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