Sikander Hashmi – Spiritual & Mental Preparedness for BacktoSchool KMA Friday Message
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AI: Transcript ©
Respected elders,
your brothers and sisters,
my young friends,
We begin by praising Allah,
the lord of the universe,
our creator,
our nourisher,
our protector.
And we begin by sending peace and salutations
upon his beloved messenger,
Muhammad, the son of the Abdullah
I pray my friends, my brothers and sisters,
my elders, that you are all well by
the mercy and grace of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala.
SubhanAllah.
It seemed
and
the beginning
year.
Our children,
our youth, students will be stepping back into
school.
Our covered
Alright. We should be back now.
Apologies for the,
challenge with the connection.
So I was saying that even
for the most seasoned and experienced,
of teachers,
and students,
and parents,
going back to school this year is going
to be a new experience. Of
course, there are new rules
to learn
and to follow,
new routines,
and schedules
along with a large dose of,
uncertainty
and possibly
end as well.
Then, of course, along with that, there are
the constant
headlines
that feed that uncertainty
and anxiety. And this may, you know, exist
for everyone, for the parents, for the grandparents,
for the teachers, the principals, the students, the
school bus drivers, the school staff, everyone is
impacted
by this, constant stream of, you know, stories
and headlines
that feed, fear and anxiety.
The concern is this. That is the reopening
of school
going to
lead to a second wave
of infections.
Now will students become infected
and then carry the virus to their parents,
to their relatives, and especially those who are
at at high risk?
The truth is, my brothers and sisters, that
nobody really knows, only Allah
knows.
Now in such situations,
when there is widespread concern and anxiety,
it can unnecessarily
make the situation
more difficult and challenging
than it actually needs to be.
It can make a situation
unnecessarily
more challenging
and difficult
than it actually needs to be. Right? So
what does that mean? It means that, you
know, perhaps
there is,
perhaps everything inshallah is gonna be okay. Perhaps
there is no need to be so concerned.
Maybe
the the the the fear of the headlines,
the anxiety is going not is not going
to end up being
true. But because
we adopt that fear and that anxiety,
then this time that we have,
before anything happens, Insha'Allah, nothing will happen. It
unnecessarily becomes a time which becomes difficult for
us. Right? So let's talk about this methodically.
So first of all, school is going to
be different
for everyone.
And things that are different
can be challenging,
especially in the beginning. Okay? Anything that is
new, anything that,
you know, we are, experiencing for the first
time, it can be, it it can be,
it it can be difficult at first
and then eventually,
it becomes
easy.
K. So there's a good chance that it's
going to seem very strange and difficult at
first.
But guess what?
Right? Over time, it will become easier, and
this goes with most of the things that
we face in life. Remember, Allah tells us
that indeed
with hardship comes
ease. When we have hardship, there's also ease
that comes along
with it.
So be mentally prepared for
a rocky or a difficult start.
Don't expect it to be easy. And perhaps
Allah
will make it easy for you.
Right? So you expect it to be
difficult. You expect that it's going to be
challenging, but
through his mercy, you may end up making
it easy.
It it has to do with the expectations
that we set. Right? You set expectations
that are low and then
things go better than expected
and it ends up being,
you know, you feel that it has been
better. You expect
that if you place expectations that are very
high and then something goes wrong and then
it can, you know, it can lead to
disappointment.
So therefore,
it is important that we,
set low expectations
and hope that everything will end up going
well.
Things
will go well. We'll keep low expectations. Don't
expect too much. But, you
know, by the mercy of Allah subhanahu wa
ta'ala, inshallah, we hope that things will go
well.
Secondly, realize that this is new for everyone.
So even those in charge,
the principals, the school teachers, right, people who
are responsible for the schools, this is difficult
for them as well.
So,
you know, they're, it's new for them as
well. So there there will be confusion.
It may be, you know, chaotic.
Different people will react differently.
So pass up so pass a lot of
patience in your bags. Like, remember that Allah
is with those who are patient. Like, in
the law
has
those is with those who are patient and
people are not perfect. That's the people who
make mistakes.
You know, schools possibly will make mistakes, teachers,
management may end up making mistakes, students will
make mistakes,
and some people will not react in the
best way. So try to be with those
who are patient
and prepared to control yourself
from becoming
frustrated.
There is uncertainty,
of course.
Things may have to change again. So just
take it one day at a time
and be grateful for it. Right? When we
think about a lot of things at once
and it can cause us stress, it can
cause us anxiety, so it's important that we
take it one day at a time. That
was a beautiful reminder from the hadith of
the prophet
That whoever amongst
you wakes up secure
in his property,
healthy in his body,
and he has food for the day, it
is as if he were given the entire
world.
Whoever
amongst you wakes up secure in his property,
he's safe,
healthy in his body, and has food for
the day. It is as if he were
given the entire world.
So we remind ourselves
every day when we wake up and we
find ourselves in this state that it is
as if Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given
us the entire world so we wake up
in a state of gratefulness.
Now schools may have to close
after opening,
after reopening. Those who are studying in person,
you know, may have to end up switching
online.
Entire classrooms may have to go into quarantine
for 14 days. Right? All of these things
are possible.
So expect
the unexpected.
Expect the unexpected,
and once again, take it one day at
a time. We do what we are required
to do. We follow the guidelines,
and then we place our trust in Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Whatever Allah has will, and this is the
case for anything. But whatever Allah has will,
will happen, and nobody can change that.
Whatever Allah has will,
whatever Allah has decided
will come to pass and will happen. Nobody
can change that. But we are taught to
do what is required of us.
The good thing in my observation,
personally, is that while the numbers of cases
are going up locally,
the number of cases
in hospitals and in intensive care are actually
stable. Right? So while the numbers you know,
every day you look at the headlines and
then say, okay. There's 22 new cases in
Ottawa, 13 new cases in Ottawa, 30 new
cases. You know? So it's it sounds like
a lot. And, of course, it is more
than before. However, if you look at the
data, you notice or if you look at
the numbers that are published daily, you actually
notice that the hospitalization
rate remains the same, remains stable, and the
people have, you know, the number of people
in intensive care,
meaning serious cases also remain stable from the
lab.
So this seems to be, you know, positive
news from the lab. Now, of course, the
spread of cases is not good news, but
the good thing is that the impact is
having on people is is not as severe
as fear or as it could be. So
that's positive. And may Allah we ask Allah
to protect us,
all, especially those who are vulnerable. Now as
Muslims,
we, of course, do not only believe in
taking physical steps and measures,
but also taking spiritual measures which are unseen.
Right? So the difference between the believer and
a person who is not a believer
is that the, the the the person who
is not a believer
normally just, you know, takes physical steps,
but the believers then also take spiritual measures
which are unseen.
Okay? And our unseen, what does that include?
It includes our faith,
our beliefs.
Right? Our intentions,
our attitude.
Right? Our unseen
is even more important than the physical or
the seen. Okay. Meaning, the things that we
can see that we're doing that are physical
steps that we take, those are important. But
as believers for us, taking the spiritual or
the unseen steps of the things that we
can't really see. Right? That is even more
important than the physical.
So therefore,
as we go into this uncertain
and unusual school year, let us remind ourselves,
number 1, that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
is in control of all matters.
Full stop. Right? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is
in control
of all matters. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
is the most knowledgeable and the most wise.
Our knowledge and our wisdom, our understanding
is of no
match when it comes to Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala and his understanding, his knowledge, and his
wisdom, his decisions.
Our job is to make the best possible
decision at any given moment. Right? And this
goes always. Whether it's this situation
or any other situation that we're faced with,
our responsibility
is to make the best possible decision at
any given moment. And once we have decided,
once we have tried our best to make
the best decision, to make the most correct
decision, the most wisest decision,
then our job is to place our trust
in Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. Allah Azzawajal told
us in the Quran.
Once you have made you make a decision,
once you have decided, you make a decision,
put your trust in Allah. Okay? So after
we have decided,
it's not helpful. It doesn't help in any
way if we continue to worry and continue
to doubt ourselves
and second guess ourselves. Right? We try to
make the best decision. You see guidance from
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. You do what is
appropriate, what appears to be reasonable that Allah
guides you to do. And then once you
make the decision, you place your trust in
Allah. And Allah tells us as well
Whoever puts their trust in Allah, then he
alone
is sufficient for them. Right? So do what
you have to do, make the decision you
need to make, and then once you've made
the decision, what you once you've done whatever
you could have done, then you place your
trust in Allah, and essentially you stop worrying
them. The prophet
gave advice to god best.
And
among the piece, among the advice that he
gave was
That be mindful of Allah and he will
protect you.
Be mindful of Allah meaning what? Be mindful
of the commands of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Be mindful of the likes and dislikes of
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Be mindful of the guidance of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala.
Be mindful of your responsibilities towards Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala, meaning the rights of Allah and
what Allah expects from you.
And if you do that, then Allah will
protect you.
That be mindful of Allah and you will
find him before you. Meaning, that if you
take care of what Allah expects from you
and you establish a solid relationship
with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, then inshallah, Allah
Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala will be there for you,
protecting you and taking care of your needs
in every way. Inshallah.
So just like, you know, making sure that
your mask is on properly
and just like, you know, we take washing
our hands seriously,
taking full
spiritual steps to ensure maximum protection
is
just as, if not more important. Because just
like we take these physical means. Right? Everyone's
wearing a mask is there. That is required.
You know, we are trying to wash our
hands and shrink physical distancing and all of
those things.
In the same way,
take full full spiritual steps
as well. The believer does not just rely
on the means because the believer knows that
these means are just means.
Right? There's the means and the actual protector
is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. The one who
is actually gonna protect us is not, you
know, the the physical means, not the mask
and the steps that we take, but ultimately
it's gonna be Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. But
we do what we can. We do what
is available to us and we do what
we can, and that is also part of
having reliance on Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to
take the means that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
has put at our disposal.
But
most importantly, we also take
spiritual steps and we should be careful to
take full
spiritual steps to ensure maximum protection.
Right? So what does that entail?
It entails number 1. The foremost thing that
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
is, is is going to,
hold us accountable for that we are responsible
for.
Right, is 1st and foremost, our prayers.
1st and foremost foremost,
our prayers. If a person wants to be
protected,
the Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. If a person
wants to be, you you know, receiving the
favors of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala,
then it is, of utmost importance
to solidify our salah, to hold on to
our prayers, to improve our connection to Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala through our prayers. Because our
prayers are our barometer.
Right? Are the, the the the the measure
for our relationship, the strength of our relationship
with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. The person whose
prayers are weak cannot have a strong relationship
with Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. You know, a
person who thinks that if they can get
away without offering salah or being lax with
their salah and they feel like they have
a great relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala,
they're kidding themselves. Right? They're fooling themselves. They're
they're being, you know, they're deluding themselves. So
you cannot have a strong relationship with Allah
subhanahu wa ta'ala
without having
strong salah, without holding fast to your salah.
So first and foremost,
spiritually, your prayers are the most important thing
that you have to focus on in establishing
a solid relationship with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Then, of course,
making
regular Dua for protection, right? Especially for protection,
right? The art is extremely important
and we have learned previously, we have discussed
that one of the things, right, that could
change the decree of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
is a person's desired decision.
Right? They're they're they're,
they're a yearning to make the eye to
Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Right? So that is
probably one of the few one of the
only things that can actually change the decree
of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So don't underestimate
the power
of dua.
And, you know, reciting the spiritual prescriptions
for protection. So for example, right,
in the evenings, in the morning,
after each prayer. Right? Reciting,
especially, you know, at night before bed,
but also you could do so in the
morning before leaving home.
The last, verses of Surah Al Baqarah, the
last 2 or 3 verses of Surah Al
Baqarah,
especially at night.
And the dua for protection that the prophet
has
prescribed 3 times in the morning, 3 times
in the in the evening.
After salah. Right? Reciting it just be had
33 times, 34 times after each prayer, remaining
in a state of remaining in a state
of remembrance of Allah
Right? These are all extremely
powerful spiritual prescriptions.
And if a person, you know, you know,
takes these, then inshallah,
certainly the the the protection of Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala, you'll be with them. But you
have to take it seriously.
Right? You have to take it seriously just
like you take seriously washing your hands and
wearing mask and, you know, ensuring physical distancing
and doing everything else. You gotta take these
things seriously. They can't be an afterthought.
It can't be an afterthought. Okay. I'll just
do everything. Oh, yeah. I have to do
that too. So I'll just sort of do
that. Right? It has to be a priority.
We have to
put importance
into these things.
And when it comes to anxiety and fear.
Right? And you'll find different types of people,
subhanallah. You'll find people who have absolutely no
fear, no anxiety, whatsoever.
Right? They don't feel like, you know, that
that either they don't believe in it. Right?
The things of hopes
or, you know, they feel like they're young
and they're not gonna be impacted
or, you know, they don't have, any,
family members perhaps who are at high risk.
So they, you know, they're they're they just
don't care. Okay? So there's people like that.
On the opposite of the spectrum, they'll find
people somehow who haven't, you know, who barely
left their homes in the last 5 months.
Okay. They've closed themselves off in the world.
They're locking themselves inside
because they are so afraid. Right? And then,
of course, you have people in the middle
who started off as being very concerned, very
careful, and over time, it just wore off.
I just got tired of everything. So, okay,
what was gonna happen to happen? You sort
of give up, surrender, rip your hands, and,
you know, you sort of get out of
life. Right? So and then you'll still find
people who are sort of still balanced and
still trying to do their best. So you're
gonna find all types of people. Okay?
So amongst,
and that's just the reality of the world.
Right? Like, people are different. So there's many
people with different personalities and different attitudes, and
that's just the way it is. Right? No
point of getting too frustrated at the other
side. Because people, you know, who feel very
strongly about how they feel, about how they
are, and then they get very frustrated frustrated
at everyone else who doesn't agree with them
or doesn't, you know, approach the situation in
their own way. There's no point of getting
frustrated. I mean, that you you can't change
how people are or you can't change how
people respond, and everyone's gonna be different. So,
I mean, there's no point of spending too
much energy on, being frustrated and angry.
But for those who are living in fear
and anxiety. Right? And there are people like
that as well. There are people who are
very fearful, very anxious, very worried about what's
gonna happen with school opening and their kids
go to school and they go back to
work and, you know, this is what the
experts are saying. This is what the headlines
are saying and, you know, you keep reading
the news, you keep listening to everything and
it keeps building up that fear and anxiety.
Okay? It can happen naturally as well. Some
people naturally are just more fearful or generally
have more anxiety. Okay?
Just remind yourself.
Remind yourself that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is
in control.
Right? Sometimes we worry too much about things
that we don't need to worry about.
Right? If something's not in your control, what's
the point of worrying about it? Is it
gonna change it? Is your amount of worry,
your concern, anxiety, and thinking about it possibly
isn't gonna change it? No. It's not gonna
change anything.
Right?
Allah is a protector
and just remind yourself, it it happens naturally,
but just remind yourself that no amount of
worry or concern is gonna change what is
destined to happen.
The only thing that could change it is
the
remembrance of
Allah. Right? If you love us.
Okay. I think I've told you before, sometimes
I'm afraid when I'm on an airplane. Haven't
flown in a while now, of course. But,
you know, you're sitting on an airplane, you're
getting on the airplane, you're thinking, okay, what
if this airplane crashes? You know, what if
this is the last time I'm stepping foot
on ground? You know, all these all start
coming to your mind. Okay? But then I
tell myself, okay. So what's the point?
K. Either I'm gonna sit on the plane
for 5 hours and keep thinking, is it
gonna crash? Is it gonna crash? Is it
gonna crash? Oh, no. Oh, no. Oh, no.
Or I could just sit and just do
what I need to do. Okay? And just
be normal, be balanced, remember Allah, enjoy the
food, whatever. You know? Just like, spend your
time properly. And, inshallah, nothing's gonna happen. If
it's gonna happen, then it's gonna happen anyway.
Right? Why you're worrying about it for 5
hours? It's not gonna stop it from happening.
Right? So this is how me personally, how
I reassure myself. Right? So just reminding ourselves
to to calm our anxiety and our fear
that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is in control.
Whatever is destined to happen will happen, and
there's nothing much that can change it except,
like I said, making dua remembering Allah Subhanahu
Wa Ta'ala. And Allah tells us
So if you find that your heart is
becoming anxious because anxiety, yes, it's in the
mind, but truly, it's coming from the heart.
Right? Fear is truly in the heart. So
if you're feeling very fearful, very anxious,
very, you know, discomforted in your heart, really
very much at at ease,
then the best thing to do is the
remembrance of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. Because that
is the only thing in which your heart
truly is gonna find comfort and peace. You
can find comfort and peace in other things.
You know, people look for comfort and peace
in all types of things, but true inner
peace comes only and only from the remembrance
of Allah
To increase your zikr and inshallah, you'll find
that that fear and that concern and anxiety
inshallah, it will start to subside. Of course,
that's not to discount the fact that some
people may actually have, you know, ailments, illnesses,
mental struggles, and challenges that have to do
with with, you know, physical
reasons that impact their anxiety. So, of course,
I'm not suggesting that you shouldn't seek treatment
or that you shouldn't, you know, take medication
or prescription that your doctor may have given
you. But generally generally for fear and anxiety,
right, increase the remembrance of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala. And for the most part, you will
find an improvement. Now
if after trying your best
physically
and spiritually. Right? This is important because let's
say you say, okay. I've done everything that
the imam was telling me. You know, I've
I've read these duas. I've done my prayers.
I've done everything. I've taken physical means. I've
taken spiritual means, but then still something happened.
How come something happened? I was supposed to
be protected.
I thought I was gonna be immune. Now
everything is gonna be fine. And how come
I got sick or how come this happened
or how come that happened? So if after
trying your best physically
and spiritually,
there's still some harm that touches you. It's
possible.
Right? It's possible that despite your best efforts,
Allah
decided that you were still going to be
impacted, you were still gonna be affected.
Then he accepted as Allah's will
that nothing
could have changed.
It is the will of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala and the decree of Allah Subhanahu Wa
Ta'ala that nothing could have changed
it and we trust that there will be
some hidden goodness or benefit that we are
currently unable to see.
Right? So we try our best, leave for
Allah the rest, and if still Allah decides
for some challenge or difficulty to come our
way, then we accept it as the will
of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala and we trust
and we believe that there will be some
hidden goodness or some benefit,
some lessons, something that we are unable to
see in it that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
has spoken there for us, and we have
to again respond in the best way possible.
And with this reminder of this verse, Allah
says,
If Allah touches you with harm, none can
undo it except him.
And if he touches you with a blessing,
then he is most capable
of
everything.
Right? So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is in
control. If harm comes to us, only Allah
can remove it, so you turn to Allah.
Turn to Allah before, turn to Allah during,
turn to Allah afterwards. At every situation, turn
to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And, of course,
Allah blessing you because he's blessing us now
with peace, security, so many other blessings, then
we should be grateful. We must always be
grateful to Allah
So let us make
Oh, Allah, we thank you and praise you
for the ease and the comfort that you
have blessed us with.
Oh, Allah, please protect our children, our youth,
our teachers, all of those who work in
schools, and all of us from all types
of harms and hardships.
Well, love, please humble of us all in
your unseen protection.
Well, love, please cure all of those who
are ill and facing hardships and struggles with
regards to their health. Well,
especially
our elder sister who was in pain and
in a state of weakness, Our brother and
our sister who are living with long term
pain and injuries.
Our brother, Farrow Ahmed, who was scheduled to
have heart bypass surgery on Wednesday. All of
those who are ill, who are injured, all
that you are the cure and the healer.
All that he's spent from all the speedy
and complete recovery.
All of these grant relief to all of
those who are experiencing distress, experiencing anxiety and
grief and depression, and any other type of
suffering. All of these remove
the trials and hardships from the lives of
all of our brothers and sisters. Now all
of that, and if you have decreed that
those hardships will not be removed. All of
them, please grant the strength to succeed through
these trials. All
of these grant believe to our brothers and
sisters around the world who are suffering in
different parts of the world due to various
reasons. Allah, especially in Pakistan, our brothers and
sisters who have suffered through recent flooding, Allah,
please remove their pain and repair their losses.
Brothers and sisters, those who are watching online,
you can go ahead and offer, photocat at
home. Those who are registered for Friday prayer,
please come at your allotted time.