The Art of Contemplation

Salam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

for the purposes of contemplation and reflection on the beauty of the verses of the Koran. I would like to start off with the recitation. inshallah.

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Colombia ambia even mousseline Nabina Habib in karate ioannina Hamad bin Abdullah alayhi wa aalihi wa sahbihi wa salatu wa salim.

I begin by praising Allah subhana wa Jalla was no doubt our Creator sustainer nourish, protect and cure. We asked him gela wise to shower his choices of blessings and salutations upon our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam his family members, his companions and all those who tread upon his bath with utmost sincerity, until the day of them

to proceed in accordance to the words of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was reported to have said mela Mish Kareena, slemish karela the one was not thank the people has not thank Allah subhanho wa Taala. So I thank chef for saying he and his organization and the volunteers for bringing about this event by the help of Allah behind him with Allah May Allah azzawajal bless them with the very best in this world as well as the hereafter. I mean,

and then I go on to pray that Allah subhanho wa Taala bless this gathering and make this gathering and gathering ready Angel shroud us with the rings, the Sakina tranquility of Allah subhanho wa Taala descends upon us and many Azerbaijan make high mention of us in the seven heavens, I mean,

the topic that I chose for this evening is the art of contemplation.

Now, I'm sure most of us are familiar with the term contemplation, but we may be finding it difficult to place our finger precisely in regard to its definition. So if I were to lose the Define contemplation, I would define it as long hard thinking about something like say for example, if someone were to ask you to write a book about the universe, you will need a lot of contemplation in that regard to write a book about the universe or perhaps the purpose of life. So you will need a lot of contemplation in this regard.

But to define contemplation in a more broader sense, it can be defined as the art of touching the truth of something or understanding the truth of something something by applying one's intuition by applying one's mind to it. We say it's an art because

because it requires creativity as well as discipline. Some people think that you know, when we say creativity, no, creativity is not something that can be incorporated within Islam. Creativity is taboo, perhaps. But Islam

has or endorses creativity in a big way. Like say for example, the Koran is a divine miracle from Allah subhanho wa Taala Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, I would say he was an extremely creative individual. Why? Because he was sent to a nation who were worshipping idols, he said, Allahu Allah, le wasallam he took them out of that, and transformed them to become individuals, much better individuals, and he brought about this amazing society from scratch. So he said a long while ago and it was Adam he used very creative methods to get to that end result is

so we do in terms of this particular the art of contemplation we'll talk about it in sha Allah we need creativity as well as discipline in terms of discipline rlgn Islam highlights so much about discipline there are so many factors to talk about when we mentioned discipline say for example minute things that are times you know, we tend to look over Why do you think the Imam

before every Salah what is the mom do Oh, before we go further, small important is what can I say? A reminder?

Yeah, yes, no before that. I'm not the only one who has to do the talking here. I want you all as well to engage because I don't want anybody now it's after work.

I want you all to engage. So why do you think the man or the What does the man the brother asked the question, but what does the amount due before every Sorry?

before trying to appeal to the farmer does he do there's an important announcement he makes straight in euros right? So some striking euros right?

So the Imam before every Salah he highlights the fact that you must straighten your rose discipline bringing about discipline but you know what the irony about this the man cries out before every Salah straight niro's in a stand in alignment when they're when you go outside our slippers are all thrown all over the you know thrown all over the place our cars when we come to the mess of the pocket, you know, all over blocking people's driveways, you know, the neighbor's houses, etc. Sometimes you think you think you know, what's the point of, you know, the mom crying out straighten your own straighten your rose whines Our lives are all you know, in a mess. And it's done in my

life, so much about discipline, bringing things into order. There are instances even in the life of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he used to plan out things he said allamani production in terms of the expeditions in terms of many other things. He said a lot while evaluating them is to plan out things properly. In terms of cleanliness, in terms of planning in terms of discipline, Islam highlights all of this. So too, in the sense when we talk about the art of contemplation, the art requires these two things creativity as well as discipline. But now we need another three vital elements in terms of Mastering the Art of contemplation to master the art of contemplation, we need

three vital things. Okay, number one, we need time.

Number one, we need time. In other words, we need to take time off, to contemplate, to ponder, to reflect. Look at Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and this is before the Nobunaga. Before the Nova is Allah Salam was married. He was a businessman, so obviously, he must have been a very busy individual, but yet he made time to do what to chill.

What did he do? He sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to go and spend time in the cave of Hara Doing what? This is before Nova. He was contemplating and he took time off from his busy schedule to go contemplate the story of Ibrahim alayhi salatu salam, Allah subhanho wa Taala mentions to normal for an allele can re berahino mallacoota sumati una manera mukuni to Allah subhanho wa Taala says we showed

the kingdom of the heavens and the earth to Ibrahim alayhi salatu salam. And I'm sure most of you might be familiar with the story. He looks at the moon. Yeah. And he thinks Okay, the moon, the moon is my God, but then the moon vanishes, it fades away. And he says, you know, it can't be my god after how often How can something that vanishes away be the thing that created me and then the sun and then the sun goes away as well as the sunsets. And finally, he turns in, he would just do he faces his fate. He says I turn my face to Allah subhana wa elimina mushrikeen and I'm not from those who associate partners and to Allah subhanho wa Taala used to contemplate Ibrahim alayhi salatu

salam, our Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, they all took time out to contemplate. So now

Number one, we need what we need to take time out, especially the time that we live in. Why? Because we live in such a materialistic era. We are all caught up in this rat race. We are all running behind what? We all hankering behind dounia we just don't have high sense we do have time but we aren't willing to take time. We're not willing to take time off, to contemplate, to ponder to reflect. So number one, we need to take time out. Time is of the essence is extremely valuable. It is the most valuable commodity, an individual has lost behind. He promises upon time in different portions as well as

while fetcher was one lane one Aha, but also by time itself will fetch it by the daybreak one lane each direction by the night as it envelopes one the hurry that agenda by the day what baja by the phone, Allah subhanho wa Taala promises upon different portions of time to highlight what time is of the essence, time is extremely valuable. So the we're not supposed to waste time, nor are we supposed to just wile away. Instead, we're supposed to use the valuable time that we have to take time out from the valuable time that we have to ponder to reflect and to contemplate. So number one, we need time. Number two, we need space. So keep these things in mind because I will in sha Allah

asked you about the list, right? So number two, we need space, space in the sense. We need space to contemplate not physical space, but you can take it in that sense as well. But we need space in our minds. Because, you know, we need to declutter our minds. Our lives are full of so much of clutter, our minds are full of so much of clutter. Our news feeds are full of so much of clutter, our workspaces are times full of so much of clutter, that we find it difficult to think clearly. You know, now the whole minimalistic thing is in I'm sure the designers in the crowd will relate to what I'm saying. Right? Say Where do you think the minimalistic approach were in terms of design, you

have this minimalistic look, in terms of lifestyle, you go with a very minimalistic approach like say you planning on printing out wedding cards in in those days, you had all the gaudy designs everywhere.

What do you think, you know, all these gaudy designs, but now it's very simple, very clean, basically, a white card with a good choice of a font. That's the whole thing. But that makes life so much more easy. It doesn't simplify, it makes your life so much more easier. Likewise, in terms of our minds, in terms of everything around us, we need to declutter and make things simple and easy. The minute we do that, say for example, if you declutter your mind, you've got time now to think because the time we we we, we use the valuable real estate in terms of space, in our minds and other things, you know, we bring in all these other thoughts, we waste the resources that we have, wiling

it away thinking about so many other things, and not having time to contemplate on the things that really do matter to us. So number two, we need space, this is of utmost importance. Finally, number three, we need concentration, we need concentration today, because of all the gadgets that we have around us, many of us suffer from what short attention spans, we find it very difficult to focus like say if electrodes for about an hour, 15 minutes and the brother is gone, the system is gone. I mean, like, you know, the mind is wandering all over Malaysia going to maybe where are we now? Petaling Jaya subang. Thinking about all kinds of things, short attention span, like when they're

studying something or perhaps someone has come maybe you know, perhaps the scholar or maybe even the school, you're at the university, someone important is come and try to you know, benefit from that individual, you find it difficult because of your short attention span. Concentration is important. So concentration is like a muscle. Just as how you go to the gym, perhaps you exercise and strengthen your muscles. Concentration is like a muscle and you need to strengthen that particular muscle, to be able to focus, we need to be able to focus, that's when we will be able to master this art of contemplation and coming to where you can apply it. But for that you need these three things,

but are they time, space? concentration, you need to take time out. You need to have space in the sense you need to declutter your mind declutter your head, leave all the worries aside. What is the skill you at times you know, just keep all of that aside? You need space and then you need concentration to apply the art of contemplation All right.

You need concentration to apply the art of contemplation now on what are you to contemplate on what are the sources

Say for example, I look around you look at the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala. There's so much around us to contemplate, such as the creation of a box behind a hotel. What are the lies of urgency in the ayah Surah? I read at the beginning of alliander una ebk for hula, but do you all not see or look at the camel and how it was created? We're in a sama ek for houfy and don't you all look at the heavens and see how it has been raised? Where energy Valley kayfun or seabirds don't you all see the mountains and how they've been placed so firmly? Well out of the cave so they do not look at the earth how it has been spread. So lastly, Allah subhanho wa Taala What are these questions that

rhetorical questions to open our minds to make us contemplate to make us ponder? Who will see or fill out the fountain Okay, fair, but the hunt Allah subhana wa sallam dimensions and obofour are all Mohammed Salah Molyneux early with Salim sallam, tell them go travel the earth and look at how Allah subhanho wa Taala began the creation. We have been commanded by Allah subhanho wa Taala, to ponder, to contemplate and to reflect. So look at the creation around you. Look at yourself. You are a living manifestation of the greatness of Allah subhanho wa Taala of the greatness of the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala look at yourself, look at your faculties. Look at your eyes, the tongue,

say for example, see I'm speaking English you all understand. And there are so many languages prevalent on the face of this earth, so many languages. And at the

blinking of an eye I can switch a language I mean the languages that I know to speak

Arabic and I'm talking Arabic and switch the language the ones in the audience who can understand Arabic will be able to understand me may o de todo todo se janta who I can talk a little bit of odo

so you know we can converse we switch languages but don't you think it's a great blessing from Allah subhanho wa Taala there are so many things happening while we switch languages there are so many signals going through the brain deciphering those languages the proper words nowadays this storage of words our mind is playing with all the words taking the correct words and then everything is coming out to get all of that happening. Look at our eyes, we look at things with so much of clarity at times we take it for for for for granted you ask them the the camera man and the crowd. They will tell you that the experts with cameras I mean to take a good picture but you need you need a proper

focus. Like say for example if I want to get the brother in hand over here I would have to focus and Mashallah he'll come crisp and clean. But the rest I can if I want I can blur them. But say in a very quick gesture if I were to take the camera behind and try to take somebody at the back without allowing the camera to focus even though we have modern day technology where we have laser autofocus and whatnot which happens in a few seconds. But still I need to give the camera a little time to focus if not I will get a very blurry picture. But then look at our eyes. Here I am looking at the brother is crisp and clean Mashallah, as I look at the uncle at the back, he's also crisp and clean,

it's happening seamlessly, the correct amount of light is going through and focusing all of that is happening the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala Do you see anybody doing any focusing like this you know, when they want to focus on the back tapping, touching and focus on Masuda and doing the manual setting the ISO, the aperture? I mean, I just I don't know about this stuff, but I'm just saying Yeah. Do you see anybody doing that? the correct amount of light? Oh, it's blinding, I can't see. So I need to drop the ISO perhaps I need to increase the aperture. Nobody does that. It happens automatically. You go into a dark environment. Your eyes automatically adjust and take the correct

amount of light. You go into a speedo well lit environment. Again, your your eyes adjust. You need to contemplate you need to ponder. And that's when because you see,

coming back to concentration. We tend to just look over all these things. We just tend to skim over all of these things. If you sit down and contemplate and ponder. That's when we realize

there are so many things that around us. We need to savor and relish life this life that Allah subhanho wa Taala has given us like say for example, even drinking water, even drinking water when I say what I'm feeling thirsty. So when we drink water when we do we just you know pour it, okay? Maybe water is not a good example, say a cup of tea or a cup of coffee. We tend to read a book or perhaps we're exporting our news feed. We're going through our reading the paper and we're sipping our coffee. But you know, put the paper aside. Close your laptop, keep your mobile phone aside and savor and relish the drink that you're drinking to start to value the blessings of Alaska and you

start to enjoy it you start enjoying life. relish your relationships, relish the relationship that you enjoy relish the fact that you have a loving family waiting for you back at home.

We take all these things for granted. We tend to, and we tend to only focus, like the camera on all the negative things and we think, Oh my god, life is like so difficult. But then if you only were to focus on the good things, will realize that you know, I'm enjoying so many blessings have been lost.

We'll come to that towards the end because those are the results of communication. Right? And moving on. We need concentration, we need concentration. So Can someone tell me the three things that we just mentioned, but we need to master the art of contemplation,

time space and concentration. And in terms of sources, we said, look at the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala. Look at yourself. And then in terms of the books that we read, and from all the books as believers we have the greatest source of inspiration, the greatest source for contemplation and that is the

the best of speech, the best of speech revealed unto the best of messengers, Mohammed Salah Bhavani

revealed through the best and the greatest of all angels, Archangel Gabriel jabril anisakis Okay, through the best of languages, the Arabic language lovers agenda, the love of the language of our beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam okay? It was revealed during when the best of months Chandra Madonna lady hones in on the best of months, during the best of nights in answer now feel a little further the best of nights better than 1000 months long. And it was revealed where the best of lands, Mecca and Medina, the best of lands. We have this amazing divine miracle to derive inspiration to ponder to reflect and our maker, what does he say in the novel?

For

kulu bean?

Do they not ponder? Do they not contemplate on the Koran?

Or have they got locks on their hearts? So if you're finding it difficult to contemplate if you're finding it difficult to ponder, master these techniques and still if you find the difficult then you really need to work on your hands. Why? Because last mahanagara says the ones who cannot ponder, have they got locks on their hearts, they lock their hearts have been sealed up hardening if you cannot ponder on the words of your maker, so we must strive to ponder on the words of Allah subhanho Medina of Elijah Bernal for Anna mala khudobin aka Fallujah. And he has a Virgil did not say Apple is

not here the Koran cannot read the Koran Nay, instead the choice of words affiliated de una hora, do they not contemplate? Do they not ponder? We do not reflect on the Quran. So the Koran is just an amazing source for us to derive inspiration to ponder and to reflect. Moving on.

In terms of the what we get out of contemplating. Number one, I briefly touched on it in a way a few minutes ago. Number one is gratitude.

The result of contemplation, the minute you master the art of contemplation, you apply it, and the result that you get. Number one is gratitude. You start rendering gratitude and robots and Hannah Montana, you start realizing the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala upon you, the little things in life, as well as the big things will all start to manifest and matter to you. Say, for example, you will think about I have clean water to drink. How many people don't have this, how many people are suffering, how many people walk miles to get some clean water to drink, you start making sugar, you start rendering gratitude and hunger and I have a roof over my head. How many people don't have roof

over their head, they don't have proper shelter. You start thanking Allah subhana wa COVID I've got good clothes to allow myself to keep myself warm. I have food over my table. You know, personally at times, as human beings we all go through moments of sadness, moments of depression, but it's very easy to come out of it by remembering by you know, recording the things that Allah subhanho wa Taala in terms of the blessings of Abbas bannerghatta. myself, when I think of myself, look here, I'm here with all of you 111 Malaysia, it's a blessing of Allah subhanho wa Taala it's indeed a blessing of Allah subhanho wa Taala that he is united all of us for his sake. And we asked him to unite us in

the gardens of gender as well. I mean, and then many other things, the fact that we've got good

Help,

you know the old Persian proverb,

I was crying, because I had no shoes. Until I walked down the street and met a man who had no feet.

I was crying, because I had no shoes, until I walked down the street and met a man who had no feet.

That's when that individual started to realize the value of one's feet. I mean, who cares about the shoes and his or her feet to walk, at least they got feet to walk, and like I said, the little things will start to matter. And then we'll start to render gratitude and Allah Subhana, Allah will become more positive individuals. And that's the second thing. That's the second result. Number one, gratitude, number two positivity, I'm not going to go into positivity, because insha Allah, Allah, I'll be touching a lot on positivity. At our conference today didn't mind the conference where I'm looking forward to seeing you all there. It will be on the 29th and 30th, coming weekend in

Charlottetown. So one of the topics that I'll be dealing with is the diary of an optimist, the diary of an optimist, talking about the day, or other diaries and journals, it's important that we all maintain diaries and journals, you know, this, this habit has now gone completely because of the tech era that we live in. So it really doesn't matter even if you can maintain a digital one, just to record all the things that happen in your life. And then when you go through it, you will realize because sometimes we tend to forget, we tend to forget the good things that happen in our life. We tend to forget all of the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala. But when we write it down, we tend

to remember, okay, look, I just, I was in Malaysia, perhaps I met all these beautiful people are hungry, they had a really good time there. When we think about all of these things we

have so much you can't Allah subhanho wa Taala I just don't have time to complain, I don't have time to grumble. I have so much to thank Allah subhanho wa Taala for in reality, many brothers and sisters in Islam, if you go to even spend our whole lives in sajida this has not been prescribed upon us, mechanical achara It is not something that has been prescribed. But even if we were to spend our whole lives in sajida, it would not suffice as gratitude rendered unto Allah subhanho wa Taala for the numerous bounties and favors that he has conferred upon us. And even if you were to try and enumerate and list down in that diary or journal of us all these blessings of Allah subhanho

wa Taala we would fail miserably, as he rightfully states in the novel for

what you

do.

So,

if you were to try and enumerate the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala if you were to try and count the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala, that you will not be able to encompass all of the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala because his blessings are so numerous in number for Big Island.

So with just the favors of you alone, can you deny we can deny any of the favors any of the boundaries of a loss of Hannah who have died? Because there's so numerous in number, so numerous in number, so let's not waste time grumbling, complaining, see some people when you sit with them, at times, you know, you're positive and your life is so bright. But the minute you hear about all other individuals whining and complaining, you feel like oh my god, given my life sucks.

But some people you sit with them, perhaps it's a bad headache for the sisters perhaps, or it's just a bad day and you sit with someone who is so positive, it's got that aura of positivity around them. The minute you sit with them, even you feel uplifted, and you feel happy. You feel like you know what, my problem wasn't such a big problem. After all, it's just something that I need to deal with. And as human beings we need positivity as well as negativity. You know, sometimes people tend to only focus on positivity. But negativity also plays lessons. When I say negativity, I'm talking about the negative moments in our lives. They also play a big role. We need negative moments to mold

us. We need trials, we need challenges to make us better people. But the way we perceive and the way we look at those challenges, that's the problem.

Once it's a hobby, or the alarm, it went to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and

of all the individuals who are the ones who tested the most of us.

And you know, what was the lesson now I should have said, Who are the individuals tested the most? But Allah subhanho wa Taala can other than the ones who know the Heidi? Can anybody take a wild guess? The ones tested the most well as the ones who know the Hadees cannot answer.

What do you think? I mean, like what comes to your mind, criminals, the sinner

The transgressors the ones tested the most of Allah subhanho wa Taala. The serial killers the rapist. Yeah, the ones who have transgressed the limits of the mafia.

The one who has the most amount of money, all of these things can come to our mind, but you know what the problems lie to themselves.

And

the prophets were the ones tested the most by a loss of time. And then he went on to say to Muslim, Central, and then the very next best, after which the very next best, and then he said allies, lm kept off the narration by saying, along the lines of these words are from a call on a Serato Salam that an individual is tested, according to his levels of a man according to his levels of righteousness, according to his levels of law, according to an individual's levels of piety that individual is tested by Allah subhanho wa Taala.

You see, so tests, challenges, trials, they Polish us to the better, they either forgive, in a sense they are means for Allah subhanahu wa Jalla, forgiving us of our sins, or else they Polish us to the better, they prepare us for something bigger, you know, because we as human beings, as the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala, we fail to perceive the plan of Allah subhanho wa Taala. And sadly, that's one of the reasons why we question the decree of Allah subhanho wa Taala. We tend to say, oh, why is life so unfair only to me? Why does life suck? Why do I have to go through all these problems? Why am I the only one going through medical issues? You know, all of us, I'm sure if I

was, if I were to ask for a show of hands as to Can someone raise their hand.

The individual is not facing any problems in their life, I'm sure none of us can raise. Because we all fighting our own battles. We are all going through problems. This is how we deal with these problems. It's just how we deal with these issues with these problems. This is what

counts at the end of the day. So they Polish us to the better. They mold us. We're not supposed to question the decree of Allah subhanho wa Taala. We're not supposed to question the plan have a must be Hannum or die. Because we don't have access to the bigger picture. It is only Allah subhanho wa Taala who has access to the complete picture all we have with us a couple of pixels. We just have a couple of pixels from the complete picture. Allah azza wa jal, he has the complete picture with him. So sadly, having these couple of pixels with us we tend to question the decree of Allah subhanho wa Taala. We tend to question a law we tend to question the mercy of Allah, we tend to question

everything around us, we tend to complain why in government? Why is the real that's not the qualities, the traits of a believer now.

If you look at the stories of the Prophet sallahu wa salatu salam and this is where again, contemplation comes about. You're not supposed to just skim over the story. Sometimes you might think oh my god, he's gonna start the story of Mossad is about

how many times I've heard the story of

how many times I heard the story of a blind man, is that his name? Yes, yes, I know. I promise that was I was thrown into a fire. Sometimes you know, we tend to think like that. But you know, each time in other scholars have conceived but they mentioned that each time they go into the Koran, just like a diver diving into bring up pearls each time we go into the pond, we come up with something, we come up with something, there's something there is a lesson to be derived. There are gems and jewels inside their luck.

Look at the stories of the Prophet sallahu wa Salaam and just try to relate it to what I just said. Or the Hadith that I just mentioned. But the Rasul Allah Islam say, the ones who are tested the most By Allah, Allah ambia

look at Masala Dosa.

He was chased out of Egypt, chased out of Egypt comes back. I'm just giving you the gist of the story. Yeah, he accidentally kills an individual neurons out of Egypt comes back again. And he was commanded by Allah subhanho wa Taala to invite this super evil guy the dictator of that time tired around, okay. And then what is the round do? He does not accept the message? He he chases and basically he torments them he does all of that. So don't you think there's all trials and then the the difficulty the trials that musala was not meant to dealing with manually soil we all know why was not an easy nation. They were a very difficult stubborn nation. The Koran is filled with their

mentioned and their stories moussaka Islam dealt with that kind of a nation. Look at Brahim Elisa was thrown into a blazing fire, a trial, a challenge, a difficulty law.

It just doesn't end there. He was commanded by Las Vegas, Nevada to do what

slaughter your son.

Just imagine if Allah subhana wa Taala had not transformed or

Change the ruling you know that he had to he had to slaughter around all of us we would have to slaughter our firstborn sons. Man, what a big trial that would have been. Just put yourself into the shoes of the prime minister. And think how he must have felt as a father was blessed with a child for a long period of time, after a long period of time has been commanded by Allah subhanho wa Taala to slaughter his beloved Son, but he complained he obeyed the command of the last time just before that, what is the last behind him with data okay? And he was also command about us behind was how to do what just before that, go and drop your wife harder, and your son, just an unknown place?

a barren place. he obeys the command of Allah subhanho wa Taala look at the story of IU valleys la casa de la acaba, when you say you know I use is like a synonym for patience. When you say I you you remember patience, and when you talk about patience, you can't help but remember the story of who

he was tested by Allah subhanho wa Taala. So much, he lost his Well, he loses his children. He loses his health. Everybody moves away from him because of that skin condition of his so many challenges, so many tests, but he never question the decree of Alaska.

He never ever questioned the decree of Alaska. His wife goes to him and tells him Yeah, you You are a prophet of Allah, why didn't you pray to Allah and ask Allah to cure you? Nobody says Should I not be a grateful slave I'm doing I've been enjoying his bounties and papers for so long. So what if I have to go through a little bit of a challenge a little bit of trial and difficulty for his sake?

Yusuf alayhi salatu salam His story is full of challenges and difficulties from the very beginning where stone into an abandoned well, a dark abandoned well. Alright. And then what is the caravan that can be a

rescue team didn't come and rescue us what is not was enough. Returning back to Yaqoob Alisha, to Sarah No, they take him and going selling in the marketplace as a slave. Just imagine a free man one day and the next day a slave. And then this minister purchases him and the wife of the minister later I'm just fast forward in the story place to seduce him, Allahu Akbar, and then what is blown into prison unjustly he was innocent for levita PCT in a bizarre scene in he remains in prison for a couple of years unjustly. And only after that, what happens? He was appointed, the king releases him proclaims his innocence and he was appointed as the Minister of finances, if you will.

So what do we understand that to reach the peak, to reach that top level that you are aspiring for you have to go through challenges, you must go through difficulties we need the negatives in life as well to mold us and to make us such individuals we need

every problem.

every challenge every difficulty that we go through at the end of the day, if we navigate through it has believers trusting in Allah subhanho wa Taala not giving up hope not losing hope in Allah subhanho wa Taala if we navigate ourselves through those problems through those difficulties, placing our trust in Allah subhanho wa Taala no doubt at the end of the day we are going to cross all those problems are going to cross all those hurdles, those obstacles and reach what has been promised by Allah subhanho wa Taala for us and this is why we pray to Allah Subhana medalla what do we pray

for dunya has an author of the hustler Latina,

amazing, concise throughout the Prophet Allah Islam used to read often. And so the law when we say social isolation, use read this law often.

And often after the

law, give me the best in this world. Give me the best in the hereafter and save me from the fire of a beautifully balanced

give me a good life in this world. Give me a good life in the hereafter and save me from the fire of Jehan.

So my dear brothers and sisters in Islam, by Mastering the Art of contemplation,

we start to ponder, reflect on the things around us the words of our maker, the creation of Allah subhanho wa Taala we start to realize the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala. We start to derive lessons you see for some people, because if we're talking about the art of contemplation, the ministry Master, that's going to be a start, even when you read the Koran, you appreciate the words of your bank, because some people just open up the plan and read we read and they don't derive any inspiration. I mean, they just it's so monotonous and they find it so boring at times. But for some for others. It's interesting. Each time they open up the Koran, they you know, they're inspired in a

different way. Why? Because they have mastered the art of contemplation or their levels of contemplation are stronger because they have gone through the rigorous practice. We need to bring me to spend time you shouldn't just take the for an hour

Open up the Koran and read the Koran for the sake of reading. And some of us For example, when Friday comes about, we do it too. But we read it, turning the page. Okay, so we're about to end.

On the app, you look like how many more pages to finish the surah. That's why we read, we read to try and finish it as soon as possible in the past, I've done my responsibility. So you know, Mashallah, update my status from Friday today. And then good to go. Yeah, that's not the purpose. We're supposed to read it introspecting ourselves, reflecting on the words of Allah subhanho wa Taala. For that, we need time, we need space, you can apply this even then you need space, and you need concentration, you need time, you need to spend time with the words of your maker, you need space, you can't go in there. Today, people think that multitasking is very, you know, proficient

and good. I don't believe.

And I think a lot of people don't believe in it as well. Because most of us say for example, we're working on our laptops or doing something important about

so many centers, say we have got our mobile phones, and we tend to keep our Facebook newsfeed posts so and so has been requested me, wow, let me go accept that. Let me do something over there, chat to chat and come back to my work on let me check my Twitter feed. Or let me do this on Instagram. Let me do this. Let me do that. Say for example, we have an internet explorer who uses Internet Explorer these days. Yeah. Say your,

say your Chrome, you've got these multiple amount of tabs, how many tabs 30 times and then you want to know when I was the last thing that I saw because you will be so used to opening up. This is one link from one website to the other to the other to the other, the other animals also okay.

You've even got extensions on Chrome to limit the amount of tabs to increase productivity.

Can you believe it?

Only five times. And the punishment is if you increase a tab, you lose the first step to like you know what, I'm not gonna go to more tabs, I'm just gonna stick to five tabs, that increases productivity. Single tasking is actually good. So wherever you can stick to single tasking, like say, for example, got a very important email to find out, skip your mobile phone assignment, and then work,

don't have to switch from this to that to this, that's when you know that your levels of productivity are going to drop drastically.

Because you're not going to be in focus, you're not going to focus on the task that is at hand and that needs your immediate attention.

To some extent, I would say the sisters are better at multitasking. And we better stick to single task assistance, they tend to do a lot of things at the same time, right? They can go they can go for the children a lot Samantha has blessed them in such a way we men we are more into single tasking. Like say for example, you know, you can't work on Excel while typing an email. And then maybe you know, you can't work on a spreadsheet and excel was typing out an email and then typing a document out as well. Can you do that? You can't You got it. Okay, what can the man look on the spreadsheet or work on on the on the presentation or whatever it is you want to submit? Right? So

single tasking is a lot better? Why? Because it improves our levels of concentration. But most importantly, even when

we need concentration, you can't you see the thing with reading up on the on the mobile phone, switch off your notifications, put your mobile phone into airplane mode, please.

You even the forum late late so and so as requested friend requested your WhatsApp message, Instagram, everything is popping up from there. So how on earth can you concentrate on the words of your maker, you're going to be reading historical commercial land, and sadly, this important Facebook notification and you're going to click that. So you know where it's a sense of disrespect, from the Koran to Facebook.

So put it to airplane mode, Twitter silent and then start reading the format. And likewise, if you're not using the app, just keep your mobile phone on silent.

We have the book, really concentrate.

And then you might ask me, okay, but I don't understand Arabic. So, you know, it's obviously going to be monotone as well. You have to seek knowledge in that regard. And we live in such a modern era, you know, we have no excuses whatsoever, we're going to be definitely have we had a question about in the court of Allah subhanho wa Taala if you don't use all the tools that we have at our disposal to seek knowledge.

We use the same tools to seek worldly knowledge. We you know, follow online courses, we do all kinds of things to secure worldly knowledge. And we want this degree finding it difficult to perhaps fly over to a different country. We're ready to sit at virtual classrooms and follow the courses online and say for example, okay, if he's not a fully fledged course, we just want to know some thing about Photoshop or something about web designing and you want to learn it by yourself that I enough and more YouTube videos Yes or no? And what do you do you go sit on that and you follow the instructions gradually becoming a master in that particular element. So why can't you do this?

Same thing before I

say for example, if you search for a suitable fatsia, you're going to get ample a plethora of videos discussing the tuxedo, certain fathia. I'm not endorsing every single video that's on YouTube, it's upon you to choose the scholar that you trust and listen to the content at the end of the day. But there is enough and more content. And there are scholars who stick to the Ananda so now who are contributing the Islamic video library on a daily basis. It is upon us to derive benefit from that content, no better to be held accountable. Or the day of them, I don't have that smartphone with you, you had the iPad, you had that laptop, you had access to all this platform, but you did not use

it for good purposes. Instead, you used it for evil purposes or purposes that do not benefit you in this way.

We're going to be held accountable, and we're going to be questioned about last time. So many brothers and sisters in Islam, it does work towards Mastering the Art of contemplation. It does spend time in our minds to concentrate. We understand there's work on all of these factors. This can concentrate on the things that are around us It has value the blessings that we enjoy on a daily basis as well come to a conclusion that all of our lives have permeated the blessings of Allah subhanho wa Taala does not complain not grumble does not whine as be thankful it does render gratitude on a daily basis to Abbas Panama's Allah spend more time with the words of our maker.

And when Salah does concentrate this these three factors time space and concentration even helps us with our huzhou and

some of us we don't take time off we just you know want to finish the following two minutes and then move. We don't free our minds when we come for Salah

Can you repeat after me again time, space concentration even for Salah it's applicable. You need time you need space, you need to free your mind and then enter Salah. That's what he was talking about properly focusing on Salah If not, there's this joke people generally say there was once

Okay, I mentioned there was

there was once

an Imam Juma taking place, right. And what happened was there was this one on one call

after the salon he goes to the Imam and says the Imam because there was a the Imam, you know, forgot one record. And he only paid three for that song as if it was on top of our

film. So he missed out one rocker and the whole congregation kind of you know, ignored it because they were all in a different world. And there was this one.

There was this one follow grace of the moments. What did you do? You played only three like are you paid monthly for what you can only three records?

The mom said no, I paid for.

The mom says no. He bred three. I'm 100% sure of it. The mom says well, the whole congregation did not say anything. How are you so sure that I only paid three bucks.

The man said I'm 100% sure you know why? Because I have four shops. And every day when I come

for every like I do the accounts of each of my shops. But this first of all, I only did three shots.

Now the shop is still pending. So you only pray to God.

He is you know 100% sure about something but in a completely different sense. I mean, not even inside. He's doing the accounts of his shop. Understand.

So this is not how we're supposed to be inside. You know, we're not supposed to be thinking of what's going on this dog. You're not supposed to be thinking about our children. We are supposed to be everything we should suppose we should think about Allah Subhana horns out of the fact that we are in front of Allah azza wa jal, they're praying to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So we need to free our minds declutter our minds. Remember the last panicle data and likewise concentration, we need concentration and so now we need concentration terms. So these three factors we need to work on these three factors. And master the art of contemplation and all these aspects may allow us to

handle more to Allah help us all to do so. It was indeed a pleasure to be with you all. I asked Allah subhanho wa Taala, to forgive ourselves to accept good deeds. And this is how the United here Michelle Hardin may unite us in the gardens of the Beloved Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. I mean

I mean, just like