The speakers discuss the importance of avoiding negative interactions in learning and achieving success in life. They stress the need for learning and action in order to achieve success. They also discuss the use of "we" in religion and emphasize the importance of not overly optimistic. The segment ends with a call to action for action.
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modicon
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hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala MBR he will mousseline.
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He was
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for the Ministry of gene.
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Up Santa Mousavi Aya Tina and Omar coming up in a new
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home
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in Napa Valley, can I attend Nikolay sambar in Chicago?
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With Carla moussaka with Corona Mata Mahara come in, enjoy coming around, so Muna consolata
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una una
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una Nisa con. Wolfie daddy combat
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what is the F de nada Bukola in Shackleton the as he didn't know
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what are in Kazakhstan in either below Shadi?
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Hello Bishop Sabri. We are silly Emily Missoni of cocconi for hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu
was Salam ala Phil and via he will mousseline rather early he was as
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I was asked to speak again, and this is completely impromptu.
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I am
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when I'm asked to speak and you know, I'm filling in the spot for another scholar and their speaker.
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I typically try to again, I say this pretty much every time I give a talk, I try to organize my
thoughts around I out of the Quran. Because I feel the most benefit comes from us taking every
opportunity we can to remember the word of Allah azza wa jal. So in this relatively longer session,
I'd like to talk to you about a concept mentioned in the Quran, inspired by some Ayat of surah
Ibrahim, this is the 14th surah of the Quran. And I'll try to focus my conversation and zoom in on
some of the lessons that are central to this particular surah. Just a couple of introductory
comments, this surah belongs with a group of suitors in the Quran that deal with a similar subject.
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And that similar subject is towards the deals with the later McCann era of the prophets life some a
lot harder he was
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the Prophet alayhi salatu was Salam. When he first delivered his message, one of the earliest
reactions to it was shock, which later was coupled with ridicule, and people being dismissive of his
message. But eventually it transformed into something of an oppressive reaction. In other words,
people who heard his message, were not willing to even listen. And they were not only insulting and
condescending, things started getting physical and Muslim started getting tortured. And in some
instances, even our messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was not spared. So the situation of
Muslims was getting progressively difficult. And in this difficult time, you have to understand, you
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know, somebody just accepts Islam nowadays, they go through a lot of challenges, right, their family
is completely freaked out that they've become a Muslim, or, you know, their friends are in shock
that this girl we knew is now covering her head. And I don't know what's going on with her what's
happening to her, or that guy that we used to go hang out with and go to the bar with doesn't come
with us anymore. You know, I met him in back in Texas, I met her brother who became Muslim. And he's
married, his wife doesn't even know yet. He's scared to tell her. He's scared to tell her that he's
become Muslim. And he hangs out. He, she thinks he's going out to hang out with the guys, he goes to
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the halal restaurant, and hangs out with the brothers after I shot. You know, and he really wants to
do it. Because if he comes home too early, he didn't hang out with the guys and she might get the
wrong idea or something. So he's keeping up appearances and eating a lot of unhealthy food. But um,
you know, he's afraid to tell he's afraid to tell his family what's really going on. But I mean, you
have to understand that the situation our companions, the companions of the Prophet were in the long
run, which is far more complex. I mean, becoming Muslim means not only does your family think you're
insane, you've lost your mind. And that you've joined a cult, which is what they portrayed Islam as
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early on, you know, and dismissed it as such. But also you become a socially and economically even
politically, an outcast. And it's okay to offend you, not just verbally but even physically. So
you've become an open target to your wife, your life just turned her turns around. Just because you
accept Islam, it's not an easy thing to do for these companions. And in this very difficult time,
Allah revealed a set of solos that were there to help the Muslims cope with this difficult time. The
purpose the fundamental premise of these tools is to help the Muslims cope, help them this is Allah
giving them encouraging words. This is Allah giving them look, this is why you're going through
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this, it's going to pass. You know when we have a hard time we need somebody to talk to to give us
encouragement. This is a lot of giving encouragement in hard times. And from the very beginning of
this surah actually, the first thing mentioned in the sutra is an address to the Prophet sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam elefant
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Amara Kitab and Angela who like me to free Janice minako lumati. In
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the evening, Robbie him.
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There are a book that a magnificent book that we've sent down to you so you can extract pull people
out from darkness into light. Darkness is is a manifestation of misguidance. It's also darkness is a
place of discomfort. When you're in a dark place you want to come out to the light, Allah will pull
you out of any kind of darkness you're in and bring you out of light. That is the purpose of
Revelation. So and by the way, in Arabic literature or poetry, other things. Darkness is associated
with difficulty and light is associated with ease, just like our religion actually in its in the
last teachings is associated with ease, not difficulty. Allah himself says, You read a lot and you
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have the fine comb. Allah wants to lighten your burden. magia de la confit de manera de la we didn't
put any difficulty in the deen for you. It's by definition, the purpose of religion is to make your
life easier, allows guidance takes the burden off. But the Sahaba were in feeling that way. The
companions are like our life just became so much harder, just because we became Muslim. So Allah
tells them, it's not just about ease. It's about pulling you people out of darkness into light from
misguidance to guidance, but also all of humanity, you're on a mission, somebody has to pay the
price. Somebody has to go through difficulty. So all of humanity can benefit from the guidance. the
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suffering that they went through is one of the reasons you and I get to c'est la ilaha illAllah. One
of the reasons we get to say Mohammed Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam today, and they were
being told that from the very beginning, in the last talk, I told you that we're supposed to be a
people of direction, that the companions of the Prophet slicin I mean, the prophet himself
sallallahu alayhi Salaam is given direction, look, you're on a mission, you're supposed to bring
people out of darkness into light, and that will come with challenges. And so in that context, Allah
azza wa jal brings up the story of Musa alayhis salaam. And this is a side point that I want to
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mention about your own journey into the Quran. When you study the Quran, and try to appreciate it
and learn it understand something. The Quran relies heavily on history to teach its lessons. If
there's one subject that the Quran makes a big deal out of, and really communicates a good majority
of its teachings through its through history.
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And it's true these case studies of these profits, are they evil Salatu was Salam. And Musashi Salam
is probably the stellar figure in that in that case study. But what I want to highlight is that
they're not just mentioned as history lessons. They're mentioned in the context of an existing
conversation. Allah was talking to the Prophet slicin, um, and the companions about how they have to
hold on in difficult times. And then he started talking about Musashi salon. Why so they understand
that when we learned about musar, we're not just learning about musante salon, we're learning about
ourselves. We're learning a case study that teaches us what to do. So they constantly their frame of
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reference was constantly back to themselves. Now look, the sooner I began one of the prophets
missions, pulling them out of darkness into light, the ayah I began with further down in the same
solar the fifth Ayah woollacott Ursula Mousavi iottie NaVi not the ayah Tina and Alfresco Maka
minobu. Mattila? No, we gave musar miraculous signs and giving him the instruction pull people out
of darkness into light, same exact instruction, isn't it? What Allah told his messenger sallallahu
alayhi wasallam. So he's being told Look, there are a lot of parallels between you and Moosa. And
I'll go quickly now to share the point that the real crux of what I want to get to you and this is
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all just introduction, allows the agenda and talks about Musashi Salaam and how he delivered a
message to his people. And what it I own the Pharaoh was doing to the believers of the time how he
was slaughtering their their babies, you them people. I mean, it's so easy for us to recite these
IOD. It's kind of awkward sometimes, you know, you go in Ramadan, and these kids memorize Quran and
they're reciting tarawih really quickly. I don't know if that's the case here but back in the US all
the hips, kids we have they all copy so they should a mela protect them, but they all copy them and
they're all like really low voice and they're like they have most of them don't know what they're
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reciting and like, they'll be
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like,
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No, dude, you can't just say
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They were slaughtering children.
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That's pretty intense, you can't just kind of melodiously pass through.
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They let the women live and slaughter babies. I mean, that's pretty intense. And so we just pass
through these if we don't even think about what's what's being said, one child being killed, one
baby being killed. It's an unthinkable crime. I mean, the United States and even the world is shaken
by the recent murder of children. It's shaken by that news. Right. And this is a policy of killing
babies on a bi yearly basis, something that's off policy in place under the Pharaoh. It's beyond
imagination. What seen that looks like what that's not even imaginable for us. I tell you, as a
parent, as a parent, when I go to the grocery store, you know, I don't know if you guys have that
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here in Canada, but they have the missing children's posters at the grocery store. I just started
moving faster, because it's too disturbing. is too disturbing to think about that. If I'm watching
the news. And some news comes about a child, a missing child, or some abduction or some murder or
something. I can't take it, I have to change the channel. I can't handle it. Because it's too close
to home. And me as a father, I'm supposed to be tougher. My wife Forget it, she'll pass out. You
know, it's tough. It's not easy. But this is the situation these people were in. Um, I'm setting the
stage for you. Why? Because the profit slice alone was going through a hard time I just thought I
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started my talk with that. And then Allah tells the profit slice and then there were a group of
people before you that went through a lot harder time. They went through a lot harder time. And then
Allah mentions the hook TVA, and before he even mentions the hook by the sermon of Musa alayhis
salam. He says what he Valley Kamala on the Rama v. m.
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Tanaka Lima, the Halo, if Allah Himself is saying that test that trial to the Israelites was
enormous, it wasn't something small. Musa alayhis salam himself acknowledges to the Israelites that
was a huge trial. Allah Himself acknowledges that that we can't make light of that it's not a small
thing. And after that, Allah gives the reminders, the prophet size of them. Here's how Musa
encouraged his people in the middle of all of that. Can you imagine families in the audience of Musa
alayhis salam who have lost their children? This is what this is the reality of this passage as Musa
alayhis salaam is giving his sermon to his people, there are people in the audience whose babies
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have been killed. There's their hearts are wounded. And they're sitting there listening to this
football being given by Musa alayhis. Salaam, and what does it say?
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What is
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the initial cartoon
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is still I mean, some say this is just enough, it's introjection by Allah. But even if that's the
case, it's incredible when your master declared, when he let it be known, when he let it be known,
and it usually doesn't begin and I like that, that a lot made up a grand declaration for the people
to hear, because the people's hearts were broken. They needed to hear something, they needed
something and by the way, if you're in that situation, you would think and at least I would think
that the hotbar and the revelation Allah will give at that time is going to be Be patient. The
sermon from Allah will be about patience, I would think why because the situation is that of
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difficulty. And when Muslims go through difficulty, what are they supposed to think about? Patience?
They're supposed to what's the Arabic word for patience? Pop quiz, what is it? That's what they're
supposed to think about? Listen to the words. Allah doesn't say Subhan Allah tala
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buco in sabato nakane.
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In say when your master declared if your patient No, he said that in Shackleton, even if you were to
be in the least bit Grateful, grateful, not patient grateful. Can you think about that for a second?
These people have lost children. And Allah is declaring to them if you would just be what?
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Patient are grateful. Which one? grateful. That is the last thing on a person's mind. If they would
have lost a child,
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but a lot of shifting perspective, Allah didn't even bring up patience. Because you can't have
patience until you have what first? until you have you can't have something until shellcode is there
first? Until gratitude is there first. Yes, when they lost a child or many children? Yes, that's
true. But what do they still have? No matter what you and I lose in life, what no matter what you
and I lose in life, and we have a lot of things that we lose. What do we have?
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I'm gonna stop here and not talk about the IRS for a moment because I really want to talk about this
one I in this talk, but I want to start to stop and tell you why I chose this passage. Every one of
you sitting in the audience and me sitting standing up on this stage are no different. In some
respects, all of us have problems. All of us there are no exceptions. Congratulations. That's the
life of this world. It's not gender, it's not a rosy picture. Also, don't clap about your problems.
It's
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either you have problems in family, either you have financial problems, you have academic problems,
you have health problems, you have depression, you have anger management issues, you know, you have
a sleeping problem, like that guy over there. I'm kidding. Okay, I can't see you. But if you woke up
the joke's on you. But anyway. So
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you know, we all suffer through difficulty, that is a fact of life, being Muslim doesn't change that
being Muslim doesn't excuse us from our problems, or remove them from us. It doesn't. However, what
being Muslim does do is equip us to deal with them. humanity will never be free from problems, you
and I will never be free from problems. If today I'm happy, you know, sometimes husband and wife,
they're always fighting.
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They're always fine. I mean, he comes home, and he says, I'm home. And she says, Oh, thank God.
Finally, okay, now we can live everyone. He's home.
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And he says, Why do you have to be sarcastic like that? And she says, Why do you have to be late all
the time, and then it goes.
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And then there's exception, the exception one day, I don't know what happens. Maybe she went to
sleep that day, but you don't fight. And you're nice to each other. And you sit and have dinner
together, and you even have a conversation that
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you even have a conversation with each other.
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And you're going to sleep at the same time. You're actually around each other and you're not
agitated. You're the wife is not picking up the knife and thoughts are not crossing her mind.
Nothing crosses her mind. And then you sit together and you see, Don't you wish everyday was like
this? Can we just have everyday like this? Why is it so complicated all the time? Why can't just be
like this all the time? You ever have those days? Because we all do. I don't have to have the answer
from you. I know you had those days, where you say to your wife, or you say to your husband, why
can't things be like this all the time. If life was just like this, oh my god, you know how nice it
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will be. And the moment you say that. Here's what comes into your mind. Now we're going to be
fighting in about two hours.
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Just give it some time, we're going to go back to normal. We're going to go back to normal again.
That's the thought that crosses your mind. Good things happen to you. Good Times come and you
immediately start anticipating well, chances are this is the offseason. But chances are the next
major event is around the corner. You know, and if trouble doesn't come to you from the marriage, it
comes to you from the children maybe comes to you from the parents, if your parents are busy,
they're never happy with you. Congratulations, you know, a significant population of the world who
will never be able to please their parents ever. You know? Except and what's funny about parents
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never being happy on a tangent by the way they see parents, please be happy with your children try
to be try. I know. I know. They're a huge disappointment. I know. I know. I'm disappointed too. But
just Just be happy with your kids. Okay, because you know what happens? The only time I see
Unfortunately, the only time I see they see parents and this isn't the house by the way. So I know
what I'm picking on. Okay, good. All right. No, don't clap about that either. Okay, so
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the only time they speak nicely about their children is when they go away.
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When they fly off, when they're away when they're gone. Oh, my job, my boy is so good. He's you
know, he's going to school over there over there. When he comes in for a week. Oh, my God, is the
worst creation under the sky. Then he goes away, and he's great again. So panela appreciate the
things you have around you. Now, we all have problems and you know, there's a human tendency.
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I'm not immune from it, and you're not immune from it. You know what that tendency is? I can't stop
thinking about my problems. When I'm driving, I'm thinking about the bills. I'm thinking about the
kids. I'm thinking about the argument I just had, I'm thinking about the word problem, the project
that's not finished the assignment that hasn't been done yet the grades in school, the immigration,
paperwork, whatever, but you're constantly thinking about your problems. And when you're constantly
thinking about your problems that are mostly unresolved, you're constantly in a bad mood. You're
just constantly upset. You're just not happy. And you know what our moods and our sentiments.
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They're contagious. So when you're in a bad mood people are and you're in a bad mood. When you're
upset the whole family's upset. You don't just say oh, I could be upset. It doesn't matter what's in
any of your business. You are ruining the entire family's atmosphere. You're ruining the entire
company's atmosphere. You know how much how they're spending millions of dollars, just to tell
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To discover at these MBA executive human resource seminars, that if you smile at your employees and
you have a positive attitude, productivity will increase. Oh my god, that is an incredible
discovery. No, it's not it's been there. Just be nice to people who Luli NASA has done. It's not an
MBA discovery, you know?
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But now, if you were Allah says, Allah says this so beautifully. You're constantly thinking about
what didn't go, right. I'm constantly thinking about what didn't go, right. Oh, man, I missed the
flight, I did this, or I did that or they're upset, or I didn't finish this, or I don't have enough
money, right? You know, all these problems constantly, constantly, constantly, a lot offers these
people, these Israelites that are in a far worse situation than any of you sitting here. And they're
stuck in it, and they cannot see a way out of it. I mean, they are in a slave situation as a people
that are now controlled by a military state. And their children are routinely slaughtered. And they
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have been in that state for quite some time now. And they don't see any way out. They are entirely
hopeless to these people. What does Allah have to say? And if Allah is saying that to them, Why is
he saying that to you? Because he is you're not listening, that in Shackleton, even if you were to
be grateful. Now, let me go into the Arabic a little bit because you can taste this. Really, this is
kalaam Sheltie. They say in the Arabic language, it's Joomla shalltear. There's a conditional
statement. In math class, you learn if and then statements, you remember those, you get some really
good sleep during those classes, right? If and then statements. So the if portion is mentioned in
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the past tense that in Shackleton, if you were to be grateful, not if you are grateful, because the
Arabic present tense in classical language, alludes to continuity, and it's
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similar to continuity. Allah is not even asking for continuous gratitude. He's just saying, show me
one instance of gratitude. Just show me one instance of gratitude. Because if you were to be
grateful once the Shackleton and if you were to be able to do that, what would happen? Not as he
then knuckle This is Java shot. And it's the strongest, the most emphatic form of language
accessible in the Arabic language, there is no more emphasis possible in Arabic, not as he doesn't
account, which roughly translated and again, translations don't do service here. I swear to it,
without a doubt, I will ensure I promise, I promise, I promise, I will increase you. I will give you
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more, I will make you more I will increase you I will increase you I will increase you I promise, I
swear to it. This is what Allah says, if you were to do what if you were to do what just show an
instant of gratitude, not as either knuckle and by the way, normally in the Quran, Allah speaks in
the neck. No. Allah speaks in the plural for His Majesty, unusual cases in the Quran, where he
speaks in the ANA, he speaks in the in the singular form, the first person, this is unusual in the
Koran law as either law calm, I will absolutely increase you. And what's even more incredible about
this ayah is the verb zyada. To increase, you see the verb increase is ambiguous. Like if I say to
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you, Yama increase me. If I say to Allah, Yama increase me, that doesn't mean much yet. Because we
say
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it's not rubbish in the world.
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What is the word?
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Allah increase me in terms of what knowledge you have to add some specifications, something has to
be there, an increase in knowledge, increase me in wisdom was in our home houden we increase them in
guidance, that home emelin we increase them in terms of faith, there's always some qualified
increase in faith, increase in knowledge, increase in guidance, increase in patience, increase in
gratitude, increase in something, but Allah says to you and me in this ayah if you were to show one
instant of gratitude, I swear to it, I will absolutely absolutely, absolutely increase you. But he
doesn't say in what because he didn't want to limit it. He didn't limit it. Can you imagine how the
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law he doesn't say that as he didn't know.
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He didn't know.
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He didn't know. And I'm sure
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he does. He doesn't reduce it.
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He didn't reduce it. He expanded it. So you ask you just you just be grateful. That's all Allah is
asking of you. Now let's talk a little bit about this gratitude before we finished the ayah because
the is not done yet. The is not done yet.
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If I am grateful. What does that mean? What does that practically mean? You and I are supposed to be
grateful for what shakin and can
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Come on Yo, Samia poo Shakira, Rami he, he was grateful to unless favors, his countable favors, few
favors. In other words, you and I are supposed to look around for things that we should be grateful
for.
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We are supposed to look around and look for things that we are to be grateful for. So if I can't
find anything, I look at my clothes. And I'm grateful to a love for having clothes. If I'm speaking
right now, I'm grateful to Allah for having a tongue that works. eyes that can see five fingers on
each hand, on each hand. And if you don't have five, thank him for the three you have. Because we
don't own these, I didn't pay anything for these. I didn't pay them. I didn't pay anything for them.
And the gift I mentioned this often in my talks, a gift value can be determined. Usually we think of
value in the monetary sense. Isn't that true? How expensive is it? Guess what gift? What's the price
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tag? Well, how much? Are you willing to sell me your leg for? What's the price tag on your leg?
Okay, how much is one eyeball? Just one, I'm not even asking for both.
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You know, or in a year, maybe willing to partner with one of your ears, a nostril? Maybe? How
priceless are these gifts for you, somebody offers you the world, and you're not willing to part
with them. And these are gifts Allah gave to you and me. If we are so long as we are breathing, so
long as we are alive, there are things for us to be grateful for. In other words, no matter what is
taken, no matter what, if it's a child, if it's my health, if it's my career, if it's my ability to
speak, if it's the thing I love, if some of you guys, it's your car, you know, you love it, you love
that thing. You really need to get married, if that's your problem, though, you know.
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But if it's taken away, and you're not able to look around and see anything you're grateful for,
you're not able to see that, then you're a victim.
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There is no increase for you. And if you can find and I can find things to be grateful for a loss
guarantee he will replenish you in anything you lost anyway, as he then nakoma increase you, I'll
take care of the rest. You just maintain a positive attitude. You just maintain grateful to Allah,
we say Alhamdulillah but we don't mean it. Sometimes you're going through problems, somebody comes
to you say how's it going you
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say Alhamdulillah a minute. I'm grateful. I'm appreciative. Yes, I just lost my job. But there's
plenty, plenty more that could have gone wrong. And I'll let it not do that. Allah has kept me kept
me safe from so many other problems. And how do I even know this job was gonna be a source of
problems for me and that the new thing Allah has around the corner for me so much better for me, you
don't know, you and I just don't know. This. This mentality is built, constantly looking for things
to be grateful for this positive attitude is built. And you know, they have these positivity
seminars now. Self Help seminars, it's a multi billion dollar industry. It really is people come in
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00:28:27
and say, you know, feel good about yourself, you can accomplish wake up early in the morning, blah,
blah, blah, no, pay me $3,000 and don't be a loser anymore. You know, they they have these self help
type seminars that the entire self help programs already embedded in the Quran. Just be grateful,
you'll be positive, you'll be you'll just be positive, you know, the insha khardungla as Eden laco.
But on the other side of the equation that really scares me somehow the line there's a mercy in that
too, when I encountered him, and if you were to be ungrateful
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00:28:45
if you were to be ungrateful. Now, if this is an IF what's left? If you see an F, what are you
expecting? And then, if you're ungrateful, then what will happen? What's the incredible mercy of a
lot in this ayah
00:28:46 -->
00:28:48
is that he doesn't mention it. Then.
00:28:49 -->
00:28:53
He left it like if if you were This was in a comic book, it would be dot, dot dot.
00:28:54 -->
00:29:19
And if you're ungrateful.dot.he says in azova shadie, but he didn't say in other words, if he said
for in Azerbaijani, then that would mean if you're ungrateful, then no doubt my punishment is really
intense, then the two things would have been connected, which means you would have been guaranteed a
mass punishment. If the letter felt was there.
00:29:20 -->
00:29:45
I would have been guaranteed punishment if we showed one instance of ingratitude, but a law says,
well, that Inka photon in da da Vila Shadi, if you are ungrateful at all, just know that my
punishment is super intense, even though I'm not willing to make a direct correlation for you out of
my mercy. Be grateful for that, at least. If you've got nothing else to be grateful for, be grateful
for this. Be grateful for the lack of father Pamela,
00:29:46 -->
00:29:49
you know, whether interfor come in.
00:29:51 -->
00:30:00
And then I mean, you have to understand the context. This sermon about being grateful is being given
to a nation that's going through a horrific
00:30:00 -->
00:30:07
Terrific trials. One of the side lessons before I go to the last I want to share with you. One of
the side lessons
00:30:08 -->
00:30:12
is that a lot as a legend in this particular passage spoke in the plural.
00:30:13 -->
00:30:59
He spoke in the plural, checker tone, I see Dan McComb. Everything's plural, which means our state
of affairs can truly experience dramatic change. If we can influence public attitudes, our religion,
I keep saying this to my students all the time, I don't know if it gets in their head or not. Our
religion is 90% attitude. It's all it is. You just have to have the right attitude. I call it in
this case, the attitude of gratitude. Right? That's what you have to have. If you have if we as a
people have that attitude. Allah will increase us in opportunity in unity in opera, you know, in
progress, in development in finding solutions to our problems. All of that will happen if as a
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00:31:29
people we develop a grateful positive attitude. attitudes are powerful things. Allah says the help
from the unseen comes when the believer has an has the attitude has the right You haven't even done
anything yet. You just shook it is in the heart. It's not an action. Sugar is in the heart. You
know? And if you've just done that, then you're set. And I can't move on before I share one last gem
with you about gratitude that's in this ayah let me call him Shakur, Toma, who,
00:31:30 -->
00:31:36
if you're grateful to him, he will increase you No, no, no, no, no, no, no. If you're grateful.
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00:32:17
If you're grateful. What does that mean? He didn't say if you're grateful to him, he just said if
you're grateful, which means it's not limited to being appreciative of a law. If you're grateful to
your parents, if you're grateful to your teachers, if you're grateful to your friends, if you're
grateful for all the all the other people and all the other, you know, sources of help and blessings
around you. If you're grateful for your to your children, for bringing a smile on your face. If
you're grateful for your husband and your wife, I will increase you. You have to become a person of
appreciation for your life to get better. And if you're going through problems, maybe you and I are
00:32:17 -->
00:33:00
just we're not appreciative enough. You know, maybe that's the problem. That's the that's the
suggestion in this ayah our mindset has to change and now let's move quickly. What is Musashi said
I'm saying what color Musa masala Sam looks at the crowd, and the crowd is unchanged. They don't
look like they're very grateful. They're still in a pretty bad mood. He says in Turku. If you remain
ungrateful, he just doesn't just mean disbelieve it. It comes as the opposite of shocker here,
right? So it means if you were to be ungrateful, until one fifth of the Gemini, you and everybody on
the earth all together if all of you decided altogether to never be grateful to Allah again, and you
00:33:00 -->
00:33:17
decided that you're not going to be grateful all of you, then what would his reaction be? What would
I do now? If the previous I Allah said he'll punish his punishment is intense. What would the next
statement be? Allah azza wa jal says, so what? So what he says fine in the law?
00:33:19 -->
00:33:45
Then you should know something. There's no doubt about it. Allah is independent, he doesn't need
your praise. He doesn't need your gratitude. He doesn't need your right mentality. He doesn't need
any of that. And he doesn't need you to say Alhamdulillah he's Hamid already. He's already self
praised. He's already in and of himself. He doesn't depend on your praise. He doesn't even call
himself mood, because that would imply something he doesn't imply anything constantly free of praise
or praise in and of himself, soprano mattarella.
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00:34:30
This is the attitude that has to be instilled into a believer. The attitude that if we don't do our
job, that's not like a lesbian needs us. a lesbian doesn't need me. a lesbian doesn't need you. You
and I are going to be gone and this Dean will move on alone will give this Dean victory with us or
without us. This, the Dow of Islam will spread with us or without us. We are all dispensable. We are
all none of us. None of us are indispensable. None of us are special. So much so that if we don't
appreciate a line, we're not grateful to Allah, that Oh, the train won't move forward without us.
You know what happens to a lot of us the ones that are involved in Islamic work. Let's talk about
00:34:30 -->
00:35:00
those that are involved in seismic work, man, if I don't do it, who's gonna do it? Oh my God, if
thank Allah for me being around because if I didn't teach this, or if I didn't give these lectures
or if I didn't put this conference together if I wasn't president of the NSA, and if I wasn't
Treasurer of this machine, the beams would have collapsed. I don't even know how they would have
survived. Brother, you and I are going to be in a janazah pretty soon our own. We're going to be
attending a general you know, and we are mandatory attendance at that janazah and the
00:35:00 -->
00:35:01
It'll be around.
00:35:02 -->
00:35:10
The machines will be around and the NSA will be around people. The grave is some Some say the grave
is the graveyard is full of indispensable people.
00:35:11 -->
00:35:47
You know, people used to say about them, what would we do without you? They're all they're all in
the graveyard. So don't part of being grateful is to be grateful for the fact that Allah honored us
with the opportunity to serve. That's not because we're special because Allah is giving us that
opportunity. Part of the thing that Lucia's followers had to be grateful for you know what it is not
just the blessings around them, the fact that they live in a time of a messenger that gives gifts to
give them a direct Koba. He is a messenger musanze giving them copper, why shouldn't they be
grateful? They get to be considered the Sahaba of musar. They said, um, that's an honor. So the
00:35:47 -->
00:36:21
Muslims in Makkah that are being tortured are extremely grateful now for being tortured, because
they are with Muhammad Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, what greater honor can there be? So
their attitude is not I should be patient. Their attitude now is I should be grateful. I'm going
through a tough time, because Allah ordered me to go through this tough time. He didn't pick
somebody else. He thought I was good enough to go through this. I get to join the ranks of the
Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. So when you and I, a lot of people, when they're involved in
Islamic work, they quit when things get hard. Look, when you get involved in Islamic work, there are
00:36:21 -->
00:36:54
personality clashes, there are people who say things you don't want to hear, you know, those things
happen. And it's a brother I used to help out but I don't anymore. Those people don't appreciate me.
And they really test my patience. You know, are some arguments happen and I can't deal with it. No,
I don't I don't deal with that anymore. Were you productive when you were there? Yeah, I mean, I was
doing I think I was doing a lot of good things. And we were getting somewhere but I just don't want
to be around that negative crowd any work. Look, when things get tougher, that just means a less
testing your mettle. That doesn't mean you quit, that means you go on that just means a low wants to
00:36:54 -->
00:37:10
give you extra credit. Because if it's tougher, that means a lot of things you can handle it Allah
knows you can handle it. That's why you weren't put in that position. Those are not the reasons to
quit. Those are the reasons to go on. No problems are not things that put us back the problems are
will push us forward. So panela
00:37:11 -->
00:37:32
I tell you something about problems. One of my favorite Hadith of the prophets I said I'm an Arabic
teacher and I tell you Arabic can be very painful to teach. Okay, Arabic It sounds sounds glorious
and stuff but when you get into like Sodom and danila and as well network and mobile often noticed
and you start seeing tears come down students eyes and they don't have to do with the man okay.
00:37:33 -->
00:37:34
You know,
00:37:35 -->
00:38:02
and at that time, I remind myself and I reminded them of this Hadith, about learning, and especially
specifically learning the Quran, because their patience is being tested with learning You know,
there they've got a learning block. So the Prophet says some Allahu Allah who will Karani not a
sufferer and caramel Bharara. The expert in the Quran is ranked among the highest, most noble
angels, the expert in the Koran and my head.
00:38:04 -->
00:38:05
Student is listening to this same.
00:38:07 -->
00:38:18
While I'm not an expert, thanks for that though. Now I feel worse. Because the expert is ranked so
high and what about me? And the Prophet goes on and says, Allah, Allah, he was
00:38:19 -->
00:38:23
on Watashi wa Who is
00:38:25 -->
00:38:30
the one who recites the Koran and he stumbles in it like the verb itself yet that that that
00:38:33 -->
00:39:10
he stumbles when he recites and it's really hard on him, that student that can't move forward,
they've got this block and they can't fix it. They can't fix it, they can't fix it. Now they're
like, okay, at least does he get anything. And the professor says, No, who I drawn, he gets twice
the reward, he gets twice the reward. Now, some scholars, he gets twice what a normal person would
get other say he gets twice the expert because the law made it extra hard for him. So he can earn
twice that even the expert earns, because Allah is not concerned with quantity. He's concerned with
quality, quality of effort. So now the student who's doing the worst in class is the most motivated
00:39:10 -->
00:39:20
in class, because the law promised him he gets twice the reward for struggling through it anyway,
that does not mean by the way, you get zero on your test on purpose, not leejohn.
00:39:22 -->
00:40:00
That's not what that means. But if you're going through a hard time, Allah acknowledges that hard
time he acknowledges that and says, I'm gonna give you even more. I have four minutes left. And
because this card this talk was about positivity and gratitude. I want to share something with you
about just one of the one of the small gems and really jewels from the Quran about gratitude. The
Arabic word for blessing that's very commonly known among Muslims is Nima. You've heard the word
before. Yes, Nima, the word this is gonna sound like an Arabic lesson. So pay extra attention and
bear with me inshallah, hopefully, I can be quite
00:40:00 -->
00:40:14
We're here and presenting this to you within three minutes and 47 seconds. Okay. So, NEMA the plural
of NEMA. There are two words. There are two different plurals for NEMA. There's neon. They say neon,
and they say unknown.
00:40:15 -->
00:40:18
So there are two plurals there are neon and unknown.
00:40:19 -->
00:40:30
And in the Arabic language, unlike English, they have the singular, and they have the pair. And then
they have the plural. And then they have the super awesome plural.
00:40:31 -->
00:40:44
We don't have the super awesome plural, but the Arabs do. I'm serious. This is classical Arabic.
We'd like the feel of Mr. Malik. The third page says super awesome plural. No, it doesn't. But it
says your pocket.
00:40:45 -->
00:40:54
So you have singular pair plural and super plural. They call it jumperoo. casula. Neon, is a super
plural.
00:40:55 -->
00:41:07
Unknown is a weak plural. They say general killer of general killer, or weaker plural. So now let's
see if you are paying attention. This is a quiz. What is the weak plural?
00:41:09 -->
00:41:11
No, no, not all at once. I couldn't hear anything.
00:41:12 -->
00:41:14
What is the weak plural?
00:41:15 -->
00:41:17
And what's the powerful plural?
00:41:19 -->
00:41:24
Once in the Quran, Allah uses the weak plural once in the Quran, Allah uses the powerful plural.
00:41:25 -->
00:41:26
Once each,
00:41:27 -->
00:41:40
Allah azza wa jal talks about Ibrahim alayhis salam. He says Shakira Lee and Rumi, he, Shakira Lee
and ami he now show of hands was that the weak plural or the strong plural? Weak?
00:41:41 -->
00:41:55
Weak, okay. Some of you were weak. Okay, good. That was the weak plural. Ibrahim alayhi salam, by
the way, the weak plural means less than 10 are easily countable. That's what that means. Allah says
about Ibrahim alayhi salam, he was grateful for a few favors of Allah.
00:41:56 -->
00:42:35
That sounds weird. I thought Ibrahim Alayhi Salam was one of the most grateful people that ever
lived. Why would I use the week plural? I was expecting a lot to use the strong plural for Ibrahim
Alayhi Salaam because he was so grateful. He was grateful for so many things. Why just say he was
grateful for a handful of things. You know why? Because Allah talks about one blessing. What's the
singular of the home and what's the singular word folks? NEMA. Allah says what in total do not Allah
He lot of suha if you were to try to count though the singular favor of a life isn't Gemma almost
right? If you were to count the singular favor of Allah, you wouldn't be able to encircle it. You
00:42:35 -->
00:42:50
wouldn't have any grasp over it. Humanity. Most people even together can even come up with full
gratitude for one favor. So Ibrahim Alayhi Salam pulled off a few that's a compliment and an honor
given to Ibrahim alayhis salam. That's an honor to fly him out.
00:42:51 -->
00:42:57
But now very well not done yet. Another 55 seconds, this is the juicy part.
00:42:58 -->
00:43:02
I said once the week plural is used, and once the word
00:43:03 -->
00:43:08
the strong plural is used, unless as well as Valhalla eco niyama hula.
00:43:10 -->
00:43:56
Allah unleashed his uncountable excessive favors on to you, the ones you can see, and the ones you
can't see the ones that are obvious and the ones that are hidden, meaning all of us have been
showered with so many favors, that it is impossible for us to count. They're not just plural, they
are super plural. nehama. Who, so when the human being thinks the best of us, the moment the most,
most grateful human beings in history can only thank Allah for a few favors. And yet when Allah
gives, he doesn't give a few favors. He doesn't say he showered you with a handful of favors. No,
no, no, no, no, he showered you with uncountable favors. niyama Whoa, how dare you say I can't think
00:43:56 -->
00:44:27
of anything to be grateful for if you and I can just take out a piece of paper like this, and start
making a list of things you should be grateful for. And if you do this exercise with yourself, your
family, your children, you'll find 234 or five things and you start running out like what else that
I mentioned the car already I did. I mentioned the tires. Now the transmission, should I break it
apart? I can't think of anything else. I'm running out of items. But if you take another page and
say, give me a list of problems, no, no. How about this? Give me a list of problems you have with
your husband.
00:44:28 -->
00:44:31
The sister will say Do you have an extra pad?
00:44:33 -->
00:44:37
The husband will say I mean I don't have time to write a book right now is
00:44:39 -->
00:45:00
man. Allah hasn't given us a few favors. Allah has given us an uncountable amount of favors, and we
can't even fully grasp when he gives us one. When he gives us one favor. We're not fully able to
appreciate how many ways that one favor of allies blessing us how many ways this is what we have to
become
00:45:00 -->
00:45:42
People that are constantly looking for reasons to thank Allah. My last comment I know I'm over time
I'll take one more minute I promise. We are a people that begin our religion with the phrase and
hamdulillah. Yes. Alhamdulillah is a constant in our religion. You know what that means? You and I
pessimism is out of our vocabulary. We are not past pessimistic people because we are people love
Alhamdulillah we're always looking at the brighter side. And if you're not always looking at the
brighter side, you don't really understand what it means. Every time you stand in salah and say what
Alhamdulillah because when you think Allah when you think align when you begin with a last name
00:45:42 -->
00:46:22
every time we do an action, what do we say? Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim. Right Bismillah Rahim, we
use a Muslim man about this name. Allah says this name is tabarrok. tabarrok is Moravec right. It's
full of blessings, this name. Whenever we start with this man, nah, Allah is telling us he will put
Baraka in it. Yeah, and he was the other two, he will put so much good in it. That is beyond your
expectations. You and I just have to do good deeds that begin with Bismillah al Rahman al Rahim, you
and I just have to be a people of Al Hamdulillah. And what Allah will produce from those efforts,
what Allah will bring out of those efforts is beyond your imagination. I was sitting in an Arabic
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00:46:51
class with three people in Queens, New York, 1112 years ago, and around three started with 10
people. fourth day of class, there were three people left in our teacher, Dr. Simeon was standing in
front of I was like, man, people, I guess they don't want to learn what will come from this little
dinky little class. And Dr. Semi said just said hamdulillah Allah, don't let alone do the rest. And
now I look back and I say 30,000 plus people that have sat in an Arabic class with me alone. And I
say, Man, that's not me. That's all hamdulillah that's not me.
00:46:53 -->
00:47:22
There are people that this conference how many 1000s of people are here in this conference? This
started from one person to people that sat together and said, Hey, we could do something. Let's talk
to these people. And how many people said No, you won't be able to contact all those chairs? Or you
gotta get in a waiting list and they're never Who are you gonna respond to you try emailing them see
what happens and these people just said, You know what? We do our part let alone do the rest. Let's
be optimistic and look at what Allah does. Look at what Allah does. This is not us. This is
00:47:24 -->
00:47:43
let's change the face of this world. Let's change the face of what this oma looks like. Let's
transform the teaching standards, the social standards, the ethical standards of the entire oma,
let's uplift ourselves, and let's stop being depressed. Don't be the uncle who sits down with other
uncle's LG Holla Holla.
00:47:44 -->
00:48:05
Don't be that uncle. Don't be that guy. Sounds like I had to pull up the Punjabi. You know, don't be
enough Chai conversations enough conversations over blah, blah about the crisis in Syria and the
crisis in Egypt. Let's stop complaining. Let's do something. Let's help those people. Let's make
this a better omen. Let's make this a better world. barakallahu li walakum wa salaamu alaykum
warahmatullahi wabarakatuh
