Saad Tasleem – What Do You Consider Normal?

			My dear brothers and sisters, first of all, I want to say thank you for welcoming me in your Masjid.
I have been here before, but this is the first time I'm delivering a dumar clip. But it's very nice
to be here and enough, I want to share a little bit of what I've been doing this past month, the
previous month, I was actually in Lebanon, I had the opportunity to go visit some of the Syrian
refugee camps in Lebanon to provide some winter aid. So these refugee camps just to give you a
little bit of background, they've been there for a very long time. And I spoke to some of the
refugees that have been there for over 10 years. And subhanAllah, the situation that I saw, the
		

			Libya conditions that I saw in the refugee camps were horrible Subhanallah, I don't really have the
words to describe it. By our standards, it would be unlivable conditions. And it was really hard to
understand how people are surviving in those conditions. A lot of times when we think about
refugees, in a refugee camp, we think of a temporary situation. But these are people, our brothers
and sisters that have been there for a very long time. And, and this is, you know, this is an
indefinite stay for them. And so there are many things that I that I saw, there are many, many
things that I thought about many things that stood out to me. But one particular matter that stood
		

			out to me that I want to share with you today is actually the the resilience of the human spirits,
and the resilience of our brothers and sisters in Islam. Now, a lot of us, I would imagine that were
put through a difficulty, sometimes it feels like we will not be able to make it through, we will
not be able to persevere, we won't see the end of it. And the reality is that the human spirit loves
power data has granted human spirit, an incredible amount of resilience, we have this innate ability
to adapt, even in very, very difficult situations. So with whatever I saw all the pain and suffering
that I saw, I paid special attention to the kids. And when I saw with the kids were kids that were
		

			smiling, kids that were laughing and joking and playing. And I realized that this is the human
spirit that human beings we part of our nature is that we adapt even to very difficult situations.
And I know most of us if not all of us have experienced this as well. I'll give a example that
perhaps some it's something you can relate to every year when Ramadan is approaching. Some of us we
think to ourselves, this year is going to be particularly hard like I don't know if I can do it this
year. I know this year, it's going to be hard now is going along. It's closing in the homos not too
far away right now. We start to think you know, 30 days, how am I going to do it? I have worked this
		

			year I school this year, I have a lot of things going on my kids, whatever it may be. And we have a
lot of apprehension, maybe some anxiety going into the month of Ramadan. But every year, what do we
experience? We experience that as Ramadan comes in, we adapt. And yes, the first day may be
difficult. The first week may be difficult, you know, we're dealing with some of us are dealing with
those caffeine headaches, right? It's switching our eating schedule. But as a few days go by, we
adapt. And not only do we adapt, and not only do we put up with it, we persevere. We begin to enjoy
it, we begin to understand that our soul actually needed the month of Ramadan. And so that is an
		

			example that we can all most of us can relate to, of how the human spirit adapts. And this is why
our scholars say when Allah was peddling to Allah says, Now you can even whoa Nuff said in the WUSA,
Allah doesn't burden a soul with more than they can handle. One of the meanings of this is the
legislation of the law, the laws and the rules of the lungs kind of a dialogue that sometimes we may
look at them. And we may think that they are too difficult that I don't know if I can do it. You
know what I said that the following matters are obligated upon me. Can I do it? The following thing
I'm not allowed to do they're how they're impermissible. The big H word right? How long? We think to
		

			ourselves, like you know, living 2021 2022 notes Allah living in 2022 in this modern world, like how
can I deal with these issues? Maybe back in the day people were able to do these things wherever
they may be, that are deemed requires a bus but today, and 2022 How can I do it? And so Allah who's
kind of data reminds us that a lot does not burden a soul with more than they can handle meeting one
of the meanings is this is the ruling that the laws of the data that they are something that if it
was legislated it
		

			that the human spirit can handle it not only can the humans
		

			handle it, but we need it. And as I said, a good example of that is the month of Ramadan. So this is
a change in our perspective, when we look at the laws of Allah who's kind of a Tada look at our
faith, because we can look at it as a burden. And we can look at it as a difficulty. And that's not
to say that matters, certain issues in our DNA are not difficult, of course, we find certain things
to be difficult. Getting up for Vegeta in the morning can be difficult. As I said, fasting, the
month of Ramadan can be difficult, but we find that it is through that difficulty at times that we
attained spirituality. And then if it was taken away, if it was taken out of our lives, which feel
		

			that something is missing.
		

			That's the good, that's the good of adapting
		

			the ugly side of that, for lack of a better term that I can think of right now. And the ugly side of
that is that human beings can also adapt to that. Man, if we are surrounded by enough bad if we're
surrounded with enough things that are not
		

			normal in Islam, if they become normalized around us, we begin to think that they are normal as
well.
		

			And we see an example of this in the tsunami, I send them an example of wealth, famous Hadith of the
Prophet send them where he said that if the child of Adam was given the valley full of gold.
		

			Now apart from that, it does not heavy but commentary on the body, the human being the son of Adam,
the other one adapt to it. And so then return the idea, my son says that they would ask for a second
value of gold.
		

			And then even two valuable valleys full of gold that we would adopt.
		

			And then the percent of said that they would ask for a third one. And so what is happening in this
ID, what the prophets I send them is telling us is that if we're not careful, we can be consumed by
what surrounds us. And I have visited certain cities in the world. I mean, I've traveled quite a
bit. Now. I was I was raised in Marin was born here, but I was raised in Maryland, I've been to some
very beautiful city cities like LA, where there's lots of glitz and glamour. I've been in Dubai,
right, lots of glitz and glamour. And I'll be real with you. It's kind of nice being there. Anything
so fancy and nice. And there's a lot of nice things there. But one of the things that I experienced
		

			being there was how when you first get to a place like that, let's take, you know, the United Arab
Emirates, Dubai, for example. You see nice cars and things like this, or whatever. And it's cool to
see that, you know, in the beginning, but when you stay in that environment for a while, what
happens to us that we use, it becomes normalized. And we're no longer impressed by that. And
sometimes what can happen in our lives is that the same thing we are we may make your offer
something for a very long time in our lives, and a lot granted to us.
		

			And it becomes normalized that we're like, what's the next biggest thing? What else can I get?
Right? I know people in my generation growing up, they had a dream car. I had this car like like the
greatest. I used to dream and dream of an entry here. I mean, if I had that car, that's it. That's
an ultimate car. But I was you know, you get older you browse luggage, the opportunity to get that
card, it doesn't stop there. We adapt, we want more, right that has become normalized for us.
Likewise, sins since system sins, sins can become normalized for us, things that our soul is
actually supposed to recognize. And we know that actually, Allah has given us this innate ability to
		

			recognize for the most part, good as good and bad as bad. The prophets on why send them he said good
new mo Lutheran University PA, every new word child is born upon their nature, there was this
nature, the nature is goodness, and we as Muslims, we believe the natural state of human beings is
good. You don't believe that people are by nature evil we believe that people are by nature, good.
And it is their influences on the outside. That may take them in a different direction.
		

			But the nature of human being is good. And so we recognize that human soul can recognize goodness as
goodness and even falsehood as salsa. And this is why when the prophets of why signum was asked to
mention or or was asked what Islam was, what sin was the prophets of Allah to send them he said my
hand up is something that he says that which disturbs you that's what bothers you like in your heart
in your chest know that this is wrong.
		

			Well, what is this talking about? This is talking about a
		

			That's the spirit the soul, that is upon goodness. And so it's very dangerous when our hearts get
corrupted. Because the heart in the end of the day is where everything stems from the Prophet, some
of love, it was ended, he said other individuals that they want to have either solar head, solar
* doesn't kill you. He says, certainly in the body, there's a piece of meat piece of flesh
		

			that the body would be okay with as well. But he the person that first said that just couldn't do.
He said, however, if it is ruined, if it is corrupted, and the rest of the body corrupted as well, I
know what he had. Certainly this is the heart.
		

			And the point here is take care of your heart.
		

			Pay attention to what is influencing your heart, pay attention to what is becoming normalized in
your heart, because the heart is where everything stems from. And this is why when we live in a
society where certain matters become normalized, it is dangerous for our own faith, it is dangerous
for our spirituality, because when the heart can no longer distinguish good from God, it becomes
problematic, it becomes dangerous for us, because part of it is really feeling something when we do
something wrong. And this doesn't mean by the way my brother does, it doesn't mean that we're all
supposed to be perfect when none of us commit sins, and so on and so forth. That's not the point
		

			here. We all commit sins. We are we are not perfect. In our media. Still love is kind of like data.
But
		

			do we make an effort to recognize good as good and bad, as bad? You know, the Prophet said that he
said, one of the statements of the previous prophets that came to us is, is either love the stay
first now merchants, if you feel no is headed says, if you feel no shame
		

			that us like, what's that mean? It means that if the soul feels no shame, in the disobedience of
Allah who's kind of a data, then what is going to stop this soul from doing something which is bad.
		

			If we don't feel something on the inside, it doesn't matter what people say to us. It doesn't
matter, somebody comes and says, Well,
		

			it doesn't matter. What matters? Is our soul, our heart? And does it feel this connection to Allah?
Does it feel that this is right, this is wrong.
		

			And that is why there's a famous Hadith. Some scholars call it the hadith of America, when I look up
the hadith of enjoying the good, encouraging the good, and discouraging the bad, were the prophets
of Allah. And he was saying them, he said, men, men, kumara confederated, who did it. He said,
Whoever amongst you, meeting us sees anything bad, they should change it with their with their
hands, meaning they should physically put a stop to it.
		

			But then it goes on to say
		

			that if you're not able to
		

			really signings, then you should change it with your tongue, maybe we should see something bad
happening, which is something wrong happening. If we have the ability to stop it, physically, we
should stop it. But as life tells us, and as we know, we don't always have the ability to physically
stop something that was said, if you're not able to, then at least speak out against, say, You know
what, this is wrong. This is not right.
		

			Within the skull there, and if you're not able to do that, even you let's be real here, sometimes,
especially living as a minority in a society, we don't always have the ability to stop it
physically, we don't even have the ability sometimes to speak out against the profits of Lysenko and
setvalue lightyear who they can be, they should change it with their heart.
		

			Now, what is the meaning of that? How do you change something with your heart? How do you stop
something with your heart? What that means is my brothers and sisters is that in your heart in our
hearts, if we can do nothing else in our hearts, we should recognize that this is wrong.
		

			This is bad.
		

			And then I sort of said that he got a nun that is the weakest state of faith, meaning what that is
the bare minimum that we have to do that is a requirement and this is a command from percent of that
is a requirement for us. We're not required to physically stop evil if we're not able to. We're not
we're not even required to speak out against it. We're not able to for whatever reason where you
don't have the ability to say you know what, this is wrong and so on and so forth.
		

			But what we are all required to do, myself included, is to recognize in our hearts that this is.
		

			And that is the least of our feet. It's my brothers and sisters, one of the responsibilities we have
		

			living in a society where the majority of society doesn't live exactly.
		

			Right. And one of the beautiful aspects of American society is that we do have are supposed to have
freedom of religion, right freedom of your way of life, you can live your life. And look, as long as
you're not forcing someone to live the way you're living or forcing someone to believe what you
believe, as long as your beliefs are not harming someone else. Right, you're free to believe
wherever you want. It's our we live in a society today, people believe that the earth is flat, and
you know, lots of lots of things out there. But you know what, that's fine, you believe whatever you
want to believe that's fine. As long as you're not making me believe it. As long as you're not
		

			harmony with your beliefs, that's fine.
		

			But in this society, as I said, especially being a minority, this is something that we need to be
mindful of, for ourselves, first and foremost, and for our kids as well. Because our kids, first
teacher, and birth teacher of children or their parents, and if a parent cannot recognize good, as
good and bad is bad, then what morals are we going to teach our children? And once again, I want to
reiterate, this doesn't mean that we have to always do what is right, because sometimes we're not
able to. But there is a difference between saying, I can't do this, because of whatever reason, let
me give you let me give you a very potent, very strong example that maybe a little bit stronger my
		

			first visit to your budget, but I'm gonna say it anyway.
		

			Getting up for failure. Right? Someone says, You know what, I can't get a provision.
		

			Why? Well, you know what, I, it's too hard for me, or I got stuff going on, whatever, whatever
reason, like, I can't get that person a
		

			person, because you don't get a perspective, you should not get a perspective. There's a difference
between both people, the first person even though they're not doing it themselves, they recognize
that it is an obligation upon us as believers to wake up in the morning, even though they themselves
are falling short. Right. And as you said, that's fine, because we're human beings, not that it's
okay to miss budget. But we all as I said, we all have our shortcomings.
		

			But do we recognize that this is an obligation from Allah versus the person who says, You know what?
		

			To show me the Quran, or we have to get it for free. And they begin to rationalize their
disobedience to make excuses. They try to change right? From wrong. There's a difference between the
two. And so the very least that is an obligation upon us is to recognize good as good and bad as bad
how they had a lot. Was the flu in
		

			hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa salatu salam ala Shepard,
		

			our Savior, what have you.
		

			But you may.
		

			Now, how do we do that? Right. So we spoke about normalization, we spoke about how when things
become normal in society, they can have an effect on us, they can have an effect even upon our
hearts. And we said that is the most dangerous aspect is when our hearts can no longer tell, good as
good and bad as bad. So what do we do? Well, I want to congratulate you give you glad tidings
because one of the things we can do to counter this is what you are doing right now. And that is
congregating with your brothers and sisters. The Masjid my brothers and sisters is actually an
essential part of our faith. There are certain acts of worship that are tied to the mission. And
		

			that is why the mission is such an important Institute in our faith, because it allows us to
congregate to be with one another to support one another. Because when we are by ourselves, it can
be hard sometimes, especially when the majority of society is going one way. And we're saying you
know what? No, that's not okay. When you're by yourselves, it can be hard. And so we need each other
support. And this is why the prophets attend to me actually urged us to stick with one another. He
said I they call me JAMA, he said, I urge you to stick to the congregation, what Yaker will work on
and I warn you of being by yourself.
		

			And then percent describe the influence of the ship on the initial bottom without affecting the ship
on my wife for a second this ship is with a person who is by themselves. Well who I mean it may have
if and when there are two people together, he's a little bit further waving his influence is less
because there's not two of you. You can encourage one another to do good. You can encourage one
another without judgment. Right? Without using bad and harsh language and that's in show
		

			to perhaps a clip, though, for another time, in lesson for another time, and how we encourage one
another to do what is right, because that is actually a big issue as well. And unfortunately, that's
one of the tricks of the ship is where the shipper will say, You know what, go ahead, encourage the
good, encourage one another to do good. But the method through which we'll do it is bad. And the
lesson fails. Right? That's, as I said, perhaps a topic for another time. But the point is, when we
are with one another, we can encourage one another to do good. You can be there as support for one
another. And also, we have to ask ourselves, who we surround ourselves, who has an influence on my
		

			heart? This is a question that we should all be asking ourselves. And unfortunately, or fortunately,
I don't know, really, in this day and age, what that was down to a lot of people, for the most part
is social media. A lot of our lives are spent on social media. And we surround ourselves on social
media with certain people, certain ideas, certain ideologies, and so on and so forth. And that
studies are showing this now has an incredible impact on us on an emotional and psychological
interest as believers on a spiritual level, definitely. And so one of the things that I recommend
for myself and for all of you two days, is I go home today, and take a look at your social media and
		

			ask yourself, What am I exposed to online? Am I exposed to ideas
		

			that are helping my faith that are strengthening my faith that are bringing me closer to a lot of
data that are good for my spirituality? Or am I exposing myself by putting myself in a position
where a lot of these ideas are actually taking me away from our data, you know, as parents, and I
would assume we do have quite a few parents in the room and I parent myself, as a parent, we often
talk to our kids about peer pressure. Or we tell our kids, don't let someone pressure you into doing
something you don't want to do that, you know, we told you is wrong.
		

			Unfortunately, sometimes we as parents, as adults, don't realize that we can be just as susceptible,
if not more, in certain cases, just as susceptible to peer pressure as children. Because a lot of
times as parents, we don't we not put that guard up. Because we're like, I got it. I'm a grown up.
I've lived for 40 years of my life, and I know what's what. So you know what I can handle all this,
but the heart my brothers and sisters, I love the heart changes, the heart can flip. This is why you
die that the prophets otherwise and it would make very often is your unlimited widow. It would say
oh Turner Oh changer of the hearts, keep my heart firm upon your deem a part of your way of life.
		

			And this is why my brothers and sisters and I'll end with this in every single setup and every
single prayer in every aka we say it Dino sit off and
		

			guide us to the straight path. Not because we're misguided or for any reason like that. It's because
it is about the longevity of our faith. It's not just about believing one time, or being upon that
which is good, one time. Because the heart is as we said, susceptible, the heart can be influenced.
And so when we pray our prayers, we really should be thinking about that. It's not just something we
say in our salon. And you know, really part of the challenge of our faith today. One of the big
challenges is that our faith doesn't become just ritualistic. It's just rituals that we're walking
through every day. Right? We just got pray and you know, recite these verses and move on. And it's
		

			just because that can be a big downfall. And I've seen the effects of that on on the younger
generation that you know, if it's just rituals and what makes our faith different than any other
faith. We just have a bunch of ritual and all the other things that have rituals to win and one of
the meanings of those rituals. So hopefully one thing that we can take away for today is if you
didn't sit out in the stuffing, and we ask Allah who's kind of like to guide our hearts and keep our
hearts firm last month was kind of like to Allah Allah who didn't have a hot cold looking at diva
Well, I don't even think about the snapper less loves to show us throughs as true and allow us and
		

			give us the ability to follow it. We ask lots of data to allow us to see false as awesome also and
give us the ability to stay away from it.