Mufti Menk – Welcome Ramadan with open arms

			Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim In the name of Allah subhanho wa Taala Most Gracious, Most Merciful
Alhamdulillah All praise is indeed due to Allah subhanho wa Taala wa salatu salam ala rasulillah
blessings and salutations upon the Messenger of Allah subhanho wa Taala Muhammad ibn Abdullah he
sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, what Allah Allah he was having his main we send blessings and
salutations upon all the companions of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household.
May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless them all and bless every single one of us and grant us goodness in
this world and the next,
		

			my beloved brothers and sisters in this beautiful suburb of Bosman in the beautiful Masjid, the
Bosman Masjid Mashallah, and I see the faces breaking into a beautiful smile. And that's what we are
known for Mashallah. Even if we don't have teeth, those are the most genuine smiles we can ever
have. So, don't let there be a shortage of smiles For indeed, it helps one another. It breaks a lot
of barriers, it creates ease even in the lives of those who are stressed. And remember more than
anything else, it is the son of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, brothers and sisters, I'm sure
when someone extremely important is visiting your home, or is visiting your suburb or your city,
		

			someone whom you are close to whom you've been wanting to meet for a long time, you would be
excited. And I'm sure you would make sure that you arrive early, and you are dressed appropriately.
And that nowadays, perhaps you have your camera ready and so on. May Allah subhanahu wa taala grant
us an understanding human beings that we have around us today are not as important as another gift
that Allah has bestowed upon us, known as a man. If I were to ask you, what is the biggest gift that
you and I have? Your answer would be wrong if it was anything besides Eamon and the following of
Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam the fact that I am a member of the oma of Muhammad sallallahu
		

			alayhi wasallam is indeed, the greatest gift that I have. That is what makes me mean, that's why I'm
called a person with a man someone who has belief. Because to be honest, if I didn't have that
belief, no matter what I had, in terms of materialistic items of this world, they are valueless.
They mean nothing, they might help me for a few days. And thereafter, when I die, there is no more
that I will benefit from that particular wealth. But when I believe even the money that I have, I
will know how to spend it, how to earn it to begin with. When you're a believer, you know, that
quantity doesn't matter. It is actually the quality. It's the way you look at things we as believers
		

			know that sometimes the wealthiest of the lot suffer insomnia, they cannot sleep.
		

			They cannot do certain things sometimes that the poor people can do you have some people who are in
their beddings under a tree and Subhanallah they have deepest sleep than those who sleep on beddings
that cost 20,000 grands
		

			water floats. I don't even know if you know what that is. I wouldn't be surprised if you don't
because guess what I don't myself.
		

			So my brothers and sisters, the point being raised here is when you are a believer, you are content.
You are happy with what Allah has given you. You make the most of it. You thank Allah, if you were
to complain, and if that was going to solve your problems, trust me, the first lady would have been
learned to complain.
		

			But complaining does nothing for you. It will never do anything for you. If you really have to
complain, Guess how it should be? You should complain about your own weakness to Allah subhanho wa
Taala that's the complaint. Is there any other complaint we have? The answer is no. We complain
about our own weakness. The rest of it we make dua to Allah, we supplicate to Allah the problems we
have the challenges we face the health matters that we might be going through in terms of problems,
difficulties, issues and so on. We ask Allah subhana wa Taala to open our doors, we ask Allah
subhanho wa Taala to bless us. So one of these gifts is a guest that we're about to welcome. That
		

			guest is not in the form of a person remember this? People say Mashallah, you're going to spend the
whole month of Ramadan with us in Bosman, how did it happen? Alhamdulillah it happened by the grace
of Allah, the honor is mine. Indeed. I'm looking forward to the month indeed. I'm looking for
		

			to benefit from you more than anything else. But that having been said, the biggest guest we have is
the month of Ramadan itself.
		

			In a hadith that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has termed this beautiful month as, say the
show, did you know that?
		

			Say you to shoehorn,
		

			what would that mean? The master of all the months, top of the month, there are two months that are
at the top, you have Ramadan, and then you have the ledger.
		

			and thereafter you have some of the days of Muharram I'm sure you would know that not all the days
are equal in the Islamic calendar, just like not all the places are equal. For a Muslim, you go to
Mecca, it is far more virtuous, far more spiritual, far more elevated than any other place anywhere
else on Earth. You go to Madina, munawwara The same applies it's different in value.
		

			When you are embossment, for example, you are at your home, the value is different when you come to
the house of Allah, guests whose house you just entered. mine, yours know the house of Allah, your
maker, here, it's different, you will feel good, you will feel nice, and it's your duty to make
others feel nice. This is why we say my brothers and sisters, when you want to welcome a human being
who's coming into your home, and he's a very important person, you won't be seen with a pipe in your
hand. You won't be seen with a pipe in your hand put to your mouth. No Will you be seen with a big
cigar? No. Will you be seen with a cigarette and so on. You're welcoming someone for a short period
		

			of time, you will make sure you are smelling good, you are looking good. your bad habits are set
aside. You don't want the person to know about them. Brothers and sisters seize the opportunity of
welcoming this beautiful month of Ramadan by cutting your bad ways and habits now. If we don't
promise Allah subhanho wa Taala then what are we what are we waiting for? Allah says I'm going to
take your life away very soon. But before I do that, I'm going to give you a few chances to turn
back. Let's see if you turn back.
		

			People look for jobs. We search and hunt for a job, we sometimes get a job and we feel you know what
the salary is not good enough. So we will looking for another job and we keep on looking for a job.
And we know how it feels when there is a big job and someone else gets it and we feel to ourselves
okay. Alhamdulillah as a movement, I know it wasn't my sustenance. But yeah, Allah opened my door in
some way. It would have been good if I bought that job right? My brothers and sisters more important
than a job that is going to bring you a few dollars or pounds or ns is a tea jar that Allah speaks
about a business that Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about and what is it? It is that business that
		

			will save you from the fire of jahannam voila, he one of the deals is to be able to turn to Allah
pre Ramadan in such a way that you welcome the month of Ramadan. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam used to speak about Ramadan in the month of Shaban. The month we are in right now. He used to
prepare his companions to say we are definitely expecting a beautiful guest start preparing, it's
going to be different. It's going to be something different from all the other 11 months of the
year. This is a beautiful year, brothers and sisters, open your heart, open your soul, improve your
character I was saying you come into the masjid you make sure you are smelling good looking good.
		

			But at the same time, make sure that you make others feel good as well as salaam alaikum. My
brother, how are you doing? And you sit down? Don't make someone feel such that they don't want to
come back to the masjid. How does that happen? One is offensive smell and smelling of cigarettes so
badly that the brother next to me couldn't even stand so what you do and I'm talking of the few who
smoke very few I think smoke maybe five or 10 from amongst you.
		

			So those five or 10 May Allah subhanho wa Taala strengthen you we all have bad habits and I'm sure
you know it's a bad habit. But wouldn't you like to visit Wouldn't you like to welcome the month of
Ramadan in a state that you've quit that bad habit? What happened? I quit it for for the sake of
Allah. He gave me an opportunity. I found the job. What's the job? Wow, my boss tells me you come to
work, no smoking Allahu Akbar. If your boss told you, I pay you 2000 rands a month and you come to
work the condition is no smoking. You will tell the boss if I met you one year ago I would have
stopped smoking then too. Right? So Allah is our boss. What we are getting is far more valuable than
		

			200,000 grands a month. We are getting millions, billions. priceless. Allah says no bad habits. No,
no, no. So let's give it up. I'm trying to work.
		

			in a beautiful way, so that you can actually feel like giving it up. I don't want to bombard and I
don't want to do but I would like to let you know that it is a bad habit we all know it is give it
up. You're welcoming Ramadan. Ramadan is more important than the president. Ramadan is more
important than anything else that you have. And Yvonne is your email that is being given an
opportunity to blossom and to grow. How can you have it one hand you have the cigarette and the
other hand you're entering the masjid what you do those who do have the bad habit and who are
struggling to give it up? At least pause? Pause you know I was asked a question a few years back
		

			something very very serious Please forgive me to make mention of it here. But the five six who smoke
will understand what I'm saying.
		

			The person as I get so angry towards the end of the day, am I allowed allowed to open my fast not
where the data comes from, but with a cigarette.
		

			May Allah forgive us? If that is the question. I don't even want to go to where the answer is going
to be. Because Lissa, me for her attorney for Hatton in the future he will for huttunen Delica euro
be the hotties is a person who fast has two points of absolute joy. The one is when they opening the
fast that is divided into two you open it every day absolute joy why the angels are about to write
down one fast this person has fasted for the sake of Allah this person is expecting a reward this
person this this person that and next thing you open instead of saying you know Allah Malika, Psalm
two and so on, we are saying Oh Allah, I thank you for giving me a cigarette.
		

			You opening your fast it's going to be written next to your name. Don't do that. I know people might
be saying this man is not a smoker. He doesn't know what it's all about. The reality is I'm
encouraging you very strongly to use the opportunity to quit your habit will lie. At least when you
kiss your wife she will thank people like us.
		

			May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us sorry for saying that. But it's serious a lot of women complain
You know, my husband's a smoker. I don't know what it feels like to kiss one who doesn't smoke Allah
forgive us. So you can say yes my love after Ramadan you will know by the will of Allah because
guess what? during Ramadan I'm quitting this bad habit. Then it won't be like kissing a chimney.
		

			So my brothers and sisters reality is welcome the month by cutting your bad ways and habits I was
saying a foul smell when you come into the machine is something terrible terrible so at least quit
before wash your mouth thoroughly. Put a little bit of perfume Mashallah and don't put that perfume
that gives a headache Do you know anything cheaper than five rounds please don't use that may Allah
subhanho wa Taala forgive us because you intend goodness but you know what will happen? you standing
here the next man is getting a headache and the other person's really suffering struggling they
almost fainting because of the strong smell of something that's really, you know, to kill maybe
		

			another odor. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us wisdom use a little bit of curfew. You don't have
to overdo it a little bit Mashallah. So after that you enter the masjid when you see people break
into a smile. Let's make that the stamp of Bossman by the will of Allah. The stamp of our Masjid
here will be when we see each other we break into a smile. That's it. Just break into a lovely
smile. And that's it. You know, sometimes what happens is we start becoming so friendly that we ask
questions that chase people away from the machine, brother Mashallah. How are you? Fine. How's your
children? Fine. How's your wife? Fine, okay, okay, so what business are you in? Fine, he'll tell
		

			you. Okay, so Oh, Mashallah. You're a carpenter. You know, I need to do some cupboards back at home.
Will you give me some discount brother? Now, is that what you're supposed to be asking at the
masjid? Is that what the house is of Allah is all about the brother might say, look, Brother, you
know what? Now he doesn't know how to answer because you know what? Everyone's finding it difficult
to make ends meet. Do you agree?
		

			Everyone has his or her own difficulties and issues. So Mashallah, Mashallah, that's good brother.
So on. One day, you asked him for a quote, maybe you might want to politely say brother, is there
any discount you might offer here in a polite way that you don't have to become such that you put
pressure on him everyday? You see, remember my discount? Remember my discount, he's not going to
come back to the machine. I promise you, he won't come. So when you come into the house of Allah, do
you know why your behavior must be upon its best because you get a reward for everyone who feels
comfortable in the house of Allah because of you? Allahu Akbar, when you park your car, and we'll
		

			have to tell this to so many people so many times. I can let you in on something serious. You see,
when I was in London, and this happened in a lot of places. But lately in London, we had a talk at
one of the masjid the name of the mustard was Ramadan mushy Ramadan, by the way, so someone had
parked his car in an awkward way.
		

			And there was an emergency. And the people came to me with a number plate and they put the number
plate forth and now it's difficult because of the brother sitting in the middle here. I'm going to
call out a plate and I'm going to say so and so whether this number plate Please get up and move
your car. He's so embarrassed because if he gets up to almost she looks at him and everyone's like,
you know, what did you do here? You know, so he'd rather just sit and pretend like nothing happened.
So I had to say brother, brothers and sisters we're about to make a beautiful dua for someone. This
is the number plate if this is your number plate, please stand up we make a lovely to have for you.
		

			May Allah bless you May Allah grant you wealth May Allah grant you help me Allah open your doors May
Allah subhanho wa Taala bless your children give you this give you that, you know what, the brother
was gone Mashallah already you because you want to go those two hours. But then I had to make an
announcement I said this is not going to happen all the time. Don't park your car awkward because
you want the number plate to become famous in the front of the message in here.
		

			We're going to be beaming across the globe by the will of Allah it will be across so many television
stations, radio stations, internet, you know links and so on audio streaming video streaming, so
let's not be an embarrassment by the will of it's not going to add value to your vehicle. The fact
that the number plate was announced in the make was announced in the machine.
		

			You know my car I want to sell it. So in the paper you say 2010 This car was announced at the masjid
you want you can go to this video, you can check it This and this minute the second you'll see that
was the car so it's added 20,000 grants to the value of the car that's not going to happen. The
point I'm raising more seriously is please let's Park our vehicles in such a way that we don't
disturb people someone might want to go away early for some reason. Some doctors on call some other
people on call and so on they want to disappear some people have a health matter they want to go
away some people for no reason for example, they have something they want to attend to that's
		

			private, they want to go we should not be an obstacle by the will of Allah so that's important next
time people will come and say you know what you go to that machine everything is in order by the
will of Allah and this is why we like to save try and have like a lift club, lift club many of you
coming from one area let for five people sit together and come you save petrol you you actually come
together you can talk together Mashallah discuss what's going to happen discuss what happened when
you're going back and Alhamdulillah you achieve a reward. So inshallah we will make this month a
month with a difference. Let's welcome it in a beautiful way. Like I said, we enter the masjid
		

			inshallah, when we see each other break into a smile as salaam alaikum bare minimum Another thing
you need to know many of us have a habit of hugging hugging one another.
		

			It's okay we just testing the sound and we trying to synchronize it today inshallah.
		

			So many of us have a habit of hugging one another Subhana Allah, it's a good habit. It's not a bad
habit. But you need to know if the place and the time is correct. Why? Sometimes at the door,
everybody's hugging others want to go out. And sometimes
		

			we blocking the way sometimes people might be sick and ill and then we are sick and Ill I have such
a cough that I know that you know what, it's not healthy for me to go and hug someone. But we
		

			and we and we want to hug someone they will feel uneasy next time they see you they want to run to
the other corner.
		

			So the best thing is to say you know what, I'm not feeling too well. But Alhamdulillah Mashallah, I
would hug you and this is how it is today. I used an excuse I said, you see this scuff takes me so
long to iron to be honest. You can see it can't you right. Now if you were to give me a hug, it's
gonna get creased. Imagine what will happen. If you especially the tight hugs, so now the best thing
is to shake their hand. But the reality is I want to tell you, my brothers and sisters, many people
say we want to shake the hand of the Imam. I think it's important. I really think it's important in
the sense that it gives you a bond it makes you feel connected to someone who perhaps might teach
		

			you a thing or two and so on. But when the masjid is packed, when there are so many people be
realistic, realistic, meaning, you know, something more important than any Imam that's living today
is the hydrosphere the mecca Do you agree? What does Allah say about that? You kiss it, you must
kiss it and you must make such that on it which means you put your forehead on it so I kiss it as
I'm saying Bismillah Allahu Akbar. May Allah take us all to Makkah, amin mela take us all for
hygiene Amara. I mean
		

			it's a habit of mine just to seize the opportunity to make a duel you never know the angels are
saying I mean and we have a cabal Mashallah.
		

			So, that hajer asteroid is far more important than anyone here. Do you agree? Then Allah subhanho wa
Taala says you can sit if you can, if you want, if you can, but you don't Stampede and you don't
create havoc and you don't hurt a fellow believer because it is much more important to safeguard the
dignity
		

			And the health and the, you know the security of the fellow Muslims than to kiss a stone when Allah
has shown you another way of doing things, if you really can't make it, to go there and to kiss it
and to put your head on it, then at least you can take a stick, or you can take some form of a rod,
and you can touch it and then kiss the end that has actually touched that hajer. When did you know
that that's part of the sooner the professor Salam on one occasion, he was on his camel. And when he
got to the place where the hijab is, he would actually take the stick, he would touch the huddle,
and he would kiss the end of the stick. It's another way of doing things. However, they probably
		

			won't allow you nowadays with so many sticks going into the harem. Imagine 100,000 people going in
with sticks, they will wonder, when the Salah starts, where are you going to put it, we have a
problem as it is with shoes, I wonder what would happen with the sticks, we would have to have
computerized sticks, because you're not going to recognize your stick. But at the same time, there
is another way of doing things from a distance, you can actually do it with your hands. We know that
from a distance, we do it with your hands. So what would happen is if you are greeting someone,
		

			and you know the that the opportunity is not correct for it, because maybe there is a large crowd,
maybe there are so many people maybe it's not right, it's not the right time, maybe the person
you're trying to greet is in a little bit of a rush, it can happen. So in that particular case, you
either shake their hand and carry on rather than offer this hug that we're talking about, oh, you
make it to our for them. That's far more important than anything else. You make a do out for them,
my brothers and sisters, I would love it if you made the do out for me and you would love it if I
made the draft for you. Imagine if someone says all those who couldn't shake my hand May Allah bless
		

			them grant in good health May Allah Oh, people would say well, then I'm not shaking your hand
anymore, because that's when I'm getting all the doors. But we don't want to do that. We don't want
to say that. We want to make dua for one another. It's the month of doula as well. That doesn't mean
wait for it to make all your dreams start from now we will come in the month start now soften your
heart for now, you know when you want to sow the seeds. If you have a farm and you want to plant
vegetation, you want to plow How does it start?
		

			You need to clear the land. Before the season you don't just see the first rains and suddenly say
hey, you know what, now we're going to clear no in advance before the first rains they will tell you
15 November, you're going to have these rains 15 October, you will have one little shower it's like
Alice gift. So you have that shower, I'm talking of this part of the world.
		

			And immediately you know there's a signal here, you start flattening the ground, straightening it
smoothing it, perhaps clearing it as you can and then you take your your tractors and whatnot and
you start you start you know plowing after you softened it and made it prepared ready, you put the
seed when it's the right time to put it in and then you will start watering and so on. You cannot
start last minute. The same applies to the month of Ramadan it's a month of growth. It's a month of
spirituality. Eman will blossom Like I said before, your link with Allah has to become strong. It
cannot be that the movement witnesses the month of Ramadan and they link with Allah becomes weak. It
		

			cannot be it has to become strong my brothers and sisters and this is why we say before Amazon start
clearing the way and pave the way for Allah forgive me or live committed sins I know what I've done,
or allow whatever since I've committed I've quit them for your sake helped me to enter the month of
Ramadan in such a beautiful way that you are pleased with me. Oh Allah let there be at least one
month of Ramadan in my life where I have done something correct.
		

			Beautiful opportunities, they don't come by all the time.
		

			So start now, this is why I've chosen today following the tsunami Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam to speak about how to welcome this month, few points. And these points are just mild. They're
not even anything heavy. start becoming regular with your Salah from now some people say okay, I'm
going to get up for fudger but only in Ramadan. That's a lie. You getting up for the food.
		

			It's the school that you're getting up for. And by the way, you're awake. So now you're just making
the budget. The winner is the one who says No way. I'm getting up from forfeiture from today. May
Allah forgive us for what's happened in the past. Remember, you must do your qaddafi Allah subhanho
wa Taala grant us ease. I was teasing one of the brothers asking us so what record are we doing? I
said we are doing 4040 record this year embossment. And he just looked at me and you obviously we
were we were just telling him a lie. You know, so Imam Malik was with and he says we're doing Qatar
for last year and we reading for those who won't come next year. May Allah subhanho wa Taala forgive
		

			us.
		

			What we should do is let's read correctly. Let's read beautifully. Let's start from now dedicate
your fight.
		

			Salah a day from now see how your life will change we have a few days. I want to also make mention
of a beautiful Sunnah of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam as we welcome Ramadan
		

			we have in this country, a gift of Allah whereby we can see the moon with our eyes, there are some
countries where they cannot do that because of the weather conditions, always, you know, overcast
and sometimes snow and sometimes anything else they cannot see the moon.
		

			We are fortunate we can. So I want to teach you something very, very great. It's important for us to
know the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam is to search for the moon to search for it
when the 29th of the lunar month, the 29th.
		

			Remember to revive the sooner we love Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam he taught us to go out and do
something known as the hairy try hard to see the moon, it's asuna imagine I just have to look and
I'm achieving a reward. I just have to look, I got to search. And I'm achieving a reward. You know
why I'm saying this? Many of us say I will we do know we don't. A lot of us when we know that the
hours after the birth of the moon are too little for the moon to be cited by the naked eye. We cut
out the sooner we know it's the 29th but we say Nah, it's not really going to be visible. Just leave
it you know, just leave it.
		

			That's wrong. Even if the moon born not born one hour, five hours, 10 hours just fulfill the sooner
fulfill the sooner of searching. It's the 29th I tell you why we need to revive the sooner Do not
ever be the cause of the killing of a tsunami amatola Salah don't revive it go and search for it.
You will be surprised I want to teach you something else. If allow once he can show you that moon,
we believe in the power of Allah, we believe in miracles. We all believe in miracles. If he wants he
can show the whole community something and the rest of the world will learn a lesson from it. It has
happened in communities and societies it has there was a time when people said this moon is 11 hours
		

			there's no chance that anyone's gonna see it. And I remember I said look, let's say that from a
scientific perspective, the chances are almost no Where did properly but don't say there's no chance
because that moon doesn't belong to you. It belongs to Allah when Mohammed Salah Salem says search
for it. Just search for it. That's all. That's it.
		

			And don't be like the old man at the time of the law when they were all searching for the moon. And
only one man say I see the moon
		

			looks at me and smiles. And he says wipe your eyes.
		

			So he wiped his eyes right now look again. Do you see it? He says no I don't.
		

			So he says a beautiful word in the Arabic language. La La sharika min hijikata wasa la casa de la la
		

			one of the gray hairs from your eyebrows was probably coming down we looked like a moon in front of
your eye. So now that you have to is not there anymore. But doesn't that show us that it's a sooner
to search for the moon? May Allah subhanho wa Taala Bless You All I'm definitely looking forward to
this beautiful month of Ramadan. May Allah grant us life to see that.
		

			May Allah forgive us if we die before that may Allah grant us Jenna And may Allah subhanahu wa taala
help us to help one another really and surely, I already feel at home and I'm looking forward to
spend the entire month it will be 30 minutes on the dot every single night by the word of Allah
subhanho wa Taala. And already I've spoken right now for 28 minutes and 42 seconds. So because we
started a minute or two late, I will end here saying my brothers and sisters take the month
seriously. Let's learn to love one another. Let's learn to forgive one another. seek forgiveness and
forgive. Ask people forgiveness and forgive. When you say I'm sorry, it's not necessary that you
		

			mean I'm totally wrong. All it means is you know what? The person is more important to me than being
right.
		

			May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us. Allah subhanho wa Taala open our doors brothers and sisters
keep the doors rolling one after the other from now just keep them rolling while you're driving
while you're talking walking adding the doors like how you like spicy new food you need to add all
the to us because that is cholesterol free. May Allah subhanho wa Taala guided Sol Sol Allahu wa
salam o Baraka ala nabina Muhammad