Rania Awaad – Weekly Halaqa – Ar-Rabb – Rahmah
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss various topics related to Islam, including "monster" mentality, "there is light in everything" mentality, serving rules, and the importance of serving rules and praying for God's strength. They also touch on the negative impact of social media on people's mental health, including the loss of fatherhood and mis portability of images, and emphasize the importance of rebuilding a positive individual by taking responsibility and not let anyone convince them to change. The segment ends with a message to shower people's hearts and strengthen their faith in Islam.AI: Transcript ©
Hello feagan Masha Allah, how do you feel?
A little better?
A little more grounded. Today Allah Allah bless you all, masha Allah
these have been hard, hard, hard weeks upon Allah and
lots of reflections and I'm so glad that we're together and each other's company Mashallah. And also so glad it handed it off. It's a lot of color that there's just the place to be in.
People have been asking how are you? How's it going? You know? And honestly in the Rosco, how are you holding up and like in prayer and in community, masha Allah and so I'm so glad for both I'm just thankful to spend Friday night with my sisters Michelle off with a political law and I hope the same is true for all of you. How are you guys doing?
De la Shukla
May Allah bless you all may Allah increase you all in good
detail sugar Allah
Yes, I will put that for you. Sorry someone's asking you for one moment for the drama
just one second here sure I'll get that for you before we start
and you're just
right alright
here we go.
Alright, with that in Shall I guess we are ready to begin
latest technological funny gadgets and funny things
okay
okay
so last week, masha Allah, we covered a bit about the introduction to this book reflecting on the names of Allah. And then I Names of Allah subhana, WA, tada. And,
Michelle, we're going to continue onwards, kind of, you know, reflecting through the different names of Allah subhanaw taala. And to
kind of reorient us I'm following loosely, but I'll follow the order of a book called reflecting on the names of Allah by it says understanding and connecting to God in our daily lives by Wista Gina and use of this is the book cover what it kind of looks like, and you're welcome to follow along in that as well. But you don't necessarily have to it is a lovely book, though, Michelle, if you follow, decide to follow along. So let's go ahead and begin kind of the next section here. And
oh, yes, I can understand why that would be the case.
Right in the middle, and the de la May Allah bless you all. Let's get started. Smilla Rahmanir Rahim allah sallallahu Omar Al Hadi Muhammad Ali Ali was to send him a Gemini and so we're continuing on Inshallah, this is the second chapter but the third name of Allah subhanaw taala. And it's the name of
the Lord. And so we're going to begin inshallah with this name because Subhanallah like I mentioned other books that have other authors that have written on the topic of the 99 names. Sometimes they start with this one, but last week we started with you guys remember the name we started with last time.
And Haddie and Rashid Masha Allah, so the guide and the reason that we saw that she decided she says in her introduction, she decided to start with the guide is because the names of Allah subhanaw taala are meant to guide us to him. And so that was kind of her decision there. Mashallah, if it's logical, and today, we're going to start with Rob. And Rob means the Lord but it's such a deep it's such a small word, but it has such depth to its meaning. So it actually will probably take us some time to cover so let's do this together and shall Tada. First and foremost, let's start and say that if you were to pick up a copy of the Quran, and you don't not familiar with it, which I have a lot
of reflections on this last week about people picking up the copies of the benefits of Article have you guys been following this too?
And you not only as it sort of literally become a trend
to read Quran
are you following us?
Allahu Akbar, Allahu Akbar. And before I can even go further, I just have to
comment on this and say as much as a race
Sure, there has been as much as there's been a sense of feeling invisible and everything that's been happening globally, as much as there has been a sense of
real angst and real kind of upset. And rightfully so.
It is amazing for political law that this is these are times where you will realize that Allah subhanaw taala truly is in charge of everything. And as much as people want to cover or erase or say that you're not you and your identity. And I say this, and I'm going to probably comment on this a few times, because I, you may have seen I published somewhere, there was an article published this week that I had been writing, along with some folks in my lab, may Allah bless them
on on Palestine, and particularly the effects of Islamophobia on our mental health.
And it is almost like mind blowing to me honestly, how much I had to struggle and fight to be able to use words like Palestine.
And anti Palestinian bias, to use words like genocide, to be able to speak very directly and clearly to what exactly our reality is,
and how the ripple effect of the hate and the divisive language, and particularly the role of media and silencing, or, you know, gagging us, it is amazing, even the level of censorship, when you're literally asked, invited, invited to write your opinion, who invited me, I didn't go
and you asked me to write my opinion, and then it's crossed out and censored. It's kind of blows my mind SubhanAllah. And I'm sure you're going to see this more and more, but many people are being censored on social media. And it's, you know, being
accounts being taken down and so on for speaking their reality, their truth, their family, their people, their their realities.
And the sense of feeling so invisible in this time. And yet,
the flip side of this has been the so many people that have literally found Islam through this process, the many, many, many people who have said, What is that faith that keeps people going? What is that? Where does that come from? And that's what's inspired them to read the Quran, and in many cases actually convert to Islam.
And I think about
we plan and Allah plans, and Allah is the best of all planners.
We don't understand some things sometimes it's really hard to see kind of the silver lining and things and especially in the midst of ongoing death and destruction. But to know that Allah subhanaw taala truly has a plan. And Allahu ogham. I don't I don't know what that plan is. I'm just witnessing, as all of you are witnessing kind of the, the immense amount of interest in this faith and people saying, I'm an atheist ion into this whole thing. But whatever is causing those people to be that steadfast, despite bombs raining down on their heads. Let me read what they're reading. Right? That's a logical it's something really phenomenal. And the first thing you pick up when you
read the Quran, the first chapter you're going to come across is the Fatiha.
And what is after Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim, what do you come across?
Alhamdulillah Hey, Rob Harland mean, right, so you come in across the word rub very, very quickly. And we'll talk about Rahmani Raheem because those two also are names of Allah subhanaw taala. And we'll come to this, you know, in just a moment, but this concept of the rub, and how Allah subhanaw taala introduces himself to us.
Using these very specific words he could have used in the description, you could have used any of the names to describe himself or to introduce himself to us and introduce himself to the first person reading the plan for the first time. But you come across very specific names that are commanded Rahim. Right, most merciful, most compassionate, and you come across the night, the word Rob.
And so it's a beautiful thing to see. And we in our prayers, even if you know very little, very little, put it on yourself memorized. You've memorized at the very least the Fatiha and maybe some small suitors that go with it. Right? But the fatty half, especially the fatty how you recite over and over and over again in every single record of prayer, every single
pillar of prayer, you're basically reciting the Fatiha. And
not only that, but the prayer that at least the ritual prayer will not be accepted without the Fatiha so it's so part and parcel of our literally our everyday saying we say every single day
multiple multiple times a day. And so what is Allah subhanaw taala saying to us Mashallah.
It is reminding us that he is literal Bilal, I mean, literally the Lord of the Worlds. This is how this verse is translated the Lord, the Lord of the Worlds. So linguistically, it has so many different meanings. Let's read them together. One of them is master, one is owner. Another one is the one who arranges all matters, the nurturer, the Sustainer, of the one who is worshipped, the one who reforms His servants.
And the one who bestows favor and blessings. So many different meanings tied into such a tiny word, Subhan Allah, but it's so many things kind of tied into this very, very important term. But let's look at each of these. So let's look at each of these together. owner will start their owner, when you think about how Allah subhanaw taala owns the entire world, everything in it, you and I, and all the gifts that he's bestowed on us. And the things that he didn't give us that he may have given someone else, he owns all of those things. Sometimes we think about how we owned things. It's my car at my house and my kids and my, you know, my, you know, these are my things. But the reality is
they're actually they wouldn't be in your possession if the owner of the worlds did not give you those things.
How many of our sisters have really wanted children Subhan Allah, but this is not necessarily something in their blood that in their fate, Allah did not will for that. And it is sometimes very hard and heartbreaking journeys.
And you think about for those of us who do have children, and sometimes they're like, ah,
bah, bah. And we think about how that's
everyone's Subhanallah the grass always seems greener on the other side, that's a botica la Mela, give everyone ease in their journeys, yada datamine and answer their Diwas Aloma Amin,
but to think about how those kids come from Allah, and when he chooses not to give them, it is agonizing. For so many. Truly, He is the Possessor of even the times where we say my kids, my kids, but they come through us that they don't actually belong to us. We are there to raise them and nurture them and care for them and love them unconditionally and to help them and get them to the next stages. But they are they belong to a lot.
And I think that's important to kind of like, again, not a parenting discussion tonight but important piece of the parenting discussion. When you have that you suddenly realize oh, I'm more of a caretaker I'm more of a nurturer. I'm a person who has an Amana a trust in front of Allah subhanaw taala to do my best with these, this child or these children or maybe they're not biological maybe they're spiritual children that I have kind of, you know been given the opportunity Subhanallah to help and to mentor and that I will be asked about, but not so much of my my my and I what I say goes actually what Allah says comes and we are meant to comply, not the other way around. Subhan Allah
when when we come to those conclusions you find parents are much more
it sounds so much they're chill because you meet chill parents and you're like, Oh my goodness.
It's not so much other but they're they're chilled out in a way where they realize it's not really about what I want or don't want it's like I'm fulfilling what Allah subhanaw taala is asking for me. So there's less of that like tension and less of that you know, it's gotta be like this will says who your culture your family or your your aunties. Like who is saying that right? Right? Society like Who exactly saying that, but when it's from Allah subhanaw taala, then you're like, Okay, I'm here to fulfill something, right, as opposed to
follow some cultural nonsense and I use that word quite a bit if you know me by
owner that Allah subhanaw taala is the owner he maintains the existence and cares for the world that he owns, and all those in it, and he gives them gifts. Right? He gives them gifts. So all the things that we have that we think we own mashallah that he gave us are actually gifts to us, but he has full authority over them, he can give them and he can take them.
When you see death and destruction, the way we're seeing at such a massive scale, I was telling the teachers who are in the Holika right before you we were talking about this, how everything is streamed onto our phones and I just pray and hope that they're not going to cut off all of our ability to see very directly into what's happening Subhan Allah because that's probably the next step.
But it's never been too many of us have experienced multiple wars. Some of us are old enough to experience multiple wars at this point. It's illogical in different places, different times. But never as it has been where you open up your phone and
every single hour, literally you're seeing a live Direct footage of what's happening directly.
Sometimes because the people who are streaming it are actually literally on the ground that's illogical. And on one hand and hamdulillah because we would not have seen any of this had not been for their Direct footage of it.
On the other hand, the human was not created to handle this level of footage of carnage. Constantly constantly streaming 24/7 Literally you go to you wake up reading this news, you go to sleep reading this news, you constantly throughout the day, it is intense, intense, intense with Ebola, and we are all carrying quite a bit.
When you think about Subhan, Allah that Allah subhanaw taala when you see that he has taken lives, homes, so much destruction, and we think how how dare they? instru How dare they
you also have to remind yourself none of it would have happened except for the mother and the will of Allah subhanaw taala what is his wisdom in it Allah Who Tada Adam, but there is a wisdom in it. And
and it's like the person there's a harrowing out on ball LBL moil kidding. There's a one of the clips that I saw many, maybe many of you saw too was a man and Alyssa who says
we don't need your to house.
Art, we've passed our test.
You are the ones who need our Diaz
article gives you the goosebumps, right?
It's and then you realize they're clear about what their test is, and about passing it. And about straight tickets to agenda. And yes, there are pains and screams because you're only human when your whole I don't know, I shall I don't know if all of you but when I see the footage of mothers holding their dead children wrapped up in their coffin.
How do you how do you not how do you not see yourself in not?
Forgive me. But I'm just going to speak plainly to too many fellow mothers and spiritual mothers.
I don't know about you, all I can see are my own children and not cuffin
All I can see is that woman is me holding that child, the dead remains of that child.
And then I remind myself that Allah is the One who gives an the one who takes and it is the term it is this this is exactly what we are taught to say, especially at time of loss. In that Allah, He went into la de la Jiang, from Allah, we've come into Allah, we return, he gave us something, and he's taken it back.
We don't actually own it, he owns it. And he decides when it's given and when it's taken.
When we get we're very clear about Allah subhanaw taala being the owner of this universe, and the owner of all people and things in it, that he has full authority to decide when and where and how things are given and taken.
You are still sad? Yes, there are still shrieks and screams because we're only human.
But at the same time you are
not shaken by this. Because in Melynda he was in LA here, oh, God.
That's the believer.
And when people don't have belief, it's really hard for them to understand this. They don't they can't even conceptualize
how we're staying. Yes, sad and yes, crying, but not shaken by death and devastation and destruction.
I actually think that's what so many people that are on social media and seeing the response of the people who have lost so much I think that's actually what's really causing that resolve for them. And getting the very interested in well, what is this faith? And what is this book you're reading? And who is this Lord of yours in which you are so confident in La ilaha illa Hello God.
May Allah bless them, increase them and guide them. Aloma? I mean, yeah, had the Amiata balala me. I mean, you're a banana mean.
There is this modern belief that God
is this overseeing deity that exists that helps us along the path of worldly happiness. But without us being responsible to him are following his instructions. What does that mean? I love that sentence in here. Yanni, there are people who believe in God like us, but they are not feeling bound
went to the rules of God, as in to say God exists to help you, we pray for him, and we love Him and He loves us. And he helps us have a happy life. But I choose the way I live my life and the rules by which I live my life. And I can eat like this, and dress like this and go like this and be like this and have these particular identities or whatever, whatever, whatever you decide,
without having any obligation to God being the one who is has authority, actually, and has rules that he has sent down to guide us of how to live this life that we're on this journey that we're on.
So it is not simply enough to say I am a believer of God, and he's going to and I love him and he loves me and happy, happy happiness.
Unless you're going to also bow bow to kind of like be bound by also the rules and regulations that he has sent out. And I think that is one of the biggest distinctions about Muslims and Islam, then some of our other sister fates, but there's a lot of emphasis on Love of God and praying to God, much less emphasis on being bound by the rules and guidance that God has sent down of how humans should live their life. Does that make sense? A major difference. And our teachers our spiritual teachers taught us that even if you find a person who is so spiritual and so spiritual, so amazing, you're so like, amazed by them almost like taken by them, you're so kind of impressed by them. But
they are not bound themselves by the rules of God.
And his sound that would be five daily prayers, fasting in the month of Ramadan, when it's time to have obligatory charity to do so suddenly, yours the cat's to do so your alms Yanni, and then all the extras and refinements as well.
They would say, run away.
Literally, they would say if you find somebody who's literally levitating, or like they seem so spiritual, right, but they are not doing their five daily prayers or run away. Because that is not someone bound by the rules of God. And so therefore, if they're going to break the basic rules, they're going to break anything and everything.
Right, it really becomes more of a cult that they decide what they want to do and call with their charisma kind of call people over not by the rules of Allah subhanaw taala
Does that make sense?
Mashallah.
And so, those rules, like it says here, especially when they're in conflict with our base desires, or ego, because any of the rules that Allah has sent down on us, not just our not just our Iboga, like prayer and fasting, but also things about like, how we dress, how we interact with one another, not just men and women, how we interact as families and members of families, how we, how we what we eat, where we go, these go against our egos, sometimes, and it's a lot easier not to actually do them and follow those rules. Supanova
so here, even playing him says, If you believe
that Allah subhanaw taala is the owner of the worlds that I've been on and mean, and you're going to obey him for being Lord of the Worlds, then the absolute highest level of love is something called or Ludia or elbow the which translates into loosely servitude.
And people have a hard time with this because they're like, wait, what? You want to tell me that the best form of love is to be a servant.
That's what do we say in Arabic?
Abdullah, exactly a servant of Allah literally a servant of God, Abdullah, and the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu sallam. Remember this in the CETA? He was given the option of being a prophet who was a king, or a prophet who was a servant. And what did he choose? sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, a servant. He chose to be somebody who was in complete servitude. Why, recognizing that servitude is actually the highest form of love.
But you buy it, you buy it, when you bound yourself to
the that you're basically you're a master. And yes, sometimes we call humans might have a title like they are a master of something. But there is no master above Allah subhanaw taala he is the master of masters. So in Arabic, you say out of Rob Alif Lam, right? A Robin, you can't call any human that same title.
You can't in Arabic, if you were to say they're a master of something, they're master of the house. They're a master of chess. They're a master of I don't know what it's always like, there is an addition that a bull bait but they're never ever. That's only for Allah subhanaw taala.
And so this idea of being in full servitude, obeying Allah subhanaw taala, including his roles, including the ones that go against our egos out of love. Not just loving him because he's
God, and that makes you happy and he's gonna make you happy and answer all your two hours. But rather, it's a sense of servitude in addition to all the love that you have for him and he has for you.
Allah subhanaw taala asked the heavens and the earth, about, even if they would come into worship into existence
in that form of love, right and kind of obedience. Willingly or by compulsion. Do you know what I'm talking about? Yeah, this is when Allah subhanaw taala I'll tell you the specific Allah, Allah subhanaw taala. When he created the heavens and the earth, each of them you have to think about how this is each of them. Each entity that Allah subhanaw taala created,
is asked, right about their servitude and ensuited firstly, that Allah subhanaw taala.
Here it says to us
through Mustela NSMs eoA here to Han on the call Allah will already at the Tawaran o chirohealth. Aleta, I think he now Paul Aaron. He turned towards the heavens, when it was still smoke, and said to the heavens and to the earth.
Are you going to submit willingly or unwillingly?
They both responded, We submit willingly.
So even be creations of Allah subhanaw taala beyond the humans, right other creations of Allah subhanaw taala are asked, willingly or unwillingly Are you going to submit? And that's very similar to us, as human beings. You know, the, for those of you on social media, you know, this, there was a trend going for a while, you know,
they understood the assignment.
She or he or whoever understood the assignment, right? The heavens and the earth understood assignment.
When Allah subhanaw taala asked them, you know, is this going to be willing or something I'm going to have to force you, they came willingly into obedience of Allah subhanaw taala. And it's, it's a beautiful thing to understand that obedience comes natural. When you love something or someone and you realize who they are, you understand their grandeur, you understand who they are, it becomes burdensome and bothersome, when you don't understand who this person is, or why they're doing this or they're just my equal, how come they're trying to like, have me serve them, you know,
but when you understand their place, and if this is someone that some of your smiling, if this is a human in your life, mashallah then you understand that you're serving them is not so much in and of themselves, but rather a service to Allah subhanaw taala through them.
It's such a powerful thing, in marriage, in in laws, in parents, it's powerful once you realize that the kind of obedience Allah asks of whether it's child to parents, whether it relates to family members, it's it's an amazing thing to realize that actually it's obedience to a law, not to the human being.
And so when you're doing these things, whether it's filial piety and righteousness towards your parents, let's say let's use that as an example. And you're like this is really bothersome.
Subhanallah
you're we're putting it at a human level, not at a
Allah level. And so when is the triangle as we always say relationships are in triangles are not in straight lines. When you go to the relationship goes to Allah Allah this is for you. Or your Allah What do you wish me or you Allah only what pleases you and then it comes back down to that other human being, then you're now have relationships that are in triangles. People say in math, right? Let's shortest distance between two points is a straight line. But in, in this Deen in this religion of ours, the shortest distance is truly a triangle. It is through Allah subhanaw taala through his acceptance or lack thereof, that you have a good relationship with our fellow human being.
That helps, because otherwise it's like
gritting teeth Subhan Allah with then you realize it's not really for them and for their sake, they're just going to get the benefit of all your good works and actions towards almost a penalty. Perhaps they may change, or be inspired to change and so you're not gritting your teeth anymore.
When we resist understanding that Allah subhanaw taala truly is the owner of the universe, the world's and also the one who has full authority over us to everything in this world. We start to then kind of have this resistance and push and tug at
against him. But when we turn to Him and understand that when we
are truly wanting
last week's term guidance from Al Hadi you turn to Arab because this is the very first thing that Allah subhanaw taala revealed to the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam himself. What did he first reveal?
What do you say? What's that verse?
Say the whole verse
it Bara Bismillah, Pika, lovey Holika
Rebecca you see the word rubbed in there. It's the very first thing introduced to the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam read in the Name of your Lord. Right, who created
the very first introduction of our Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam who was searching intensely and we talk about Lord Hill Allah we talk about the cave of hadal a lot, because one of the beautiful meditative, contemplative meditative practices of our deen is modeled after the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam sunnah of taking an aside. And that's precisely what is doing. Let's let's review just briefly here before I shut prayer comes in. Remember,
the Prophet sallallahu? Ala said no. How old was he when he received the message when you receive this input?
40 years old. For 40 years he had been searching
for 40 years think about what happened in those 40 years. He was orphaned. His father passes away before he's even born. His mother passes away when he's held.
Yes, there's there's a little bit of, let's just say young age, but yes, somewhere between the six and seven. And right in front of him.
Do you know that
there's a whole story that we had studied in the seat belt how it's she, she, she? They're visiting relatives of his father in Medina. And she on the way back, falls ill and passes away on the road on the trip
in front of him
and is buried by the his helper? caretaker, right, who was with who was traveling with them.
That's heavy, heavy, heavy to carry. And then where does he go? This young six year old or does he go?
To his grandfather, and his grandfather passes away when he's how old?
says Mom passes away at six? Grandfather passes away at eight. He's eight years old?
And then where does he go?
To his uncle, Bill Taalib. Did you know? Do you know how many other kids how many kids total were ever thought of as house
10.
So even though his uncle was so loving and took care of him and loved him, and so did his wife, there were 10 Children, the young people, lots of mouths to feed, right? In little means. He eventually takes on a job as he gets to a little bit of an older age, right young, young, young young man, what is this job?
A shepherd, he becomes a shepherd all of our profits. At one point in their life or another were shepherds. And then eventually, he goes into trade.
And this is where the story about Citadel Khadija right his wife, while the Allahu anha where he marries her had held
25. And how many children do they have? I'm quizzing you guys tonight.
Six, four girls and two boys, both of whom die in infancy. And eventually, so he buries those two boys, right? And eventually he's going to bury three of the four girls in his lifetime.
So Allah Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
When you think about so far, we've taken you from, you know, lots of injustices, lots of difficulties, lots of personal tragedies all the way up to age 40. By the time he's comes to age 40, he has spent time truly reflecting and searching. Things weren't making sense. The culture around him wasn't making sense. It was toxic. There were things that didn't add up for somebody who was very genuine like himself, so long while he was setting up, and in the process of reflecting and reflecting that he was spending time in a lot of head doing. He encounters that first verse.
And speaking of first verse, it's time to bring color people will come right after I should inshallah for those of you online will come right after I shut and rejoin in about 10 minutes Inshallah, please sisters catch Shatila. And then if the sisters sitting by the door if you could just be mindful of the drugs, they're going to start another program outside so we'll just be mindful of the letting people in and then keeping the door closed. Thank you. Thank you.
Alright, then in that case, we can go ahead and get started restarted in sha Allah. Let's see where we were over here.
Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim allah sallallahu Mata say that Mr. Medina earlier he was to have you said image right and so we are back in sha Allah covering now the discussion on a curb the Lord. And where we left off Michelle law as we were talking about how the concept of the very first idea that was revealed to Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was, was
it Clara Bisnar or big lady Haluk. The very first,
the very first name of Allah subhanaw taala that he reveals to the Prophet Muhammad is that I'll write a book.
And this concept of here he is the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu said at age 40, in the cave, right, a lot of hate. Reflecting reflecting right, we talked about all the hardships he has endured, he's an orphan, loses mom at six, loses, he goes next to his grandfather, whom he loses at eight. Then he goes next to his uncle. And there's 10 Other kids for their total of 10 kids and that house, so Pamela, and then he's
goes on to be a shepherd goes on into trade, gets married, has his own children, two of whom die in infancy. And the four out of the three out of four of the girls, he buries sometime in his lifetime, subtle, Allahu Allah, he was send them lots of hardships, lots of trials. And the society around him, we said is toxic. It has its own issues. And he's not in agreement with so much of what he sees around him.
And he wants to figure out how to
reshape and re understand the reality that he understands is not there's something off in it, but isn't finding the answers. So what does he do in a lot head on? What was the whole purpose of going there, the cave of head off. And we said before age 40, right before the revelation comes, he spends more and more time in that contemplative meditative state in the cave of head.
And a lot of that was trying to make sense of things that didn't make sense. Right? As somebody who was a very genuine, pure hearted person, a lot about the toxic stuff in society around him didn't add up. And he was not kind he was not impressed with it. Right, not interested in it. And we wanted something more. And so when the revelation descends right with
the Archangel Gabriel, for the first time, and he's held, he holds on tight and squeezes in tight, and he says it up Bismillah al piggledy holla, read in the Name of your Lord, that creates
this idea, there's so many things to take from this verse. But thinking about Rob, the very first word that he's in first description of God, it could have been any description. But the very first one is that this word that we're covering here,
the Lord, and I've been Alaminos, Lord of the worlds are Lord of the universe. And so when you're thinking about, think, put yourself in the shoes for just a moment and think about how the whole world seems difficult. There's injustice all around you. Lack of control, you're a person who has had gone through so many trials and tribulations in your life, and you're not because of your orphan hood and your lack of standing, even though your lineage is an honorable lineage, your lack of standing in society, you have seen and witnessed so much injustice and experienced it as well.
And so here you are SubhanAllah. When sometimes when you feel alone, which often he felt solomani was send them or abandoned, or invisible. And I think these are all feelings a lot of us are feeling especially right in this moment. Subhan Allah,
here comes a description about
the Lord of the Worlds who owns everything, who's in charge of everything. From him, we've come into him we return in then and now he were in the IE, Roger, your own. And then you have this beautiful understanding that all of the profits, not just the Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam when they made dua, the name that they use to call upon their Lord was also a
and I'll show you I'll also show you exactly what I mean. You have for example,
say YDNA. Musa, right, who literally says, My Lord, indeed I do not possess except myself and my brother. So part of us from the defiantly disobedient people
right so he's using this term Rob as well. Or you have prophets Zakariya, who says and when he called his Lord My Lord do not leave me alone while you are the best of inheritors
also, you have for example, right so like for his equity, it was like get a Yeah, even now the bear who a little bit better neath the road
antithyroid worth in using that term from
you have for example,
say the new prophet Noah, my lord support me because they have denied me, but are up in Surah Nabi American, the boon. So each of the prophets actually called upon Rob, they called upon their Lord using this term, this word.
And so the question really is now what does it mean to you? What does that word mean to you do use it in your day was when you call upon Allah subhanaw taala.
And when you think about the ROB is the one who nurtured you, who eases for you hardship, we talked already about how he gifts you everything you have, even though you think you own things, they're all actually gifts from him. And if it wasn't for him willing to give you these gifts, his will to give you these gifts, you wouldn't have them, including your very own children, right, and then all the material things that we have or that were held, that are held from us.
And then you think about Subhanallah, that this concept of reflecting back on your life your entire life, to see that even when you were not a person of prayer, or a person necessarily connected. In this way, he was still taking care of you.
He was still nurturing you, I think about how we go to sleep at night and put our heads on those pillows.
With this full expectation, we're going to get up tomorrow morning. But there's absolutely zero guarantee.
And when we do get up in the next day, and we take that first breath,
we didn't do that ourselves.
And often we don't even think to say shellcode or hunting to Allah subhanaw data for that breath. Because we have zero control of making ourselves wake up out of our little death.
Right sleep is a small death.
Because you go into right your soul is taken right in a different realm. And when it enters back into your body and you kind of awake, you have no control over that. And if Allah wishes, and many do pass away in their sleep, as in to say the soul is taken and doesn't come back, you have no control of actually bringing that soul back into your body.
And yet we take that first breath in the morning, and we think, no, no.
It wasn't you wasn't me. And that is why the very first thing that should be uttered out of our mouth in the morning as soon as we wake up is Alhamdulillah he lovey hyaena Dona Ana Tana, will la hinda Sure. Alhamdulillah all praise and things speak to a lot. Who, right? brought us back up right. Jana woke us back up bad. Martin after he had us die, right little death, which is the sleep what you lay in your shoulder. I mean, this idea of like giving hand and sugar to Allah subhanaw taala, who gives you the very breath to breathe.
And he did that every single day even when we didn't pray and even when we didn't worship and even when we didn't believe.
And even for all those people who don't believe he's still there. He's still there, Lord,
even if they can't see it and understand it.
And so when you reflect like the prophets of the lice, and I'm in cave head up, when you reflect and you go into your meditative contemplative corner, your attic F corner, which I'm sure all the women here have in their home by now.
We've been in the Rama Holika you have an attic, left corner I open Shaba.
And so when you think about what what was he What was he reflecting on? In his right we will be the beginnings or precursors of the attic F. What was he What was he reflecting on
attic at the spiritual seclusion or he was seclude himself isolate himself for spiritual grounding. This is what he was reflecting on, who's giving me this breath to breathe. It's not those idols that the people of his society were worshipping. Right. And so it's powerful, powerful, powerful to understand that when you reflect back at your life, and you'll see that your roadmap was actually there with you every step of the way, even if you didn't recognize it. Even doing that as a form of worship in your attic left corner.
You can do that for hours. Think back to the years of your life years of your life. Have you ever taken your phone and looked at the photos? Now with the smartphones that people have so many photos on their phone, and you kind of scroll back up into the years and if you ever have them sometimes they pop up with those little videos that have like they compile pictures and videos for you and you're like, Oh, look how cute oh, there was so little Oh, I look so young. Oh my goodness.
You go through those videos and sometimes to kind of like think about your law. I think about how what Yokoyama will be like, because we're told you're going to have your entire
scroll everything that you forgot in completely no memory of it. That has happened but Allah never forgets everything from beginning to end and I think about how you watch an entire movie of your life. Can you imagine?
Right Can Can you imagine all the pictures scrolling through?
Y'all Allah don't take us to account yada, yada B do not make our hisab truly
all our actual deeds but forgive us yada yada mean, ERP we asked for a light hisab or straight to Genma even better mean y'all I don't believe it. I mean, forgive us Yakety Yak, Allah
when you reflect back and you look back at all those videos and all those pictures, all those things. And if you're not going to do it in this dunya people eventually do it. Subhan Allah Yeoman, he said, on the day of judgment,
and it is powerful powerful to realize that in every single one of those instances, even the times you felt the loneliness, the loneliness, loneliness,
lonely.
loss will see a serious fight area loving
when you felt very lonely, was shallow.
When you felt lonely, or you felt isolated or you felt abandoned, or you felt like everything's a follow up, your life is falling apart. Allah was always there. He was always there, even when we don't recognize it or know it immediately.
Allahumma Salli ala Sayidina. Muhammad one early here are so happy you're sending him. So when times seem unfair, the world seems unfair, which really truly at this moment, the world seems so so so so unfair. And we can't make sense of everything that's happening. This is where you know that saying I actually really like it. I have actually got a little
a little pluck. I talk with my hand, sorry,
a little pocket. I have it on my bookshelf right behind me. And sometimes I just have to look at it. This, this concept of let go and let God right, you have to sort of let go and let God because you realize that even when you're trying so hard to make sense of everything, and it's not making sense. This is where you need your to what could you say I've tried my camel, I've done my part. I've done what I can. I'm leaving the rest to Allah subhanaw taala.
And I remind us, I remind us of COVID-19 I remind us of 2020. Right, I remind us of all this uncertainty that was so everything was so uncertain. And eventually what did we say? Right? He fell in love. He went in the lake Roger and same thing, right? This concept of it came from a law. I came to from a law, it's going to return with the law. Right? It's in La La here in LA hirato this concept of truly grounding yourself. Your job is always there.
I also wanted to say when we talk about a ROB Bula mean as we say in certain Fatiha. Right, that's we said it's the first verse you come across after Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil aalameen. When we say Rob Bilal, I mean, the Lord of the Worlds in plural, what it means is people, all people, all the nations, all the tribes, all ethnicities, all the races, all the colors, all the languages, all the people, all of them, but not just the people, the angels, and the jinn.
Right? The animals and the plants in the creation, all of creation. Right? All of it is part of
the worlds that Allah subhanaw taala creates. And they all submit, like we said, the verse earlier, when Allah subhanaw taala asked about the heavens and the earth, and they submitted willingly, they all submit,
except for ship on.
And except for those humans who don't want to submit by their own will,
and their Jinn as well.
So, here is where choice comes in and makes a major distinction between us in between the angels SubhanAllah. And may Allah subhanaw taala allow us and guide us to be able to fully submit because submitting to him doesn't mean that we all have to be the same. And it doesn't mean that we all have to look the same at the same talk the same be the same, no, no, he is the Lord of the worlds with all of its diversity.
But we all have to submit. Does that make sense? So that's what unifies us and that's why the Muslim is the one who submits to the will of Allah in all the different colors and shapes and languages and so on.
That they come in all the stripes.
I also wanted to share this concept of Rob, I was asking you what do you say when you call upon in your drop? When you think about Robben Island mean? This idea of we talked about Lord master authority, but also but also this concept of most Merciful and most kind.
Entirely Merciful, Especially Merciful.
When you think about when you call upon Allah subhanaw taala What is your concept of God?
To me, this is probably out of all the different things that
We learned concepts that we learned in this town. I think for me, this is one of the most powerful, truly.
There's a hadith I'll tell you the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
where he says, We're Allah subhanaw taala it's, it's it's a lost planet that is, you know, speaking through the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam and says, Anna Arendelle one Arab DB
I am as my servant thinks I am.
I am as my servant thinks I am.
And the hadith is long it's a beautiful Hadith I'll tell you the rest of it just and then we'll come back to this I am as my servant thinks I am. When he makes mention of me I make mention when he makes mention of me within himself, I make mention of him within myself.
And when they make mention of me within a gathering just like this, mashallah start gathering on Zillow.
I make mention of them and a gathering better than theirs. Ellis ponds that I make
beautiful, amazing gathering out of beyond me. Imagine I'm telling the angels about us.
Allah,
y'all Allah.
And then it says, And when he makes
mention of me in an assembly, or sorry, I already said that when and then when he draws nearer to me an arm's length I draw to him a cubed. And when he draws to me a cubits amount Yanni I draw to him without them, and when he comes to me walking, I come, I go to him at speed.
You know, this hadith, you've heard it before. It's phenomenal. Just listen to that first first part of the Hadith.
I am as my servant thinks I am.
Now I'm the one near ibdv. So what do you think about Allah? subhanaw taala? What is your conceptualization of who Allah subhanaw taala is, when you will call upon Allah in His various names, which names do you use?
That's why we're having this class.
Last week, I was saying how when I've worked in mental health, so many people have such limited terminology of what actually they're, they're feeling emotionally, very, very limited terminology, sad, happy, mad, glad,
give or take maybe angry.
To where we literally have this sheet that has all the different, like emojis,
all the different kinds of reactions, and adjectives that you can have to actually teach people actually, there's all these different shades of color, right? There's a whole spectrum of emotion. And when you're able to name what you're feeling, you actually can deal with it, and move forward.
There are so many names of Allah subhanaw taala, and each one has its purpose. And each one has its time and its season. Subhanallah so when you call upon Allah subhanaw taala. What are you calling? What names are you calling him by? Let me give you an example.
For some people, the way they were raised or how they were taught, Islam was very harsh.
And I say this a lot. And may Allah, grant and mercy and all of those who had who taught us on the home, I mean, they did their best. But sometimes we were taught in this really harsh, harsh way. And we were taught that Allah subhanaw taala is the one who punishes and haram. This is how bad and that's haram, punish, punish, punish, punish *, *, * help.
seem familiar.
Which is why the Rama foundation is called la rama.
It's called the Mercy Foundation.
Because often so many people that I've met the way they've learned Assam is from a very harsh perspective and when they think about Allah subhanaw taala, right, I am as my servant thinks I am. When they think about Allah, they think about him in harsh harsh terms.
Punishment, wrath, right holding you to account while all of these things are actually true, he will hold to account and there is punishment.
What about all the other names? That's the question. What happened to the names of mercy? What happened to the names of love? What happened to the one who's there for you, who sees you or holds you? Who answers for you? Right? All these many, many names that inshallah Tata we're going to cover in the course of our Holika together, and sha Allah. But I want you to really think about this, to me is so powerful. When people feel really distant from God, I say to them, how can you know God or even claim to love God if you don't know God's names, his attributes who he is what he does? Yes, he gives you the breath right every morning, as we said to wake back up again after sleep. But he all
So sustains even when we even for the cat for the disbeliever, who hates and says and denies and says doesn't exist and right, even that person gets sustenance, has breath is able to have joy in their life can taste food and enjoy it right? Even when they're a cathode is someone who covers up literally they're covering up the truth or the truth is covered up to them
Subhan Allah, Allah is still there.
And so I want you to think with me about this hadith, Anna and Dylan nob, dB. And then think about for yourself when you start thinking about Allah subhanaw taala and you call upon Allah subhanaw taala What are you calling? Who what who what names are you using? How do you see him?
Forgiving? him didn't know. But don't only see him and forgiving. Because then we get this other extreme.
Level the photo Rahim he is he is he is all forgiving at all merciful.
But But what about the other?
You see the balance. This is why we learn all of the different names SubhanAllah. So I want to take I want to give you some action steps kind of to dues, right kind of two dues of what how to really get to know your Lord, you're
the first one is worship. And by worship, I mean worship him whole heartedly. And what that means is every single worship that you do that it's to really taste that sweetness to feel connected to prayer, to know that when the prophets of Allah was said and felt so distressed, and so many of us are watching such distressful images and such stressful news.
When the Prophet sallallahu said I felt this distrust.
He would say that'd be her Joby law.
He would call to be done. Right, his dear companion, and then we'll give her then for prayer. And he would says, relieve us, relieve us with it. What's the it's here?
Prayer, relieve us with prayer, ob Lal, as in to say, please go call the other end. Please call the other one. So we can pray. relieve us with prayer. You can only get to a point where prayer is a relief and not a chore.
Right. It's something to tick off every day. And
when it's part of your relief, once you taste sweetness in it once you're able to actually connect with God in it, when you feel that you're actually talking to God in it, and that he's listening.
And all of the different things one time we had a class here, part of this Holika some time ago that we talked about the etiquettes of prayer. And we talked about even the simple things like rushing your teeth ahead of time, he said, Would you go talk to a fellow human being with your breath really terrible, shallow and kind of like spew in their face? Absolutely not. Because you understand the etiquettes of speech. And you're careful when you're talking to a fellow human being the terrible odor coming out of you. Yet we go to prayer, sometimes with terrible breath, food tastes and smell.
We're talking to Allah azza wa jal and one of the Sunnah is a prayer is an AKA like confirmed soon as a prayer is
the see what goes on brushing your teeth. Because why? Why? Why? Why? Because you're talking to God. And if you would do that for a fellow human being imagine to God.
Another one of the things part of the etiquettes of prayer is you don't move around and play around and look around and shift around in prayer. You're standing very straight, very, very, very kind of keeping attention. Why?
Imagine if this was an elder of your family, your boss at work? Right, someone else? When you're having a conversation with them, if you truly understood prayer as a conversation, than if it was a human being that was a boss to you, or important to you? Would you didn't shift around and move around and look around and get distracted? No, you'd be very, especially your boss would be very, like careful in that conversation. What about Allah, the boss of all the bosses?
Do you know what I mean? But this is when a person fully starts to fully feel that prayer is truly a conversation with God.
That's when you get the kind of things that you hear at the high Yogi lad. Right? That's where the relief in prayer comes from. And it takes it takes working you working up to it kind of building up to it, but you have to kind of know the basics, or like the goal of what you're trying to get to for it to really make a difference. Subhan Allah.
So worship wholeheartedly, wholeheartedly. Y'all know I'm here to learn your names. I'm not taking this class or reading this book for an academic purposes. It's not academic work for me. This is truly a spiritual journey of discovery and growth, and of connection to you to learn your names and to learn your attributes so that I may call
Call upon you in all of your different names.
Number to
look back and think about your life.
This idea of
Maha Sabha
you see that same word, the root word and Maha Sabha is HeyStop. Account or accountability. Take yourself to account. The idea of Maha Sabha is a person sits there on a daily basis, and does accounting.
Some of you are either accountants, or you've learned accounting or you don't like accounting, you outsource it.
Right. But accounting is very important. We do it with our, with our bank, right we do with our money we do we figure out our balance.
Same thing here.
But these are our deeds. And the idea here is take yourself to account before you're taken to account.
Because we will, we're all going to be taken to account on the day of judgment on your mother, he said, The Day of accountability, the Day of Judgment. So take yourself to account why, because if you go through your day, and you realize, oh, man, I goofed up on that.
I should have said that
I really should have done that. Right. And you in that moment, say a stealth hit Allah.
It's gone, you won't see it. You won't see it. When the scroll is unfolded, it's gone. Gone. But if you don't take yourself to account, you'll be taken into account. Does that make sense? Hence why the believer has a daily practice of Maha Sabha
and has a daily practice of is the father asking for forgiveness.
When that becomes part and parcel of your day, like literally as you're kind of starting to fall asleep, but you keep yourself kind of awake and you just just mentally go through your day. Because all of us gufa We all go up right?
Sometimes more severely than others on certain days. But this is where you do much more is to FOD. Knowing that Allah subhanaw taala we're going to get to his name of La fluido go home, we're gonna get there. And you will see the depth of his forgiveness and His mercy towards us. But it has to be done.
Do you know what I mean?
So looking back at your life, and looking back to me to see even when I was far away, he was there all punk.
I can't tell you the kind of Eman like faith that really solidifies once you come to that realization allow my Lord has been there all along. And he's there even in my most difficult days. And sometimes things don't add up or make a lot of sense. Let me tell you one of the most let me actually ask you who was the most commonly
referenced
prophet in the Quran?
So you know, Musa
why? Why is his story over and over and over and over and over we have come across the story of Musa Ali Salaam?
Anyone know
it is very relatable. And his people were very much like us.
The Prophet was told by Allah subhanaw taala that I'm, I'm giving you these stories because your people are going to be doing the same to you. Subhan Allah. So seeing them was as mentioned over and over, let's Okay, let's do a really quick recap. You guys did a wonderful job when we did the scene of the Prophet of his early likes a little audio setup. Let's do a quick recap of saying the Moses early life. Tell me where does the story start?
We know that our own has said no boys, right because he has this dream that he's going to be outstayed. Right. So like no boys, right. And so every other year, he's killing the baby boys. And we think about all the things that have to happen Subhanallah so here comes a year in which the boys are meant to all be killed and all of them do.
But here comes baby Musa.
And what is his mother instructed to do?
Put him in the river.
When you think about this for a minute, it's the most like incredible thing.
And of course, she's so unsettled by it. So what is she? Who does she send out?
His sister who follows follows follows right? The basket of going through the river until it gets to the palace of crown. Literally to the palace. It's the man that wants to kill all the boys. Okay. His wife says let's adopt him.
And then he's crying, crying, crying. Nobody can settle this baby. Nobody can settle the baby. They bring him all the woman to try to breastfeed him. nobody's willing to. This is from Allah. He does this on purpose. Why?
To bring him back to his mother.
So his sister who works in the palace, right?
Is there to say I know somebody who can help.
And literally who's returned back
to his mother. Okay, the potter, I mean, it's just the most amazing thing. So that her that she would be, you know, her eyes, you know, pleased, right? Again, happy again. And she nurses him and after a period of time, then she has to give him to the palace.
He's raised literally in the palace of the man who wants to murder him.
Who becomes a father figure to him. I mean, imagine all of this.
And he's there for all of his young years as a young man until comes but he knows but he knows he's not of that islands, people. He knows he's adopted. He knows his people are
bending a slide.
And so when the day comes, that he's walking out into the, you know, the society there, and two men are fighting one of him, one of whom is his people.
And
what does he do?
Accidentally, he doesn't mean to, right. It's just so such a straw. He pushes the man, right, such a strong force that ends up killing him. And then he's told no, you better get out of here.
Think about what happens next. I mean, it's really a powerful story. Think about all the different things that happened, say the most. Right? Here. He is literally living a lavish life of a prince literally.
And then he's banished overnight, from his own city. And he ends up where
Midian.
Right, he ends up in Midian. And then there's a story of the two sisters who are trying to try to get water to their animals, and all the men are crowding and they can't, you know, and so he sees this and he goes and helps them. And then the girl is very cute, actually. She goes and tells her that you know, there's this man.
He's honest, he's trustworthy. He felt those. And the father knows the father can pick up and he says, Okay, you work for me.
I'll marry you, my daughter. Right? And so he does. And he has literally an entire life, an entire life. He builds an entire family, he gets married his whole life in Medion years, yours actually
rebuild an entire life.
Until Allah azza wa jal
decides that it's time for him to go back.
It is an incredible story. And he's like, What, back to my
guy.
Right? It's phenomenal. It's truly an amazing story. And then all the things that happened with historical expense. And all night, if we're going to talk about all the stories say Nemo said that we'll kind of cap it here to say, think about all the things that happen and say it the most his life that seemed
totally kind of out of this world, all the things that had to add up for him to get back to his mother, for him to not be killed. Right, for him to go back to the very man who was meant to be a father figure to him, who wants him dead. Right, and to and to be told by lots of panel data and speak to him gently
and speak to him gently.
Hola, hola Yan. And I mean, it's the most amazing thing. This man wants you and all your people dead. And he's oppressing you and hurting you and bothering
at the others hope. There's hope that he might actually come around
the story of Satan the Musa, whether you take him or whether you take the example of saying the use of right similar thing, right?
Brothers who betray you throw you don't well.
Often to slavery, you go. Right, then you're trying to just do your job, and the woman or after you. And so now you're imprisoned, unjustly and forgotten in prison for years and years and years.
Until finally, you're brought out and you're able to
be reunited with your family after, right? When Allah wills think about all the different aspects when people will say that's injustice. That's difficulty. That's terrible. That's this, that's that. But in all of those steps, there was something that was part that I wanted them to get to that at the time, then that would seemingly injustice was happening. Did it make sense? But retrospectively, you'll look back and you'll
that's what was going on.
So when things seem like they're falling apart in our life, or they seem unjust, or they seem like people are abusing us, oppressing us, and they probably are, because those were truly oppressors and abusers think about fit our own, like truly oppressive and abusive.
But there was a reason a law put that person in your path. It's not haphazard. It's not something that was coincidental. It's not something you did wrong, which I find myself in counseling saying very often to people, you didn't do this wrong.
They are the one who are oppressive, or abuser.
But there was a purpose Allah put them in your life. Maybe you and I can't understand it right this moment why? But there could be a time or maybe not. Maybe you go to your grave not knowing why. But there could be a time that you look backwards and you say, oh, that's why.
How many prisoners have we met over the course of time with the flavor Foundation, Subhan Allah, who truly truly truly is upon Allah,
and wrongly, imprisoned, not even for something they actually did No, no wrongly imprisoned.
We know a man may Allah bless him, who spent his entire youth they took him in as a juvenile teenager. They tried him as an adult.
He had a multiple life sentence, he served, I think it was 30 some years of it. So by the time he came out, he was close to 50.
And it was for something he never even did.
That's how he got out. Because it was discovered later, that this was not actually a crime he actually committed.
You meet this man, he never has anything but a smile on his face.
And you say to yourself, how do you go through such level of injustice by an oppressive system?
And you're not a bitter, bitter person?
You know what he says?
He says, had this thought had happened to me.
I would never have discovered Allah.
And I would make dua that if I were to, if I were to redo my life over again, that it would happen again to me so that I would become a Muslim.
You try to explain that to somebody who doesn't have faith or Eman or doesn't know God, it doesn't make sense. They just go crazy man.
But for people who have faith, they realize that this journey that Allah put them on, say the use of was imprisoned for years and forgotten.
There was a purpose. And the purpose became so clear but much later.
And there was never this bitterness of why me and how come even when it was hurting, and I think that's where we have to kind of reorient and reframe and reshift Inshallah, to Allah. And lastly, to close in sha Allah
and a reminder that in every hardship there is a lesson to us from a merciful Lord. And lastly, call upon Allah subhanaw taala the way the prophets called upon
Allah him a salon call upon Him, as the Lord of the Worlds Rob Gulaal, Amin,
the Lord of all of the world, call him and say, Yeah, that'll be your Oh, my lord, my lord, right, yeah, it'll be
and call upon Him from your hearts, with all of your hearts. Pray that insha Allah that he sees you through your family through all of our sisters and brothers in the Ummah and in humanity.
I think that's the powerful lesson. Honestly, with people who are connected to God.
They may be trialed and go through tribulations, but they are not shaken. You get a little jostled around, but you're not shaken.
And so I want to just sort of end without kind of reminder
that we're seeing some really, really, really difficult things right now.
And I'm thankful on one hand that we're seeing the news come through, because otherwise we wouldn't have seen and wouldn't have known.
I'll just end with this earlier this week I had
in the last couple of weeks, I've been writing actually about this topic.
And
a couple days ago, there.
I was invited to write an opinion piece a couple of weeks ago, and it was published a couple of days ago,
on time.
And
it's really was an interesting experience.
They came to me, I didn't go to them. It's an invited piece. And it's an opinion piece. But I say opinion.
Because I'm writing my expert opinion. Suppose I asked on Muslim mental health, right? But what Islamophobia does to the mental health of people of our community.
Every time I wrote the word, Palestine, they crossed it out.
Every time I wrote the word, anti Palestinian anything they
every time I wrote the word genocide.
And finally, I said after several drafts and going back and forth like this, I said, I can't be responsible for the erasure of the people.
You want to be responsible for an erasure of the people but I'm not publishing something in which we're erasing people.
I was so shocked at the level of
censorship. So shocked.
Even in something that's invited and even in something that's your quote unquote, opinion. And I then I realized, this era that we're in of social media, and the ability of things to stream directly into your room into your house into your palm, right from the ground, right from the source without censorship, without people editing out things, reframing things or twisting things, is an incredible era that we're in, it's actually an incredible privilege. And with that privilege is also incredible talks that we're all carrying around.
Because we were not created to 24 hours a day witness such difficult difficult things.
So with that, I would say, make sure you are giving yourself the kind of breaks that you need to be able to sustain to go forward, make sure that you're giving yourself the kind of grace. And when you do see these very difficult images, make sure that you're also making a dua grounding yourself and your faith in what's happening. And remember, I'm sure you're seeing this, it is amazing to me how literally viral it has gone. Viral, to read put on.
There are mass conversions, I think I'm going to start calling them the Tick Tock conversions.
The Tick Tock reading of Quran maybe some of you in this room are not necessarily on tick tock, but you should know that it is viral, it is the most amazing thing that is happening, because people are seeing because of all that streaming directly in and they may shut a lot of this down. But because it's streaming directly in and they're seeing death and destruction and all kinds of horrific things that we haven't seen. In all the wars many of you and I have witnessed, we haven't seen these kind of images come this directly into our the palms of our hands.
But at the same time, people are witnessing for the first time that what they're hearing or reading in the media is not actually what's necessarily happening. And they're going wait a second, wait a second. Second.
Then they're like, What is this faith? That is so grounds a person these alleges in that are so grounded in their faith? What is this faith? And what is the book that they're getting this faith? Let me read it to and what the mass readings have put an there has become mass conversions to Islam. It is the most interesting and amazing thing May Allah guide along Via Hadith.
And with that also comes the responsibility to realize that and to realize that you can either be grounded and your Eman strengthened or you can be shaken by what you're saying. So let us pray in sha Allah to be of the people who are strengthened, guided, solidified in their Eman despite the horrific horrific things that we're seeing and protesting and protesting against, but despite it instead of people who are shaking on the home, you know with that we'll close and chillin with our closing drop. Let's go ahead and do that. We have the ducks I think our program is and our time is over Smilla Rahmanir Rahim Rasul Allah Marlon howdy Muhammad Juan early he was he was an imaginary
ner Obeah Karim Oba yeah Robbie
our Lord.
We asked your beloved I mean to shower your mercy down upon us yarby Guide us al Hadiya guide you Oh, the guide Please guide us.
Yeah, it'll be we asked you to please keep our feet steadfast on the straight track. make us from those who are beloved to you who are connected to you who are empowered you're up you understand that even when tribulations come our way that these are tests from you to get us closer to you out of being out further from you.
You're a bit on Amin in these difficult difficult difficult days. We asked who you're kidding for ease Yatta be raised our hands for all of our sisters and brothers across the OMA who are suffering. Yeah, it'll be our hearts are with those and Philistine. Yeah, it'll be your grant than Kadeem ease.
Ya Allah,
those who are thirsty, those who are hungry, those who are suffocating and can't breathe, Yara be those who are lost those who lost so much and so many.
You got to be we ask you to please give them better than what they had last year.
Even if it may not be in this dunya make their alQaeda a beautiful, beautiful Alfredo Yatta Bill Alameen Ya Allah.
We asked me I can aim to be to make us people have steadfastness. Yara be those who are clear. You're happy that you are in charge, that you know what you're doing even when we do
Don't understand that you're cutting
your RFP that we are people who have submitted fully. We understand the RFP in that Allah He was in the inner hero Jeroen, from you we've come into you we shall return. We understand that you are Arab, bla bla mean the Lord of All the Worlds and yada you own all of the worlds and that when you choose and decide to take and to give, that is your choice, not ours. But your A B allow us to be people who are pleased and content with your will.
Even when there is loss, and even when there is descript destruction and difficulty, yada banal I mean, we raise our hands for our sisters and our brothers across the OMA in all of its corners in all of the countries and all of the places in which there is suffering, oppression, Europe in which there is loss of life or limb in which there is a loss of safety. Your A B we ask you to please ease for our sisters and our brothers. Yeah, Kenny. Yeah, Allah. We raise our hands for all of humanity. Yeah, it'd be that they can see the truth behind us. yarby Let us see the truth as truth and falsehood as falsehood. And don't ever let us deviate from this path. Y'all have been on Amin and
all those who have left the path or deviated or fallen we asked you how to be to gently guide them back to the straightway Yeah, unlimited blue will be will soar your appeal Turner of hearts.
Envision Yatta be keep our hearts steadfast on this Steen the Bitcoin lubaina Allah Deena Chiara Pradhan Amin. Yeah, Allah, we ask you Yeah, Karim, almost generous one to shower your generosity down upon us, to make us of those who are blessed to be in those who are given so much. And yeah, it'll be forgive us, forgive us for our lack of heed Yatta be forgive us for our lack of honesty for our lack of remembrance of you and lack of thinking you make a CRP from the thankful a shakin in your opinion, we ask you but in these difficult days that you strengthen our Eman and the Eman of our children and protect them and protect us and make us from those whom you love. And who love you.
Your beloved I mean,
we asked me out of blood I mean that the last of our days are the best of them. And the last of our actions are the best of them. And the last of our words are the ADA illAllah Muhammad Rasool Allah. Yara we ask you personally Holston who? Hostile hittin the best of endings yarrabilba alameen Wa La hawla wala Quwata illa Billah halali and all them was La La Humala Hertie Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salam, a Jemaine wallenius. applaud what Hideo nos was salam if you couldn't be McCann, there's no krB bacillary sorta to the fatty for acceptance of the swap. Please take a moment and read to yourself pseudotyped Fatiha.
Amin Amin, amin BarakAllahu. Pecan, pecan, and we'll see you in sha Allah in two weeks next week is off for the holidays and sha Allah Hello, good restful time. Be in the now and we'll see you in sha Allah on December 1. That will be our next Holika Viet then take good care everybody sit down Wallach Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh
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