Sikander Hashmi – The Help of Allah is Near KMA Friday Message
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AI: Transcript ©
Respecting others, your brothers and sisters, my young
friends,
I hope that you are all doing well
by the grace and mercy of Allah,
on this,
beautiful long weekend.
Look outside.
Not a cloud in sight.
A little bit colder than it seems,
so it's a little windy.
But nonetheless,
it's a beautiful day. It's, of course, we
know,
it's a sad holiday,
Good Friday, which is a Christian holiday.
But, of course, every Friday is good for
us as we like to remind ourselves. Allah
has made,
Friday the most blessed day of the week.
And, normally, because it is a holiday, this
would be the, the busiest
Friday of the year for us as well
in these countries because it's a it's a
statutory holiday.
So, we are missing seeing, everyone, all the,
all of our elders, especially our children, our
sisters, and everybody else who's not able to,
to join us. We're thinking of you and
making dua for you,
and,
hoping to, be able to see you all
very, very soon.
As you know, the, with only well, not
even only but less than 2 weeks to
go, till Ramadan,
we once again find ourselves in a,
challenging
situation.
So what do we have?
The, illness.
So
I like to call it COVID 19 version
2. Right? Because I think when you talk
about variants and use all these complicated terms,
it becomes a little bit difficult for people
to understand, you know, variant from this place
and that place and this number, variant and
that. Just call it version 2. K. So
we had, version 1, which is what we've
lived through for the most of the part
for the past year,
and now we have, COVID version 2. So
COVID version 2
is, unfortunately,
spreading much faster than the first one.
And this time,
according to the experts
and, and, you know, one of the things
that we learn is that, like, from Islamic
point of view as well, is that if
we're not experts in something, we refer to
the experts.
Very simple as that. Because not every person
is gonna be an expert in every single
field.
Okay? So, like, I'm not an expert in
in in everything. I'm probably not an expert
in anything. You know? So, you know, most
of us have some, perhaps, some some expertise,
but we we're not experts in everything. Yes.
We can read about stuff. We can watch,
you know, YouTube videos. We can
we can watch all these, you know, or
read all these forward and post on WhatsApp
and on Facebook or and articles and stuff,
which is fine. Like, it's good to inform
yourself. But let's just let let's let's remember
that, you know, when we're not experts on
something, we should recognize that we're not experts.
That's number 1.
And, actually, to say that that's one of
the biggest signs of a person who's ignorant,
who thinks there's an expert, who think they're
an expert in everything. And a person who
is truly knowledgeable
or who is wise actually recognizes how little
they know.
And when we know little about something, then
we refer to the people who are,
who are experts when we need further guidance.
So, Islamically, that is what we learn as
well when it comes toward the knowledge of
deen.
Right? This is a general principle.
Then there's something that you don't know. You
refer to the the people who are well
versed in that subject, in that topic. Okay?
So the experts
are telling us, and there, mashaAllah, many Muslim
experts as well who are on the front
lines, who are studying this,
who are, you know, who are very much
involved.
And what they're saying is that it's spreading
much faster than than version 1, and this
time, younger people are ending up in the
hospital in more serious condition.
Okay? So in the beginning, version 1, the
impact was
really, really, severely strongly felt by by our
elders.
You know,
preserved them and
mercy of forgiveness upon those,
of our elders who have returned to him.
But it was really seen in the senior
population, but now, most
are or many are vaccinated.
And this version 2 now is is really
impacting
younger people. So what are we seeing is
that it is, more easily transmissible
with more serious impacts. Okay? So for example,
I'll give you a real life example. Okay?
So maybe with version 1, it may have
been relatively safe
to have an outdoor gathering,
like a barbecue or something, you know, in
the park without masks while maintaining distance. Or
maybe, you know, you got a little close,
but, you know, you're still outdoors, so it
wasn't that serious. But in version 2,
even things like that appear to be leading
to the transmission of the virus. Okay? So
not only is it having a more severe
impact,
but it is also,
you know, being transmitted much more quickly and
easily.
And,
you know, we're hearing,
of, about members of our communities as well,
you know, who are testing positive, entire families
in some cases, including the elders,
and even those who have already had it
before. Because one of the misconceptions is that,
you know, okay. We've had it once, so
I'm not gonna get it again. So there
are people in our communities, you know, who
have already had it once and have even
had it twice. May Allah protect them. And
others who are getting it for the second
time now.
So, you know, that we ask Allah
to,
to grant shifa,
to all of them. Grant
them health and a complete recovery, and we
ask Allah
to keep us all safe.
Now new restrictions in Ontario will come into
effect at midnight tonight.
So that means that there are to be
no indoor gatherings
except for worship. K? So there are no
indoor gatherings. So that basically means that you're
not allowed to have anybody over at your
home except for,
except for worship.
You can't you can't be like, oh, I
established a message overnight in my in my
in my house, so now I'm gonna have
15% capacity. It's not how it works. So
it's for official places of worship,
who are designated places of worship now are
now allowed 15% or or going to be
allowed 15% of capacity as opposed to 30%.
So currently,
we are under 30%,
limitation,
and we're gonna go further down to 15%.
And outdoor private gatherings, if you wanna meet
people in your backyard or at the park,
are allowed with mass and distancing with a
maximum of only 5 people. Okay? So for
most families,
we normally have large families,
many of us. So, like, it's it's probably
not gonna work to have events,
outdoors either.
And this is supposed to last at least
4 weeks, so that means it's taking us
right into Ramadan.
And
as we have mentioned before, we were hoping
to safely accommodate, you know, as many people
as possible for Ramadan, in Ramadan, especially for
for Isha and, Salatul Tawawe.
As many as we could accommodate safely and
legally, especially sisters and children. So this is
not, you know, we have not forgotten. This
is not lost upon us that, you know,
most of our children many of most of
our young children and, many most of our
sisters,
have not attended the masjid, have not come
to offer salah
in JAMA' since last Ramadan, even before last
Ramadan. So that's not something that we have
forgotten. It's something that is very important. It's
a priority.
So we want you know, we were planning
to come up with a system that would
allow that, while respecting public health guidelines. But
with these writing rising numbers,
of cases and the new restrictions on gatherings,
all of those plans will now have to
be, revisited. And,
so but we will still try our best
to try to accommodate everyone to the best
of our ability and safely inshallah. And, of
course, there will also be an impact on
Friday prayers as well.
Not today. So because the restrictions come into
play tomorrow,
there's no impact today.
We are
we will be over the next week, we'll
be, you know, evaluating,
options for Friday prayer,
for Surat Al Jumah and for Ramadan.
So please stay tuned. It will probably be
a decision that will have to be made
closer to Ramadan. But over the last week,
inshallah, or the next week, inshallah, we'll be
trying to, to figure something out. We will
be open for daily, daily prayers, inshallah.
No registration required for each prayer. You just
sign up once for your pass as you're
required to already,
although the minimum age will be raised to
13
plus. Now I urge you, my brothers and
sisters, I know it's been a long run,
but I really encourage you, please,
to follow the public health guidelines.
You know, sometimes I think we have this
impression, okay, yes, all of those things, they're
not really for us. But, actually, they are
for us because you know what? One of
the hardest hit hits communities hardest hit communities
in Ottawa have the Muslim communities.
When it comes to COVID 19, disproportionately,
hardest hit have been the Muslim community. Maybe
we haven't noticed it in in Kanada, but
when we look at overall numbers, and I've
been in touch with Ottawa Public Health, the
reason why they're working so hard to offer,
you know, messages and support in different languages,
even to the point of having, you know,
vaccination clinics at Masjid Al Rahma at at,
at AMA, at at Sunnami Muslim Association, the
community center. Yeah. The reason for all that
is because our communities have been disproportionately
harder hit compared to, others. So, you know,
to for us to dismiss it and just
think, well, it's not really for us, it's
for others, it doesn't really apply to us.
We have a and,
you know, it doesn't matter. That's not the
right attitude. We've talked about this over and
over again. The outcome comes with taking responsible
reasonable means. Okay? That goes hand in hand
with our reliance on Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala.
So, you know, this situation that we are
in right now is a consequence
of our actions. And I mean, not specifically,
I'm not, you know, pointing at anyone, but,
generally, as a society, when we get relaxed
right? We're getting relaxed. Let's admit it. Everyone
was almost everyone was getting relaxed. You're thinking,
okay. Well, you know what? The vaccines are
here now, and it's just a matter of
time and that the numbers are going down,
the weather is getting better. Well, guess what?
It's right back there. So, you know, we're
getting relaxed
over the past couple of weeks. Now we
still have a chance. This is really important.
We still
have a chance to make it to the
Masjid
and have these restrictions boosted, Insha'Allah,
for the last 10 nights of Ramadan.
Okay? We still have an opportunity to do
that because 4 weeks doesn't take us into
the last 10,
last 10 days and nights of Ramadan. Okay?
So we still have an opportunity to do
that, and we don't wanna blow that either.
Okay? Honestly, we don't wanna blow that either.
We don't wanna be in a situation where
once again we're not able to offer, you
know, Tarawee or Payaab or, you know, God
forbid, it it it gets worse, and, you
know, there's further restrictions. Okay? So we really
need our best behavior,
for our own benefit, but also the benefit
of our entire community and society. You know,
it reminds me of the verse in Surah
Torad where Allah
says,
that merely Allah
will not change
the good the condition, right, the good condition
of a people as long as they do
not change their state of goodness themselves.
Meaning, by committing sins, by being ungrateful, by
being disobedient to Allah Subhanahu wa ta'ala.
And when Allah intends evil for a people,
that
when Allah
intents evil for a people,
there is no way to turn it back.
And for them, there is no patron other
than him, other than Allah
And in Ma'alehi for the Quran, the tafsir,
contemporary tafsir of the Quran, Ma'alehi for the
Quran,
Mufti Shafir
Uthmani
he writes that it means that Allah
does not change the state of peace and
security
enjoyed by a people
into a state of distress and instability
until
such time that those people themselves change their
deeds and ways into evil and disorder.
What does it mean? That Allah ta'ala does
not change the state of peace and security
enjoyed by a people
into a state of distress and instability
until such time that those people themselves
change their deeds and ways into evil and
disorder. And when a whole people,
meaning whole people like, the, you know,
a group of people change
that, to commit themselves
or change and people change to commit themselves
in their surrounding conditions
into
rank contumacy, meaning stubborn refusal.
Stubborn
refusal to obey or comply
with authority
and disobedience,
then Allah ta'ala too changes his way with
them. And it is obvious that should Allah
himself
intend evil and punishment for anyone, then there
is no way that it could be averted
and there is no one who can rise
to help them against the divine decree. Now,
of course, my brothers and sisters, the verse
is referring,
to the disobedience of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.
Okay? So I'm not trying to,
you know, take the verse out of context,
apply to our current situation and be like,
you know, we disobey the authorities because this
is Fatima disobeyed Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. But
what we are seeing today perhaps maybe a
small example of that in terms of worldly
matters. Okay? So what Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
is talking about
in
it's talking about, of course, disobedient to to
Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala at a much, you
know, serious greater level. But, you know, sometimes
it's difficult for us to understand. It's difficult
for us to see how that makes sense,
but or or how that applies or how
that works. Well, we have a real world
example
in our own society,
in our own world of how something like
this could happen. Now, Imam, Qutobi
writes in his tafsir
that,
that
that the meaning of the worst does not
mean
that,
that a punishment
is not inflicted upon anyone unless he or
she commits a sin.
He says,
but it doesn't mean that a punishment is
not gonna be inflicted upon anyone unless he
or she commits a sin themselves.
Okay? So it doesn't mean that the punishment
is exclusive
to those people who commit the sin or
the disobedience themselves.
He says
that rather calamities
may be inflicted
due to the sins
of others.
Due
to the sins of others. As the prophet
said that he was asked,
shall we be destroyed?
That shall we be destroyed
though they were righteous people amongst us? And
the prophet
said, yes, if evil increased. Again, this is
talking about, you know, disobedience of Allah
evil against, you know, going against the commandments
of Allah
But the principle here is that a group
of people
may be made to suffer the consequences
of the actions of a few. Now in
another narration,
the the wording is, is a little bit
expanded.
The prophet
said,
that if there are righteous among them, among
the group of people who are disobedient,
they are afflicted as the people are afflicted.
The righteous will also be afflicted. However,
then they will return to the mercy of
Allah subhanahu
wa ta'ala. So the consequences of the actions
of some
will affect
all, including those who are righteous or including
those, you know, who are following or, you
know, any who are doing the right thing.
However,
they will be judged independently.
Right?
So they'll those the righteous will not be
held accountable
in the sight of Allah
in the court of Allah
for the actions of others.
However, in this worldly sense, if there's a
consequence, they will have to forbear it as
well. It is not going to distinguish
between those who were who were part of
it and who those who are not part
of it. Now, you know, what strikes me,
brothers and sisters, is that every time we
think,
you know, we've got this pandemic,
right, every time we think that we've got
it, you know, we've got a handle on
it, it's, it's gonna hand and that's it.
Now, you know, it's over. Like, game over,
you know, instead, it's all, you know, uphill
from here or sorry, downhill from here for
the pandemic,
you know, another complication arises.
Right? This has now happened more than once.
You know, we have vaccines being rolled out,
you
know, being given to our elders, to seniors,
and we're thinking, okay, now we're good because,
you know, they were the ones who were
most highly impacted in terms of, you know,
illness and death.
But
what do we find now? Now the well,
now COVID version 2 is taking down younger
people. Okay? So people who thought that they
were safe, then nothing was gonna happen to
them. Now they are the ones who were
finding themselves in the intensive care unit. You
know? And the doctors were on the front
lines. Like, honestly, okay, I don't know how
many doctors, you know, but doctors, like, and
health care workers, they're really tired.
They're really tired because our health care system,
you know, better than many parts of the
world. But it's not like you know, it
doesn't have endless resources.
Right? There's always shortage of funding. There's always,
you know, long lineups and waits for surgeries
and things like that. So, you know, that
whole system was being managed,
you know, in a in a in a
particular way. And once you have an influx
of of more and more people coming in,
it's not it's not really sustainable. Right? I
mean, nurses were already doing 12 hour shifts.
Many nurses were already doing 12 hour shifts.
You know, there were you know, so health
care workers, people who are constantly on the
front lines, you know, dealing with this, they're
they're they're already burnt out. Like, they're they're
they're trying their best, but they're they've already
gone beyond, you know, what what what would
be expected,
reasonably from from from a person in that
situation.
So,
but, you know, they're they're having to see
to to see this on the front line.
Younger people, that's what they're saying. Multiple family
members coming in and now being, you know,
put into the intensive care unit. You know,
younger people being put on ventilators, you know,
harder doctor last last night, talking about, you
know, a 25 year old or 24 year
old being put on a ventilator. You know?
So this is not something that, you know,
that is just happening to other people.
Allah protect us all, but this is something
that we have to, be very much aware
of.
You know, we've got issue with one of
the vaccines. You know, we had a presentation
from Ottawa Public Health,
for the imams,
to talk about, you know, the vaccines and
and how it's being rolled out and all
of that.
You know, overall, they seem to be relatively
safe, but as you probably heard, there are
some issues with, potentially,
with one of them questions about effectiveness and
safety.
So,
you know, what we learned from all of
this is that, truly, this will only end
when Allah
decides that it should be over.
Truly, this is gonna end when Allah decides
that it should be over. We can only
try. Right? Our job is to try our
best. It doesn't mean that, you know, we
shouldn't be trying. We should be trying.
But at the end of the day, it's
in the control of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala
and Allah
will be the one who's gonna decide when
it's gonna end. We can't, you know, force
it and make it end,
if Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala doesn't, will to
do so.
And, you know, I have this thought, and
I I don't wanna scare people, but I
just had this one thought the other day.
Now this is only one virus.
This is
only one virus.
Okay. And by the way, it's super tiny
too. Right?
Like, if you if you if you if
if you actually compare it to the size
of other viruses and other organisms and stuff,
you know, and bacteria, it's, like, super super
tiny. Okay. It's, like, the smallest of all.
This is only one.
Okay. May Allah forgive us and protect us,
but if Allah were to decide to unleash
just one more,
can you imagine?
Like, right now, we're just talking about version
1, version 2. What if there's a completely
different one that was just as bad or
even worse? May Allah protect us. May Allah
forgive us. Okay? So it's all in the
control of Allah
But at this point, I know it's been
over a year,
and it's natural to be feeling a bit
tired. You know, if you're feeling a little
bit tired, you know, a little bit frustrated,
you're feeling like, you know, when is this
gonna end,
and how long is it gonna go on
for? You know, it's natural to have those
feelings. Okay? But it is important, my brothers
and sisters, that we remain hopeful.
It is important
that we remain hopeful. We not allow ourselves
to fall into hopelessness and despair.
Remain hopeful. Do not, like, resist
the urge to fall into the hopelessness
and
despair.
Right? So it's from among the the trait
of the believers
that, you know, they do not despair in
the mercy of Allah
and always try to find the silver lining,
and and always try to have a positive
attitude no matter how difficult the situation may
be. Because you see the reality is that
this world,
this dunya that we live in, right, that
we are immersed in right now.
Right? Like day to day. Right? Like, who's
thinking about akhirah? Maybe you do, But most
of all, like, when we're busy with our
lives, we're just you know, we're busy with
what we're dealing with at that time.
So this this world
is a place of trials,
and the path to Jannah
for the believers is a path of trials
and challenges.
Okay. So let's let's let's just get that
straight.
The path to Jannah
is not easy for the vast majority of
people.
The path to Jannah
is going to be challenging because Jannah is
a great reward. Right? It's a massive reward.
It's a tremendous reward. It's the greatest reward
that anybody could ever have in their entire
existence in this universe.
So Jannah is a great reward. It's a
tremendous reward, and it is not attained easily
except if Allah wills. If Allah
decides to give Jannah to someone without any
effort of their on their part, then, yes,
that is absolutely
possible.
But
most of the people will have to go
through
struggle and some challenges, And it reminds us
of the verse in Surat Al Baqarah, where
Allah
says clearly.
Do you think,
do you think that that you will be
admitted into paradise, into Jannah,
without being tested like those before you?
Right? That's what I'm saying. It's addressing the
believers. They're not mean. Right? These are people
who are gonna go to Jannah Insha'Allah.
Right?
Do you think that you will be admitted
into paradise
without being tested like those before you? And
then Allah
gives us details
of some of the test that they faced.
They were afflicted with suffering
and adversity.
And Ibn Abbas
he says that
refers to a refers to illness,
sickness. Right? Other commentators say that is referring
to poverty. They have different explanations that they
have given. But nonetheless,
right, suffering and adversity of different types, whether
it's poverty, whether it is illness, whether it
is other types of struggles and challenges,
was 0 and were so violently shaken.
That
meaning, you know, their their their hearts were
shaken. They were they were, you know, disturbed
in such a way.
They were so violently shaken that even the
messenger
and the believers with him. Right? The messenger,
the prophet of Allah of the time,
and the believers with him cried out,
when will Allah's help come?
Right? And it is interesting here. Some of
the commentators mentioned in Arabic
portion, I think, that they didn't say.
Right? They didn't question
whether the help of Allah
is gonna come. Right? Or, like, where it
is, but rather the question when is it
gonna come. So it's not that they had
any doubt
on the the the fact that the help
of Allah is gonna come,
but,
you know, they were
they they were so afflicted that they were
they wanted to know when it was gonna
come. So it's not a question of if,
but when. So they had no doubt on
the fact that the help of Allah will
come. InshaAllah, the help of Allah will come
to us as well. But their question was
when is it gonna come? And Allah
says
that indeed Allah's help is
near. Now the commentators say that this ayah
was revealed regarding the battle of the trench
in Medina when Muslims were stricken with exhaustion
and hardship
and heat and, you know, in some instances
and fear and then wind and cold as
well and tightness of living and all kinds
of harm. So there was multiple
challenges that the believers were believers were facing.
And,
Adar
he says that when the messenger
and his companions
migrated to Madinah,
the Muslims lived under extreme duress.
The Muslims lived under extreme duress because they
migrated without their wealth
and have have left their homes and fortunes
in the hands of the idolaters,
and instead preferring the good pleasure of Allah
and his messenger
And additionally, the Jewish people of the time
in Medina,
they manifested their enmity to the messenger of
Allah sallallahu alaihi wasallam. And then and on
top of that, a number of wealthy people
were hypocrites in in secret. So not only
were they did they have material challenges in
terms of, you know, resources, but they were
also, you know, facing
other types of societal
challenges as well in terms of,
the the inhabitants of, of Madinah.
So in order to set their minds to
rest, Allah
revealed,
you know, this
verse
of Now, you know, illness
and poverty and struggles are to be expected
on the path to Jannah. But note that
Allah
says at the end that
indeed, the help of Allah
is near. And, of course, as we often
remind ourselves, that Allah
also tells us
that verily along with every hardship is relief
and barely along with every hardship
is relief
and.
Right? And the promises of Allah are
absolutely true. Whether we see it or not,
whether we understand it or not, we must
firmly believe that Allah's promise is 101110%
true, and there's absolutely no doubt with with
regards to it. However, we have to ask
ourselves, my brothers and sisters,
that am I acting in a way?
Is my behavior a barrier
to the help of Allah
coming and, you know, positively impacting us? Is
there something that I am doing? Is there
something about my behavior
that is,
because of which Allah's
help is? Even though it's right around the
corner, it's harib, it's close, it's not coming
to us right now. Right? Is there something
that I can change? Is there something that
I need to change? Maybe I need to
reevaluate.
Right? Because and it's very interesting. Right? Because,
like, I come across, you know, people's how
long people have challenges, and then make it
easy for them, you know. But we're we're
always looking from our own perspective.
Right? And the the the things that we
want to do, and our attitudes, and our
preferences, we take those as almost sacred. Okay.
Like, we don't wanna question those. And then
we look out and we say, okay. Why
are things not happening according to how I
believe they should be happening? Right? But maybe
it's our own attitudes and the own boundaries,
you know, and our own preferences that we've
tied ourselves to. Maybe they are the problem.
Maybe those are the things, our attitudes and
our behaviors and our choices, our preferences, maybe
those are the things that need to change.
And then the
And then, you know, we're we're gonna see
this
also. So my brothers and sisters, we have
much to look forward to.
Try not to dwell on the past.
Okay. What you haven't been able to do,
for how long, all of those things. Any
thought that's gonna bring you down, try to
resist it. Try to push it aside. I
know it's not easy. Okay. When you start
thinking of that, right, it happened with dates.
Like, you know, it's oh, it's been 1
year since I did this. Oh, it's been
this many weeks or months since I was
able to do this or I saw this
person or this activity or that, you know.
So all of those things, try those thoughts,
try to push them aside.
Okay? And try to be hopeful and try
to give others hope as well. So first
of all,
you know, what I like to do is
always look outside.
I'm so grateful, especially when the weather is
nice. You know, spring is here. This morning,
as I was preparing my notes, I heard
the birds chirping. The birds were chirping outside,
very nice, sound.
We're seeing longer days, of course, and the
sun is out more because we're getting more
sunlight as the days get longer. All of
these things have an impact on us. Okay.
So once again, physically, let's try to get
out. Let's try to exercise. If you have
stopped doing so, going for walks with your
family, you know, go hiking,
go biking,
you know, picnic with your own family if
it get you know, as it gets warmer,
maybe not today, it's a bit cold, you
know, going to the park,
doing things in your backyard with your kids.
You know, brothers and sisters who are going
fishing,
shout out to brother, Sharif, you know, with
this YouTube channel,
for ice fishing. No more ice anymore.
But fishing, you know, and even hunting. You
know? I I got word that, Michelle, there's
a sister who was also hunting as well.
And, it's a normal thing. You know? People
hunt,
and it's an opportunity to learn new skills.
You know, get some do the beehive. You
know, you can eat it. It's it's the
food for yourself, for your family as well
for others.
So, you know, you can go and learn
these things. Of course, there's rules and regulations
for everything, but if you follow the rules,
you know, you can you can do it.
You can learn and you can do it
as well. So let's try to find once
again the joy in the little things.
Once again, we're gonna have to refocus as
we go into this period to try to
find joy in little things. So that's number
1. Number 2,
you know, try to stay in touch as
much as possible because whenever we go into
one of these situations like a lockdown, a
shutdown, it can be very hard on on
on some of us, you know, on some
people. So try to reach out, you know,
especially if you can do video calls with
family and relatives and friends. And when you
do these call because, you know, it it
has an impact when we see one another.
Right? Talking on the phone versus seeing, there's
an impact. There's a difference there.
And try to share good news.
Try to be a positive source. You know?
Praise people for their patience, for their goodness.
You know? Thank them for the good that
they have done, and and try to
share a good mood.
Be happy. Try to be positive as much
as possible and try to share it. You
know why? Because it's contagious.
Good mood is contagious. I was reading an
article. Experts have discovered
that people have a natural tendency
to mimic the facial expressions and postures
and other behaviors of others during face to
face interactions.
The phenomena known as emotional contagion. What is
it called? Emotional contagion. And, no, I don't
do it will it will, you know, fool
jokes and that was yesterday anyway, and I
don't believe in that. But okay. So, yes,
there's a thing called emotional contagion,
which appears in humans and some other animals
as early as infancy.
Scientists have found that our basic primal instincts
lead us to sync up emotionally with others
in almost an instant.
We can subconsciously
take on the intense feelings of another person
in a matter of milliseconds.
K. So let us try to be a
positive force, you know. We know that smiling
is sunnah. There's it's it's a form of
charity. So I know with masks on, it's
hard, but, you know, as whenever possible, you
try to smile. Okay. Try to be in
a cheery mood, in a good mood, and
try to share positivity and spread positivity with
with people.
Number 3, you know, look forward to Ramadan.
Okay. I know there's some uncertainty and may
cause some anxiety,
but think of the goodness of the month
of Ramadan. Think of last year's experience. If
you felt you had a positive experience, I've
talked to multiple people who've actually said that,
you know, they felt their family felt the
last Ramadan was actually the best Ramadan ever.
Okay? So if it was positive for you,
think of last Ramadan. And, inshallah, we should
be in a better position to offer some
prayers at least in this Ramadan as opposed
to last because last year, almost no one
did. And we still have some hope if
we tread carefully
we will be able to offer at least
some, in
in hopefully, especially in the last 10 nights.
And, of course, the school break is gonna
be coming during the 1st week of Ramadan
because it got delayed from March.
So, inshallah, the first beginning of Ramadan will
be easier as well to be together as
families.
So try to prepare for it. You know,
it's something to be excited. It's not a
burden. Ramadan is not a burden. It's a
blessing. So be excited about it. Prepare for
it with your family. Number 4, I have
to mention that, you know, let's as if
it's possible for you, let's try to continue
to support our small businesses that are struggling,
especially our community restaurants, cafes, our brothers and
sisters, local families who are, you know, involved
in business. Because once again, they are facing
restrictions of not having people they're not allowed
to have people inside or even outside eating.
You know, it has to be take up.
So, you know, as much as possible, you
know, let's try to remember them and try
to help them.
I was thinking ideas. I said, maybe you
can have a virtual dinner party on Zoom.
You can have it at home. And I
know it's not the same thing on video,
but you order food. You do drop it
out at everyone's house. You could do it
in Ramadan as well. You drop off if
not. And then you can connect on Zoom
and everyone, you know, sits together and eats.
I I know it's not ideal, but at
least, you know, we're supporting small businesses, and
at the same time, we are getting to
connect with our family and friends.
Number 5, plan activities to prep for Ramadan.
You know, whether it's food preparation, whether it's,
you know, building a mini masjid at home,
not to bring people from outside your home
to pray as I mentioned earlier, but for
your own family if possible. You know, looking
at the prayer times, you know, making calendars,
you know, having your kids decorate the masjid,
you know, activities like that. And finally, preparing
for aid as well. Right? Because aid is
just over now, you know, just over, you
know, 5 to 6 weeks from
now. So shopping,
thinking about gifts,
clothes, all of those things that you're gonna
probably gonna be doing at the end of
Ramadan at the most valuable time of the
year. You know, maybe try to do it
a month earlier so that way you can
maximize your time at the end of Ramadan.
Allah
says,
and whoever is mindful of Allah, he will
make a way out for them.
And provide from them for them from sources
that they could never imagine.
And whoever puts their trust in Allah, then
he alone is sufficient for them.
Certainly, Allah achieves his will.
Allah has already set a destiny for everything.
We have, some sad news.
Our,
brother,
Abraham,
his brother, passed
away in Yemen.
So let us make dua for him and
for all others.
Allah.
Oh, Allah. Please shower your mercy and forgiveness
upon our brother Louay and all of those
who have returned to you.
Oh, Allah. Please increase please,
accept all of their good deeds. Allah, forgive
them for all of their shortcomings. Oh, Allah,
please grant them, the best in the grave
and protect them from all, evils in the
grave and grant them the best place in
jannah.
Oh, Allah, please envelope all of all of
us in your unseen protection.
Oh, Allah. With just less than 2 weeks
to go until Ramadan. Oh, Allah. Once again,
we are,
we are facing restrictions.
Oh, Allah. Please grant health and protection
to all of our brothers and sisters, to
all of our neighbors, to all of the
frontline workers, especially the doctors, the nurses, the
people in the stores, the teachers, all of
those who are out there. Oh, Allah, please
protect them. You Rabbal Alameen.
Oh, Allah, please forgive us for all of
our shortcomings. You Rabbal Alameen. Oh, Allah, we
have rebellion inside of us. Oh, Allah. We
often find ourselves rebelling and going against guidelines,
going against regulations, whether they are worldly or
whether they are sent by you, You Allah.
Oh, Allah. Please forgive us for our rebellion,
You Rabba Alameen. Oh, Allah. Please take out
this please take away this
this characteristic
of rebellion from inside of us.
Oh, Allah, make us from those who who
can say
when it comes to your guidance.
Oh, Allah, when it comes to the sunnah
of your beloved messenger.
Oh,
Allah, when it comes to those who have
been, given authority over us in goodness Oh,
Allah. Oh, Allah. We ask you to allow
us to witness the month of Ramadan.
Oh, Allah. How many of us? How many
of your servants today are making du'a for
Ramadan, but you have already decreed that they
are not to see the blessed.
Oh, Allah. Please make us from among those
who have the opportunity to witness the blessed.
Oh, Allah. Please protect us from all types
of harms and evil influences
and all types of evil endings.
Oh, Allah, please protect us all from all
types of pain and suffering.
Oh, Allah, please cure all of those who
are ill or facing hardship and struggles with
regards to their health and their bodies.
O Allah, our elder sister in pain and
weakness. O Allah, our brother and sister living
with long term pain and injuries. O Allah,
our brother Sa'ud Alam who is struggling against
cancer and is not going away. O Allah.
O Allah. You are the you are the
one who has authority over the cancer. Oh,
Allah. You are the one who is in
control of all things. Oh, Allah. You are
the cure. Oh, Allah. Please, out of your
grace and your mercy, please cure him, You
Rabbi Alameen.
Oh, Allah. All of our other pioneers who
are ill, who are ill, who have cancer
and other illnesses, Oh, Allah, our brothers and
sisters who are suffering from COVID 19 as
we speak. Oh, Allah, please cure them all
and all of those who have any illness.
Oh, Allah, please cure them.
Oh, Allah,
and remove their suffering with and replace it
with happiness and easy.
My brothers and sisters. Just wanna remind you,
inshallah, tonight we have kids, story time, with
the renowned Muslim,
children's author, Sister Dulsana.
She'll be live at 6 PM online, and
there's, some of her books that will be
given away as well.
It's a free entry. So please register, to
join at panadamustems.ca/story.
And, also, tonight, inshallah, we have a lecture
especially for sisters,
entitled A Mother's Ramadan,
with a sister Naima Ali.
That'll be on Zoom.
Please join on Zoom at 8 PM, or
you can also watch on YouTube and Facebook.
And please spread the word. And, you can
find the link at canadamusims.ca/ramadhan.