Addu City, Maldives, 15 Jan 2020
Mufti Menk – Why some Muslims Deviate?
AI: Summary ©
The importance of respect and appreciation for people in public settings is emphasized, along with the need for regular development in order to avoid negative consequences. The speakers emphasize the need for regular communication and development in order to avoid cultural embarrassment, alcohol restriction, and avoiding false accusations. They also stress the importance of developing one's stance and avoiding derogative language. The speakers encourage people to stay true to their natural values and not give up on their appearance. They stress the need for regular development in order to achieve success in life and fulfill one's minds and words.AI: Transcript ©
Salam Alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu
Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim al hamdu Lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah one Allah, Allah, he was a big money. We praise Allah subhanho wa Taala. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad salallahu alayhi wa sallam, his household, his companions, we ask Allah to bless them to bless every one of us, to grant us from his goodness, and to protect us from all evil. I mean, my brothers and sisters in this beautiful city of ado, it's my second time coming here. I think very soon I will become a citizen of this place.
The beautiful weather here, especially this evening, although we did not risk it, due to the possibility of rain is definitely a sign of the mercy of Allah subhanho wa Taala.
The hearts are all together, the people are beaming with goodness. So I'm very happy to be in your midst. My brothers and sisters when I was young,
and maybe some of us when we were young,
we were told what to do. without explanation.
We were told
Salah five times a day, you have to get up.
And if you didn't, there was either a silent warning with the eyes. Or perhaps there might have been a look at the whip that was hanging behind the door.
Or perhaps there could have been a verbal threat. In the case of some, if you don't, I will beat you up.
without explaining sometimes Subhana Allah in the case of most of us, we just did as we were instructed, because we had to get done with it. That's it.
But sometimes we didn't understand why we were doing this.
And you know, our parents, perhaps our grandparents, some of those who taught us, they just wanted to see us fulfill what they believed was the right thing.
But unfortunately, they did not realize that in some cases, people would grow up hating what they're doing, because they grew up, according to them being forced to do something that never made sense to them. Yet, if they were to have spent a few moments explaining and perhaps nurturing, and perhaps educating, it would have made a huge difference. To do something with knowledge is far greater than to do something without knowledge. And this is why to be able to worship Allah, the more you know him, the more likely you are to be closer to him in sha
Allah, Indeed, those who have the knowledge of who Allah is those who have the knowledge of Revelation, they are the ones who would be able to be the greatest in the consciousness of Allah subhanho wa Taala. When you don't know Allah, how are you going to fulfill his rights? If a man were to walk into here, or a woman were to walk into here, and you had no clue who he or she was, you may not be able to fulfill their rights, perhaps the basic rights you would because they are human beings. But you would literally want to slap yourself. If you found out later on, that the person seated right next to you was x, y and Zed May Allah subhanho wa Taala. Grant us all goodness, the
point I'm raising is back in the day. It was okay, we followed when we were told what to do without explanation. But today, the globe has become a little village where a lot of questions are being asked. A lot of issues are being raised. People are questioning our faith and from amongst us, those who don't know much are questioning it. It's not wrong to question but it's wrong to bless me. It's wrong to disrespect. It's wrong to mock. We are Muslims.
We are taught that we are correct. The more you have knowledge the more you realize that we are correct handling them, to get them with that correctness, knowing that we worship only our maker, knowing that we have pure and valid teachings that discipline us still Allah says in the Quran or Allah
means
Allah, Allah says it beautifully that you know what, don't mock at, or scoff at, or gear or make a joke of or ridicule those who are worshipping Gods besides among you see someone on the wrong path. Don't mock scoff at, don't cheer, make jokes about etc. Don't belittle them, because what would you be doing?
You'd be perpetrating many wrongs. Allah says, Don't mock those who are calling out to Gods besides Allah. You know why, they will develop an instant hatred based on your mocking, and they will walk a lot in return.
You are trying to swear them because of what they're worshiping. No need to swear, you have every right to disagree, but respectfully, you just have to go on to the internet today, because the world has become a global village, you know, that. Go on to Twitter, see religious people with names sometimes that and profile pictures that depict that of piety, they swear they mocap they call people, dogs and pigs, they call people, donkeys and whatever else. And they think that they are doing justice to Allah when Allah Himself said, What are the
common law, even those who are associating partners with me, don't call them bad and derogatory names, you are reducing or eradicating the possibility of them turning to the right path by mocking him. If I want to guide you, and I tell you, you are stupid, you are a fool, you are an idiot. Are you going to listen to me? Common logic is you're not going to listen to anything. Because I've already drawn the line. I don't want guidance for you. There are many from amongst us who are religious, but they don't realize that the way they talk to others chases people away from Islam. It's a fact.
I've seen it with my own eyes. I've even been a victim to a certain extent of people who might disagree with me for one of two reasons. Either they disagree in reality, or they think I said something I did not say so they actually develop this April where they spew such venom that they should not even be doing it to a non Muslim who does not utter the Shahada, La ilaha illAllah Muhammad,
if the attitude towards those who are perpetrating ship is supposed to be one of respectful disagreement, what do you think that attitude of another person who shares the Shahada with you should actually be? Where's the common sense? Where is the piety of these people? Where is the religiousness and the closest to Allah of these people? May Allah grant us ease then we wonder why people have deviated from Islam, sometimes we are the cause.
Point number one, like I mentioned, we need to study without knowledge, you will never be able to trace the path.
So when you get a job, may Allah grant us or good job say I mean, you won't lose anything by saying I mean a little bit louder, I mean,
you might just get a job.
In reality, when you get a job, you want your boss to tell you what exactly he expects of you please come at eight o'clock be here at five to eight o'clock your card in here or you press your thumb in here, you make sure you come in this is your designation 123. And this is what we expect of you and you can leave at this time come back at this time do this you will get leave at this time of the year you will have so many days in the week, so many days in the month, perhaps so much in the year and you will this and you will get a salary and an increment. The more you know the more you know what your job is all about what to expect from Anima the more dedicated you are because you begin to
like the job there is mutual respect when they disagree or when something happens that is not favorable. You are dealt with respectfully, even though you may be reprimanded. If I'm working for you, and I do something detrimental to the company, surely you have the right to deal with the matter. But it needs to be dealt with in a respectful way respectable polite, I'm a human, you're a human. We make mistakes and sometimes we do things that are wrong. Some people mysteriously and some people out of error always have to deal with it. One might be dealt with with a little bit of firmness but still respect. One law if this is the case regarding matters of the worldly life. What
about matters
Because of
the DEA and the religion of Allah, surely you should be dealing with people in a good way. Yesterday I spoke in Mali, and I spoke about how the Prophet Moses peace be upon him was sent to a man who was terrible, terrible, No, none of us no one we're ever going to meet on earth is ever going to be wisdom in no one. And Allah tells him, speak to him politely,
with softness with kindness.
So my brothers and sisters,
sometimes we chase people away from faith simply because of the way we've addressed them. And remember one thing primarily
people are
such that if you were to respect them, and you were to show some kindness, they will want to listen to you a little bit more. If you show kindness, if you show that you care for them.
If you show that you care for them, they will want to listen to you. If I want to meet you, the first thing I want is to try and draw you closer to Allah. That's the first thing I should want.
What are the major that was sent to me?
He was told he will meet a group of Christians, familia que
la
la ilaha illAllah Muhammad Rasul, the first thing that you should call them to listen carefully because some of the ignorant people don't analyze the words, they just hear them and they think something else, while a man who was going to Yemen
and the Prophet sallallahu Sallam told him you will meet a group of Christians.
The first thing you should call them towards is worshiping Allah alone. And the fact that Muhammad peace be upon him is the messenger. That is what we do. That is what we should be doing. Remember, it says the first thing you should be calling them towards. It doesn't mean as soon as I see them, I say, hey, Allah is one, relax, you You first need to acknowledge the person, you need to develop a slight bit of a rapport with them, you need to let them know that you care for them. And when you start calling them to something, then the first thing that you're going to call them towards is alarm. That does not mean as soon as you see a person, you tell him, Hey, you got to worship Allah.
In that way, you're going to chase people away, you will chase them away when you've shown no care for them. But unfortunately, there are people who subscribe to knowledge who actually think that it's haram to show any form of connection to anyone before calling them towards Allah. That is a misinterpretation. And it is this type of misinterpretation that chases people away from Islam, I'm a Muslim,
you may be Muslims and hamdulillah. In some cases, in some countries, there may be people and in some gatherings, people who may not be Muslim,
they would never be in the gathering, if they did not think that this person cares for us, this person is concerned for us, this person is going to tell me something that will empower me make me feel like a better Muslim, make me feel better in whatever way so can Allah my brothers and sisters, we have to show care for one another.
We have to understand create a report on rapport with one another, develop this connection to a certain extent. And then when you have the opportunity for them to listen to you, then you will inshallah call them towards Allah and he will continue in that order that Allah has asked you in a tactful way, in a beautiful way. But my brothers and sisters remember one thing.
If we ourselves don't know what we are not convinced by what we are doing, we're never going to be able to deliver that particular message.
And unfortunately, there are many who don't have enough knowledge to be totally convinced sometimes. People say, why is this why is that they have questions. And it brings me to another point. I said when we were young, we were instructed and we did because we were good children.
Then when we had questions, we were told something. You know what we were told, you're not allowed to ask.
You can't ask. You can't ask.
When Allah subhanho wa Taala clearly says in the Quran
first
victory
he was Zoho. If you
Don't know that revelation you don't understand something, ask those with sound knowledge. Ask is the point I'm raising, as close with sound knowledge. We were told, you can't ask you have to just believe. But I need to understand this. I it's not like I want to be a disbeliever. It's not like I, I want to get close to Allah. But I want to understand why do I have to pray five times a day? Please explain to me?
How could you ask the question when you're not a Muslim? How can you not pray five times a day? I didn't say I'm not praying, I want to know why are we praying five times a day? What is the idea of having an early morning having a shower late? What is the idea of putting on the hijab? What is the idea of eating halal? What is the idea of facing the Qibla? What is the value of the Kaaba in Islam? These are very important questions.
But unfortunately, many times people say you're not allowed to ask these questions. You know why? They're too lazy to answer them.
Too lazy. And sometimes they themselves don't know. It was parrot fashion. That's all. We have a conviction. We are Muslims, we have sent our Shahada, my brothers and sisters increase your knowledge?
Yes.
Are they equal? Those who know and those who don't know? They are not equal. So learn learn more, keep asking and keep finding out. The problem we have is when we do not answer the questions our children ask us.
They start searching where do they search?
Please tell me we don't pretend like it is any different. When do they search? when Google the biggest check on earth? Google, right.
And this shift
can lead you in any direction, the minute you type out Islam and you want to search it, mostly what the non Muslims have said about Islam comes first image search results. And this is what your kid is going to look at. Because you didn't answer the question. They had to go to Google.
You didn't deal with it. Now when we talk about some of us deviating from the faith. Do you know another reason we didn't tackle the bull by the horns in a respectful way, we carried ourselves in so much of disrespect. They didn't even want to ask us. I promise you my brothers and sisters, you know the smile we have, whether you have teeth or not. Whether you have braces or not, no matter what the smile you have.
As a religious person, it breaks. So many barriers.
You become accessible, you talk you breathe, you acknowledge you nod your head, you acknowledge the sisters, the brothers, the world has changed, but the dean will not change. But to get the into the people. Number one, you need to develop this rapport and talking about it. Because if you don't develop a connection, you will chase people away from Islam. We were scared. I'm talking about myself. We will say that religious leaders, we could never talk to them much. We could never address them or ask a question to them to panela controversial questions maybe not publicly. But even privately, if someone went and said, You know, I have a problem. I need to know.
And I've had this question being asked by someone. Someone told me that the child was asking me the question. He's saying, When I was born, my mom and dad will not get married.
It's it's happens. It happens in some places, right? let's not pretend like it doesn't. But the charges, what is my sin? Why is it that I am considered so bad? Did I do anything wrong? You know what? We don't even deal with those issues. Children who can come up to you to ask you that question. Consider it a gift of a law that they came to you that gave you the opportunity to embrace them, and to talk to them and to show them love and care. They are definitely innocent kids. It's the sin of the parents. So Panama, there are a few rules and regulations not in order to discriminate against the child in order to ensure that marriage is made easy, and that it is
regularize the way we have children at all, but to discriminate against the child and sometimes people don't talk about it. And when we talk about it in circles, where it has happened and is happening, trust me, even the scholars refine the way they respond, because they realized this is a problem in society.
So you refer
The way you address the matter so people listen. So Panama, I visited a school today in
intelligent children Mashallah
sha Allah bless your children.
I was very impressed. And I can tell you we are going to see a few superstars from those May Allah subhanho wa Taala, Grant and goodness
and sometimes they will ask you questions, and sometimes it's not a straight yes or no answer. Like I said, don't discourage people lead them towards goodness. If you look at the prohibition of alcohol, alcohol is prohibited in Islam. Right. intoxicants are prohibited in Islam. If you look at the prohibition,
Allah prohibited it in stages, because it was ingrained in the people it was part of society and community. It was the norm they did business they became rich, so Haram, and slowly in three or four stages, it was made prohibited. So Panama, right. One of the reasons for that to be mentioned to us is for us to be able to learn a lesson.
Alcohol shall remain prohibited, intoxicants will remain prohibited, but in any other matter of, for example, a person struggling in their faith to help them through is a is a godly way. It's a way of a man. Someone is struggling. I give you an example. person comes to you and says you know I'm struggling with Salah
right?
What did they say? I'm struggling with what Salah, Salah is the five daily prayers
and you're a scholar, or you're a religious person or your parents or your sibling, whoever I'm struggling with Salah.
I'd like you to help me How can I improve?
Right? You can either say
it's Haram, it's either five Salah or you're a non Muslim? That's an answer. Right? What did you do with an answer? You didn't acknowledge reality. Reality is the person is telling you I'm struggling with Salah that already shows they are Muslim, they want to fulfill Salah. They really want to please Allah, they want you to help them come forward, give them something help them in a way etc say something, you will lose nothing. If it took you five years to bring that person to five Salah a day. It might not be totally ideal, but you did the best given the circumstances. Rather than give them such a response that they turned away from Islam in totality and they ran away no more Salah no
more even
is no longer a Why? Because when they came to you for help you answer them in such a harsh way you took them out of Islam anyway, they then went out saying well, if that's not acceptable, why am I even a Muslim?
Follow? So take into consideration the reality on the ground. When people are asking you a question. I would ask the person Well, how many do you fulfill right now? If they told me one, I would say inshallah we can do better. We can there are so many ways to answer but it's up to you and I to be able to respond in a way that would be encouraging because on the globe today, you know what we would lose if we were hard and harsh. Like what happened from the very beginning?
Allah make it easy for us. So you tell them how many are you fulfilling? I want you to come back next week to me and tell me that you've done much better they come back the following week and say, You know what? Mashallah. Thank you so much for helping me now I do too sala de
la.
They will cite the Hadith for you and the banana. masala common Taka sala thermodynamical. We don't deny the Hadith speaks about how important Salah is for a Muslim. But here we are trying to help someone when a person has some form of disease of cancer etc. You know, write them off, you try and deal with the cancer you go for chemo once, twice, four times, then you do another test to check how far the cancer has gone. Then you go again, that is for a physical disease for a religious or spiritual ailment, sometimes it works exactly the same. They need spiritual radiology and then you check again then they need it again to check again they came back to you from one salon to to Sala
according to mathematics and statistics, there was a 100% improvement but you didn't acknowledge that 100% improvement.
I agree we have not yet got to where we want to get to, but that somehow Allah
thought of something like a bridge that was built from the airport to Mali did not take one day, right? It was stage by stage. Every time I came, I saw something. I saw something. I saw something the last time I came, this is almost ready this time I came Whoa, this traffic on it. Mashallah, how long did it take? Imagine first day someone comes this country is useless because there is no bridge between the capital city and the airport finished. I'm never coming back to this country again. Wait, come back after five years. See what happened? You said what I mean?
We know that when it comes to advancement, why can't you do that for your own faith. And trust me, they might come back to you after if you gave them encouraging words and you told them to get into good company and you addressed them in various different ways, you would actually help them save them from deviation by what? By Hickman, that is the reason why the Quran says when you call towards Allah, it's more important than any other calling. Anything else. Order. Okay, last
thing Kevin
has,
when speaking about the Christians and the people of the book, Allah says, when you are calling people towards Allah, use the greatest of wisdom and the best of words.
greatest of wisdom, be wise. What is wisdom? wisdom entails knowledge of reality on the ground today, it doesn't mean we have changed the Sharia. We have changed Islam. No, you need to know the reality and address the people in a way that they continue to improve while you improve yourself as well. Don't take yourself out of the equation.
How many good people have slipped over solid?
There have been occasions when I have
as a human being sometimes.
And you get up and you say What happened? I just miss a lot and does it not happen?
Don't pretend like it doesn't happen. It happens to every single one of us. Sometimes very little. Maybe once in your life twice. Sometimes it used to happen more. Now. It doesn't happen that much. You know what? It even happened at the time of the prophet SAW Selim. That's why he said very clearly.
Hadith, authentic manana and Salatin have a new
problem. So how beautiful he didn't swear anyone. He didn't curse anyone. If they went to the Prophet, peace be upon him. I forgot to make my Salah. Sometimes we're so busy, you're occupied. You want to fulfill your Salah. Normally you do read your prayers. But you know what? Somehow you forgot it, it slipped your mind you were too busy in something you are a human being. It doesn't mean you suddenly quit. Or you didn't. So the Prophet peace be upon him says whoever overslept.
And whoever forgot their prayer, as soon as you remember, as soon as you get up, fulfilling as a comma, meaning missed prayer, make it a beautiful solution. Right? He didn't swear he didn't get he didn't take someone out of Islam. Try going to ask someone today. People don't ask the question anymore. You know why they read the answer? I wonder what's going to happen.
So they start doing their own thing. And as a result, they will come back to you and say, You know what, there's only three prayers in the day because Allah says, you read the mechanical use of loved ones is for you. And you know what, four generations are too difficult, so we don't have to fulfill them.
How did you get that you started checking on your own and people confused you.
I remember someone who actually told me, you know, they actually said once I heard from my mother many years ago, but nevermind my mother. It happened to me. Someone actually told me I made two so if one breaks I still got one more question. What are you talking about? Did you hear what I just said to those?
Just before she wore her makeup? She said I'm making two because I'm putting on very expensive makeup. It costs 60 pounds. You know what is British pounds right? The makeup was 60 pounds. So I'm making two. If I break one, I still have the other one. At least I haven't wasted my money on my makeup.
I would have just made 20 who knows if that was okay. And whole month I would have been fine. Right? That's not correct.
So you have to explain to them nicely to say my sister.
In a in a beautiful way instead of swearing. My sisters You know what?
Your relationship with Allah through the connection that is the most powerful known
As the prayer, don't compromise that for 60 pounds, you're selling that for 60 pounds. Understand, someone asked me about nail polish is just an example I'm giving an example. There is a debate. But the debate, some nail polishes are claiming to be blue friendly. That means you can use them you make blue and you know, don't worry, it's okay. It's fine. What goes through it? Because the ruling is when you're making water water needs to get into that, you know, the surface of the nail. They say this is ooo friendly. So if you look carefully, there is a debate. Some people say, yes, it is EU friendly, and other people say no, it is not too friendly. I am here in the middle. I don't use
Can you see I don't use it right. I'm stuck. Why? Because there is an argument here and argument there. I have had people, one sister meltem. Grant her goodness, I don't even know who she is. She sent me a mail and told me I work in a certain company. And I just want to tell you that this is not permeable. I'm shocked. I don't even know. But I all I know is there is an argument. So one of the sisters had the nail polish.
And she caught me at one of the venues in another country. And she says, I want to ask you this is okay.
Now I'm stuck. What do I do? I don't know if it's the permeable one. I don't want to make haram halal and haram. I told him my system, there is a debate about this. It is less than one inch of paint. I suggest you don't compromise your strongest link with Allah for one inch of paint. use something else? She said, I never thought of it that way.
I didn't say
in all honesty, I don't know it could be could be but imagine you come on the day of judgment and you did all your Salah. Is there a possibility? From a statistical point of view, there is a probability because there is an argument imagine you come on the piano and and you are told eight is your Salah next to your name. But how come I get it all the time? Oh, you use this nail polish. And you know what? It wasn't valid? Actually, now we tell you the reality.
I didn't know. So what I am saying is it can happen. It may have been what I just said right? Instead of that come out of the argument and just say you know what, I'm not going to compromise my relationship with my maker. The strongest link is solid.
The closest that a slave can be to their Lord is when they are in frustration. And you know what, I don't want to compromise my ratio, I do something else. There are so many other alternatives Mashallah so many other alternatives. There is this Hina that you can use and many other things. May Allah subhanho wa Taala. Grant us goodness. So this is one example, when you address someone, and when you sat and thought carefully about the convincing answer, even the most stubborn, can be convinced because in reality, it's not stubbornness. They want to understand it. They desperately want the answers. There are questions that are screaming for answers, and people are just brushed
under the carpet.
So my brothers and sisters, another reason why people deviate from Islam is the attitude that we have as Muslims, at times in our workplaces. You know, in Sharla Look, I'm going to let you know because whatever I say here is actually international material because it is being beamed, and it will be beamed throughout the world. So the lesson is not just for this country, it's a Muslim country. The lesson is for the whole world. I tell you what, many people many of the women complain at the workplace, that these Muslim men, they give us such a look. That just what they eyes, it seems like they've stripped us naked. so intimidating. Is it true? If it is true, it's a problem.
Imagine you have a person who is not a Muslim, and he respects the opposite *, you have a person who is not a Muslim, and he or she respects the opposite *, so much of respect.
There is nothing
untoward, there is nothing evil that they intend. It's that respect. And then you have a Muslim man coming. And he might even, you know, be in his own little mind thinking he's a very pious person. And suddenly he sees this woman and he just does this like about you know, and he might justify himself to say the province of Southern allowed the first case and he's still the first one. Don't worry. I'm still I haven't yet looked away. Oh, no, no, no. That's not how it should be. You give the opposite *, such respect that they restore their faith.
In the Muslim men
and the women, the same applies to them. We respect each other in such a way that we restore faith in one another. Today, it's very difficult to get help. You know, recently I was in another country where I was asked a question, a man who's a Muslim man is asking a question, that if I see a sister, who's a Muslim sister, asking for a lift on the side of the road, and about to jump into a taxi, am I allowed to stop and give them a lift? If it is legal in my country?
What a question, do you know what they are asking? They are trying to say that is it better for the sister to go in public transport? Or to come with me in my car? I'm a Muslim man.
And I said my brother, I think she will feel more unsafe in your car, then she would have public transport. It's possible, right? Because she will say, why does this guy stop? What's his reason was because we need to change this narrative slowly but surely, by showing that we actually care. There are many good men out there, all of them are seated in this world today. Mashallah.
Right?
Allah bless you all.
I always have to cover myself because I know there are good people. We are all trying but we need to change this narrative become responsible when our morals and values begin to drop. Really, people become despondent, they think look at these Muslims, but it's not Muslims. It's not Islam. It's the actions of the people. We swear loud swear words. And the Hadith says a movement a movement is not believe one of
the province of Southern himself was never abusive or immoral in the way he spoke. You know the F word. It's a swear word. The sh word is also a swear word. We use it like we are using salt and pepper in our food and we are Muslims.
I'm being clear and not mincing my words. We use these words like there's nothing wrong with it but
I want you to promise me one thing my brothers my sisters.
A life changing thing very simple, but life changing. You want to hear it
you're ready.
Are you ready?
Promise Allah that you will not use derogatory immoral, hurtful and abusive words from today. That's it. Did we promised?
See the yes was very low. Did we promise
inshallah you will be asked.
immoral, abusive, hurtful and vulgar. You don't need to use good words. You know what you will encourage people you will really improve yourself as a woman as a believer, you become conscious I can disagree with you. I can, for example, have a little argument whatever unconditioned that I do not use that which is hurtful, harmful, disrespectful, and so on. I must say it in a beautiful way. Why do we hurl abusive words swear words, I'm alone when I say Allahu Akbar lies the greatest and five minutes before that I was swearing someone come on.
People become despondent, they start thinking look at these Muslims. In business we change sometimes, when people work for us, we should change them. We are not honest with them.
You go and work for a company that is a total non Muslim company and you are a Muslim. I do know that there is Islamophobia. I do know that there is discrimination. But in a lot of companies, they will respect you. They will give you the promotions, they will give you the increment in salary. They will give you your holidays, they will give you everything justice. That's why everyone wants to work for that company. Come to a Muslim company. They promised you to go visit don't go why I need to go for hombre. So you stay here. But it's my days of holiday. My brother You will get a bigger reward for being honest and upright. It's okay if they agree and allow. But if you're pushing
it and forcing it, all you're doing is you're letting people have a bad image of who you are. And because you're a Muslim, and you're an ambassador of Allah subhanho wa Taala on Earth, you have actually created a bad name for the Muslims. What happened to the promotions? What happened to the way we treat those whom we work who work for us?
May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us
our colleagues and those who we interact with, learn to develop the best of morals and values. The best of bad news.
This afternoon I spoke at the school I said something I want to repeat here today. I gave them two pieces of advice. I told them
before
very mindful, be very responsible regarding the way you use, or you make use of technology as it is advancing. Be very responsible regarding the way you use technology as it is advancing. That's a powerful piece of advice. Technology in itself is not bad. The way we use it can make our use of it very bad. It can destroy us. The phones we have in our hands, probably
this apparatus that we have, we use it the most, so much so that people are sitting right next to each other, but they have to call each other to the phone. The wife sends a message, she tells her husband, I love you, I miss you. I love you, I adore you. He doesn't hear a thing. He's on his phone. He might be messaging someone else saying I love you, I miss you. Same thing. He doesn't realize, then when she messages to say I love you and
sitting right next to you, and she's watching. And the only way we got through to him was through the phone. Trust me it's happening vice versa. It's not only the men who are guilty. Let's get that correct. Yes, it's happening vice versa. We sitting in such that we don't even know, do you know? I know of a couple. And there are many such couples.
The husband was telling me we went on a very, very expensive holiday.
And my wife was not they went to a beach It was not Maldives. If they came to Maldives, maybe she would put her phone away and go. But my wife was only interested in how will my picture look on Instagram? How would I look on Instagram? How will my photo come out she wasn't interested in going in the water and enjoying the swimming and whatever else. She never even went to wherever else besides for photoshoots. So it's no longer a holiday photo shoot you can do at home with your own computer. Trust me, we can help you do that. Also, when you go put the phone aside,
enjoy yourself the moment is more important than the vote a few photos here and there and handling lights. Okay. But to be obsessed with it to the degree that you've lost the energy is where we are heading today. Even in our own relationships. Look at the Muslims. You know, divorce is not prohibited. But it is frowned upon. It's the last What can I say the last resort, right? But it's on the increase so much because people don't know why they're married. People don't fulfill each other's rights. And then we look at each other and say it's the Muslims, Muslim nation Muslims and look at how they don't even get along. They don't even know each other country deal with that.
inshallah, Let's respect each other. Let's fulfill each other's rights. Let's honor our spouses. Let's make him feel important. Trust me, you change the world. You change the world. It's not difficult.
I know the old a lot here, you can close your ears for a minute. But the younger guys, how do you express to your spouse how much you love them, even though you love them? The expression means a lot you keep them believing that yes, indeed, I'm worth it.
At a time when the whole world is trying to show how worthless people are. If they don't live up to a certain level of makeup alone.
No makeup.
I don't want to
say that it's completely prohibited. No, it depends on the level of it, how much you're using, when you're using, how you're using etc. If you're obsessed with it such that your own phone does not recognize your face, then you have a problem, then you have a problem.
So Pamela, you know, recently there was a case where
one of the brothers was explaining how there was
a person who went missing. And they say all the photos we had of this person, we're not really what she looks like, how can we say look for this person, they will never find her. You understand what I'm saying?
I'm not saying don't use what I'm saying Know your limits. Know when know how know how much. Don't be obsessed. You know, when I arrived home, I'm going to show you something because obviously I was in England recently and I was in Australia and Nigeria now before I came here. And so
someone told me what do you use on your face? You have a very clear connection. I said nothing. I said nothing. And guess what? I arrived home
and back in my country there are mosquitoes you know
they missed me so much. They loved me so much the first night I arrived they started hugging my face. If you look here,
can you see this? It's a huge mosquito bite and another one somewhere here.
If I did not show you you would never have seen it right?
I'm proud to acknowledge that yes, we have marks and blemishes and whatever. So what that's what makes us human.
Someone told me maybe you got the evil eye because you didn't, you know, they didn't say Alhamdulillah. I said, No, no, no, let's not destroy our faith by going in that direction. It was only a mosquito. I even heard the guy, he makes his small little sound before he comes, you know, he goes.
And then you know, something's going to happen.
My brothers and sisters, we need to be happy.
And proud of the identity Allah gave us what's the big deal, Allah created you in the head, in a certain way, said, hamdulillah. It's good. Allah created you with the face in a certain way, with the complexion in a certain way with skin in a certain way. Those who are close to Allah who love you, they will you don't have to compromise your, your whole identity in order to live up to a certain standard that you don't even belong to. It's actually lower than what you think. You give up your own identity. Nowadays, we have to be a certain shape, to be acceptable, a certain size to be acceptable, a certain complexion to be acceptable, a certain type of this to be acceptable,
everything you have to worry about. I tell you what Allah says, Allah says, especially to the women to say, you know what, forget about all of that. Just put on loose clothing. No one knows your shape. No one knows your size. No one knows everything. They treat you just because of who you are as an individual and not based on what you look like. And when people say you're oppressed, you're oppressed, because they still want to oppress you further by telling you you know what, you still have to be looking like this being like this. Look, where is the blessing? Where is the blessing? Is it not just covering with loose clothing, and carrying on to your thing, people don't have to look
at your shape and decide Oh, Mashallah, imagine you go for a job. And you see someone really who is who has a finger like a trigger, and they walk in without much credentials, and you have all the qualifications and you walk in, and the job is given to that person. So you need to thank Allah, you are not given the job, because those people, they actually judge people based on their looks, and not based on what they can provide in terms of service for the company.
But with Islam, Allah says you don't just, you don't do that. You must be fair, you judge based on merit. And that's why Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us so many beautiful rulings, I promise you what I said just now, if you were to explain to some who are struggling in other countries to keep up to the Joneses, they would definitely appreciate the teachings of Islam. I know dozens of people who reverted to Islam who really feel so liberated, when they just won't use clothing, they feel liberated, can no longer judge because, you know, I looked like this one. So panela. So it's all a matter of perspective and addressing these issues. My brothers and sisters, we have a lot to do. We
have a lot to do, you know, if you look at the globe, so many things are happening,
that are very discouraging.
But on top of all of that, we have hope.
They are still a lot of good people want to see a lot of goodness, and allow will allow it to happen. It's a matter of time
when Boko Haram in Nigeria,
started saying that we disagree with sexual education.
They didn't stop there. If they disagreed, and they explained that disagreement, perhaps people could have a counter explanation and the counter explanation etc, etc. They decided, you know what, we are going to become violent.
Anyone who picks up a book,
we will attack.
That's what Boko Haram did in Nigeria.
And they use religion wrongly. Because to be very honest with you, it shows their weakness, what they have is not the truth. If they had the truth, the truth speaks loudly and convinces the people but because they didn't have it with them, they could not convince anyone. They became violent. You know, when I speak. I've always been taught that you don't have to be harsh because the truth speaks for itself.
You don't have to, I am so confident about the truth. I don't even need to talk about others.
You know when you have a brand Can I give you one good example
I'm not too sure of the type of tissue you see this the surveus
there is a brand which is the best friend that you know of this of the tissue. Can you say a name?
Please say loudly I need to hear from you.
Say another name I
guess I have heard it said again.
Okay, Mashallah. He said a name I want to ask you a question.
I know of a brand called Kleenex. Have you heard of that brand? Is it not a good brand? It's not a good brand. Kleenex is not a good brand.
It's a good brand. I promise you. For those of you who know, in some parts of the world, if you had 20 boxes of tissue of all different brands at the same price, and one in the middle was cleaning, it would finish before everything else. Without anyone talking. You know why? The brand is known.
The quality is known. There's no deception in there. What is going to get for you is known. And guess what? It is tried and tested. Kleenex has never had to put up an advert with the names of other companies and tell you that company is bad this company is bad. Most people are bad. This one here is when the GQ these people are overcharging you, you need to buy ours. That is cheap. That is so unacceptable, right? We do that in religion. In religion. That's exactly what we do.
You have a scholar, for example, and this is one of the reasons why people are deviating. You have a scholar, for example, instead of giving people goodness and working very hard to empower people. They just say that Scala is bad that Scala is banned, that Scala is bad. This one is off. For example, this one is no longer a Muslim that one day deserves never to live again. This one here is not on the statement, that one is a sellout that one is a scholar for $1. So that's what they call them. But in the process, they forget what have you done?
Nothing. Your whole life was talking about everyone else. You thought that by talking about others, you would become a better brand. No, you're actually losing yourself. The minute you talk about others, you have lost yourself. Don't talk about others, you have a lot of goodness. Give the goodness and people will automatically know this person is empowering people benefiting others trying hard working on No, we want to sit down and attack this one talk bad about that one speak evil back right about this one. And we didn't achieve anything. So the old man becomes disgruntled, disgruntled, they don't know where to go. Like I was saying, if
we meaning paradise, if paradise was in the hands of us as humans, it would be empty. There would be no one there. You know why?
These people say those ones are going to have those one say those ones are going to have that one say this one's going to * that no one ever speaks about who's been to heaven. So according to these ones, those ones are in *, those ones you're gonna go to find it totally empty. So Allah, Allah says, You know what, Heaven and * is not in your hands. It's in mind. That's why it's going to be full to capacity and beyond. It cannot be full to capacity, but it will be full with all of us. Army
Malagasy gentlemen,
gentlemen, brothers, my sisters, I've spoken quite a lot. If I didn't have a flight to catch, I think I wouldn't continue further. But I explain something to you be the best version
of you, that you can be you have to be
you will contribute towards the upliftment not only of the Muslim Ummah but humanity at large. Be a good person, tell yourself, Am I a good person, start at home. Don't oppress your wife, your husband, your children, your parents, be respectful, be helpful, be kind. eradicate bad habits live up to the standards speak with respect. If someone asks you a question, and you don't have the answer, go and find out for them. Don't rebuke someone who asks you don't rebuke them. Someone asked you a strange question. today. The world is strange. There are people coming up with all sorts of things, the global village, there are weird things that are happening on Earth, they will ask about
it. Your child might come. A sister or brother might come and say you know what, I need to help with this. Help them if you can, if you cannot pray for them, or leave them to where they might be able to get help.
And that's the way we would actually be able to empower ourselves and protect not only ourselves, but our generations from deviation going learn. So you might want to know right? In the beginning, I said, Why do we pray Salah five times a day. I said that right? That's a question why
Do we have to do this? Why are we not allowed to eat pork? Why can Why should we only eat that which is halal? You want to know the answer, right? Because you need to teach others right?
So panela you need to learn. My topic was not that otherwise I would have sat here and started explaining one by one. But I want to explain to you why there is deviation from Islam, some Muslims, they are disgruntled. I think I've explained more than 20 reasons yet.
It's up to us to make a difference. Islam is being looked at with a microscope. Those who have disliked and hated it with a passion, a turning towards it, and those who are born in it, some of them are turning away from it. I met brother.
He was one of them who was involved in the Netherlands in breastfeeding the messenger peace be upon him with a cartoon and movies. In fact, it was a movie that they created. You know what? Allah brought him to Islam. I met him and his son came to Islam. And you know what, the man apologized, the man is a solid, good Muslim. He realized what he did was wrong. Allah guided him, Allah will bring people Allah is the owner, Allah created everyone so Allah, Allah created them. I repeat when you disagree with someone, disagree, respectfully keep a window for them to come in. And to be able to see the light don't just close every door by swearing them by being harsh and brutal.
While
booming,
I read this verse last night and reading it again.
On messenger, if you were harsh, hard hearted, they would disperse from around you, they wouldn't listen to you. It's a lesson for you And
may Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us ease and goodness inshallah, I pray that I come back to the city of adieu, and see greater development, between the last time in this time there was already a lot of development, I can see the school I went to this time, it wasn't there, the last time I came, next time inshallah we will see schools, universities, colleges, many other things that will be happening here. And inshallah we will also see a flourishing
of the DEA, we will all become better Muslims, better people, we will encourage each other, we will help people. So that one day, we can all be regular on our prayers and beautiful people whom, when they look at us, people want to be Muslim.
When they look at us, they want to be Muslim.
There are some people who they have helping hands that Oh, we're not Muslim, either a maid or a gardener or a driver. When they have been good Muslims, automatically, these people say I want to be Muslim after a short space of time, they become Muslim because they see your life. You're living Muslims, your life is clean, good morals, lovely speech. You know, the other day, I went somewhere
in Johannesburg with my wife, I entered a store. And we got to the till. And we I was putting all the things out and you know, on the till and talking and so on. And my wife was quite covered, and I look the way I am. The ladies are non Muslim. You know what she told me?
I like the way you respect your wife so much. I can see you talk to her very nicely.
I didn't know what to say. I didn't want to say
no. But what I did want to say I wanted to give her a message of Islam. So in one word, I told her, my sister. That's the mother of my children. How can I not respect her? How can I not be claiming?
She actually looked at me like this.
Before she could say anything, I was already gone. She knew these are Muslims. Look at how the man is treating his wife. You understand? Because when we see other Muslims and a lot of us how we treat our wives. I know one brother, he walks in the mall. His wife complained that my husband told me I want you to be no less than two meters behind me.
Doesn't make sense. And he's a religious guy. I spoke to him and he's a friend of mine. I told him you know what, my mother.
She's your wife. People walk with so much pride. Can't you work with her?
He says no, no, no, at least I work with her. I said that's all a problem already. That's what I wanted. Allah bless us. Let's show the goodness of Islam.
And let's let the world know that really there is a lot of goodness
The actions of a small minority
the actions of a small minority
do not depict the true religion, that the majority of Muslims across the globe have been blessed with. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us even for the blessings of Allah Allah wa Salatu was Salam ala nabina Muhammad was Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
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