Being an Ambassador for Islam

Thank you?

Allah we live in a shed on rajim Bismillah R Rahman Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala sugarfree Mursaleen. Sadie now Mohamed Anwar Ali, you're so big man, my beloved brothers and sisters. I said Mr. aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen. Always forever we'll begin with the praise the thanks in the worship of Allah Masha Allah Allah Allah Allah we testify that there is none worthy of worship besides Allah subhanaw taala and we send our love and our greetings and salutations to our beloved Nabi Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to his pious in his pure family, to his companions, and all those who follow a sunnah until the end of time. May Allah subhanaw taala bless us to be amongst them. I mean, I mean, what hamdulillah Al Hamdulillah for those of you I haven't seen, I hope you had a Blessed Eid, and Allah subhanho wa taala, except all the above that we did in the month of

Ramadan. And more importantly, may Allah subhanaw taala allow us to continue and maintain the level of spirituality that we enjoy during the month of Ramadan. I mean, I mean, well, hamdulillah Subhanallah it's like a, you know, a shift in you know, you can feel the change in the A in the climate in the environment. Last week to this week. Last week, we were the last few moments of Ramadan trying to save that last day of Ramadan, because we knew the next thing was eat, and how quickly even the fields how different the fields now that we outside of that are outside of Ramadan. And we always remind ourselves that Ramadan is a training ground for what comes afterwards, Allah

subhanho wa Taala prepares us to keep shaytaan locked away, he makes everything around us susceptible for us to be at our best. And so that when we come out of Ramadan, we maintain the taqwa the taqwa meaning the relationship with Allah, which will help us to navigate the life around us. And so the world has changed back to its old state. And we have to be different. And part of the challenge of the Muslim are part of the objective of the Muslim is that we positively change the world around us, that we positively influence those around us that we are part of a society, we are part of humanity, and we should be ambassadors to good calling to watch his work, which is good, and

standing against that which is which is evil. And one of the things we mentioned in our aid talk.

And I mentioned the importance of what we are just achieved at the end of Ramadan. It wasn't just that we fulfill the objective of Allah subhanaw taala. It's not that you just obey the command and you fasted for 30 days. What we as an Obama did, was made a profound statement across the world. I mentioned that the fastest growing religion on earth is what's the fastest growing religion on earth, not Islam. Islam is not the fastest growing religion on earth. It is the rejection of religion. It is the

atheism, agnosticism, basically rejecting religion completely. Many countries in the Western world are not Christian anymore. They identify as not being religious, we're not religious anymore. People are fine. Religion is becoming less and less relevant, even for those who will tick a box. I'm Christian, I'm Jewish, how many of them practice their religion? How many of them are in a church? How many of them go regularly to a synagogue or temple? And the religion of the world today?

Western secularism? What is that religion based on? It is based on you are your own ILA.

No one can tell you what to do, what not to do. No one can tell you what to eat, what to weigh, what not to a how to dress, who you can sleep with. There's no rules or restrictions. Your ILA is yourself, your god your Allah is yourself. Whatever you want to do and say your freedom, complete freedom. That is the religion of the world today, and that is the religion that is spreading. Then all of a sudden, the world stands still and it looks 1.21 point 5 billion people stop eating and drinking throughout the day. And at night they standing in Cree. Why? Because a command was given 1400 years ago by mankind I mean Comitia whoever you witnesses the mother or father so stay away

from food. Stay away from drink. Stay away from

Your wife, and it doesn't matter who the Muslim that you know whether he's a very practicing Muslim, or very Vatra. When we say, everyone, it's Ramadan and put on fasting, I stand. I forbid, what ALLAH has forbid, for me, is an ILA, and he's Akbar, Allahu Akbar, and this statement, and many of us, we must have experienced our non Muslim friends or neighbors or colleagues, they stood back, how did they react to hearing or you fasting? How do they react with admiration with all because will lie, even though the religion of the world says, give into all your desires, given to whatever you want, love your life as you want? I asked which of these religions is on antidepressants, which of these

religions is having mass suicide, you don't find a person on the masala, the person who is worshipping Allah and devoted to Allah when they conflicted with calamity tragedy, someone dies this this hardship on everyone's lives. That person who has Eman and Yaqeen they find they find joy, they find something deeper. And that is why those who did not get to experience Ramadan, those who didn't fast with us when they said you must be excited for for LeBron for eat the next day. We said yes, we're excited for it. But we are actually very, very sad that Ramadan is coming to an end. And when we look back a week ago, we already missing Ramadan and something why? Why would you miss something

when you can't eat and drink and you suffer and you struggle? Because what you get in the sense of that relationship with Allah, that spiritual closeness with Allah, that is what is what is beautiful, and no one feels that except the one who says La Ilaha illa Allah, I am a Muslim, I submit to Allah subhanho wa taala. Now, now that you've tasted the sweetness of iman, and let's remember, it's just a taste when you start doing Ibadah not because it's come a command that you must do what Yes, we do it because it's commanded not because it's a chore or a burden. But when you actually get into the swing of ibadah, and you begin to enjoy it, and when you don't do it, you miss

it. When you begin to feel that way, you've tasted the sweetness of the connection of Allah, then we look to those who never experienced it as how I wish for my friends, my neighbors, my colleagues, that they also could taste the sweetness of iman, that they could also have a relationship with Arab like we had. And so Subhanallah we live in a country as we know where we as Muslims are only one or 2%. We are a tiny, tiny minority, the rest of our non Muslim community, they're not going to interact with Islam through the Quran, or the Sunnah, or hookah or a lecture. They never ever most of them are never going to walk into a masjid. The only interaction with Islam is by way of a

Muslim.

Every single Muslim in South Africa as a minority you are whether you like it or not a die an ambassador according to Islam, Islam will be judged by your actions, whether you like it or not, whether you sign up for the job or not. That's the case. That's how it's going to be. And subhanAllah we saw in Ramadan, this is my experience, and I'm sure for the rest of you, when you practice your Islam. When you actually uphold your Islamic models and principles. I can't eat because Ramadan, I can't take the meeting because I must go for Juma. My shock must be closed because my lord said on Fridays I can't do business during this time. I must wear the scarf because

my lord said so not because my Imam will shave for my husband. So when you do that, again, what is the response from those on the outside admiration? Meaning you might even say I'll give it a go. I also want to experience what you have. I see what you have. And I know there's something beautiful in that. Because we're alive. Everything in creation, every creature yearns for it. That is the DNA of all creatures. Every creature no matter how much you know, you know what the word Cooper Cooper means to disbelieve. Gopher comes from the farmer. Why why a farmer what's got what is this really caught with farming. The calf ear linguistically is the man who buries the seed. He Beatty something

that's where it comes from. So disbelief. It's not that he rejects it. It means he's got his natural seed of Eman in his heart, but he buries it under disbelief. He denies it. It's there, but he almost subjected subjugates it but it's there. And if it is exposed to the light of Allah subhanho wa Taala it will sprout and that is why the call is to Islam. Are you and me. We are the ones that after and I was asked after you've experienced the spiritual high of of Ramadan, you've enjoyed the beauty of the Quran, you've listened to the lectures you've connected to Allah, is it not right? That we want to share that experience with those around us? Is it not just what you would want for you brothers

and sisters as well in humanity? And so inshallah perhaps over the next few weeks will be

Talking more about how you and I can be an ambassador to the religion of Islam how do we navigate this thing? Because we're Slim's comes in all types of sizes and non Muslims as well. How do we how do we bring them closer to the deen? Remember he Dyer? Guidance is for Allah subhanaw taala only the person who embraces Islam or is a practicing Muslim is between that person and Allah subhanho wa Taala and it is Allah subhana wa it is your personal relationship.

Each and every person I mean that is what Islam is all about. Each and every one of us are on our own personal journey to Allah subhanaw taala

no one can judge your iman, no one can put a man in your heart, no one can take it away, except Allah and how you approach Allah that if you want to reach Allah subhanaw taala you would reach is Allah subhanaw taala last week, just as the Juma ended and you're all left, there was a young lady that stayed behind, and she embraced Islam. So Allah called her to Islam at the last few hours of Ramadan. And I asked what is it? Why did you embrace Islam? She said, My dad is a priest. So religion is part of my life. I'm not someone that is unfamiliar with religion, and having experienced religion differently and searching. I just feel that this one Islam is way I find peace.

I feel that this is the calling. And you know, not that we, we we discourage people becoming Muslim. We tell them look, becoming Muslim, there are certain things you need to do. Right? Islam is at times not. You say the Kalama and hunky dory then you have two sisters and samosas and that's it. falooda and that's that's Islam. No, the Salah, this fasting in Ramadan, as a sister, you need to wear hijab there are rules of how to use the toilet. Yes, all those things will come that is butcher there are certain rituals and Alhamdulillah we take with great pride that while there are many, many other religions, without a doubt, without any question of you know, statistics, the most practiced

and observed religion on earth are Muslims. You take a country, like South Africa, or like the UK, where Muslims are a tiny minority. There are more Muslims in the masjid than they are non Muslims in the churches, Christians in the churches, even though it's a Christian country, we say Alhamdulillah the only as I said in the E lecture that we mentioned, your fasting was the rejection was a statement to the religion of the world. We could say the religion of the gel. It was a statement about the strength and the ISA of the deen not us. Allahu Akbar. It didn't come from us it is Allah. It is Allah has power in his Allah's grand journeys, mercy and the greatness of Islam. Because what

I what makes fasting so much more beautiful than any other act of Ayurveda is the sincerity in fasting. Nobody nobody sees you when you're fasting. I see you making salah I can see a Buddha so and so didn't come to the word he said straight through the walk so we know he didn't make solar but so and so is go and Maca is IGE Masha Allah you get the perks of being IG, but fasting for that 12 hours during the day, you could have had a sip you could have had a bike no one would have known. So what what forced you if someone were to ask you and you need we need to think about this. If someone sat you down and said, what keeps you consistent in your fasting for those 30 days, 29 days, no one

is watching you. No one knows. No one is going to harm you. You had so many hours where you could have done your sin but you you keep yourself in line. That is what is what is called Taqwa that is what Taqwa is. You watch over your own self, why not? For the fear of jahannam? Not Yes, we are fearful of Jahannam and not for the rewards of Jannah only, but more so for the pleasure of Allah subhanho wa taala. We want you to please our OB and that is what Taqwa is. And that is why Allah Subhana Allah says that for fasting for fasting, Allah gives the reward, a special reward for the person who fosse

because your EBA for fasting is the most personal Ibadah you can have there is no more personal evader than the Buddha of fasting, because no one sees you. No one knows when you ate. So you did it purely with Allah on your mind. And so at Hamdulillah, as I said, this act of Obeida and it's the one act of Ibadah that the entire world actually notices our non Muslims don't really notice when you make salah they don't really notice had so much Zakah they only notice maybe if they are recipients of the benefit, but fasting the whole world knows it's the month of Ramadan. And the whole world is asking when he's eat and we say we don't know when etc, will tell you when we find

that we also don't know. And so everyone experiences Islam, partly through Ramadan and how we fast the one Ibadah which you don't get to see is the Ibadah that the whole world notices. And as I said, this Ibadah is the one that shows that the religion of the world today the

To open secularism, we reject it. And this is the way of mankind, this is the way and So alhamdulillah getting to our slides, the responses, the believer who mixes with the people and engages with them, and you're gonna get all kinds of people good, bad and ugly, but you engage with him patiently. And he bears the annoyances and he bears the the evils that comes with it, there is a greater reward and the one who doesn't mix with the people and basically loves his own Islamic sort of

cocoon. I'm gonna live in my little masjid, I'm gonna live in my room, but we just make it so it decaf. And this is the beauty of, of how Allah wants you to see things. The last 10 nights of Ramadan, within days of Ramadan, you're supposed to go and eat decaf, I shut off the entire world, even my family, it's just me and Allah, it's just me and Allah. Now that Ramadan is done, you must go back into the wild, you must go back into the wilderness, you can't stay in the cave and worship Allah 24/7. But now you must live, you got that spiritual Eman boost, and you take it into into your daily life. So the lessons of Ramadan is so profound that as I watched over my CRM throughout the

day, I will watch over my pay during the day. So meetings will come and go and wait times for the work before the work goes out at least I'm going to stop from my work and I'm going to make my the work. I'm not going to miss my salah the same way. I didn't put my fasting on hold for work for anything else. That when it comes to what I dress, what I eat, I will maintain that Halal aspects, even outside of Ramadan. And as I said, part of what you're doing, yes, it's for Allah and it's for your own sake and your own rewards. But it's also it's also as a means of Dawa to those around us. How do we engage with non Muslims? And this is the beginning of Inshallah, a deeper series. And I

want to clarify certain things because they are those who almost imagine, yes, the Islamic community is your religion, our religion, that you people do what you want to do, and we do our way and we don't really engage, there is that view, and that's the incorrect view. And

we mustn't understand certain ideas about engaging with non Muslims and take them out of context. There are certain verses about Jihad and certain verses of not standing, standing against disbelief, understand the context. And I almost want to dispel that in this lecture, so that when we talk about how do we live with non Muslims, and how do we engage with him, we shouldn't have this baggage. So you have the if you will, Lavina Amanu This is often quoted If so, I asked my little my young brothers and sisters here, you have classmates who are non Muslims. Can you be friends with him? Can you bring them home? Can you play games together? Can you have you know, deep conversations or are

they just acquaintances? You know, I and by nothing beyond that, Allah says in the Quran Yeah, you will live in Amman oh you believe lottery lottery Julia who don't want Nosara do not take the Jews and the Christians only up as Olia as allies as deep confidence as protectors. Bow Doom Oh Liova they are only out of each other. Well, million dollar home income for in no minimum. And whoever Allah is himself when them then he becomes one of them in Allah Allah had to become a volume and therefore Allah does not guide the people who are unjust. So many times this is put don't take the Jews and the Christians as your friends, by the way earlier does not mean friend does not literally

mean he will call that the only of Allah the friends of Allah. Oh, Leah has more of a relationship of, of allegiance. We are allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder through thick and thin. That is what and that's why when our talks about a certain believer is a wali of Allah. Therefore if you go against the will of Allah, you're going to war with Allah subhanaw taala. The concept of Wilaya Wilaya is an alliance we are thick and thin together. This idea is not saying you can't be friends, you can't have a good relationship with non Muslims. It is saying in the context of when it comes to right and wrong justice and injustice. When it comes to standing on political issues about standing

we stand for what is the UK and we stand for unit we unite on the truth and we stand even with means we must go against the entire world we go to war against the world when it comes to the heart and the truth. We stand together and never should it be that you ally with a non Muslim group against a Muslim brother. And how many political analysts is on a political concept. A Muslim country should never go to war with another Muslim country by ally with a non Muslim this thing Allah Subhana Allah says is against against Islam completely. And so if you look at just a few verses before that this is either number 51 or 82. What does Allah subhanaw taala say? So that's why it's important to read

these ayat in context. Allah says, Well, I will tell you then Acaba, whom you would find the closest people, to them, meaning to the believers, the closest people to the Muslim, my word that and in the love Lila Nina Amanu in the love for the Muslims. Lila Lena Kalu in Nan Asada, to the people who call themselves Christians. So Allah says in the Quran, the closest community that you would find friendship and I'll use the word mawatha mawatha. Is that the

deep love and affection that close affection and the relationship you'd find are between the Muslims and Christianity why? We are the only people that agree with him that maybe ISA is the Messiah of Allah, that he is the word of Allah we've never father we believe that money is what is the greatest woman that walked the face of the earth. The only religion on earth that does this will unite with him in that, and also the delicate piano medium kusina O'Bannon, one no Mala is stuck between and you'd have lessons from them. You'd find sincere, devout people. Yes, we have theological differences and we can never ever wash that away. Part of the series is going to be can we simply

say we are all one family Kumbaya, Christian us all the same. That is not permissible either. Being an ambassador to to Instagram doesn't mean that you also speak lies or speak that which is untrue, or avoid an awkward conversation with something which is untrue, we need to discuss that as well. Part of being an ambassador, when you're an ambassador to a country, you must make the statement that even if it's an uncomfortable statement, you must see it because you're standing for what is true. So yes, Allah is saying he's on a way that amongst these priests and and people that are devoted in the churches, they believe in the Trinity why Yeah, the biller and they believe ALLAH has

a son. But in spite of that, they are still sincere, good hearted people. And that i This idea is telling you that when we talk about engaging with other people, of other religions, the humanity aspect comes through as well. We know that in the eye when Allah speaks about having parents that are non Muslim. Allah says in the Quran, that if you have parents who are not Muslim,

and they Jahad they make war upon you to leave Islam, Allah says they don't obey them. But Sahiba will be my roof, but be a good companion to them. So this father is trying to make you disobey Allah is trying to make you fall into Sheikh Allah doesn't say, obey him over doesn't say, fight him overseas, reject the wrong that he's doing, but you'll be a good son, you'll be a good devout it's and you'll be the best son you can be to that Father and to that mother. So the Quran gives us certain guidelines and Inshallah, as I said, it's the beginning of a longer series, certain guidelines, how do we engage with those outside of our faith? Allah says, lie and how come Allah and

this is a very important idea is so important, but this one is foundational in this area, Allah Allah and how Kamala and inletting alum you call it Luke Humphrey dini? Well, I'm Johanna Dooku, Mindy Ericom. And Barbara Motoko. See to lay him in Allah Hebron Maka, city and Allah says,

Allah never forbids you

to be

kind, and just to be friendly, to have good nature to work well to have a good report, the word took us into what what a two bedroom, two bath bear is to have good kind dealings with them. Allah says he doesn't forbid you to be kind, friendly, just with people, so long as they do not wage war on you because of your deen and they wage war on you. They want to harm you, you harm your dean and harm you from a dunya perspective. So certainly, if you look at certain countries in the world, some countries in the world they're going to they're they're harming our brothers and sisters. They're taking the land, they are oppressing them. For those countries, we can't be allies with him. We

can't be friends with him. We will never ever, we will never sit at the same table. If you're killing my brothers and sisters on the one side, they don't smile with media. When I don't want to be in your company. I don't want to have a good word with you. But if you're not doing that, and you don't hate my dean, so someone who genuinely is openly Islamophobic they openly insult Islam, they openly insult the Prophet salam for such a person. If I if I don't see you ever, that's even better. And our engagement is very, very cordial. Beyond that, we are not friends, we are not buddies. Allah says this is the only category of person that you show a level of harshness, those who wage war on

you because of your dean of the wage war on you, because they expel you from your homes. And then Allah Subhana Allah also mentions

what in a minute we should Akina estadia raka for a Jew, Hector. Yeah, smartkarma Allah. Allah says that if any of the non believers were to ask you for assistance, they need help, then help them assist them. Why? So that they may experience they may hear the words of ALLAH, that they may be acquainted with Allah subhanaw taala many, many of our non Muslim friends and neighbors the only reason that they haven't embraced Islam is because we have not shared the message with them. And part of the things we need to be prepared for Allah protect us.

How can we work with people, decades? sitting side by side? How are you How's the family we know each other's names of each other's kids. We know which holidays they go on. We know everything about them. But we never had once a conversation about this about religion. We never once invited them to Islam.

We never once thought that look this person is on from our perspective. They are on a trajectory that will end in in misery in the akhirah but we didn't have the key it really comes down to it.

didn't care for them enough to have the conversation. And I know it's an awkward conversation. It's religion is politically incorrect. That's part of the setup of the global world you're not supposed to mention the religion talk about religion at all religion must be outside of public space. Religion is only you do at home, in your in your house and maybe in your mosque, and even that must be limited. No. So be prepared. Subhanallah when our colleagues and friends or neighbors are gonna say yeah, Allah, this man lived next to me for 30 years, we're neighbors that he is. He gave me a Baraka in some ways and sister, but he never once said to me what Islam is all about.

On Qiyamah, they will be witness against us. We didn't share the message. We saw them on a trajectory. We see it for example, you see someone is about to crash into a wall or train is oncoming they don't see it, a car is about to knock them and we never wanted eight come the side. It becomes your duty and my duty especially as a minority in an ocean of non Muslims. And we all know that's panela in other parts of the world, when you experience Islam as a minority, there is an Islamophobia there is a a barrier. Many Muslims are just trying to survive. They objectively we're just trying to survive. We don't want to stick out because we don't want to have any kind of

backlash. Alhamdulillah we don't have that here. We don't have that here. People are genuinely interested to learn more. People are genuinely interested to see come to the masjid. They would love to come to the masjid come in, have have Iftar with us come fast for the day with us. I was so happy Alhamdulillah one of the schools of the

southern suburbs which the food and sex they had a massive star. Yes. Okay. It was more of a social gathering for the youngsters, but they were many, many non Muslims at that gathering. And they fasted for the day as well. They fostered with the land, the soil is susceptible for Islam. The land here is, is is open for us to share the deen

and we're not it's not going to happen through a mess Doublelift Jamarcus was gonna happen or do art from overseas are going to come and they're going to give people the deen. It is your duty and my duty to be ambassadors to be ambassadors. How do you be good ambassadors?

Be a good ambassador doesn't mean you must take a course on Dawa, that will help you definitely. But being a good ambassador to Islam is just being a good Muslim. Just being a good Muslim, and making it known that whatever, goodbye when you're a good Muslim automatically, your good habits will be seen and experienced by those around you. If you're a good Muslim, you will never cheat your customers. You will never cheat your boss. When you're a good Muslim. You're never going to be you're never going to argue you're going to be a good neighbor. You're going to feed the poor, you're going to smile, you're going to follow the Sunnah of Nabil Salam. The reason I was asked what

is the best Islam who is the best Muslim said the one who greets a lot of Assam welcomes and he feeds a lot of people simple. feed a lot of people and greet a lot of people be sociable. If you practice your deen automatically, you will be a good Muslim you'll be a good person. And then you linked it to Islam. Why are you doing this? Why? You know we always see you in Bucha you're always ready to help you're the one that's willing to stay extra hours after work. You didn't we didn't discount we discovered so that's my religion. Because that's what my prophet told me. That's what my religion is all about. And so by practicing our deen and upholding it, you will find people will

love a smooth and people will be open to Islam inshallah than a visa Salam. He was asked me to out against the non Muslims. And this is the context of Muslims who are being persecuted and fighting think about the misogyny and how they suffered how the police had harmed him so many times. And so the Sahaba just make dua against him. May Allah destroy them. Jarocin Allah, that is I have not been seen to curse people, but I'm seen as a mercy to mankind and his ummah is also See also to follow his sunnah as a mercy to all of humanity. And so in sha Allah, we, we will conclude with this one last statement for in terms of how do I be a good person? Save Now look, man, at least Salam is

narrated, that he said to his son. If you want to give Dawa and you want to guide people, what should I do? You don't have to learn a long course on dour and to be a movie and a Madonna then you can talk about Islam. He said, Let your speech be good, and your face be smiling. You will be loved more by the people then by even giving them food by just having good o'clock. And by smiling. People will love you more than even the man who is generous and gives and feeds a lot of people. And obviously we combine the two it is based so in sha Allah, we ask Allah Subhana Allah to grant us to be invested as to the deen. Allah has chosen us and we thank him for the blessing of Islam to be 1%

out of 99 to 1% as Muslim you have already won the lotto with Allah subhanho wa Taala you handpick each and every one of us to be Muslims. We thank Allah for that. And we ask Allah subhanaw taala that we are worthy of his selection worthy of carrying the deen and work

You're sharing it even Allah, Allah grant us all the goodness I mean in the dunya and the Ophira just announced his refusal on the slides inshallah next week, next week Saturday morning with Nila, we will have a hedge Crash Course so for the visibility into hedge mode and so it's a workshop from about nine o'clock the morning that will do it. If anybody is interested or keen let me know inshallah it's just by invite only so inshallah just let me know and it's a small group join us Allah say Mohammed well Alia Sadie, Simon Celine and Pamela datamine. The library