Sikander Hashmi – Tips for a Happier Winter Break KMA Friday Message

Sikander Hashmi
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The speaker discusses the potential risks of COVID-19 and the challenges of the upcoming winter break. They suggest taking precautions such as avoiding meetings and social isolation, and emphasizing holistic religion to fight sadness and feelings of depression. The importance of physical and mental health is emphasized, and activities such as exercise, avoiding junk foods, and listening to good and positive material are emphasized. The importance of taking care of one's health and mental health is emphasized, and the importance of avoiding distractions and finding a way to serve others is emphasized. The importance of good sleep and mental health is also emphasized, and the importance of avoiding distractions and learning to be in touch with others is emphasized. The importance of avoiding comparing and comparing people with less than one is emphasized, and the importance of finding a way to serve others is emphasized. The importance of avoiding comparing and comparing words and practicing safe behavior is also emphasized. The importance of avoiding drinking and drinking every day is emphasized, and the importance of finding a way

AI: Summary ©

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			We begin by praising Allah
		
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			the lord of the universe,
		
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			our creator, our sustainer, our protector, our nourisher.
		
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			And we begin by sending peace and salutations
		
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			upon his beloved messenger,
		
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			Muhammad, the son of Abdullah, the final messenger
		
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			of Allah.
		
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			I hope that you're all well by the
		
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			grace of Allah
		
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			And today, on this beautiful day, this blessed
		
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			beautiful day, the sun is out, masha'Allah.
		
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			The sky is blue and clear as I
		
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			can see from here.
		
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			We find ourselves at the beginning
		
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			of the winter break.
		
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			Now most of the time,
		
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			this time of the winter break approaching is
		
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			a time for excitement.
		
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			Even for those who are not celebrating the
		
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			holidays or not celebrating any any holidays coming
		
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			up, You know, it's a time, to take
		
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			a break,
		
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			from from work,
		
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			especially from school, for our young ones.
		
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			And,
		
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			you know, in the past years, what would
		
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			happen if families would get together? Maybe you
		
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			would have been planning to travel.
		
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			Most of the time we would have snow,
		
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			although there's no snow today.
		
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			You know, there will be events happening and
		
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			people will be going. So, many people from
		
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			Argo go to Toronto, for example,
		
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			or travel elsewhere.
		
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			But, of course, this year is very different.
		
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			We know that the vaccines for COVID 19,
		
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			have been released and are slowly
		
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			going to be reaching,
		
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			people, different parts of the country, different parts
		
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			of the world.
		
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			And,
		
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			actually,
		
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			the,
		
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			so the assembly of Muslim Jurists of America,
		
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			AMJA,
		
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			group of scholars,
		
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			and as well as the Canadian Muslim COVID
		
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			19 task force, both of them have issued,
		
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			and I'm sure other organizations as well, have
		
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			issued statements,
		
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			about the vaccines,
		
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			approving them from Islamic point of view and
		
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			recommending them,
		
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			as well as this is one of the
		
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			means that Allah has
		
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			given us to improve our physical
		
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			protection.
		
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			Now, of course, there can be much discussion
		
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			and debate surrounding,
		
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			safety and long term impacts,
		
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			of,
		
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			vaccines that that may have been seen in
		
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			the past.
		
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			But it appears to talk to the, to
		
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			the experts,
		
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			honest, trustworthy experts in the field.
		
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			They will tell you that for the most
		
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			part,
		
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			the the benefits,
		
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			that the world has seen,
		
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			coming from vaccines outweigh,
		
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			the harm. But, kind of, Allah
		
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			knows best. That's a separate,
		
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			discussion.
		
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			That but the reality is that even with
		
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			the vaccines being rolled out,
		
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			the virus is still spreading. And there's a
		
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			lot of concern,
		
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			regarding the winter holidays
		
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			that people will be meeting. Because, you know,
		
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			in the summertime, if you remember, if you
		
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			think back a few months,
		
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			you know, we would pass by, you know,
		
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			for example, Andrew Hayden Park, and you'd see,
		
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			that,
		
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			it will it will be will be packed
		
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			especially on the weekends.
		
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			Many, many families,
		
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			mostly Muslim, I think, you know, who would
		
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			be gathering and and meeting family and friends
		
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			and so on, outdoors. And, of course, it
		
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			was probably a lot safer,
		
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			to do that outdoors, as opposed to indoors.
		
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			But because of the cold now, no one's
		
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			gonna be in the parks. Most of the
		
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			parks are actually closed.
		
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			So the concern is that people will be
		
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			meeting indoors and they'll be close contact especially
		
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			inside homes,
		
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			or gatherings like weddings,
		
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			and especially major concern with regards to the
		
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			open serving of food
		
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			as well.
		
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			So
		
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			hospitals are preparing for a large increase
		
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			after the winter break, and the concern is
		
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			that that increase could actually
		
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			may, make the situation unmanageable inside hospitals, especially
		
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			in larger cities.
		
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			We're somewhat better off
		
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			here in Ottawa. And Allah
		
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			protect us all.
		
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			Now as always, of course, we place our
		
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			trust in Allah.
		
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			And
		
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			with that,
		
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			we need to continue,
		
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			taking precautions.
		
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			Now because of which, we are expected to
		
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			have a very different winter break,
		
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			a very different winter break this year. And,
		
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			because of that,
		
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			or,
		
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			rather, you know, this different type of break
		
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			can be very difficult for some people,
		
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			for children, for youth, for adults, for the
		
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			elderly.
		
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			Various,
		
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			family members, various segments of our community can
		
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			find it very, very difficult, especially when there's
		
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			nothing to do,
		
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			or there's very little to do, I should
		
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			say.
		
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			And, you know, you can't really go and
		
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			meet people.
		
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			Probably not gonna be able to travel,
		
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			plus, you know, if there's snow or if
		
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			it's very cold and the nights are very
		
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			long and the days are short.
		
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			And as a result,
		
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			it's very likely that many people will be
		
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			feeling,
		
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			sad and having feelings of depression.
		
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			And actually, in fact, you know, this time
		
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			of year is known
		
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			to be when depression associated with winter tends
		
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			to peak
		
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			because
		
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			there, you know, Allah has created us in
		
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			a way that we actually crave and we
		
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			need sunlight,
		
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			and we need to, you know, go out
		
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			and get exposure to sunlight.
		
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			And if a person, you know, we're not
		
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			designed
		
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			to live in in in long
		
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			periods of, of darkness,
		
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			or, you know, that is something that we
		
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			find challenging
		
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			just in the way that we are we
		
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			have been designed. So,
		
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			you know, in extended periods of darkness coupled
		
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			with the cold, coupled with the social isolation,
		
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			these are all things which can pose, serious
		
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			challenges.
		
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			So today,
		
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			we're gonna briefly look at, inshallah, some steps
		
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			that we can take to fight sadness and
		
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			feelings of depression
		
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			and hopefully spend a happier winter holiday. This
		
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			may not apply to everyone,
		
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			in every way, but,
		
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			more likely than not, you have a family
		
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			member or someone that you know who is
		
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			going through this or will be,
		
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			you know, who perhaps could find these tips,
		
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			helpful.
		
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			Insha'Allah. So first of all, the first thing
		
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			we have to realize is
		
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			that our religion, our deen of Islam is
		
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			a holistic religion, which promotes
		
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			holistic wellness.
		
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			And what that means is that the various
		
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			aspects of our lives from an Islamic perspective
		
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			are not separate.
		
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			We don't compartmentalize
		
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			and say, okay. This is my, you know,
		
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			this is these are the teachings with regards
		
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			to the physical, these are for the spiritual,
		
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			these are for the mental,
		
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			and, you know, they're all independent of each
		
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			other. And, you know, I'm just gonna do
		
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			one and it's just the impact of it
		
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			or the benefit is just gonna stay limited.
		
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			That's not how it works. Right? So it's
		
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			a holistic
		
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			because we are, you know, Allah has created
		
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			us as human beings
		
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			with,
		
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			you know, the physical body, with the mind,
		
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			and with the ruh, the spirit. So therefore,
		
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			we can't separate the 3. The 3 are
		
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			are linked to one another and one something
		
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			that impacts one affects the other. Right? So
		
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			it's all it's all interconnected.
		
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			So what happens is oftentimes there's a misbalance
		
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			that can end up leading to various symptoms
		
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			and challenges, And we try to deal with
		
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			the symptoms,
		
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			not necessarily getting to the root of the
		
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			problem.
		
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			Right? So for example, if somebody just keeps
		
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			getting headaches and you keep telling them, okay,
		
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			take Tylenol. Just keep taking Advil and keep
		
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			taking Tylenol. Okay. Well, that may give them
		
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			some relief
		
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			temporarily. Every 4 hours or every 8 hours,
		
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			the headache is gonna come back, and it
		
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			doesn't get to the root of the problem
		
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			as to why the headache is actually occurring
		
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			in the first place. Right? So a lot
		
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			of times, what what what's happening today is
		
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			that we see symptoms and we try to
		
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			deal with the symptoms, but we're not actually
		
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			getting to the root cause. And a lot
		
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			of times the root cause is not so
		
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			easy to identify.
		
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			So a few things that can help us,
		
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			and it's actually,
		
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			you know, very important, especially especially when the
		
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			days are short, especially when there's less sunlight,
		
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			is to actually get exercise.
		
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			Right? It's to get out,
		
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			try to get out of the home. Even
		
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			in the summertime or the spring, I remember
		
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			during the pandemic, like, in the beginning of
		
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			the pandemic, right, a lot of people were
		
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			just locking themselves up inside, and it would
		
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			be such,
		
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			you know, it will literally be such a
		
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			breath of fresh air if you just went
		
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			out and start off again. You would notice
		
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			that not just physically you would feel better
		
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			by the physical exercise,
		
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			but your mind would open up and you
		
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			feel refreshed and you feel,
		
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			you know, you you feel good. So exercising
		
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			is very very important,
		
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			especially when it comes to mental health as
		
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			well. And you think about it. Right? When
		
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			you're exercising, are you using your brain? Are
		
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			you using your mind? Not really. Right? I
		
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			mean, if somebody's running, somebody's biking, unless they're
		
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			doing, like, some crazy obstacle first, You know,
		
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			I mean, you're just like, you know, you
		
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			you're using your body physically, but it's actually
		
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			having a positive impact on your mind. Right?
		
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			Why? Because they're all interconnected.
		
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			Right? You your physical activity
		
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			and there'll be certain, you know, chemicals that'll
		
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			be released in your brain, and this is
		
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			the design of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, subhanahu
		
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			wa ta'ala, subhanahu wa ta'ala, subhanahu wa ta'ala,
		
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			subhanahu wa ta'ala. Right? Everything is interconnected. So
		
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			exercise is good for us. We know that,
		
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			but
		
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			really, really push yourself to try to get
		
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			out. I know it can be cold sometimes.
		
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			It may be difficult. It may be challenging
		
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			or, you know, maybe not everyone
		
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			will be able to go out and walk.
		
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			But getting exposure first of all, exercising and
		
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			getting exposure to nature,
		
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			is is very, very therapeutic,
		
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			and and it's very, very healthy, very helpful.
		
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			And, actually, one thing that we are, trying
		
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			to push, the new program we started is
		
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			called KMA Wellfit.
		
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			K. So and we're having a winter Wellfit
		
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			challenge.
		
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			And the idea is that,
		
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			we encourage one another
		
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			to at least,
		
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			move
		
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			without a car, of course, move for 1
		
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			and a half kilometers every day. Okay? So
		
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			whether it's walking or running or biking or,
		
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			jogging or, you know, whatever snowshoeing scheme, whatever
		
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			you like to do, you know, go out,
		
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			and this is a challenge that everyone can
		
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			take, Ochala. Try your best. You know, if
		
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			you're not able to for some reason, that's
		
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			fine. But, you know, try your try try
		
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			to encourage motivate yourself, encourage yourself and others
		
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			to try to get out and move for
		
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			at least one and a half kilometers.
		
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			And you can actually sign up, you know,
		
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			for those of you who who may not
		
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			know, there is, you know, an app,
		
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			that you can download, you know, on your
		
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			devices called Strava, and it'll actually we've actually
		
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			created a community,
		
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			on Strava, so we can actually follow each
		
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			other and see who's running how much or
		
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			who's, you know, doing what, and we like
		
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			each other's activities and we comment. And, you
		
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			know, just just to give positive,
		
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			you know, reinforcement and encouragement to one another.
		
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			So because when we see others doing it,
		
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			then we also get motivated. Right? So,
		
00:10:50 --> 00:10:51
			it's tinyurl.com/camewelfit
		
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54
			or actually you can just go to kanamossoons.ca,
		
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			then you'll find the link, to sign up
		
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			for this. So this is something new that
		
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			we we we started.
		
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			And again, the benefits of this will not
		
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03
			just be physical, but it shall it will
		
00:11:03 --> 00:11:05
			be mental and spiritual as well because if
		
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06
			you get out in nature
		
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			and you you because many times, you know,
		
00:11:09 --> 00:11:11
			in our lifestyles today, we're just we're just
		
00:11:11 --> 00:11:13
			driving everywhere. Right? We're hardly ever much all
		
00:11:13 --> 00:11:14
			of some brothers and sisters, I can see
		
00:11:14 --> 00:11:17
			them in the neighborhood walking, but when the
		
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			weather's cold, like, it's it's it's tough to
		
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			get out and the days are short. But
		
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			really try to get out because it gives
		
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			us exposure to nature and, you know, it
		
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			it gives us a different perspective, and it
		
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			gives us an opportunity
		
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			to appreciate the blessings of Allah Subhanahu Wa
		
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			Ta'ala. And the beauty of Allah's creation and
		
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			his design and, and and like all these
		
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			different, you know, things that we should be
		
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			thinking about or reflecting upon that many times
		
00:11:38 --> 00:11:40
			during the course of our busy days or
		
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			or while, you know, just staying locked up
		
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			at home, we may not be exposed to
		
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			as much. So exercising,
		
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			very, very important. If you can go outside,
		
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			do it inside. I know people who just
		
00:11:49 --> 00:11:52
			walk in their homes for kilometers, you know,
		
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			or they'll have treadmills or, you know, other
		
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55
			equipment that they could use,
		
00:11:55 --> 00:11:58
			and they're really just just running and or
		
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			walking and and, and and making, you know,
		
00:12:01 --> 00:12:03
			good use of their time, getting that exercise
		
00:12:03 --> 00:12:05
			that's good for their health, for their physical
		
00:12:05 --> 00:12:07
			health, but also their mental and spiritual health.
		
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			That's number 1. Number 2, you know, taking
		
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			care of our diet is also very important
		
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			for, you know, the the the reason that
		
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			Allah
		
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			out of his wisdom and knowledge has prescribed
		
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			for us to eat halal,
		
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			but also payib as well.
		
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			Right? And these things are not done just
		
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			for no reason. Whenever Allah prescribes something for
		
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			us or prohibits something for us, it's for
		
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			our own benefit. And there we might understand
		
00:12:31 --> 00:12:33
			some wisdoms, but there's many more wisdoms
		
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			that we do not understand. And we are
		
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			not able to appreciate just because our our
		
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			senses are so limited and our knowledge and
		
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			our understanding is so limited, especially compared to
		
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			that of Allah.
		
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			So eating that which is halal number 1,
		
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			but also wholesome,
		
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			and pure and natural. You know? And and
		
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			eating halal, like, sometimes, you know, we may
		
00:12:51 --> 00:12:53
			not be so careful. Sometimes we may think,
		
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			okay. Well, some things are not that necessary
		
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			and, you know, we're just gonna be a
		
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			bit lax. But, you know, it has an
		
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59
			effect on our spirituality.
		
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02
			It has an effect on the spirituality of
		
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			our children. But these are things which are
		
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			important and they're important for a reason because
		
00:13:06 --> 00:13:08
			there are impacts that we may not be
		
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			able to perceive. You know, a person may
		
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			feel that they're having struggles. They're having challenging
		
00:13:12 --> 00:13:15
			challenges with regards to, to be a, right,
		
00:13:15 --> 00:13:18
			with regards to various things. And and then
		
00:13:18 --> 00:13:19
			they may not even realize that perhaps some
		
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			of it has to do with the fact
		
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			that the the nourishment that their children are
		
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			getting, that they are giving to their children
		
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			is perhaps not halal. It's doubtful,
		
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			or it is not for you. Right? And
		
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			therefore, it's having an impact on their behaviors,
		
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			having an impact on their growth than the
		
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34
			way that they are behaving.
		
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			So, you know, taking care of our diet
		
00:13:36 --> 00:13:38
			for ourselves, for our families, make sure that
		
00:13:38 --> 00:13:40
			it is halal, but also, you know, that
		
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			is wholesome.
		
00:13:41 --> 00:13:43
			Trying to avoid junk. Now, of course, we
		
00:13:43 --> 00:13:45
			enjoy junk food once in a while,
		
00:13:45 --> 00:13:48
			but, you know, really trying to control the
		
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			sugar intake, the salt intake because, again, these
		
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52
			things will have not just physical impact on
		
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			us, but it will affect us indirectly. It'll
		
00:13:54 --> 00:13:56
			affect us mentally as well
		
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			and eventually and spiritually as well.
		
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			Of course, the prophet has given us the
		
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			1 third rule. Right? Now we're not really
		
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			having dinner parties or gatherings, so maybe it's
		
00:14:05 --> 00:14:08
			easier to practice this rule nowadays compared to,
		
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			you know, when we're when we're eating somewhere
		
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			else,
		
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			or when buffets are open, for example.
		
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			But 1 third, you know, for food, 1
		
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			third are are stomach. Right? 1 third food,
		
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			1 third liquid, and 1 third for air.
		
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21
			Right? And, again, this is the prophetic
		
00:14:22 --> 00:14:24
			prescription, like, can be very difficult to follow
		
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			because our dinner is already taking up 90%.
		
00:14:26 --> 00:14:29
			You know? Because it's already taking 90%, and
		
00:14:29 --> 00:14:31
			then the dessert is, like, another 20 on
		
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			top of it. So we already had a
		
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			110 plus we're drinking. You know? So just
		
00:14:34 --> 00:14:36
			just trying to be mindful of these things.
		
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39
			And on top of that, not just the
		
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			physical diet, but also
		
00:14:41 --> 00:14:44
			the the the the the mental and spiritual
		
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45
			diet as well. Right? So what do we
		
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			listen to and what do we watch? And
		
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			this, again, subhanAllah, is something which is so
		
00:14:50 --> 00:14:50
			overlooked.
		
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			Right? Where people will be trying to to
		
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54
			improve their spirituality or maybe they're trying to
		
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55
			improve improve,
		
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			you know, things that have to do with
		
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			their mental state, their behavior, all of those
		
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			things, but they're not realizing what they're actually
		
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			taking in. They don't realize the damage that
		
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			what the material they're watching.
		
00:15:06 --> 00:15:08
			Right? Whether it's on Netflix or it's TikTok
		
00:15:08 --> 00:15:10
			or, you know, any other platform that they're
		
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			they're going through, the stuff that they're watching
		
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			and the the things that they're listening to,
		
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			especially if they're listening to music and they're
		
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			listening to, you know, various types of lyrics,
		
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			all that stuff is like poison.
		
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			They're like, how is poison ever gonna make
		
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			you well? How is it ever how is
		
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			poison ever gonna make you feel better?
		
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			Right? It may you may think that it
		
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			it it's it's gonna make you feel better,
		
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			but in reality, it's not. Right? Junk will
		
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			make you feel miserable. Right? So the type
		
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			of material that we're reading, that we're watching,
		
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			even if it's just like YouTube videos or,
		
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			you know, for older adults, you know, you're
		
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			watching stuff on YouTube, you're watching, you know,
		
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			like, the crazy part of videos that people
		
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			are forwarding to you, and you're just, like,
		
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			you know, spending your time doing all of
		
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			that.
		
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			It may be very captivating,
		
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			but how healthy is it? Right? Is it
		
00:15:53 --> 00:15:56
			increasing your anxiety? Is it increasing your worry?
		
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57
			Is it may creep, you know, making you
		
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			paranoid? Is it making you doubtful of of
		
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			things and of people? So really look at,
		
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			you know, pay attention to what you're watching
		
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			and what you're listening to because it is
		
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			gonna have an impact on you. Watch and
		
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			listen to good material, healthy material, positive material.
		
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			It'll make you better. You know, I was
		
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			just in a presentation last week, a very,
		
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			very good conference, masha'Allah, on Muslim mental health.
		
00:16:17 --> 00:16:19
			And they're talking about the impact of news
		
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			headlines.
		
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			The impact of of news and being too
		
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			too, you know, attached to headlines and and
		
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			paying attention to the news and the type
		
00:16:28 --> 00:16:30
			of anxiety, you know, the the the impact
		
00:16:30 --> 00:16:32
			in terms of creating or increasing anxiety
		
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			and giving, people a lot of, you know,
		
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			mental peace. You know? So it's not I
		
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39
			mean, I studied journalism. Right? I worked as
		
00:16:39 --> 00:16:41
			a reporter. So I'm not saying, you know,
		
00:16:41 --> 00:16:43
			news is not important or or don't, you
		
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			know, don't pay attention to the news. Of
		
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			course, it's very important, but in moderation.
		
00:16:47 --> 00:16:49
			Right? Pay attention to what you're constantly feeding
		
00:16:49 --> 00:16:50
			yourself
		
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51
			because at the end of the day, it
		
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			is gonna have an impact on you.
		
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			Number 3,
		
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57
			appropriate sleep and rest at night. Now, of
		
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59
			course, you know, some people may be staying
		
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01
			up very late because, you know, it's it's
		
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02
			the winter break or,
		
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05
			or maybe sleeping in very late and things
		
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06
			like that. And, of course, once in a
		
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07
			while you do that, you take a break,
		
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09
			as long as you're praying fudge or, of
		
00:17:09 --> 00:17:12
			course, on time, you know, it's fine. But,
		
00:17:13 --> 00:17:15
			you know, regularly, we wanna make sure that
		
00:17:15 --> 00:17:16
			our our sleep,
		
00:17:16 --> 00:17:19
			and and our wakefulness is balanced. Right? So
		
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21
			it's not too much so that it becomes
		
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			laziness, and it's not too little so that
		
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25
			it becomes harmful to our bodies because, you
		
00:17:25 --> 00:17:26
			know, Allah tells us
		
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			and
		
00:17:31 --> 00:17:32
			who made your sleep,
		
00:17:32 --> 00:17:34
			made your sleep for rest and the night
		
00:17:34 --> 00:17:37
			as a covering. Right? So there's a reason,
		
00:17:37 --> 00:17:38
			why Allah
		
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41
			you know, has has made night and day.
		
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43
			And part of it, at least one of
		
00:17:43 --> 00:17:45
			the reasons, is for us to be able
		
00:17:45 --> 00:17:47
			to rest. Right? So our minds and our
		
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47
			bodies,
		
00:17:48 --> 00:17:50
			to rest. So trying to use that,
		
00:17:50 --> 00:17:52
			you know, in a moderate way and making
		
00:17:52 --> 00:17:54
			sure we have enough sleep, that we need
		
00:17:54 --> 00:17:55
			especially for young people. I know it can
		
00:17:55 --> 00:17:57
			be really, really challenging to go to sleep
		
00:17:57 --> 00:18:00
			early or, you know, and, you know, just
		
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01
			to some people are night people, some are
		
00:18:01 --> 00:18:03
			morning. I understand that. But at the end
		
00:18:03 --> 00:18:05
			of the day, trying to take care, and
		
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06
			balancing,
		
00:18:06 --> 00:18:08
			our our sleep, paying attention to our sleep
		
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10
			so we are sleep so that we're resting
		
00:18:10 --> 00:18:12
			and sleeping in a healthy way.
		
00:18:13 --> 00:18:15
			You know, doing something different
		
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16
			and breaking the routine
		
00:18:17 --> 00:18:19
			is also healthy. Right? Even if it's something
		
00:18:19 --> 00:18:21
			which is simple. You know, some parents I
		
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22
			know a lot of parents will be dealing
		
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24
			with kids who are saying, oh, we're bored.
		
00:18:24 --> 00:18:26
			We're bored. What do we do? What do
		
00:18:26 --> 00:18:28
			we do? Oh, this is so boring. This
		
00:18:28 --> 00:18:30
			is so terrible. You know? And and almost
		
00:18:30 --> 00:18:32
			every parent has probably lived through that and
		
00:18:32 --> 00:18:34
			we may have done that ourselves when we
		
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36
			were young. Okay? But so, you know, it's
		
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36
			natural.
		
00:18:37 --> 00:18:39
			It's it's natural that, you know, as human
		
00:18:39 --> 00:18:41
			beings, we will get become we will get
		
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42
			tired of routines.
		
00:18:43 --> 00:18:45
			We will get bored at times. So try
		
00:18:45 --> 00:18:47
			to do something different even it doesn't have
		
00:18:47 --> 00:18:49
			to be something that's tremendous. It doesn't have
		
00:18:49 --> 00:18:51
			to be something that's, you know, that's that's
		
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52
			that's that's really big.
		
00:18:53 --> 00:18:54
			But just trying to break the routine and
		
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56
			and doing something simple even if it's going
		
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57
			to a new place
		
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59
			or, you know, I don't know, getting food
		
00:18:59 --> 00:19:01
			from somewhere different if you can or trying
		
00:19:01 --> 00:19:01
			a new activity,
		
00:19:02 --> 00:19:05
			you know, trying something that you haven't done,
		
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07
			going to a place you haven't been to,
		
00:19:08 --> 00:19:10
			you know, just just exploring different things, going
		
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11
			to different places,
		
00:19:12 --> 00:19:13
			that can help break the routine. Next
		
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15
			week,
		
00:19:15 --> 00:19:17
			for our meat and tea session,
		
00:19:17 --> 00:19:19
			coming up on Thursday, we will be talking
		
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20
			about winter,
		
00:19:21 --> 00:19:23
			fun and sports. You know? So their their
		
00:19:23 --> 00:19:24
			activities, some of our brothers and sisters and
		
00:19:24 --> 00:19:27
			families are, you know, engaged in that we
		
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			may not know about. We may not be
		
00:19:29 --> 00:19:31
			have tried before. So, you know, explore new
		
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31
			things,
		
00:19:32 --> 00:19:34
			and try to find, you know, things that
		
00:19:34 --> 00:19:36
			you can do, that are a bit different
		
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38
			than what you're used to. Now also the
		
00:19:38 --> 00:19:41
			prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam has told us,
		
00:19:42 --> 00:19:44
			that, you know, one of the things that
		
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47
			I mean okay. So as human beings, we're
		
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48
			we're looking at others, of course. Right? We
		
00:19:48 --> 00:19:50
			hardly ever look at ourselves. Right? We're always
		
00:19:50 --> 00:19:52
			looking at others. Like, I'm looking at you
		
00:19:52 --> 00:19:54
			right now. Right? So we are we are
		
00:19:54 --> 00:19:56
			used to looking at others, and one of
		
00:19:56 --> 00:19:58
			the ways that we look at people sometimes
		
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00
			is that we compare.
		
00:20:00 --> 00:20:02
			Right? We look at what others have. And
		
00:20:02 --> 00:20:04
			this is tends to be a major issue
		
00:20:04 --> 00:20:06
			at this time, especially with those who have
		
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07
			children, you know, who have
		
00:20:08 --> 00:20:10
			friends who or, you know, classmates who are
		
00:20:10 --> 00:20:12
			perhaps celebrating Christmas or getting lots of gifts
		
00:20:12 --> 00:20:14
			and things like that, you know, and you
		
00:20:14 --> 00:20:16
			start feeling deprived. Right? You start feeling okay.
		
00:20:16 --> 00:20:18
			Well, now how come, you know,
		
00:20:19 --> 00:20:21
			they get to get all these things and
		
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22
			how come I can't have this and, you
		
00:20:22 --> 00:20:24
			know, so there's a lot there's a lot
		
00:20:24 --> 00:20:24
			of comparison
		
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			that tends to happen. So the prophet
		
00:20:27 --> 00:20:29
			has given us, you know, really really golden
		
00:20:29 --> 00:20:31
			advice and that is that
		
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37
			That look at those below you, do not
		
00:20:37 --> 00:20:38
			look at those who are above
		
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39
			you. Why?
		
00:20:42 --> 00:20:45
			For it is the best way not to
		
00:20:45 --> 00:20:46
			belittle the favors of Allah
		
00:20:47 --> 00:20:49
			Right? So first of all, try not to
		
00:20:49 --> 00:20:50
			compare, but if you're going to look, if
		
00:20:50 --> 00:20:52
			you, you know, if you're gonna pay attention
		
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53
			to what people have,
		
00:20:54 --> 00:20:56
			or or, you know, if you're gonna pay
		
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			attention to their state, then look at those
		
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			who who have less than you. Right? Meaning,
		
00:21:00 --> 00:21:02
			not not below you in a bad way,
		
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			but those who have less than you or,
		
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			you know, who are not as blessed as
		
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			you are by Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala. Why?
		
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			Because it is the best way not to
		
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			belittle the favors of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
		
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			If we start paying attention
		
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			to, you know, what we don't have and
		
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			what others have, then we lose appreciation for
		
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			the blessings that Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala has
		
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			given us. On the other hand, if we
		
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			pay attention to, you know, what
		
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			we have and what others don't have,
		
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			it increases our appreciation
		
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			of the favors of Allah
		
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			So, you know, first, try not to compare.
		
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			But if you're gonna look, then look at
		
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			those who don't have, right, who don't have
		
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			anything. And for parents, expose
		
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			expose your children
		
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			to people who don't have.
		
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			Right? For those who are less fortunate.
		
00:21:46 --> 00:21:48
			Right? We're so used to meeting in our
		
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			own social circles, you know, own families, which
		
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			is good. There's nothing wrong with that as
		
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			long as you practice it safely nowadays, of
		
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			course. There's nothing wrong with that, but what
		
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			happens is we end up living in a
		
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			bubble, even adults. Right? We start thinking that
		
00:22:01 --> 00:22:01
			everyone
		
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			is at the same level as us. We
		
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			start thinking that everyone else's lifestyle is the
		
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			same, that everyone's standard of living is the
		
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			same. And especially if Allah has blessed you,
		
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			it can become very easy to to to
		
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			get cut off from reality.
		
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			Right? You lose touch. Right? I've had that
		
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			experience before. We went to, you know, a
		
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			a a soup kitchen to serve a meal
		
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			at and,
		
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			you know, it was just literally blocks
		
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			away from, you know, the local university.
		
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			And, you know,
		
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			bless the volunteers, but, you know, some of
		
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			them are like, we are so used to
		
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			walking in these polished,
		
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			you know, clean corridors of the university amongst
		
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			educated people and academics and, you know, where
		
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			people who are relatively well off. We never
		
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			realized that this is the state just 3
		
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			blocks away, that there's people who are hungry
		
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			and, you know, who have nowhere to live
		
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			and they're coming for food.
		
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			And they had you know, we were serving
		
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			them.
		
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			So, you know, just just snapping out of
		
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			our little bubbles and actually realizing,
		
00:23:00 --> 00:23:02
			what's actually happening to people even within our
		
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			own cities, that can be a great way
		
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			of of increasing our appreciation for the blessings
		
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			of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala, but also then
		
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			motivating us to help others as well.
		
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			And that's my next point that, you know,
		
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			if you have nothing to do, find create
		
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			something to do,
		
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			right, by serving others, by coming
		
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			to to the to to the aid of
		
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			others, by becoming a means of mercy for
		
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			others. Right? When it comes to the homeless
		
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			people, especially, you know, in the cold,
		
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			whether, you know, you you collect socks or,
		
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			you know, gloves
		
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			and coats,
		
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			and donate them to the homeless shelters. And,
		
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			of course, contact them first to see what
		
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			they are receiving these days, or raising money
		
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			or, you know, making cards for,
		
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			the our elders, people in long term care
		
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			facilities who are really feeling isolated
		
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			nowadays, you know, finding something something to do
		
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			that you can do yourself with your family,
		
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			with your children
		
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			to to brighten up someone else's day and
		
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			in the in in the process, you you
		
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			feel good about it as well. Right? And,
		
00:24:00 --> 00:24:02
			of course, it counts as salaqa for you
		
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			as well. InshaAllah, Allah will reward you. And,
		
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			again, when it comes to mental health, right,
		
00:24:06 --> 00:24:08
			the top two things that are recommended
		
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			right off the bat, especially for people dealing
		
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			with depression, it's exercise and volunteering.
		
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			Exercise and volunteering. Those are the 2 things
		
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			that if you just get yourself push yourself
		
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			to do that, you will almost always
		
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			start feeling better, right, even by a little
		
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			bit. Okay. So coming to to the benefit
		
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			of others, helping others,
		
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			giving or supporting people in any way that
		
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			you can, even if you can't give yourself.
		
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			Right? But just, like,
		
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			getting something going. Right? Collecting something, you know,
		
00:24:39 --> 00:24:41
			whether it's money or goods, arranging for it,
		
00:24:41 --> 00:24:43
			facilitating it. And you get the equal reward,
		
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			right, or similar reward. That's what the prophet
		
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			has told us. Right? The beauty of Islam
		
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			is you don't have to be rich in
		
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			order to get reward for salafah. You don't
		
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			need to have anything
		
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			in order to get rewarded
		
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			for giving and charity because you become a
		
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			means of facilitating
		
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			goodness for others, and, Insha'Allah, you will receive
		
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			the similar reward. And most importantly, my brothers
		
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			and sisters, to have a happy winter holiday,
		
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			winter break,
		
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			most importantly, let us increase
		
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09
			in spirituality.
		
00:25:10 --> 00:25:12
			Right? That is the number one way to
		
00:25:12 --> 00:25:14
			find peace in our hearts.
		
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16
			Right? That is the main way of finding
		
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			peace.
		
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22
			K. If we want peace in our hearts,
		
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			if we want restfulness, if we want our
		
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			hearts to be calm, it's not gonna come
		
00:25:25 --> 00:25:27
			from anything else. Or it may come from
		
00:25:27 --> 00:25:29
			some things, but it will be temporary.
		
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30
			The impact
		
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			that we are going to get from the
		
00:25:32 --> 00:25:34
			zikr of Allah by
		
00:25:35 --> 00:25:37
			far that is going to be the most
		
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			powerful
		
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39
			source
		
00:25:39 --> 00:25:41
			for peace and contentment
		
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			in our hearts.
		
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			You know, so whether it's salah or making
		
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			dua, recitation of Quran, listening to Quran,
		
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			let's, you know, making
		
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			with focus, listening to, you know, inspirational talks
		
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			that remind us of Allah
		
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			You know, we have,
		
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			something new also, the winter dua challenge, which
		
00:26:00 --> 00:26:01
			starts Monday as well,
		
00:26:02 --> 00:26:03
			going through,
		
00:26:04 --> 00:26:06
			the 2 weeks during the winter break. We'll
		
00:26:06 --> 00:26:08
			have a new dua that is posted every
		
00:26:08 --> 00:26:11
			day. New prophetic dua. Then it's for children
		
00:26:11 --> 00:26:13
			but also for youth and adults. Everyone can
		
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			participate.
		
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			And the challenge is that you memorize the
		
00:26:15 --> 00:26:17
			dua of the day and you, submit it
		
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			to us. You record it and you submit
		
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20
			it to us that day before midnight.
		
00:26:21 --> 00:26:22
			Everyone who does that, it doesn't have to
		
00:26:22 --> 00:26:24
			be perfect. You try to memorize it as
		
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			much as you can. And you you submit
		
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			it.
		
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29
			If you submitted that day, each person who
		
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31
			submits it will be entered into a prize
		
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			draw for that day. And then there's gonna
		
00:26:32 --> 00:26:33
			be a grand prize draw at the end
		
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			as well. Again, so just motivate us, have
		
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			something to do, and having some goals and,
		
00:26:37 --> 00:26:40
			you know, using our time positively. So, you
		
00:26:40 --> 00:26:41
			know, that is something that you can find
		
00:26:41 --> 00:26:43
			online on our website at canonmuslims.ca.
		
00:26:44 --> 00:26:46
			And starting Monday, we'll be posting the dua
		
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47
			here on the window as well for those
		
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48
			who like to confirm
		
00:26:48 --> 00:26:50
			with their families to see the the dua
		
00:26:50 --> 00:26:51
			of the day.
		
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52
			Abdullah ibn Mas'ud
		
00:26:53 --> 00:26:55
			said, reported that the prophet
		
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			said that no person, and another report no
		
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59
			believer,
		
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01
			suffers any anxiety or grief.
		
00:27:02 --> 00:27:05
			And then says this dua, Allah
		
00:27:32 --> 00:27:34
			Meaning, oh, Allah, I am your slave, the
		
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35
			son of your slave, and the son of
		
00:27:35 --> 00:27:37
			your made slave. Your command over me is
		
00:27:37 --> 00:27:40
			forever executed, and your decree over me is
		
00:27:40 --> 00:27:43
			just. I ask you by every name belonging
		
00:27:43 --> 00:27:45
			to you, which you have named yourself with
		
00:27:45 --> 00:27:47
			or revealed in your book, or you taught
		
00:27:47 --> 00:27:49
			to any of your creation, or you have
		
00:27:49 --> 00:27:51
			preserved in the knowledge of the unseen with
		
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53
			you that you make the Quran the life
		
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			of my heart and the light of my
		
00:27:55 --> 00:27:57
			chest and a departure for my sorrow and
		
00:27:57 --> 00:27:59
			a release for my anxiety. So this is
		
00:27:59 --> 00:28:01
			a dua. It's a it's somewhat lengthy dua,
		
00:28:01 --> 00:28:03
			but perhaps it's something that we can learn.
		
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04
			It's not part of the challenge because it
		
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06
			might be hard to learn in one one
		
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06
			day.
		
00:28:07 --> 00:28:09
			But then the prophet said, what will happen
		
00:28:09 --> 00:28:11
			to that person? Except that Allah will remove
		
00:28:11 --> 00:28:12
			their sorrows
		
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14
			or their sorrow and replace it with happiness.
		
00:28:15 --> 00:28:17
			K? So if you're feeling anxiety, if you're
		
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18
			if you're feeling,
		
00:28:19 --> 00:28:19
			sadness,
		
00:28:20 --> 00:28:22
			grief, then this is the dua to read
		
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23
			because the prophet
		
00:28:24 --> 00:28:25
			said that Allah
		
00:28:25 --> 00:28:27
			will remove that person's sorrow and replace it
		
00:28:27 --> 00:28:29
			with happiness. And what what what could be
		
00:28:29 --> 00:28:31
			better than that? Right? That our
		
00:28:31 --> 00:28:33
			sorrow is removed, our grief is removed, and
		
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34
			it is replaced
		
00:28:34 --> 00:28:37
			by happiness. And the companions asked that,
		
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39
			should we memorize these phrases of the supplication?
		
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40
			And he responded,
		
00:28:41 --> 00:28:44
			yes. Whoever hears the words should memorize them.
		
00:28:44 --> 00:28:46
			So as much as possible, you know, try
		
00:28:46 --> 00:28:48
			to memorize this I'll post it on my
		
00:28:48 --> 00:28:50
			Facebook as well, so that, you're able to
		
00:28:50 --> 00:28:53
			memorize if you don't know it already. Now,
		
00:28:54 --> 00:28:56
			the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam went into the
		
00:28:56 --> 00:28:59
			masjid one day and found Abu Umama radiAllahu
		
00:28:59 --> 00:29:01
			anhu and said,
		
00:29:01 --> 00:29:03
			why do I see you sitting in the
		
00:29:03 --> 00:29:05
			masjid when it is not prayer time? So
		
00:29:05 --> 00:29:09
			So Muhammad said it is due to anxiety
		
00:29:09 --> 00:29:11
			and grief which resulted from debts that I
		
00:29:11 --> 00:29:14
			owe. So the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam said,
		
00:29:14 --> 00:29:16
			shall I teach you words? Shall I teach
		
00:29:16 --> 00:29:19
			words which will take away your grief and
		
00:29:19 --> 00:29:21
			by which Allah will help you repay your
		
00:29:21 --> 00:29:23
			debts if you were to say them.
		
00:29:23 --> 00:29:24
			So Abu Muhammad
		
00:29:25 --> 00:29:28
			of course replied, yes, oh messenger of Allah.
		
00:29:28 --> 00:29:30
			Yes, You Rasulullah. Thereupon the prophet
		
00:29:31 --> 00:29:32
			said
		
00:29:32 --> 00:29:33
			that
		
00:29:36 --> 00:29:38
			every morning and every evening say,
		
00:29:48 --> 00:29:50
			That, oh, Allah, I seek refuge in you
		
00:29:50 --> 00:29:53
			from anxiety and grief, weak weakness and laziness,
		
00:29:54 --> 00:29:55
			miserliness and powerliness,
		
00:29:55 --> 00:29:58
			the burden of debts and from being overpowered
		
00:29:58 --> 00:30:00
			by men. And after this, Abu Umama radiAllahu
		
00:30:00 --> 00:30:03
			anhu commented that I did this and Allah
		
00:30:03 --> 00:30:06
			relieve my sorrow and anxiety and help me
		
00:30:06 --> 00:30:08
			repay my debts.
		
00:30:08 --> 00:30:11
			Apart from that, of course, reciting Suratul Falak,
		
00:30:11 --> 00:30:12
			Suratul Nas,
		
00:30:12 --> 00:30:14
			the Suratul Fatiha,
		
00:30:14 --> 00:30:16
			You know, very, very powerful, especially before going
		
00:30:16 --> 00:30:18
			to bed for, our.
		
00:30:20 --> 00:30:22
			Coming to together to offer salah in JAMA'ah.
		
00:30:22 --> 00:30:23
			Of course,
		
00:30:23 --> 00:30:26
			is open for Fajr Maghrib Bereshat. So sign
		
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27
			up for your pass at canonmuslims.ca/pass.
		
00:30:28 --> 00:30:30
			You can come for the for the prayers
		
00:30:30 --> 00:30:30
			in JAMA'ah.
		
00:30:31 --> 00:30:34
			You know, meeting and seeing one another, talking,
		
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36
			even a salam, a smile. Well, you may
		
00:30:36 --> 00:30:37
			not see the smile because of the of
		
00:30:37 --> 00:30:39
			the mask, but nonetheless,
		
00:30:40 --> 00:30:41
			you know, it is something that will help
		
00:30:41 --> 00:30:42
			us feel better inshallah.
		
00:30:44 --> 00:30:45
			The The prophet
		
00:30:46 --> 00:30:47
			said that,
		
00:30:48 --> 00:30:49
			Right? The hand of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala
		
00:30:49 --> 00:30:50
			or the mercy of the protection of Allah
		
00:30:50 --> 00:30:53
			Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala are upon the congregation or
		
00:30:53 --> 00:30:54
			upon the jama'ah.
		
00:30:54 --> 00:30:57
			So, you know, resist the urge of becoming
		
00:30:57 --> 00:30:57
			isolated.
		
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59
			Yes. We may be due to the circumstances,
		
00:31:00 --> 00:31:02
			but try as much as possible to to
		
00:31:02 --> 00:31:03
			be in touch with one another.
		
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05
			And, in terms of good things that we
		
00:31:05 --> 00:31:07
			can do, also reaching out to others who
		
00:31:07 --> 00:31:09
			may be isolated. So perhaps we are not,
		
00:31:09 --> 00:31:11
			but perhaps there are elder, you know, our
		
00:31:11 --> 00:31:14
			seniors or elders or some, you know, some
		
00:31:14 --> 00:31:16
			members of the community who are shut in
		
00:31:16 --> 00:31:17
			and they're not able to get out or
		
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18
			they find it difficult.
		
00:31:19 --> 00:31:19
			So calling,
		
00:31:20 --> 00:31:22
			video calling, you know, having conversations and being
		
00:31:22 --> 00:31:24
			in touch, that is something also that we
		
00:31:24 --> 00:31:25
			can do that will keep us busy and
		
00:31:25 --> 00:31:27
			also make others feel good and give them,
		
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30
			you know, something to look forward to, inshallah.
		
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32
			So we ask Allah to
		
00:31:33 --> 00:31:35
			protect us, from all types of grief and
		
00:31:35 --> 00:31:37
			anxiety, depression, and sadness. Ask Allah
		
00:31:38 --> 00:31:40
			to make our winter break, but also all
		
00:31:40 --> 00:31:42
			of our days always a means of peace
		
00:31:42 --> 00:31:43
			and happiness for us.
		
00:31:55 --> 00:31:57
			Oh, love. Please forgive our major and minor
		
00:31:57 --> 00:31:57
			sins.
		
00:31:58 --> 00:31:59
			Oh, love. Please fill our hearts with the
		
00:31:59 --> 00:32:01
			light of iman, with the strength of taqwa.
		
00:32:01 --> 00:32:03
			With love for you and your book and
		
00:32:03 --> 00:32:03
			your beloved.
		
00:32:05 --> 00:32:07
			Oh, love. Please purify our minds, our hearts,
		
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10
			our, our thoughts of all everything that is
		
00:32:10 --> 00:32:12
			evil and make our minds and our bodies
		
00:32:12 --> 00:32:14
			and our souls true believers in every way.
		
00:32:15 --> 00:32:17
			Oh, Allah, please envelope us all in your
		
00:32:17 --> 00:32:18
			unseen protection.
		
00:32:19 --> 00:32:20
			Oh, Allah, please cure all of those who
		
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22
			are ill, all of those who are facing
		
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			hardships and struggles with regards to their health.
		
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			Will Allah our elder sister who is in
		
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			pain and weakness. Will Allah our brother and
		
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			sister living with long term pain and injuries.
		
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			Will Allah our pioneers, our elders, and others
		
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			who are ill with cancer and other illnesses.
		
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			Oh, Allah, ours,
		
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			all of those who are ill or who
		
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			are injured, who are in any type of
		
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			pain or grief or anxiety or stress, oh,
		
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			Allah, please cure them and heal them. Oh,
		
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			Allah, you are the cure and you are
		
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48
			the healer. Oh, Allah, please grant them all
		
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			speedy and complete recovery.
		
00:35:14 --> 00:35:15
			My brothers and sisters.
		
00:35:16 --> 00:35:16
			Just,
		
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			an announcement with regards to, Foodie Fridays.
		
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			We're starting to sell, food once again, to
		
00:35:22 --> 00:35:23
			benefit,
		
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			the Masjid, project.
		
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			So that's commandments.ca/food
		
00:35:27 --> 00:35:29
			today on the menu this evening. This is
		
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			no longer Jamara time. But from 4:45 to
		
00:35:32 --> 00:35:35
			6 PM is the pickup. Chicken, biryani today
		
00:35:35 --> 00:35:35
			on the menu
		
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			so you can sign up for, food. Please
		
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			do place your orders because it's almost finished,
		
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			at www.kanadamustems.ca/food.
		
00:35:44 --> 00:35:46
			And also, as I mentioned, our du'a challenge
		
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			starts on Monday,
		
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			and also, the winter welfare challenge as well.
		
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			Both of those links are also on our
		
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			website at kanadmuslims.ca.