Suleiman Hani – Friday Khutbah 22-03-2024

Suleiman Hani
Share Page

AI: Summary ©

The importance of having a no-cost stance, a practical mindset, and faith in Islam is emphasized in the church's actions. It is also important to accept responsibility and not give excuses. Consent is emphasized, and the importance of learning from mistakes is emphasized. The speakers stress the need to be mindful of one's actions, focus on their motivations, and stay connected to Allah. They also mention upcoming events and fundraiser, and encourage people to buy tickets and attend events.

AI: Summary ©

00:03:49 --> 00:03:50
			Muhammad
		
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27
			All praise is due to Allah the exalted.
		
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29
			We praise him. We seek his help, his
		
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31
			guidance, and his forgiveness.
		
00:05:31 --> 00:05:33
			We seek refuge in Allah from the evils
		
00:05:33 --> 00:05:36
			of our sins and the evils within ourselves.
		
00:05:37 --> 00:05:37
			Whomsoever
		
00:05:38 --> 00:05:42
			Allah guides because they are sincerely looking for
		
00:05:42 --> 00:05:43
			the truth, none can misguide.
		
00:05:44 --> 00:05:47
			And whomever he rightfully causes to be led
		
00:05:47 --> 00:05:49
			astray because they are arrogant and do not
		
00:05:49 --> 00:05:52
			really want to be guided, none can guide.
		
00:05:52 --> 00:05:54
			Now I bear witness that there's no deity
		
00:05:54 --> 00:05:56
			worthy of worship except Allah alone.
		
00:05:57 --> 00:05:59
			And I bear witness the prophet Muhammad sallallahu
		
00:05:59 --> 00:06:01
			alaihi wa sallam, peace be upon him, is
		
00:06:01 --> 00:06:02
			his servant and final
		
00:06:02 --> 00:06:03
			messenger.
		
00:06:04 --> 00:06:07
			For our own success and our own salvation,
		
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10
			Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala commands us, reminds us
		
00:06:11 --> 00:06:14
			what is in our best interest for salvation
		
00:06:14 --> 00:06:17
			and success translated as all believers.
		
00:06:17 --> 00:06:20
			All believers, be mindful of Allah as he
		
00:06:20 --> 00:06:20
			deserves.
		
00:06:21 --> 00:06:23
			Have taqwa of Allah on his terms,
		
00:06:24 --> 00:06:26
			and do not die except in a state
		
00:06:26 --> 00:06:27
			of submission to Him.
		
00:06:28 --> 00:06:29
			If we say, I sincerely
		
00:06:30 --> 00:06:32
			want to die upon Islam,
		
00:06:33 --> 00:06:36
			then surely we must consistently live upon it.
		
00:06:36 --> 00:06:37
			May Allah
		
00:06:38 --> 00:06:40
			allow us to live upon Islam and to
		
00:06:40 --> 00:06:42
			die upon iman, alluhma amin.
		
00:06:45 --> 00:06:46
			We notice the
		
00:06:46 --> 00:06:47
			changes
		
00:06:47 --> 00:06:50
			that the ummah experiences every Ramadan. We notice
		
00:06:50 --> 00:06:52
			the changes within ourselves. We notice the fluctuations
		
00:06:53 --> 00:06:55
			of faith, of practice, of Ibadah, of sacrifice
		
00:06:56 --> 00:06:58
			from the 1st night to this night to
		
00:06:58 --> 00:07:00
			the last part of Ramadan, and then the
		
00:07:00 --> 00:07:00
			changes
		
00:07:00 --> 00:07:02
			that take place afterwards as well.
		
00:07:03 --> 00:07:05
			And, of course, as we talk about these
		
00:07:05 --> 00:07:07
			changes, there are many internal motivations that we
		
00:07:07 --> 00:07:09
			all have. And if we were to sit
		
00:07:09 --> 00:07:11
			and to think, what are the reasons I'm
		
00:07:11 --> 00:07:14
			so motivated to do more in Ramadan?
		
00:07:14 --> 00:07:17
			Why am I willing to sacrifice more? Why
		
00:07:17 --> 00:07:19
			am I willing to fast with Ihsan?
		
00:07:19 --> 00:07:21
			Why am I willing to stand for qiyam?
		
00:07:21 --> 00:07:23
			Why am I willing to give in charity?
		
00:07:24 --> 00:07:26
			And so on and so forth more than
		
00:07:26 --> 00:07:28
			any other time of the year for most
		
00:07:28 --> 00:07:28
			people.
		
00:07:29 --> 00:07:31
			There are different motivators.
		
00:07:31 --> 00:07:33
			Amongst them is the story of Talha radiAllahu
		
00:07:34 --> 00:07:35
			an, very famous story we have heard maybe
		
00:07:35 --> 00:07:36
			100 of times.
		
00:07:37 --> 00:07:40
			Tal Hajarayahu an mentions 2 men converted to
		
00:07:40 --> 00:07:42
			Islam at the same time. So their sins
		
00:07:43 --> 00:07:44
			are erased at the same time.
		
00:07:45 --> 00:07:47
			And these 2 men, they go on to
		
00:07:47 --> 00:07:49
			live their lives as Muslims. 1 dies as
		
00:07:49 --> 00:07:51
			a shahid, as a martyr. May Allah
		
00:07:52 --> 00:07:54
			grant us shahada in some form in this
		
00:07:54 --> 00:07:56
			world and accept our brothers and sisters in
		
00:07:56 --> 00:07:59
			Gaza as shahada allahma ameen.
		
00:07:59 --> 00:08:02
			The second man who converted lived for another
		
00:08:02 --> 00:08:04
			year, and then he died. He wasn't a
		
00:08:04 --> 00:08:05
			shahid.
		
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08
			Tal hadalalahu an has a dream. He's standing
		
00:08:08 --> 00:08:10
			in front of the gates of Jannah with
		
00:08:10 --> 00:08:12
			these 2 men, and an angel comes out
		
00:08:12 --> 00:08:14
			to take one of them into paradise first.
		
00:08:14 --> 00:08:15
			And you know the story.
		
00:08:15 --> 00:08:17
			If we were to guess, had we not
		
00:08:17 --> 00:08:19
			heard this hadith before, we would guess the
		
00:08:19 --> 00:08:21
			first one to enter Jannah for sure must
		
00:08:21 --> 00:08:24
			be the shahid, must be the martyr. Why?
		
00:08:24 --> 00:08:26
			Because we know the ranks of the shuhada
		
00:08:26 --> 00:08:27
			in Islam. We know the shuhada are in
		
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29
			the highest levels of paradise,
		
00:08:30 --> 00:08:32
			but that's not what happens. He takes the
		
00:08:32 --> 00:08:33
			second man first, the one who died a
		
00:08:33 --> 00:08:36
			year later. And then the angel comes out
		
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38
			and takes into paradise the shahid, and then
		
00:08:38 --> 00:08:40
			the angel comes out and says to Talha,
		
00:08:40 --> 00:08:42
			go back. It's not your time yet, to
		
00:08:42 --> 00:08:43
			paraphrase.
		
00:08:43 --> 00:08:45
			So Talha wakes up and he's amazed.
		
00:08:46 --> 00:08:47
			He starts to share his dream.
		
00:08:48 --> 00:08:50
			And the news spreads. And the prophet sallallahu
		
00:08:50 --> 00:08:53
			alaihi wasallam hears them talking with amazement. And
		
00:08:53 --> 00:08:54
			he says, why are you so amazed?
		
00:08:55 --> 00:08:57
			And to paraphrase, they said, You Rasulullah,
		
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00
			the first one, he end up he ended
		
00:09:00 --> 00:09:02
			up working harder. He died as a martyr
		
00:09:02 --> 00:09:04
			in the cause of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
		
00:09:04 --> 00:09:06
			The second one didn't die as a shahid.
		
00:09:06 --> 00:09:08
			So why was he admitted to paradise first?
		
00:09:09 --> 00:09:11
			The prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam asked them, did
		
00:09:11 --> 00:09:14
			he, the second man, did he not live
		
00:09:14 --> 00:09:17
			for another year and Ramadan came around, so
		
00:09:17 --> 00:09:17
			he fasted?
		
00:09:18 --> 00:09:19
			Did he not pray
		
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23
			a number of prayers during that year, meaning
		
00:09:23 --> 00:09:25
			he prayed his obligatory prayer for an entire
		
00:09:25 --> 00:09:28
			year that he lived past his friend?
		
00:09:29 --> 00:09:30
			They said, yes. The prophet
		
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34
			said, verily the difference between them is like
		
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36
			the difference between the heaven and the earth.
		
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38
			Now this hadith can be misunderstood.
		
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40
			This hadith does not belittle
		
00:09:41 --> 00:09:43
			shahada, martyrdom in any way whatsoever. In fact,
		
00:09:43 --> 00:09:45
			if you were to look at the commentary
		
00:09:45 --> 00:09:47
			of the scholars over these centuries on this
		
00:09:47 --> 00:09:48
			narration,
		
00:09:48 --> 00:09:50
			they say the man who died a year
		
00:09:50 --> 00:09:50
			later,
		
00:09:51 --> 00:09:53
			the only understanding we can take from this
		
00:09:53 --> 00:09:55
			is that he had a sincere desire to
		
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56
			also die as a shahid, but he wasn't
		
00:09:56 --> 00:09:59
			granted that fate. That's not what happened for
		
00:09:59 --> 00:09:59
			him.
		
00:10:00 --> 00:10:02
			But because of his sincerity, and because he
		
00:10:02 --> 00:10:05
			lived for one extra year, And in that
		
00:10:05 --> 00:10:07
			1 year, this is where he surpassed his
		
00:10:07 --> 00:10:10
			friend. In the 1 year he fasted, Ramadan,
		
00:10:10 --> 00:10:12
			when it came around, and he prayed all
		
00:10:12 --> 00:10:13
			of his prayers.
		
00:10:13 --> 00:10:15
			Sometimes we belittle
		
00:10:15 --> 00:10:18
			or don't realize in the moment just how
		
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20
			precious this opportunity is today.
		
00:10:21 --> 00:10:23
			Sometimes we don't realize in the moment of
		
00:10:23 --> 00:10:26
			being exhausted from fasting or exhausted from other
		
00:10:26 --> 00:10:26
			ibadah
		
00:10:27 --> 00:10:30
			just how much of a blessing this is.
		
00:10:30 --> 00:10:33
			Every single salah that's written for you, written
		
00:10:33 --> 00:10:36
			prescribed upon us to pray, and then a
		
00:10:36 --> 00:10:38
			wafil you choose to do beyond that, the
		
00:10:38 --> 00:10:41
			voluntary prayers. And every Ramadan that comes your
		
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43
			way is a blessing from Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44
			ta'ala we cannot measure.
		
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46
			We really cannot measure.
		
00:10:46 --> 00:10:49
			And we sometimes, in between Ramadan, will say,
		
00:10:49 --> 00:10:50
			I hope and I pray and I wish
		
00:10:50 --> 00:10:52
			I make it to the next Ramadan. Why?
		
00:10:53 --> 00:10:54
			So that we can work harder, so we
		
00:10:54 --> 00:10:56
			can sacrifice, so we can go all out.
		
00:10:56 --> 00:10:58
			We're here in Ramadan, alhamdulillah.
		
00:10:58 --> 00:11:01
			We're here. And now this is our opportunity
		
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02
			to show Allah
		
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03
			our gratitude.
		
00:11:04 --> 00:11:06
			When we think about motivators,
		
00:11:06 --> 00:11:08
			I want us to kind of have something
		
00:11:08 --> 00:11:09
			practical to take
		
00:11:10 --> 00:11:12
			So I'll share just 3 principles that will
		
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14
			help us, not just in the but in
		
00:11:14 --> 00:11:16
			terms of our development, in terms of the
		
00:11:16 --> 00:11:18
			self discipline, the motivation that we take during
		
00:11:18 --> 00:11:20
			this month. The first principle when it comes
		
00:11:20 --> 00:11:22
			to the change that we desire
		
00:11:23 --> 00:11:25
			is to have a no excuse attitude.
		
00:11:25 --> 00:11:28
			Sometimes we give ourselves excuses when we shouldn't.
		
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31
			Sometimes we are the reason we are not
		
00:11:31 --> 00:11:33
			progressing. And in fact, most times, it is
		
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34
			because of our own excuses.
		
00:11:35 --> 00:11:37
			And when we say excuses, we're not talking
		
00:11:37 --> 00:11:40
			about valid reasons that something couldn't happen. We're
		
00:11:40 --> 00:11:42
			talking about always shifting the blame from myself
		
00:11:43 --> 00:11:45
			to everything else, to everyone else, to everything
		
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46
			external.
		
00:11:46 --> 00:11:49
			Rather than saying, I made the mistake, no
		
00:11:49 --> 00:11:51
			excuses. I'm going to try again. I'm going
		
00:11:51 --> 00:11:54
			to try harder. I'm going to repent sincerely.
		
00:11:54 --> 00:11:56
			The no excuse attitude
		
00:11:56 --> 00:11:58
			and this acceptance of responsibility
		
00:11:59 --> 00:12:00
			is a part of our faith. And it
		
00:12:00 --> 00:12:02
			goes back to the very first human being,
		
00:12:02 --> 00:12:04
			goes back to Adam alaihis salam and Hawa
		
00:12:04 --> 00:12:06
			alaihis salam. It goes back to the first
		
00:12:06 --> 00:12:08
			humans when Allah reprimanded them.
		
00:12:09 --> 00:12:11
			They could have possibly said, oh, Allah. The
		
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12
			devil tricked us.
		
00:12:13 --> 00:12:15
			He swore to them.
		
00:12:15 --> 00:12:17
			He tricked them, deceived them. They could have
		
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18
			shifted the blame.
		
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20
			But what did they say instead?
		
00:12:23 --> 00:12:25
			They said, our lord, we have wronged ourselves.
		
00:12:28 --> 00:12:30
			If you don't forgive us and have mercy
		
00:12:30 --> 00:12:32
			on us, we will be amongst the losers.
		
00:12:32 --> 00:12:34
			In other words, we accept
		
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35
			responsibility
		
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36
			for our actions.
		
00:12:37 --> 00:12:40
			If you don't accept responsibility for your mistakes,
		
00:12:40 --> 00:12:42
			you will never grow. If we don't accept
		
00:12:42 --> 00:12:45
			responsibility for our sins, we will never repent
		
00:12:45 --> 00:12:47
			because we don't think we did anything wrong.
		
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50
			The reality of shifting blame to other people
		
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52
			is extremely problematic
		
00:12:52 --> 00:12:54
			when it comes to reaching one's potential.
		
00:12:54 --> 00:12:56
			It applies to all human beings,
		
00:12:57 --> 00:13:00
			old and young, men and women. And these
		
00:13:00 --> 00:13:02
			are things we should be, of course, teaching
		
00:13:02 --> 00:13:03
			and emulating,
		
00:13:03 --> 00:13:05
			with the with regards to our children. These
		
00:13:05 --> 00:13:08
			are things we should be modeling as well.
		
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09
			If you make a mistake,
		
00:13:10 --> 00:13:12
			accept that you did something wrong so you
		
00:13:12 --> 00:13:14
			can grow from it, so you can change
		
00:13:14 --> 00:13:17
			from it. Similarly to how we desire
		
00:13:17 --> 00:13:20
			for someone to advise us if we're making
		
00:13:20 --> 00:13:22
			a mistake because we'll appreciate it on the
		
00:13:22 --> 00:13:24
			day of judgment rather than regret it and
		
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25
			say, I wish
		
00:13:26 --> 00:13:29
			someone advised me. I wish I accepted responsibility.
		
00:13:31 --> 00:13:33
			Accepting responsibility for actions
		
00:13:33 --> 00:13:36
			is realizing the blessings that we have, is
		
00:13:36 --> 00:13:37
			a type of gratitude that, oh Allah, you
		
00:13:37 --> 00:13:40
			gave me everything that I have, every faculty
		
00:13:40 --> 00:13:42
			I have, every morsel of food, every,
		
00:13:42 --> 00:13:44
			drink of water, every single blessing that I
		
00:13:44 --> 00:13:46
			have, oh Allah, and I'm going to use
		
00:13:46 --> 00:13:47
			it
		
00:13:47 --> 00:13:49
			wisely, and I'm going to be grateful to
		
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50
			you by accepting
		
00:13:50 --> 00:13:52
			responsibility for all of my choices.
		
00:13:53 --> 00:13:55
			And by accepting responsibility, we're able to get
		
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56
			closer to Allah
		
00:13:58 --> 00:14:00
			Of course, with the repentance of Adam and
		
00:14:00 --> 00:14:03
			Hawa, their status is elevated even more. And
		
00:14:03 --> 00:14:05
			so the one who accepts and then admits
		
00:14:05 --> 00:14:07
			and then moves towards Allah
		
00:14:08 --> 00:14:10
			with ambition, with motivation, with aazimah, the one
		
00:14:10 --> 00:14:12
			who comes back to Allah
		
00:14:12 --> 00:14:15
			as a lifestyle and not just once or
		
00:14:15 --> 00:14:17
			twice is the person who is safe, is
		
00:14:17 --> 00:14:19
			the person whose status is raised. And so
		
00:14:19 --> 00:14:21
			as we experience this month of Ramadan and
		
00:14:21 --> 00:14:24
			we're seeing what's happening around the world, we
		
00:14:24 --> 00:14:26
			say, oh Allah, we are grateful to you
		
00:14:26 --> 00:14:28
			for all the food that we have. We
		
00:14:28 --> 00:14:29
			are grateful to you for the blessing of
		
00:14:29 --> 00:14:30
			safety,
		
00:14:30 --> 00:14:33
			the blessing of shelter, the blessing of heat,
		
00:14:33 --> 00:14:36
			the blessing of AC, the blessing of this
		
00:14:36 --> 00:14:38
			and that, and on and on and on.
		
00:14:38 --> 00:14:40
			And as you see the situation, you accept
		
00:14:40 --> 00:14:42
			that if you make a mistake, you're going
		
00:14:42 --> 00:14:44
			to bring yourself to a position of gratitude
		
00:14:44 --> 00:14:45
			with Allah
		
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46
			Sometimes
		
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48
			people give
		
00:14:48 --> 00:14:50
			up at the first sign of discomfort.
		
00:14:50 --> 00:14:52
			And they give they they come up with
		
00:14:52 --> 00:14:54
			excuses because there's a little bit of pain.
		
00:14:54 --> 00:14:57
			But sometimes the pain is your growth. The
		
00:14:57 --> 00:14:59
			pain is your development. The pain is you
		
00:14:59 --> 00:15:01
			getting to a better place. And it's not
		
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02
			every type of pain that is the same,
		
00:15:02 --> 00:15:05
			but here a positive type of discomfort,
		
00:15:05 --> 00:15:08
			a positive type of sacrifice. What's an example
		
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09
			of that? Fasting.
		
00:15:09 --> 00:15:11
			Yes. Your body is hungry. You're exhausted.
		
00:15:12 --> 00:15:14
			But the positive discomfort here brings you closer
		
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15
			to Allah
		
00:15:15 --> 00:15:18
			fulfills an obligation, raises your status, erases your
		
00:15:18 --> 00:15:21
			sins, and relieves that acceptance of one's dua,
		
00:15:21 --> 00:15:23
			brings you closer to your Lord.
		
00:15:23 --> 00:15:25
			And this is why when people work out,
		
00:15:25 --> 00:15:27
			if you started the very first rep and
		
00:15:27 --> 00:15:30
			you lifted the dumbbell, and now your biceps
		
00:15:30 --> 00:15:32
			are hurting, and you say, this hurts too
		
00:15:32 --> 00:15:34
			much. I'm not going to do this. You're
		
00:15:34 --> 00:15:36
			not going to get anywhere. You're going to
		
00:15:36 --> 00:15:38
			stay exactly where you are. So when someone
		
00:15:38 --> 00:15:40
			asked Muhammad Ali, may Allah have mercy on
		
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41
			him, Rahimahullah,
		
00:15:41 --> 00:15:43
			how many sit ups can you do?
		
00:15:43 --> 00:15:45
			He said, I don't know. I don't start
		
00:15:45 --> 00:15:48
			counting until it starts to hurt because those
		
00:15:48 --> 00:15:50
			are the ones that can't. I don't start
		
00:15:50 --> 00:15:52
			counting until it starts to hurt because those
		
00:15:52 --> 00:15:54
			are the ones that count. That's what makes
		
00:15:54 --> 00:15:56
			you a champion. Now this example, of course,
		
00:15:56 --> 00:15:59
			can be applied to many other things. The
		
00:15:59 --> 00:16:01
			idea of no pain, no gain.
		
00:16:01 --> 00:16:03
			You work hard because you're looking for something
		
00:16:03 --> 00:16:07
			greater in return. You sacrifice, and by definition,
		
00:16:07 --> 00:16:09
			a sacrifice for the sake of Allah. A
		
00:16:09 --> 00:16:11
			sacrifice is when you give up something knowing
		
00:16:11 --> 00:16:13
			there's something greater in return.
		
00:16:14 --> 00:16:16
			And there's no exchange greater than you living
		
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18
			your life for the sake of Allah and
		
00:16:18 --> 00:16:20
			earning his pleasure. You living for a temporary
		
00:16:20 --> 00:16:23
			life and earning an eternal paradise. There is
		
00:16:23 --> 00:16:25
			no greater exchange than you giving up some
		
00:16:25 --> 00:16:27
			of your sleep and your energy and your
		
00:16:27 --> 00:16:29
			food and your wealth for the sake of
		
00:16:29 --> 00:16:31
			Allah, knowing what you'll have with him is
		
00:16:31 --> 00:16:32
			unimaginable.
		
00:16:37 --> 00:16:39
			As Allah tells us, he has prepared
		
00:16:39 --> 00:16:42
			for his righteous servants in paradise what no
		
00:16:42 --> 00:16:44
			eye has ever seen, what no ear has
		
00:16:44 --> 00:16:46
			ever heard, and what has not been imagined
		
00:16:46 --> 00:16:48
			by any human being. May Allah
		
00:16:48 --> 00:16:51
			grant us that. Again, do not give up
		
00:16:51 --> 00:16:53
			at the first sign of discomfort,
		
00:16:53 --> 00:16:55
			at the first sign of pain, and say,
		
00:16:55 --> 00:16:57
			it's not my fault. It's too difficult. If
		
00:16:57 --> 00:16:59
			it's something you can push yourself through for
		
00:16:59 --> 00:17:01
			a return that is worth it, then invest
		
00:17:01 --> 00:17:03
			in it. Number 2.
		
00:17:03 --> 00:17:05
			With every act of worship,
		
00:17:06 --> 00:17:07
			be mindful, be present.
		
00:17:07 --> 00:17:09
			When we look at the opening verses of
		
00:17:11 --> 00:17:14
			the believers have indeed succeeded. Who are they?
		
00:17:14 --> 00:17:15
			You have 6 characteristics.
		
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16
			The very first,
		
00:17:19 --> 00:17:21
			The very first thing Allah tells us about
		
00:17:21 --> 00:17:22
			the successful believers,
		
00:17:23 --> 00:17:25
			when they pray, they are mindful. They are
		
00:17:25 --> 00:17:28
			humbly submissive. They are concentrating
		
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30
			on their salah because they are in a
		
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31
			conversation
		
00:17:31 --> 00:17:34
			with their Lord. Goals are not just numbers.
		
00:17:34 --> 00:17:36
			Goals are not just on to do lists
		
00:17:36 --> 00:17:39
			and journals and planners and apps.
		
00:17:39 --> 00:17:41
			Habits are not just about the results.
		
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43
			It's about the journey itself.
		
00:17:43 --> 00:17:46
			The act of worship is in the moment.
		
00:17:46 --> 00:17:49
			So don't think I completed my salah, rather
		
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50
			I'm enjoying my salah.
		
00:17:51 --> 00:17:53
			Be mindful in the moment and ask yourself,
		
00:17:53 --> 00:17:55
			what is it that I'm doing right now?
		
00:17:55 --> 00:17:58
			By fasting, by sacrificing the bodily things, the
		
00:17:58 --> 00:18:01
			desires you have, you're earning something much greater
		
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02
			spiritually.
		
00:18:02 --> 00:18:04
			By putting your head on the ground in
		
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04
			sujud,
		
00:18:05 --> 00:18:07
			your status is being lifted to the highest,
		
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08
			states.
		
00:18:08 --> 00:18:10
			By making dua, what are you doing? So
		
00:18:10 --> 00:18:13
			it's not just about the result. Ask yourself
		
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14
			what you're racing to.
		
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16
			What is the act of worship you're really
		
00:18:16 --> 00:18:18
			invested in? Where is your heart
		
00:18:18 --> 00:18:21
			falling in terms of the the pathways around
		
00:18:21 --> 00:18:23
			you? So you look at the example of
		
00:18:23 --> 00:18:24
			Yusuf alaihis salam.
		
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25
			And Allah
		
00:18:25 --> 00:18:27
			gives us the story of when the wife
		
00:18:27 --> 00:18:29
			of Al Aziz tried to seduce him, and
		
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30
			Allah
		
00:18:31 --> 00:18:32
			tells us in 2 words, fastabaqalbab.
		
00:18:34 --> 00:18:36
			They both raced to the door. They raced
		
00:18:36 --> 00:18:38
			to the door. 2 people
		
00:18:38 --> 00:18:40
			racing for 2 very different reasons.
		
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42
			1 is racing because of a sin that
		
00:18:42 --> 00:18:44
			she's about to commit or trying to commit,
		
00:18:44 --> 00:18:46
			and the other is racing for safety and
		
00:18:46 --> 00:18:49
			protection away from the disobedience of Allah. We
		
00:18:49 --> 00:18:53
			race, we walk, when we take action, we
		
00:18:53 --> 00:18:55
			ask ourselves, are we racing towards Allah or
		
00:18:55 --> 00:18:56
			away from Him?
		
00:18:56 --> 00:18:59
			Wasabiqoo. Allah tells us, race, compete with each
		
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00
			other. Wasabiqoo.
		
00:19:00 --> 00:19:03
			But don't compete and race for the superficial
		
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04
			things that do not follow you into the
		
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05
			grave.
		
00:19:05 --> 00:19:07
			Don't compete and race for the things that
		
00:19:07 --> 00:19:09
			many people in the world are doing that
		
00:19:09 --> 00:19:11
			Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala warns us about in
		
00:19:11 --> 00:19:12
			the Quran.
		
00:19:18 --> 00:19:20
			In Surat Al Hadid, there's a very powerful
		
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21
			lengthy verse.
		
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22
			Allah
		
00:19:23 --> 00:19:25
			tells us know that the reality of this
		
00:19:25 --> 00:19:25
			world,
		
00:19:26 --> 00:19:28
			the distractions of this world that many people
		
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28
			are chasing,
		
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30
			It's about amusement.
		
00:19:30 --> 00:19:33
			It's about distractions and play. It's about mutual
		
00:19:33 --> 00:19:36
			competition. Who can have a better, bigger house?
		
00:19:36 --> 00:19:38
			Who can reach a greater type of prestige?
		
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40
			Who can get this and that in terms
		
00:19:40 --> 00:19:42
			of degrees or job or wealth?
		
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43
			And Allah
		
00:19:44 --> 00:19:47
			right after this aya, gives us the real
		
00:19:47 --> 00:19:48
			race, the ultimate race.
		
00:19:49 --> 00:19:51
			Everyone in this world, from the beginning to
		
00:19:51 --> 00:19:53
			the end of times, is on this track,
		
00:19:53 --> 00:19:55
			racing forward. But do you know what happens
		
00:19:55 --> 00:19:58
			as people race forward towards the akhirah? There's
		
00:19:58 --> 00:20:00
			that one path, that one nur towards Allah
		
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03
			And many people decide in this race, I
		
00:20:03 --> 00:20:05
			don't want to be a part of it.
		
00:20:05 --> 00:20:07
			I'm coming up with my own race. I'm
		
00:20:07 --> 00:20:09
			distracted by the things around me, so they
		
00:20:09 --> 00:20:10
			take detours.
		
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11
			And the reality is there are a lot
		
00:20:11 --> 00:20:14
			of people taking these detours. As you're racing
		
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15
			towards Allah,
		
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17
			he tells us,
		
00:20:20 --> 00:20:20
			Let the competitors
		
00:20:21 --> 00:20:23
			compete. But what's this referring to? It's referring
		
00:20:23 --> 00:20:25
			to the description of paradise.
		
00:20:25 --> 00:20:28
			For that reward, let the competitors compete.
		
00:20:28 --> 00:20:31
			You have to ask yourself what distinguishes you
		
00:20:31 --> 00:20:32
			from the majority of mankind.
		
00:20:33 --> 00:20:35
			As you put in effort, as you sacrifice,
		
00:20:35 --> 00:20:37
			you're looking at the long term pleasure. You're
		
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39
			looking at the result that leads you to
		
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39
			Allah
		
00:20:40 --> 00:20:42
			that leads you to paradise, and this, of
		
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43
			course, is the example that was set by
		
00:20:43 --> 00:20:46
			Yusuf alaihis salam. Flee to Allah.
		
00:20:46 --> 00:20:48
			Flee away from sin.
		
00:20:48 --> 00:20:51
			Don't play with fire on social media, on
		
00:20:51 --> 00:20:53
			your devices, with friends, with your environments, at
		
00:20:53 --> 00:20:55
			work, at school.
		
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56
			Don't play with fire.
		
00:20:57 --> 00:20:59
			Find your heart running away from these worldly
		
00:20:59 --> 00:21:01
			things and towards Allah
		
00:21:02 --> 00:21:04
			With this in mind,
		
00:21:04 --> 00:21:06
			we emphasize, as many people turn to the
		
00:21:06 --> 00:21:08
			Quran during this blessed month,
		
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10
			make sure you are trying to be as
		
00:21:10 --> 00:21:11
			mindful as possible.
		
00:21:12 --> 00:21:12
			Because Allah
		
00:21:13 --> 00:21:14
			describes it
		
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15
			as
		
00:21:16 --> 00:21:18
			a and as as a healing for what
		
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20
			is in the hearts, as a hudah, as
		
00:21:20 --> 00:21:22
			a guide when you feel lost, when there
		
00:21:22 --> 00:21:26
			are darknesses, deviations, corrupt philosophies, and ideologies, and
		
00:21:26 --> 00:21:27
			the influence of postmodernism,
		
00:21:28 --> 00:21:31
			secularism, and liberalism, and every other type of
		
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31
			deviantism.
		
00:21:32 --> 00:21:32
			Allah
		
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34
			gives you the guide that corrects,
		
00:21:35 --> 00:21:38
			the thing that uplifts, the thing that heals,
		
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39
			the thing that comforts.
		
00:21:39 --> 00:21:41
			It is in the Quran that we are
		
00:21:41 --> 00:21:43
			seeing those who are facing genocide, they are
		
00:21:43 --> 00:21:45
			turning for comfort and motivation,
		
00:21:45 --> 00:21:48
			for strength and for resilience, for perseverance, for
		
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49
			willpower.
		
00:21:52 --> 00:21:54
			Indeed in the remembrance of Allah do the
		
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55
			hearts find reassurance,
		
00:21:55 --> 00:21:56
			peace, and tranquility.
		
00:21:57 --> 00:21:59
			If you cannot read from the Quran, read
		
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00
			the transliteration
		
00:22:01 --> 00:22:02
			and try to read the basic meaning.
		
00:22:03 --> 00:22:05
			Follow a program, a course, a book from
		
00:22:05 --> 00:22:07
			beginning to end, and commit not just in
		
00:22:07 --> 00:22:09
			this month but throughout the year. Because many
		
00:22:09 --> 00:22:11
			people will start a a video series, a
		
00:22:11 --> 00:22:13
			class, or a program, but will burn out
		
00:22:13 --> 00:22:15
			after a few days or a few weeks.
		
00:22:15 --> 00:22:18
			So commit to one entire study of a
		
00:22:18 --> 00:22:20
			surah or a chapter or a program and
		
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21
			finish it inshallah ta'ala. May Allah
		
00:22:22 --> 00:22:24
			make the Quran a healing and a light
		
00:22:24 --> 00:22:26
			for our hearts and our chest and our
		
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27
			communities and a blessing for all of us,
		
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28
			Allahumma ameen.
		
00:22:29 --> 00:22:30
			During this month, be mindful.
		
00:22:31 --> 00:22:33
			You're going to see, insha Allahu Ta'ala, today
		
00:22:33 --> 00:22:36
			and many other days, so many opportunities
		
00:22:36 --> 00:22:38
			to sacrifice the thing that Allah tested you
		
00:22:38 --> 00:22:41
			with of wealth, to sacrifice by giving charity.
		
00:22:41 --> 00:22:43
			The temporary thing that you're holding on to
		
00:22:43 --> 00:22:45
			in this world, you are a caretaker.
		
00:22:46 --> 00:22:48
			So as we see that during this month,
		
00:22:48 --> 00:22:50
			I'm just reminding my brothers and my sisters,
		
00:22:50 --> 00:22:53
			be mindful. Not every sadaqah is the same.
		
00:22:53 --> 00:22:56
			Not every charity is the same. Someone could
		
00:22:56 --> 00:22:59
			have multiple good intentions and sincerity that is
		
00:22:59 --> 00:23:02
			so strong, that there's a an additional barakah,
		
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03
			an additional blessing
		
00:23:03 --> 00:23:06
			in the charity they give and the wealth
		
00:23:06 --> 00:23:08
			that's left behind, that's magnified as well. The
		
00:23:08 --> 00:23:10
			prophet salallahu alaihi wasalam was generous the entire
		
00:23:10 --> 00:23:12
			year, and he was even more generous in
		
00:23:12 --> 00:23:15
			the month of Ramadan. During this month, be
		
00:23:15 --> 00:23:17
			present when it comes to your goals, having
		
00:23:17 --> 00:23:20
			clarity on who you are. Take time to
		
00:23:20 --> 00:23:20
			reflect.
		
00:23:20 --> 00:23:23
			And as you reflect, you simply ask yourself
		
00:23:23 --> 00:23:25
			the the main three questions in terms of
		
00:23:25 --> 00:23:27
			where you're headed. The what, the why, and
		
00:23:27 --> 00:23:29
			the how. What is it that you want?
		
00:23:29 --> 00:23:31
			What are your goals? What are you after?
		
00:23:31 --> 00:23:33
			Make it clear. What does your family know
		
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34
			about your goals? Are you on the same
		
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36
			page? What goals do your children have as
		
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37
			well?
		
00:23:37 --> 00:23:39
			Why do you want to accomplish these things?
		
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40
			The motivations,
		
00:23:40 --> 00:23:43
			these are so important, and they help us
		
00:23:43 --> 00:23:45
			when things get tough, when we get slow,
		
00:23:45 --> 00:23:47
			when consistency has to kick in with self
		
00:23:47 --> 00:23:47
			discipline,
		
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49
			and then the why,
		
00:23:50 --> 00:23:52
			or rather than the what. So as you
		
00:23:52 --> 00:23:54
			approach this goal, you're asking yourself the clarity
		
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56
			on it, the time, the realisticness,
		
00:23:57 --> 00:23:59
			of the goal, and then you have, inshaAllah
		
00:23:59 --> 00:24:01
			ta'ala, the motivators, sometimes with the motivators, the
		
00:24:01 --> 00:24:04
			challenges, and then you have the how the
		
00:24:04 --> 00:24:04
			strategy.
		
00:24:04 --> 00:24:06
			So how am I going to accomplish this
		
00:24:06 --> 00:24:09
			goal? Similarly, as many people set goals for
		
00:24:09 --> 00:24:11
			school, university work, financial
		
00:24:11 --> 00:24:13
			freedom, if you will. As people are setting
		
00:24:13 --> 00:24:17
			these goals, oftentimes, the challenges are missing. Oftentimes,
		
00:24:17 --> 00:24:19
			the strategy is not clear. If you say
		
00:24:19 --> 00:24:20
			I'm going to work out 3 days a
		
00:24:20 --> 00:24:22
			week, what exactly are you going to do?
		
00:24:22 --> 00:24:23
			Where are you going to work out? How
		
00:24:23 --> 00:24:25
			is it going to happen? What are the
		
00:24:25 --> 00:24:27
			challenges that might arise? A lot of times
		
00:24:27 --> 00:24:29
			people belittle writing down their goals. And there
		
00:24:29 --> 00:24:31
			are countless studies that have found when people
		
00:24:31 --> 00:24:34
			have clarity on their objectives, their destinations,
		
00:24:35 --> 00:24:37
			their goals, and with it, the motivators and
		
00:24:37 --> 00:24:39
			the strategy to get there, they are much
		
00:24:39 --> 00:24:42
			more likely, sometimes 5 to 10 times,
		
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44
			as likely to accomplish their goals than other
		
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45
			people.
		
00:24:46 --> 00:24:47
			And the last thing I want to share
		
00:24:47 --> 00:24:48
			is this.
		
00:24:48 --> 00:24:51
			Many people have expressed that the situation in
		
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51
			Gaza
		
00:24:52 --> 00:24:55
			has awakened their hearts, has brought them closer
		
00:24:55 --> 00:24:55
			to Allah
		
00:24:56 --> 00:24:56
			in du'a,
		
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59
			has caused them to be more righteous, has
		
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00
			caused them to repent.
		
00:25:00 --> 00:25:02
			And we say, if you feel like your
		
00:25:02 --> 00:25:05
			heart has been awakened during this time, which
		
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06
			is a good sign,
		
00:25:07 --> 00:25:09
			let this be the awakening after which your
		
00:25:09 --> 00:25:11
			heart never returns to sleep.
		
00:25:11 --> 00:25:14
			Let this be the awakening after which the
		
00:25:14 --> 00:25:16
			ummah never goes back to sleep. Let this
		
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18
			be the awakening that your family never goes
		
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20
			back to sleep spiritually.
		
00:25:20 --> 00:25:22
			That you continue progressing towards Allah
		
00:25:23 --> 00:25:23
			The reality
		
00:25:24 --> 00:25:27
			is that loom and injustice is always present
		
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28
			in this world.
		
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29
			And our goal,
		
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30
			our
		
00:25:30 --> 00:25:33
			perspective is to focus on the commitment to
		
00:25:33 --> 00:25:34
			change,
		
00:25:34 --> 00:25:36
			even if you don't live to see the
		
00:25:36 --> 00:25:36
			result.
		
00:25:37 --> 00:25:39
			Nuh gave dawah for 950
		
00:25:40 --> 00:25:43
			years, and less than 100 people became Muslim.
		
00:25:43 --> 00:25:45
			Less than 100 people accepted the message according
		
00:25:45 --> 00:25:46
			to bin Katiir Rahimullah.
		
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48
			Does this mean he failed because of the
		
00:25:48 --> 00:25:51
			result? No. Absolutely not. It's about your commitment
		
00:25:52 --> 00:25:55
			to the effort, your commitment to the process,
		
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56
			your mindfulness in the moment.
		
00:25:57 --> 00:26:00
			Salahuddin Ayub raha Muhammadullah liberated Palestine 11/87.
		
00:26:01 --> 00:26:03
			But there were 88 years
		
00:26:03 --> 00:26:06
			of rule of the Crusaders. 88 years
		
00:26:06 --> 00:26:08
			in which we can imagine there were any
		
00:26:08 --> 00:26:10
			many Muslims that came and left, that supported
		
00:26:10 --> 00:26:13
			the cause and disappeared, that set the foundational
		
00:26:13 --> 00:26:15
			stones, that supported when they could and how
		
00:26:15 --> 00:26:17
			they could, but they did not live to
		
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18
			see 1187.
		
00:26:19 --> 00:26:21
			So if we want to see less injustice
		
00:26:21 --> 00:26:23
			in the world, if we want to see
		
00:26:23 --> 00:26:25
			less violence and bloodshed in the world, if
		
00:26:25 --> 00:26:27
			we want to see less oppression in the
		
00:26:27 --> 00:26:29
			world, we commit to the process of change
		
00:26:29 --> 00:26:31
			and not just the result. Because if you
		
00:26:31 --> 00:26:33
			think of the result, it might be so
		
00:26:33 --> 00:26:36
			overwhelming you don't take any action whatsoever. And
		
00:26:36 --> 00:26:39
			this applies to everything in life. Commit to
		
00:26:39 --> 00:26:41
			the process of change, and Allah will reward
		
00:26:41 --> 00:26:42
			you based on that commitment.
		
00:26:43 --> 00:26:45
			As you feel this awakening in Ramadan,
		
00:26:46 --> 00:26:48
			don't allow your heart to be disconnected from
		
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49
			the sources of awakening,
		
00:26:49 --> 00:26:52
			from seeing what's happening, from connecting through du'a
		
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53
			to Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala.
		
00:26:54 --> 00:26:56
			The essence of worship that many times we
		
00:26:56 --> 00:26:59
			neglect throughout the year. When you connect to
		
00:26:59 --> 00:27:01
			the Quran, connect consistently. Every day there has
		
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02
			to be a prescription.
		
00:27:02 --> 00:27:04
			When you connect to dhikr, you keep your
		
00:27:04 --> 00:27:06
			tongue busy throughout the day and night. Like
		
00:27:06 --> 00:27:08
			the many students on campuses who tell us
		
00:27:08 --> 00:27:10
			in between classes, they're they're finding this is
		
00:27:10 --> 00:27:12
			one of the greatest and easiest acts of
		
00:27:12 --> 00:27:15
			worship to remain consistent with. Many people at
		
00:27:15 --> 00:27:17
			work in between their tasks, many people during
		
00:27:17 --> 00:27:19
			their breaks, many parents and mothers as they're
		
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20
			raising their children.
		
00:27:21 --> 00:27:24
			Keep your tongue and your heart presently connected
		
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24
			to
		
00:27:25 --> 00:27:28
			Allah and remember this, Yunus alayhis salam, when
		
00:27:28 --> 00:27:30
			he was in the darkest of situations,
		
00:27:30 --> 00:27:32
			in layers of darkness in the ocean, in
		
00:27:32 --> 00:27:35
			the belly of the whale, and he's making
		
00:27:35 --> 00:27:35
			and
		
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36
			he's saying
		
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41
			As he's making,
		
00:27:41 --> 00:27:44
			the scholars say the commentary on this verse,
		
00:27:50 --> 00:27:51
			Had he not been amongst
		
00:27:52 --> 00:27:55
			those who glorify Allah, they're actively engaged in
		
00:27:55 --> 00:27:57
			remembering him. He would have remained in the
		
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58
			belly of the whale until the end of
		
00:27:58 --> 00:28:00
			times. They say
		
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01
			because
		
00:28:01 --> 00:28:03
			Yunus alaihis salam
		
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04
			used to make dhikr
		
00:28:05 --> 00:28:06
			and tasbih,
		
00:28:06 --> 00:28:09
			when things were easy, when he was on
		
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09
			land,
		
00:28:10 --> 00:28:12
			the angels recognized his voice when he was
		
00:28:12 --> 00:28:14
			making and
		
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15
			in a time of hardship.
		
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17
			And we know this from the sun of
		
00:28:17 --> 00:28:19
			the prophet sallallahu alaihi wasallam. Remember Allah, in
		
00:28:19 --> 00:28:21
			times of ease and you will find receptiveness,
		
00:28:21 --> 00:28:23
			That he will remember you, that he'll protect
		
00:28:23 --> 00:28:25
			you, accept your dua much quicker in times
		
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25
			of hardship.
		
00:28:26 --> 00:28:27
			And so when you think of this example,
		
00:28:27 --> 00:28:28
			you ask yourself
		
00:28:28 --> 00:28:31
			about the darkest of potential situations.
		
00:28:31 --> 00:28:33
			You might be going through the most difficult
		
00:28:33 --> 00:28:35
			thing in this world. May Allah protect us
		
00:28:35 --> 00:28:37
			all and grant us well-being and relief, and
		
00:28:37 --> 00:28:39
			for our brothers and sisters. But because of
		
00:28:39 --> 00:28:40
			your engagement
		
00:28:41 --> 00:28:43
			and your connection to Allah in dhikr and
		
00:28:43 --> 00:28:43
			Quran,
		
00:28:44 --> 00:28:47
			when things were relatively easy, you found yourself
		
00:28:47 --> 00:28:49
			in a place of light when things were
		
00:28:49 --> 00:28:51
			very dark and difficult. You'll find yourself in
		
00:28:51 --> 00:28:53
			a place of relief. You'll find a way
		
00:28:53 --> 00:28:55
			out from situations in
		
00:28:55 --> 00:28:57
			in a manner you never expected or imagined.
		
00:28:57 --> 00:29:00
			Our brothers and sisters in Gaza, our families
		
00:29:00 --> 00:29:02
			and relatives in Gaza, our loved ones in
		
00:29:02 --> 00:29:04
			Gaza from all walks of life and in
		
00:29:04 --> 00:29:07
			many other places as well, are facing severe
		
00:29:07 --> 00:29:08
			injustices.
		
00:29:08 --> 00:29:10
			The likes of which we have not seen
		
00:29:10 --> 00:29:12
			live streamed ever before.
		
00:29:12 --> 00:29:14
			Live streamed by the very recipients of that
		
00:29:14 --> 00:29:16
			injustice. May Allah
		
00:29:17 --> 00:29:20
			bring down his swift justice and his mercy
		
00:29:20 --> 00:29:21
			to our brothers and our sisters and his
		
00:29:21 --> 00:29:23
			relief, and give us a share of facilitating
		
00:29:23 --> 00:29:26
			that universal justice. May Allah
		
00:29:26 --> 00:29:27
			make us from amongst those who are grateful
		
00:29:27 --> 00:29:30
			for what we have. We have so many
		
00:29:30 --> 00:29:32
			blessings we cannot begin to count, but the
		
00:29:32 --> 00:29:35
			very first step of thanking Allah subhanahu wa
		
00:29:35 --> 00:29:37
			ta'ala starts in the heart and then with
		
00:29:37 --> 00:29:39
			our actions that, oh Allah, we praise you
		
00:29:39 --> 00:29:42
			for the blessing of food and safety and
		
00:29:42 --> 00:29:44
			shelter. And then you make so much du'a
		
00:29:44 --> 00:29:46
			for your brothers and your sisters. And with
		
00:29:46 --> 00:29:49
			your own blessings, you do not waste. With
		
00:29:49 --> 00:29:51
			your own blessings, you do not complain. With
		
00:29:51 --> 00:29:53
			your own blessings, you find yourself getting closer
		
00:29:53 --> 00:29:54
			to Allah
		
00:29:55 --> 00:29:57
			We ask Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala to forgive
		
00:29:57 --> 00:29:59
			us, seek forgiveness from him. He is the
		
00:29:59 --> 00:30:02
			oft forgiving, the ever merciful.
		
00:30:23 --> 00:30:25
			The people of Gaza and the people of
		
00:30:25 --> 00:30:26
			Palestine
		
00:30:26 --> 00:30:27
			in general
		
00:30:27 --> 00:30:31
			have faced a structural injustice for 75 years,
		
00:30:31 --> 00:30:34
			and many of us are a byproduct of
		
00:30:34 --> 00:30:36
			that injustice. Many of us are descendants, or
		
00:30:36 --> 00:30:38
			we ourselves have left, or our parents or
		
00:30:38 --> 00:30:39
			grandparents
		
00:30:39 --> 00:30:41
			were kicked out of their homes numerous times.
		
00:30:42 --> 00:30:44
			The reality of the Umma is that we
		
00:30:44 --> 00:30:44
			are 1.
		
00:30:45 --> 00:30:47
			And it's not just about a specific ethnicity
		
00:30:47 --> 00:30:50
			or specific land, although, of course, with regards
		
00:30:50 --> 00:30:51
			to Palestine, it's a blessed land as we
		
00:30:51 --> 00:30:54
			know. But our ummah is 1. And wherever
		
00:30:54 --> 00:30:57
			we see injustice, we strive to eliminate it
		
00:30:57 --> 00:30:59
			as much as possible. Wherever you see injustice,
		
00:30:59 --> 00:31:01
			you make dua at the very least. Wherever
		
00:31:01 --> 00:31:03
			you see injustice, you find yourself more grateful
		
00:31:03 --> 00:31:05
			to Allah and saying, oh Allah, how do
		
00:31:05 --> 00:31:08
			I redirect my anger and frustration when I
		
00:31:08 --> 00:31:09
			see the video of a 4 year old
		
00:31:09 --> 00:31:11
			whose body is burnt? When I see the
		
00:31:11 --> 00:31:13
			children who are killed in the arms of
		
00:31:13 --> 00:31:15
			their parents? When I see the mother bidding
		
00:31:15 --> 00:31:17
			farewell to a 2 month old? When I
		
00:31:17 --> 00:31:18
			see the children who are dying in the
		
00:31:18 --> 00:31:21
			hospitals, when I see hospitals and masajid being
		
00:31:21 --> 00:31:23
			bombed left and right, when I see Muslims
		
00:31:23 --> 00:31:26
			in Palestine praying on the rubble despite the
		
00:31:26 --> 00:31:28
			fact that they literally have no food. When
		
00:31:28 --> 00:31:30
			I say when I see children scraping food
		
00:31:30 --> 00:31:32
			from the bottom of a barrel or a
		
00:31:32 --> 00:31:34
			pot, and people are waiting in line for
		
00:31:34 --> 00:31:34
			hours.
		
00:31:35 --> 00:31:36
			Redirect
		
00:31:36 --> 00:31:37
			that frustration,
		
00:31:38 --> 00:31:40
			or the guilt, or the anger into acts
		
00:31:40 --> 00:31:41
			of worship.
		
00:31:41 --> 00:31:43
			Redirect it into dua.
		
00:31:43 --> 00:31:45
			Redirect it into political advocacy.
		
00:31:46 --> 00:31:48
			Redirect it into something impactful, multifaceted,
		
00:31:48 --> 00:31:49
			multidimensional,
		
00:31:50 --> 00:31:53
			and keep your heart connected to these causes.
		
00:31:53 --> 00:31:55
			These causes do not end. Our lives will
		
00:31:55 --> 00:31:58
			end. These causes do not end. We are
		
00:31:58 --> 00:32:00
			in need of serving them. We are in
		
00:32:00 --> 00:32:02
			need of having that share. So that when
		
00:32:02 --> 00:32:04
			we stand on the day of judgment and
		
00:32:04 --> 00:32:06
			Allah asks us, what did you do with
		
00:32:06 --> 00:32:08
			the blessing of technology that you had when
		
00:32:08 --> 00:32:10
			you could see your brothers and your sisters
		
00:32:10 --> 00:32:12
			dying? That, O Allah, I did what I
		
00:32:12 --> 00:32:12
			could.
		
00:32:13 --> 00:32:15
			I literally did everything that I could. I
		
00:32:15 --> 00:32:18
			tried my best. I took 10 different routes
		
00:32:18 --> 00:32:20
			to help the cause. And we ask Allah
		
00:32:20 --> 00:32:22
			to make us from amongst those who are
		
00:32:22 --> 00:32:25
			always racing, looking for these opportunities to help,
		
00:32:25 --> 00:32:27
			and not waiting for the opportunities
		
00:32:27 --> 00:32:28
			to fall into our laps.
		
00:32:29 --> 00:32:31
			Today, brothers and sisters, we do have an
		
00:32:31 --> 00:32:34
			opportunity inshallah ta'ala. There's an organization here, Baytul
		
00:32:34 --> 00:32:35
			Ma'am. They actually have trucks that have entered
		
00:32:35 --> 00:32:37
			into Gaza. It took a lot of effort.
		
00:32:37 --> 00:32:39
			It was not easy. But, yes, some of
		
00:32:39 --> 00:32:41
			the trucks have already entered over 30 already,
		
00:32:41 --> 00:32:44
			and several $1,000,000 of donations have already benefited
		
00:32:44 --> 00:32:46
			the people of Gaza. There's still a lot
		
00:32:46 --> 00:32:48
			more work that needs to be done. As
		
00:32:48 --> 00:32:50
			you are here, inshaAllah ta'ala, as we have
		
00:32:50 --> 00:32:52
			made it to the 2nd Jummah of Ramadan,
		
00:32:52 --> 00:32:54
			please take advantage on your way out. I
		
00:32:54 --> 00:32:56
			do not work for the organization, but wallahi,
		
00:32:57 --> 00:32:59
			I have seen the work firsthand, and I
		
00:32:59 --> 00:33:01
			have seen the effect of the work firsthand.
		
00:33:01 --> 00:33:02
			And this is why our khutbah today is
		
00:33:02 --> 00:33:04
			dedicated to this topic, but also to the
		
00:33:04 --> 00:33:06
			cause that is here. On your way out,
		
00:33:06 --> 00:33:09
			take advantage, inshallah, to support our brothers and
		
00:33:09 --> 00:33:11
			sisters, the Palestinians in this case, Lebanese, Syrian,
		
00:33:11 --> 00:33:14
			those in that region in Lebanon, some in,
		
00:33:14 --> 00:33:16
			Palestine as well. Take advantage on your way
		
00:33:16 --> 00:33:18
			out to support in any way possible,
		
00:33:18 --> 00:33:22
			hoping sincerely that your sadaqa is magnified in
		
00:33:22 --> 00:33:24
			impact and their barakah magnify is magnified in
		
00:33:24 --> 00:33:26
			your own risk, in your own health, and
		
00:33:26 --> 00:33:28
			that we are able to testify on the
		
00:33:28 --> 00:33:30
			day of judgment. Oh, Allah, we did what
		
00:33:30 --> 00:33:32
			we could. We did what we could. We
		
00:33:32 --> 00:33:34
			did what we could with the limited resources
		
00:33:34 --> 00:33:36
			and capacity that we had. We ask Allah
		
00:33:36 --> 00:33:38
			to make us amongst the grateful, to bring
		
00:33:38 --> 00:33:40
			down his justice and his relief to our
		
00:33:40 --> 00:33:43
			brothers and sisters in Palestine and Sudan and
		
00:33:43 --> 00:33:45
			East Turkestan and Yemen and Syria and every
		
00:33:45 --> 00:33:47
			land and every place in which his name
		
00:33:47 --> 00:33:49
			is mentioned. We ask Allah to protect our
		
00:33:49 --> 00:33:51
			brothers and sisters in India, Pakistan, and Kashmir.
		
00:33:51 --> 00:33:52
			We ask Allah
		
00:33:52 --> 00:33:54
			to protect us wherever we are in this
		
00:33:54 --> 00:33:56
			world and to keep our hearts united as
		
00:33:56 --> 00:33:58
			one. And we ask Allah to allow us
		
00:33:58 --> 00:33:59
			to be amongst those who facilitate
		
00:34:00 --> 00:34:03
			universal justice and universal peace wherever we are.
		
00:42:01 --> 00:42:03
			Brothers and sisters, please, on your way out,
		
00:42:03 --> 00:42:04
			whatever you can do,
		
00:42:04 --> 00:42:06
			there's a credit card machine. They have the
		
00:42:06 --> 00:42:09
			pamphlets. These are for food, for other, helpful
		
00:42:09 --> 00:42:11
			things in terms of relief for Palestinians in
		
00:42:11 --> 00:42:13
			the area of Palestine, in Lebanon as well,
		
00:42:13 --> 00:42:15
			many of the refugee camps for a long
		
00:42:15 --> 00:42:16
			time. You have a lot of Syrians as
		
00:42:16 --> 00:42:18
			well, a lot of Lebanese. Whatever you can
		
00:42:18 --> 00:42:19
			do on your way out,
		
00:42:20 --> 00:42:22
			take advantage, of course, because this is going
		
00:42:22 --> 00:42:24
			to people who are in need. It is
		
00:42:24 --> 00:42:25
			also zakah eligible.
		
00:42:25 --> 00:42:26
			And as we have made it to the
		
00:42:26 --> 00:42:28
			month of Ramadan, alhamdulillah, Rabbi Amin, we wanna
		
00:42:28 --> 00:42:30
			take advantage of everything that we can do
		
00:42:30 --> 00:42:32
			to help our brothers and sisters. May Allah
		
00:42:33 --> 00:42:34
			bring down his relief and make us amongst
		
00:42:34 --> 00:42:36
			those who have a share in helping others
		
00:42:36 --> 00:42:37
			and make it a reason for us to
		
00:42:37 --> 00:42:40
			have more barakah blessings in the blessings that
		
00:42:40 --> 00:42:41
			we have, in the family, in the wealth,
		
00:42:41 --> 00:42:42
			and the riz that we have as well.
		
00:42:50 --> 00:42:52
			We have a very special weekend ahead of
		
00:42:52 --> 00:42:53
			us, Insha'Allah.
		
00:42:53 --> 00:42:56
			This weekend, starting tomorrow, we have the MIC
		
00:42:57 --> 00:42:58
			annual construction fundraiser,
		
00:42:59 --> 00:43:01
			keeping our vision growing. So if you've benefited
		
00:43:01 --> 00:43:02
			from MIC,
		
00:43:03 --> 00:43:05
			you wanna see the progress we've made, the
		
00:43:05 --> 00:43:06
			accomplishments we've made, and what we have in
		
00:43:06 --> 00:43:08
			store for the future, inshallah,
		
00:43:09 --> 00:43:10
			You're gonna have to be at this dinner.
		
00:43:10 --> 00:43:13
			So, alhamdulillah, we only have a few tickets
		
00:43:13 --> 00:43:15
			left. There's not that much, that many tickets
		
00:43:15 --> 00:43:17
			left and many seats left. So if you
		
00:43:17 --> 00:43:19
			haven't bought your tickets yet, it's atmicmemphis.org.
		
00:43:21 --> 00:43:22
			We have them up on the screen as
		
00:43:22 --> 00:43:24
			a QR code. You can get them from
		
00:43:24 --> 00:43:25
			the Mohit kiosk as well.
		
00:43:26 --> 00:43:28
			Miss Insha Allah, we're looking forward to seeing
		
00:43:28 --> 00:43:30
			everybody there. There's gonna be childcare provided,
		
00:43:31 --> 00:43:34
			all, like, every night this weekend, then for
		
00:43:34 --> 00:43:36
			the fundraiser as well, there'll be childcare available,
		
00:43:36 --> 00:43:38
			so you can drop off your kids there,
		
00:43:38 --> 00:43:39
			and then come to the dinner, which is
		
00:43:39 --> 00:43:41
			gonna be starting at 7 PM, and it's
		
00:43:41 --> 00:43:42
			$25,
		
00:43:43 --> 00:43:43
			$25
		
00:43:44 --> 00:43:44
			per ticket.
		
00:43:45 --> 00:43:46
			And then tonight, Insha'Allah,
		
00:43:47 --> 00:43:49
			is also another special event, what we've been
		
00:43:49 --> 00:43:50
			calling the grand,
		
00:43:51 --> 00:43:52
			which is gonna be starting at Isha and
		
00:43:52 --> 00:43:52
			Insha'Allah.
		
00:43:53 --> 00:43:55
			And then afterwards, we're gonna be having a
		
00:43:55 --> 00:43:58
			special ceremony to open the new grand hall.
		
00:43:59 --> 00:44:00
			Thanks to your
		
00:44:00 --> 00:44:03
			support, our community support, the generous donations.
		
00:44:04 --> 00:44:06
			We're able to open the new hall, and
		
00:44:06 --> 00:44:07
			we're gonna ask everybody to come into the
		
00:44:07 --> 00:44:08
			hall after so
		
00:44:09 --> 00:44:11
			that we can celebrate that accomplishment. And then
		
00:44:11 --> 00:44:13
			from 12:30 until 4:30
		
00:44:14 --> 00:44:15
			is gonna be,
		
00:44:15 --> 00:44:16
			and reflections
		
00:44:16 --> 00:44:17
			with a different,
		
00:44:18 --> 00:44:20
			and then we're gonna have at 4:30, and
		
00:44:20 --> 00:44:23
			then we'll end the night at around 6
		
00:44:23 --> 00:44:25
			AM. But we're looking forward to seeing everybody
		
00:44:25 --> 00:44:25
			there.
		
00:44:25 --> 00:44:27
			Make MIC your home for the next 2
		
00:44:27 --> 00:44:29
			nights, Insha'Allah, the rest of Ramadan.