Faith & Resilience- When The Odds Are Stacked Against You

Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim in Al Hamdulillah no matter who want to start you know who want to stop here Oh, when are all the Billahi min should ODM foresee now women see at RM arena mi MD level for them will do letter or may you'll do for her Deanna Why should you know La Hoya de Lucia de calor y shadow under Mohammed Abdullah water solo solo la hora de who are early he was heavy woman cell Darla and energy woman standard be some Nettie he la yo Medina buried? Yeah yo lovina No, it double la how clear to apply to here while at mo tuna Illa one two Simone from Barrett, my brothers and sisters. On this blessed day of this blessing hour of Yeoman tomorrow. We begin by praising Allah

subhanho wa Taala we send peace and blessings to his aura Sol Sol de la Torre de wasallam LA and we further ask Allah subhana wa Taala on this blessed day of this blessing hour of Yeoman Juma that he accepts from us our righteous deeds and our efforts and that he forgives us of our shortcomings and our mistakes along them that mean you will a kebab my subject for you today in sha Allah who tyla in this short to jomar reminder is faith and resilience, especially when the odds are stacked against you. When you feel as though you have certain intentions. You want to pursue something you want to achieve something great in your life, you have goals, you have intentions in mind, but your

circumstance or you as a person or your surrounding just doesn't allow you to do that. So for example, if you aspire to be a doctor or engineer or a particular career, but you don't have the financial means. And as a matter of fact, the schools and the education accessibility is also very limited if you have intentions to get married at a certain time in your life. So you think in the back of your mind, when I reach this age or that age, I want to be able to get married, I want to find a good spouse, I want to have children, I want to start a family like you have all of these family planning goals in mind. But when that year comes around, when that time actually comes

around, the circumstance just simply doesn't allow you to do so or the search continues. You haven't found the right person yet. And so many other examples, all of us at a personal level, at a community level and even at a global level. We all have intentions that we want to achieve certain things in our lives. But for whatever reason. I mean, of course it's easy to say and and of course this is true as well. But it's easy for us to just say well put out a level measure of feral it is what from Allah subhanaw taala what He wills and he does whatever he pleases. Yes, that is always the case. But Allah subhanho wa Taala still tells us that we have to put forth the effort. We have

to keep working. We have to keep striving, that to continue to do righteous deeds, that you continue to persevere, you stay confident, you stay faithful, optimistic, and you put in the work the outcome that is Allah subhana wa Eilis territory. But in terms of the journey, Allah gives us the ability to pace ourselves to decide what it is that we want to do and how that journey will unfold. So with that being said, a few examples of this. When you feel as though all of the odds are against you. Everything seems to be completely impossible. People are even telling you, you're crazy. Why would you even think that you can achieve that you can do this, you can do that? What are you so there are

the naysayers. There's negativity around you. So what do you do when it feels like it's an impossible situation? The first my brothers and sisters, go back to the messengers, the prophets and the messengers are they he was sent out? Musa alayhis salam. This was a man that had no power, had no education. He had a stutter problem. He had no army he had no money, no resources, nothing It was just him and his brother. How can I Lisa them yet still Allah subhanho wa Taala told him it had he left around in tava go to fit around and confront him because he's a tyrant. In Suna tell us an incident happen or actually a couple of incidents and it's all started off with Musa alayhis salaam

and his mother. His mother is being inspired by Allah subhanho wa Taala Oh hyena Illa Mimosa and out of the fit either 50 or LA ke phillium Well, that's a huffy while our ties any in out or do who la caja de la comida mursaleen. So the mothers being inspired by Allah subhanho wa Taala to take your son and to put him into the Nile put him into the river. Now just imagine if you're a parent, putting your child anywhere and leaving them there is horrific and terrifying.

So it seems like what is she doing? It sounds like a crazy scenario. And unless as well as to hoffy, while attacks me, don't be afraid, and don't be sad, but let's just be honest, especially when you're a parent, when you drop your kids anywhere, you're always going to be afraid, you're always going to be sad to be disconnected from your child that way. And so it's very natural. And what we learned from this incident is that there are two ways to look at this area. The first is just as a human being, she's a mother, so of course, she's going to feel sad, but what Allah subhanho wa Taala is referring to is don't allow the sadness and the grief to overwhelm you to the point where you

question what Allah is doing and why is this happening? So that's the second folder The second way to look at the scenario. But the point is, when all odds are against her, it feels like it's an impossible situation. How is she ever going to see her kid again? She has no idea what's that? what's about to unfold? The only thing Allah tells her is a noun Rado, la caja Illumina, mostly, don't worry, we're going to return him back to you and we're going to make him amongst the best of messengers. Then things continue to unfold. Musa alayhis salam when he matures and he becomes an adult. He enters the city. What does it Medina Tyler Haney love Let him in earlier, he enters a city

where he himself is not really familiar with the people who live in that city. And he notices that there's an altercation between two men has been share it here what has been I do we so one of them was an enemy. But the other one was somebody that recognized musalla Islam and thought that they were on the same side as the author who led the men share it he I love him and I do we. So this man actually asked musalla he said, I'm for help against this man who we call the enemy. And he says Musa come and help me. You know this guy we're fighting here when there's an altercation happening. I need your help. Everybody knows what happens next. Mussolini's then gets involved. He takes the

life of this man called La La. For what is that Mustafa called our Lake so Moosa finished him off. But then he said, something has been our analysts shape on. This is actually from the influence from the actions of shape plan. I'll pause for a moment musar alayhis. Salaam is not blaming shape time for what he did. What he's saying is that the influence like I gave into the temptation of shavon, shavon tempted me and whispered to me and encouraged me to get involved. And I continued to pursue that to the point where this man now died. And that's what musalla he said, he learned from that moment, and he says, has been shaped by the proofer. This is the word that I'm alone. There are two

words in the Quran to describe action, you have an unknown and you have fear alone. If you say fear alone, it's generic, like you just do a random act. But if you say and then when that comes with an intention, you think it through and then you do it. So musalla he said, I'm actually thought this through and he made a decision by Allah subhanho wa Taala, as well. But here's the point. Here's the point. musala Islam does not know where this is leading to. And so as you continue in Surah, tell puzzlers, Musa alayhis, Salam was a filmer dean at the heart, he fania terracotta club, when when all of this whole scenario was done, then he goes to bed, and the next day, he wakes up, and he's

afraid because he doesn't know what the outcome is gonna be. He doesn't know if there's people looking for him. He doesn't know if he's wanted. So he's scared like, What's going to happen to him? Point is, it's one trial after another after another after another pause with that story. Let's look at another situation. Maria, Miley has sent him an angel, do you believe it, his son comes to him, and gives her the glad tidings that you're going to have a child. The first thing she does is she asks a lot to protect her from whoever this individual is. And she even tells him How is anybody going to make me pregnant if I've never been with anyone to begin with? And as the story unfolds,

again, she's thinking about herself. She's thinking about her reputation, how is she going to go back in front of her family in front of her community, and they're going to see that she's pregnant. They're going to think that she did something she wasn't supposed to do. Again, the situation looks like it can't get any worse. Madame alayhis salam was a pious woman. Even before this incident. She was a woman that lived in a Masjid. She prayed to hedge she constantly turned to Allah. She prayed and she made Dora This was her entire life. Yet now she wakes up one day and she now she's gonna have a child. And as it continues, she realizes that she doesn't have a choice in the matter, the

pain and the struggle. She even says How I wish I could have died before this pain began. So these are the label labor pains.

But she's going to start to experience she actually says, I wish I wasn't alive to experience this. Now pause. One last story, our messenger sallallahu it who was sending them 23 years of pain and struggle, some of the pain and struggle impossible for many of us to even imagine and comprehend. I mean, you're talking about his own family of origin and Abu lahab you're talking about his own uncle's trying to torture him, embarrass him, humiliate him, target him persecute him, they curse at him. They try to do everything in their power to humiliate their own family, and the Prophet alayhi salatu wa sallam. Even there was a point in Mecca where he he almost felt like as if he gave up and

then Allah subhanho wa Taala captured that moment at the end of sort of hidden when it felt like everything was against him. While awkward Narayan and Nikita Lupo Sadhguru BMA, aku Lune, Allah subhanho wa Taala says, I know I know what you're going through, I have knowledge of it. That your chest, that your heart, that your stomach that everything on the inside feels like it's tightening up and there, you just can't breathe. And this happens to a lot of us that emotionally when things become overwhelming, you feel like you can't eat, you can't drink, you can't talk to anybody, you can sleep. And so the profit is subtle. Sam is feeling all of that yet, I'll give some reassurance.

23 years he's going through this, all he wants to do is spread the spread his message that there's just one creator that should be worshipped yet, especially assassination attempts have been made on him. This is not just in Mecca. But then when he gets to Medina, there's one battle after another. And he almost dies in many of them. And he's injured pretty bad. And he's doing this and he holds on and he continues for the sake of policing his career, it was not easy. So where are we going? You've heard three stories. Where are we going with all of this by brothers and sisters.

When you think about something that you're passionate about, you know, whether it be a movement, whether you're trying to make a statement, or bring awareness to an issue. Now we're living in a world where George Floyd, and that whole entire incident, and even those who were wrongfully killed prior to him, so many years of this level of injustice, so many years of this level of unfairness.

This is this is a community that's been marginalized. It's been targeted, and they've really suffered big time. And people around the world have now began to stand up and make a statement that Enough is enough. But then you have many leaders, politicians, you have other groups that are countering this message that are saying it's not a big deal. Like who cares? It's okay, so one person died. So what's what's the big deal? We don't need to vandalize. We don't need to loot. I mean, I understand that when it comes to all of the things that are not connected to the message. Yeah, that's not right. I mean, taking advantage of people's businesses and stealing from them. When

those businesses have nothing to do with the incident is simply wrong. It's it's kind of taking advantage of that situation. But nevertheless, seems like it's almost an impossible task for so many years. People have died and they've died wrongfully and unjustly and unfairly and, and movements and protests continue each and every year to try to get the message to stop this kind of brutality, to stop this kind of treatment. And it looks like it's impossible, when is it going to end? There are still leaders and politicians that are perfectly fine, but they haven't really stood out and voice, their hate against this kind of behavior against this kind of treatment. And so for you as an

individual, especially if you're part of that minority, you think to yourself, is this ever going to change? And you start thinking about your family, your children, your grandchildren, you start thinking about that whole generation? How are they going to grow up? How are they going to survive through this if it's this bad now? What's going to happen 1015 years later, down the line. And so what do you do?

First and foremost, brothers and sisters, at least from a poor ethnic perspective. All the prophets and messengers, either himself went through hardship that you and I, we could imagine some of it but many parts of it, we can't fathom what it must have felt like and the experience and the stress and the pain and the mental II The the the exhaustion and the emotional hardship that's attached to all of that. We don't know how we would have felt at that moment, but these prophets and messengers

continued to have one secret ingredient. And that was faith. They held on to faith. How did they do that? When moosari his Salaam accidentally took the life of this man. The first statement that he makes to Allah is he says, caught out of be in near violence to Neff see family photographer Allah in the whoever photo Rahim The first thing he asks Allah is Allah, I've done something wrong. So what does he do? He admits his mistake. But then he asks a lot to forgive him. And Allah forgives him because Allah is the most forgiving and merciful. So the first thing and this is what Madame it has sent me she does as well. She turns to a lie so don't call it a call that in the arrow, the bill

right man he mink. She says Oh Allah, I seek your protection from this man, whatever. He's trying to accuse me or say to me that I'm going to have a child. So the thing is, she calls Allah for help in the messenger. So Lola while he was selling his entire Prophethood was all about Dora. Every night he's praying to hurt you, even when they're in the middle of a battle. When the companions go to bed that night, the prophet alayhi salatu salam, the leader, he's in the night praying and making dua that Allah gives them a that Allah gives them help. So the first thing is, if we need to, if we want to establish our faith and strength, and continue to strive for what is right, not just for

ourselves, but for our community, and the people around us, and at the UN, all of us as inhabitants in this world, to make it a better place that we can all live peacefully, not just for ourselves, but for future generations. And the first thing that as believers we have to do is that we must always seek Allah's help. No one has ever been able to overcome any hardship, except that they had to ask Allah for help. Use of it, he sent him when he was about to be seduced by the wife of the Aziz in the palace. It's a pretty messed up scenario. I mean, if he gets caught with this, his whole life could have been over, he could have been executed, and so many terrible things could have

happened to him. But the point is, is that when he was confronted by this woman, the first thing he says is pawn America, Miranda, the law. He says, All Allah protect me from this situation he called upon Allah, before he could have potentially fallen into a sin. So the scholars teach us that, to protect yourself from even any level of sin and mistake that you could be exposed to, you must call upon a lot, nobody has the ability to overcome a sin without the help of Allah. And so the first thing to maintain that faith and that strength and resilience and times where you think everything is against you, and it's an impossible situation, is just remember the one who has Allah, nothing is

impossible. The one who has that connection with their Creator is always able to achieve Bismillah number two, and this is the last and final point. With every prayer and Dora must come work. The effort has to be there. Masada has said that when he was told go to fit around, he didn't say Oh, Allah. Are you serious? Like, could you choose somebody else? He stepped up this fight. He had no money, no resource, no army? Nothing. All he asked is what Johnny was zero mean, and he held on. He just said, Oh, look, can you just allow me to take my brother with me? How long just at least allow him to come with me. And then sort of puzzles. He describes Why? What actually how long haul off

cycle mini that my brother held on. He's a bit more eloquent than me, he can speak a little bit better. So I need him for that kind of support. So he has a love for help. A lot gives it to him. And so the point is, is that he does the work that he goes out there and a lot gives them reassurance in any smell. What else Oh, I hear an IB. I hear and I see. So you're okay, Melissa, I'm with you all the way. You see when we approach impossible situations, with confidence that Allah is with us. We can turn to him whenever we want. But we actually do the work. The Prophet alayhi salatu was Salam. Despite that each and every single day of his prophethood odds were stacked against him.

He never gave up. And this is my message in this short reminder to all of us listening is as believers, as long as you strive for what is right. What is just and what is fair. Never give up. Have faith in your Creator. Ask him

To help you ask him to give you the strength to get through a put aside at a community level, just at a personal level, if you're suffering through depression, anxiety, if you've got your own personal problems, you just came out of a terrible divorce, or you've been trying to get married, but nobody wants to marry you. And you've been looking for a spouse for so many years, but you just just there's a stigma out there that nobody wants to marry somebody like you that may have kids, you might have reached a certain age, and none of that stuff is your fault. You just want to be able to move forward. It's Dora has a lot of give you what you what you what it is that you desire,

righteousness, ask Allah to allow you to be married and bless you with a righteous spouse. The point is, stay connected with him. And number two, continue, don't give up the prophets and the messengers had every reason to give up in their situation, a yubari, his solemn, could have given up easily. I mean, this is a man that lost everything in his life, including his health. And he was the only prophet amongst all prophets that we know of that was actually rich, that was blessed with power and money. And all of that was taken away from him. He had, what does he do, he continues, he still continues what is nada, he continues to call out upon and continue to pray to Him. Despite that, how

distant he may have felt in his situation, he was bedridden, and he still called out to his career, all the prophets and messengers did the work at the end of the day. And so we have to continue to work and strive. So not only that, we make this world a more peaceful and pleasant place to live, but just for sanity for us as believers, that we're able to cope with all of the pressures, and all of the struggles and hardships that we will confront, that will confront us we will come in contact with. So when those moments arrive, we're able to understand, okay, this is from Allah as well. It's a test of my strength, I have faith. I've been working on my faith during the easy times, so that

when these difficult times come, I'm able to get through insha Allah Oh, Tara, let's just pause here. I'm going to take the short break the short agenda. And when I stand up in sha Allah who Tara Allah will conclude the short reminder. May Allah subhanaw taala continue to give us the strength, the faith and the resilience, that patience, the knowledge, the will, that we continue to strive to establish what is right and what is just not just for believers, but for all of mankind to the best of our ability and capacity. A lot mentor me up all the mentors in our own lives stuff that will lovingly work on what he said he must mean I'm including them, the stuff it all in no

smell and hamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala rasulillah, Allah, he was sila woman, why there. And so to conclude, brothers and sisters, these are difficult times that we're we're living with. I mean, we talked about George Floyd, we talked about the protests, we talked about all of the chaos happening. But let's not forget, we're still in the midst of a pandemic. It might seem like how is life ever going to return back to normality? How are we ever going to sit beside each other again? How are we ever going to get into our massage at home? And even the simple things? How can I ever like just jump in my car and go to the mall, go to the grocery store and just go peacefully? Now we

have to mask up, we've got a social distance, we've got to do all of these different things, and who knows how long it lasts. But the believer, we have faith.

We have faith and trust that Allah knows what he's doing. Just like the prophets and messengers, these are the things that we inherited from them, that during the most difficult and impossible situations, they still had faith, they never gave up on their faith and trust with Allah. And that's what got them through that. And secondly, they put the work they put in the effort. And so we continue to put in the effort. We got to put in the work. continue to strive to find a cure myths, if that's not something that you're involved with. And at least continue to follow those rules. Take your precautions, but continue to strive to make this moment work for us. And don't allow a pandemic

to stop your entire life. But you still continue with the trust and faith by taking all of the precautions you trust that you have faith in Allah will get you through this time and any other situation. And the last and final sentence that I leave you with is always remember as a law reminds us in the Quran,

you will never go through a situation that you cannot handle alone will never put that kind of burden on you. You know if that was the only set

Intense we had of the entire plan to give us reassurance and strength, it would be enough, because it's coming directly from him subhanho wa Taala, who obviously is our Creator, he knows us best. And he's telling you and I, I will never overburden you with more than what you have the ability or the capacity to handle. I will never do that. So everything in your life that you're going through seeing and experiencing this very second, guess what? You have what it takes to get through it. You just have to have faith. You have to keep that connection with him. subhanho wa Taala and continue praying. You have to continue to talk to him, not just in times of difficulty, but also in the times

of stability and peace. Have to maintain that relationship. Don't be like what a low refer to ensuited. Eunice Phelan Mecca, Schaffner ngcobo modra Catalunya, Dona Isla de de Missa. Whenever when we lifted that burden away from them, the hardship was lifted, they were cured. They went back to their old ways. They went back to their old life, as if they were never sick, they never had any hardship to begin with. Don't be that that don't be of that group because that would be a spiritual tragedy. And so I pray that Allah subhanaw taala gives us the strength that we continue to have faith, patience and strength, and that we put forth the work in the effort that we don't give up. We

don't give up on what we strive for that is that is just that is fair. Not just for us but for all of mankind metal us penalty to give us the strength that we continue to learn his Deen May Allah subhanho wa Taala bless us with patience to get through this difficult time may Allah subhanho wa Taala heal the world from this pandemic allow us to reunite in our communities with our families and our friends. In our massage. It is in our Islamic Institute's May Allah subhanho wa Taala give us the patience and strength to get through this difficult time alone. I mean, so this is what I leave you with brothers and sisters. It's a short reminder but I hope it's a reminder that can uplift and

inspire you to feel good about yourself to feel good about your situation. But more importantly, to feel as though you have the confidence and the ability and the will to get through whatever struggle it is that you're going through. Allah subhanho wa Taala make that easy for you and all of us alone. I mean, now it's time for you to if you haven't done so already, to pray your former cards. sala de la hora just like a local hater was Salam or aleikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh