Lockdown Reflections #5

Today before we resume with the discussion of the ahaadeeth mentioned in chapter one, which speaks about the virtue of those that have been tested and challenged in different ways, as I have been doing throughout the week sharing different points versus quotations, etc. So today I just want to touch briefly on on one of the themes in the Quran. One of the themes in the Quran is where Allah subhanho wa Taala repeatedly impresses,

repeatedly impresses on his bondsman and bonds woman, that he has absolute authority and that they are totally helpless and feeble. Now we read through these verses and we know that Allah can and Allah has the muscle, but still we don't see it. We don't have absolute conviction about it. We read it to the extent that yes, it's attacks It's enough it's in the Quran. But when we subjected to the so I often say that we plan daily and then Allah graciously allows our plans to come to fruition. So we foolishly and easily thing that things are happening because we planned so this happens for a long time. You know, tomorrow eight o'clock, I get up, I'll meet you, I'm going to the office. Nine

o'clock I have an appointment 10 o'clock a meeting, I have a staff meeting 11 o'clock, I got to meet with some board members. 12 o'clock, I've got a client coming in. We have in lunch out. I've got a domestic so I've got a busy schedule, and I plan it and I take my boxes and Allah allows things to happen as I planned. So I naively think that it all happened because I plan and then occasionally like now on a very large scale Allah subhanho wa Taala disrupts everything. And then we realize it never happened because we plan but it happened because Allah allowed the plan to come to fruition and culmination. That being said, just to share some quick verses of the Quran where Allah subhanho

wa Taala reminds us of his clout his authority his mighty is grandia call our item in alpha de la husana icon wa bussaco mahatama Allah ko lubicon many la vida La Jolla Tea Company be Mohammed Salah Some ask them if I were to suddenly just sees their vision sees their urine ability. And sometimes the season doesn't happen instantly. Sometimes it happens so gradually that you don't realize it. Our amuro and Aruba Nan Cousteau ha min Arthur Rafi ha for human Hollywood.

Amira nanpu Swaminathan Rafi ha la la jolla, la Machiavelli hoekman but don't they see how gradually we narrow in their lands? Do they still foolishly think they will be victorious and dominant? Don't they realize I pass a judgment and nobody can override my judgment and I override everyone's judgment? In my method hayati, dhania karma in Angela homina sama. When you read these verses in the current context and climax, current context and climate, I promise you it just gives you an amazing different feeling. And that's the universal application of the Quran. The similitude the parable of this world is come out in like water and Zelda Amina sama, which comes down from the clouds foxtel a

puppy in a bottle or the Maja coluna so well and um, and then the vegetation grows and there's crops and there's beautiful harvests and there's produce etc. hattah is that in those zohore rofa, a verse of the 11 Judah universe when the earth takes its beauty and its splendor. Wow was the unit and it's adorn and beautified was one Aloha and the roof

and the tiller of the farm set and the farmer the owner said it's time to harvest tomorrow early morning we will be doing our harvest and then we'll be in the market and then people will be coming out just to give you a verbatim translation. One Aloha and the farmer felt the owner felt that he is in control of the situation. And probably before the lockdown every one of us felt I was in control tomorrow I'm on a flight and off I go. Tomorrow I'm meeting and I'm doing this year how many a weddings were canceled how many functions were canceled? How many students who had been studying for years on end? And unfortunately they had a very simple basic graduation, which they were

anticipating.

I recall years back when I was in America in California where I had spent three Ramadan's so I once went to visit the famous Alcatraz. Right It's it was in New York.

prison for the hardcore criminals. And we took a cruise right to the you know, to the jail itself Alcatraz and people know about it and there's documentaries and films etc about it. So one of the former inmates of Alcatraz was there and he was selling his own book and his own story and tale etc.

And as I was reading through and walking through, and you know, picking up and understanding who was here, and the kind of criminals etc, there was a particular image and, you know, former inmates of Alcatraz who had spent the longest of time there, but he didn't make much fame much news, there wasn't much coverage about his life. And he said, and he lived on this hope that the day I die, it will dominate every bulletin across the world. And he lived on the hope of making Fame at his death that the longest in met of Alcatraz dies. fate had it that his death coincided with the assassination of Kennedy

fate had it fate had it and and and I've been through the you know, the Kennedy assassination point as well on one of my trips, but that's on the side note. Imagine you live in in incarceration, you are in this, you know, Alcatraz, you are in this place for hardcore criminals, and you're hoping to hit Fame at the time of your death. Listen, that's the day I'm going to hit every bulletin. But nobody knew at that point, which was just over 50 odd years back now, recently, there was an article on it.

And because Kennedy was assassinated jF Kennedy at that time, obviously that dominated the news. And the poor guy his whole life didn't have fame and even at the point of death, he didn't get the fame he wanted. So there could be such events in life that can steamroll that can overpower that can overwhelm that can obscure or that can just derail things completely. One. Aloha kadhi Runa la ha and the farmer and the tiller felt I am in control.

Runa Leyland Oh na hora Oh man, you could read this ayah throughout the night, you could read it in the current climate and context. There are great Sahaba that would take one eye and just read through it. Someone says I came to meet asthma or the Allahu Allah and I seen her reciting one verse of the Quran from an Allah Marlena wacana adabas some men Allah, Elena wacana adabas some, when the occupants of Paradise will be in Paradise, may Allah make us among them, then they will say this, Allah has been extremely kind to us. He got us across everything. And he's rescued us from the intensity of the fire of hell. And she led this idea in joy in excitement in anticipation throughout

the night. Yet another person said I came looking for a meme or the Allahu anhu and he was reading one verse of the Quran. And has he been living in Nigeria Tara Jose de la Mancha, la Vina Amanullah ami lusardi hot. Saba Maria Mama, to whom those who live a wicked life a sinful life Do they think they will enjoy the same outcome and abode like those who were noble and pious? Never it's not going to happen sir Amaya moon their conclusions are distorted wicked and evil, so that I had a great impact and he read through it throughout the night by Allah when you look around you today in the world, the world has come to a halt in a shot and you take this year and you magnify the

implications. What banana Aloha and the Runa la Whoa, and the custodian and the guardian and the owner felt he was in control at

morona Leyland owner.

Our decree arrived by them at night or by day for Jana has he done?

In the context of that garden that Allah speaks about and the orchard? We made it like it was ruined crops it would have it had been harvested. Lamb doesn't have been AMS like it never existed. gala, Mia Hanafi ha like they never existed. So one of the themes of the Quran is that Allah reminds us He is supreme. He is sovereign. He is in absolute control, and we are feeble, we are weak, we are helpless. And we need to reiterate his greatness and our weakness. That's the first point of reflection I wanted to share. The second thing that I want to share before we endeavor to continue with the discussion on Hadith, there is a verse in the seven chapters that are off the high wall in

the nine Jews, where Allah subhanho wa Taala speaks about Pharaoh and again, there's a

Great similarity in the context of how there was the, you know, repeated challenges that were brought upon him, and at every affliction, there was a kind of awakening pledge commitment, but which was very short lived, both the the diversion of that particular trial and tragedy, and that is the challenge of humans that our reflections are very short lived. Our promises are very short lived.

At this point, each one of us are at some point or the other doing some soul searching, you know what I need to change my life I need to really get an awakening things are really happening on a different scale. I need to realign my moral compass. So what what is the demand of gratitude? What is the demand of gratitude? The demand of gratitude the scholars tell us is that we remain firm in the obedience of Allah in every situation. That is the demand and I'll tell you from the Quran, so Allah addresses the narrative in the fourth Jews in Surah. Nisa, in Surah, Allah Emraan in Surah, Allah in Milan, in the third chapter of the Quran, in the tale of Ohio, where Allah subhanho wa

Taala said that when the rumor was circulated about the assassination of the Prophet sallahu wa sallam, and this had obviously created panic amongst the Sahaba, and scholars also say that this rumor mongering that had taken place, and this you know, what? notion that the messenger sallallahu wasallam, was assassinated, which had created panic amongst the ranks of Sahaba was almost on a subtle note, an early signal and preparation for the Companions for that inevitable reality because there was no way you could prepare the Sahaba no person prepares the death of his beloved, no person anticipated, we shut down we block off don't talk about this. You're not now just don't mention this

year. You know, it's something I don't want to hear. I know but I don't want to hear. I know it's a reality. But I don't want to entertain and for Sahaba, whose love for the Vla, salaam No words can describe it other than Allah describes it. So anyway, during this whole thing, few Sahaba staggered and they lost their balance momentarily. The munaf eaten in exploited the moment and they started inviting openly towards hypocrisy and this is mentioned in the past year. So Allah subhanho wa Taala then revealed the vs wa Mohammedan in LA Sol, that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is but a prophet and yet again academically, the scholars tell us that the cursor is for nephew Alou here

that Mohammed Sasson is nothing but a messenger. It's not to drop the status or the position, but rather to refute the notion that He is Allah. That that is the point. It is the nephew of oluwo here he is not Allah. He is a prophet of Allah. He is the greatest of Allah's creation.

Rasul he was preceded by many prophets after him not so if one day he passes away Ocotal or he is assassinated in Palo Alto, Allah aka Beco, will you turn on your backs? Will you abandon? Will you move away? Romanian kalevala, RTB whoever turns on his heels? Or May Allah say you can never harm Allah in any way? What's the yeah just in love with Shakira in Subhana Allah and very quick and very soon and very swift, Allah will compensate the grateful. So what is meant by the Grateful wife, Sharky, renea, and they say the Shakira in the Grateful ones are those who will hold firm on to the bounties of Allah and understand the obligation regardless of the crisis. So regardless of the

situation, a believer he focuses on the bounties and the favors of Allah, and my duty is to remain dutiful, obedient and compliant to Allah. So anyway, in Surah, in the ninth juice in the seventh chapter, in verse 130, Allah subhanaw taala speaks about different domains that were unleashed upon Pharaoh, right now again, when you're going through something then it kind of resonates stronger with you, the feeling is very different. The acknowledgement is very unique. So Allah says Allah, Allah Subhana, Allah Farah, I will not be seen in Wanaka see mina thammarat de la la home Yes guru and indeed we grew up the people of Pharaoh. And if you don't want to be seen with droughts, we're

not samina sama, rot and shortage of fruit. In Metallica Tenzin it is mentioned that naxian mina thammarat happen in the answer. Why scene happened in the body that the droughts had happened on the out rain in areas and the shortage of fruits that happened in the city. So I mean, in the system of Allah, Allah can strike you know, in 1000 ways I like and strike in 1000 ways. I always mentioned this year that the concluding verses of surah tournament, Allah says to me as Bahama, Oman

If I deny you access to water, who's going to provide your water? So there was this arrogant obstinate person and as I mentioned in July,

he said, we will access water by technology going deep down till we reach a spring until we reach water and a well, so further, Obama or any foreigner amiah Allah then instantly dried up the water in his eyes socket, and he became blind.

You know,

there's a good friend of mines Manasa Hayden, I hope probably he's listening. He's teaching at madrasa to know, you know, Lil mK foofy in the madrasa that we have. For those that are visually impaired. He said to me something very amazing and it got me thinking. He said that one day and now it has become common in our country. Unfortunately, where the power outages happen so often and so rapid. He said one day there was a power outage in our madressa He said, You won't believe what happened. Every sighted person had to hold the hand of a blind man.

Because for the students every day, there is no power because they don't have vision. So they know their movement and Mashallah they operate softly, confidently, they feel they touch and they get around. But suddenly, in the earliest stages were probably they will not, you know, contingency plans and, and to, to to backup plans. Now, of course, people kind of have backup plans. And suddenly there was this extended power outage, and every busser became dependent on the Arma every sighted person became dependent on a blind person. So every star held the hand of a blind student, and that that visually impaired blind student took the sighted person to his house.

how Allah can turn things right and medically they say I read once on a flight in an in flight magazine, that the second most complex organ in the body after the brain is that I am no ophthalmologist. But I did read this year, that it's a very, very critical organ of the body. The point I'm saying is, imagine you cite it, you think you have an edge you want up and he's visually impaired and in your own environment, Allah reverses the role and Allah makes you dependent on the visually impaired person. So believer needs to be one with humility in this ayah in under the discussion of this in my daddy cotton zealot is mentioned that alumina Sophie has mentioned this

under under the opinion of Taylor and Taylor, you would know is not a very established opinion. It has been said it has been said. That is the the rating and the grading of something that has been mentioned as Tina without mentioning the name of the time, but anyway, it is mentioned that that arch of your own Arab Army at the Santa Fe round lived for 400 years, and for 320 years lumea makrooh when he didn't see any difficulty in his life. And it's also mentioned the under this is my daddy kuttan zeal that he had he seen some difficulties in the 320 years Can you imagine a life of 320 years and and how arrogant and how obstinate a person can become. And again I have a fleshier in

Tampa wholeheartedly in under the father of this oma fatale abou late summer candy Rahim Allah writes something very amazing. He says Allah has a benevolence and mercy to this ummah is just unique. He gave them a short life, hat that akuna Zulu, boom Atal

so that they're sending period is limited. We're not going to let you live for more than 60 years. So even if you want to send you won't able to send so Allah gave them a short life, thereby limiting their options to vice. And then Allah compensated in the short life with great nights and months to give them the opportunity of an extended life in terms of virtue.

So Allah gave them cut that later he said value this and you have 1000 months you have 83 odd years, worship me on a Friday and you get this do this on this day and you have this year Subhan Allah that's the kindness of Allah. So anyway, Allah speaks about Pharaoh, right? When Allah I want to be singing, I wanna say Mina Tamara de la la, la, la, la La whom Yes, karoun. Allah said, We tested them. And that's my focus here. I'm not shying away from the need. And I think every news bulletin is keeping you up to speed and abreast with with the numbers of fatalities, casualties, those that have succumbed to the illness, the precautions the the manner in which it's been curbed, etc, and we

continue to make law but our focus here in this segment that we endeavor to achieve is to give people a sense of of guidance and navigation through Quran. So Allah said that we tested them with different situations with with shortage of fruit and with droughts, la la homea karoun. Hopefully they will

heed the admonition of Allah, hopefully they will heed the admonition of Allah, you know in this ayah in the 25 years where Allah says masaba comi Mosley, baton fabby maka Sabbath a deacon, that whatever affliction comes to you is as a result of what you do, right? And it is there to jolt you and awaken you and revive you save now earlier the alarm used to say howdy Raja, if you are on this verse of the Quran Give me the greatest comfort. So people said but Allah is saying your afflictions are in relation to your lungs. How does it give you comfort and solace? Is that the Anelka Morocco, Morocco, Morocco, okra, because a kind bien is one who if he subjects you to consequences once, he

won't subject you to it again. So if Allah is making us feel the repercussion of our own in this world, hopefully he's cleaning the slate for us in Agra Subhana Allah that was the thinking of, of the pious, anyway.

Yeah, 320 years, he had ease and prosperity and then it was in the latter 80 years, that these were difficulties and challenges came in his life in this world, you know, these challenges of what's been mentioned here and the subsequent, but for three centuries, he enjoyed his comfort, prosperity, and that's precisely what is mentioned there, that it was due to the extended prosperity, that unfortunately, he exploited which created this arrogance in him which created this, this this the this, you know, abuse of power, and, and and he did the most nasty of things. Again, I have a flash of a verse of the Quran, someone said Subhana Allah, this is mentioned in in 10. We will at the

hand, that when Allah subhanho wa Taala told Satan, Moosa and Harun Fukuda Allahu COVID Elena that go to Pharaoh and say to him a soft word, say to him a gentle word. So in 10, we will adopt a theory I read it in that one of the pious sulfasalazine said, young man you gotta have a young man you gotta have bad ala man you ID he forgave A B man. You gotta know who you are Lee. Yeah. manyatta hubub illa menu ID Yeah, man yet Oh, my word. Oh my word. Oh my Allah. Yeah. manyatta hubub men your ID he like a fabby? Man yetta Wella. Who were you, Lee here? Oh my Lord. I just marvel at your clemency and your grace. You display affection to someone who's hostile towards you? I don't know

what would be your level of affection for those who are compliant and obedient to you? Yeah, manyatta hubub illa men your ID for K for the manyatta Allah Who were you were Li these words are just too much. So Allah subhanaw taala says la la comida Kuru we tested them. We jolted them so that they could change for Elijah at home. We'll have Santa Alana howdy look at the arrogance. During the period of these trials during the period of these tribes. When

when a tragedy was diverted and prosperity came, they said Harvey he

has an Atlanta he said no, no, this is something we are entitled to. This is our right? This is what this is our do. This is how we do what you need to say boom say a turn yet by your ob musawah mama and whenever they were gripped by some tragedy, they attributed the bad omen to Musa alayhis salam in the believe it says you know what will it really will Are you bad luck because of you Allah in Amata euromarine de la the knowledge of the bed and the cause of the bed is by Allah. Allah knows the reason and Allah knows why this evil comes upon them. And then they continued in the arrogance. Wakayama, mattina vehement at latest harana behalf hamana. me now this is the point I want to

mention for Sonali Hema tufan. Allah says then we send floods upon them to fun while Gerrard locusts welcome Malcolm some have translated it as grasshoppers and others have tics and some as lice as well. There's a variation of translation. And from a linguistic perspective, the word Komal encompasses all these meanings for Salah Hema tufan Well, gerardsville padmavathi and frogs, what done was done. On day one, I had mentioned that as bad as the crisis is, right, Allah has the muscle and the cloud to make it worse. What does the verse of the Quran in the nine Jews in the seventh chapter who the scholars unanimously agree that Allah had converted the water into blood and to the

extent that there was a clear

distinction that this was a newcomer and an adverb upon them in the sense that if an Israeli an activity if Bani Israel were drinking from a vessel and a trip the you know, one of the people of Pharaoh were drinking on a common table, and there was a glass or there was a jug of water. If if the Benny Israeli would take that water, it would remain water. But if a person from the clan of Pharaoh would take that, then as he would brought, bring that water close to his mouth, that water would turn into blood, faster kabara can remain, then what did they do? They came to Musa alayhis salam they said oh Moses supplicate your Lord and ask him to remove this and we promise we're going

to change we promise we're going to change and that's what I'm asking my brother and my sister. What they say.

Many a vows are made in storm and forgotten income.

Many vowels are made in storm and forgotten income. Many vowels are made in ICU and forgotten at home. Many vowels are made in economic turbulence and forgotten in economic stability. Many vowels are made when the marriage is on the rocks and forgotten when it's hunky dory. Many vows are made when my child is Roman and is lost and they are forgotten when my child is obedient and compliant. So it's very easy to make that vow. It's very easy to make that vow. You know what when it's turbulent and it's Rocky, but when Allah does it for us, which is so graciously does it mean to whom and Allah Allah in autonomy in fadli he Lana sadaqa Na Na coonan Amina Sati hain.

So they said almost I make dua to Allah that Allah must remove it and if Allah removes it, then we will return and we will change the notice Ilana maka Bani Israel and Allah says every time we removed one difficulty, they turn on the heels and they disobeyed and they violated ultimately for our Ratana feel yummy. We dropped Pharaoh and his army into the water for Russia who mineralium Mima Russia home, if I have to paraphrase that, if I would translate it by say, did the water drown him? And did the water drown him? You know, you say and was he embarrassed? And was he ashamed? And did the water drown him for lushy I mean and yummy Maharshi home. So I wanted to touch on something else

here because yesterday we opened up on one Hadith and I'll just conclude on it, where anyone might use a Muslim woman named Sabine. Well, I was hoping well I mean when I first name that a Muslim was tested by any pain, difficulty agony or a thorn in laka for Allah who be harming hapa Yahoo that Allah compensates him what that Allah compensates him with that.

The the the scholars speak about suburb and then they speak about raba balcatta so maybe tomorrow on Monday inshallah we will touch on that and that is one is you persevere on a difficulty. So you you are uneasy with it, but you you hold him back and that there's something higher is that you make peace with it. What they say. Oh Jeddah Houma, la junta Allah Phil either via zuba

fin elemi or Luba, the word azova is not in the literal context. It's metaphorical, that in affliction, Allah gave them sweetness. In fact, there is a narration of immunomodulators authentic narration of revenue manager. The messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, we're in a hotel room, that the pious and the Umbria shut do for hon bill Bella II mean it can be Lata.

The messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that the pious and the NBR rejoice more on an affliction than you can possibly rejoice on being a beneficiary of a bounty or recipient of a gift. somebody gives you something you're excited, and you're elated and that's great, but your joy fails pales when compared to the joy that the pioneers derive when they are being tested by the Almighty. And I leave you with this I have the Quran in Surah Taha bone where Allah subhanho wa Taala says that my Asada Mimosa button in libidinal Allah, what ever tragedy strikes the earth happens with the will of Allah while making your name bill Ah, yes, the caliber and the one who believes in Allah,

Allah will surely guide his heart through those trying times to do things the scholars say through patience and Raja will cada accepting of the will of the Almighty. May Allah bless us what sobor and lava will mean your anatomy