Youth in a Daze, Lost in a Maze
Date:
Channel: Mufti Menk
File Size: 29.69MB
Episode Notes
Colombo, Sri Lanka
AI Generated Transcript ©
Amina Shani Ponyo Jean Bismillah nanavati
to Moodle fukao va Long Long
He used
to be called
JD
in
in
the NFC war no more mostly woman is
asleep sleep
in LA use me roomie
boo boo in
NaVi
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 wa viene momento de la Medina. We praise Allah subhanho wa Taala we send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam May Allah bless him and all his household, all his companions, may Allah subhanho wa Taala, bless them and all those who have struggled through the years to preserve the dean and to conveyed in a way that today it has got to us, may Allah bless every single one of us and our offspring, those to come up to the end of time, may Allah bless us all, and grant us ease and goodness. I mean,
my beloved brothers and sisters in Islam, the youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Without you, we have no hope in the sense that generations pass. As we become older, we look upon our own children to take leadership, we look upon our own children or the next generation to hold the reins of that leadership in every sphere of life, in every aspect. So if a father is a doctor, for example, as he grows older, he would like to look at his son, at least one of them he would hope would follow his footsteps. The same would apply if a father has perhaps excelled in some field. He would like his children, maybe perhaps, to at least one of them.
Follow that particular field or his footsteps. I hope it is the case in sha Allah, where we are the role models of our own children. So the youth, the youth is the future by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala This is why so many times we have a topic concentrating on the youth. And we have youth programs and we have for example, the youth May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us as they have labeled it today is the actual topic if you were to read it, it says youth in a daze Am I right? Lost in a maze. When I saw that. I looked at it and I said Subhana Allah, this clearly shows all the glamour of the world, that which is dazzling around us. When we look into it, we become dazed for a
while and we think that's where we should be heading. Similar to sometimes this isn't it.
I'm giving it doesn't mean we've all fallen. Sometimes you have a bright light. And you know the little locusts and the moths, they dive straight into the lights. They don't even know where they are heading, they actually fly straight into that light. Even if it is a fire, sometimes they will actually fly straight into it and hurt themselves or harm themselves as a result. So why is it we talk about youth all the time, because it is our duty,
to look at our children to look at the generation and to try and help them steer their energies in a direction that would be beneficial for them, and would result in them becoming leaders very quickly. Because when you use your energies at a young age, in a certain direction, you will perhaps achieve much more than those who are now older and weathering May Allah subhanho wa Taala, grant us strength. I mean, so this is why we like to speak about the youth, we have hope when you see a nation and the youth are doing well. They are protected from the the night life. And that is one of the most important points to protect ourselves from as we are growing, the hormones begin to change,
you have the adolescent issues, the problems that are faced because so much is available the last two days, we've been talking about how so many things that are wrong, are actually so easy to commit and engaging. But what is right is not so easy to do. That's the plan of Allah. This is why he who works hard will achieve he who does not work hard, how does he or she expect to achieve men that watch other woman limited damaging whoever works very hard, shall achieve. And those who do not work hard, they cannot blame anyone but themselves they will not be able to achieve. So my brothers and sisters, we've been talking about it. And by the will of Allah I hope that we are achieving
something like I say, if you do not make a very great effort to get up in the morning for Salah you will not be able to get up. So as the hormones begin to change, and the energy is begin to develop. And you start eating a little bit more healthy and you have more food, your muscles develop a lot of the youth now would like to develop their muscles so that they look big and strong. And when they look strong, they can walk in a way that everyone looks at them. You know what I'm a man, I'm someone that needs to be looked at, considered and acknowledged, oh, that's the youth. So everyone has this, to the degree that we will even fight someone else who might be more popular than us. We
might find someone else at the school or the college or elsewhere that has something that we don't have just because we want to stamp our authority we have we are young. Now imagine everyone thinks in the same way how many youth we have. Everyone wants to be the top. Everyone wants to be right at the top. But the problem is we want to be right at the top whilst we sleep blazingly up to 11 o'clock in the morning.
Take a look at your parents. And this is point number one. Look at your parents and look at their humble beginnings in most cases, how they struggled some could not afford shoes, some not even school fees. Look at your grandparents were what was their condition. Perhaps they lived in a house that was semi standard that which you might not even want to visit today. But they lived in it. They worked hard. Some of them in the farms. Some of them wherever else they worked from the morning, right up to the evening. They worked very hard. And they continued in one job for 50 years continued. They struggled. They left a mark What did they want to achieve? They wanted to achieve
two things one is the service of Allah Subhana Allah to Allah come what may we will serve Allah we will not miss our Salah we will try to develop that link with Allah and the other is
leading a comfortable life preparing for our future and now offspring. My beloved youth, if you look at your own guardians and your own parents, they work so hard to earn a salary to do what to send you to school, do you know that? So your father is living or your mother is living or the two of them are living, they are earning, they are working so hard morning to evening they are doing their deals or for example they go to work and come back just so that the same time you spend in school and the fees are no joke. They are quite high. They are becoming higher and higher. Today I was told of the rivalry between St. Thomas and Royals May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us goodness. But the
reality is whether that is the case, we sometimes take for granted the fact that dad has worked so hard. Yeah, I am at school. am I working even half as hard? That's a question. So are we ready to put in an effort to make sure that that money is not going to waste
otherwise we'll be in a daze. We just dad comes in dropped me off with his Mercedes Benz when I walk out I'm so happy because I'm the only one whose dad has the top Porsche vehicle
If that's the case, what do you think you're going to achieve in terms of result at the end of the year, the children of others will come and talk.
You need to work harder, very hard work. Without hard work we achieve nothing. We remain in a day's life looks like that which is supposed to just achieve everything. Beautiful and everything that dazzles and everything that glitters, like they say not all that glitters is gold. The reality is, you have people who lead a very happy life, where they've been working so hard, they don't have half the things that you have my beloved youth.
I have seen in the rural areas of Africa, where there are people who walk miles on end going to school barefoot, and they work so hard, they come back, they achieve better results than those in the cities. It happens.
And I have seen those who work in their fields, and who plow even in this age, because without those who plow How will the farm actually produce you need someone to do that yet, if you were to look carefully at them, they also achieve good results at school. They achieved a lot. They worked really hard. But this is Allah subhanho wa Taala with us, a lot of us have it laid on the plate. Our parents have already laid it for us without us looking at what the parents have actually been through in order to get it for us. And this is why a generation passes two generations pass and sometimes the wealth is lost. In some cases, the wealth is lost. And sometimes two generation passes
and the people who could not afford shoes and school fees, they have now become so wealthy, that the tables have turned completely it has happened and it continues happening. But with us whilst we are growing up that adolescent age remember one thing your parents are still your parents they will remain your parents, when they admonish you it is not because they hate you. It is because they love you. They love you so much. But perhaps they do not like the quality that you are beginning to develop. Some youngsters as they grow, they begin to learn bad words. The first time you hear the child bad word, oh, grade seven, grade seven, he starts swearing his first F's and B's. Yes, that
doesn't stand for Facebook. I've told you that before.
And he starts swearing. And the dad is shocked my son, but I haven't sown. And some some of the dads are innocent. Some of them may Allah protect us not innocent. They also have even more swear words to say But dad use when he says I'm allowed. You're not allowed. You're not a daddy, it will protect us. That's a bad attitude. So we want to see the youth develop as parents we do need to be the role models of our children like we always say shame upon those parents who have not left their bad habits and they've already got children shame upon them. A lot of us we get married. And we don't even know what marriage is all about. We have children before we have grown up. In reality. We have
children before we know what responsibility is when we complain when they are not responsible children.
But it's important as you were growing with these energies, direct them in that which is beneficial long term benefit. So the first thing you need is good company make sure as you're growing and you're young, grade five, grade six, and you are developing from one form to in some places of the world. They call it grade seven and eight and so on. Believe me as we are growing and developing high school at the age of 1213. Make sure that your friends are immaculate people who are well disciplined, well groomed, they speak with respect they utter clear language. They are dedicated they work hard and they are go getters who want to achieve that is when it will be made easy for you
to be focused. Very easy, because if we mix with people who are lazy every Friday they want to party then we have really lost the plot. Many young people live thinking that life is all about earning for five days of the week and partying for the other two.
So we earn for five days and party come Friday night we are out in the clubs. Come Friday night we were our little skirts and we have our perfume and we go out whether it's motorbikes whether it's little motor vehicles and we want to race around the street and late at night, some getting the habits of drinking and drugs and so on. Believe me, that is really what we would call youth in a daze. Really, in the days you don't even know what life is all about. You need to continue look, Allah subhanho wa Taala will never, ever will never ever keep you young forever. We know that today I saw a little caption and it says
every photograph you have taken of yourself.
You need to remember is a younger version of you.
Even if you take it right now photograph, look at it on your phone. That's the younger version of you. It was
Five seconds ago.
That means you are becoming old. So if you take a photograph of yourself, it was what you looked like not not what you look like right now, the only time you know what you look like now is when you look into the mirror, that's all.
But once it's snapped, it's now already a second old, two seconds old, a day, two days old, and so on. So what's the idea, you are becoming older, and you know what the circle means to continue. The generation needs to go as the babies are born to parents. So you will become those babies will become parents and they will also have little babies. And then those who are babies who became parents will soon become grandparents, and will have grandchildren who will then become parents. And those parents will then become grandparents and will have other grandchildren. And sometimes if you're lucky, great grandchildren, whereas some of them will be orphans. And then they continue,
they will die off a new generation comes up. They are new babies with new little children who then become teenagers then get to the age of marriage. And I hope they get married properly. mela grandpa's goodness and ease. and thereafter they will have their own kids and so on. Look at how it just continues. I can go on and on. But that's the circle. So fulfill your role because we need you to complete that circle. We need you desperately and we need good people. And that is who you are. That is what we expect of you, my beloved youth. Tomorrow we want one of you to be getting up and to be delivering the sermon where we can talk to people on their level. And we can try and explain to
people look you are loved by Allah subhanho wa Taala. So acknowledge that love.
All of us, every one of us, we are loved by Allah. But the problem is we do not reciprocate that love sometimes, oh we do not acknowledge it.
Allah loves you, you need to love Allah subhanho wa Taala by doing what minimum is just listen to him, listen to what he has to say. And believe me if you listen to what Allah has to say, because he made me and you he will actually guide you in such a way that you have the best of this world and the next, the best. The problem with us, we are so lazy, we look at people who are, you know, enjoying the life and believe me, there are people who have converted their life into singing and all dancing. Allah has kept it such that those and this is this is some broad statement I'm about to make. A law has kept it such that those who have chosen a life
full of entertainment alone, their lives are in a mess. I repeat what I'm saying those whose life is solely entertainment, their lives are in the mess. You can pick up any one of those who have dedicated their lives to perhaps singing and dancing and acting and so on. A lot of these people, they are slightly depressed sometimes completely depressed, sometimes on booths, you might get a handful who are the exception, but those who are the top brass a lot of them had need a lot of help. They go for the help they have the little shrinks that they go to, you know what's the shake, like a psychiatrist psychologist those who deal with their minds and brains, yet to the whole world they
look wow this person is so gorgeous. Look at what they look like look at the acting they do look at the songs they sing look at the life they have. They have the nightlife they have this but their lives are in a mess. I don't even want to say their names I have said them in the past.
Their lives are in a mess. So why is it kept that way. Whereas the most content of the lot of those who are spiritual, those who have a link with Allah they need such a beautiful life. They walk in barefoot but they are smiling from ear to ear and they have such joy and comfort you see them with their children playing they don't need to make a show of it. Because really there is a genuine relation between them and their children. May Allah subhanho wa Taala granted to us. So we choose and this is why we are not saying that entertainment is not permissible in Islam there are limits within which we can enjoy as well that is life. But remember that is not the main aim of this dunya
you want to go out perhaps to have a meal, you might want to go out to a theme park with your little children and so on, bear in mind the etiquettes of a Muslim and bear in mind the the morality the values that a Muslim is supposed to be having and then you can continue so you make sure you eat halal. And you make sure you try to go to a place where you're not going to compromise your deen and then you enjoy yourself and your children but that's not what you will be doing every day or every weekend.
It should be staggered.
Because tomorrow we need you to be a leader
and the leader cannot have his focus solely on entertainment and the enjoyment of the dunya.
A lot of the youngsters are focused. I have second spoken to a few
School going children, what would you like to be one tells you I would like to be this and I would like to be that, Mashallah it's very encouraging you hear one thing I'd like to be an accountant. And the other one says I want to be a pilot and one says I want to be a doctor. And the other one says, I want to study religion and theology. And one says, I want to solve the problems of the world and so on beautiful statements being uttered by the youngsters of today. But if you take a look at the trends, as the child grows slightly older, drop into bad company sometimes even happens in the universities where you go in with a good intention. You so happy you got the place. And when you get
in one little mistake, and sometimes you spend the whole lifetime paying for it. Today, we have teenage pregnancies. It's something that is severely affecting society and community, a beautiful girl. And you know what she fell? And this happens, may Allah protect us all. For the devil's plot. Like I always say when someone says, I love you, anyone can say that? Is that the password to your heart? If that's the case, we all have the password to your heart's amazing. May Allah grant us protection. You need to know I am here at the college or at the university in order to be focused upon this. Yes In the process, Mashallah, if something happens within limits of the Sherry And you'd
like to get married, speak up, go back to your parents, talk to them, tell them I hope they are sensible enough to facilitate for you that which is Helen.
That's a powerful statement for the parents.
I hope the parents are sensible enough to facilitate for you that which is allowed. But my brothers and sisters, the youth remember one thing, a small mistake can keep you repaying for the rest of your life. Because sometimes you have something knocking you out of your entire focus. I had a dream in life. It's shattered. Why is he cheated because of something that occurred that I really was so naive, I was so immature, and I let things happen to me without thinking.
You have a lot of good youngsters as they grow up. Brilliant. They get into bad company, they become hooked on the bottom. And they start arguing with you. You know, I'm just a social drinker. Social drinker. What's the problem social drinker. The Hadith says mascara can do no harm that which intoxicates you in a large volume, even a droplet of it is haram prohibited. So don't come with that nonsense. Because to be honest, alcohol and anything that is intoxicating, don't even try and give it up. It affects you it will affect your reproductive system. It damages your future. And it definitely does. Don't worry about gauging yourself with the others who don't even believe that
intoxicants are forbidden and they engage in it on a daily basis, a weekly basis, and yet their lives seem to be happy. Don't gauge yourself with them because they don't have that faith. It's Allah subhanho wa Taala, who might give them goodness in this world as a recompense of that which they may have done whereas our recompense A lot of it will come in the area.
We need to know this.
When people are disbelievers, Allah says, when they do good deeds, we will give them good in return in this world. So they get good things in return. So you have a person who perhaps is a disbeliever. May Allah grant us conviction and may make us from amongst the true believers, person who does not believe in the almighty subhanho wa Taala. And they have a happy life. They have good children they have Mashallah palaces, they are smiling and so on. And yet sometimes you find that they might be social drinkers and whatever else they have a few bad habits here and there, but because of the charitable deeds they do, because of sometimes the honesty they have, because of the other good
characters, Allah has to pay them back for it because Allah says, you do good, you get good in return. But when they get good in return in this world alone, they have lost the era. This is why we say with us, Allah will give us goodness in the dunya and the era. This is why that draw that we have in the Quran, Allah says, woman, my Bana Gina dunya, has Anna Warfield. He has Anna joaquina.
Those who know how to call out to Allah, they ensure that they have covered three aspects. They say, Oh our grant has goodness in this world. Grant has goodness in the hereafter and protect us from the fire of the the punishment of the Fire. So three things are covered. We want to be protected from the punishment of the Fire. We want goodness in this world and goodness in the next so we ask Allah subhanho wa Taala to grant that to us. That is the focus. So the same applies in my life, I should want to achieve to be able to meet with Allah subhanho wa Taala such that he's happy with me, I'm happy with him. And I should also want to earn in a way that I can prepare for the next generations.
So many times people are struggling and earning and then you ask them but my Listen to me.
You know, you are struggling and you are now so old and you are busy earning says no, I'm just wanting to set my children before I go. I'm sure you've heard that statement. I'd like to set my children before I go. So one generation is worried about the next. And sometimes a young boy will not work hard at all. And you ask him some Why are you not working? He says, Well, my father's a rich man. I don't even need to stand in the shop. Believe me, there are managers who will do it. I'm just going to get the money every month. That's the attitude.
What if everything burns down? Allah protect us, then you don't have a field. You don't have something to continue. You are so lazy that you can't even get up before 12 o'clock.
This is why we say work hard. Let's understand when you see something on the globe, say for example,
I can give you so many examples. Say for example,
the sisters if they were to see a beautiful kitchen, and then they put pressure for example, on their parents or someone to say you know what, we love this kitchen here. The father cannot afford it. Sometimes this kitchen, so then they say okay, I'm going to make sure I work so hard and I get it Mashallah. That's a good, you know, good way of looking at things. So you go out, you work hard, and you come back home and you refurbish the entire kitchen, according to your tastes. Or shala. One will say that, okay, that's a big achievement. So anyone who comes into the home you say, No, no, no, I managed to get this refurbished. Beautiful. You know, what a lovely kitchen. Excellent. Now
you're not embarrassed of your home anymore. Believe me, we don't ever need to be embarrassed of our homes. You can have a home, just a heart. Just make sure it's neat and clean. That's all neat and clean. So now that you've got this kitchen that you want it, what next? What next? So then you say I'm going to refurbish the whole house because you can't have such a beautiful kitchen and the rooms are not that great. So now it goes to the next thing. it seeps through. Once you refurbish the rooms, you refurbish the bathroom, then the bathroom gets refurbished and then what happens? You continue you refurbish the driveway and the whole house is established, then what happens? By that
time, you don't realize you haven't yet done anything to build your home if the akhirah to build your home with Allah subhanho wa Taala so refurbish the kitchen, inside, refurbish the bathroom inside, cleanse yourself inside internally such that the day you meet with Allah subhanho wa Taala, you are a refurbished person proper. You have everything that is done your link with Allah is there, you will focus you did not become a person who lost the path just because they saw something nice on the side. Imagine you're driving your own little vehicle that you can afford, for example, a Toyota Corolla Mashallah the lovely vehicles, and you're driving it and you're driving on the highway that
we spoke about the other day, Mashallah beautiful highway.
And on the side, you see this lovely Mercedes Benz or BMW or something, you know, let's say a Lamborghini, and the car is driving right next to you, would you be a person who's now driving and then you look to the side
and you're admiring the car?
What will happen to you,
you're going to veer off the road, you will swerve this way. And that way you knock someone in front of you or to the side, you might even hit the same motor vehicle.
And you cannot say sorry, I was just admiring your car, just forgive me
and say what are you talking about? You must focus because you were looking at something that really it was the wrong time, wrong place, you might want to glimpse at it you might glimpse it say Mashallah, give me one of those. We didn't say it's wrong to say that.
May Allah give us one of those.
So it's not wrong, but at the same time, for us to lose focus, listen, concentrate on what you have, you can say Marcia lights, okay, and so on. Now work hard, you have a vehicle at least to get from point A to point B thank Allah for that. And we'll concentrate on your driving skills and make sure you do not put those who are with you at risk in terms of their lives.
We need to know this. But the problem with us is sometimes we get so engrossed in real life, we are steering every one of us here, we are steering our lives, you know, they say you lead your life. Why? Because you are the leader of your own life. So we are all leaders, what are you needing the minimum is I'm leading my own life. You know, they say everyone is a leader, you're a leader of what, sometimes more than one person, but if not, the minimum is you're leading your own life, you're a leader. So every one of us is steering our lives. Ask yourself, where am I going? And I'm being serious. Ask yourself here and now, where am I heading? What is my main focus?
I should be having four or five things that I am focused upon, which are all on the same highway. So I cannot say right, I'm going to this place and that place at the same
I'm flying to Australia and New York in one trip. I cannot do that. But I could perhaps say I'm going to fly for example,
from, say Dubai, for example, fly to Colombo fly to Singapore. Yes. So now you come straight down. And it's one journey, and you're going to continue and carry on to a destination, and you're moving further and further. It's one journey, you're focused on two things. It's not impossible, but they are all on that same highway. Why do I say this? Because, ultimately, ask yourself the question, I am leading my life, where am I heading? Your answer should be, I am heading closer to Allah. That must be your ultimate answer. That's your final destination. That is a must. That will happen that has to happen. That is your true answer. I am heading closer to Allah. No matter how old I am. A lot
of the youngsters don't realize that death knows no age, we've lost a lot of our own friends as we grew up, I'm sure you have to, it could have been me, and it can still be me or you. I may not live right up to the age of some of the brothers or sisters who are with us today. So I need to know my focus is I'm trying to get closer to Allah every day I move an inch closer to Allah more, inshallah, I hope not less. But in the process I'm also focused on for as long as Allah has given me a life, to be able to earn a living such that I can live comfortably. I can fulfill my responsibilities comfortably. I can be charitable, I can look after my children, I can try my best to prepare for
them a little bit so that they can have a kickstart in their lives.
After that, what happens? I'm ready to now die.
Today, I was thinking I saw a very old man. As we were driving on the site, I saw a very old man and I told myself, you know, yeah, Allah, you have given us such a life that even if you were to ask this old man, would you like to die? Now? He would say no, no, not yet. Not yet.
None of us would actually say, Yeah, okay, I can't go. You know, if we said, Who's volunteering, just go now. We I wouldn't even bother asking the question anymore. Because nobody would actually say no, no, no, it's okay. I volunteer. Let me just go right now stand up here to out.
No one would do that. Because we all have things we plan the Prophet sallallahu wasallam. One day, he drew a rectangle. And from one end of the rectangle going through to the other he drew a line. And that line continued further out of the rectangle. And inside that rectangle, he put a few marks, and he asked his companions, do you know what this is? And the companions said obviously that you know better Allahu wa salam Allah knows, you know what, what it is, he says, You see, this rectangle is the lifespan of men. So he's going to die when he gets to the edge of it. That's what it is. This little line that goes out. That is the hopes, aspirations and plans of that man.
And these little marks that are inside are the difficulties and obstacles in the life of that man. So what happens? Every one of us plan beyond our date of death.
Like today, if I were to ask you, What are you planning for next week? You might say well, next weekend we're going to Dynamo Subhan Allah next weekend. You already know from now that next weekend you're going to Dynamo amazing.
You don't know Wednesday, Allah is taking you away.
So what will happen to Dynamo Allah protect us? Allah subhanho wa Taala. Grant us goodness. May Allah subhanho wa Taala grant us a relationship with him such that even if we are taken on Wednesday, by the will of Allah, He will grant us paradise. He will grant us paradise. But is it wrong to plan that next weekend I'm going to go out to eat, it's not wrong. It's okay. It's fine. But the idea is in the process, do not forget that we plan Allah plans. His plan will always overpower, override and overtake our own plan. So we cannot have been so engrossed in looking forward to next weekend such that we forget in the process, I might never reach them. That's the
problem. That's the difference between a believer and a non believer, a believer is focused so much only on the dunya only on that which is for his stomach only on that which is for his facilitation of his life wise these year, but he doesn't realize that I need to focus also on that which is the reality that real truth and when we meet with Allah, and this is why we say in the digital age that we are living in the hypersexual age that we are living in, believe me, this technology is the most powerful gift of Allah for all of us. But let's use it correctly. Let's use it sensibly responsibly. It is a powerful gift. It has brought the whole globe onto our fingertips literally today
I saw a product.
And immediately I looked into Google and I tried to search the product, I found it for sale on eBay for 18 pounds within three or four seconds of just looking at that product. Imagine and I could have just pressed click, enter the number and they would have sent it and posted it to me in three days, I would have had it if I wanted it. That's how Allah has made life easy for me. And you. So why should I use that technology to go to hell in the real sense? Why?
Why must I be indiscipline? Why must I be a person who's got no control over himself? For me, life is all about control. That's what Islam is all about. What is Islam all about control, controlling yourself, control your nerves, your nerves, meaning your self, your soul controlling, from what from all that which is dazzling around you. It's trying to attract you towards it. And you need to know Am I allowed if I'm not, I'm not going to go that direction. I'm focused, why I'm a movement. I'm a believer. I'm young and growing up, I've got energy given to me by Allah that energy is a gift. Because Allah says, Son, we're going to take that energy away. Oh, my beloved worshipper, we're
going to take that energy away one of the days. That's why the Hadith explains to seize opportunities before they are overtaken by other conditions. What are these opportunities, one of them is your health.
When Allah has given you health, you're a healthy person. Remember that that health is a gift of Allah temporarily. No matter who you are, that health is going to go,
it will go
no matter who you are, sees your youth before old age overtakes you young, they will come a day today. You can read Salah, you can bend properly in ruku, you can go down to sue June, you can you can go out and help people today you can go out to countries that are struggling in one way or another homeless people, people who are affected by whether it is natural disaster or manmade chaos. And you can go out and reach out to them humanitarian aid and so on. And if you are young, and you have not thought of using those energies to help other people, there will come a day when the energy will be gone. And what were you doing at this young age, you were sitting with your iPhone, your
iPad and playing games all day and all night. And that's how your energy was actually sacked and gone. And now when you are all you're looking perhaps at the TV and telling yourself, nobody's doing anything about those who are struggling in Syria.
But when you were young, there was another citizen, what happened, you couldn't even reach out to your pocket to take out something or go out and volunteer to say we are going to collect good old clothes, or blankets in order to help those right now in Syria who are struggling with the temperatures that are hitting zero. This is a reality. It's happening now. innocent women and children caught in the mess, man made mess.
And what did we do about them? Well, we just think and say Arab countries are rich, I'm sure they'll do something.
Look at how productive we've become counterproductive.
We just want to lay you know, pass the buck to others. And they'll do something about rich people, they got a lot of money. Allah protect us, that is really lack of leadership. But if you stand up, we can do something about it. Even if it means a small thing you've done, at least you used your energy in the right direction. At least you are focused tomorrow you will have had experience such that you will be able to achieve something huge for your own country. Tomorrow. May Allah protect your country, a beautiful country. Well I tell you, you are gifted by Allah subhanho wa Taala
you owe a lot to your country. My brothers and sisters, obviously we ask Allah and we thank Allah subhanho wa Taala you owe a lot to this beautiful country. Remember, it is not all about taking taking from this country, you need to give back as well. We need from amongst us, those who are wealthy to build homes for the homeless. How many of us can do that? Not just for those, you know, 50 homes I've built why because now I'm a multi millionaire. Let me build them. And let me try and look for those who deserve the homes and give them the homes, no strings attached. All I want is for my countrymen to be able to benefit from the wealth that I made in the same country. It's an issue.
A lot of us are quite greedy where we get and we've just thought of one or two people around us. That's it and we sit and we amass more and more. Did you build one home for the homeless? Even if it's a one room house with a little bathroom? And so on the kitchenette? No, sometimes we haven't. So give back. So the point I'm raising is tomorrow, if something has to happen, which is negative here, say for example, you have a little bit of a flood May Allah protect this country. But any if it's closer to home, we have already been used to collecting things for others, motivating you, you know, for example, getting the youngsters together and doing something constructive. It becomes so
easy because we've already done
For others, so now when we want to do it for ourselves professionally done today, I was thinking for a moment
that the Sri Lankans I know across the globe, they all have top positions, high positions. They are, you know, they have management posts in various companies across the globe. Well, highly intelligent, highly educated people. I thought of this today, because the truth is, most of those I know, overseas and so on, who are see lankans, their whole top posts, but a lot of the world does not know that you know it. I'm sure you know it. So, this is focus. If the youth do not learn from that there will come a time when there'll be no Sri Lankans across the globe. No one what happened, the generation who was serious has passed. Now all those who love the nightclubs are still sitting
with the bottle in the nightclub.
Give up your bad habits Do not be in the days, believe me come out of it. Because once we get to the bottom, you know when they say you're in a maze, have you ever seen a drunkard walking?
He doesn't know he's left from his life. We've seen it happening. He doesn't know whether he's in the loo or whether he's in his bed. Really, why? Because he's upside down. And then he tells you
things may Allah subhana wa tada protect us.
So we need the focus to instead of 10,000 of us who are outside and abroad, for example, anyway, even within our own countries working in tough positions, you know, serving the country serving humanity serving the oma in one way or another, we would like tomorrow to see 20,000 people working 40,000 people, the number should increase and the quality of the job must increase meaning the the way it is done should be much better than before.
The only time this will happen is if we become more serious in our lives. Life is not all about partying. If you think it's all about partying, you've lost the plot, really look at those who struggle who have achieved, what did they do, they did not sit in the clubs, they did not just sit and party every weekend with their friends. They did not just go around trying to attract the opposite sex. Allah protect us sometimes even the same sex, may Allah protect us Oh,
really, it's becoming an issue across the globe where the youth are becoming lazy. A lot of the country's tried to help those who are homeless and unemployed. So I've come across some people who say, you know, I'd rather just sit at home and collect money from the government because it rarely works. You know, I don't need to do anything. I just go and sign every week and collect my money. Allah protect us if that's the attitude of the people. What do we expect to achieve in our future
that you change, work hard, be a go getter. Aim beyond the skies don't say the sky is the limit, the sky is too close to us. They used to say, sky's the limit, what is the sky, the sky is very close, I can see I want to aim somewhere that I cannot see. May Allah Subhana, Allah canados paradise.
At the same time, I need to know whilst I'm living, I need to set an example for those around me. And when I have my own children, they must be able to see me as a father, and they must already be focused in life. I'm sure there are parents from amongst us here, whose children look up to us so much, that as soon as they know, this is my dad, they realize and understand immediately that this father of mine is focused, why is dedicated, let me also try to be that
my beloved fathers and mothers who are here, develop a brilliant relation with your children more so the adolescent
they may not be in sync with you in terms of thinking because the generation gap is becoming smaller and smaller. You know what this means? Let me explain. Many years ago, they used to say, if the gap between you and your child is 40 years or more, then you will not be thinking on the same level. Their thinking will be different from yours. Today, I think it's become smaller than 40 years, meaning it's shorter because of technology.
I remember
I had a few older people who have told me no, no, no, this mobile phone we don't know. We don't want to know we don't want to see, we don't even want to and after we spoke to them and so now they have a little phone one of those old Nokia as you know which they only send the message perhaps receive calls and they the older people may never even send an SMS but they have a small phone, it rings you answer it and you know, that's it, you call and you call back. That's all them. Whereas the new generation is such
that every day technology is progressing beyond our minds. mind boggling technology, really and who knows about it. The most
The youngest of the
youngest of the Lord, they will show you things that will shock you.
And they are in touch with people across the globe.
And this is why we say, as easy as it is to be technologically advanced in today's age, it is even more easy to drop into the west of companies through the same technology. Be careful, be careful. Who are you mixing with online, it could be a cheat fraud. Like I said, two days ago, someone was collecting money using mining for the people of Indonesia. I gave you the example two days ago of someone collecting money for Palestine yet that Palestine was his own house, he had a big sign that he's gay saying welcome to Palestine. So when he's collecting money for Palestine, he's talking of a totally different Palestine, all these type of immoral or all these type of thoughts and ideas that
come to the stagnant mind, in actual fact, that mind is not stagnant. It is such a bright and intelligent mind. But it's being used in order to deceive, because it has never been used proactively. It has never been used in a way that is productive. So it is used destructive. This is why we say get into the good company, work hard, go and achieve and everything you'd like to do in this world. Remember the underlying idea, the underlying goal must always be I want to meet with Allah in a condition that he will be happy with me. You need a happy life. If a person says the sin comes back to haunt them, it definitely will unless they've engaged in terrible they've asked Allah
forgiveness, a person who flirts you know what will happen?
There comes a time when you are married.
To the best person possible. People are envying you to say, Wow, you've got such a lovely spouse, but because of the bad habit that you did not nurture, or should I say you did not control when you are young.
Now, the flirting continues in such a way that you then lose the spouse who was such a brilliant person, what did you get in return, you got nothing, nothing in return. You lost your family, you lost your children, you lost everyone because of a bad habit that developed when you were young. This is why we say control yourself from the time you are young, even some of the older people, all of us, we require control. Sometimes we have bad habits without fighting the bad habit, you are going no way. Which means it's not going to just leave on its own.
It's not a bad habit does not leave on its own. You need to work hard to eradicate it. And Sharla May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us identify our bad habits, and maybe help us work on them to eradicate them. No matter what effort is required, we will fulfill them by the will of Allah. So like I was saying, young age is going to go you become old one day when you can no longer make record. By that time, although it's not too late if Allah has given you that life to turn to Allah, but you might tell yourself Yeah, Allah, the days that I used to be called towards prostrating to you, I didn't use to do that. Please forgive me Allah for that.
Because Allah mentions in the Quran, that on the day of judgment or in the Euro in the Euro, Allah will call everyone to prostrate and Allah says, there will be a certain group of people who will not be able to prostrate because their backs will be straightened, straight, so you cannot bend your back and they will be worried what why can't we? Why can't I make my back anymore? What's the problem? And the law says, What can you do in a pseudo sunny moon? When they used to be called to prostrate when there was nothing wrong with them? They didn't. Do you think we're going to allow them to prostrate today?
Allah says goddess, I don't want that to happen to me. So if you are able to prostrate to Allah, which means fulfill your Salah, so that the day that Allah calls out to everyone to prostrate to him, directly, we will be able to be from amongst those who can fall prostrate. This is a man this is belief.
Then we have the issue of wealth whilst you have your wealth, be charitable, learn as you are growing older. Firstly, you learn to work hard to earn I have come across dedicated youth who tell their dad Listen, my father, you are a very rich man, I thank you for everything you've done for me, but I want you to know my money. I will earn it. I will earn it. I will go out and work hard. That's why the Hadith says the best wealth that you have is that which you've earned with your own sweat. Why you know its value. You know what it's all about when dad has dropped down a million for you to splash a million on a big party where everyone comes in and has a nice dance and has this and that
all haraam things are happening and you're so excited. You have
And after everyone goes away, you're still excited. And you're on your pillow, saying it was a huge success. Where did the money come from, it just splashed its way down. Whereas a person who earned it with his sweat will think 10 times before he throws such a dirty party.
Why? Because the money, it took me two years to work so hard to earn that money, I cannot just throw it anyway. You know, I give you an example.
One day, a certain person, it's a true story, he was traveling
from India to London. And when he was traveling, you know, now there is a habit, in this part of the world where someone is traveling, we give them gifts. Now in India, they have a habit to give you peanuts, I don't know if you know that, to give you these little chickpeas, to give you the small, you know, salted nuts, and so on. And a few of these small items they have eating, you know, so this man had a whole lot of nuts, salted nuts, and the other nuts and the chickpeas and you know, various different types of his Indian dishes and so on. And he arrived at the airport with 90 kgs, 90 kilos.
Now 90 kilos, no airline would allow you 90 unless you're a big VIP with them, you know, with perhaps frequent flyer cards and so on.
I don't know sometimes you know how we are we just have a connection at the airport. It's over. Allah protect us. But this man arrived at the airport and
they told him you need to pay now he's relatives are already gone. He's alone standing there. What should I do this all peanuts and everything in this, in this particular bag, these bags that I've got full of nuts and full of all foodstuff. So instead of thinking to himself, let me just give it away. I can buy it in London. It's so easy. I normally do that if someone gives me something that I have in my country, and I cannot carry because of weight, I give it away in the country. And I can buy it again at the other at my own country and give it to whoever it's supposed to be given to. So So now what happens?
He was asked to pay. And he was told to pay a large sum in Indian rupees. And it turned out to be so many pounds. So now he because he was in a rush, he took out those pounds, and he ended up paying and he went home. When he went home, they opened his bags, and they gave these peanuts to all the little children and the children are playing and you know, peanuts on the floor and peanuts are out on the street and peanuts. So as he's walking out, he called all his children. He says, Hey, come here. Every peanut is 20 p you don't understand them. Eat every single peanut, you know, these are the most expensive peanuts in the world. You don't know what I've paid for these peanuts.
why he's the only one who knows the value of those peanuts. He paid so much. So sometimes in life, this is how we are we don't prioritize. And we don't think we do things Believe me just because I've got the money. So I've just paid for this thing. Then you come back, you start calculating 90 kilos. And we've paid 90 pounds for every kilo and extra pound. And from that we've got so many kilos the overweight was these peanuts each peanut? Each little gram of peanut is an extra so much. And here are the children throwing it throwing it and you know everywhere else and it hurts your heart. Why? Because you are the one who paid for it, did they they didn't pay for it. This happens in our lives.
We just slow down your stuff to your the new generation without having made them work to earn it. Sometimes they'll just be splashing. You know, you buy your son a brand new vehicle he comes back home first day damaged.
Why
isn't the insurance going to cover this? Wow, intelligent young lad is an intelligent young lad. He doesn't understand the same father will drive that car so carefully. That and I noticed it here. A few days ago we were coming for a program I think it was the Juma and one of the little gullies, you know, you know the roads here in Sri Lanka. So we were going through and there was a BMW looking relatively new in front of us. We were behind. The machine was very near down the road. And this whoever was driving the BMW the new one. There was enough space for him to move but he didn't move. He was just waiting. Why? Because he's worried my new cars gonna get scratched. And he waited.
People were hooting frantically. And I told her they shared with us that you know, don't worry, the new car, you know, take their time, they're going just as well. A few moments later, they turned left went in so we could move because believe me we would have been late for Santa. But the whole point I'm raising is look at how we value a new vehicle because we've paid for it. So we don't want it to be scratched. You don't need hurts the heart. Allah make it easy for us. When you have a brand new car, you see a small dent in it. You know, that's only when you've paid for it, but if someone else has paid for it.
Okay, fine, you know
We'd get a new one sooner inshallah.
So sometimes with us with the youth, we don't appreciate that which is just thrown down through the generations. This is why you go to your dad that I will learn, I will try, come back home and contribute to your house, I'm sending money, not because my father needs it, but because I love you, my father, I want to show you that you have not wasted your time bringing me up by the will of Allah subhanho wa Taala
what great duties and responsibilities we have. So there are so many things we can learn by the word of Allah subhanho wa Taala I think it's about time we became people who are more responsible, and it's about time we learned what life is all about. Life, in reality is made up of two things. One is, whilst we are in this life, we have the opportunity
to live it in a way that will be of comfort to us and to is whilst we are living in this life, we have an opportunity to build the afterlife, the life after I die. Two things we have to do. I need to live in this world. And I need to use this world in order to prepare for the future. This is why today someone asked me, you know what, how long does it take to prepare for paradise? And I said it takes an entire lifetime.
That's why Allah has given you the lifetime. It takes a lifetime to prepare for this whole life. So why am I living? I would not be wrong if I said in order to prepare for death, because it's my only opportunity, when else am I going to prepare for death if I was not alive.
So that's why if you're alive, remember, keep it in mind that I need to prepare for death. And that will help focus by the will of Allah. So this evening, we spoke about bad habits, we're going to quit them in Sharla with a lot of strength from us, we spoke about company good friends, we inshallah we are going to make sure that we mix with the right people, whether here or overseas, wherever we should know as youth, look at those who are leading us whether it's in our schools, or whether it is perhaps the companies we work for whatever else it is on a higher level, lower level, whatever it is, and tell ourselves as youth that tomorrow when these depart, we would like to do
even a better job than them. But look at how hard they are working we need to work double hard. Allah subhanho wa Taala granted to us.
We've also spoken this evening
about how to be focused, we've spoken about parents the value of your parents to look up to them, to appreciate the sacrifice that they have made in order for you as youth to be where you are today. Like I've said, you won't always think the same. There's a generation gap. That generation gap requires for us to be communicating with one another. talk to one another. Spend time with your daughters. Talk to them. Sit with them, not just two minutes, you know, they say something, you say something and you're gone. No sit with them. Listen to them. Do not just scold and shout the children for anything and everything. No, listen to them and try and reason, communicate, address
their concerns, talk to them, convince them you will need education yourself, you will need to know that you know the tricks of their trade, meaning you will need to know how they think in order to convince them and if they are right, given.
One big mistake that we make as adults meaning as parents is that the children are right, we are wrong. But we still want to stubbornly hold on to what we are saying just because I'm old. That's culture that is no longer in use, believe me.
The religion teaches us that when you are wrong, your child is right. Quit your opinion and adopt this age doesn't mean anything. Allah has used little children to come out to convince or to talk to their parents, my father, what you're doing is wrong.
And the father needed to acknowledge in the case of Ibrahim alayhis salam, the father did not acknowledge. So Allah says this young boy is saying, Oh, my beloved father, I have something you don't have. How can you keep on worshipping these sticks and stones and so on? And the father was arrogant and he wanted to admonish and punish his child. And he did try to punish the child in the most ruthless way, in the most ruthless way. And Allah subhanho wa Taala says the loss was that farmers. So what about us? Allah subhanho wa Taala help us focus. I've spoken for one hour.
And I know I've been told for the last two days that you know what, the hour is passing a little bit too quick. But my brothers and sisters, I really really appreciate the fact that Allah has used us to talk to one another. Allah has used us to try and motivate even in a small way, but to try and help us focus. Whatever we've achieved is only by the help of Allah, and through hard work, dedication, to not be distracted.
By detractors, those who try to distract you, do not be distracted by them. Continue with the work, focus, keep focus, and make sure you will achieve by the word of Allah, you will become who you want by the will of Allah by the help of Allah subhanho wa Taala. So develop a link with that same Allah, because the doors of success are owned by him, how can I achieve success when I am at odds with the owner of the door of success, I need to be on the right page with him. And this is how we will achieve so I really appreciate the fact that we've come in large numbers. These are the largest numbers I have ever seen in Sri Lanka. So we thank Allah for this, my beloved youth, really, the
love from my heart extends to you and I hope you feel the same. We have a genuine feeling if I will not concern I would not be here today. No would you so this the fact that you are here to listen to a word to motivate the youth really is a sign on its own, that we have a bright future by the will of Allah. It's a very good sign.
And Mashallah, we have had the team tirelessly working
the authorities here at this particular venue,
we have to thank them as well because as you know, there was a mishap in the main hall that was booked, and within a few days they already substituted gave us venues that are even perhaps bigger and larger. It catered for us Alhamdulillah yesterday we had a mishap with the motor vehicles today as I walked in, I seen the cars parked beautifully, beautifully. I said to Hannah law, please we've learned a lesson it was worth it. Well, it this is what makes us makes us happy. It makes us smile because when we see the difference Mashallah, you know, there was no chaotic parking. I don't know if you noticed it. Some of you who might have arrived a little bit later when I did, you would have
noticed the cars were parked as though they were part of a jigsaw puzzle, amazing. And I said, Yeah, Allah have mercy on all of us. By the will of Allah we've learned something. So I'm convinced that even what we said tonight, we will have effected some change in our lives. Beloved youth life is not all about partying is the third time of setting this evening. So remember, if you want to enjoy and enjoy and enjoy alone, according to your whims and fancies, that enjoyment will come to an end and then you just be left in the lurch and you will be left on the cliff. And all that's left is now to jump off. I don't have a parachute.
So the most sensible thing to do right now is get your parachute and learn how to fly. Learn how to skydive in the spiritual sense we're talking about
then when you get to the cliff, you don't mind looking at everyone wave and you jump off and next thing your parachute opens
just as well. Allah subhanho wa Taala groundless goodness. So my brothers and sisters, you pray for myself, I pray for you. Let's pray for the room at large pray for this beautiful country of yours. Like we say give back to your country as well. And we think Allah subhanho wa Taala the brothers the volunteers, I know you've worked very very hard. Yesterday some of the volunteers had to lift motor vehicles today I noticed bulges Mashallah, you know, it actually helps by the will of Allah Subhana Allah so, it was good in a way, you know, sometimes allow us to give you that strength that you've always had, you've always wanted, so youngsters are looking bigger, just overnight. So we think
Allah subhanho wa Taala those whose vehicles were lifted, I'm sure you must have thought Yala, I am hungry, at least it wasn't my car blocked? No. Don't worry, someone moved your car. Someone moved it no by force. So inshallah I hope we've learned a lot really, this is my last public lecture in this beautiful country for this particular season. Although I have a few visits that I will be making tomorrow and perhaps the following day, but that will be to a few schools and so on. In the meantime, really.
Let's not be from amongst those who go away saying it was a good talk and we have not changed our lives. Sometimes we may never meet again. Sometimes this might be the last that we may see each other. It could be at least if we had a flicker in our hearts that inshallah we will do something about it we will be responsible leaders of tomorrow, that by the will of Allah we will protect ourselves from this days and inshallah we will not be lost in amaze wa Salatu was Salam ala nabina Muhammad Subhan Allah in Hamdi subhanak alone will be handig the shadow Allah Allah Hi, Lance, Mr. Furukawa