Mufti Menk – World Cup

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.
		

			smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Vina standing on a Sunday on a Sunday more
Allah mahina Bina Mohammed in what Allah Allah He was like me he would have been a woman who won't
be assigning Elijah Medina. We always commenced by praising Allah Subhana Allah to Allah sending
blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his
companions, we ask Allah subhanahu wa taala to bless every single one of them, to bless every single
one of us and to grant ease to those who are struggling and suffering on the globe at large at this
particular moment, there are countless people who are struggling and suffering. May Allah subhanho
		

			wa Taala, grant them ease and open their doors to my beloved brothers and sisters. In a football
match, the whistle is blown. What do you have, you have approximately 90 minutes to do what score as
many goals as you can? Is that correct? In 90 minutes, if you score 2030 goals, you have a world
record. And in 90 minutes, your job is only to run from one side to the other. And if you don't, if
you come the other way you score what is known as an own goal where you are in trouble. And if the
team wins, the other team wins because of your own goal. Perhaps your career is at stake and your
value drops. And people know the rules the whistle is blown up to the time the whistle is blown
		

			right at the end. You only trying to do one thing, you running from one end to the other to score.
So between the posts. You're trying to get this ball kicked from one side and you dribbling everyone
you you tackling the people, those who are trying to divert you and distract you and take the ball
away from you, you are making sure that you maneuver your way through them in a very tactful way.
And the person who knows how to dribble the best is literally the hottest in football. May Allah
subhanho wa Taala grant us a lesson. Similarly in my life and in your lives, the whistle is blown,
and the whistle of the end shall be blown 70 years later, or it shall be blown sometimes 90 years
		

			later. The only thing you have to do from the beginning to the end is good deeds. Every time you
need to score that goal of a deed. You don't waste your time shaytan will come and dribble you this
way that way. The one who's the hottest attitude is He who can out dribble the devil and make sure
that he doesn't lose focus never allow an own goal to be scored. So this is the gist today. If you
take a look at what is going on, there are 60,000 people 120,000 people at the stadium watching
those dribbling the ball. Most of them don't even know how to play football, but they are so
excited. From amongst us, the bulk of us are busy sitting and watching the World Cup Subhanallah and
		

			we don't even know how to play football we couldn't even run from here to the carpark to be honest.
And we are the biggest fundies and the biggest professors of who should have done what and why they
shouldn't have done this and that yet we cannot kick a ball to save our lives. And this is what
happens to us in our lives. We sit and we watch other people doing a badass and winning and they are
earning the pleasure of Allah in a beautiful way. We are doing absolutely nothing pointing fingers
at them why they are wrong backbiting about them slandering about them when we ourselves have done
no good deeds whatsoever. We sit and relax just like football. We sit and relax. We get joy and
		

			enjoyment by bickering about others talking about them, and literally trying to pretend like we know
better than them yet our own lives are at a loss. So something we should learn from the World Cup
that is going on right now. And I want to start off by telling you that our whistle is actually
blown at puberty. So if you look at the football player, he doesn't just become a World Cup star
just like that. There is a lot of training that goes on some people are born that parents are so
concerned about them that they make sure that they get football training from birth from a young
age, they have the ball they are watching games they are made sure they have coaches they pay money
		

			they get from the age of two and three they are learning how to kick balls and so on such that they
become those who are champions in the world at one stage
		

			with us up to the age of puberty and that is the maturity when your books are opened and the records
are starting. When your Salah becomes part of your prayer becomes compulsory because now you are
mature before that it wasn't you have a little child, we should train them before they get on to the
football pitch. I'm calling it a football pitch because we talking about the World Cup. But in
reality that is the pitch of life. It's the reality when you as a parent need to bring up your child
from minute one Allah says cola the oven in the ear of this child. He didn't say bring a football
and put it there. He didn't say bring tennis rackets and put them there. Call out the event. Why?
		

			Because the primary
		

			Mentally the goals will be scored through Salah, my brothers and sisters, let's wake up to this
reality. What do we learn? The goal is scored when you go for fudger you've really scored such a big
goal that the devil is shamed You are one zero above. And by the time the day is over, you must be
five bar. That's what they call it, don't they? But sometimes we see 2332 sometimes the devil wins
we lose our winner. Sometimes we lucky we scored one it's five zero the other way around. five new
they call it what a humiliation. Allah protect us.
		

			You know, when your favorite team is losing three nil for new people start crying. Some people
become depressed. They got to have templates to suit themselves. And yet we've lost five new against
the devil with salah and pray and we don't even mind. So what did you learn from football? Is it
just to sit and watch like the rest of the world is watching? Or do you realize there is a reality
behind it, there is a reality that the Muslim should understand we should not be wasting our time
such that we even allow the devil to overtake us, we can kick the ball we know how to do it. We can
dribble we just need a little bit of control and self control. And we know that there is a
		

			temptation this side we dodge it and go the other side. There is a temptation on the other side
we've dodged it and removed the other side. But to be honest with you, it starts off with parents
you have a child, did you understand what was the reasoning behind the event being called out in the
ear of the child? What was the reasoning? It was because the importance of the Salah is such that
high alfalah
		

			come to true success today, if you were picked to be in one of the top teams of the globe, you'd be
excited, the golfers would be excited the tennis players would be even more thrilled to be playing
with big big names in the you know in the world of tennis and so on. But for us that is not the real
success that is a temporary pastime of the dunya the proper match in the real world cup is actually
the cup that which you will get and he shall I will get by the help and mercy of Allah subhanho wa
Taala. So the youngsters come and tell us you know what? Well whether you do good deeds or not, it
is the mercy of Allah that will get you into Jenna, that statement is technically correct, but it
		

			has a lot of deviation in it if worded that way, because it is the mercy of Allah that will get you
into gender. But how do I earn the mercy of Allah I will earn it by trying my best to obey his
commands. That's what it is. So if I purposely do bad deeds, thinking as it is, it's the mercy of
Allah, that's going to get me to Jenna, you need to knock on the door of the mercy of Allah by doing
what you need to knock on the door of the mercy of Allah by trying to do good so that is knocking
the door. He is the one who will open the door of the mercy but if we walking in the other
direction, where is the door going to open? So my brothers and sisters here is the whistle. It is
		

			blown at the age of puberty before that learn how to play the ball, Allahu Akbar. What bowl am I
talking about here? You need to learn your Quran prior to that. So this is why you have children of
the young age Mashallah we are instructed as muslimeen to take such a keen interest that you teach
them elephant bar, you teach them the meaning of the Quran, you teach them what Salah is all about.
They are supposed to be watching you dribble the ball and they see you and they learn from you.
Imagine if you are a top football player, your children will know how to play completely because
they watch you and they can kick the ball properly. Those of us who play cricket perhaps you are
		

			interested every day in cricket. When your son is born, you say hey, let's go Saturday, I take your
cricket I show you the lions because tomorrow when I'm not there, you can really score the sixes so
much so that now the youngsters are talking about a new type of a scoring in cricket way. If the
ball goes right outside the whole pitch and everywhere else it won't be a six anymore, it will be an
eight
		

			fantasies. Look how excited the guys get score an eight Did you ever hear of two fours in a cricket?
No You haven't. One day you will May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us goodness, but we want to score
the eight when it comes to something else and that is the goodness so as keen as we are, if we were
footballers to teach our children what football is all about because we are the champions, don't you
and I want to be the champions of gentlemen. Teach your children Salah if your child watches you
swearing you have taught him how to score an own goal. That's all you did. You told him son, those
goals that you are seeing on the other side are actually the ones we're supposed to be scoring in.
		

			But you know what? We can't really go there. It's too far. So just score it on this side. That's
what we're doing. He watches you swearing. The kids will tell you you're a fool that What are you
talking about your score that say this is an own goal Come on. We're playing for England. Allah
grant us ease as it is England is out.
		

			My brothers and sisters to be honest with you, the reality is we have to have a wake up call if you
look at life itself, what law he you can learn so much from a match because the same way that the
minute starts ticking and the stopwatch starts as soon as the whistle blows my stopwatch and yours
has already started Believe me and it's coming to an end the final whistle shall be blown when it
will be too
		

			In the meantime, we know what the score is, let's be honest, you know what your score is roughly,
you know how bad or good you are, you know how hard you try for Salah or not. And it's easier to
dribble the devil than it is to dribble a ball. Because to dribble a ball, sometimes what would
happen is, it's sometimes the tax and maybe the how quick the person is and how experienced they
are. So they tell you this one is a top dribble a visa, they the whole stadium is screaming and
shouting, because he's got the ball. And they know he's going to get far. But when it comes to the
devil, you just need to get up. You just need to fight yourself. There's no actual dribbling of that
		

			nature that the ease of a bowl, the chances of winning over you. They can be minimized if you
strengthen your Eman, that's all it is. So you don't have to flex your muscles and you don't have to
start warming up before the match in a muscular way. No, you just need to strengthen your Eman. We
need to remember Allah, Allah baby k la he takoma
		

			Polo, follow the hearts achieve the calmness through the remembrance of Allah. So that calmness,
what does it do to you, it makes you get up for solitude. It makes you be honest, when your child
sees that you getting up every day in the morning at five o'clock, for example, half past four, for
example, the child will grow up looking at you watching that everyone's awake, they all having tea
at six o'clock in the morning, I better be a part of it. And it becomes something that is a family
affair. Something good because you got up early not for the team. But for that which was before the
tea. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us thinking of the tea, the golfers get excited because they
		

			know they tee off times also quite early. So we get up for golf because the tee off is six o'clock
we out there at the golf course at five past five, we driving towards it because we know a mighty
off is six o'clock What happened to your father, my brother, hey, I would get late for my tee off.
So I missed out my father. If that's the case, you lost everything, you can have a hole in one here,
you actually have a hole in zero, I don't even know how to call that. But that's what it is. Because
you've missed out completely. Even if you lost that hole, whatever it was, and they even you know,
had to reschedule your entire team of because you were late, you know what happens? You got to
		

			you've got to wait for the little slot and every all the inconvenience as a result. But when it
comes to selection, forget that whole day is inconvenience. And you know what your gender is at
stake. So remember this, my beloved brothers and sisters, let me tell you, a footballer, it takes so
much of training and then they go from one stage to another when they notice at school level, this
guy is a good footballer, what will they do, they then pick him up say, son, you know how to kick
the ball Come, let's go. There is now these coaching classes and clinics, they call them clinics. So
you enter a football clinic and the big guy comes to train, and the big guy comes to coach and if
		

			one of the big names come in, you're excited. And we run in what do we do? We eat, we make sure we
have protein, we make sure we pump weights, we make sure we have a lot of liquid, and we make sure
we are fit, we run out every morning the energy is going we dribble through little cones and
chemicals that are put in the pitch. And we try scoring these goals and we set either as goalkeepers
or as those who are shooting and so on. And we keep on training how often every single day, every
day, because of what I want to make it to the national team. That's all. So what do I do energy,
effort, food, dedication, such dedication that we've never applied it to religion, we've never
		

			applied it to Allah when you when we die, we cannot tell the angel of death. Hey, hang on, take my
soul nicely because I could kick a ball. Take my soul nicely, because you know what? I used to play
off three under par. How's that? Three underpowered, lockable, mela protectors, that will not help
you, it might be part of your passing of the time in the dunya. We are not saying don't enjoy your
life in the dunya. But within limits, do not give it preference over your fear. That's all that is
being said. So some people say these stand up and tell us not to do this not to do that. So what
should we do? The reality is you can do whatever is within the limits, but you're not allowed to
		

			give it preference over the era. And let me tell you, you might not make it through the end right to
the end of the match. Do you know why? You might have a red card 40 minutes later.
		

			So you might have a red card 20 years down the line? Which means you out your death. It's over. You
did? What did you score? Well, you know what I'm off the pitch anyway, everyone else is getting on.
The match carries on without you You had a red card. Some have a yellow card, you know, what's the
yellow card, a warning in your life to say Hang on, you're about to go or you suffer a big
struggling loss in terms of health or in terms of business or divorce or anything else. That's your
yellow card to warn you, hey, you're going to be banned from the next match. Now, that's how it
works sometimes. Or you get a double yellow card, you've got a problem, a very big problem because
		

			you know, it's going to be affecting the future matches and so on. Next thing the man picks out a
red card. You can debate with him, argue with him. He'll kick you out straight you walk. You have no
option. What happens to us in life, we think we're going to be on
		

			The pitch for 90 years and Allah knows you, your life is only going to be 40 years, 20 years, 35
years, 50 years, 55 years, 60 years, and you're going to be out, your red card is coming. So for
you, the final whistle won't even be blown in terms of the whole match. But you're going to be out
what did you do if you scored at least you're going to be a champion.
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala help us to score spiritual goals. May He make us from those who can score
goals against the devil, because we have a battle. And you know what you don't need to run every
day. You don't need to paint and sweat every day. You don't need to pump weights every day, you
don't need to have the diet of protein and so on in order to build yourself a little bit so that
they cannot knock you down. You don't need all that you actually need much less than that, that
taraweeh that we are about to engage in inshallah, in Ramadan is much more beautiful. It requires
much less energy than a 90 minute match that you will be playing, for example, for a football match,
		

			but the reality is we will sit and watch the football but we will be complaining about 90 minutes of
Salah whereas taraweeh the whole of the terrorists will not take more than one hour 10 minutes, one
hour 15 minutes, be complaining. But then one and a half hours we can sit and we are happy and we
are yelling and screaming that Imam is reading he is probably better than all those footballers put
together and we busy complaining and you know what, it's too hot here but go to Brazil right now. It
is sweltering and at the same time it is humid but everyone is excited if I were to give out tickets
tonight to go to the World Cup I'm sure you know what I might join you but anyway Allah make it easy
		

			for us.
		

			I probably wouldn't I only said it on a lighter note. But the reality is Allah make it easy for us
we have it we will probably go you know what the reality is. Let's not look at what's right and
wrong for that for now. But let's try and see when you are given a ticket to come to the masjid for
Allah not for 90 minutes, but less and we feel so lazy and we complain on top of that, and we cannot
sit for 1015 minutes after that. What did we achieve? We want to watch people kick a ball but we
cannot even kick the devil out of our own lives. Subhana Allah Look at this. So what do we learn
from this world cup, we learned that whilst it is going on the destruction that we have in terms of
		

			our Deen and religion is such that if you don't draw a lesson from it, you've lost lost completely.
If I asked you today, all of us, myself included, what's your favorite team? You might have an
answer some of you might not like myself, I always say my team wins and they say Why? Because I
support the winning team.
		

			So whoever is winning we support them and halfway through the match also if someone else is winning,
we support those and near the end if someone else is winning, we support them Allah to Allah help us
because we're not into football. But at the same time the lesson being derived is so important
because you know our life is like an hourglass and our glass that is turned the other way around you
born and perhaps like I said that counting starts at the at puberty right. So when you attain
puberty you mature Now perhaps the age of 10 1215 and so on. Depending that would be the maximum
reaching 15 at that age of puberty your Salah becomes far as your match has started whether you like
		

			it or not, you cannot just sit back and say right Wait, they playing the ball is moving you better
start going because if you don't go to the masjid and read your Salah it's written against you it's
a goal already you just watching you know the youngsters who play games when you go to put in big
money to play those games you know some of these malls that have like a little game area you put in
some money and you can ride the car or drive the the motor vehicle or perhaps have a go at the
motorbike and sometimes they like simulators and so on. If you put in a lot of money you have to
make sure you know how to play the game because sometimes before you've even started touching the
		

			buttons it says game over and you look at it and you say this thing is a cheat you start wanting to
hit the screen there but it's your fault. You didn't learn how to play the game before you follow
anyone or yourself putting the money you put in so much money watch other people play the game and
see what's going on because before you know it your money's gone. You didn't enjoy the game and the
guy before he was really enjoying it the simulating so much and you were saying hey I want to do
this next and your father says okay, so no problem but when you intern if you wasted your time, now
Allah subhanho wa Taala help us through reality that's just a game. reality we do this our game is
		

			over our child doesn't know how to read salah and he passed away our the his game was over and we
didn't even show him what the Quran was all about. We never told him what truthfulness is all about
the importance of Ramadan, the night of Laila to Qatar everything else how to respect the Allah who
are going to teach you how to dribble the devil. We don't have respect for them. They know how to
dribble the devil sometimes the devil might out dribble them also in one or two things but bottom
line is they know very well. The coaches of today will probably champions of yesterday, but today
they no longer on the pitch but they sitting and telling the guys this is how you kick the ball.
		

			When I show you running you are doing this you must run that way they You guys must learn to pass
the ball because without passing the ball. It's not a one man show. It's
		

			a team effort that brings us to another lesson we learn from football. in football, you have to pass
the ball. If you don't pass the ball, what will happen? You lose because you will be out dribble.
But if you know how to pass it, you must gauge where your colleagues are. You need to cooperate with
one another. This oma is such that if we do not cooperate with one another, and we think I'm the
only one that is made to suffer, this is why I say some people say you know what, the work I do is
the only work of Islam. Whatever anyone else is doing. It's not the work of Islam. That's a mistake.
That means they are a one man show, they want to dribble the ball on their own. I tell people you
		

			know what, Allah has made us differently. Some people they don't want to become doctors they want to
become perhaps architects some people don't want to be architects they want to be plumbers. Some
people don't want to become plumbers they want to be something else. Whatever the child likes,
Alhamdulillah Allah bless them with let them be that and each one together will make up a whole
community and society. The same with us. Some of us can serve Islam to our money because we're not
good at much more, but we do our own far and our own duties but over and above that we can serve to
our money. Some people serve through building a Masjid some people serve through building
		

			mattresses. Some people are very good at teaching. Other people might have a lot of knowledge but
they don't have any know how of teaching. So whatever Allah has blessed you with us if that's the
field, but we will keep on passing the ball and respect you because you teach my children you
respect me because I would like to lecture and I have another gift which Allah has blessed me with
someone can recite Quran so well, so he's our Imam. We respect him but he's a different field
altogether. Some people are blessed at going out and speaking to other Muslims, encouraging them and
reforming themselves that is brilliant. But to be honest with you, there are others who are gifted
		

			at talking to non Muslims, and there are others who perhaps are gifted at teaching the Quran, there
are some who are gifted at perhaps motivating people, all this is part and parcel of the home of
Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam some people are gifted at sitting behind the monitor and
talking to people online inviting them to goodness so that is what they are gifted with some of the
women are doing the Subhana Allah if that is the case, Alhamdulillah we should be respecting them
and we should be reaching out to them at least make do out for them. They are part and parcel of our
team. Whilst we are here dribbling, they are also dribbling so panela when I say dribbling, I'm
		

			talking of the ball. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us all. So my brothers and sisters, as I said,
we as a child is young should grow the child up such that they have a keen interest, and they know
exactly what is required of them. Because to be honest, we came in this world for one purpose, just
like the footballer knows, for 90 minutes, the only thing I have to do is to score goals. We are
also in this world in order to score goals, as many as you can. You can read voluntary Salah video
voluntary prayers as well. You'll find out how many forums you can complete how much you can learn
how much you can teach others do not waste a single droplet of time. The hadith of Muhammad
		

			Sallallahu Sallam says a wasted moment is rarely something you've lost forever. It's something
that's not going to come back so you have it now use it you have your wealth now use it you have
your young age now usually, you can reach Allah standing now heat as much as you can pack away as
many goals as you can well lucky you will win the match by the mercy of Allah, by the mercy of
Allah, but to expect the mercy of Allah. And whilst expecting the mercy of Allah we keep on sinning
thinking that is only the mercy of Allah that will take me to paradise anyway, then we are walking
away from the mercy of Allah. That's what we are doing. So May Allah not do that to us, my brothers
		

			and sisters. It's a very, very important lesson we have here. So I score goals, but I need to
remember, just like a footballer, would score a goal. And if he is the one who's right at the front,
and the ball hasn't yet come to where he is. He is called offside. Do you agree? offside meaning
after that even if you score, they're not going to allow that goal. Why? Because you were offside.
The same applies to us. We have read our Salah, sometimes we have read Quran sometimes, but we
backbite about this one, we slammed that one. So the Salah is gone because we were offside. It was
given to someone else.
		

			You know, we cheated that man and we kept fast throughout the month, it's gone. Where did it go? It
went to the other guy because we stole his wealth. It went to that man because we spread a rumor
about him. So we sit here thinking he scored a goal but you don't realize the referee has declared
it a no goal because you were offside. What else did we learn? for football, we know it very well
but for our lives, we don't realize this is the World Cup for you. We want the cup. We want the cup
of Paradise, really. And that is something we need to achieve. Brothers and sisters There comes a
time
		

			in football where they give you a break 45 minutes down the line. They tell you
		

			and you sit. You sit for how long a little while might have a bit of a drink. You might go this way
that way. It's called halftime with the people quickly move off the TVs you know what I'm talking
about. And they come back quickly. Once it starts you better call me back again. And we get back.
Let me tell you something.
		

			The difference is with us there is no rest. The match continues throughout. It goes on. Yes, Allah
gives us happy days every year, the day of Eagle of heart and the day of Eagle filter, but then
Allah tells us that on those days of happiness, we will add one extra prayer, one extra Salah. So
for us to to be at ease and to rest. It's actually proven by doing something extra for Allah, every
happy occasion in Islam. There's something extra to do. Say, for example, in nica, when people are
getting married, what a happy occasion, there is a little bit of Nika that is so now Muhammad
Sallallahu sallam, it's an extra. Take a look at Friday, a blessed day, there is an extra coat but
		

			that is there something more so for us as Muslims, don't be mistaken that you need to sit back and
relax. You know, now I've read Salah for 10 years now for one year, I'm going to give you the break,
it doesn't work that way. That is one thing that is totally different. What we need to do you read
Salah for 10 years, it will become easier for you can I guarantee you something
		

			when you do not miss a single Salah for 40 days in a row and your intention is to carry on for your
life. After you knocked out 40 days completely, it becomes so easy that I promise you. And I know a
lot of you here will agree with me. Come time for fudger your eye is open automatically. You don't
even need a clock, your eyes open. Why? Because you now used to 40 days have a little bit of
discipline and the rest of analysis. I do it for you. Don't worry, I've realized that you are trying
to come close. Your eye opens you cannot sleep. So I cannot sleep I'm awake. Allah has made me awake
at this time. But I'm just watching the curtain and saying it's still not light. What am I doing?
		

			I'm busy letting the devil score a goal. He's coming so close to the goalpost. All I have to do is
just get up and he's blocked. As soon as I get up the goalpost is covered because now the devil
cannot score the goal. That's why we say Salah don't wait for the devil to score the goal on you.
The trick or the secret regarding prayer is as soon as the time comes in, get up and pray. Reduce
Allah soon as the time comes in, no matter what Salah it is for example in the masjid if the Salah
is half past seven you need to be here early on time if you think I still 29 is still a minute I
like him I know him to the guy who's gonna read tonight as it is he reads long we'll go Don't worry
		

			relax, take it easy, you know Drink your tea quickly. If that's the case, before you know it that
occurred is gone. The Salah is gone. The devil has scored a big goal and if you if you're not
careful, he's gonna score another one because one is you missed the JAMA and another one is you're
gonna miss the whole Salah because you're gonna come to the machine everyone's working out who to
shy because sometimes you come late for for Asia and some of the youngsters who are mischievious
this shampoo quite early for future you know that low disease
		

			you know, mischievious youngsters, they have a lot to say sometimes. So, instead of that we just say
let's sit in the car let's just go back home. It's embarrassing to walk into the masjid now and then
we go home we forget about the Salah before you know it you're snoring. And next thing the time is
over and it's already fragile. What happened the devil score two goals.
		

			All you had to do was get up so you don't even have to die from one corner to another. You just have
to get up fulfill your Salah. That's it. May Allah strengthen us my brothers and sisters remember
what we're saying tonight, it might sound on a lighter note it might sound like we're drawing a
parallel with the football that's going on. But I did it intentionally because the football is going
on. And let's be honest, the fever has gripped even the Muslim communities sometimes even more. So
let's take a lesson from it. We don't want to talk about how halal or haram anything is we want to
talk about a lesson that we can learn from it that look in life My life is coming to an end and so
		

			is yours when the match starts and the score is one zero against you. You still have hope because
there's still 89 minutes to carry on isn't it? So you still have hope you say I don't know what it
is time these guys they know what they're doing. You know Mashallah this Muslim Brothers they they
they know what they're doing so hon Allah and then we get so excited today. Did you see that guy? As
soon as you scored a goal he went to see the A Mashallah, but you don't even make the real sisters
you supposed to make and you busy becoming proud am proud of this Muslim champion. Look at him. He
made a goal and he went to sit down luck but what a good Muslim brother and you didn't read even one
		

			Salah that day. What was it? Did you learn anything from me? That man probably reach for and better
than you recently I was watching a clip of one of the top champions is called Abu Dhabi. You guys
might know him. Well. He the man reads Quran better than 90% of us here. You can go on YouTube and
search it for Anak recitation. He might kick a ball better than all of us who are seated here but he
even reached around better than most of us who are here, if not all, may Allah grant huskies and I'm
honest with you. There are others who have spent their wealth building machines and so on and they
are top footballers in the world, they won't miss a Salah, not even one they I have had footballers
		

			who've said that we are not even going to miss the fast even though there's a match, big deal, which
will fast and go. Allahu Akbar. I'm not saying what's right or wrong in terms of the football, but
I'm drawing a lesson we want to get excited about
		

			their expertise in kicking a ball. But we haven't looked at the same people's expertise in earning
the pleasure of Allah if you really want to follow something follow that which they have already
achieved. What they got in terms of a ball is just a bonus, perhaps from a dunya term from a
sportsmans term.
		

			But in terms of the deen and in terms of spirituality and the earth era, the real crux is actually
to become regular with what you have. This is it Look at those people. Like I said moments ago, a
lot of us would be able to name 10 or 20 of the Muslim players I promise you a lot of us whether
it's cricket or football that we into whatever game will tell you this guy's a Muslim that guy's a
Muslim this guy became a Muslim that guy's this and we are so excited about a Mashallah but are you
real Muslim? Let's be honest, you talking about them? They probably more practicing that we are
where Allah Subhana Allah to Allah grant us. It's a reality. So here we are. The time is ticking.
		

			Who knows? We're almost at the end. Our whistle is about to be blown. And you know, when the match
gets exciting, after the 85th minutes, do you realize that 85 minutes gone and people are holding
the seat if your team is winning yourself, nobody's caught the goal here. And your team is losing
they're gonna score they're gonna score. We look at the screen as though it's because we were
looking at the screen. That's right, this quote, yeah, la yo a lot. Let the guy score.
		

			But you haven't even read your Salah yet. And you're making dua to Allah and Allah, the passion with
which we make dua for a goal to be scored. We haven't even made to our for our children with that
passion. Sometimes I know of people who have sent me emails, May Allah forgive us all, and grant us
good data. But the lesson that is learned people who have sent me emails to say what law he please
make a special draft for my team that we will
		

			follow you without a joke. I'm not lying. Some of you who are on Twitter might want to check it on
Twitter as well. People who send the message, please make our team with special. I once went for
winter, Nomura and I met a few youngsters and I was busy talking to them. And I was giving them a
few examples. The same day, the one of the examples I gave them was this. And there was someone who
tweeted saying they were two teams playing in the European finals. And he says, Please, I heard you
in O'Meara, please make a special do at the Kaaba for my team to win. And I'm busy thinking Yes.
Have you read your Salah? Do you even know what it's all about? Even if your team wins or loses? How
		

			did it help you achieve gentlemen, you haven't realized your matches about to come to an end? How
did you score the definitely scoring goals against you? Every single day? What did you do? Subhana
Allah, we are busy playing a match. It's 20 zero already. All you need to do to score 30 goals and
to win is to stand up and fight off your laziness. become a better person, watch your mouth and your
tongue. See how you treat everyone else. Be an upright person who tries to help everyone else.
Worship Allah alone. Try and learn the deen learn the Quran. And believe me you are sailing all the
way nobody will score goal against you by the help of others.
		

			And your whistle will be blown one day and then what will happen? You want you want
		

			to
		

			be a meanie. Uno,
		

			de tabea I'm sure by now we know the meaning of this verse.
		

			Those who will be given their trophy basically the book, the book, it's like a trophy. Those who
have given their book in the right hands, they will say hey, here's my book, she might score this is
what happened. So we have this B book and we are sitting here Hey, this is my score. Everyone's
excited. But you know what the others will get it on the left because they didn't learn a thing.
Whilst the people in the dunya were carrying a World Cup and dancing about them getting excited. We
got excited with them and we forgot our Salah as a result, we forgot our dress code as a result. The
dress code is so simple for our brothers and for our sisters. It doesn't require running I don't
		

			need energy. I don't need to pump weights like I said I don't need to gym every single day I just
need to dress properly that's all I need to do. I just need to make sure I lower my gaze what energy
has it required of you and Allah says you lower your gaze replaced properly we will give you
contentment in return we will give you a massive amount of contentment in return. But if you want to
wander your eyes and if you want to undress or dress in a wrong fashion, you will have to pay for it
somehow because someone is scoring you losing someone is scoring goals against you you losing some
kind of Allah May Allah grant us the ability to be strong and steadfast brothers and sisters What a
		

			beautiful topic
		

			I'm sure we've learned some lessons and inshallah I hope and I pray that now when we sitting in
watching the World Cup if we are then we need to realize read my Salah if not I must be strong
enough to say this thing can wait because in real life there are some goals being scored against me
right now I need to protect my goalposts it's empty you know when this when we down to 10 min. And
we down to nine min how people get so upset because say two guys out a these guys are gonna score
now and you get so upset and people start crying real tears. People get so excited. They say in one
of those countries I think it's Brazil or Argentina
		

			Somewhere, they say the robbers know that when we want to rob, we make sure that there's a big game
going on. The people are so glued to the TVs that you can come in and greet them, they'll beat you
back and you busy stealing everything behind them and it's gone.
		

			And it's gone because they're so glued to the thing, because people are just kicking a ball. They've
managed to distract us from everything, including our property, everything distracted, but for me
and you what is important is they must not distract you from Allah because that's reality. That's
your real match. That is the agenda. You know what, like I said, whistle blown. How many goals are
you going to score? Believe me, seize your time, come to the masjid learn something, spread
something, you know, do good. develop yourself in every single way. And you find one after the
other. You are a happy content person. Even if you don't know the scores of football, you are a much
		

			happier person than a lot of those who are kicking the ball themselves.
		

			We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to bless us, we ask Allah to grant us ease and goodness. I want to
give you another example. When it comes to football, a lot of our youngsters have one or two of
their favorite players. So if that favorite player cuts his hair in a certain way, we cut our hair
in that way. If he wears a certain emblem, we wear that emblem. If he's got a certain number at the
back of his t shirt, we weigh that number. If he's got a name at the back, we weigh that name. If he
does this, we do that he whatever he does, we do so what are we doing? We are basically following
his Sunnah because we love him.
		

			But when we love Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam that much and more. We've already won the game.
So how did he dress a dress like that? How did he cut a cut it like that? What did he do? What
emblem did he have I have that you know when I say emblem he didn't have any emblem but you could
see that this is a proper dress and this is the dress of the muslimeen and so on. What did he do? I
do How did he do it? I do it and I don't be shy. Because when people cut their hair like a little
monkey because somebody else cut it like the monkey so what happens everybody looks at you and say
that's the latest style. You know in the UK at the moment to be the same thing you got a big beard
		

			and hey, that's the style man in certain areas everybody's got it and it's cool man.
		

			It's cool so because it's cool we can have it or because we know that we want to protect ourselves
and we want to follow the sooner Mohamed Salah Salaam that we're gonna have it may Allah strengthen
us, I always tell the brothers even if you have a little strain, start with a little strength. You
know, when you see the crescent, it starts off with a small little lesson 15 days later it becomes
big Alhamdulillah so you might start with a moon you know, they call it a goatee, but let's call it
a moon inshallah. So you have a little one and inshallah it can develop by the help of Allah at
least it's a start by the help of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And sometimes we all need to start on
		

			different aspects of our life. Some people might not be strong enough to start with one aspect, they
might have already started with 10 other aspects and we need to start with them yet. And just
because we think a me I've already got my dress code done. All these guys are losers already we
scoring own goals. You know what that means? Why you thinking bad of the man, if he's got a
weakness, you've got another 10 weaknesses, help each other, learn to pass, learn to have the
teamwork, like we said, learn to be together, I love you and you're supposed to be loving me. But
for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala I want paradise for you just like you would want it for me.
		

			And it's a fact it's a reality. That's what brings us together. And that's the only thing we are
calling towards. Today, the whole discussion is about paradise, because we talking of how to get the
general cup. And this is how you would get it by learning the reality of the world. Do not let the
fake life distract you from the real life. This is what we say. And this is why Ramadan is around
the corner, right around the corner. Believe me, let's let this month be a month with a difference.
Let it be a month with the difference. No matter what the weather is like, no matter what is
happening, no matter how long it takes how short it is, believe me take your time, you know, when a
		

			football match goes into overtime. There are two main reasons.
		

			One is because nobody has scored or it's at par. Right?
		

			I don't know if they're still following the same rule. But that's what it used to be some time. And
two is because of injury that happened during the match. So the time lapse or the time difference is
going to be taken. And it's going to be put at the end of that match. So it goes to 92 minutes, 92
and a half and suddenly you find the final whistle. They know what they do. So to be honest, we get
so excited because yes, my team is gonna score yes and so on. And we're so excited the heat of the
moment. The most exciting part of a match football match is towards the end. And even more exciting
is when it goes into overtime. Very exciting. And people are glued they'll tell everyone Hey, hang
		

			on. We got an overtime Yes, and you message this guy and tell that guy unless you all together and
you want to sit together and laugh and joke, we make a plan to be together to have drinks together
cokes and whatever and we make sure that everyone's enjoying and we busy watching and there's
excitement because it's prolonged
		

			but when Salah is prolonged
		

			when taraweeh is prolonged by x
		

			for five minutes rather than Imam, he will have to wear a bulletproof jacket
		

			because why he went into overtime and stuff like, what happened to you here man? How did we actually
miss the first five minutes of the match? They go to the chairman of the committee, please fire this
man or they tell me mom tomorrow you better eat some beans. May Allah forgive us ally, Allah forgive
us. May Allah subhanahu Allah grant us so take your time, while live and learn that as much as we
have to live in the dunya. And as much as we do enjoy Mashallah our own exercises and some sports
and so on. Don't give it preference over the era, don't give it preference over your deen and your,
your, your religion, and your aim for heaven. Because the day we die, we're not going to take with
		

			us all these things. But what we will take with us is the following
		

			your deeds, how you converted, how you converted, whatever Allah gave you, during your match into
deeds is what will help, you know, you can run on the pitch your whole 90 minutes if you did not
score you wasted your time. So some people in their lives they run and they spend time, effort
energy, but they never ever did something to please Allah. So if that's the case, they wasted their
90 minutes they observe what we are taught is don't waste your energies for nothing, you might want
to run up and down but score every time so that your effort is not gone wasted. And this is what we
are saying. So suhara law, we need to make sure that that effort is fruitful and bears fruit we saw
		

			a tree, the tree will then grow and it will provide fruit such that even when we die, we will have
something known as a setup area. People are learning people continue, our children make dua for us.
We've left a brilliant example for them. And we've continued in life. So the deeds is what you take,
just like in a football match is the goal that you score that matters. At the end of the day. It's
the goal that you score that matters ultimately, for us, it's the deed that you've done that
matters. So I was very healthy. No big deal. What did you do with the house? Did you convert it into
deeds when you were healthy? I have lots of spare time I could go around and chat with my friends is
		

			that what you use your spare time for? You must convert your spare time into a deep so that when you
get to the other side, you've actually scored more than the devil.
		

			I had a I was a very good looking guy in my days, you know? So okay, if you are a good looking guy,
what did you do? Did you fall into the trap of the devil? Or did you score deeds by protecting
yourself from the devil? That's something you need to think about. Because one day your looks are
going to go you're going to become old and wrinkled. And you're going to be walking perhaps with a
hunchback? Because that's the sooner of Allah. It's the plan of Allah you have to when you grow
older, you have to have certain health matters because Allah is trying to tell you hang on, you know
what your game is coming to an end. They start substituting people have you seen that few minutes?
		

			This is right, substitute. Come on, we're bringing a new guy in with fresh energies. May Allah
protect us all. So we need to convert whatever energies we have whatever resources, we have the
wealth, we have the richest man on earth big deal, what did he do with the money when he dies, he's
not gonna take it with him. But if he spent it in a good cause, and he used it for something which
was correct, what he's done is he's converted it into a currency that is going to be valid in the
AFA. And that is known as D double e d, a deed, they converted it into a deed. So now how wealthy
were you? You can't say I was a multi billionaire. What did you do with the wealth allows me to ask
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala, strengthen us and grant us a lesson.
		

			And I'd like to end now my 45 minutes are almost up. And I was the one who imposed that limit on
myself, because I believe if we speak much longer than that, you might miss the beginning of the
next match.
		

			So the truth is what we've learned tonight, I hope we can take it in a way that I had meant it don't
take it wrong. What we meant is to draw a parallel between these two things to say one is just a
football game. It's the World Cup, the fever has gripped the world and everyone is excited and
everyone wants to check and everyone wants to watch and the players are excited and the people are
more excited than the players and the bookies are trying to make money. I bet you this I bet you
that you know if people had to bet that we didn't beat further. Would they make money question?
		

			You better make sure it goes the other way around as it is betting is not allowed. So Allah subhanho
wa Taala grant us a lesson. We are trying to say that you know what, your life is real. It's not
just a game. It's real. It's a reality. So you need to do as best as you can work as hard as you can
learn the game. Learn it. And in fact, it's not a game but it's a reality. Let's recalling it again,
just for purposes of understanding or relating should I say but learning learn the rules because you
cannot break the rules of football. If you break the rules of football is going to be something you
will be penalized the same way if you break
		

			The rules of earning Jelena perhaps you may be penalized if Allah, Allah through His mercy forgives
you. It's one thing. And this is why we say never lose hope in the mercy of Allah.
		

			In this reality of life, it's never too late. It's only late once you die. Otherwise, it's never too
late. No Sheikh is not forgiven by Allah. But if you ask for forgiveness from it and you mend your
ways, it's wiped out. It's only not forgiven. If you die in that condition, then it's not forgiven.
So this is why we say make sure like Allah Subhana Allah says, Allah tamo to
		

			make sure you don't die, except in the condition of Islam and submission. May Allah subhanho wa
Taala strengthen us all. And may He opened our doors was Allahu wa Sallim wa barik ala nabina,
Muhammad Subhan Allah Subhana Allah Mohammed the shadow Allah, Allah Allah