Youth of 21st Century

salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

smilla rahmanir rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala

nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi Jemaine, we always praise Allah Subhana Allah to Allah we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless them all. And we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to bless every single one of us. I mean,

indeed, it is an honor to be here this morning to be speaking to you, and to be addressing the sisters that have gathered here on a very, very important topic, very important subject, you and I know that we are facing challenges when it comes to the youth.

And the difficulties we face we find that character conduct, the norms are changing, the cultures are changing as well. And we need to know what is good from this, what is not good from this and at the same time, how best we can contribute towards the positive development of these young men and women or boys and girls, so that we can build the future together. It's important for us to consider from the very beginning that Allah Subhana Allah, Allah created us in the way that we don't live forever. So the winner is he or she who can pass on the torch. If I am good at something, I will never be the best at it unless I've built others to take on from where I've left off, or possibly

even to do a better job than I have, or that I can. So from amongst us, we may have doctors, we may have accountants, we may have scholars, we may have mothers who are dedicated to housework, for example, that is also something really meritorious, it's something really good. But a true leader is one who creates others or who makes others. When I say create, I'm not talking about what Allah subhanho wa Taala does. I'm talking about trying to make another generation of people who would perhaps do a better job, like I said, just now. So we all know that materialism is taking over today, everything is about money. Everything is about the latest in terms of gadgets, in terms of

accessories, in terms of makeup, in the case of the women, it becomes more and more appealing to drop some of the items of value and to go into items of cosmetic of a cosmetic nature, that which won't really help you. I'll give you a quick example. It's not wrong to have the latest mobile phone. But it's definitely not a sign of success. We need to understand this. And we need to know that allow MIT has kept the broader picture. And it is only through belief in Allah and belief in the fact that we are going to go back to Allah. And we are answerable for how we spent the little time that we had on Earth, that would actually make us become true leaders or the best of people. So

if you look at the youth today, we are facing so many challenges. And I know today we're speaking about the challenges. I'm sure those who've spoken before me, I have already addressed some of these challenges, but it's always worth listening to it perhaps from a different angle. Because sometimes it would affect us in a different way. If we had listened to it from someone else. And it might just strike a chord and we might just do something about it. The issue I have with myself is I always ask myself, how did you use the time you had at hand? How did you use it? The wealth you may have? How did you use it? And the opportunities you have had? How can you use them because they're not going

to last? Go back to the hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam where he speaks about seizing five opportunities before they are overtaken by five conditions whereby those opportunities would be lost. One of them is obviously your time. Another is your wealth. Another is your young age, the fact that you are part of the youth, you're not going to remain a part of the youth. Another is the fact that you are alive, another is your health. So all these have to do with the seizing of opportunities. I asked myself every time How did you use the opportunity if you knew what I did? In the last say two days, you would actually be shocked if you know what I have planned for

the next two days you would probably be shocked.

But that is for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala, every one of us needs to use our opportunities in a correct way. The sad reality is a lot of us are still engrossed in that which is not really going to help us. And we are now worried about the next generation, whereas we have not yet dealt with ourselves. For example, people who have marital problems, people who are not settled in their marriages, they've got children, and those children are now of marriage age. But we haven't settled down ourselves what example would we like to set for those whom we have born, you know, our own children, they're now 20, for example, 25, looking for spouses or getting married, or married, and

we haven't settled down ourselves. We're still running after something material. And we expect to guide the next generation. It's a crisis. And I'm not saying it's wrong to have the latest toy, it's wrong to have something materialistic, but it's wrong to make that your point of focus, it's wrong to make that your aim in life, your objective, then it becomes dangerous. So today, we have a lot of pressure on the young people pressure of society, pressure of the media, the adverts, the advertisements, you probably wouldn't think of it that way. But they put so much pressure on our young children, even those who are teenage and even those be before the teenage years nowadays, 10

years old, and they already crying for something. I want to give you an example of my own children, because every one of us is facing challenges.

I had my children at a private school and Mashallah, they were not doing too bad. But what I found is although there was a Muslim ethos to the school, I found that they would come back, they would be asking for gadgets, they would never be satisfied with what they have always comparing, always seeking, what their friends have trying, perhaps, to get those things and also influenced to wanting to dress that way, wanting to look that way, perhaps the makeup and everything else, you know that way, because everyone else has it. And I asked myself what's going wrong? And I'm telling you this not because I want you to follow what I've done. But just to show you how I have tried, and it's a

trial everyone tries to deal with certain issues, I feel are absolutely important to be dealt with. One of them is the rat race, you know, you become a rat, racing pets like everyone else. So I thought to myself, I spoke to my wife and I asked her, I said, you know these children are going to the school every day, I find that their thirst for materialistic items is not quenched. So what to do, I need you to help me. So we discussed options, we discussed the homeschooling option that has pros and cons. Some people might say, you won't grow up interacting with people. That's one just one of the negatives that come out of homeschooling, I know of people who have homeschooled and we've

come out of it and gone into universities and have been successful. And I also know of others who have been to private schools who have come out extremely successful, but the risks are becoming more and more.

So I decided, you know what, I'm going to give it a go. I was at a government school, government school where a lot of those who I was with in the primary level, were local, indigenous people. I learned the local language, the vernacular, I speak Shona like a parent. And at the same time, what I noticed is

I had this balanced upbringing, yes. When I went into high school, I went into a private college. And it was a little bit different. It was an all boys school, it was of a Christian ethos, and so on. But one of the solutions I found was to take them out of the school, which was a private school and put them into a public school. Wow. Everyone was shocked, shocked. How can you take them out, they're going to struggle, they're going to suffer. They're going to mix with people who perhaps are on a totally different level. I fought very hard before I did it. It was a challenge.

And then I went to the school it's so happened to be the school that I had gone to when I was a child, people might say the standards have dropped. There are 50 odd children in one class coming from a school where they were only 30. So you adding 20 more. And I went to the school and I visited it, I saw it I met one teacher who's still alive who taught me in grade four in 1984. So she's still alive. She's still at the same school. And she was shocked to see me surprised to see me although I used to visit some time back but with my

All children now, Come, let's see what's going on. I found in every classroom they were two children, sorry, not two children, two teachers, and they were 50 children.

And it was unique in the sense that most of them were local, indigenous children, and my children are looking at me, you mean, we're going to be here and I said, I'd like you to try this. I think it's going to be good. Guess what, they've been in it for more than a year. And they're doing very, very well by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So many other children just like them, followed the example. So many of them followed. And what happened is Subhan Allah, they they they are catered for in terms of the deen, they're allowed to wear their scarves, the young boy is allowed to come out on a Friday for the Salah, and so on. Whatever was important to me, I think it's all addressed.

And at the same time, I'm happy with their progress, I found out that they are far ahead in the syllabus than the school they were. And I'm not saying the school day was bad. It was myself who was finding it difficult for these children here. To keep abreast with the right things. They were falling into the wrong things in the sense that I felt, it's all about gadgets. It's all about what you have, what type of car your dad came to pick you up with. It was all about what type of watch you have, what type of bag you came with, what type of pens and pencils you have, the type of books you have the stationery you have, everything became an issue. And now from the time they started the

school more than a year back. They haven't asked a question. My daughter comes back to me and tells me

Do you know what? I couldn't eat my lunch?

Why? Because so many of these young children don't even have lunch? They don't even have lunch? And I was surprised. I said, wow. But in my mind, I'm saying that hamdulillah? I'm, I'm not happy at the fact that you didn't have the lunch. But I'm glad the two things have happened. One is she learns that not everyone is privileged. Number two is she was modest enough not to take out lunch of just some sandwiches and so on in front of those who didn't have it. So I told her, I said, Why don't you share it with a little group? Why don't you share it with a small group of friends? She said, You know what? I don't even want to take it out. I don't even want to take it. I said no, you must. And

you must learn to share. So anyway,

her pocket money she began to share with the children and her lunch, she began to share with a few and Subhanallah I'm honest, when I say that I've solved one part of the problem. And at the same time we working hard just last night she was sitting with me with mathematics, telling me I need to know how to do this. And I showed her the four sons that she had percentages, how to work, how to do it, and so on. And I told her the two different ways. Luckily, I know meaning, you know, I was it's quite fresh in my mind how to deal with it. And I told her percentages, this is how you do it. You can do it one of two ways, this way or that way. You might say, Well, why didn't the Teacher Teacher

that the concept, to be honest, that school through the school holidays, they had extra lessons for the grade sevens because they're coming out of primary school. And I had taken them on a little holiday. So panela so I was just paying for that holiday by sitting with them and teaching them concepts that they would have learned had they been at the school during the holiday. So Subhanallah it was a good school and everything has happened. Yes. It may not apply in your case exactly as it did in mind. I come from Zimbabwe. Remember, it's a much safer place. Here. We're in South Africa, you have other things to consider. The point being raised is this materialism that was taking over,

took a backseat. So Pamela they don't ask me things. They don't even ask me for a watch. They don't even take their watches to school. And Mashallah they realize that there are so many people out there who are underprivileged, firsthand. Secondly, they've learned the vernacular, the local language, they speak it quite well. Not as good as I do. But Mashallah, it's something that they have picked up. So this, one of the challenges we face, we want to provide the best education for our children, we must provide the best education, but think very hard, where you send your children think very hard about the repercussions of your decisions, your choices. It's not easy, it's

something difficult, and you might have to change as time passes. That having been said, what I've noticed being a marriage counselor, and I'm sure some of you might be marriage counselors as well. The issue of responsibility is diminishing in our youth. They are no longer as responsible as they should be. I don't think some of

us are responsible ourselves. We need to address this matter by becoming responsible ourselves to start with, and this is why uniquely as Muslims go back to the life of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam, to learn, and you will learn something very, very interesting.

Allah subhanho wa Taala did not only send Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam with instructions, but Allah told us that if you follow him as a person, as close as you can, you will automatically be living the best life. So he lived it. From that I learned that the best way of teaching is by example, if I say something, they may not follow it. But if I do something, they will have an example. My little children, the ones that are still, you know, just learn how to talk and so on two and three years old,

when they see us read Salah, and I'm sure it's the case with many of you, if not most of you, when they see you read Salah, they want to read Salah, not because you told them anything. But because they show you do that. When they for example, hear you speak, they want to speak that way.

Not because you told them to speak that way, because they heard you that way. So Pamela, I have a three and a half year old who corrects her sister who is two and a half years old, in such a way that if one was just looking, and I've actually videoed her to keep it in order to show her later on in life.

She's like a little madam. And she'll speak exactly how the mother speaks to her or spoke to him. And it's amazing. You watch and you start saying Subhana Allah, look at Allah telling us with Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam what you have to do is follow his example. lapada gala coochie rasulillah. He has an indeed in Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam in the Messenger of Allah. There is an push to atone Hashanah, there is a beautiful example. That's what it is to follow. There is something to emulate. Let's ask ourselves, truly, are we good enough for someone to follow? If the answer is no, you got to ask yourself another question. Are your children?

If they were to follow you, would they be considered successful? Would they be considered children who are

worth leading, you know, leadership material? As we would say? If the answer is no, please do something about it. Please do something about it. Everyone is trying I am trying as well. It's a struggle. I went out to the West Indies a few weeks ago. And it happened to be school holidays for my children. And I took my son,

the one who's about 15. Now, I took him with me. And he learned a lot not because I told him things he was just watching. He saw how I dealt with issues, how I dealt with matters, you have people who will love you, for every 10,000 people who love you, you will have one hater who is so bad that he might make a bigger noise than all of those. And he witnesses and he sees and he has to see we shield them from a lot of things. But as they grow up, they need to know the reality they need to know the challenges we face and how we deal with them. So yes, at my own cost at my own expense, I took him and Subhanallah the people were kind enough to have accommodated him, you know, they were

good to him, they treated him well. And I told some of the brothers don't give him preferential treatment.

Because if you do, he won't learn. I want him to mix with everyone to see to speak to people, he must learn about their lives. You must learn about what they are doing, why they're doing what they're doing. And that's what happened to Hannah law. And I am sure that if I have other opportunities, I will definitely take more and more of them with.

In fact, there have been people from the general public who have joined me after becoming closed and so on and they say look, can I join you? If you're going for example, here are the ideas. The idea is for them to see what it's all about. People think Oh, you know what it must be, you know, the highlife? No, it's not it's actually very difficult, you know, to prove that I'm not into this materialistic life for my own children. I don't have a watch. I don't have a pen. I don't use cufflinks. I wear the same shoes for the last how many years? I've got similar clothing for how many years and they watch they see. But when you see someone every day they worried about their phones

and they worried about their bags and they worried about their watches and they worried about their makeup. If that's their focus, then I think it's a challenge. Something we need to address. I'm not saying look ugly in walk out in a way that you tatty and you're

Clothes are not aimed and you look like a person who lives in the 60s. No. But what I am saying is, be presentable be, you know, well groomed if, if that's the word. And, you know, be a person who has Mashallah made use of what Allah has blessed him or her with, or, and at the same time, it should send the correct signals to those whom we're trying to nurture. If I were to die today, would I be a person who can say comfortably? That I've left my children with a decent example?

If the answer is yes, and Hamdulillah, if it's No. And I think like I said earlier, we have to work on it. We must work on it. Many of us to panela, we have so much to improve. We're still running behind materialistic items. And at the same time, we want to build a generation. We want people to take on, you know, to take the baton from us. But what have we done? I was this morning, I landed and I had gone somewhere.

And I was speaking to the driver. I told him, I'm going to talk.

And I'm going to be speaking to a group of sisters, and I'm going to be speaking about the challenges facing the youth here in the 21st century. What do you think? What do you think are some of the challenges? Wow, he looked at me and he said, You know better. Anyway,

we got talking now when we were coming here.

He tells me

responsibility. I said yes. responsibility. I said laziness. laziness. I agree. We've become lazy, we have become lazy. What do you expect from our children? Our fathers used to work so hard. What do we do half of it? Half of it? Not even half of it, sometimes a quarter of it? Well, they might be exceptions to that. But generally that's it. And our children are becoming even lazier, we giving them everything on a platter, we are saying that I'm living in order to let my children have a comfortable life, not realizing we've made them so lazy, that when they grow older, they will get used to such a comfortable living, they won't want to work hard because mom or dad gave it to them

on a golden platter. That's what happened. We gave it to them on a golden platter. So we didn't want them to get hurt. So we didn't allow them to play sport. We didn't want them for example, to to be abused in any way. No one wants them to be abused. But what we're saying is the fear of them being told a bad word by someone made us perhaps put them into this shell where they couldn't even deal with matters. If someone were to tell them a bad word. Or if someone were to challenge them, or to say something to them. They didn't like we have to protect our children. I agree. That's not denying meaning we're not denying that we cannot deny it. But it should not be done at the expense of

growing them, you know, helping them to grow in a beautiful way nurturing these beautiful qualities that they're supposed to be having. So we ask Allah Subhana Allah to Allah to grant us the guidance in this particular regard. I also feel that as followers of Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam something absolutely important for us is to be able to develop our connection with Allah subhanho wa Taala because the children a lot of the times we find that the parents are at Salah, the parents are dressed appropriately, but the children are not. The children sometimes are

perhaps

from the same parents getting mixed signals. What are the signals Okay, I've got a scarf on I'm dressed appropriately I read my Salah, don't worry, you're still young. You know what, from a young age, dress them appropriately help them guide them, tell them that you know what this is what it is, we have to nurture the these children in such a beautiful way they must be on our level or higher in every way. They must be on our level or higher, not lower. So the fact that we say all these little girls, I put six daughters Mashallah of my own. And I'm always concerned, I say, you know what, let's not just dress them because we think they're young and address them in in, you know, a little

skirt and something from the beginning they should know their Muslim mean, they should know they have responsibilities, they should dress modestly, they should be able to have this idea of the fact that they are governed by Allah Subhana Allah to Allah rules and not just by society. It's difficult to challenge because when you go to your friend's houses, Mashallah you have these little fairies walking about Mashallah, it's really good. You know, it's not haram to dress them in a sweet way. But don't let them get into the habit of wearing clothing that reveals even their legs from that little age.

Because you will be complaining later on. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us May Allah open our doors,

the issue of

technology and how far it's got

is actually a challenge.

Two days ago, my daughter comes to me and says, we need to write about STDs, STI, S, HIV, and so on. And I need my iPad. Now the, the rule is the iPad comes in the weekend. And it comes for specific hours depending on the brownie points you have, depending on how many stars you have, and so on. So Subhanallah she comes and she says, Look, I need it. I said, Okay, here it is, but you're going to have to sit with us with me or with your mom. And you're going to have to just work in such a way that you googling and you're searching everything you have, while we're sitting nearby. So she said okay, and Mashallah responsible girl, not to say we don't trust them. But at the same time, I don't

trust what she might just see online, you know how dirty it is, I'm sure you know. So it's a challenge. It's a real, it's a really big challenge. And at the same time, we have to make the most of what we have, trying our best to teach them to guide them to instruct them. So Mashallah she looked for all this, it was easy for me to sit with her and tell her all about STDs and HIV and everything else. But I thought to myself, since she said, I'm going to be researching this net, I look for it. And she's reading, and she's writing and so on, taking notes, and Alhamdulillah. Within about one and a half hours, she was done. She was done. And I thought to myself, I said, You know

what, this is technology, it is such a blessing, such a blessing. But at the same time, it is a source of destruction of a lot of relationships, marriages included friendships, and so on. And so many other things because it's all at your fingertips. The evil is at your fingertips, just like the good is at your fingertips. So many people are doing so much good. But there are so many out there who are ready to pounce at our own children to degrade them so that they can abuse them at some stage. And what have we provided these children with, I think a lot of us need to be reminded 20 times to say you know what, stop running behind materialism, get to the real life, become a

responsible person. And my beloved mothers, I owe you an acknowledgement, I definitely do know that you are going through so much to try and look after your children, you are definitely going through so much to strike the balance between your own life and the lives of your children. But that becomes your life. And I do know that we are facing so many challenges with a lot of husbands who are not supportive at all, some of them have bad habits. For me, smoking is considered a terrible habit.

so bad that we need to talk about it. We need to remind people that if the non Muslims are saying that smoking kills, and they they are, you know, campaigning to give up smoking, then we definitely need to give up smoking ourselves.

And I know that there are so many other challenges, we have challenges of mothers in law, I face crises upon crises, trying to deal with so many people's matters. And trust me, Why can we not make people's lives easy? For the sake of Allah make it easy. It's not like what it used to be a long time ago, where you know, you have a daughter in law. So suddenly, you have a slave in the home. Not at all. But then we have the other extreme where you have a problem of the inlaws number one and number two is you have a problem of the daughter in law herself who just doesn't want to check in at all. Not at all. We need to strike a balance Come on, we need to strike a balance. We have these

challenges. Yes, people are becoming educated, even islamically. They saying I don't need to cook I well, nobody's gonna cook them. Because if she says I don't need to cook, you say you don't need to cook. He says he doesn't need to cook them what and what? Even the cook will say I don't need to cook because it's five o'clock, I need to go home. Come on. So we need to compromise somewhere. We need to make each other's lives easy. It will be a sacrifice, we will have to sacrifice. When we grow our job. When we bring our children up, we must make sure that we have told our children that you will need to sacrifice a lot of the times our children just you know, they find their boyfriends

or their girlfriends and a little while later they come to us and they say I want to get married and Subhanallah some people might say Okay, no problem. That's it. You can get married. I don't see an issue with it. But we haven't yet told them that marriage is a very, very big sacrifice. It's a huge sacrifice.

I know of a case where one of the newlyweds wants to go home every weekend. I must go to my folks and the husband says look you can go every second weekend. No, I must go when I want and I must go as I want and as I wish. Well what was the point of getting married? Well, you know what? You can't control my life. I know I can't control your life. But come on. I'm a husband. Yes Your wife and saying go every second weekend. No problem. But every single weekend you want to go well you know what Subhana Allah These are some of the challenges we are facing. We bring

wrote about children, but we didn't tell them. We didn't teach them. They didn't. They looked at us and we kept them in a comfort zone, to the degree that the day they were thrown into the deep end, they didn't know how to swim. And they thought, you know what, it's going to be easy. It's going to be a walk in the park, I can just say, you know, I'm going to tell my dad and I'm going to tell my folks and this marriage is over. One of the challenges we're facing.

So So Panama, my brothers and sisters, it's become so difficult. It's become so difficult to deal with these things. Because we are beauty to start with.

I was going to say sometimes, but should I say, a lot of the times, it's becoming more and more.

How many of us have told our children that you know what, when you marry, it's going to be a big sacrifice and how many of us are ready to sacrifice for our own marriages? How many I know here today, we are probably speaking to a lot of mothers. And we speaking to a lot of perhaps even unmarried sisters who don't have children. May Allah bless you all with the best of marriages, and with the best of children.

But that having been said, it's a challenge, we need to tell them exactly what it is. And we need to sacrifice ourselves. Do you know how beautiful thing is to get to your mother in law to greet her to smile at her to present her with a gift or two once in a while, when you must be sitting and thinking well, I'm in love with her. I live with her, okay, okay? Even if you live with her, Mashallah try and make peace. Sometimes you can ignore things that are bad, yes, if there's a terrible crisis, we will want to solve it and resolve it. But it doesn't mean that the marriage must be broken. I know for a fact

that the gift of living with in laws,

I'm calling it a gift. But the gift of living with in laws is only appreciated when you have children. And when you see the good that's inculcated in those children from the qualities that these all these happen to bring forth.

Not in all cases, not in all cases, sometimes. Some of them are ridiculously unreasonable. In that particular case, you can exercise your rights, you can make a little bit of annoys I know marriages that have broken sometimes, because people wanted to take the wrong sides. And whatever else you cannot side with oppression, never. You can never side with oppression. But what I do know is that we can solve problems, we can try our best to resolve matters and issues. So my mothers and sisters, that's one of the challenges that we face. And like I said, if we develop ourselves, we will definitely be able to address these matters, we will definitely be able to help our own children and

ourselves.

But my mothers and sisters, let's move beyond this. And let's go to something that I should have perhaps started with, but I didn't intentionally because I wanted to bring up materialism before anything else. I feel it's one of the biggest crises, one of the challenges we are facing. We have also facing my brothers and sisters at distance from Allah subhanho wa Taala we think we can solve all our problems with money. That's when we think we think we can solve all our problems with power, with position with who you know, these are worldly matters. The truth is we solve our problems by our connection with Allah subhanho wa Taala even if I don't have a lot, the truth is I will be able

to achieve contentment if I'm close to Allah. Everyone has problems. You look at me and you think I don't have challenges. I have huge challenges. I have people who perhaps don't even want to see me alive. Mashallah. And why not? Because I said anything nasty, just because they don't want to see someone maybe who's successful in some way. The same will happen to you people don't want to see your success. Perhaps every single person that we have with us this morning has challenges some really difficult problems issues. That's why we always when we make it to our we say Oh Allah help everyone in their own way. Whatever difficulties they are facing, help them we all have sicknesses,

illnesses, some are more serious than others. If I were to tell you I'm coming from a hospital right now, because I wasn't well for the last two whole weeks. And I've got a trip this evening going to Qatar and tomorrow morning. As soon as I land. I've got two programs, one at a school and one a function for a group of sisters as well.

May Allah make it easy for us all challenges and on top of that, you have people trying to make your life difficult. You have issues we may have, you know, so many different types of problems, but that's life. You got to be happy smile. It's beautiful. That's what it's all about. It's a challenge. It's like an obstacle. You know, I know people who are into cycling I know people who are into for example.

Golf I know be okay. Golf is the easy one. Let's not talk about it. I know people who are into athletics who are into rugby. And guess what, it's a challenge. It's it's something it's a race against time and at the same time, you're trying to improve a lot of you must be

Some had a lot into health right into your, your shape and your, your size and at the same time, your food what you're eating, you want to go to the gym I hope it's a halaal gym inshallah, but you want to go to the gym Alhamdulillah very good. Don't you think for a moment that whatever you're doing to keep fit is very difficult. It's a challenge. Why didn't I just say eat and drink and when you say so Panama, Panama, you start shedding. You start shedding. You know, if that was the case, we would be reading the space every day, all day because as you're seeing some heinola you're losing weight pambula you losing weight? Oh, we would say Subhana Allah Subhana Allah Subhan Allah Subhana

Allah Subhana Allah and we would stand on the scale and say some kind of Allah. Yes. It's not that easy. It's Allah subhanho wa Taala was telling you even to shell a kilo, there is an effort required. It's a challenge. It's depressing sometimes to look at the scale it is depressing because on one hand, you have lovely food and you want to be a chef and you want to impress and you want to have nice food and you want to go out to eat but the other hand so Allah, you know what you are so worried about your weight and you have to do something about it. And you in fact, if you if you are in shape Mashallah you worried about losing that? I shouldn't be losing this.

I've worked hard to achieve it. I want to ask you a question. So if you've worked hard so much to achieve this in terms of your your figure or your health, Mashallah, it was good. Don't you feel so good? Yes, you do? Well, to get to Allah, you're gonna have to work even harder. You're gonna have to work even harder. It's a challenge to get up for Salah. It's a challenge to dress appropriately. The problem with us is sometimes when we are in shape, shape man comes to us and wants us to show that now. Now I'm in shape. So what? No one knows. Your husband knows. That's not good enough, isn't it? That's what shape man comes in Dallas. He comes in tell us, surely others should know about it.

Come on, you need to show him something tight. With something revealing Come on, everyone needs to see and say wow, because I worked so hard. I need acknowledgement and appreciation that shape I'm coming to you. And that's one of the challenges we face today. Where we want to do things against what Allah wants in order for us to be acknowledged by others. And then acknowledgement leads to something else because you get acknowledged then you come back home and your husband forgets to acknowledge and then you start thinking to myself to yourself, you know what, somebody else is appreciating me and he doesn't that shape, shape, coming again and again. So Mashallah, you achieved

one thing, but you losing on the other front. So my brothers and sisters, what's important for us to know is developing the link with Allah is a challenge. The reason why I gave this example is people are ready to work so hard to be able to cycle to be able to run to be able to lose weight, they really do work so hard to do things to follow a strict regime to follow a strict diet. But when it comes to Allah, we're not ready to work even half as hard. I'm happy because I feel healthy, you don't know you're going to die. One second, after you've closed your eyes, you're going to need help, I hope that none of your exercise none of your wealth, none of anything else would have

actually, or we'll be able to, it won't be able to come to your assistance at that point. But I tell you what, if you used it in the right direction, and if you did not compromise your link with Allah subhanho wa Taala, then indeed, you will be a person who's really happy, you will be a person who will be have gained the world and the hereafter.

That's what we all want. I am a person I believe in a balance. If you take a careful look at the Internet, there are people who say don't use it. That's ridiculous. I have to use it.

There are people who say this social media stay far away from him. Yes, it's easy for me to say stay away from social media. But it's ridiculous because the reality on the ground is something else.

I can say it, but I need WhatsApp WhatsApp is part of social media. Do you know that? I can say it. But I need for example, sometimes,

you know, to keep in touch, there's nothing wrong. I need to be in a group. You know, people become bored because they don't have things to do today. You can join an online group and you're part of a group you don't need to meet in person. But it's a support group, for example, for cancer and AIDS. That's what we have today. Why am I here? Because I support the cause. And at the same time, SubhanAllah. It could be an online group where you talk to each other, you motivate each other you have problems you discuss things. I know when I'm going through something, a lot of the times I'll Google it, I had a pain in my back the ones and I started Googling why this pain would come and I

got such a beautiful response from so many different websites. And I actually managed to get to the diagnosis of it. And the problem was solved after a period of time. I got stretches and exercises on YouTube. I started following them and I started making sure that I did it and honestly I'm talking to myself. I helped myself

Through What? Through the same internet, and you know what, interacting with people they put it up on their social media and their websites and Mashallah person like me benefited from it. So what I've tried to do is to strike a balance to strike a balance. We are religious we do fulfill our five Salah, we are people who have learned a lot about the deen, we don't want to compromise it. We do make mistakes once in a while, we are people who commit sin because we are human being when I say sin, there are different levels of sin, obviously. But at the same time, we want to as as you know, as Muslim as we are, we want to make sure that we don't present a picture to the youth of today

that in order to be a good Muslim, you must be divorced from the rest of the world, and all technology and everything to do with materialism and all accessories. And every handbag in the minute you have one. You cannot be a good Muslim. No, we want to teach them you can be balanced. That's what we want to teach. And this is the reason why I've used social media the way I have. People say, Well, why are you on Instagram.

And I tell them, You know what it's in order to show the young children or the youth of today that you can be a Muslim, you can be a good Muslim, and you can have a little bit of fun. I know there are problems and crises across the globe. I know of Syria I know of Palestine, I know of Afghanistan. I know of Somalia, I know Philippines, I know of everything that's happening. I know. And I keep abreast and at the same time, I make dua for them, I help wherever I can. I've supported causes in so many different ways. I've helped raise funds in order to reach out to refugees and those who are struggling, I've helped in my own way. But I know people will never be satisfied. They

always want you to do things the way they want no live your life, the way you have to live in, you strike the balance, you have a family, you have so many other things, and you need to be religious, but at the same time, they need to have fun, I need to take my children sometimes out it doesn't mean that because the world is suffering in Syria, my children must be blocked at home and they must sit in the room and locked, that's it doesn't mean that I will definitely reach out to them, I will teach my children about it, I will take my children, I will make them give away some of their own things out of their pocket money and so on. But I will also let them have a little bit of fun. I

don't get so much of time with my children. So I will take them. So that's the reason why I will show on social media. A few things. I know a lot of people have picked on me because perhaps I've done things that others might not have. They say no, you're supposed to be a scholar. Yes, yes, definitely. You're supposed to teach you learn more and from me, you learn from me, you learn from me. And at the same time you learn that you need to have a bit of fun. Sometimes you need to really take your family go out, have a meal, enjoy it, go and have, you know, going do something daring if that's the type of person you are, Mashallah there's nothing wrong with it. Absolutely nothing.

These are challenges when we decide to tell the youth that you need to divorce yourself from what's going on on the globe, we've created a group of people who are not real people, they either hypocrites, or they are people who keep on looking at others in wishing and wanting and at the same time they're not getting so they develop bad habits. They get into pornography, they get into, you know, so many other bad things. pornography is a disaster. It's a disaster. But why do people go into it? I did a lot of studying I've mixed with people who are gurus when it comes to teaching people how to get out of these types of bad habits and and you know, get counseling them and so on,

and having workshops, I've met some people on a global level who are powerful in this regard. And they tell me, I don't mind do something physical, you know, my child had bought for him a little small helicopter, the size that you know, one of the smallest. This is the smallest in the world. Not so expensive. So panel, and a few days ago, he was playing with it. And he was saying this is awesome. And he's flying it inside that hinders it. And I'm thinking to myself hamdulillah This is far better than sitting on your iPad. You know, the games of today are a challenge. They killing people. Computer Game, the more you kill, the more points you get. I fail to understand why they

don't make a game where the more lives you save, the more points you earn. I haven't seen that. It should be but someone somewhere is serving an agenda and a purpose. And we're getting caught we just buy them the game. I want this game I want the game where did they learn about it from school to school ready to get it from the TV from wherever else all the pressure, but know something physical when they do something and you acknowledge them and you know something beautiful.

So take them out, but you're going to have to spend time with them. I know you must be saying tell our husbands The reality is they will hear what I've said they will hear it. Definitely

the husband husbands, we need to spend time with our family members. Time is one of the most valuable things it's far more valuable than throwing 1000

rounds of 20,000 rounds at someone,

if you want to build them, spend time with them. That's what it is, I am here this morning spending time with you, I could have just sent it to you and told you you know what, play this No, it's important. I'm here personally, myself, I'm here. And I've decided let's talk about it. This is a cause one of the challenges we are facing is also the AIDS and, and diseases that people are perhaps affected with, not to say that we shouldn't be doing something about helping those who are affected. But we should also be talking about how it is spread. And how we can prevent a lot of us are guilty of not talking about it. Sometimes we are guilty of misbehaving sexually, it's a reality. It's a

fact May Allah protect us all we are living in a hyper sexual age, there is no need to deny them. It's a reality. A lot of us are hooked on to pornography, and we want to help the world.

So like I say, when you live a real life, you will face challenges. People might look at you and think you know what, why is this person doing this, we need to strike a balance a balance between

what's happening on the ground.

And this understanding it doing something about living your life, fulfilling your responsibilities to Allah and to your family. And at the same time trying to make sure that when you die, you go to a good place, and those whom you leave behind will be left behind in a good place as well.

What a big challenge, what a big challenge Panama, may Allah make it easy for us. So I recall the difference between Facebook the way I use it, and

Twitter the way I use it, and Instagram the way I use it, and Snapchat, the way I use it, I can quickly let you know because it's part of the challenge.

Facebook, I've normally tried to keep it clean a message a day. for Muslims, for non Muslims, if they look at it, it's coming from a Muslim leader. So I don't need to say that, Oh, you know what, this is a teaching of Islam, the fact that it's coming from someone like me, even the non Muslims would know this has something to do with Islam, and it's something to do with Islamic religion. Secondly, when it comes to Twitter the same so we've tried to keep it short, so that it's 140 characters, it fits here, it fits there because I don't have the time to create a message three, four times a day to fit here and another one which is longer for Facebook. So if the both go there,

I cannot interact with everyone I have admin that actually looks at it. And they happen to be family members of mine and a few others. And they happen to help me for the sake of Allah subhanho wa Taala from the Knights good. So what happened to Instagram? Well, Instagram, many years ago, I heard about it and I thought to myself, you know what? It's not for me, because you got to put photos, the photos, then I thought to myself, no, it's not just photos, I can create an image and write a message on that image. And that can be the image I can pull it up because Instagram is just to put up pictures

and little videos. So what happened is I started taking some of these posts and converting them myself myself by searching, googling for images. And if you Google for an image in Arabic, it's very interesting because you find images that others might not have seen Subhanallah You see, and then your messages in English. So now you you have a say for example, His message last night. I searched on Google I'm going to tell you what it was it was about sadness. We spoke about being sad. And I just before eyes I slept at midnight almost I googled hi Xenon didn't what does that mean very sad. And then I said if no one has seen and then I found an image and I saw four or five images so I

asked my wife which image is better I thought one was a little boy was better he thought the one was a little girl was better and I said okay, I'm going to take this should I put the you know the writing on the on the side or the top and bottom she said the previous one was top and bottom. So I suggest you do it in the middle and I did it in the middle and I put it up and I know that people on the globe would appreciate it so many people are there Why am I doing this because the children are there the youth are there they on Instagram they sitting going check they like it before you've actually posted it. I don't know how that works. But before I can refresh my page there's already

two three likes, where did you come from?

But that's how they are so because they are there it's my responsibility and duty to get to where they are people say yes come to the masjid for a program go to Mashallah this Suleiman Nana Memorial forum for a program Yes, correct. We can only fit a certain number, this talk will probably be watched by 20,000 people in no time online Subhan Allah if Allah wills and if it's done properly.

So now, if you take a careful look at technology, there's no point in me saying that I'm not going to use it because you're not allowed to use it when I'm a responsible

person to create leaders or to help people to come out of their shell and to learn something about the deen when they're just using it for dunya for the world, so I'll come out and I'll tell them, I'll give them a good message, they will be proud to associate with someone who's balanced. Why? Because they know it's not an embarrassment if my Muslim non Muslim friends see that the quotations of this person I'm following, they will know that you know what, this is a lovely, lovely, lovely way of life. Beautiful. I'm not going to say something embarrassing. I'm not going to say something dirty. I'm not going to say that quit your life, you know, get a life. Forget about perfume and

makeup and everything else, throw it away. I'm only going to teach you how to balance yourself, balance it, we don't seem to be doing it's a realistic approach. It's not an idealistic approach. It's a realistic approach. So basically, after that you find like the other day

and I'm just telling you this because it's a challenge, and I'm telling it to you because I'm hearing person to talk to you. The other day I was at I was in Port Elizabeth and I went to quantum Game Reserve Mashallah beautiful place, I was there just for a day, they wanted me to stay longer, but I couldn't because I didn't have the time. So what happened is we went to feed the elephant sighs feeding the elephants and they took the one of the game Rangers told me one of the guys they the trainer's told me you know what, don't use your right hand. I used my right hand. They said no, use your left because it's safer for you. It's more protective in case something happens you got to

go or whatever else you have more maneuvering, you're a right handed person, whatever their explanation was. So I use the left and I decided you know what, I'm going to put this up on Instagram, short video short, few seconds. Why?

Just so that people know being religious is not being boring. You don't have to be a boring person. Some people think you're religious. That's it. You sit in the masjid in that seat.

Not being boring. I want the young people to come towards religion. That's the dream. I want them to come. It's a challenge we're facing and how to bring them if they see, okay, it's interesting, I can be a religious person and look, wow, I can enjoy myself. That's the way so there are so many people across the globe who might have wanted to do this. And they're gonna say, hey, I need to do this. And guess what? So I put it up. And Mashallah, you get hundreds of beautiful comments, lovely people commenting. And a little while later, my son says, You see, somebody says, You're not a proper Muslim. Say, what do you mean? Because you're feeding the elephant with your lifts?

It's so easy for me to answer that and say, Look, we are told this is the truth, we are told to feed ourselves with the right as for how you feed in an animal, there's no rules in Islam about that. So it was easy for me to argue. But guess what, I decided to explain

by doing what, by putting up another clip of

me feeding with the right earlier on, you know, earlier on when I was still learning, if you notice, I quickly took my hand out because I was a little bit scared. Some of you who might have seen I'm sure a lot of you would have seen it because most of us would probably know what Instagram is all about. And you probably have accounts that I just hope we're all doing the right thing on there. Mashallah. So, when that happened, then you can hear this guy in the background say, use your left hand. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much. So what happened? I had to explain myself, when I wasn't the typical Mawlana, who comes and says, Listen, guys, you got to, you got to know that if

you don't trust me, they just shut up and get out. That's not how it works anymore. It doesn't work. Like you got to explain you got to talk. You sometimes I have said I'm sorry. When I when I know that I wasn't wrong, just to sort the problem out. I'm sorry. It's okay. Oh, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have done that. I should, you know, I, I perhaps will improve next time. Thank you so much. Thank you for your input, and so on. Sometimes, it's good to listen. Like when I when I attend functions, I always tell the volunteers, please email me

telling me where I went wrong. Because that's how I want to improve. And when they email me telling me where I went wrong, I get that email. And you know what? I respond to it. I reply. And thank you so much. I appreciate your comment. And I appreciate the correction and I will take it and you will notice the next time.

Give you an example. Can I tell you? Did you notice I spoke about mothers in law today. And what did I say? A few seconds later. I said, Look, some of the daughters in law are also to blame. Did you hear me say that? Guess why? Last week someone sent me an email a long email telling me You've lasted us enough. What about the daughters in law? There are some of them are like this and like this. So there is an exception. When people are generally good shape man is bad. It's not that there are some mothers in law who are absolutely amazing. I've come across daughters in law sons in law who will say I wouldn't trade this mother in law for anything on Earth. Mashallah goals. That's why

I'd like to be one day. Soon when I my father in law, they must say wow, talk man. You know, I don't want to be a pain.

Some fathers in law mothers in law so dominating controlling as though they're the ones who got married, it's like you got married to them that's what it is. But then you have the other side of the coin needs to be spoken about sons daughters in law are such that they come in all ready you know ready for a rugby match you know they've come in with the, the T the guards you know the mouth guards and everything, the bandage around the head and they want to just fight that's not what you're there for. They're not all you know, not all mothers in law that sometimes if the mistake is on the other side, it's a sacrifice. It's something great it's something that we need to face in

such a way that when I leave this world have lifted a better place and I've gone to a better place like I said, one second after you close your eyes, you know what you're going to need the amount of sacrifice that you've made for the sake of Allah. Where's your Salah, my mothers and sisters Where's your Salah today we came here on time why we want to listen to talk or to what about our Salah if you missed fudger Today he wasted it

Are we ready inshallah to change that? I hope and I pray we can.

inshallah we all should improve myself included. Sometimes Salah time comes and we dilly dallying, we're going you know, we're doing something else. I'll do it just now. Don't say just now please fulfill it. It's a challenge. You know why today there's no barakah in time. There's no blessings in time anymore. In the sense that before we could get five things done in the morning and they'd still be an hour left. today. You and I know one thing you're about to do and your morning is almost over. It's a fact it's a sign of dm

Masha Allah May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us all. And may Allah grant us all

goodness and ease. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us improve ourselves and then help us to help others to improve as well. So these are just some of the challenges that we are facing. I want to spend the last few moments speaking about AIDS. And speaking about cancer,

any disease from Allah subhanho wa Taala. If a person has been affected by it, it is a means of them gaining closeness to Allah, they will get closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala definitely. But what we do need to know is as we are getting closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala. And we are improving. We need to seek medication, we need to seek help I know of people who are seeking healing, they don't want to seek help. And I know of people who are sick and ill and the others look at them. And they say this person, they must have been so bad. They deserve it. You know, especially when we talk about AIDS, something I need to clarify. I've met some of the most pious people who've passed away

with a smile. And they've had AIDS.

You might wonder how, because they became pious, after they had the disease. It was Allah's way of saying, and some of them got contracted through it through innocent means blood transfusion and various other means sometimes, you know, contamination of some sort. It doesn't mean they were ill ill and evil people No, not at all. And it could be that they made a mistake and they got it by one mistake. There are others who committing adultery day and night, but they don't have the disease. I hope you understand what I'm saying. So it doesn't make you a bad person. Those who have aids are not bad people. Sometimes they are closer to Allah than you and I because they know they're going

for example, or they know that they're going to be struggling. So they are closer to Allah than you and I. And we look at them. And we think you know what? These people are bad. They evil. I've heard people with my own ears and I've got so upset when they've said they deserved it. Why are you going to help them they deserved it. A stone if you don't love if that was the attitude? No, none of us would go to Paradise. These people are reading Salah, they're crying to Allah for forgiveness, they die knowing that they're going with us we die with a panic sometimes who knows we could be affected by this. We could be if Allah once he can affect us with an even worse disease. There is Zika going

on in South America at the moment. I was in South America now then the other day in Ghana.

And I was thinking about it and I'm busy. I'm looking at the mosquitoes and seeing out you know the Zika

because that's how it works.

We don't know it's Allah Who knows. Don't for one moment think that the person who has AIDS is an evil person, perhaps they're closer to Allah than you are. It's up to you to reach out to them. When you reach out to someone with a disease. Allah will help you be saved from the same disease. Did you know that?

Why am I here? People might be saying it's so hard to get this guy across No way. I told the people who contacted me Look, if you can fit into my time, I don't mind I'll be here. It's not like I'm the only guy but okay. Bismillah let's talk to each other. Let's help each other if it's for a good cause. Why not? Why not brilliant cause careline handler what a good job they're doing. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant him strength and anyone who's helping any good cause May Allah subhana wa Taala guide you may Allah accept it from you in a way

You don't suffer the same thing that you are helping others come out of the suffering from.

So let's reach out to people can a love of young will Abdi Makana lab to fee a fee Allah continues to help his slave for as long as that person is occupied and helping someone else.

So that's why we're here. And I think it's about time we understood some of the most pious people when I say pious, I mean, I've seen people with a lot of mood with a smile on their face, but they seek in the ear, and you can see that they're on their way out, so to speak, in the bed in the hospital, a few more days left, perhaps sometimes we don't know. But the doctors say so. And after that, you see they've passed away, they pass away with a smile, every one of us is going to go anyway. Some of the healthier people die even before those who are diagnosed with these terminal illnesses and sicknesses. So let's reach out to them. Let's donate generously. Let's give even if it

means a Rand or 10 or 20 or 100. I always say when it comes to eating out, when it comes to nightclubs, when it comes to gambling, when it comes to haram when it comes to adultery when it comes to an illicit relationship. We are quick to blow a lot of money. We won't look at the note. But when it comes to a charitable deal,

we are looking at every cent or you know, are you allowed to give us a cap Can I give Linda Can I brilliant these questions are good there are there they shouldn't be asked but it shouldn't be out of stinginess that we're asking the question. It should be out of generosity, that we're asking the question be generous giver, malata sama, lumen sandata. The prophet SAW Selim says nobody's wealth has ever depleted because of a charity they've given. It's always increased. So let's learn to give May Allah bless you, both the sisters who are working dedicatedly, and I'm sure all of you are doing good work in one way or another.

And the brothers also involved those who are here, those who are not here, those who may listen to this later on my brothers and sisters, let's do something to reach out to those who are sick and Ill in any way. We have children who are challenged. We have adults who are going through so many different types of difficulties reach out to them Allah will reach out to you and Allah subhanho wa Taala will bless you. I know when I walked in here, they told me you must speak for the whole hour, even though you started at a slightly different time. And I said don't worry, I'll give you the whole hour. Guess what? I've given you a bonus of two minutes and 30 seconds as well. And Allah

subhanho wa Taala bless you guys and Allah subhanho wa Taala open your doors please can you enjoy the meal inshallah or the light lunch that's going to be served and at the same time make do for me I make dua for you. Allah subhanho wa Taala bless you all, desert Kamala Harris shukran for your attentiveness, there were a lot of things that I had planned to say. But Alhamdulillah normally what I do is I come in and even what I've planned to say I just let myself flow because sometimes a lot makes us say things that are relevant to people on the spur of the moment. And we haven't we hadn't even planned to say those things. So I like to let it flow to make it more you know, appealing or to

make it more riveting so to speak. And I hope I was looking at the right camera here there are a few of them so I wasn't so sure where to look but at the same time, inshallah I hope I've looked at the right cameras, and please pray for us all reach out to the rest of the oma there are so many people suffering so many challenges. We've only touched one or two. But May Allah bless our children and the youth and all of us. I promise that I will become a better person as time passes. And I hope you can join me in that promise. sallallahu wasallam albaraka and Amina Mohammed. So Hello Can the use of panic alarm or the handing and shadow Lola islands and stuff will go on into the lake