An Unforgettable Year

I was relying on a sheet on rajim Bismillah R Rahman Rahim and from Rila hiragana Alameen wa salatu salam ala schaffen was an insane number manual Allah only he was like ah mine, my beloved brothers, Salaam Alaikum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh the from the Larrabee Alaminos. And we'll begin with the praise of Alana should of Allah Allah and Allah who witnessed and then as the right of worship besides Allah subhanaw taala and we send our love and greetings and salutations. So beloved Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is pious and feel family, to the Sahaba and to all those who follow his sunnah until the end of time, Allah subhanaw taala places to be amongst them. Meanwhile,

hamdulillah Al Hamdulillah and welcome to the first Juma of 2021 and panela. What a year this past 12 months have been. And, you know, this is perhaps the most difficult, new omits a New Year's Joomla that we have given in, in memory. And it will therefore be as much as we want to be optimistic and troubled, we'll talk about looking forward, we have to look back in sha Allah at this past year and reflect. While many have said, you know, New Year's is a time to celebrate, even we talk in in Islamic way. And in a permissible way to look optimistically. It is important that this year that is past 2020, is one that we reflect, because there's so much that we have learned in so

many lessons that we've taken. And as finally, even for myself on a personal note been through a bit of difficulty, I lost a loved one in this past a week someone very close and very dear to my heart. And Allah Subhana Allah grant him and all those who have passed away genital for those. And so it is with a heavy heart that we started this year, looking back at all that has happened in this past 12 months and trying to put these things in perspective, because I know there are so many of you that have lost so much. There are so many of those out there that have lost loved ones that are sitting in hospitals on ICUs people that are struggling to breathe. They are those who have lost their

livelihood, the businesses have closed down. I was trying to make it easy. We are in another lockdown. And there's so much depression, sadness, fear, anxiety, that Dumars heilala How sad it is that almost basically every budget is closed. And that's how we start this new year. How do we come to grips with this? How do we come to terms with this? How do we manage and deal with all this negativity and Subhanallah I remember this verse and I come back to this verse every so often, this verse in Surah Yunus verse 24, Chapter 10, Allah subhanaw taala so perfectly summarized and the amazing thing about the Quran that you'd find an idea which you read over so many times, and it

almost seems irrelevant, you don't fully understand it. And then something happens in your life and it just strikes you This is how Allah subhanaw taala is speaking to you. And this verse will last time Allah says that the life of this world is nothing but the rain that falls down and then it mixes with the with the crops and the plants and those plants grow and they are lush and they are beautiful. And people animals eat from it. Until it is at its height of its beauty. When it's so cruel for her was a and that Allah says it becomes so beautiful and it is so lush was on Lulu unknown Kaduna Alia and the people believe they start to believe that they have full power and

control over this earth that they are in charge. At a marina Allah says and then all of a sudden, unexpectedly my command comes whether by the night or by the day for Jana, ha See, then that we make that which was so beautiful, that which was so dear to you. Allah says we'll make it like a harvest, we flatten it completely, all of a sudden, a lamb doesn't appeal and Allah says as just as if you can't believe it. Just yesterday, we were enjoying it. Just yesterday. We were laughing, we're happy and all of a sudden everything is gone. Allah says Cavalli, kind of slightly cometa Quran and that is how I explained my is that this life is very, very short. And the things that we take and we

enjoy is not ours, it is only temporary, and it will be taken over it can be taken from us, all of a sudden, unexpectedly. That was a very difficult idea to absorb. It's a very difficult idea to to almost comprehend because what Allah is telling us don't get too comfortable. Nothing that you have in this life is yours. As Allah says, when the people believe mistakenly that they are in control, Allah can take it all of a sudden, but then the next idea the next two is bring so much comfort, and the next two Ayat explains why Allah does this by Allah. Why have you taken my loved one? Why have you taken my house? Why have you caused my businesses to fail? Yeah, Allah, why do you do this to

me? Allah says, Will love we are all in a data center and Allah says, I only invite you to daddy Salah only invite you to the place of peace to a place of happiness to Jana. I only invite you all of the studies being done is to bring us to gender where Dima Yeshua will ascertain study and Allah says I guide my chosen people, those who I choose upon the straight path. And then Allah says to all of us, and this is what's important. Lilina Arsenal those of you who do good who live a good life will live a decent life, not a perfect life. You don't have to be the best

Think believer just live a decent life, a basic life that is decent. Obviously the lead in the US and all those of you who do good and husana was the ad, you will get the best, the best meaning genital filters, you will get Jana was the other and more than Jana which is Allah himself beyond Jana is Allah. Then Allah says to all of us, when we're sad, when we have lost someone we think about our dead relatives. Allah says, Wallah, your Haku cover, no darkness will cover their faces, and they will never feel humiliation, they will never feel any sadness or like us, how will Jana, they are the people of Jana, when via halogen, they will be there in forever, forever and ever, they

will be there. So never should we feel sad, we should never look at the tastes of Allah subhanaw taala as a punishment, for which whatever Allah does, it is for him to bring us closer is to bring us closer to Daraa Salaam. Now when we go through these difficult moments in our life, we should remember, the purpose of life was always that we would go through this. And sometimes we forget, we get so busy in our livelihoods, in our jobs in our businesses in our money in our holidays, that we forget that this place was always only a temporary moment that one year will pass. And with each passing year, we will lose something will lose someone and as we get closer to that in the

equivalent of Cinder acres will not allow reminds us that every single person will pass by this, you pass by this, I will pass by this, my loved ones, your loved ones, my parents, your parents, our kids, as difficult as that is, Allah has promised that for each and every one of us, we're in number to a phone with Eurocom we'll Matsuyama and Allah says everyone will die, and everyone will get the new sheet on the FTM of what they achieved in this life. And then Allah reminds us ultimately, what is the what is the purpose of why we are here? Why are we Why do we go through all of this? Allah says what is important from unzip they have an inner whoever is thrown away whoever is protected

from Janam or Odyssey that agenda to sacrifice and intergender then you have succeeded, and that person has won, that the relative of us that lived a good decent life and passed away and is in Jannah. Now Allah says for kind of as he or she has as one they've achieved success, one higher to dunya ilimitado. And Allah reminds all of us and what is really this life what is it except a passing Mata road, a moment of enjoyment, a passing fleeting moment of enjoyment, something which was never going to last, with any timeframe, it's just going to end very quickly. Allah subhanaw taala reminds us that every single person has go through this moment. And if you live long

Alhamdulillah you're blessed with a long life, then you will see your relatives passing. And if Finally you're taken early, and then your relatives must deal with your passing. And that is just how the cycle of life goes. And every single thing goes back to Allah in a beautiful Hadith. The Prophet of Islam says to his daughter, in CUSUM, when her son was dying Subhanallah so her son is dying, the Prophet's grandson is dying, and she calls him and she says to her father, my son is dying, your grandson is dying, she's panicking looks, Pamela, even the Gambia and the children of the Gambia went through hardship. No one likes this. No one can be patient at the time of death. And

when she brings the grandson to going to be Soleimani and he picks the little boy up and the boy is dying. The Prophet says to her and the Sahaba whatever Allah has given us is from Allah, it belongs to him. And whatever he takes belongs to him as well. When he leaves and what he takes belongs to him. It's only on lease, it's only on loan, your parents may owe money, our health, Allah has given us a loan and when he takes if he takes it back, and then the prophets of sciences and everything was Allah as a limited fixed term in the soil. Everything in this world is temporary. Nothing will last forever. Your money, your health, your family, your strength, it will not last it is only meant

to only be with you for a very short time. And so the process and so be patient, and helpful Allah's reward, all we can do, there's no point in fighting it. There's no point in in being upset about it. All we can do is to be patient and to hope that Allah Subhana Allah compensates us And subhanAllah that is the nature of the believer that no matter how difficult life becomes, no matter what Allah gives us or takes from us, we are patient and we are thankful because you are Allah as much as my body is crying as much as every cell in my body is in misery is in grief. Yeah Allah my Iman, my Eman comes first and I submit to your other I submit to your wall and you will decrease because you

come first and you are the priority. And we will only do and say that which pleases you. And we know Subhan Allah the beautiful the beautiful Hadith when the Prophet Salam son had passed away and we all if you're going through difficulty as I am and my family is going through at the moment, I'm working on all of us ease and comfort. I mean, the prophet Selim old said we Brahim his son as he dies, and the Prophet is crying and he says the eyes are crying

mine in the heart is very, very sad. The heart is broken on the inside. But the tongue only says that which pleases Allah. Even in our deepest sadness moments, we only say Alhamdulillah Praise be to Allah, glorify, be your names, we submit to you, we worship you, we thank you, and we remain steadfast in you, and spine Allah. That is what it means to be means to be a believer. That is what Iman truly means that even though we are sad, our image comes first. And the things of comforts Pamela, when for those who have lost loved ones in particular, they remember when we think of the dead, Allah wants us to remember those of our loved ones who have lived a good life. Allah says

about them fighting him, they are happy, even though you're sad, even though we underside sad, crying, Allah says about them very happy that they are happy, but what Allah has given them of his bounty of his favor, and they also receive the good news about us, they receive the good news about those, we're coming after them, it will join them, Allah tells them, Your relatives will also join you. I think in one hour me has an EN LA hopefully I know him well. Um, yes, I know that they are not sad, our relatives in the cupboard are not set at all. In fact, we are set they're not set, well mister known, and they are not unhappy that they are very, very happy. In fact, they would not want

to come back and join us on the dunya they are comfortable in where they are in their bodies. And so Allah Subhana Allah wants us to remember that in those moments, for those who have passed away, those who live the good life, they are in the pleasure and in the mercy and the comfort of Allah, none of them would want to return to the dunya and they are in a better place. And as for us, what do we have on the side? Is sadness? Indeed, yes, we do. We have sadness, we are left with the emptiness. But remember, Allah subhanaw taala is seeing this as a test for us. And in the beautiful Hadith, especially for parents who lost a child. But this applies to all of us, when Allah asked the

angel of this, did you take this person from my slave? Do you think this person's father this person's mother, this person's child a little off the angel of death? Do you really pull the roof of my servants? a loved one? And then you should have this will say yes, yeah, Allah I did. And then Allah asked the angel of this, and how did my my servant respond, when we brought calamity upon him or her, the angel of death will say, they praise you Allah, they praise you. And they said in the law, you were in LA, you know, June really to Allah we belong unto Him is our return. And then Allah subhanaw taala say, May, Allah will praise that person suburb, and Allah will say, guarantee for my

servant, a place a house in Jana, and call that house, the house of praise. So it was kind of long. As you know, the simple reminder for us, you know, even Abbas have to live in a bus when his father Alabasta Calabasas, the uncle of the prophets of Salaam and when he died, his son was very, very sad. And it's funny. The Addams Family son is one of the foremost Sahaba in terms of knowledge. But no matter how much knowledge you have, and how much experience you have, this comes very quickly. And this becomes a shock. And so when his father passed away, he was very caught up in it. You know, when you when you are sad, and you've lost someone, you don't need anyone a year too much advice

from anybody, and you go in through your misery and new grief. And a big one comes to him. An educated businessperson comes to him. And he says these very simple words, but they're very profound. And he says to Abdullah, he says to the Son, your dad was passed away, Allah has given better than you. So your father has died. But Allah has given him something they knew he has done, he has comfort, he's with his relatives in the Barossa. So your dad got an upgrade. When you think about it, your dad is in a better place. And as for you, Allah has given you something better than your father by giving you patients. So you got something better with this calamities, finally

saying, this is a very sad moment of the passing of your dad, it is such a blessing, because your dad got something better, which is Jana, and you're getting something better than your father, and that is to be patient, and we were patient, it's an opportunity to come back to Allah subhanaw taala it's an opportunity for us to reflect on Allah and His blessings, to think about the wonderful moments that we did have together even though it is shorter than we would have wanted, wouldn't want it many, many more years. But Allah had only given us these 6070 years, 50 years, whatever it might be, Allah has given that to us. Alhamdulillah and it is a chance to be patient and Subhan Allah, as

many people have said that this New Year's was locked down this period of very somber a very sad period. But Subhanallah it's we could have been in so much worse doing things which are displeasing to Allah, but Allah has brought us to him in Salah in worship in contemplation in our homes in opportunity to reflect on him. And so Subhanallah patience is better for us patients is better for us. And that is why when we think of those who have passed away, especially in this pandemic, and we think of a set for us

remains. But remember Alhamdulillah, as the Prophet Solomon said, Those who die of plague and of disease, as in this one in sha Allah, they are written that he would have a shade, meaning that these sins are forgiven at the time of the death, that they are exempted from the difficulties in the cupboard, that they are resurrected amongst the Shahada. In the law, the scales of sins are wiped away. So who would not want that Subhan Allah, Who would not want this, this opportunity, so may all those who have passed away in this period through this disease, may they be written, that he would have the shade, and those who are going through difficulty those who they illness are going

through the illness and are struggling, one does not get the reward of a shade, except that there is some difficulty. And so may this be a purification for you? May Allah grant to Shiva, may Allah grant you that you come out of this illness, but may the illness or wipe away all that sins that we had, like as if you came back from Hajj, you start a new slate, after that illness. And so Allah only gives you the opportunity to protect ourselves, to protect ourselves as we get closer to him. If there were those who have lost something of material wealth, we realize it's panela wealth comes and goes, and everything is in the hands of Allah. And those as we know from individuals and them.

Those who win are afflicted with loss. They say, in Melilla, you're in a regime in Syria, Allah, everything belongs to you, and everything returns to you, everything ultimately goes back to you. And we are patient. The hadith of Louisa Salam who ever says that, and then you make this dua, so in your loss in your sickness, in your sorrow, you make this dua in any law, you are in a Raggio. And you say, Oh Allah, reward me for what I have, I have lost I am experiencing loss, so compensate me whether he would and and be patient, and grant me to be patient, when Allah will give you better than that which was taken, we believe that Allah subhanaw taala will give us something much, much

better than that which we lost either in the dunya, or in the era. And of course, when we think of our loved ones, what gives us comfort, and for those, again, as I said, my family in particular as well going through this difficult moment, what gives you a lot of comfort is to think that our loved ones are in a better place and that they are enjoying themselves with our, with our relatives, and they have been speed you know, we don't we are optimistic about the year to come. When we don't know what Phaeton what difficulties lay ahead, Alhamdulillah they have been saved. They have done the time here in the dunya they've been through the exam, and hamdullah they've passed the vanilla, they

are in the Jana, and it's only for us now to join them. As for those of us who have made it to 2021 Alhamdulillah Allah has granted us the ability to be every day is a blessing every day is an opportunity to worship Him Subhan Allah don't discredit those simple things, your five daily Salas how powerful they are, and how beloved they are, in the sight of Allah subhanaw taala as we know, the Prophet says that the things which Allah loves the most are those five blocks that you make those basic of cartilage that make your dough heat and your EMA and the simple things that we overlook. These are the things which are most dear and most beautiful to Allah subhanaw taala and

every single opportunity that we're here we make dua, we reach another Ramadan and Hamdulillah we get the chance to fast it's an opportunity to elevate ourselves in the sight of Allah this exists, life is passing and it's an exam, but it's an opportunity to get closer to Allah. So as we go through what was a crazy year, and this year has begun in a very, you know, the complete lockdown budgets closed. We know that these are vaccine didn't like coming up. A lot of fitna a lot of confusion you know fitna in Cape Town. You means this to skin out the back bite. Of course that's not what it means. Fitna. As we said many times is a taste. Fitna means a trial, and it can be

something and in fact, 50 something which is itself is not very good, but the outcome can be good. fitna is what the blacksmith does to remove the impurities from from pure gold, and that which comes through the fitna that which comes on the other side is pure, pure, perfect gold. And so Allah tests as they fit them with a tribulation so that we can be elevated in his sight. And so gonna be so Salam tells us in times of fitna that he says, the prophet will says, They comes to you a time and every time that comes, it will be followed by a more difficult time. So unfortunately, this is the reality of life, that in general, that's one year, the next year will be worse the previous year and

the year that follows will be more difficult the year that came before Yes, we might have some good days in the future anyway to our we don't know for difficult days, but expect that things become more difficult with time and the prophets of salaam says, calamity will continue to be for the believer, the male believer and the female one in himself. He's held his body, in his children in his wealth in his family members, until he needs Allah with no synonyms. planula Look at that. Allah subhanaw taala looked at our life and we did not live the life that was supposed to we must also we didn't worship Him with sin. And then just before we die, Allah seems upon us some kind of calamity

some kind of disease. So then when he does take us we have been given a

A pure clean slate. And that in reality is a mercy from Allah subhanaw taala. So what do we do in terms of fitting, all we can do is be patient. We don't know what the future holds. And it's not for us to worry about tomorrow when the days off then what we should worry about is now and what's important for us now, the priorities of now that we cannot control the big picture of life. All you can control is yourself and your family to some extent, and that's it whether the monsoons will be open next week, a little island weather will still be in a lockdown Allah, Allah, Allah knows best way this diseases need to come and go, it belongs to Allah subhanaw taala the priorities have not

changed, the game has not changed, the purpose of life has not changed. We are here for one reason, one reason only to worship Allah subhanaw taala to have a relationship with Him, to be close to him to make our daily salah the compulsory things and to increase as we can, in some goodness, if you can do more, do a little bit more, give some charity make extra Salah and opportunity every day to return to Him. And of the things that we've learned from this experience that which is important of our deen and our email, or the people in our lives. You know, we have relationships Allah has put certain people in our lives they've made us up the our parents, our children, our siblings, our

spouses, relationships are messy relationships, sometimes, you know, the childhoods, the parent, the parents, the child, every husband and wife have the issues, but Subhanallah at the end of the day, these are the people that Allah has chosen for you and has selected for you and as made requirements upon us to keep a good relation. At the end of the day when we look at our lives, the things that really matter after our iman, our loved ones. Keeping good relationships, we never know when will be the last conversation we have those people that have passed away you think yeah, Allah, the last time I spoke to him or her if I only knew it was my last conversation, there are so many things I

would have wanted to say. So many things left unsaid. The only those things go unsaid news today use this they they do want to say to that one that you love, I love you to ask them after this anything like that to in any kind of gracias if you want to start this new year positively, when we start this new year, by maintaining our relationships, we realize the importance of our health, so and what Allah has given us, if we had not appreciated before, may Allah grant us to be forgiven, and may He count us as those who are appreciative of his blessing so many blessings. You know, this time gives you so much to reflect about just being analyzing your journal Salah in the masjid, just being

able to hustle your day person who ever gave sugar Yeah, Allah thank you for allowing me to hustle, my seasonality. This is a blessing. And so so many blessings that have we've taken for granted. My Allah Subhana Allah forgive us for being ungrateful, and may He grant us to be of those who are appreciative of his blessings, that so many things that he continues to give us even in difficulty. Allah has made us of the muslimeen if you're sitting there listening to this lecture, and you have the Kanima new triangle from the law, there is no greater blessing than that there is nothing more precious than that. May Allah grant us to live by this Kadima and Allah grant us to die on this

Kalama and may we be resurrected amongst those who have c'est la ilaha illa Allah grant our skills to be heavy on the right side and then we intergenerational for those who have any sub knowledge on this year to be a much busier than the previous year my Allah gone too far to those who are ill. May Allah bless those who have lost something with something better, where if you've lost your business your money, Allah grant you even better this year more than you could have imagined. If you are sick Malecon Congratu, complete Shiva. And if someone that you have loved as passed away, may Allah grant them genitals for those who may be in a place never to want to return to this dunya may be in

happiness and enjoy. May we all be reunited together, even in general to Filipinos. I mean, just like a high schooler I'm wondering the same I'll look around as a wonderful little 2021 May Allah make us better and maybe better Muslims army Nila desert Allah Hi, thank you so much. Salam Alikum work with library guys who are sort of lost they know Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salam we've seen with handler with Alameen Santa Monica