Sikander Hashmi – A Lasting Impression KMA Friday Message

Sikander Hashmi
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AI: Summary ©

The importance of facing hate and Islamophobia in a meaningful way is highlighted, including the need for a duty to report any incident related to hate and a use of online reporting tools for police. The speakers emphasize the importance of community involvement in addressing hate and finding a way to find hateful people. The importance of strong character and finding a way to be grateful and contentious is also emphasized. The speakers stress the importance of being flexible and mindful of one's point of view, as well as helping people during difficult times. They announce upcoming events for family night and a MAC/ Muslim Association of Canada's chapter is hosting a gathering to support Islamophobia.

AI: Summary ©

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			My dear brothers, my dear sisters,
		
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			my dear elders, my young friends, I hope
		
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			that you are all doing well by the
		
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			grace and mercy of Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
		
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			May Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
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			always keep you well and safe and happy.
		
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			Amin
		
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			Of course, we begin by praising Allah Subhanahu
		
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			wa ta'ala, the lord of the universe, our
		
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			creator, our sustainer, our nourisher,
		
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			our protector, and by sending peace and salutations
		
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			upon his beloved messenger, Muhammad, the son of
		
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			Abdullah
		
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			My brothers and sisters,
		
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			I hope,
		
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			that you're all well, especially on this,
		
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			cloudy, rainy day, which is a form of
		
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			mercy from Allah
		
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			So although it may not be,
		
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			best for our mood, it may not make
		
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			us feel very uplifted as opposed to when
		
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			it is sunny, but nonetheless, there is great
		
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			wisdom in everything that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
		
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			does, including the wind and the rain and
		
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			the clouds that he sends because it is
		
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			for,
		
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			for the nourishment
		
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			of,
		
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			the creation of Allah, particularly
		
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			the crops and the flower the beautiful flowers
		
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			and the ground and the fruits and the
		
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			vegetables are gonna grow for the most. So
		
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			there is wisdom and mercy in everything that
		
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			Allah does even if it does not, appeal
		
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			to us, sometimes.
		
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			Now my brothers and sisters, there is
		
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			a lot of discussion,
		
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			especially nowadays in the past,
		
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			few weeks,
		
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			after the the terrible,
		
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			tragedy in London, Ontario.
		
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			There was a lot of discussion
		
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			about Islamophobia
		
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			and about hate, and rightly so.
		
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			This is a critical
		
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			issue, for the Muslim community, but actually not
		
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			just Muslims, but for all Canadians
		
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			and for all people.
		
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			And we know, my brothers and sisters, that
		
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			Islamophobia
		
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			has
		
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			always existed.
		
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			It existed at the time of the prophet
		
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			and as we discussed previously,
		
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			also every prophet of Allah faced Islamophobia,
		
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			faced hatred, and faced enmity
		
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			from, their people or some of their people,
		
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			because of their opposition
		
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			to the oneness of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala,
		
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			because of their opposition to the message that
		
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			the prophets, alayhi, muslima, to wasalam, brought. And
		
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			we also know my brothers and sisters that
		
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			our mission in life is not to get
		
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			everyone to love us.
		
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			Right? To be very clear, our mission in
		
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			life is not that, you know, we we
		
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			get everyone to like us and to love
		
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			us. That is not our purpose or our
		
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			mission in life.
		
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			However, we are at a point
		
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			where hate
		
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			and Islamophobia
		
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			is directly impacting our community,
		
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			our communities
		
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			across Canada,
		
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			our institutions,
		
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			and our collective
		
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			well-being. And this is a fact. This is
		
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			a reality that we cannot ignore.
		
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			They have, sadly, incidents that occur, small and
		
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			big, verbal, physical,
		
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			you know, much greater than that that are
		
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			happening
		
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			across this country. This is not hyperbole. This
		
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			is not an exaggeration.
		
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			This is not a hypothetical threat. This is
		
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			not an imagined threat or or or, issue,
		
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			but this is something which is real. It
		
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			is happening,
		
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			and it needs to be documented. So that's
		
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			the first thing I wanna mention is that
		
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			if you experience something, if something happens,
		
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			or someone does something to you motivated by
		
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			hate or they use words,
		
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			you know, that, indicate that their, their their,
		
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			what they're doing
		
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			is is is be is that, you know,
		
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			they're being driven by hate,
		
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			then we have a duty to report it
		
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			no matter how small it may seem.
		
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			Have you had a meeting with the Ottawa
		
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			police chief as well, and the same message
		
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			was reiterated by him and his team, and
		
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			we thank him for that. Thank them for
		
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			that that whenever
		
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			there is an incident, do report it. Because
		
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			if it's not reported, it's as if it
		
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			has never happened.
		
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			And even if nothing comes out of it,
		
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			at the very least, it will be documented,
		
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			and it will help policymakers, it will help
		
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			decision makers understand the severity of the issue.
		
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			So we must report anything that happens. There
		
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			is an online reporting tool for Ottawa police.
		
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			You go there and you can,
		
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			you know, write a
		
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			submit a report of what happened,
		
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			and they may not have the resources to
		
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			follow-up on every single instance of, you know,
		
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			something, maybe just a verbal expression or something
		
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			that was relatively minor. But, nonetheless, they are
		
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			taking things seriously. For example, there was a
		
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			case of just verbal expression of hatred in
		
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			Kingston, Ontario just yesterday or a couple of
		
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			days ago, and the person was actually arrested,
		
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			and the police were taking it very, very
		
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			seriously.
		
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			So, you know, even,
		
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			regardless of how we how small we feel
		
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			or insignificant we feel it might be or
		
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			we might feel that nothing was gonna come
		
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			out of it, we should still go ahead
		
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			and report it at the very least and
		
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			then leave the matter to Allah subhanahu wa
		
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			ta'ala.
		
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			So
		
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			this Islamophobia and this hate that we are
		
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			facing
		
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			has to be challenged. It must be challenged.
		
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			Why? So that we can worship freely in
		
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			peace without worry,
		
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			so that we can practice our faith
		
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			freely and openly
		
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			so that we, and especially especially our sisters
		
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			and our children, can feel safe living their
		
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			day to day lives.
		
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			So, you know, sometimes people wonder, well, why
		
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			so much focus on Islamophobia? Why are we
		
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			trying to get everyone to love us? No.
		
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			We're not trying to get everyone to love
		
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			us. We are trying to ensure that we
		
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			and our community members can worship and live
		
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			safely and freely
		
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			as every citizen and every resident of this
		
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			country
		
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			is entitled,
		
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			is, and has the right to do so.
		
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			K? So we're not asking for anything more.
		
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			We're not asking for anything special.
		
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			We're asking for the basic safety, the basic
		
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			rights, the basic dignity that is offered to
		
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			every single resident and citizen of this land
		
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			or that is supposed to be offered. Now
		
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			the question is, my brothers and sisters, the
		
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			big question is, how do we go about
		
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			challenging this hate and Islamophobia
		
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			in meaningful ways?
		
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			Okay?
		
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			And this me meaningful word is very important
		
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			because it's one thing
		
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			to protest and to rally and to have
		
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			slogans and make statements on social media, which
		
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			I'm not trying to diminish its importance. It
		
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			is important to do that in a wise
		
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			way, of course.
		
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			Right? But how can we actually
		
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			move forward in a way that has long
		
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			lasting impacts? So that is what I'm trying
		
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			to focus on today.
		
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			As I wrote in my piece in the
		
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			Community Voice Newspaper
		
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			this week, hate is something that resides in
		
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			the hearts and minds.
		
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			K? It is something which exists in the
		
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			hearts, first of all, and also in the
		
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			mind.
		
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			There is a critical role to play
		
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			for the government
		
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			and governments.
		
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			There is an important role, a critical role
		
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			role for legislation.
		
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			There is an extremely important role that law
		
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			enforcement and intelligence agencies need to play, and
		
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			that is something that we have communicated repeatedly
		
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			to them.
		
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			And they can certainly do a lot. The
		
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			reality is that at the end of the
		
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			day,
		
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			they cannot cure hate.
		
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			They cannot cure hate. They can limit it.
		
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			They can,
		
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			limit its transmission. They can make it, you
		
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			know, more unacceptable.
		
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			They can do a lot of things, but
		
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			they can't completely cure hate.
		
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			Now previously,
		
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			if people
		
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			had,
		
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			the flame and by the way, before I
		
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			continue, the police chief did mention, you know,
		
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			that a lot of the progress that we
		
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			are seeing in terms of the government response,
		
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			in terms of law enforcement response can be
		
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			directly attributed
		
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			to
		
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			the community
		
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			and well meaning citizens,
		
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			people who are fair and who want justice
		
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			for all, coming together and speaking up.
		
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			Right? In this relatively short amount of time,
		
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			the change that we are seeing, even
		
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			though it has come after tragedy, the changes
		
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			that we are seeing,
		
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			they are a testament
		
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			to
		
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			the communities coming together with one voice and
		
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			speaking together. K? So there is value in
		
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			doing that, and it can lead to positive
		
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			results.
		
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			Now previously, if people had the flame of
		
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			hate inside of them,
		
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			it was hard for it to find oxygen.
		
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			Why? Because it was difficult to find others
		
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			with similar fringe
		
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			views, extreme view, and it was difficult to
		
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			find material to feed that fire. It required
		
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			a lot of organization, and it required a
		
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			lot of effort. People would have to print
		
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			magazines or newspapers or messages, and they would
		
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			have to find people who are supporters and
		
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			then get it to them. And they would
		
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			actually have to physically gather and meet to
		
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			discuss their ideas. So it was a lot
		
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			more challenging
		
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			to share those views and find other people
		
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			who had similar extreme
		
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			hateful views. So it was a lot challenging
		
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			before.
		
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			But the Internet,
		
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			with all of its positive,
		
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			point, you know, all of its pros and
		
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			positives, It has also many negatives. So the
		
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			Internet has taken away all those difficulties
		
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			and made it a lot easier to find,
		
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			to collaborate,
		
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			and to put oil on that fire of
		
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			hate and nonstop in some cases. So people
		
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			who had such fringe views, all of a
		
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			sudden, they have been able to find a
		
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			community online. They're able to find people with
		
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			similar views online. And even those who had
		
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			such feelings which were buried inside, they're now
		
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			able to express them in what they feel
		
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			is relative safety. Okay? So fringe, hateful views
		
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			become easy to communicate
		
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			and easy to find an audience for.
		
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			Now when we think about the situation,
		
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			it may seem like uphill
		
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			battle. It may seem like an uphill
		
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			It
		
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			may seem like an uphill battle.
		
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			Muslims are about 3% of the national population,
		
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			and there are probably an equal number of
		
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			haters,
		
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			real haters, I should say, or possibly more.
		
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			So as I've mentioned many times before,
		
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			I believe that there are there's a very,
		
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			very small minority
		
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			of people who are true haters to the
		
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			bone. Like, they are committed in their hate.
		
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			They know what they're doing. They are,
		
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			arrogant. They are hateful.
		
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			They they they are drowning in that hate
		
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			and ignorance willfully.
		
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			Okay? So they know
		
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			every like, they they understand what they're doing,
		
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			and they're doing it willfully. And then there's
		
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			a lot more people who are still a
		
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			minority
		
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			who are simply ignorant,
		
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			and this smaller group of true haters is
		
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			preying upon them and trying to convert them
		
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			into true haters. Okay? So we have to
		
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			be nuanced in how we approach this problem.
		
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			So the the core of the problem, the
		
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			root of the problem
		
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			is this small but very vocal minority that
		
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			is truly hateful,
		
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			and then that minority is preying upon the
		
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			slightly larger
		
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			minority, which is simply ignorant and sharing their
		
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			hateful views, generalizing,
		
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			stereotyping,
		
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			you know, making up straight out lies to
		
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			try to convert them to their cause. Okay?
		
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			So
		
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			it seems like an uphill battle. But, subhanAllah,
		
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			if you look at the example of the
		
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			prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam, how he and
		
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			a small number of Muslims
		
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			in the
		
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			beginning in Mecca
		
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			overcame
		
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			extreme hate and animosity
		
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			from the mushrikoon
		
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			of Mecca. Right? We find great inspiration.
		
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			We find great inspiration, and we also find
		
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			great lessons.
		
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			Now it doesn't mean
		
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			that overcoming
		
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			it is an easy task. It's not an
		
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			easy task. It takes effort.
		
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			It takes courage.
		
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			It takes determination.
		
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			It takes faith. It takes time. It's not
		
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			something that can be done overnight.
		
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			And as I've said before, there is a
		
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			role for political strategy. There is a role
		
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			for media and for writing, and I see
		
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			that as a media person myself. There is
		
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			an important role for outreach and building alliances.
		
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			Right? There's an important role for all of
		
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			those things, but, ultimately, though,
		
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			it comes down
		
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			to touching people's
		
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			hearts and minds
		
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			in a manner that leaves a pause positive
		
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			and lasting impression. That's what it comes down
		
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			to.
		
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			Right? At the end of the day, if
		
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			you truly wanna cure hate, it comes down
		
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			to that. Touching people's hearts and minds in
		
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			a manner that leaves a positive and lasting
		
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			impression doesn't mean that they necessarily have to
		
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			agree with everything that we do, doesn't mean
		
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			that they have to convert, doesn't mean that
		
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			they have to love us even, but just
		
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			a a positive and lasting impression
		
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			in their, hearts and minds. So my brothers
		
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			and sisters, let us discuss a few lessons
		
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			from the Quran and the sunnah of the
		
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			prophet
		
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			that can help us in doing that.
		
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			Okay? So number 1 number 1
		
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			is good character.
		
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			Okay? People don't remember what you say necessarily.
		
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			They remember what you do and, most importantly,
		
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			how you make them feel.
		
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			Okay? Always remember this. You can say a
		
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			lot of things on social media. You can
		
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			say a lot of things in media interviews
		
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			and articles, you know, just to talking to
		
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			people. But at the end of the day,
		
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			what matters most is what you do and
		
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			how you make or how your actions make
		
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			people feel. K? The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam
		
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			was sent with the best of character. Allah
		
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			sallallahu alaihi wasallam wasallam blessed him with the
		
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			best of character. Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam
		
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			says,
		
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			And you are truly
		
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			one, a man of outstanding character. Right? So
		
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			the prophet
		
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			had an extremely important
		
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			mission, right, he had changed the world, changed
		
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			that, you know, pagan,
		
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			Arabian society that was drowning in ignorance.
		
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			So Allah
		
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			sent him with the best of character,
		
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			the most greatest of character. And the prophet
		
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			also said
		
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			that
		
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			that I was sent to perfect our. Right?
		
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			So I was only sent to perfect good
		
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			character.
		
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			Right? Good character, good
		
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			meaning his entire message is based upon perfecting
		
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			our character
		
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			with everyone including
		
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			or starting with Allah
		
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			Our good relation, our good manners towards Allah
		
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			and then all the creation of Allah
		
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			So the prophet was
		
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			sent to perfect good character. And what are
		
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			the two characteristics that we know? You know,
		
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			he was known for when he was given
		
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			prophethood or even before he was given prophethood.
		
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			He was a.
		
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			He was the truthful one, and he was
		
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			the trustworthy,
		
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			the honest one. Right? So these are
		
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			basic basic character traits that are required, that
		
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			are absolutely needed
		
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			by everyone, but especially especially by us believers
		
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			as we are ambassadors of
		
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			the deen of Allah The prophet
		
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			was calm,
		
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			and he constrained. He he he he held
		
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			back his anger. It's not that he didn't
		
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			get angry. He did get angry not for
		
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			himself,
		
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			but for the deen of Allah
		
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			for matters in which were related to the
		
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			deen of Allah
		
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			But he was calm still.
		
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			He didn't have violent outbursts, but rather his
		
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			anger was controlled.
		
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			Perhaps he would just show signs on his
		
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			on his blessed face. And this is actually
		
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			a sign of strength. This is not a
		
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			sign of weakness. The person who is weak
		
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			is the one who cannot control their anger
		
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			and has violent out which only serve their
		
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			own selves. It doesn't serve anyone else. It
		
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			doesn't serve any any any, you know, any
		
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			purpose. It doesn't have any productive results. Okay?
		
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			So a sign of strength is to be
		
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			able to control,
		
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			to restrain
		
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			constrain our anger and channel it in positive
		
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			ways as the prophet
		
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			did. Now the prophet
		
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			was also
		
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			forgiving of the ignorant.
		
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			What was he? He was forgiving of the
		
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			ignorant. And we have to remember that when
		
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			we talk about hate and we talk about
		
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			Islamophobia,
		
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			right, like I said, we need a nuanced
		
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			approach. There are many people who are expressing
		
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			hate or who are expressing saying things which
		
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			we perceive to be hateful or we understand
		
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			to be hateful, but they're just ignorant. They're
		
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			speaking out of ignorance. They may not even
		
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			realize what they're actually saying or how it's
		
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			coming across. Right?
		
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			Relates
		
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			that
		
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			that I was walking with the messenger of
		
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			Allah
		
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			and he had put on a mantle,
		
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			a
		
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			a mantle of from
		
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			It had a thick border. Like, the collar
		
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			had a thick border on it. You know,
		
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			sometimes you have clothing that has a very
		
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			harsh course, like a really tough, you know,
		
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			collar or border on it. Now a Bedouin
		
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			met him.
		
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			And a Bedouin met him and pulled the
		
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			mantle
		
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			so violently.
		
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			With you know, he he grabbed the mantle
		
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			of the prophet
		
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			so violently
		
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			that I saw this violent pulling leaving marks
		
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			of the border of the mantle, or you
		
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			could see the collar on the skin of
		
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			the neck of the messenger of Allah
		
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			Can you imagine he's walking, and then somebody
		
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			just walks up and grabs him by the
		
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			collar so tightly
		
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			so tightly that it leaves a mark. You
		
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			know, it leaves a mark upon the blessed
		
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			neck of the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa sallam.
		
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			Okay? And we say,
		
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			he,
		
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			and and the, the person,
		
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			says that,
		
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			Mohammed
		
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			okay?
		
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			He says,
		
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			you, Mohammed.
		
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			Oh,
		
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			Muhammad issue command that I should be given
		
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			out of the wealth of Allah, or the
		
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			wealth that Allah has given you or the
		
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			wealth of Allah which is at your disposal.
		
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			And the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam, what does
		
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			he do?
		
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			The prophet turned his attention to him.
		
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			He smiled.
		
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			He laughed it off.
		
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			And then he ordered for him a
		
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			gift.
		
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			He ordered for him a gift,
		
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			something to be given to him. Okay? So
		
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			this is how the prophet sallallahu alaihi wa
		
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			sallam dealt with
		
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			the ignorant. Right? He knew that this person
		
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			was ignorant. They didn't know the the the
		
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			manners. They didn't know what they were doing.
		
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			K. So the prophet
		
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			was forbearing with those who were ignorant. And
		
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			Allah
		
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			also tells us from the qualities of the.
		
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			You know, the servants of the most merciful,
		
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			when the ignorant address them, what do they
		
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			say? When the ignorant address them, they say
		
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			or words of peace. Right? So what do
		
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			we learn from this? Taking the higher road.
		
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			Also tells
		
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			us
		
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			and responded with that which is better or
		
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			that which is good or best.
		
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			Right? Don't respond in the same way. You
		
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			know? And we also learned, say that which
		
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			is good or remain silent. Right? This is
		
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			all from the teachings of character from the
		
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			prophet
		
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			Also, my brothers and sisters, humility goes a
		
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			long way. Do you like someone who speak
		
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			to you with arrogance?
		
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			Does their message hit your heart
		
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			when someone is coming across as being arrogant
		
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			or boastful
		
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			or or or very, you know, harsh?
		
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			No. No. Arrogance doesn't speak to the heart.
		
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			It turns people away. So let us have
		
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			humility in how we approach people and how
		
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			we address the situation.
		
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			Gratefulness as well. And I'm especially talking about
		
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			dealing with those who are simply ignorant. Right?
		
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31
			Gratefulness. The prophet has told us. Whoever does
		
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			not thank people has not thanked Allah. So
		
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			let us be gracious and let us be
		
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			grateful. Even if we have to go out
		
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			of our way, right, even if it's for
		
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			something small, if we show gratefulness and graciousness,
		
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			then it will help open people's hearts and
		
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			minds.
		
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			Gentleness as well. Right? This is also very
		
00:19:47 --> 00:19:49
			important. All from the character teachings of the
		
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			prophet
		
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			that, you know, there may be some times
		
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			when we need to be a bit harsh
		
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			or we are a bit harsh for a
		
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			good reason. But that, my brothers and sisters,
		
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			should be the exception, not the norm. It
		
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			should not be the norm because a person
		
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			who is constantly constantly harsh, their message is
		
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			not gonna get across. A gentleness appeals to
		
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			the heart. A person is more likely to
		
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			listen to someone who speaks gently to them
		
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			as opposed to someone who is harsh and
		
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			puts them down. You think about yourself. If
		
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			someone your supervisor or your teacher, your principal,
		
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			whoever it is, someone is trying to correct
		
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			you. Your parents is trying to correct you.
		
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			You know? If they speak gently, it's gonna
		
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			appeal to your heart. If they speak harshly
		
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			and put you down, especially if they do
		
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			it all all the time, what are you
		
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			gonna do? You're gonna tone them out. It's
		
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			not gonna it's not gonna have a positive
		
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			effect on you. So harshness may satisfy us,
		
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			but it usually is not conducive to long
		
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			term positive change. And Allah even instructed prophets
		
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			Musa in Haruna
		
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			to speak gently to Firaun, Firaun the tyrant.
		
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			Right? Firaun the oppressor.
		
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			Right? Perhaps he will be able to speak
		
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			softly, gently to to him, perhaps he will
		
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			understand and he will remember. Right? It might
		
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59
			be more conducive to him, to getting him
		
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			to understand.
		
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			The prophet of Allah, salallahu alaihi wasalam, also
		
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			said that verily gentleness is not found in
		
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			anything, but that it beautifies it and it
		
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			is not removed from anything, but that it
		
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			disgraces it. So, yes, I understand sometimes you
		
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			might end up being a bit harsh, perhaps
		
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			for for good reason, but it should not
		
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			become the norm for us. It should be
		
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			the exception, the rare exception.
		
00:21:19 --> 00:21:21
			We should always be trying to communicate
		
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			our message, our point with gentleness,
		
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			with nice way, with good words. This is
		
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			a reminder for me and for all of
		
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			us as we advocate and as we speak
		
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			up for our rights and the rights of
		
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			the oppressed.
		
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			So this is all part of good character,
		
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			first of all. Secondly, my brothers and sisters,
		
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			is justice and fairness. Right? E to be
		
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			just and to be fair even with ourselves.
		
00:21:43 --> 00:21:44
			The Muslims and the prophet
		
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			they stood out. They they they they they
		
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			their message shined.
		
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			Why? Right? Because
		
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			they were seen as people who are just
		
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			and fair even with their own, even when
		
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			it came to came to themselves. Allah tells
		
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			us very, very clearly, right, to stand up
		
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			for justice as witnesses to Allah
		
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			Even if it is against yourselves
		
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			or
		
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			those who are close to you. Right, or
		
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			the poor or the rich. It doesn't matter.
		
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15
			Always be fair and be just even if
		
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			it is against yourself. So when we are
		
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			in the wrong, we must acknowledge it. We
		
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			acknowledge. And that balanced approach is more appealing
		
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			to the heart and mind. Because a person
		
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			says, yes. You know what? This person is
		
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			is has a point. They're fair. They're speaking
		
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			with you know, from from a point of
		
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			justice and fairness. They're not just, you know,
		
00:22:34 --> 00:22:37
			just just speaking from a biased perspective, but
		
00:22:37 --> 00:22:38
			they're rather they they are interested
		
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			in in in in the truth, and they
		
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			are interested in justice and fairness. So it
		
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			is more impactful
		
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			when we are fair, and we must be
		
00:22:47 --> 00:22:48
			always fair and just
		
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			speak up for those who aren't or who
		
00:22:50 --> 00:22:52
			are oppressed regardless of who they are and
		
00:22:52 --> 00:22:53
			who the oppressor is.
		
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			Right? And this also helps in softening the
		
00:22:56 --> 00:22:59
			hearts when we speak up for others, you
		
00:22:59 --> 00:23:01
			know, regardless of who they are, even in
		
00:23:01 --> 00:23:04
			times when perhaps Muslim a Muslim or, you
		
00:23:04 --> 00:23:06
			know, is oppressing someone else. We stand up
		
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07
			for what is right and what is fair.
		
00:23:07 --> 00:23:09
			So be generous in lending your voice to
		
00:23:09 --> 00:23:12
			others. And provided it's not something for for
		
00:23:12 --> 00:23:14
			something that is haram, obviously, we cannot advocate
		
00:23:14 --> 00:23:16
			for that, which is, you know, which is
		
00:23:16 --> 00:23:18
			forbidden by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, but we
		
00:23:18 --> 00:23:21
			can always advocate for people to be safe,
		
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23
			to be protected from violence, to be able
		
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25
			to live their lives with dignity
		
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26
			and safety.
		
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29
			So that's the second point, justice and fairness.
		
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31
			Number 3, my brothers and sisters, is to
		
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32
			be firm in our beliefs.
		
00:23:33 --> 00:23:36
			A person who is wishy washy, who has
		
00:23:36 --> 00:23:36
			no principles,
		
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39
			who can't stand up for what they believe
		
00:23:39 --> 00:23:39
			in,
		
00:23:39 --> 00:23:41
			that is seen as a weak person.
		
00:23:42 --> 00:23:44
			That person will not be able to leave
		
00:23:44 --> 00:23:46
			a lasting impression. It is a sign of
		
00:23:46 --> 00:23:48
			weakness to be like that, to have
		
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51
			to be firm, to be steadfast in a
		
00:23:51 --> 00:23:54
			positive way, in a nice way, even when
		
00:23:54 --> 00:23:55
			it is not convenient.
		
00:23:56 --> 00:23:58
			This is something which builds respect and shows
		
00:23:58 --> 00:24:01
			grit and shows determination, and these are positive
		
00:24:01 --> 00:24:03
			qualities for someone, you know, to be able
		
00:24:03 --> 00:24:05
			to stand up for what they believe in,
		
00:24:05 --> 00:24:08
			without, you know, necessarily being aggressive or hurt
		
00:24:08 --> 00:24:10
			hurtful towards others, but just being able to
		
00:24:10 --> 00:24:12
			stand their ground and to stand up for
		
00:24:12 --> 00:24:14
			their principles and for their beliefs. This is
		
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15
			a sign
		
00:24:15 --> 00:24:17
			of strength. It is not a sign of
		
00:24:17 --> 00:24:18
			weakness, but, of course, it is done with
		
00:24:18 --> 00:24:21
			wisdom and in a nice way. The prophet
		
00:24:21 --> 00:24:24
			sallallahu alaihi wa sallam was offered wealth. He
		
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25
			was
		
00:24:25 --> 00:24:28
			offered power, everything that could have wanted in
		
00:24:28 --> 00:24:31
			a worldly sense in exchange for dropping the
		
00:24:31 --> 00:24:33
			message of tawhid, of the oneness of Allah
		
00:24:33 --> 00:24:35
			subhanahu wa ta'ala for dropping his opposition to
		
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37
			shirk, even offered a compromise. You know, we'll
		
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39
			do half half. One year, we'll worship the
		
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42
			idols, and one more year, we'll worship Allah
		
00:24:42 --> 00:24:43
			alone. But the prophet
		
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45
			never flinched.
		
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47
			Right? And he, and he never flinched, and
		
00:24:47 --> 00:24:51
			he always stood strong and stood firm upon
		
00:24:51 --> 00:24:52
			these nonnegotiables.
		
00:24:52 --> 00:24:54
			There must be some things which are nonnegotiable
		
00:24:54 --> 00:24:56
			and that we will always stand up for.
		
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57
			Again, we do it in a nice way,
		
00:24:57 --> 00:25:00
			in a positive way, but some things simply
		
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02
			cannot be compromised upon.
		
00:25:03 --> 00:25:06
			And, of course, those beliefs and those understanding
		
00:25:06 --> 00:25:08
			and practices that we have, we communicate them
		
00:25:08 --> 00:25:10
			in a convincing way, in a positive and
		
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12
			convincing way, and this is
		
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14
			and what Allah tells
		
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16
			us, you know, how to approach.
		
00:25:17 --> 00:25:18
			You know,
		
00:25:21 --> 00:25:24
			or in a good way, with hikma, with
		
00:25:24 --> 00:25:24
			wisdom,
		
00:25:25 --> 00:25:28
			you know, with good words, with good, advice,
		
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29
			with with good sincere approach,
		
00:25:30 --> 00:25:32
			and not to get into debates and arguments,
		
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35
			unnecessarily. And if we need to, we do
		
00:25:35 --> 00:25:36
			it in a nice way, in a in
		
00:25:36 --> 00:25:37
			a respectful
		
00:25:37 --> 00:25:40
			and positive way. So standing up for what
		
00:25:40 --> 00:25:42
			we believe in. And finally, my brothers and
		
00:25:42 --> 00:25:45
			sisters, assisting people in their time of need.
		
00:25:48 --> 00:25:51
			Who accepted who was waiting for the messenger
		
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51
			of Allah
		
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08
			he accepted. And since when the prophet
		
00:26:09 --> 00:26:11
			came to Madinah, the people rushed to meet
		
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12
			him, and it was said, the messenger of
		
00:26:12 --> 00:26:14
			Allah, salallahu alaihi wasalam has come. The messenger
		
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15
			of Allah, salallahu alaihi
		
00:26:17 --> 00:26:19
			wasalam, has come 3 times. He says, I
		
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21
			came with the people to see him, And
		
00:26:21 --> 00:26:24
			when I saw his face clearly, I knew
		
00:26:24 --> 00:26:26
			that his face was not the face of
		
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26
			a liar.
		
00:26:28 --> 00:26:28
			Lying
		
00:26:29 --> 00:26:30
			and and ill speech
		
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32
			has an impact on our face.
		
00:26:33 --> 00:26:34
			It has an impact
		
00:26:34 --> 00:26:36
			on the neuron on our face. It has
		
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39
			an impact on on on what we look
		
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41
			like or at least what people see in
		
00:26:41 --> 00:26:44
			in us or what what people see on
		
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45
			our faces for especially for those who are
		
00:26:45 --> 00:26:48
			able to read people's faces. So he says,
		
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49
			I knew that it was not the face
		
00:26:49 --> 00:26:51
			of a liar. And he says the first
		
00:26:51 --> 00:26:53
			thing I heard him say when he said,
		
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54
			oh, people,
		
00:26:54 --> 00:26:56
			spread the greeting of salaam. Spread the salaam,
		
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00
			Feed others,
		
00:27:00 --> 00:27:02
			uphold the ties of kingship, and pray during
		
00:27:02 --> 00:27:04
			the night when people are sleeping, and you
		
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06
			will enter Jannah with salaam. You will enter
		
00:27:06 --> 00:27:09
			paradise with peace with salaam. So brothers and
		
00:27:09 --> 00:27:11
			sisters, we find here, you know, taking care
		
00:27:11 --> 00:27:13
			of others. Baba also mentioned this in his
		
00:27:13 --> 00:27:16
			very first few words in when he arrived
		
00:27:16 --> 00:27:16
			in Madinah,
		
00:27:17 --> 00:27:20
			spread the salam. Spread peace. Words of peace,
		
00:27:20 --> 00:27:22
			feed others. So small positive actions.
		
00:27:23 --> 00:27:25
			You know, if they're done, they may seem
		
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26
			like they're small, but if they're done by
		
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27
			everyone, especially
		
00:27:28 --> 00:27:28
			together,
		
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31
			you will see the positive impact. So feeding
		
00:27:31 --> 00:27:33
			the hungry hungry. Right? And the prophet told
		
00:27:33 --> 00:27:36
			us, it's charity to even help, a person,
		
00:27:36 --> 00:27:38
			mount their or get onto their mount or
		
00:27:38 --> 00:27:40
			or disembark for their mount. You know? So
		
00:27:40 --> 00:27:42
			helping people in their day to day activities
		
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45
			on the go, charity on the go, you
		
00:27:45 --> 00:27:47
			know, these are things which may appear like
		
00:27:47 --> 00:27:50
			they're small actions, but they have great reward.
		
00:27:50 --> 00:27:52
			They are a form of charity,
		
00:27:53 --> 00:27:55
			and they also have a very positive impact
		
00:27:55 --> 00:27:58
			on others as well, but especially especially helping
		
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00
			people in their time of need, especially when
		
00:28:00 --> 00:28:03
			it comes to feeding the country. So my
		
00:28:03 --> 00:28:05
			brothers and sisters, there's a time for expressing
		
00:28:05 --> 00:28:07
			anger and being aggressive,
		
00:28:07 --> 00:28:08
			sometimes
		
00:28:08 --> 00:28:10
			the exception, but it should not be the
		
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11
			norm.
		
00:28:11 --> 00:28:13
			Adding fire to an existing fire, what does
		
00:28:13 --> 00:28:15
			it do? It just creates more fire.
		
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17
			It allows the fire to grow. It doesn't
		
00:28:17 --> 00:28:20
			help put out the fire. So instead, my
		
00:28:20 --> 00:28:22
			brothers and sisters, we must respond with what
		
00:28:22 --> 00:28:25
			with that which is better and that which
		
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25
			is different.
		
00:28:26 --> 00:28:29
			Take the higher road while being visible.
		
00:28:29 --> 00:28:32
			Right? That will demolish hate and leave a
		
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33
			very lasting positive impression,
		
00:28:34 --> 00:28:36
			And that's not gonna come by hiding.
		
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39
			It's not gonna come from hiding. It's not
		
00:28:39 --> 00:28:41
			going to be it's not gonna come constantly
		
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43
			shouting and getting angry and always being pushing
		
00:28:43 --> 00:28:45
			it and and and and being aggressive. It's
		
00:28:45 --> 00:28:47
			not gonna come from that. So, yes, there
		
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49
			is an important role for lobbying, for better
		
00:28:49 --> 00:28:53
			government policies, for political pressure, for activism, for
		
00:28:53 --> 00:28:55
			speech, for education, for rallies, all of those
		
00:28:55 --> 00:28:57
			things are good in their own ways.
		
00:28:58 --> 00:29:00
			But all of that has to go hand
		
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02
			in hand with the beautiful teachings of Allah
		
00:29:02 --> 00:29:03
			and his messenger
		
00:29:05 --> 00:29:07
			our job is to just keep trying positively
		
00:29:08 --> 00:29:08
			and sincerely
		
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11
			and leave the rest to Allah. Try your
		
00:29:11 --> 00:29:14
			best and leave for Allah. The rest, may
		
00:29:14 --> 00:29:14
			Allah
		
00:29:15 --> 00:29:16
			bless us all. May Allah
		
00:29:17 --> 00:29:19
			guide us to that which is best. May
		
00:29:19 --> 00:29:19
			Allah,
		
00:29:21 --> 00:29:24
			allow us to and guide us to respond
		
00:29:24 --> 00:29:26
			to hate and ignorance in the best way
		
00:29:26 --> 00:29:28
			possible. May Allah, keep all of us safe.
		
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32
			My brothers and sisters, you know, we've been
		
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33
			making dua
		
00:29:33 --> 00:29:35
			for for many brothers and sisters for many
		
00:29:35 --> 00:29:37
			of our brothers and sisters, their relatives, but
		
00:29:37 --> 00:29:39
			we get dua requests and we try to
		
00:29:39 --> 00:29:42
			make dua for for everyone, especially who has
		
00:29:42 --> 00:29:43
			requested it.
		
00:29:43 --> 00:29:44
			So,
		
00:29:44 --> 00:29:46
			there's a note that I wanted to share
		
00:29:46 --> 00:29:47
			from one of our brothers who said that,
		
00:29:47 --> 00:29:50
			you know, many people think that miracles stop
		
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53
			when the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam died. Alhamdulillahi
		
00:29:53 --> 00:29:55
			says my cousin is home and doing well.
		
00:29:55 --> 00:29:57
			She is recovering. She has been home for
		
00:29:57 --> 00:30:00
			a while. They had given her 2 weeks
		
00:30:00 --> 00:30:00
			to live.
		
00:30:01 --> 00:30:03
			And after when she started responding to the
		
00:30:03 --> 00:30:04
			medication, so,
		
00:30:04 --> 00:30:07
			she was very ill, I believe, with COVID
		
00:30:07 --> 00:30:08
			19. So they had given her 2 weeks.
		
00:30:08 --> 00:30:10
			The doctors had given her 2 weeks to
		
00:30:10 --> 00:30:12
			live. And after when she started to respond
		
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14
			to the medication, they said that she would
		
00:30:14 --> 00:30:15
			have to be in the hospital for 6
		
00:30:15 --> 00:30:16
			months. Alhamdulillah,
		
00:30:17 --> 00:30:19
			this the next week, she was sent home.
		
00:30:19 --> 00:30:21
			The next week, they sent her home. Please
		
00:30:21 --> 00:30:24
			accept, he says, my deepest thanks for duas,
		
00:30:24 --> 00:30:26
			and please thank everyone who made du'a for
		
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27
			her. Allah
		
00:30:28 --> 00:30:30
			accepted it. Please ask them to continue to
		
00:30:30 --> 00:30:32
			make duas for all of those who are
		
00:30:32 --> 00:30:34
			ill and who are suffering from mental illness
		
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36
			and also all those for for all those
		
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38
			who are being oppressed. So this was a
		
00:30:38 --> 00:30:41
			sincere message of thanks from our brother, for,
		
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42
			for whose cousin,
		
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44
			who made dua, and a lot of people
		
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45
			were making dua, and Allah,
		
00:30:47 --> 00:30:48
			made her recovery easy
		
00:30:49 --> 00:30:52
			and and remarkable considering what was expected by,
		
00:30:52 --> 00:30:54
			by doctors and medical professionals.
		
00:30:55 --> 00:30:57
			Now with that, my brothers and sisters, we
		
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59
			do have some sad news. The mother-in-law of
		
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01
			our brother, Ashrafi, passed away in India due
		
00:31:01 --> 00:31:02
			to COVID 19,
		
00:31:05 --> 00:31:05
			And,
		
00:31:06 --> 00:31:08
			the cousin of our sister, Afin, also passed
		
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09
			away.
		
00:31:11 --> 00:31:12
			So we make dua for both of them
		
00:31:12 --> 00:31:14
			and all others who have returned to Allah.
		
00:31:47 --> 00:31:47
			Oh,
		
00:31:50 --> 00:31:51
			Oh,
		
00:31:52 --> 00:31:53
			Allah.
		
00:31:54 --> 00:31:55
			Oh,
		
00:31:56 --> 00:31:56
			Allah.
		
00:31:58 --> 00:31:58
			Oh,
		
00:32:00 --> 00:32:02
			Allah. Please elevate their ranks. Oh, Allah, please
		
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04
			forgive them for all of their shortcomings.
		
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06
			Oh, Allah, please shower your mercy and your
		
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08
			blessings upon them. Oh,
		
00:32:09 --> 00:32:11
			Allah. Oh, Allah. Please grant them the best
		
00:32:11 --> 00:32:12
			station in paradise in.
		
00:32:13 --> 00:32:16
			Oh, Allah, please protect them during this stage
		
00:32:16 --> 00:32:17
			until the day of judgment and grant them
		
00:32:17 --> 00:32:20
			entry into Jannah with ease and unite them
		
00:32:20 --> 00:32:21
			with all of their past answers ancestors
		
00:32:23 --> 00:32:24
			and the future generations on the day of
		
00:32:24 --> 00:32:26
			judgment in the human nature.
		
00:32:28 --> 00:32:29
			Oh, Allah, please cure all of our brothers
		
00:32:29 --> 00:32:31
			and sisters who are ill, oh, Allah, all
		
00:32:31 --> 00:32:33
			of our brothers and sisters in faith in
		
00:32:33 --> 00:32:35
			humanity who are ill, oh, Allah, especially our
		
00:32:35 --> 00:32:37
			elder sister who is living in pain, oh,
		
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39
			Allah, our brother and sister who are suffering
		
00:32:39 --> 00:32:41
			from long term pain and injuries, oh, Allah,
		
00:32:41 --> 00:32:42
			all of those who are ill, Oh Allah,
		
00:32:42 --> 00:32:44
			or at risk of becoming ill. Oh Allah,
		
00:32:44 --> 00:32:46
			our brother Saud alham in his battle with
		
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48
			cancer. Oh Allah, all of the brothers and
		
00:32:48 --> 00:32:51
			sisters who are suffering from physical and mental
		
00:32:51 --> 00:32:53
			illnesses. Oh Allah, you are the protector and
		
00:32:53 --> 00:32:55
			healer. Oh Allah, please grant them all its
		
00:32:55 --> 00:32:57
			speedy recovery. Oh Allah, please protect them and
		
00:32:57 --> 00:32:59
			all of us from all types of illnesses
		
00:32:59 --> 00:33:01
			and pain and suffering, ami, You Rabbalameen.
		
00:33:02 --> 00:33:04
			Oh Allah, please grant relief to all of
		
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06
			those people who are living in pain or
		
00:33:06 --> 00:33:09
			with grief and stress and anxiety with worry.
		
00:33:09 --> 00:33:11
			Oh Allah, please remove all of that and
		
00:33:11 --> 00:33:13
			replace it with happiness and peace and joy,
		
00:33:13 --> 00:33:16
			You're abalameen. Oh Allah, please grant
		
00:33:17 --> 00:33:19
			grant justice. Oh Allah, please protect and grant
		
00:33:19 --> 00:33:21
			justice to all of those who are oppressed,
		
00:33:21 --> 00:33:23
			You're abalameen. Oh Allah, especially our Palestinian brothers
		
00:33:23 --> 00:33:26
			and sisters, oh, Allah, especially the indigenous people
		
00:33:26 --> 00:33:28
			of this land, oh, Allah, and all of
		
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30
			those who are, facing
		
00:33:30 --> 00:33:32
			wrongdoing or who are being wronged, oh, Allah,
		
00:33:32 --> 00:33:34
			whether they are individuals, oh, Allah, whether they
		
00:33:34 --> 00:33:37
			are women or children or men, regardless of
		
00:33:37 --> 00:33:38
			the type of oppression, whether it is in
		
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40
			their homes or in their communities, in their
		
00:33:40 --> 00:33:42
			workplaces, in their schools, oh, Allah, whether it
		
00:33:42 --> 00:33:45
			is in prison, oh, Allah, wherever they are,
		
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47
			whether they are in refugee camp, oh, Allah,
		
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49
			please remove hardships. Oh, Allah, please remove their
		
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51
			difficulties and grant them easy,
		
00:33:52 --> 00:33:54
			Oh, Allah, please guide us to respond to
		
00:33:54 --> 00:33:56
			hate and ignorance in the best way possible.
		
00:33:57 --> 00:33:59
			Oh, Allah, please magnify the positive impact of
		
00:33:59 --> 00:34:02
			our small efforts. Oh, Allah, please accept them
		
00:34:02 --> 00:34:04
			from us. Oh, Allah, please grant us sincerity.
		
00:34:04 --> 00:34:06
			Oh, Allah, please guide the misguided and the
		
00:34:06 --> 00:34:07
			ignorant,
		
00:34:08 --> 00:34:09
			Oh, Allah, please guide the haters
		
00:34:10 --> 00:34:12
			and make them remove the hate from them.
		
00:34:12 --> 00:34:14
			Oh, Allah, please guide them. Oh, Allah, please
		
00:34:14 --> 00:34:16
			guide them and make them from amongst the
		
00:34:16 --> 00:34:17
			best of people.
		
00:38:19 --> 00:38:20
			My brothers and sisters.
		
00:38:21 --> 00:38:22
			Please come at your allotted times if you
		
00:38:22 --> 00:38:24
			have registered for Friday prayer. If you're not
		
00:38:24 --> 00:38:26
			able to come, please offer prayer
		
00:38:27 --> 00:38:28
			at home. May Allah
		
00:38:28 --> 00:38:30
			accept from you. May Allah
		
00:38:30 --> 00:38:31
			bless you all.
		
00:38:32 --> 00:38:34
			A couple of announcements inshallah. So to tonight,
		
00:38:34 --> 00:38:36
			we will be having, Friday family night inshallah
		
00:38:36 --> 00:38:39
			at 9:30 PM live. Please join with your
		
00:38:39 --> 00:38:41
			family. Be sure to complete our quiz, our
		
00:38:41 --> 00:38:44
			weekly quiz, which we have continued from Ramadan
		
00:38:44 --> 00:38:46
			from the on a weekly basis now at
		
00:38:46 --> 00:38:46
			kanadamustlims.ca/quiz.
		
00:38:48 --> 00:38:49
			Submit your,
		
00:38:49 --> 00:38:52
			quiz, answers by 6 PM, Insha'Allah,
		
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			so that you can be entered into tonight's
		
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			prize draw. We will announce the winner during
		
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			Friday family night live, Insha'Allah.
		
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			And also, the MAC, Muslim Association of Canada
		
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			Ottawa chapter is organizing a gathering against Islamophobia
		
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			on Parliament Hill, this evening at 6:30 PM,
		
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			insha'Allah. They are planning to offer a sator
		
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			there at 6:45,
		
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			followed by the rally, at 7:4 7 PM,
		
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			insha'Allah.
		
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			And they are advising you to please bring
		
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			a mass, a prayer mat, and to remember
		
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			to, to practice physical distancing, insha'Allah, if you're
		
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			able to attend. Jazakamullah
		
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			khairam, my brothers and sisters. May Allah
		
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			keep you safe. Remember us in the du'a.
		
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			Hope to see you soon, Insha'Allah. May Allah
		
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			keep you well and happy in both worlds.