees, they start to give problems. Ask
them. They say I can't even walk you say Alhamdulillah I can walk Subhan Allah, it's a favor of
Allah. So my brothers and sisters, it's amazing. So I spoke to you about the gifts of the animals we
see they are unique. They are unique. Yesterday, we just went out somewhere. And we saw so many
animals. It's as though the animals came out to greet us. We saw so many lions with today we saw the
		

			lions. We saw yesterday so many elephants many not one of maybe about 15 of them. We saw rhinos
maybe about about 10 of them yesterday
		

			or six I think the sixth I remember clearly and one on the site. So Sunday but a large number we saw
giraffe. We saw so many animals, the bark and whatever else and I'm thinking to myself, imagine when
you look at this Rhino, or the elephant? Look at how Allah made it how the example of the camel is
given in the Quran.
		

			Because the camel was that animal which was there in the Middle East at the time.
		

			Isn't Allah says, file I O L AB li ke for whom he caught with would they not see the camel how it is
created? How? When I was looking at these animals I was thinking of the same verse. This might not
be a camel but look at how Allah created the rhino. It has one horn here. It has a little thing be
just before that its eyes and it only eats grass here the white rhino only eats grass. Do you know
that? Amazing. And how big is it? It's huge. And the elephant is it it's a herbivore it only has
plants and trees and whatever else it's an herbivore. But an elephant is huge, humongous. You don't
get that who created it? Well, Allah He the same creator who made me made so many things. Why? Why?
		

			One of the reasons why Allah made so much of diversity, obviously there are millions of reasons we
don't know all of them. But one of them is to show you that Allah is the Creator and me to show us,
you and I that Allah is the Creator.
		

			And he makes what he wants how he wants, he has different creatures, each one of them you know the
rule right? When they are these animals and they have their little ones with them.
		

			The parents especially the mother, they are much more cheeky. Do you agree? You mess around when the
little ones are they you are dead? Do you agree? Go and see that when you see a whole lot of animals
different animals if you the minute you see that newborns, the babies and so on. You know I need to
stay far from these ones because why? They are going to attack me. Man is being taught a lesson How
much do you protect your own children Wallahi
		

			Imagine that animals look after their kids go and see how the lions and the even the other animals
		

			they mark their territory, right?
		

			Try to witness when one is trying to Temper Temper with the female,
		

			which is meeting with a certain lion Wallahi that guy is in trouble. Am I right or wrong?
		

			Come on you come from Livingston you should know, right? I'm right. So with men also, are you
protective of your family? Do you move in this group where you know, hey, if there's anything anyone
coming from outside, we will protect Wallahi that is the reason Allah wants us to sit and think that
even the animals for example, they have qualities in them, we can learn by we can learn by
		

			the protection, how they look after their kids today across the world.
		

			People are snatching away some of the gifts that Allah has given us and trying to convince us to do
some silly things and absurd things. I want to tell you look after your deen
		

			look after your relationship with Allah, spend time with your children guide them, even if they go
to school, talk to them every day, check what's happening, see, because with that connection, you
will be able to save yourselves and your family members like Allah says, go full circle. Wa Lee come
now Licona Save yourselves and your family members from the fire. How I have to save them from the
fire, spend time with them, explain to them, talk to them, convince them guide them and in a
beautiful way. Don't just sit on your phone or with your friends or with others all night every
night and you have not spoken to your family members. You didn't speak to your children. You haven't
		

			spent time you didn't show them. goodness and kindness. They didn't see you as a mother or a father
or whoever else it may be
		

			for a few hours. They didn't see you at all in the whole week. May Allah Almighty guide us and grant
us goodness. So I thought I would say a few words. Obviously it's Joomla we are here. I told him I'm
sure I have no problem. I will come I will visit Jama Atul Muslimeen I will greet them and we will
be happy because Allah brought us here. It was not planned by me. It was planned by Allah. If I were
to tell you I'm coming to Livingston on this day I would not be able This was last minute we just
decided let's jump on we want to go I had some guests with me and I said we will show you what it is
like I said people spend money and I'm seeing this for the third time. People spend money not small
		

			money. Big money to come to see
		

			what you see you're seeing for free everyday
		

			walleye for free. There is a bail Bob tree there you see this bail Bob tree big wide tree it has a
viewing on the top there you might know Which tree I'm talking about right
		

			there biobank three people come from abroad we have seen it I see it in Zimbabwe and here in this
part of the country meanings MBZ for us, Victoria Falls for you guys Livingston and so on. We take
it for granted when we were young Oh first time you say wow that tree Subhanallah then you forgot
about it you saw it so many times. The look at the tree the foreigners iwi what's going on here?
Let's get out let's just take a photo take my brother you pass it everyday. You have not you don't
have a photo of it. Am I right? One line. When we go down Wallah if they see the smoke the smoke of
the Victoria Falls because that mostly are too near it goes up higher than the 40 drops and climbs
		

			higher higher than the falls. People from a distance they said Stop the car stop the car. Wait,
wait, wait, I see the smoke, my brother you are one kilometre away.
		

			And they came from all over the world to see what smoke. You can hear the sound see the smoke you
don't even look isn't even luckily. And Allah bless you man Subhanallah look at allah how Allah
gives people some things that other people they are dying for.
		

			And he took away some things from us, which perhaps we also need and he didn't give us certain
things. Not all of us I for example, we I don't have certain things that you have. Like I said you
don't have certain things. We don't have some things that other people do have Alhamdulillah thank
Allah because you are going to be on Earth only for a few years after that you will return to Allah
and I want to end with the statement. Be hopeful for the day that you are going to return to Allah
don't lose hope. Be hopeful for the day you are going to return to Allah. Do you not have a good
relation with Allah look, are you not in the house of Allah? Do you not do salah? Are you not doing
		

			Toba? And when you commit a sin did you not say Oh ALLAH forgive me? Then why are you losing hope in
Allah if you die today? Where are you going in sha Allah I'm going to Jana. You
		

			Insha Allah, yes, I fear the other by fear Jahannam and so on. But I have hope in the Mercy of Allah
I tried so hard I'm trying, I'm a human. So have hope in Allah. We are going to live for a few
years, improve yourself, quit the bad ways the habits, the sins do more and more and more good
because Allah's blessings are such that he waves the good deeds and the bad deeds. He says, You have
bad deeds, but do you have more good deeds? If you have more good deeds on the scale, the good deeds
will be more he says just go to Jannah forget about what happened in the bad Subhanallah imagine you
have good deeds and bad deeds. Allah says we wait your deeds, whichever one is more or less the way
		

			you will go. If your left is more you move to the left. If your right is more you move to the right
the right side there is Jana. The left side there is Johanna. So Allah didn't say you are perfect.
Oh man, no. Allah says, I know how I created you. But you need to come to me. You need to worship
you need to improve. You need to help people. You need to be kind to animals. You need to be kind to
the ecosystem. You don't just destroy and burn. You are walking in the grass. I'm going to tell you
something which happens right? Hey, this grass is very tall. You know what? It's dry. It's nice.
Tomorrow when I'm coming I'm good to bring one match. What am I going to do? Let's see it will burn.
		

			Is that okay? You are a Muslim? What did you do? You are causing these bushfires? That's not That's
not a Muslim.
		

			A Muslim does not cause damage to the ecosystem.
		

			You don't just start a fire. You're a believer. Why do you want to start a fire to enjoy the scene
and the view when people are coming from the top they will be confused. Which one is the fault? This
one or this one? Right? Because from the top it looks the same fire. We should thank Allah look
after the system look after the ecosystem. And Allah will bless us with Jana two fellows. I think
I've spoken longer than 20 minutes but you know, he told me you can move up to 10 past one. I told
him don't worry, we will shorten it by the will of Allah subhanahu wa really? It is an honor to be
in your midst. I'm so happy. I paid I paid money in order to come and see something which you see
		

			every day. So thank Allah Akula COLA that was sal Allahu wa salam ala Nabina Muhammad
		

			let me put this down.
		

			Just closing
		

			Smilla Rahmanir Rahim
		

			Salam