Munir Ahmed – Srebrenica & BLM

Munir Ahmed
AI: Summary © The speakers discuss the ongoing negative impact of racism on society, including the belief that everyone is supposed to be just-in-like-other human beings. They emphasize the importance of acknowledging one's success and failures and learning from others' experiences to inform one's actions. They also discuss the need for individuals to identify and seek out opportunities to improve their own characteristics.
AI: Transcript ©
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hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala ashrafi mbi will mursalin wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa ala in them bad

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Allah hota Allah phylloquinone Majeed out of la mina shaitana rajim and Bismillah Hamas Mandal Rahim yeah a un so in a lacuna

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record

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with jalna comb,

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comb

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Isla Lita rafo in Akko Rama como de la de at all kume in a long Lee Moon hobby. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds. We send peace and blessings on his final messenger Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, their brothers and sisters salaam aleikum wa rahmatullah on this blessing of days.

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May Allah swatara make it a source of blessing for you and for me, and through us? May Allah subhanaw taala in life and guide humanity and make it a source of blessing and mercy forgiveness for them.

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Allah subhanaw taala says in the Quran, in Surah, Al hoogenraad.

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all humanity, surely we have created you from a single male and female. And we have made you into nations and tribes in order that you may relate and get to know one another. Surely, the most noble of you before God is the one ones who are most God conscious or pious from you. Surely God is all aware, all knowing and fully informed

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with this area, remind ourselves that tomorrow the 11th of July, is the 25th commemoration

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of the day 25 years ago, on the 11th of July, when the

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Bosnian Serbs

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led by the military leader

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took over a so called United Nations safe haven in Bosnia.

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And

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despite the presence of United Nation,

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soldiers in inverted commas, and the world watching

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this

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military occupation led to the massacre, blatant murdering and butchering of over 8000 Bosnian Muslim men and boys

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blatant capture, murder, and then buried in mass graves, while the world stood still unwatched, and did nothing together with the expulsion of women, and children. And, as we know, beyond that, * of many women and girls,

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as a matter of ethnic cleansing,

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as the UN, Secretary General Kofi Annan accepted years later, as one of the worst examples of ethnic cleansing since World War Two. So how can we forget

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this wretched

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cowardice act?

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So this tomorrow is again an annual commemoration

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for us to be reminded of

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the butchery that human beings can do. And also a reminder for us, that really a regret for us, us humanity, especially us in Europe, that we stood still and allowed this to happen.

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right under our noses In fact, I remember hearing it in the news following it day in day out. The

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ongoings in Bosnia and their hand that the politicians of Europe, including Britain, played

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in doing nothing, in fact, doing nothing to help the Bosnian Muslims in this onslaught on slaughter.

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And this is to not forget those who perished at the hands of this butchery, not to forget those who were put in concentration camps, not to forget their families, and the woman whose children lived on through that

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wretched trauma,

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and that our prayers are with those who are lost, take them as Shahada and martyrs and forgive them have mercy on them and, and bring

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good from their progeny, and give patients to those who still

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are living with those

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memories and nightmares.

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But

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it is also a reminder for us

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the commemoration of this day that

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we should be against

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all kinds of hatred, no doubt there are differences and God Almighty, the creator created such differences already himself. But as he mentioned, as the creators from a single male and female, that our forefathers, Adam and Eve, Adam and Hauer

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and making us into nations and tribes, not because not so that the differences should create hatred, but so that we may relate to and get to know one another, to respect one another.

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So the differences are a part of the boundary and signs of God and His variety that he created in his creation, including as, as God Almighty, Allah says, walk the length, who else cinetic whom while when he come in nafeez Alec Allah till Lil aalameen. In the variations of the languages and of color Surely, in this assigns for those people who have knowledge, this is part of variety, we have differences anywhere the differences natural difference can be in language and color in nationality. Those are not something that we choose, there are they are part and parcel of where we are born, where we live on in our genes. And difference can be in religion, which is the only one where we

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make a choice. But these differences, certainly from an Islamic point of view, Allah smart law didn't create these difference for us to look down and you set the rights of others. In fact, all humanity is equal. And this is the teachings of Islam from time immemorial, over 1400 years ago, the teachings of the Quran and teachings of the Prophet, the final messenger to the whole of humanity, Mohammed Salah, lawless Lim, who, who said, as is reported in Muslim, Ahmed, la familia Arabi, Allah adame wala Leah Jimmy Allah, Allah, Allah.

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Allah s what Hualalai s what Allah othmer. In lobby taqwa there is no virtue or superiority of an for an Arab over a non Arab, neither of a non Arab over an Arab, neither is a superiority over

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a white person over a black person, neither a black person over a white person, except, except in God consciousness in line with what the, what Allah says in the Quran, as it is God consciousness and good character. And that good character does not entail hatred for difference and hatred for others.

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In fact,

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beyond that, we are to we are taught in the Quran,

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to be just just

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even in the face of

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hatred from others not to be unjust. In fact, the Quran teaches us to return

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a baton with a good turn, that is seen as the character of believers and Muslims. And even in regards to religion, of course, religion is something to find the truth. It is a choice for every human being that they have to make. each human being has been given that

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Freedom of Choice from their Creator and then it is up to them to take the steps and up to God himself the almighty to guide people. So unless matar therefore says law he could not have a dean there is no compulsion in religion or tabia not rush to mean

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that right guidance has been made clear from wrong

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the wrong way. Yeah from deviance

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well maniac for bitbar Who do you mean bill and whoever rejects all that which is false and believes in God for the stumps, aka bill or what Hill was call learn for Psalm Allah ha, then they have taken hold of a firm grasp. Yeah, that will not break that will not separate,

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one low in the last semi on a limb, surely God is all hearing, all knowing. And so clearly the choice there is no compulsion in religion. Choice has been left by human beings to look for God for look for truth, look for justice, to look for the guidance from the Creator who created as incentives in this world.

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And

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despite our differences, despite our differences, and despite,

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as I said, hatred, even to the extent of hatred from other people, Allah says in the Quran, here are you Latina, and I know all you who believe, goon kawaman Allah He Shahada, a bilquis or you who have faith be those who are firm witnesses in standing for justice forgot Guna kawaman illa Shahada, a bill quist while he remained the commission and an omen, Allah Allah da de leeuw and do not let the hatred of our people seduce you into not doing justice. Angelou who Acropolis taqwa be just that is the nearest nearest in being God conscious and pious, in other words, that our tests are whether you are true believers, whether you have faith and awareness of the Creator and God, or is it just lip

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service? What buckle law for a lot of repeats again, be in on taqwa and aware and fear God, meaning in that you may be unjust. In the in the law hobby Ruby Mata alone, surely God is fully aware of all that you do, as if a reminder a warning that don't be unjustified Don't be. wrongdoers, don't be tyrants, and don't do harm to others. This is this is our teachings in regards to that and how relevant This is when we talk about commemorating the Bosnian massacre, brothers and sisters, we also in line with what I'm saying and the verses of the Quran, and the teachings of the prophet SAW Islam is so relevant to the Black Lives Matter issue that has been going on for many weeks now, of

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the

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hundreds of years actually, of constant.

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Putting in the gutter, of

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human beings just on the basis of color, just on the basis of color, and of people of color of the black race.

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And,

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and actually, while some things have changed, we find a repetition of the same things every few decades. Again and again. Despite marches despite movements despite movements in Europe or in America, we find the same ugly scenes taking place.

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And, and something has to be done no one that has been despite the COVID situation on lockdown. There's been

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masses of people coming out worldwide demonstrating about this ingrained hatred and putting down of

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hope whole race of people based on the color and the teachings of Islam. Totally contrary to the against this kind of behavior.

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So, we certainly strongly add our voice because it's a voice of justice with the Black Lives Matter movement

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and

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As we add our voices for justice for that, for justice for that, which is what doctrine is teaching about, but you know,

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its

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strength, the lessons we learn is that we must not be inactive, as we learn the lessons of the fact that we must not be inactive and not allow a repetition of

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the Bosnian Muslim massacre taking place or over eight 8000 people. We also must, must, with that

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reason, with the Black Lives Matter movement, we must not be also inactive and complacent.

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And allow this to continue.

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That we must speak out. Yeah, and each person has a responsibility. In standing and speaking out for justice. We don't condone violence and burning of buildings and cars and, and behaving in

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a in a thuggish way of any kind. But as a law abiding citizens, we should do all that we can, in standing against that which is evil and unjust, whether it's based on religion, or whether it's based, as it was in the Bosnian situation, or whether it's based on race or color on in either direction. And, you know,

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is

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astonishing, despite saying that I'm not, we have to have hope. But would I be surprised if a similar situation as the bosnia massacre took place now?

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And whether we came out and spoke and came out, even demonstrated in millions, as was the case for the war?

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The war on Iraq,

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would not be surprised if the politicians didn't listen and did whatever their agendas, were pushing them to? No, I wouldn't be surprised. But that should not deter us. We shouldn't decide on that basis, that Louie came out and millions against the Iraq war, and nothing changed. So no point going out. No, we still have a responsibility to speak, speak against injustice speak against tyranny, of any kind. So that is the responsibility we have as human beings we have as believers as Muslims, brothers and sisters.

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So that would determine and it's interesting, in the last few days, I was just hearing about the Black Lives Matter, somebody that many people will know the great fastball of Michael holding, who played, of course, internationally for the West Indies, great team of the 70s and 80s.

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Interesting hearing him responding

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to some people saying that all lives matter and white lives matter. And I liked what he said. He said, Well, we don't need people coming out with bananas to say, white Lives Matter. We already clearly know that.

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There is no slogan that's necessary to substantiate that. But we need to have a slogan, and we need to have placards. And we need to voice that opinion that black lives matter, because clearly they do not and they haven't, for a long time.

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And isn't it interesting that his words about what we're taught at schools and the need for education?

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words, which are not new? I heard him say things like, how is it that in schools we were taught about even about religion, we were taught about history, and the great founders of history and the great inventors, they were all white. And we were taught even in religion, that Jesus with the blond hair and blue eyes, and that the traitors and the devil is depicted as being black.

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It's not surprising, then you get the kind of institutional racism that we're still strongly against. So However, his words are an echo of the same words that were spoken whether or not by the likes of Malcolm X, around 60 years ago, rather than sisters. And he's repeating the same things. And that is really sad. They need to be sad again, of course, but it is sad that despite 60 years passing, we're almost back to a feeling of being in square one again. But that's not to become hopeless. That's not to lose hope. And think we

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don't need to do anything, it is to actually become stronger. And with the kind of power of social media nowadays, the voices can be brought together

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to bring about change institutionally to bring about change through education.

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Education for blacks and whites, yeah, so that there is no racism from even the blacks and colored in the direction of the whites. So that the blacks through education also have a sense of confidence and a sense of pride of from their history and what they've contributed and what they still are contributing. I saw that whites have

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a reality check of the history. Yeah, a reminder of the atrocities that have been done. And a reminder of the contribution made in history, despite it not being taught and written in history, by people of other people of color, and people, other religions. And certainly in this regard for Europe, the contribution the Muslim great scientists and philosophers and educational is made to the development, development and success of Western Europe.

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So

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I see all this with

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a hope for the future,

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that we all have to play a part in that. And you know, when I talk about racism, I think we also need to as Muslims to do in most of our Muslim lands, including the Indian subcontinent, and those who are here from that, do a bit of navel gazing, as to the

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racism that exists amongst us as a community itself. How

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still, in even in the Muslim Asian community, nevermind the Asian community at large, how the white color amongst the Asian themselves, is presided over and cherished and looked as superior over the black skin color of the Asians and how they're looked down upon whether for marriage or whether for status, or whether for job, and that's an absolute disgrace. And that disgrace, we have to beat out and cleanse out of our own selves, and our own families and our own children, and the cast attitude that we have. And when it comes to especially marriages, and and beauty and whether handsomeness is linked with these things are not No, no, no, no, this is something that, that we have neglected from

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our own teachings of Islam. So before we point the finger, others we have to self check ourselves, if we want to speak on these issues, button sisters, or being just a not being racist. And

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then we have to exemplify that button sisters ourselves through our own

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character and behavior, internally, inwardly, and outwardly outwardly, is that not so? So I call ourselves to account our selves to check ourselves ourselves to teach our future generations that that which is right, and that which is correct, and I believe, brothers and sisters, with great respect to all those who are calling for education, that actually, education is not going to be the only answer. I believe, as the verses are pointed out, when God Almighty mentions about creating as nations or tribes, and the most honored and noble before God is the one that is most God conscious and pious. Then he says, surely God is all knowing, fully aware. In other words, you take God out of

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the equation, it is it is recognizing our Creator, recognizing that one day we've got to answer to our Creator, that inner police check that's going to produce the best of results. Yeah, in fact, atheism and the dogma of atheism, and that which is spreading of godlessness in society. Don't ever believe we'll get rid get rid of racism, in fact, atheism with the ideas of Darwinian evolution, Darwinian in vertical evolution that were perpetrated of us being animals were no different from being from chimps and gorillas. And in fact, that looking at Darwinian evolution, that the blacks are seen inferior from that content aspect to the whites who evolved from the blacks and therefore

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are more superior. These kinds of ideas and

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The animalistic behavior that if we're animals is survival of the fittest, the strongest, overrule. Who cares what, what whatever the matter just like animals we

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we kill and the stronger takes over the weaker. Those are the ideas that really fit with atheism and the the ideas of godlessness. So I don't believe that will produce the results of ever getting rid of racism. It is only by turning to our Creator,

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who created us equal who's telling us, He created us as equals, who's telling us not to look down or raise up somebody on the basis of their color and their language and nationality.

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But

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the raising up and virtuous and superiority is only before God basing based on how we behave, what our character is, what does we do have good to others, to other human beings, to the environment and to the animal kingdom around us? That is our humaneness. That is our uniqueness. And that is all linked with faith brothers and sisters, indeed.

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And some people will say, well, it was it was Christianity and look how despite being practical called practicing Christians, that they carried on treating and the blacks as slaves and wretched way, well, they weren't following Christianity. They were following their own desires and they were following the purse and the money which deluded them which actually made them into deviant people. Yeah, they weren't following the teachings,

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the truthful teachings of God.

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And so, if you don't throw the baby out with the bathwater, you don't throw God out just because some people behaved in a wretched way abusing the religion. Yeah, there is no way of remedying this except by turning to God except by knowing that one day we're going to stand before God to answer for our deeds. So I finished with the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam reminding us as Muslims and believers, all our solemn Isla de al Muslim men, silly men, so men yet he were mainly Sunny, and Muslim is the one from whom, from whose hand and whose tongue human beings feel safe and secure, while men men Amina, who nurse will Allah deema Hema and Wally him and a mock Minh, a

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faithful person is the one

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in whom human beings put their trust in regards to their lives and their property. This is reported in the city May Allah smart Allah, makers of this these kind of Muslims meltwater makers of meaning like this a lot. I mean aku coldharbour was the federal law hola como una foto Rahim Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

Jummah Khutbah

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