Lockdown Reflections #2

Every day there's a new twist there's a new development.

Probably if we had to just rewind a month back or two months back, we would often say that a The world is really in shambles things are really going bad. But now when you look at it currently you think a few months back, it wasn't all that bad. And what's the message here again? That is the quotation of say the NA Mara. We are the Allahu anhu marufuji Samana Mancha was a man in kg mother, woman Kuru ma Rufus Amani Lamia T. Maru. femenina Moon carrozza man in Kannada, that what we perceive and understand and assume as noble today was actually considered a vise in in in yester years in the years gone by, when wouldn't go to who maroof was Imani lamb Yachty and many things

which we today would perceive to be despicable, unacceptable unsavory. As we inch closer towards the Yama and things deteriorate, that will stand out to be somewhat acceptable and the norm of society. So as bad as the moment ease the only consolation we have is that it's better than tomorrow. As bleak as the hour is right, Sharona Illa Anna Sydney Malik Manuel communal Hajaj when people complain to the librarian, who because of the tyranny and oppression of hijab, he said his Bureau for in the hula de la casa de mano en la la de la who assured Minho, hottel Cora back home Samia to whom in Libya come sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that persevere, because I heard the Prophet

sallallahu alayhi wasallam saying that every error that is to come will be worse than the error that was before it until you make your way to the Yama and your death and you meet Allah and academically also, may Allah preserve and May Allah reward the scholars, they open up an amazing discussion under this hadith because the Hadith says that

every letter error and every forthcoming period will be more evil than the one it preceded that's the Hadith right?

For in the hula de la comes a man in England lady by the who assured Minho the one after it will be more severe. So they pose a question and they say that the era of hijab was also followed by Omar Abdulaziz Rahim Allah will look at the thinking of the Maha Devi and how deep they go into it. So how do we reconcile because unanimously the era of Ramadan Abdul Aziz was a fresh breath It was a second Homer. It was a different period altogether. In the Sierra Kabir does that incident mentioned the way a person came to drink water and draw water from the well during the reign of Rama bin Abdulaziz Rahim Allah and he seen on one side there was a wolf and on one side there was a sheep

drinking commonly from one well, and he said Mata is de la Vega was shot. And this is a strange sight When did we ever see this year? And he said, Hey, Anna is de la hora de la Mola. When the shepherd made peace with his creator, then there was it had ripple effects across the creation, that you know, even animals that are known to be one being a predator and the other being a prey, could could find communists together, leave alone humans. So how do we reconcile that every error that is to come after will be more severe? When the era of Ramadan Abdul Aziz Rahim Allah came after her judgment use of and that was better. And again, the scholars of Hadith May Allah reward them

handsomely. They say undoubtedly, undoubtedly the era of Ramadan Abdulaziz on a general note because of His justice was better, but the reign of hijab and the use of witness more Sahaba so that made that error rich in merit. So although in on a broad context, yes, there was an ideal and justice in the period of Ahmed Abdul Aziz Rahim Allah, which was not found by Judge but undoubtedly there were more Sahaba So, the the the messes could turn to erudite scholars for guidance in turbulence.

So, that makes one understand the colossal and the mammoth responsibility that annamma ought to show that in situations like this, and whenever they will be fitting that they will people and can you imagine as we're getting closer to tiama, that the the challenges are intensifying and the regional are becoming less meaning people have who had the you know, what Rossy hoonah feeling those who are anchored in knowledge, those who are established in knowledge, to whom you could go and find counsel, solace, guidance and inspiration. So

I want to share a verse of the Quran

and it's a verse of the 16th Jews, the 20th Chapter The 40 adverse, Surah Taha, and again, it's a message for us and this is what we're going to discuss daily inshallah, as we move through these challenging moments, and we try and swim across and hopefully we get to to the shore. Luqman Hakim said to his son at dunya by Haruna. I mean, they would spell it out, honestly, they wouldn't sugarcoat it. He said, The world is a deep ocean, oh, my son, a lot of Tuffy Hill, our Loon. I've seen many people prior to me when we read their tails they drown, and many after us will drown for any Stata federal Safina Takata koala, the only vessel with which you can sail in this

in these stormy waters is the fear of Allah. And I was saying to my honorable dad today that you know, discipline is is vital at all times. But in this current crisis, it's all the more vital. They say that an undisciplined man is a is a headache to himself and a heartache to others. An undisciplined man is a headache to himself and a heartache to others. And yet someone else said discipline yourself so others don't have to discipline you. And someone said, There is nothing more common than seeing success than seeing talented men. There is nothing more common than seeing talented men who are unsuccessful, simply because they lack discipline, simply because they lack

discipline. So if in your life, there isn't discipline, how long you're going to sleep, how long you're going to eat, what's the Arabic proverb, men akella caphyon Sheree by Cathy urine or machete by Cathy Thielen. Namah kathira woman nama Kathy Allah, Allah wachten Kathy Allah,

the more you eat, the more you drink, the more you drink, the more you sleep. And the more you sleep, the more your life just swiftly passes away through and and you achieve nothing you achieve nothing out of it. So in the 20th chapter of the Quran, verse 40, it's in the narrative and the tale of say dinar Musa alayhis Salatu was Salam.

It's amazing that Allah subhanho wa Taala, the verses preceding the 48 verse is where signal musala salam asks Allah, Allah opened my bosom for me simplify my task for me, etc, untie the knot on my tongue because of the stammer and Allah says Udi. So Allah kiya Musa Musa, whatever alayhis, Salam you've asked has been approved. And then the verses follow to say that today you are requesting aid assistance, inspiration, and we've approved it, we have accepted it and we have granted your request. But almost we favored you at a time where you did not even request and you are unaware, and that's the type of diet so your masam is asking Allah grant me this and Allah said OTA OTA.

pseudoacacia musasa is granted, it's approved, it's concluded, but you know what, almost. Padma Nana la cama Ratan okra, we favored you at a time when you didn't even know. And then Alain de de la explains if tongxi Taka in Oh hyena Illa omega you ha when we inspired your mom that which we inspired her and and the Abraham and the ambiguity is to denote the the greatness of the discussion, the greatness and the profound nature of what is to follow, but just to expedite and fast forward to the point of reflection. So then Allah enumerates and highlights the different phases of Allah upon Musa alayhis salam and I'm bringing it into the context of the crisis in which the oma is going

through and that's the beauty of the Quran.

So Allah says, remember the time when your mom put you in the basket and the basket in the river NY and then your sister is a bystander, and as an onlooker was walking by, if she took a photo, I don't know camarilla maniac photo until she makes a way to the palace and then the basket is brought into the palace or alumna la Hill Mirage and divinely. We had barred you from drinking the milk of any wetness because this was kept exclusively for your mum. And then in the discussion Allah says, What fat then Naga food tuna, right? And we tested you a great deal Pendleton Epson you grew up then you inadvertently claimed the life of one person. And then you had the fear of retirement and intercom

the fear of a punishment and revenge fantasy Jaina communal harmony we rescued you from both by pardoning you and taking you to meridian. So ally speaking about all his favors, everything is we favored you, we bless you, we aided you, we assisted you. But then there is a verse which apparently outwardly doesn't tie up as a favor.

Yet the entire discussion is favors wolferton, Naga Fortuna and we tested you a great deal. So in binary or on hakima Amara himolla raises the question when the entire sequence is the mention of boundaries. How do we reconcile the concluding aspect of the 14th verse of the 20th chapter of the Quran, where Allah said, We tested you a great ordeal, how is this a bounty in the discussion of bounties? And he says two things. One is we tested you and ultimately we granted you deliverance. So yes, you went through the test, but then we rescued you. We rescued you. We gave you ease, we granted your deliverance. So that is a bounty. But the second point is what I want to focus on more

is that

for 10, NACA Fortuna and again, if you're going to Arabic grammar, this is my food and water law, which intensifies the nature of the test to say it was a great test, it was an intense test. He says the test itself was a blessing, because by virtue of a test it refines the character of a person.

It creates in him a halaqa favela to use his words.

And undoubtedly, it's barely three or four days into it. And suddenly now you appreciate and even milk on your table, and bread in your house. You can just see how you've toned down. There's the sense of humility in every person, you grateful you know what to stand in the queue, but thank God sugar to Allah, the butcher was open. That bakery was open. The queue was long, it was tedious, it wasn't easy, but Alhamdulillah in the end, we got bread, you telling your family, you know what value what we got value what you got. So for 10 Naka, Fortuna, we tested you a great ordeal. But remember that testing is there to create so much refinement in you. It brings out so much goodness,

humility, humbleness, etc. Another verse of the Quran. First, let me share one Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and this is in the chapter of Mali but where the Prophet sallallahu wasallam had made these different,

you know, he had forecasted and he had made these prophecies. He said a lot he will sell them. And it's a chapter of its own Bible Mali, but he's allowed in some said this will happen this will happen. And he also mentioned that a time will come into handy things in both Bukhari and Muslim that latter dunya this world will not end will not cease to exist until a man comes to a grave yet tomorrow. He will roll in the sand by the grave, and he will look at the dweller and the occupant of the grave and he would say yeah, Layton akin to Makana Sahaba del cobre. I wish I was the occupant of this grave I wish I had moved on. I wish we could reverse it when he said he had been in

lalibela. Now there's great explanation into the commentary of this hadith. I don't want to go into all the detail. Suffice to say that the intensity, the challenges, the trials on this world will become so strong, so challenging, so daunting, that a person would often anticipate and wish that I could, you know, be in the place of the occupant of the grave of course, as believers.

It is impermissible, unlawful and prohibited for us to desire death for us to desire death, but but by virtue of this Hadith, it gives us a yardstick and it gives us an estimation that as times are moving on, how difficult how challenging it is happening. I think for the majority of us, we knew we were getting closer to tiama but we never thought we were going to witness things of this magnitude. We never thought we were going to witness things of this magnitude. Again constellation from the Quran, 13 Jew surah Ibrahim, Allah says you will be to La La Vina Armand Oh Bill toli therby de fille. heighted dunya. Allah says that he will keep the believe a firm in this world alone will by

virtue of Eman that as as challenging as daunting as intensified as it will be. To conclude that quotation of Luqman Hakim we digress from there. He said the world is a deep ocean and I've seen many vessels wreck and I've seen many sailors drown and I've seen many people lose their compass for the federal Safina Takata koala on my son if you can help it make the obedience of Allah your vessel law I like and then Joe wala Raka Nigeria.

Hopefully you make it to the shop but I doubt it. Hopefully you make it to the show but I doubt it.

So we are living in very, very challenging times the verses use a bit alarming Latina armano that Allah subhanho wa Taala will keep the believer firm by virtue of Emma

In this world and keep the believer firm in Africa and in Africa, there's almost consensus of the scholars have said, it refers to the question in in the grave because that will be a separate intensity. There's yet another verse that I want to share. And if time permits, then we'll commence with the book in sha Allah.

I think it's very opportune to discuss it on every verse of the Quran, but in the current crisis in the use of the Quran, fourth chapter in Surah Nisa, Allah subhanho wa Taala says, masaba caminhar sonatine fermina Allah, that whatever good comes your way comes from Allah. Wa Saba coming say he attained from enough sake, and whatever setbacks, difficulties, snags evil, unpleasant things in your life comes from yourself. So that's one verse. Then Then further down on that same page, Allah says, colcannon minhang the law say unto them, everything comes from Allah. So between these two verses, there's apparent inconsistency and I think we say this as well. You know what, everything

comes from Allah, Allah has welders to happen on the earth, so it happens. And that's why the entire world is in this situation and this lockdown. Then we also say, Well, this is our own actions bottle facade. Oh Phil Burnley well Buhari democracy but at NAS, levy calm down and letting me know that everyone evil and corruption on the earth and in the oceans because of the doings of men, to taste them some of the consequences of what they've done, so hopefully they can return and repent. So how do we reconcile how do we reconcile first an academic reflection and on that same page at the end of it, Allah says Allah yet a dub Barun Al Quran, so will they not reflect and introspect. So under

this ayah the scholars say, Allah has invited us to introspection and reflection, and if we have the double, we will not find any inconsistency between the two. But if we only read, we will find inconsistency in the Quran on the very page where Allah refutes inconsistency.

So Allah says what ocana minang delayed Allahu Allah jiofi 11 kathira. If this poron was from anyone other than Allah, they would cite great inconsistency in it. So the way to find that there's no inconsistency, it requires the double introspection reflection, and unfortunately today, you know, we don't have it and we don't apply our mind of Allah tada Barona Quran, Allah, Lubin apostolou How will they not reflect on the Quran? Or have their hearts been sealed? In Mantis, they refer to this as men on Hulu. Men are on Hulu, that either both can be found that they are not reflecting and the hearts are sealed. But it's impossible that both are absent. So you know men are hollow, it's

impossible to be highly from both and that's the reality today I want to become too academic is the hearts are sealed and we're not reflecting on the Quran. So this is a very, very pertinent thing and I urge you and I implore you, my brother and my sister to listen to this carefully, so that we understand it and this is mentioned in Macedo pseudocode, biannual or on how do we reconcile where Allah says good is from Allah. Evil is from you baddies from your challenges are from you. And in another verse, Allah says everything is from Allah. This is so profound. How scillonian metonymy and Nero meta phenomenon mean Allah he be dooney while sweet it

was a Nipa meta, I don't know mean Allah he be one city, Merlyn, real Maru de Manila de fossa Hello jamberoo what Taksim? Oh Killa Houma Furby hi fi at the January sahan nice but to her Illa Allah will be hi fi did not see me Saha Potter oh nice but in nicomachean Allah tala

This is quite academic but inshallah we'll try and simplify it and you will appreciate the depth of the Quran. And that's it. That's it. You know what, regardless of what happens we there is a cue there is an answer. There is guidance. say there is a verse of the Quran I'm coming back to this I know probably people are waiting and I'm digressing here, where Allah told the devil that you can go in this world and do whatever you want to stop this minister Takata mean whom basaltic mislead and insight whomsoever you want with your voice, which could either refer to music or the devilish indoctrination, but Allah said in everybody laser like Allah himself on there are some of my

servants you won't able to mislead them. So this idea makes us believe that regardless of how challenging the situation is, it will always be possible to obey Allah. Because they will remain a segment from the bondsman of Allah and the bonds woman of Allah that will obey Allah May Allah make us amongst that capital.

Good. So yesterday conciliation masaba come in has an 18 fermina law and this is the takeaway from today. This is the takeaway. Absolutely. This is the takeaway. Whatever good comes to you is from Allah. That means a near Matta fact the lumen Allah He Bella was sitting among all your goodness, all your accomplishments, all your prosperity is a boon and favor from the almighty without the intervention of your good deeds. Now, let me clarify that statement. When we say without the intervention of your good deeds, we not advocating that you must become lame, lethargic, inactive and dormant in the performance of good deeds. Undoubtedly, it attracts the mercy of Allah However,

this is mentioned in the Tafseer as well. If you look at any prosperity in your life, your health, your wealth, your children, your spouse, your prominence, your fame in your recent past or your distant past, there is no good action that you or I have ever performed that qualifies us for any bounty of Allah there's nothing I can say no no you know what a lie done this I deserve these kids Allah I deserve a spouse like this I'm entitled to the health that I have. In fact, I often got this bone of the bullet and it's mentioned in almost stotra frequently found in Mr. drove the other day I was sharing it with my brother and he's like, wow, boy, I've never heard something like this.

The bullet says, Oh my Allah, you are so kind to me, that you continue to favor me amidst my ungratefulness as if in gratitude is the formula to attract more.

Get any bit up the CD, a stone g Boudin footballer.

Got a neat bit that the CD esto de Boudin footballer Oh my Allah you've been so merciful to me and you show me so much despite my my ingratitude my rebellious nature my shenanigans, my email my voice, as though an onlooker and outside of a thing, okay, this is how it works. You You just got to be ungrateful constantly and the bounties will continue. This is how can you are to me. So that's the reality. So when we look into our life, there is simply no bounty that I can say I'm entitled to I'm entitled to and again, I have a flash of an eye of the Quran and this is you know, through the grace of Allah. So it's a verse of the 20th juice. It's the 29th chapter, the chapter on unka booth.

The spider Allah says, woman, john Haida in your journey don't enough say that whoever strives and toils he strives and toils for himself. Under this idea in Macedo pseudocode is written Wow, feel fee his own little RGB. What is stacked up? This is a blow to anyone who is guilty of the malady of self admiration. And who is guilty of

the malady of claiming entitlement because what does Allah say Utah you don't for yourself you work you work for yourself you slug you slug for yourself? You You executors a woman yada yada yada enough see it's all for yourself. So you cannot claim anything on the basis of this fee it can only be what that really is the data.

So coming back to that when you look at the bounties Allah gave you in your entire life, nothing qualifies you nothing. And then what a nipple meta look at these words. What a nickel Mata I don't mean Allah. What a nickel Mata, I don't mean Allah he be one Sita dill,

viral, Maria minelab de and the the conditions, the unpleasant occurrences, the challenges, the difficulties, the adversities. The turbulence in your life is a manifestation of the justice of Allah, the justice of Allah, which was triggered by the actions of the servant, which was triggered by the actions of the servant. So when you've understood this year, for Sahil jamberoo what Dr. c mu Killa Houma now it's correct to say that you know what good comes from Allah and bad comes from Allah because good literally comes from Allah without the intervention of my action. And bad does come from Allah in the sense that it is my actions, that that triggers that that provokes that, that

incites that so it's correct to dialect

Everything from Allah was a hot Taksim. And it is equally correct to say that good comes from Allah and bad comes from human, because it's the humans action that provokes these type of situations. And again, the scholars also make a distinction here, that when we say masaba, come in, say I didn't film enough say that whatever difficulties in your life is from yourself. This excludes the category of the NBR. This excludes as mentioned in the tafsir. Because obviously, in their life, there is no say here in the life of a nebby, he is mousumi is protected, he is sinless, he is, you know, absolutely pure and protected by the Almighty. So then the difficulties in his life is for rough

Raja is to further elevate his status. And if it is the life of the odr, and the noble and the buyers, in whose life there is minimum wrong, then it is that fair to say it is to atone, and expiate for their own. So that was just again, another reflection of the verse of the Quran. Hopefully that puts things into perspective. So, to conclude, on a note of hope to conclude on a note of hope.

In the Quran, we've been told if there's anything we ought to fear the most is the punishment of Allah. But even then, Allah has told us that we must have hope. There's nothing that we ought to feel or is more scary than the punishment of the Almighty because Allah himself says that for you to come now into law, I am warning you of the blazing fire. Allah himself says you are a bad effect upon all my servants fear me. There are different verses of the Quran where Allah exhorts us in encourages us to fear yet Allah subhanho wa Taala says, You have Jonah ramita who we are how funada at this diverse of soda Bunny is right in the 15 Jews, where Allah says they are hopeful of the

mercy of Allah and they are fearful of his punishment. And the scholars have mentioned under this ayah that we need an absolute balance, you know, to to have that equilibrium. And that balance in terms of hope and fear, for them to be normality in our life for them to be sanity in our life. If a person is going to be overwhelmed with fear, it's going to lead to despondency. If a person is going to be overwhelmed with hope it's going to lead to inactivity, because he's going to sit back and he's going to be become lame.

What am I not Allahu Amani, so if if if the situation of fearing the punishment of Allah calls for us to have hope than all the more in every other aspect of life, we need to have hope and ultimately a believer knows that his time has been decreed and world by the Almighty. So inshallah hopefully that gives us some insight that will factor Naga Fortuna that even in the test that Allah puts upon us, it definitely makes us humble. Just Just think about it. I mean, I am suddenly holding a loaf of bread with with more meaning with more gratitude with more appreciation. Listen, will you people be getting supplies throughout the lockdown and after last week it was fine I could just walk in and

now standing my chance in the queue and waiting and finally just getting it itself is a joy. So even in the test for a believer there is great refinement and inshallah we will hopefully commence with the book tomorrow we will address those a hadith where Allah subhanho wa Taala and the messenger sallallahu wasallam has given us great glad tidings We ask Allah subhanho wa Taala that he can give everyone the sense of comfort and ease and an inner peace inner peace I think I think that's what we we have people are in a days people are walking around trying to make sense of what needs to be done. And I think let us not you know point fingers to anyone let us don't become judgmental on

anyone. Take your necessary precaution hope in Allah subhanho wa Taala and give us a message of hope when you meet people give people hope. I think it's time we start promoting some messages of hope. The messenger sallallahu Sallam said that when you visit someone who's ill for fistula houfy edgeley, look at the psychology of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam for in the Danica rudisha movie nafsa in the academic writer of the small reader, there is one narrator that is weak in this hadith and that but it's on a general note, it's not towards any action of stimulating people towards Amazon, etc. You know, in terms of mandatary performance, so it's perfectly fine to go these are

Hadith, the prophet Allah is and said give hope to people give hope to people, because your moral support your moral council will not prolong his life, but we'll leave the remaining days of his life with meaning with live with meaning. So I think we need to be agents of promoting some degree of hope, comfort, solace, comfort, and not in any way. Are we advocating that we should be irresponsible? May Allah make it easy and allow for this hovering cloud to move over and restore normality and ease and let us

Come out of this trial closer to our Creator and more refined humans. I mean you're allowed me