You are NOT worthless!

Salam alaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatu

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi wa sallahu wa salam ala Baraka Allah. May Allah be Abaddon, who Allah Allah, he was so happy here Jemaine, my beloved brothers and sisters,

don't ever let anyone tell you that you're useless.

Don't ever let anyone tell you

that you don't have a chance to earn the Mercy of Allah or you're too far away from the Almighty.

Because that statement affects and impacts people negatively.

And it's not true at all.

So, while I'm so excited to be here, in your midst, in the beautiful city of Brisbane,

I decided to start with this beautiful piece of advice to myself, and then to yourselves.

Every one of us deserves to grow in a positive way, be it connected to the worldly life, or your connection with the Almighty, that will help you in the hereafter as well.

You deserve to grow and there will be growth, and there shall be growth.

I was a baby at one stage and so will you.

And when we were little, if anyone were to tell us, you're never going to grow.

In what way? If anyone were to tell us you're not going to be two years old or three years or four years old? Do you know what time will defy that statement by the will of Allah subhanho wa taala. And we have today been given the age where we are seated here by the word of Allah yet, there was a time when we were helplessly with our parents or guardians.

In the same way, the growth belongs to Allah. We are facing challenges upon challenges across the globe. To be a Muslim is not so easy. To be a woman who is a Muslim is not so easy. People say speak about women, I say leave them alone. May Allah Almighty grant us ease they hear from the left, they hear from the right. And then they are somewhere in the middle.

We have challenges even as men,

where people begin to pick on us and our beliefs. So it becomes so difficult to live as an individual that I would like to live and like to be, but I need to keep going. I need to have the principles I need to understand or try and understand part of the plan of the Almighty because his entire plan may never be understood by you and I there is a portion of it that would require you to surrender and belief. I believe in the Mercy of Allah. I may be going through the most toughest of days today. And you might be going through the toughest of days today. You might have heard bad news early morning or in the recent weeks. But I tell you, it does not mean that's going to last because

it never lasts. Negativity does not last, it will not last.

I may have gone through or be going through right now. A time

unlike any time in my life so far. But I have hope because I'm a believer, I am convinced. I'm convinced that in the same way.

Daybreak follows the darkest hour of the night. The darkest time of my life shall be followed by the brightest light of that daybreak. Be convinced how many of us have been through days where we really thought we were not going to make it. How many of us have been through times when we felt perhaps we won't find a job or we won't get something suitable or we won't be married and today we're seated here with children. May Allah bless you and your children. They may be from amongst us those who don't have those children.

Trust me when I say the almighty chooses and tailor makes your gifts designed for you knowing what is better for you holistically. So if you don't have one thing, you have to have 10 Other things that others don't have.

It's just a matter of you taking a moment to focus to look at how you have been blessed because every single one of us is blessed differently.

I have what you may not have

but trust me you have what I do not have

That's a fact. You know it or you don't. Unfortunately, in the material world success is gauged by how much money you have.

And fortunately for a believer, we do know. And we are convinced that that's not everything.

Because had wealth been

directly connected to the pleasure of the Almighty, the wealthiest of the lot would have been none other than Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam May peace be upon him.

But he went through challenges he lost in his life, his own children, one after the other.

Was he not loved by Allah, he was loved more than you and I more than anyone and everyone, we call him US model healthy. Welcome, Rosalie, the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets. That's what we call him. That's what we believe that being the case, he went through challenges, he went through hardship, people spoke negatively about him. Don't they speak negatively about us? Would that not then be a sign of the love of the Almighty? When you face a challenge? I look at it

from that particular angle, that when the Almighty says I've created you to test you, when we were young, we used to wonder what is it all about, but I promise you, as you grow older, you realize from the moment of birth, you're being tested, and those tests become meaningful, once you hit puberty, and thereafter, you're on your own, because now the angels begin to write whatever you say, or do or whatever you are worth.

Your corrections are beautiful, because we have something known as deleting the bad that I may have done in the past. So therefore don't lose hope. You're never a write off, never.

No matter where you are, what you've done, where you've been in the past, the past is exactly that. It's the past.

So Muhammad peace be upon him went through challenge upon challenge.

They said things about him.

Wow. They called him a sorcerer. They called him someone who's just after money and power. They said so many nasty things. Some of these nasty things don't they say about us? While I tell you, that is a sign that the Almighty has chosen you to go through this test, similar to that of his most beloved. So don't worry, take it in your stride seek the help of the Almighty, I was saying

that the Almighty created us to test us when we were young, we probably didn't understand what that meant. But as you grow older, my beloved brothers, my sisters, you realize nothing happens according to our liking. All the time.

It happens according to the design of the Almighty.

When Almighty Allah has chosen something for you,

many times the path to success starts off with lots of negatives.

Because when man is put into a comfort zone, he doesn't grow. I come from Zimbabwe. I see people here who are originally also from Zimbabwe, people I know. And I tell you, my brothers and sisters life there

is tough. But one thing it does, it makes you streetwise. It makes you able

it makes you able to make do with whatever you have. And we say to make a plan. Just make a plan. If the electricity goes for example, people continue speaking like nothing's happened, right? Because they're used to it. Why are you used to it because it kept on happening. Whereas if you were to go to a place where that doesn't happen, they probably be frightened of the dark. Do you see?

Similarly, when there's no water in the time, no one's upset. They make a plan. When the traffic lights are not working, they make a plan. When there are no jobs, they make a plan.

This is just an example. But the reality is that hardship actually strengthens you in a way you did not imagine.

Don't look at it as

negative in totality. It's only as negative as you'd like it to be.

That's what it is.

Our sisters for example, you will have people tell you want to do on both sides. This extreme and the other. You know what the almighty once of you, you know your level. What you need to remember is

My connection with my maker is my own relationship with him. It's got nothing to do with anyone else. I better make the most of my days on earth and improve myself. As the days pass on my own. I consider good reminders as being decent, as being helpful. But when someone hurls a statement of abuse and you don't take it to heart, they don't know any better.

They don't know your struggles. They don't know what you've been through. They don't know they haven't walked in your shoes. They don't understand the disasters in your life, or the challenges or whatever you might have had to go through in order to become who you are today. They don't know all of that. But that's man, but Allah knows. Man doesn't know how you ended up where you are today. They will judge you, man is harsh.

So I have two things to say about that. Number one, at least the Almighty knows, and your relationship with him, we should make you smile. Oh my Lord, I'm struggling. I'm trying I falter. From time to time I slip and slide from time to time, forgive me strengthen me, I know I've got to get to you. I know there's so much that I need to correct with your help your love your care for me, I will keep improving as the days pass. And I trust you, to love me, and to guide me to strengthen me in a way that when I meet you one day,

you are pleased with me.

Who made you Allah made you? He knows you personally He knows your struggles. He knows you're a human. He knows your weaknesses, too. He knows how you fall and falter. He knows how you may sin that should not make you feel for a moment that he is no longer your Lord.

That should not make you feel for a moment that you are so distant from him that there is no hope. No, there is hope. There is always hope. But think about it and do something about it. The second thing

I want to address all of us, myself included, to go easy on others. When you see people struggling, don't pass those statements. Meaning Don't be on the other side of what we were saying today.

Because a good statement that comes from your mouth.

If it were to encourage someone struggling in their weaknesses would not only help them would help you and those around you whom you love. When you belittle others, the Almighty may create a situation where you are belittled. At some stage.

You mock and Jair you swear someone, the opposite will be created. At some point you might face that unless you've been forgiven, or you've changed completely.

So when you see someone struggle, please pray for them. That would depict the most genuine feeling towards them. If you see someone doing something that you believe should not be done in terms of sin as a believer,

if the first thing on your mind is to expose them and to belittle them, and to make sure that everyone knows about it, then you need a lot of help my brother, my sister, are you genuine enough to understand that we all have weaknesses. We all do. If we if it was our business to expose others, we would have been exposed a long time back.

But if you immediately asked the almighty Oh my Lord, here is someone really perhaps not on the right path. Help them and help me to Whoa. Now you're speaking. This is what we're taught as believers to care for one another in a way that you acknowledge you're also one of the rest of us. That's what it is. I might be standing in front of you on this podium today. But I'm no better than you. I have my own struggles. If I'm standing here, the reminder is for me before it is for you.

Because Subhan Allah, if I don't have the Mercy of Allah, I wouldn't ever be able to earn his love.

Allah is still most forgiving, Most Merciful. So that's why I say the two things number one, remember the Almighty is by you. He's by your side he is with you. Don't worry, keep going. improve yourself. If you're struggling with your five daily prayers, keep going. The reason is, as you improve one day you will get there but push yourself.

When people utter a statement that is negative don't let it make you slide back. Because that's shaytan if you have come so close to the Almighty and like I said you already know and so do I what is required of you as a believer

I'm not here to recite what's halal and haram and permissible and prohibited, and what's an obligation and what's not, and so on. You know that.

But I'm here to encourage you to say my brothers, my sisters, don't give up, let every day. Like I said, this afternoon in the Friday prayer, let every day that passes be better than the previous day, then you're heading in the right direction. And in the process, do not let the statements of others ever discourage you from following what is right.

And sometimes those statements are in the form of friends comments, or peer pressure, or people around us. You know what you're supposed to be doing? Be a proud believer.

Be a proud believer. When I say a proud believer, be happy to be who you are.

If you have to dress in a certain way, Alhamdulillah I will do it and I will make a difference. I remember back in the day, we had to grow a beard.

And mashallah, I was looking forward to it. But at the same time, a little bit worried about what everyone's going to say because nobody had a beard besides one or two guys. At the college I went And subhanAllah it was not so easy because you're a youngster. You want to have it but you're fearing what people would say. And then I remember, because I

lived with it. People started saying, Wow, that's cool, man. That's cool. It suddenly became cool. When I grew a little bit older, a little bit too late. It became a trend Subhanallah right trendy, but back in the day, it was almost taboo to grow a beard.

Look how the almighty changes things. Today, you see people from all walks of lives with lovely beards mashallah they look at you, like your beard, bro, that wouldn't have been the case sometime back.

That's going to happen with the hijab as well. By the way.

May Allah grant us ease. My beloved sisters, my brothers, don't give up What you believe firmly, just because of what people may say have said or are saying, not at all. We're stronger than that. We believe we affirm. And the Almighty will bless you in so many ways as a result and not just you, but your children, those around you, your loved ones, and if he has not given you so many family members, he will have granted us something else. Look for it. Try and think how did the Almighty bless me? Well, Allah He, I want to share with you something amazing today. It's a verse of the Quran, where Allah Almighty says, and I'm sure we've heard it before, but if we haven't here goes,

well

Dooney let Allah healer, so

and if you are going to try to count the favors of Allah or if you're going to count the favors of Allah, you will never be able to count them all. That's the meaning of the verse. What Allah has blessed you with, you will never be able to count all of those things. If you want to start right now you're going to have to start with your faculties of hearing and perhaps your sight and whatever else it might be your organs, your limbs, your bodies, everything and then you broaden the circle, you will never be able to count the favours of Allah upon you. But I want to tell you what is more amazing than that. The opposite.

If Allah has tested you, you are able to count the number of tests in your life Subhanallah isn't that amazing?

Ask yourself What challenges do I have? What negativity do do I have?

What problems or issues do I face? I swear you would be able to count them on your fingertips you can say I've got this problem this problem this health matter this issue at home this issue at work this this this nine things I'm done. But what about the billions of things that are a favor of Allah that you cannot count man is so weak that he becomes despondent due to nine things that he is challenged in or tested in and he loses track of the millions or the countless things that Allah has blessed him with? That's man, you concentrate on the one negative it shows your body is fine. Nothing wrong with it. But the mosquitoes bitten you in one place that itself is the source of

depression why that bite is on my nose the whole world sees it and I need to scratch it every little while it's so embarrassing. Relax you're not the first person button on your nose by the way

mashallah looks quite sexy.

being bitten on your nose Mashallah.

I hope I'm not bitten tonight.

My brothers, my sisters reality

One thing went wrong in my life, two things went wrong. And I'm far from the Almighty, the Almighty says, No man, I actually would like you to get closer to me. That's why there are challenges that you will face. But those challenges are limited. And secondly, he tells us, I will never burden anyone with more than they could actually show them. I never place on your shoulders more than you can cope and manage. So you can he wants to push you he wants to. He wants to ensure that you do your best you do better than you did the last time, take a look at the schools that we've all been to. And many of us probably at school right now, don't they push you with a more difficult exam,

every time you pass one, you get a certificate, and you go to a more difficult stage, you get a certificate, a more difficult stage. So the almighty tells us when He loves us, He will test us in order for us to gain closeness to him even more.

And when does this end? It doesn't end in this world. This world the nature of it, is that you will be tested right to the end. So much. So the last portion of your life is looked at

as the most difficult portion, especially when you're old and people say now you're old and new. And you're thinking of death and death is supposed to be according to human standards. One of the most one of the saddest occasions ever for a person but a believer knows. That's probably the best day ever. I can't wait to see my lord who is merciful kind, forgiving, compassionate, loving, oh, I can't wait to see him to meet him. I'm convinced in my heart that the day I meet the one who made me he is not going to let me down.

He's not going How could he let me down?

Shaitan will come to you and make you think for a moment. You know what? Look at the sins you did look at what you my brother, my sister. That's your past pa St. That's what it is. It stays there. It will not come with you further. If you seek the forgiveness of the Almighty, it's wiped out a terrible minute then become Aladdin Bella, the one who sought forgiveness from a sin is equivalent to the one who didn't sin.

Because Islam is based on

forgiveness, and the mercy of the Almighty.

When the Quran starts, or when you want to begin recitation, what do you say? You seek the protection in Allah from shaytan, the devil the accursed, and then you say Bismillah AR Rahman, you're walking in the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful, the Most Gracious, the Most Beneficent, the Most Forgiving is included in that because it's part of the mercy of the Almighty.

Doesn't that show you that the Almighty is most Merciful.

So we keep going, my brothers, my sisters.

We're living in a world where materialism definitely has taken center stage. Without a doubt, everyone is

dazzled at times by the lights, the bling bling mashallah the latest of everything. We all follow the latest of something,

even if it's just mobile phones, but it's still the latest of something. And we all look forward to it. In the interim, the Almighty says, It's not wrong to have from this worldly life, what might be to your liking or comfort, on condition that you don't lose track of the basics, and where you're ultimately heading. If I've worked hard

to earn a life so that I can have a house, I need to set aside a little bit so that my house in the hereafter is also set and organized. Mashallah, right or wrong.

People will get a loan and they will start paying for a house and they know it's going to take 20 years in Revit. Perhaps I might not live there for too long but my kids will have a house. Right.

What about the eternal home did you do a little bit it's not a monetary payment. It's a payment in your worship and your kindness because your character and conduct would actually help you build your hereafter. This afternoon in Salat and Juma.

I read surah two lane and in surah two lane. Allah Almighty makes mention of the person who will be protected from hellfire, the one who will achieve ease in this world and success in the hereafter.

Guess what he says?

For um,

what was on Duncanville for saluja Su Ling Musa, the ease that he speaks about is given to people with certain qualities. One of them is they give the spend on others

Why? Because he wants you to be self less and not selfish. When you're self less you begin to consider the generations to come, you preserve, you build that which you might not benefit from, but others will. And then it's called a sadaqa jariya, which means a charity that is going to last longer than your life, the benefit of what you did last longer than your breathing on Earth. So what happened is you continue to clock a reward, even after your date of death. It's a sadaqa jariya what was it? It was your concern for the future. That's what it was. I visited this afternoon.

A beautiful project, the Brisbane Islamic center, if I'm not mistaken, beautiful project for who for the future.

And mashallah, I was pleasantly surprised to see such concern for the generations to come. And I'm thinking to myself, Wow, the reward of this will continue to clock for those who made it happen, way beyond that death. And the Prophet peace be upon him says sadaqa jariya, which is that type of a charity that lasts longer, the benefit of it lasts longer than your life would continue to benefit you one of the few things after your death. So the concern for the future. Today we're here at this beautiful evening, when human appeal and its work is highlighted.

Surely we should consider what's going on across the globe? Because the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him tells us that through your struggles, what will help you is when you help others struggling in a similar way. Subhanallah

Are you struggling? Would you like to see your children succeed? Yes. Well, what concerns do you have about the children of others? Good question. If it's only about you and your children, it's going to be tough, but if it's about our children, we're going to succeed, it's going to be made much easier for all of us.

Concern for Others will definitely prop you up in one way or another.

So that's why the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him always reminded us. You want the help of Allah. You want the help of your maker of the Almighty will help others can Allah houfy O'Neill Abdi McConnell, aberdyfi,

he says Allah Almighty will continue to help a servant or slave, a person, for as long as that person continues to help another. While you're busy helping someone the Almighty is helping you.

In your struggles, I mentioned a few of the struggles be very religious, or be they connected to this world, the life

is a real struggles.

People may belittle you because you don't have perhaps materially something they have. They may be literally that's their weakness. Don't let it take your smile away from your face. Don't let it hinder your character and conduct. Don't let it make you insult someone or hurt them or abuse them. Not at all. You continue to be kind, you continue to do what you have to. People might say, when is it going to stop? It may not stop. It may continue until the day you meet the Almighty, it's fine. He will give you the strength to continue and he will give you pockets of joy and happiness. That you would really appreciate many of us for example,

we struggle we go to work, we earn we pay, we pay bills, we pay fines at times, we pay fees for the children, we pay fees for ourselves and so many other things. And then what happens in all that struggle we arrange and plan a little holiday, don't we?

So Allah gives you the few weeks I went out we had fun. It was so lovely. Wait, come back home.

You get back to reality. And what happens then you go back to work, everything starts again. But did you not have that pocket of goodness? Did you not enjoy a little bit of what Allah has created? Allah says Hang on, to see what I've made beyond this world.

It's mind boggling.

My brothers and sisters, let's rise to the occasion. Never let anyone tell you that you're useless because you're not. You're not. You're amazing. Each one of us is unique. Allah loves you. He knows you personally. He knows your challenges. He knows your struggles. He knows your tears. He knows what is

going on, he knows the positives, the negatives, he knows more than you know about yourself.

And he did not make any one of us useless.

And therefore, never tell others that they're useless. Especially the children, empower them with the most beautiful words because that builds them. When they're one year, two years old, three years at that age, when you keep reminding them of how beautiful they are,

how amazing they are, how intelligent they are, when you hug them, you kiss them, you embrace them, that is taught by the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him when he embraced his grandson and cried and harvest says, I have 10 I never kissed even one of them. How could you meaning at that time they thought being a man was you couldn't kiss your children, the Prophet peace be upon him looked at him and told him Mala yah hum, la your hum. Statement done. Whoever doesn't show mercy will not be shown mercy. Whoa.

Look at that. Which means kiss your children, embrace them give them good words, when they do something wrong. It's normal, it's natural. It's fine. Their kids, they may yell they may scream, no problem. You're an adult don't behave like a child behave like an adult. Their children, let them behave like children, they may break things. They may say things they may speak out of turn, they may whatever, they may make huge blunders and mistakes. They may falter in the path or on the path. It's okay. It's fine.

We will guide them in a beautiful way. I'm not saying leave it to don't do anything about it. But we will do it in such a beautiful way that we M power them. And I end with an example. When the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him,

was faced with a man who entered the masjid Masjid the number with the Mosque of the Prophet May Allah's peace and blessings be upon him and all his companions. And he was a Bedouin man, not knowing any better decided to urinate in the corner of the masjid because he felt like he needed to relieve himself. And he didn't know any better about what he should do and where he should do it. Because at that particular time, they will they will no toilets the way we have today.

So as he's urinating the Companions became so angry and upset, they began to shout him, yell at him, tell him to stop scream at him and so on. And the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, looked at them, and told them Laterz Moo, don't scold him in that manner, leave him, let him finish his business, whatever he is doing

certain thing for a moment. If that were to happen today, forget about a mosque here in this hole. What will happen? What would happen?

I can't even imagine, because I don't think it would happen.

But kids might do it. It's fine.

When this happened, the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him told his companions go and get some water. So they got a bucket and they went to look for the water. It took them a little bit of time. And as they were away, he looked at this man. And he told him in such a in such an empowering way.

He says this is a masjid, it's the house of Allah.

It is for the Quran. It is for prayer. It is for the remembrance of Allah. It is for worship. It's not for urinating.

And this man immediately thought about the contrast between those who are about to choke him moments before, and this man who is the Prophet himself, so lovingly telling me, Hey, don't do this man. It's not supposed to be.

He says, Oh Allah, this is the statement in Arabic right? This this Bedouin man is saying, Allah Who Mahamuni Warham Mohammed and Walter Hama Anna. Oh Allah, have mercy on me. Have mercy on Mohamed Salah salah. But don't have mercy on anyone else.

Now that's a new problem because you need guidance. Hang on the mercy of Allah encompasses everyone. Look at how the messenger peace be upon him waiting for them to go away. He didn't yell at this guy. While everyone was still there, he waited for them to become busy looking for the water

Subhanallah

now there is a new problem what is it? I need to teach this man about the Mercy of Allah. So the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him looks at him and says you are trying to make something narrow that is very broad and all encompassing. Statement complete.

You cannot do that. The Mercy

Have Allah encompasses everything while he was here. Let's say, Allah says My Mercy encompasses absolutely everything. So my brothers, my sisters, as I commenced, I want to tell you, the Mercy of Allah encompasses you and all your problems and your issues. So keep going and understand you are well within the Mercy of Allah, you need to look for it, you need to search for it, you need to feel it, you need to understand it and you need to continue going. Don't let anything distract you from your path and inshallah we're all heading in a beautiful direction. Move at your pace for as long as you are moving. Move at your pace, not at the pace of somebody else. For as long as you are moving

in the right direction in sha Allah, you are well within the Mercy of Allah may Allah bless you, bless myself, bless all of us, grant us and our offspring and humanity at large. Every blessing Akula coli ha ha sallahu wa salam ala Nabina Muhammad wa salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.