Navigating Turbulent Times – Understanding Adversity and Fitnah

To be in your virtual company

hello world you and I'm just waiting from a data age I cannot wait

for Medallia sadly King

last month I reward you for your summer and your persistence. That's a huge, huge endeavor and pile on you know that's gonna be in your museum has to net. And there's no doubt that the first two volumes are out.

As you know, we're live not

only coming up until about a quarter everyone I would estimate the Ministry of Energy was from now I know him. And hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen were in line in line on line. I mean, when are people tuned in? We're talking a lot most of us a little about a cut out because we can Mohammed in Salalah Why are you a seller, but only he will slightly he will sell them for semen cathedra hamdulillah. These are times that require great clarity and great self of great patience. And we're grateful to Eliza Joe for giving us the opportunity to come together to remind one another for that cliff into the clouds and find what mean and to remind one another for barely reminder benefits the believer.

And personally it's therapeutic honestly to be with my beloved brothers tonight. I mean, it's truly therapeutic just to look at you all and inshallah tada to benefit from your wisdom. And I pray that inshallah Tada, all of us will be able to find some comfort and some clarity. Tonight, and handed This is part two of the webinar series that we put together really, you know, taking into consideration last week we we got together and we thought, you know,

with everything that's unfolding right now, political turmoil, the pandemic health issues, and it seems like some kind of law, I personally have never had more people that I know,

die of car accidents in such a short span of time. So Pamela, this has been truly, you know, a time of great reflection in that sense, seeing people pass away through accidents, of course, the decree of Allah subhanaw taala never misses its mark. So we pray, Allah has mercy on all of those that have passed away, our brothers and sisters that have passed away, we all know of people that have health issues, and all of us have had a lot are facing issues, you know, very close to us. And obviously, the compounded feelings of uncertainty with COVID-19 in the background, and the feelings of isolation, the restrictions on the massage it may Allah grant us sincerity and steadfastness through

it all alone. I mean, and, of course, what's happening in France, with our brothers and sisters there.

You know, I think it's very important for us to understand for a moment, that things are always much worse on the ground than they seem online. And, you know, I had the blessing of going to France, actually, after Charlie Hebdo. and spending time there with the brothers, you know, as they were facing some of the difficulties post Charlie Hebdo. And those same people are saying now that this is the worst they've ever seen it this is a nightmare. They'd never expected things to get this bad, where, you know, their institutions that are that are decades old, are being shut down overnight, declared enemy of the state humanitarian organizations, mainstream Muslim leaders being threatened

with all sorts of things homeschooling is being canceled.

You know, a different type of liberal fascism is manifesting itself against them. And of course, the vicious cycle, a terrorist attack happens, collective guilt and things happen. And then of course, you have our brothers, our younger brothers and sisters, who have been suffering, you know, a genocide in concentration camps. their worst nightmare is already playing out right now. The the worst conclusion of dehumanizing language and dehumanizing state policy and state terror is happening with them, our brothers and sisters and Philistine, the turmoil in Nigeria, all of these different things that are happening globally, that do wear away at us, I think, emotionally

spiritually, but more than anything else, they require us to rise to the occasion and to think about our brothers and sisters. And I know I didn't mention all the countries because you just can't. There used to be a time where it was a one on one sort of one and most of it in a few Philistine a few Kashmir and then Shi Shan Atlantis done right? You had a few, but if you started to name the countries now, they just don't end. So there is a general you know, sense of struggle. And these are times that require great patience. And we asked Allah subhana wa tada to help our brothers and sisters that are struggling enormously, and being targeted specifically because they say that you

don't have a lot in different parts of the world. And we ask Allah to utilize us for them and to make our standing with them a means of comfort in our own lives. I mean, and you know, before I start, I want to thank you for Brahim, who? Who took

My spot and did a much better job than I could have in the previous webinar. And Dr. Vanya Sr. najwa Sr. sada offered amazing insights, it was probably one of our best webinars I've heard that multiple times. So if you haven't watched it, go back and watch it, which sets the stage for this one. And, you know, I appreciate everyone that kept my family in here. And as we're all struggling with our personal issues and things happening, you know, with health and things of that sort and our families, let's sort of broaden the picture and discuss things inshallah tada at a deeper level. And with that, I want to actually start with our beloved brother, Dr. Wayman, Anjem, Dr. Wayman is a lot

of Grameen our editor europeen. And, of course, joined initially as a senior fellow and is also the non health club Endowed Chair of Islamic Studies at the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at the University of Toledo. And on top of, you know, the wonderful work that he does in Islamic history. My actual first encounter of Dr. O English teaching was without a decided King, of which he's completed. A lot of translations of a few volumes. At this point, my last clients, I reward him for that just for that, that struggle and make it in his knees on has nots making the scale of good deeds. And if you caught the initial pre pre show where we didn't know we were live

show called The loader was just saying to Dr. layman how grateful we all we all were for that translation and for the translations that are coming forth, because my dad is just such a consequential work for us, especially at this time because we seek dollar jobs with the loss of Hannah Montana, we seek to those high stations with the loss of Hannah Montana. And with that gel, so Dr. Wayman, if you could get us started off and just talk to us about the nature of fitna. Why do we have fitna what some of the wisdom of fitna just help sort of set that that stage for us inshallah tada at a theological philosophical level inshallah tada for us to really carry the

discussion forward to publish it. Now, let's not

delay everybody

elected him to be told I can have the writer and I will call him the hammer Cathedral. But you know, what I can be

alone on Sunday was telling him about the calendar view and I will see you there now more than ever, how do you know with working on how much early he was actually here to mine, a lot of data, it is his Sunday, this is way, too

draw us out of our comfort zone. by challenging us. This is the signal from last time to Allah and Allah says in the Quran to the best of generations, Prophet Alayhi Salam and the companions

that this is his way to test them, and to make them who they were by testing them year by year. So Allah says nothing about the people who were mixed with the believers, and who harmed the believers that you've settled that equally I'm in Morocco, Morocco thing that Allah subhanaw taala tests them every year, once or twice, there comes a

test a battle that is too difficult for them to handle a famine, a scandal. scandal sometimes that is hurtful to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and sometimes to his honor, but unless Ponce de Anna does that to the dearest of his creation, for the benefits that come out of this test, because the last kind of dialect created as and I think that that's the, the what

fundamental wisdom of life, that Allah subhanaw taala did not create the struggle between and and battle between right and wrong, so that the right may always win. Right? often those who of us who struggle to be on the right side.

We think that that is a purpose, right? And that is somehow is going to indicate to us when we are successful in our endeavor, that we are on the right but last time the data says that he created right and wrong, so that he may test us. So the word fitna is in fact, its basic meaning is a breakdown breakdown of order, whether it's psychological order or social order or political order. That is why the word fitna is used in such wide senses when you are tempted or seduced by you know, a thin that is called a fitna because it breaks down your psychological order.

By which then you often in your ordinary normal life. You go just by the force of habit to not do certain things. But when that fitna happens when something extraordinary tempts you, you do not have that the force of habit and you have to then decide who you really are.

And then you fall into sin. And falling into sin itself is great. or making people, his dear servants fall into sin is one of the things that alas kind of diala does in order to make them better and stronger. And so speaking of my data, just Sally King, there is a beautiful section that I benefited from, you know, having translated the text for some 20 years, this is one of my favorite sections toward the end of the first volume in the current four volume virgin, which is perspective on the nature of sin, where he talks about a dozen wisdoms.

Why Alaska diala, makes his servants fall into sin, because those sins make our make us better. Because a lot ones to show, to those who believe and those who do not believe and the fence sitters, who really has the power

and who is going to

go, you know, with a lot of data and who is going to buckle. And so fitna is then the way by which Allah, Allah

tests us who we really are, not merely by the force of habit, but

when

all of those props supports that we ordinarily take for granted or taken away. Similarly, social and political fitness,

you know, whether, whether it's a, you know, it's it's famine, or a breakdown of communities, or when people are attacked from outside, right, this was one of the greatest fitness for the for the Sahaba. Because these were people who love their family and love their tribes, and their honor. So this was the greatest fitna for them when their tribe would accuse them of being,

you know, those who, who

broke and cut off ties of kinship because these were people who were good to the core and, and so so Pamela, so much so that the prophets detractors would call him words that would hurt him most they would call him Papa, somebody who cuts off ties of kinship, whereas everything that he did in his life and everything is taught was to join ties of kinship. And he would teach us companions to to join with those who are

cutting you off. So

I love this description of the Sahaba in the for an

lei Hakuna Matata him. They do not care about the blaming of those who blame in a strong, tight, tight knit community is blaming an attack on your honor was the greatest thing that could hurt you.

Allah Subhana Allah says in the Quran, speaking directly or more more precisely to the condition of Muslims, the kind of fitna that we are facing is the fitna of persecution those who say that either a llama Mohammed or asuma. Allah says sort of a guru agenda levena fatahna Amina will move in academia to bufala

that Allah, Allah speaks of people who persecute and torture, people who uphold the truth, Okay, the last panel to Allah and trust in Allah to Allah. And this, of course, is a story about people before Islam, about us having

people of the trench who in fact believed in a silent Salaam, and they were persecuted for their beliefs. So this is a sin of lust and data and Allah says that those are the people

who would torture them unless kind of dialogue

allows them to do so. So that the distance between truth and falsehood becomes farther clearer. So Allah subhanaw taala you could say the sin that does not like

confusion, when the good is confused with the look alike of good and what is evil is confused with conflated with the look alike of evil. So lots of data separates those things by testing us in the fitna. In all of these different areas psychology psychologically sociologically, if you will, in our societies and politically by those who are in power.

Try to keep their power by blaming

The people of the truth the people who uphold the word of Allah, Allah. So that's the nature of fitna. It is, it is it is, if you will, the engine of the world if the engine of faith

will bless you are a woman. I think that's a apt discussion. And you know,

one of the things that I think is very important is that when you're being persecuted for your faith, you don't have that confusion inside you have clarity as to why you're being persecuted as to why you're going through that disruption. And that clarity is what allows you to be able to power through all of the difficulties that come through life as a result of your belief in Allah subhanho wa Taala. So the fitna that brings confusion is far worse than the fitna that brings persecution to those with clarity so long as they have clarity, and they know that as they go through it, everything is a means of purification for them. Whereas the purification for those that reject a lot

and this life is difficult not to come they taste their fitna in Johanna may have lost contact protect us whereas in the nighttime our fitna isn't this life and our purification is in this life and then our reward is in the hereafter for our test with that clarity. Zach. Hello. Hi, Don. Would anyone like to chime in on anything that Dr. Omar said chicken lane, Lola

check up on him you're muted.

Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim salat wa salam ala rasulillah Kareem, it was a Vietnam. I mean, just you know, one of the points that he mentioned

about the meaning of the word fitna of it breaking down the lowest penalty dimensions as well, not what and whom Allah natif to know that they are in the fire, you have to know when they're having fit, you know, being exposed to fitting out upon in the Hellfire, because the fire burns you and breaks you down. And that's really the nature of fitness and seeks to break you down. And so there's so many different ways that fits in that can affect us.

You know, it can affect us in our in our wealth, and our wealth can break down our character. You know, if we're having pfitzner in our religion, people who are exposing us to persecution, they're trying to break down again, our character, our beliefs, our principles. And so you know, there's so many different ways that our, what we believe in and what we hold so valuable can be broken down. And that's why fits in as Dr. Wayman was mentioning, is mentioned in so many different the word fits and has mentioned so many different areas, and used in so many different types of contexts in the Quran, because there's so many different ways that our belief could be broken down by these external

factors

that can fit with that. shefali you want to comment on that? Or should I throw a question that you

throw the question, and I'll put the comment in the question and answer.

So I think particularly what I wanted to direct towards you chef is the spiritual impact of fitness on a person, right? So there's societal confusion, there's physical persecution.

The believer has to deal with uncertainty. And the way that they remedy there's uncertainty in this world is with their certainty and a loss of habitat. Right? And

how do you how do we deal with or what are some of the spiritual impacts of uncertainty and fitness? How do we cope with some of the spiritual impacts on an individual level?

This will now salatu salam ala rasulillah while adding your suffering, Germaine.

I like to set up as you mentioned, the, you know, the lack of certainty on a theme platform myself, so try to do our best bit in the light Tyler.

I like how Dr. Omar mentioned how

fitna is the engine. I like that he said is the engine and how it's the we know it's the son of a lot and suddenly mean it's the way the loss of Allah, the Exalted chooses to,

to, to, to to show his creation.

What he does, so when we look at his names and attributes, they're exemplified and they're shown throughout creation within creation, how he gives us to his creation being an Alaskan being in abundance, the fact that he alone gives being allowed to have you know, and being a Razak that his provisions, Nothing can compare to it.

So when we see a loss for dollar within this predestination, it's very important for us to understand what the concept of predestination with a loss of data is, and that the belief in that is very, very profound in regards to this.

strength of our Amen. And when I say Amen, I mean, roughly belief in Allah and what he does. Now why he does it, we may not find the answer for that in our particular lifetime in our era. And that's why when you mentioned, the lack of certainty can also serve as gas to that engine, right? It's the lack of certainty will lead you to turn to something to feel some kind of tranquillity. If you don't know something you're going to yearn to know it naturally, the human being wants to know if there's something that they want, and they don't know what is behind it. Sometimes it can bring anxiety, as right now we see many people facing the last $1 relieve us of any dangerous form of anxiety that can

lead to something detrimental to our health or to others. I mean,

so this uncertainty, we can look at it as a means of increasing our talent pool and a loss of control with our trust. Because when we when we understand these names and attributes of God, and this is so important now, to look at these names, and to learn about these names, because when you learn about these names, we don't want to stop it just a theoretical aspect of rasa, for instance, that rezac, as they say, is in two categories of that, that is general for all things are given anything that any object benefits from, is a form of risk of provision, you know, and sustenance, that a lot provides you with something. But after he provides you with that thing, he sustains it as

well, for its lifespan. So when we look at that, and we look at our situation, and we know that within that sustenance, a loss of power without it can cut it off at any time. And the fact that we don't know when that time will be that is where we have a decision initially, to act, and initially the action of the heart. And then action of the heart is something that is important to nurture, and nurturing that goes back to knowing who Allah subhanho wa Taala is. And again, the lack of certainty is exactly the means to increase our faith in Allah subhanho wa Taala do not feel the fact that you don't know what's going to happen. Tomorrow is a deficiency in your Eman, or it is one of the

strongest means for you to be sad and further being depressed. When you are not certain there is a level of fear of what's going to happen. But where do you retreat to find tranquility.

And that's why it's so important in these times of fitna and I like how we you know, fit into being the engine as was mentioned. And as Shakespeare he mentioned, it's used in many different ways. Scholars, you know, they talk about fitness used in different ways in the Quran, but primarily, it's used for what is termed as an empty lap or an empty bar, right it is to test it is to test the inhabitants of any situation or place to wear any type of eye that or quote unquote, punishment has come. So with the loss of kind of without dimensions and diversity we talk about in buckler that's used all the time. And it's okay if it's used all the time because the Quran will never change and

the message will never change but the situations in our life may change to where that verse we may encounter something different from that verse that we didn't before. So when a lot of what Allah says in the Quran in the chapter of Bukhara chapter number two, roughly verse number 135 to 137 which is after all the blemishes on our gene, whatever Luna can be a mineral horrible jewelry, we're not assuming money with them or not well but she is savini when unfussy with them or not solving the Verily Allah Allah says we will test you

we say in mineral hope we will test you from some state of fear. We're hoping we'll never learn mental health with joy and hunger we're not assuming and worry and deficiency and money in doesn't exactly mean currency can mean anything that you benefit from to trade or to benefit from from others. What unwinding with some rocks what else we'll see what tomorrow it's and your own selves being somebody. It could be as you mentioned earlier, it could be something that could possibly be psychological or somebody is taken away from you with them or arts and your fruits and your belongings or bedsheets sobbing and congratulate those that are patient a loss of power without

mentioning and congratulating those that have an element of patience. So we hear all the time you know and we hear people say okay, it's important for you to be patient. It's important to withhold yourself from that which is harmful to you or to others. But this characteristic of patience is a mmf min Rahim Allah Allah mentioned that patience is mentioned over 70 times in the Koran. And as recently mentioned, 77 roughly times in the Quran, when seeing the importance of this characteristic, a loss of kindness with Allah when talking about that he

Showing that those are the ones as he sets out on the next verse

what he says under the either a saw button we'll see button all in 99 in a room, those that when they're afflicted with some type of adversity, they say verily we are for Allah and to Allah We will return. They say we are for Allah to Allah, we we were turned to look at the bigger picture. And they say, You know what? Subhanallah I don't know in this situation. You know if I'm going to be affected with Conan, and where that may take me so parlours texted someone the other day asked how they were doing. They said they had COVID-19. You know, sometimes we wish that those days were over. And we're uncertain. When it's going to be over. When the vaccine comes out, what's going to be that

process? Am I going to catch it within that whole those days or months, even years? Even? Allahu Allah, Allah knows best. So Allah subhanho wa Taala, saying those are the ones that patient ones that when they're afflicted, they say they're barely we were locked into a lower return. But to capitalize on this last portion of the verse, last verse, he says, Let him sort of wiped him and robbed him or what he can do that very early upon them is the praise to Salawat men robbed him from their Lord, what a hammer, and patience, and those are the ones that are rightly guided. And what is mentioned here is an explanation of what the law says law because he's talking about those. He

didn't say, how would I how would I mean these meaning and proximity, not proximity in front of you, meaning physically but proximity in stature. So when we talk about law, that they are far they are at a high lofty position, those that are patient at the time of affliction, or at the time of affliction, they think about what they did, and their patient later after that, because we're human beings. It's okay to cry. It's totally okay to cry, to sit at home and to cry.

But when you reach the point of asking why that's where one should activate that faith that we have in the creative the heavens and the earth. And to know that fitna has to happen, but how do we contextualize the word fitna? You know, fit now maybe us I think we should get Dr. ceman. To do a some some survey on when the word fitness use what what month is fitting to use the most the most in the oma, I would probably say, you know at the beginning or end of Ramadan, right? We think fitness is always trouble. It's always looked at with a negative connotation. But last month, Allah says in the chapter mbf, when he says, after all the laminate sheets on our gene couldn't do nothing. There

are two modes will never lose. Luke can be Sheree. Well Heidi Fitz, and attend Elena to Jerome, last one of Dallas is that every soul shall taste their departure with it, which is death. And as I mentioned, is it it's a rookie that just said that it is a separation of the soul from the body. Okay. He says that every soul shall taste it and he uses the word taste, because it's something that each and every one of us will personally encounter and feel. When you taste something, you feel it. And sometimes you can't even explain it. So when someone tastes that, a loss of power, Dallas, saying everyone will taste it, but then he says in this life, everyone there will be sharp and

clear, there will be an evil encounter. And there will be good encounters plural, I'm sorry, whenever Luke can be Sheree? Well, Heidi, what pfitzner and as a scholar say this is what they call them up on the edge of the heat, that that a lot will test you for the purpose of testing you and to see where you are in regards to those good moments. And in regard to those bad moments. And that is the engine that will continue to be on and to be revved, to see where you are in regards to what you encounter. How do you act because the good things that we may see now as children as money, as les McDowell says he will test you with money and children and the bad things that we may see how many

times in our lives, have we encountered things at the moment was bad years later, we say Wow, that was a lesson learned. We are reading from illustrious scholars and the fitten that they faced. But because of those trials, tribulations or we can even say means of purification. We are benefiting from what they have written for us. The son of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is full of fitten and that is how we learn to practice our religion. Allah subhana wa tada within his predestination has brought many times that the Sahaba were uncertain and they've different with each other. But what was most important is at the time of adversity, what was their response? That was

what activated them

Get closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala by doing those actions that remind them of inadi law he was in that he laid on June a very weird for a lot until last month out a little return

long height on Shakuntala it's beautiful and how I think the idea of disorder is to bring about order in our lives even in ways that we don't actually understand in spiritual disorders spiritual clarity and certainty and the loss of habitat at first. So uncertainty in this life means detachment from this life means losing hope in this life, but then putting your hope in Allah subhana wa tada who is the all powerful, who is the all capable who is the all wise the all knowing. And when you order yourself spiritually, everything else somehow starts to make sense and what you mentioned of the benefits of fitna we don't like it in the moment. Or we don't like the spiritual test in the

moment, but we surely do look forward to the spiritual reward right when the reward comes we said how do they learn spiritually and that spiritual reward comes in the form of gender but it also comes you know, in the form of Salah how many of us start to become more regular with our Salaam because of the fitna start to break down because of start to read more often are more careful with preserving our odds preserving our you know our regimens or avocado remembrances, daily remembrances because of fitna and spiritually get in order because of the fitna that we're going through, and then support a lot later on in life. It's not just that but you realize that that fitna benefited

you, with your discipline with your character helped to build resilience, it helps you build things that were able to benefit you in life, even for worldly things. And so the same thing is true with the hereafter that you take that spiritual, that spiritual clarity and you allow that spiritual clarity to guide everything else in life and to bring it in, you know, a sense of discipline and clarity as well. Dr. Wayne, Michigan, well, he loved to hear your thoughts as well, and so on.

So thank you very much. shaqab de la and chicama for these reminders, I mean, I'm just thinking about them. And as I was listening to

all three of you that came to my mind, were a couple examples, you know, that hopefully can help us anchor some of these points, for at least in my mind, helped me anchor those better. You know, I might have missed a thought in college than Well, you'd have this famous dialogue where Khalid midway married a woman, and almost asked him, How are you doing with this woman? And she said, he said that she's wonderful, she's absolutely perfect.

She never get sick, she's never sad. She's never upset. She's never anxious. She's beautiful. And our Lord said, Really? There is nothing that makes her sad. He said, No, I've never seen her and he said,

I do not think she's a good believer, because if she weren't a believer, she would have fitna right, but everything is perfect. So this is how they thought about it. Like Of course it doesn't mean necessarily that was the case a low item, but this is how the Sahaba thought about the fitna the fitna was so important that if a believer is not being tested, there's something wrong. And the other thing came to my mind was how Allah subhanaw taala in the end, which you know, if you imagine the

the environment in Mecca when the Quran is being revealed, where the Prophet sallallahu Sallam is being attacked for anything that he says that veers away from the known tradition, so Allah they believe, but to say that the law was a problem for them, they have judgment was irrational in the same way that is irrational for non believers today. And so Allah, Allah says in an in a couple of places where I always think about it, Allah says

that there will be 19 angels that will be a guardian,

the Hellfire?

Why would fantasy 19 and the immediate response that the prophets interlocutors were willing to go on to already jump at him in every mistake, or what they thought was a mistake, right? But of course, we can take we can take on 19 of these angels. And the last time that Allah says, Why am I Illa fitna the even in the poor and in Mecca when the only the most righteous are becoming Muslim Allah to Allah is testing

them and the kuffar by telling them things that they find because of their limited intellect, hard to believe.

And even at that time, the Sahaba may be in you know, hold

To say, well, it makes sense that it is Anna and Johanna right? But then there will be 19 angels so make sense of this. So you have to the only way you can respond to this fitna and say we believe in Allah Subhana Allah in His infinite power. Similarly Allah Santana says there will be a tree coming out of the, the base of hellfire.

And again, people who think that, you know, obviously it's a very limited sort of intellect. It's impossible there'll be a tree in the fire and if it's hot and hot, as you say, there will be no life whatsoever. How could there be a treat, but Allah, Allah says it and then explains that this was a fitna for you. So even in Mecca, when entire life in Mecca is a fitna because to become a believer is to declare, you know, yourself to be a target, you know, a target on your back, your family and those who did not have family were even worse. But Allah, Allah

deems the fitna and test in the form of 50, that, as the shake said, so important that even the kuffaar are being tested that yes, you want to believe but you have to believe in the power of a lesson data in the footer of Allah subhanaw taala. And it's not going to be some kind of his own. There's no easy simple rationalization.

And so

one other story one last story, I guess I'll share with you is in Josie that I mentioned this in, in one of his books, I believe is say the half hour he says

and this is in the context of what

fitna

allows us to do.

And when we are

not challenge

how this gray area that allows pantalla does not like that, right. So in this in this story, I did this this point really comes out

a worshiper among the Israelites, his word worship, so last night, but by daytime, he's like us, you know, there are good moments, bad moments. You know, he does what he does state in the state of Buffalo, but he's a worshipper. So one night he prays to Allah Subhana Allah and says, oh, Allah. Yeah, buddy. Sorry, yeah, be come as enough to allow him to give me how many sins I commit, but you don't punish me.

Meaning that you tell us in the book, that if you commit sins, you'll be punished. But I'm not punished. I have a pretty good. And last minute I said, again, this is an author, we made it as a moral. We don't know the authenticity, but alas, has Allah says to him,

in some way, you have already come or Isaiah will come with me how much I do punish you, but you don't know. Meaning.

The life that you're living the life of love law, the life of anxiety, life where you don't even know real pleasure, real happiness. That is a form of punishment. You just don't know because you've never seen. And so the fitna allows us to come out of that, and to actual seat to actually experience higher states of Eman where we have some of the early minds to say that if these people have this linear knew what we have of happiness in our hearts, instead of fighting each other with horses and sorts for treasures and treasure and power and women, they would come to find us for that happiness, but they don't know.

Exactly what

brought him. Do you have anything that you'd like to add or should share? I see your question.

Yeah, I think inshallah, through your question, and now I'll be like, shake up the lunch.

One of the things that we want to do is give people hope. And hope comes through not delusion, not hopeful, because we've talked about this that being diluted and I think that's the moral of the story that Dr. Ouma just shared, of the worship of any slightly is that sometimes we find comfort and heedlessness and that's not pleasure. That's not a good thing. Right. And if the goal of fitness to wake us up, so that we turn to a loss of Hannah Montana, it's important for us to take hope not in our delusions and ignoring consequences and ignoring

The reality of our existence but knowing what we're here for why we're here and what we need to be doing, right? So how do I deal with this and you know, it's really interesting when you look through the,

the Hadith of the fits on where the prophets lie, some is talking to the companions, he doesn't leave them without guidance on how to deal with fitness like the profit slice, it just tells them all these horrible things are gonna happen. And leaves them without guidance. He gives them very clear guidance as he does with everything else out of his office. So what are some strategies

for people because it's sincerity and steadfastness? How do we keep the bat? How do we keep firm during times of

spin out 100 Rahim?

You know, I want to encourage everyone to check out the first episode and this webinar series because we spoke mostly our guests were speak mostly from a mental health perspective. But they really brought some great strategies about, you know, difficulty turmoil, and how people can can ground themselves in those times. But like you were saying, shakaama, like the Prophet sallallahu sallam, you know, when he's talking about times of hits, and it talks about times of turmoil, he speaks about it by giving us and pointing us in a direction to protect ourselves, and to help ourselves. And there's, you know, a bit of a fad. And a lot of people where they will study or read,

you know, the book of fitna, and they want to read all the ahaadeeth, about the end of days, and they want to read the signs of the Day of Judgment. And we do it sometimes as a form of entertainment. Like, wow, it's going to be so scary, almost like if it's a horror movie that they want to read about. And they don't really read it from a learning perspective. But the prophets will allow you to tell them he gave us a lot of insight and he gave us a lot of strategies to help us become firm during these times of turmoil and times where, you know, things seem upside down. So you know, what have you done, the prophets love whatever you send them, he says bad little bit, I'm

undecided of that yet to put that little Muslim. And the Prophet said, you know, be prompt and doing good deeds before there comes to you fits in before there comes to you fits an app that will be like, dark, the darkness of the night. And you know, think of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, in this seventh century talking to people who live in the desert. They don't have flashlights, they don't have, you know, cell phones that they could turn on the flashlight to see their way through. If you're in the desert, and there's no Full Moon, there's no moon out there. And you're at night, you don't know what direction is what you don't know what's north, you don't know what cell if you don't

know what's east and west, you can very easily get lost. And the prophet SAW love where the sun continues in this Hadith, explaining what does he mean by fitting that are like the darkness of the night. He said, use Maharajah don't mean and whimsy, caffeine, we don't see what mean, and we also pay for caffeine. And the person will wake up in the morning as a moment as a believer, and they will go to sleep that same night, but they will be a disbeliever or they will wake up a disbeliever and they will go to sleep as a believer. And then the Prophet salallahu alayhi wasalam said you'd be Vienna we'll be out of the minute dunya that people will sell their religion for an offering of the

dunya. And so the Prophet is is really, you know, explaining to us and showing us and painting the scenario that we seem like either we're living in right now where we're getting pretty close to where there's so much uncertainty, there's so much upheaval, literally a personal wake up in the in the morning, not as a Muslim, because the Prophet said he wakes up as a movement, he wakes up as a believer with true belief. And yet, because of all the confusion, he goes to sleep as a disbeliever. And the opposite takes place as well. So you see, because of all these problems, there's just complete uncertainty, there's man there's upheaval, people are not grounded, and the Prophet is

explaining this scenario, okay? What saves us from that pfitzner what saves us from that type of turmoil, what saves us from scenarios where people will sell their Islamic you know, cash in on their Islamic identity for some offering of the dunya what saves us in that scenario, the prophet tells you at the very beginning of a heavy, bad little bit of slaughter, you know, be prompt Be quick in doing good deeds. And this is something really important because when we see uncertainty happening when we see turmoil when we see Princeton that when we see all types of conflict that's happening around us. You know, it's really easy to get so overwhelmed by it. It's easy to look

around. And you know, we should be, you know, aware of what's happening in the world. No doubt, we should be aware of what's happening in France to our brothers and sisters, we should be aware of what's happening in China, we should be aware of what's happening in Kashmir, we should be aware of these things. Sometimes we get so overwhelmed. And we we immerse ourselves in all of these details. And then we feel so weak because we can do anything to help them and and it destroys us mentally and it destroys our image even in our faith. Right. And the believer has to focus on things that are within their control. Right?

Part of what's within your control? Is there a good deed that you can do today? Well, can you go and do it right now? Right. And I mentioned this in the previous webinar as well that the prophet SAW the letter instead of setting it up in Parliament to saw if if you see the our beginning, like if you see the our taking place, the day of judgment is happening. You see, the skies are being torn apart, you see, the mountains are crumbling into dust, you see these things happening in front of you. And the problem is if you see these things happening, and in your hand, there is a seedling, for the eldest head that the person planted, right, even though you plant that seed, you're not

going to see it become a tree, you're not going to eat from its roots, you're not going to benefit from that tree at all. But it's a good deed. Right? And so do those good deeds, take advantage of the fact that I'll just kind of give you a man today. He gave you faith today. And we should not take it for granted that tomorrow we're going to wake up being Muslim and having a man in our hearts. And so since you have it right now, you know, invest in it, and use it and do those good deeds because those good deeds are going to protect you. And Allah is going to protect you through those good deeds. Other important strategies for us to try to implement in our lives is to realize

that suffering difficulty hardship is a part of life, right? When we see all of these 10 happening, and it can happen in our personal lives, you know, somebody in our family can get COVID You know, there's elections happening right now in the US. I'm sure a lot of people feel uncertain, and they're afraid of what might happen to them in their personal lives. It's important not to personalize suffering. And to realize that suffering is part of our life. Sometimes we personalize the suffering, something bad happens. And we think why did this happen? To me, this only happened to me, this could only be a problem that would happen to me. Right? As if Allah is intending to do evil

to me only and he's not doing it anyone else. we personalize the suffering that we have. Rather we see a list of the islands. And you know, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is facing difficulties and hardships that, you know, we haven't even seen a quarter of of which in our lives. And Allah subhanaw taala says, we'll call it an episodic covenant. That was the man who said it will be forever, unless we were telling you the stories of all these other prophets, so that you Your heart is firm, and you know that the difficulties that you are facing, are difficulties that other prophets before you have faced. And a lot tells us and mentions to us all the stories of different

prophets so that we know that if there's hardship in my life, there's been hardship in the lives of other people as well. So don't personalize it to your own self. And look at the death of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, when he was leaning against the Kava, and one of the companions of the Prophet of that brotherly love wine comes to the Prophet sallallahu sallam. And that is not just a random person. He's one of the early believers. And he's someone who was tortured, with with, you know, iron steel, burning rods against his back, burning his back, he was tortured, because he was a Muslim, and he comes to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And he says, Allah, Helena, and at

the stumps Allah now are you going to ask a lot? Are you aren't you going to make dua for us? Aren't you going to ask for victory for us? Like he's fed up? He's been through all of this hardship, and difficulty? What is the profit so long as you send them do, you know, the profits are low and you sell them, he actually gets upset with how bad you know how bad is a victim, and how bad is someone who has been tortured, the prophet got upset with him. And he tells them this affair, meaning Islam is going to be successful and so successful, that people will have peace and security, so much so that a woman will be able to travel alone between two cities in Yemen that he mentioned.

So not, and she will not fear anything except, you know, maybe the animals along the path. And so the Prophet says this, and and he tells them and indeed, other people before you have suffered, right, you're not the only person who has suffered or that other people have suffered any mentions in a very graphic detail some of the suffering and torture the other people who believed in eisah, it has said it will also were tortured as well. And the Prophet says, when can they come to stab you don't but you are being hasty. Sometimes the difficulty the hardship we go through like Shekhar Villa was mentioning is for our own benefit. So the problem is saying, You're being hasty you need

to go through this hardship, we all need to go through this hardship, because snap will become successful. Because of the hardship where I'm doing today. You know, Muslims will come later on and believe in a snap, and our and our belief will be strong, because we'll read the story of hooked up. Right? So it's a natural process sometimes to go through hardship and difficulty. And other thing that is important is to ask ourselves, what are you doing that you know, in your daily life that's either helping you or is it harming you? If you're reading the news, every two minutes, you're checking Twitter every two minutes and you're reading something that's getting you really upset and

it's getting you really depressed, you might be really harming yourself. And so you need to have self assessment has to, you know, take yourself to account ask yourself, What am I doing with my time? What am I doing with my day? How am I investing it? What How am I making the most out of my time? Am I using it in a way that's beneficial? Am I checking the news enough to benefit me so that I'm informed or may check me too much that I'm hurting myself? Can I limit the amount of times I'm checking the news in order for me to you know, in order for me to make the most out of my day, and make

The most out of my, you know, sense of, of time and sense of ability. Another thing that's important is for us to realize that suffering and hardship is not permanent. whatever fits that is happening right now, whatever fit tonight is happening in dystonia, no matter how crazy the studio feels like, This, to me is short, right? This time is short. And whatever suffering hardship is existing in our lives, it is not permanent, and it's not going to exist forever. And the Prophet salallahu, it was send them, you know, he mentioned how many would have done yet what you know, what do I have to do with adonia, I am only like, and he gives us a parable. I'm only like, a writer, someone who's

traveling who's writing, and they stop, and they take shade underneath of a tree of a tree for an hour, then they get back on their horse, and they leave. He said, that's the dunya that's this life, this entire life is like somebody who's along a journey, and they stop and they take shade under the tree for an hour. So all of this dunya is not permanent. All of it is very short. And in the end, end of the day, when we continue through this journey of our existence, which which began before we were born, it will continue after we die, we're going to realize this whole dunya was just an hour under the tree. It's not that long. And so we shouldn't, you know, worry so much about some of the

turmoil that we see in our lives, because this existence, all of it is very short. And finally, you know, like Sherman was mentioning, we have to be optimistic, right? No matter how difficult times might be, we have to have a sense of optimism, and to be hopeful and to realize that there's inshallah going to be a better tomorrow. One example is our puppets love where I'm at send them. One of the most difficult times in the Sierra is one is during the Battle of Vanessa, when the Arabs brought, you know, united and brought a huge army to decimate the Muslims in Medina, and the Muslims were building a trench to defend themselves against this army. And as they're building this trench,

they come across these huge boulders and no one is able to break it. So they call the Prophet sallallahu. Where do you send them and they asked him to break it. So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam begins to strike the boulder and he says, Allahu Akbar, and every time he strikes it and says Allahu Akbar, he says, Hello echo routines. My fattier is what Allah has given me the keys to the palaces of the Persians and the Persians Of course, were a superpower at that time. And he starts and again, he says, Hello, I've been I've been given the keys to the palaces of Yemen. He says a lot, but I've been given the keys to the palaces of the Romans, he mentions all of this. Now

this is happening at a time where the Muslims are being seized by another army. And you know, the one that the hypocrites are laughing at the Prophet sallallahu it is sitting there saying he's talking about the palaces of the Persians and the Romans, all these superpowers, and we're under siege, we can't even go to the washroom, we're afraid some of my students with an arrow and they're laughing at the Prophet solo, at least him and mocking him. And yet the Prophet sallallahu Addison was so optimistic, even in this most difficult of times. And what happens so many of the people who were there, witnessing the Prophet sallallahu, send them save these things. They were the very same

people to walk into those very same palaces, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam spoke about and that's because the believer is optimistic and the Prophet is optimistic, no matter how much turmoil was was around him, even when the turmoil was most intense, he saw who it was and it was even more optimistic, even more hopeful about what the future will bring. So when we see difficulties and hardships, inshallah it's, you know, a difficulty that will lead to a better future inshallah, that's a mentality that we should keep all of us as we look to the fitna that we see in society

clumsy acceptable him, I forgot to mention because I'm just such a poor moderator compared to you a few things number one for everyone that's benefited from anything that's been said to share your benefits and southla Tyler on Twitter using the hashtag caffeine bytes BY t 's. So please do share what you've benefited from and shout out to using that hashtag on Twitter. And also also very happy to welcome Shekar Brahim as the new religious director of European Canada and Canada always has things together when we don't they've got the practical stuff down while we struggle down south in the US mail I don't actually make it easy for you all you know and Canada's have had a lot of

there's also been a lot of fitna as well right the struggles of the Muslims in Canada some of the hate crimes that you've been very intimate with, you know, in Toronto, the brother allottee who had his throat slit in the parking out of a message it nearby you the constant attacks on massages over there. And of course what's happening in Montreal and Quebec so Halliwell make it easy for our brothers and sisters in Canada as well. Long I mean, one thing that you such as Rahim that I think is super important that we don't

and I use we starting with myself. I think that we don't appreciate often. You know, they say when you're going through something

You know, in general, like one of the strategies to cope with depression and hardship, right exercise, you got to keep active. Right. And that's, that's something that was also said in the webinar on Tuesday night. This importance of the importance of staying active, staying engaged, and fitna can be paralyzing. You know, a person can feel like I don't want to do anything right now, I'm going to, I'm going to lay down and I'm going to wait until it's all over. Worse than that you can engage in detrimental behavior. So surprised a lot a lot of people are, and May Allah protect all of us, we're using this time of isolation, to dive into gossip and harm and things in social media that

are of no benefit to us whatsoever. So we're actually engaging in detrimental behavior,

as opposed to end positive behavior. Whereas when you look at the profit slice on his advice is to rush to do good deeds meaning, keep doing what you know is good, busy yourself with what you know is good. Say what you know, is good, avoid things that are of no benefit or of doubt to you, or cause you doubt are doubtful matters. Certainly things that are definitely harmful. And keep busy with what you know is good. So even if we were to reach that time where the prophets license that there comes a time we're taking to the mountains and raising your sheep, you know, shepherding sheep is the best thing. Still, what are you going to be doing in that time engaged in Vicki as your Shepherd

in your seat, right, engaged in the remembrance of Allah subhana wa tada and preserving your eba, preserving your acts of worship. So really, the importance of busying ourselves with good as a means of breaking the paralysis, just like with any other type of disorder or hardship that comes our way. And that's a hard advice to practice. But just like with those types of things, I think it's you have to force yourself to get in the habit, you have to force yourself to get in the habit. And so the importance of us holding on to habitual good deeds, being consistent with the good deeds we carry before these times of turmoil, maybe introducing new good deeds in our lives, to bring us

closer to Allah subhanaw taala by continuing to try to rise to the standard that the Prophet sallallahu wasallam sets for us. All of these are strategies for us to come close to Eliza done I think those beautifully putting Eliza to reward you and and I'll hand it off to Dr. Wayman, Abdullah to share some words as well. And

if you have anything else you'd like to share in closing and altana Miller, the corona is one thing if I may say

it because it kind of is kind of piggies kind of add on to what you were saying.

Knowing what a distraction is. And then, like you mentioned, having the strength to stay away from that distraction. But you know, a lot of times and you know, we tell this to people that you know, you know, new Muslims are those that are what we call renewed Muslims, people that were Muslims, they had an epiphany, and they're trying their best to pray. They're trying the best to leave off a bad deed, whether it's, you know, their time on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, pinned out and all these other new names that are have two syllables, mostly in time they're on these mechanisms. You know, for some person, it may be a bad day for them, because they know how to manage their time,

they know what to look at, they know how to train themselves, or they have trained themselves, the person next to them in the next room, it is a means for the destruction.

So it's really individually and not looking at anyone else individually knowing what a distraction is for you. And then asking a loss of kind of without as you mentioned, a sabbats to make you firm. It was a process I'm used to say Yemen by the book club, it's called the identical sort of reclusive palooka analetto attic Oh, the one that flips to hearts that you know, holds the hearts and flips them make my heart firm upon your religion you know so really that that Tibet and that steadfastness upon you know the religion to know that it is a process so when we're saying leave off the sinner doesn't mean you know right now is motive after a shot you leave it off for the rest of your life.

No, if it comes to you, trying to establish with your career or trying to satisfy bear, you never upgraded and you make the decision to do it. Instead of sleeping and waking up for work or you know, at a sad time you on Instagram because you want to do a lot of posts or you're watching a lot of news for instance, you know how many times I checked my hip if I have bed sores, because when I hear stuff is going on knew that my idea got stay away from it a lot of times because it really it can make me sad and make me depressed, or it occupies me and it can sometimes get me upset. So knowing what is productive for you, just as you mentioned, knowing what is a distraction, and how to stay

away from that distraction and staying focused and being around those that want you to win being around those that want good for you that want you to win.

wants to help you and being a believer. So just as you mentioned also, you know, there was a lot of some that beautiful story that you mentioned, or had, excuse me, where he was hitting the Boulder. And he was saying that I was asking myself and I implore all of you to ask yourselves right now I'm just be serious. If you are there, would you say Oh,

like really now? Right now we're going to be talking about what's going to happen you down the line, we'll try let's handle this right now. You know, optimism is something it's not easy. And this process is not easy. Going through this fitness is is not easy. And I just want all of us to remember that all of this is a process. It is not an event, it is a process to be quote unquote, religious, or to come closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala. But that's the beauty of it. Because Allah loves when you strive for his paths. For for his, for his sake, what are the ninja who do jaha do feanor that strive in our path that they will surely be guided to our way and really lies with the

people of excellence and excellence is a struggle. So that was a beautiful point that you mentioned.

You know, I call the Audacity of Hope, but not like the Obama kind. You know, prophets lie Selim

brought up the most hopeful incidents in the darkest moments, like he's in his off, got caught based off of nomadic. And he tells Raka How will it be when you're carrying the bracelets of kislak, the most powerful man in the world.

He is in the trench with the Sahaba. And they all think they're gonna die and be wiped out. And the Prophet slicin was talking about Islam spreading through the world, not just getting beyond the trench and beyond Medina, but to Persia and Yemen, and all over the world, to the Roman Empire and all over the world. So it's the true Audacity of Hope. And it's the one that keeps us going. But Dr. Wayman, any last words you'd like to share with us?

Well, first of all, I just want to thank you, all three of

the thoughts that you have shared have really been very useful and inspiring for me. Speaking of Audacity of Hope, you know, when I wrote that article on this khilafah, this is how people thought it was scary. And sometimes too much audacity can be dangerous. But I think that that was a I mean, I felt that I was inspired by so many people,

to precisely it is this is the time to be imagining for Muslims audaciously, that we, in fact, can

these fit then, from a less time of data to prepare us for a better time? And number teaching right after 911? For I know, I teach a number of venues, alum, you know, and a number of other places. And I would ask these students and students that came to these programs, really the cream of the crop people who are unamortized, MIT, Harvard, Princeton, from Muslim communities who really want to learn more, and I would ask them every year almost remember that what do you what is your greatest hope, but it's like, you know, be audacious and give me your dreams. And there was this dark time after 911 for nearly a decade, 15 years when Muslims, young Muslims were scared to dream scared to

think that there is anything out of the fitna, I grew up at a time when we would, we would think that Islam is the solution to all the problems of the world. So you were wanting to win the World over for Islam.

These were young people who are growing up thinking that Islam is a problem.

And somehow they wanted to hide their faces. And they wanted to say, you know, I would ask these really, really smart young kids brothers or sisters in like college. Give me your biggest hope. And their answers would be like

this fancy ways of saying the following. We want people to accept us in America.

They would say, Oh, we want psychological space for Islam in America. I would say no, no, no, no, no, tell me like what you want to happen 550 years from now, like if you could do anything in the world, and they would say,

you know, psychological space for Islam in America, not to solve the problems of inequality or the environmental disasters or the great spiritual darkness in the world or the great intellectual darkness in the world and the great sort of inability for anyone to believe in any truths anymore and that we have destroyed the planet

by leaving and abandoning the deen of Allah to Allah and trust

In a year in 150 years, over a small period of time, and we want to bring the light of Islam back, and we have no none of that.

So that is what we need to recover that audacity of the hope, for a sort of lesser level, it was one of them and the Sahaba, who believes, as they went out to the world, that we are bringing the people from the darkness of unbelief and darkness of the worship of their own house, or their own selves to the light of Islam, to the generosity of Islam to the justice of Islam.

And,

you know, a little less than a lot of us a lot of people with the good attitude toward life, and he would say, of those practices of Jamelia. That was one thing that he said was good. The fact was that if you see some any sign that you see in nature, and you think that is a sign from Alaska to Thailand, maybe it's a good thing. And he said, yeah, that is the only practice because that is a sign of a believer. Now you don't think that it is some some secret power or some magic or something else it is from Allah, Allah data. So anything that will make you happy, and and recommit you to a less time of data and recommit to you to your mission.

That for a believer is aside from a lifetime of data because of course, every sign is a sign from a less time of data.

Like my lucky they just wanted to re emphasize this beautiful point all the way you just reinvigorated all of us. Like during those beautiful May Allah bless you and reminds me a spell on one of the things that one of my teachers had mentioned. It was a he said Don't be behaving with the Dean of Eliza Don't be stingy with the deen of Allah subhanaw taala like there's a bullet it's stinginess when you just want to you know save enough for yourself to be able to pray and no no like this is a being that we want to share with the world and through word and through the bitten the night Ana in any way that Eliza jet allows for us to do so and gives us trophy to do so. And that's

the hope right that not only are we and that's you know, the prophet SAW some of the trench not only will we not be eliminated, but the light of a lesbian will spread. And that's not because of us. That is with us or without us we just hope that allies it uses us in that process and the hope is a lot more stamina when our tests have been male I use us and not replace us. ls pantalla make us worthy of

spreading this hope and and you know beautifying our own lives and the world around us with the deen of Allah subhana wa tada with this with this beautiful message of Islam through word and through deed through our actions and let that manifest and hope for everyone and everything around us and they are so dead reward you for leaving us off on that note and Zack malachite on to chef Abdullah Shaffer Brahim as well. mobilizers that reward all three of you. I think it was, you know, just just extremely beneficial to hear about these things and certainly also want to thank Dr. Rania sister Naja sister sada as well for their wonderful insights. Just super practical and beneficial for us to

carry us through these times. And we pray for our brothers and sisters around the world that are suffering. We pray that Allah subhanaw taala alleviates their suffering. A loss of Hannah Montana grants them steadfastness. Allah subhanho wa Taala sees us through these dark days with the light of Islam preserved first and foremost in our hearts and then emanating from our deeds through the world around us we pray for all of those that are suffering in a personal capacity. May Allah grant all of those that are suffering with the loss of health

metalizer to restore their health fully may last pantalla grant

you know mercy to all of those that have passed away and comfort all of those that have lost loved ones May Allah subhanaw taala bless us and everything that we have in this dunya put Docker in it and grant us the best of the appian and protect us from the punishment of the grave and the punishment of the Fire and the punishment that exists in the hereafter May Allah protect us from an all of a loss to preserve us upon this beautiful way of his the way of our Prophet sallallahu wasallam and grant us paradise with the Prophet sighs I'm janitor for those alarm. I mean, I started almost about a calendar year now Mohammed whiner only he

has like a lot of hate on to all of you for attending. So then why did he come down to LA he got a cattle

call back here.