The Cheat Sheet for Life

Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah. While early he was honored to be here, woman Noida As salam o alaikum, wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh

May Allah subhanaw taala bless you all for coming out to the first session of the conference, in which obviously the morning times some people are still trickling in still waking up still getting their coffees and their energies may last perhaps I'll reward you all for being here, as well as for all of those who have facilitated this convention and this conference and these sessions for us, the volunteers the institute's the organizers, the staff, may Allah subhanaw taala, reward them on bless them and their families say Amin

May Allah Subhana Allah reward all of those who are facilitating sign language for our brothers and sisters who are in need of it. Say I mean,

when you hear the word cheat sheet, what comes to mind? What are some thoughts that come to mind? Often times, if you've ever had a teacher in high school who told you for your exam for this upcoming exam, you can have a cheat sheet but it has to be on an index card and you got excited your creativity mashallah, in writing in like three point font, or printing it on the index card, like I've seen some students do, mashallah, why? Why do we get excited? Why do we do that? We feel that coming to this exam, this thing that's really important to us, and we've placed a value on that we have some guidance, some reminders, some clarity. And this is a really, really, really minor analogy

to the title of this session, the cheat sheet for life, your entire existence, your purpose, morality, good, evil relationships, transactions, how to live life, how to govern, how to communicate, how to forgive, how to love, and of course, how to navigate fear, sadness, many other emotions. The session is really about the Quran.

Allah subhanaw taala describes the Quran where she felt only Matthew solo, it is a healing for what is in the hearts. It is a spiritual, psychological healing. And of course, it is a healing for many other things as well. It is a light for every darkness in society a guidance for every form of misguidance in this world, it corrects everything that is deviated. It gives clarity to the one who is sincerely looking for clarity, it is a book of guidance. May Allah subhanaw taala keep our hearts attached to his speech Allahumma Amin

when you receive your syllabus for a college class university class, on the first day, some students and I count myself amongst them one of the first things we do is we try to find out what's required to get an A in this class, what do I need? What are the assignments, the percentage for each of these requirements? What are the criteria of success here? With life, Allah subhanaw taala did not create us and leave us without purpose. Allah subhana wa Tada is perfect, far above such a thing. And when we truly reflect as human beings on our human condition, and our emotions, on the fact that amongst everything we observe in this world empirically, we find that we truly are unique that Allah

subhanaw taala created us for a purpose. And as we reflect, we see that clearly, to logically everything has an organizational end function. Everything we observe, has some kind of purpose, some kind of direction, some kind of end in mind.

Allah subhanaw taala gave us consciousness, metacognition, the blessing of language, advanced civilizations, we should feel like we have been honored as human beings.

But some human beings take that honor and throw it away, and others receive it and act upon it with gratitude. When we look to the Quran, we find a beautiful reflection one of the verses of the Quran, that if you were to frame it in calligraphy, put it on your wall, desktop wallpaper wherever you see it.

It would be one of the most profound verses of the Quran for introspection. If it Masaru draw the Allah one, the great companion of Quran He says there weren't even four years that passed by, from the time that we became Muslim, to the time in which Allah subhanaw taala rebuked us with the following idea with the following verse. Allah me nearly the man who tuckshop Zulu booni They can learn he wants Nasrallah Amina, how long? Has the time not yet come? For those who believe you claim your Muslim you believe for your heart to become humbly submissive, moved by the remembrance of Allah is it not time? In other words, how much time do you truly need? How much time do you truly

need for you to finally say it's time for me to change? What are you waiting for?

Because if subconsciously, or consciously you think tomorrow, you've already fallen into the trap of the devil, if you procrastinate, improving your emotional, spiritual condition for tomorrow, you've left something really important, really valuable at risk. Because tomorrow is not guaranteed as a mentality. Tomorrow later next week, next year, I'll connect to the Quran or become more religious, more practicing. I'll take care of my mental state, my emotional state, my spiritual state. If you keep procrastinating, what might end up happening is that you might die upon that procrastination, you might never take care of that problem. And we don't want to be people have regrets. If not now

than one. Tomorrow is not guaranteed. Let's always push ourselves today to start in the midst of a lecture with at least the intention they Allah I'm going to begin right now. Yeah, Allah this is my intention. Yeah, Allah I will start taking actions, I will start moving forward I will start putting in more effort that I truly mean it to Allah. How is the Quran? A cure? How does it help with these emotions we are discussing how does it help with living our lives with a so called cheat sheet, a manual a guidance.

Allah subhanaw taala gives us in the Quran reminders. The One who created mankind, the One who created us with an elevated status gave us all that we need to be reminded not once, not twice, but numerous times from the beginning to the end of the Quran. How many times do you hear about the afterlife? How many times do you recite verses about paradise? How many times do you read about persevering, enduring and the emotional states and the emotional difficulties we go through? How many times do we hear about the afterlife and the connection and the meeting with Allah subhanaw taala why are they repeated rather than discussing paradise once and sober endurance and

perseverance once and the afterlife just once or twice? The repeated over and over and over again 6236 verses and we find hundreds of is about the same concepts. It's because we are in need of reminders. But when we become distracted by a dunya distracted with our jobs, tempted distracted by families chasing certain worldly things chasing materialism. what starts to happen is we choose to cut ourselves off from that reminder that is a cure for us. Allah subhanaw taala says whether that care for in the court environment mean remind for verily the reminders benefit the believers. When you recite the Quran on a daily basis, you are being reminded when you listen to it frequently. You

are being reminded when you study it frequently you are being reminded what happens when you're reminded you're given that boost that you need in that moment from checkpoint to checkpoint, a reinforcement of your faith or of your optimism, your coping your resilience with hardships in this world, you're reminded why suffering exists, you're reminded of Allah subhanaw taala as mercy.

Importantly, as well, the Quran gives us as a cure the reality of expectations. And from a psychological standpoint, I want you to imagine, I know we're all generally in agreement here. But I want you to imagine someone who is not in agreement with us, and they believe their expectation is not to this life, a dunya shouldn't be a life in which there's no suffering whatsoever. No discomfort, rather, no hardships, no pain. And they want perfect house a perfect spouse, perfect wealth and health and children. Everything else has to be perfect. What are they really looking for? What are they asking for?

They're looking for Janna.

If your expectation of a dunya is up here where Jana is, you're going to be disappointed every day. And you're choosing to be disappointed. Why? Because you're basing your expectation not on reality, but rather the deception of a dunya. Because the reality of a dunya is down here and Allah subhanaw taala tells us that reminds us of that. So when you read the Quran, you are reminded to set your expectations in accordance with reality. So that your your hurt, your pain is not magnified that why did this thing happen? Why does this exist in this world? But you know, the reality the fact that objective reality as Allah describes it, in terms of why this world exists? Allah subhanaw taala

reminds us of paradise in the Quran. How many times do we read about Jana? Do we listen to lectures about Jenna. And in that moment, we start maybe dreaming of it being motivated, ambitious. When you're going through pain, you feel some relief, you feel that you're able to hold on a little longer, because you know that it's worth it in the end, 70 years, 100 years, even 1000 years in this world, if you were to hold on to your faith, and that's all that you had in this world and you lost everything else of dunya May Allah protect us all. But if you lost everything of this world, and you held on to your faith, at least you know, Jenna's waiting for you. At least you know there's eternal

bliss. At least you know, the first step into Paradise will wipe away

entire lifetime and entire existence of pain and sadness in this world. fosterville Allah subhanaw taala reminds be patient persevere Fosbury. You will Adina Amanu all believers is starting over somebody was gonna seek your help through turn to perseverance holding on to your faith being strong having willpower and through prayer as well. In the Quran, we're reminded every day about decree and pain, we're reminded about Allah subhanaw taala is will versus his love. And there's actually a really important misconception I want to address here.

Oftentimes, when we say Allah wanted this to happen, we actually make the mistake of confusing the will of Allah subhanaw taala with the love or hatred of Allah subhanaw taala towards something. For example, I can ask us all and I think it's a very easy question. Does Allah subhanaw taala love for His creation for human beings to hurt and oppress one another? Yes, sir. No, no, absolutely not. Does Allah subhanaw taala the One who created us with freewill? Does he love for us to disbelieve in him and reject the truth? Yes or no? No, absolutely not. Whether you're a body or a body, of course, it is a fact. Allah does not want for his creation to choose the path of arrogance or rejecting of

truth. However, Allah subhanho wa Taala is love and hatred of something is not what we are actually discussing. It is the fact that Allah allows, allow so his will permit something to occur in this world. Rather many things to occur in this world for wisdoms known to him wisdoms we cannot see or access as limited human beings, but we have to trust in something. And since we don't have access to that knowledge and that wisdom, we must trust in the one who is Al Hakim, the One who created us, the one who is a Rahman one who will be cliche and I am knowledgeable of all things, that there are multiple intertwined reasons, between and connecting everything that happens in this world. billions

upon billions of factors have been told me that I'm Allah says the interplay about the tying in of so many things in the universe we cannot possibly understand. And yet we trust, that trust must be directed towards Allah subhanaw taala he allows things to happen. Yes, in the moments, they are painful, but there is a wisdom for it. And all of this goes back to the purpose of this life. It is not genuine. Yes, there is a world in which there is no pain. Yes, there is a place in which there are no trials or tribulations, but you must use the guidance given to you in this world in order to make it to that place May Allah subhanaw taala grant us the highest levels of Jannah. Say I mean,

when you recite the Quran as a Shiva, you're reminded that of Kabul, Nakaba. Fanon Tala, you will go through stage after stage in this world, think about where you were 10 years ago, think about where you were two years ago, two years ago, we were here at massacre would we have imagined talking about a pandemic would we have imagined having masks all around we do we have imagined such a scenario just two years ago.

We go through phases in life. And as children grow, we see this and as we grow, we see this and nothing is permanent. Do not attach your heart to any stage of your life. Do not attach your heart to any stage of your life, for it is not permanent. You will go through stage after stage phase after phase and blessings come and go. May Allah bless us all and preserve us in what we have.

But nothing in this world is permanent. And the greatest reminder of that is death itself, that we will depart and it's not a sad thought that we will depart to a better place. And in fact, I did not intend to mention this. But as Dr. Nadeem was talking, this came to mind. These two specific emotions that are mentioned in the description of the topic here. fear and sadness are actually intertwined in the Quran numerous times.

They're connected numerous times. And the context in which they are connected, are always about those who succeed the believers. It's always about passing the test of this world, holding on to your faith. One of my favorite verses by far is the saying of Allah subhanaw taala. And so let's first say that, in Allah, the Quran buena, Allah who must have Fong Verily those who say My Lord is a law and then they hold on to their faith. It's not going to be easy for Mr. Obama, they hold on to their faith. Turner said he wanted him

to have one, Tarzan who the angels will come to them at the time of death as your soul is leaving your body and they will say what, have no fear. Do not be sad, have no fear, do not be sad, whatever your shadow means. Nothing nothing to do, but instead have the glad tidings of the paradise that you were promised before. fear and sadness will not exist for the believer who holds on to their faith, no matter how light how life is in turn.

Most of its difficulties or how extreme pain is hold on to what you know will completely and permanently erase all fear and sadness. A question comes up often,

which is how do I stay connected to the Quran if I don't even understand the Arabic language and long story short, we have an abundance of resources Alhamdulillah we have so many resources in this day and age to learn to read the translations to follow along the TEF see the explanation of the Quran we no longer have that excuse of hamdulillah and if you can join a program, have an instructor or have a teacher attend a class. There are so many people who became Muslim and within two three years started learning the Arabic language started learning the Quran, a brother who had actually read and recited the entire Quran in his first year after becoming Muslim. This is not to discourage

you, or rather even to encourage you to rush but rather to show you that it is possible connect to the Quran. In addition to this, some people ask, I feel like I'm trying to connect to the Quran but my heart is not there. What can I do one of the greatest reminders, recite as though it's your final re citation. Read the Quran as though you have no opportunity after today to read the Quran. Pray as though it is your final prayer as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam advised with a brother in one of our communities in Michigan, who was diagnosed with late stage cancer. And they told him he had several months to live. When we went to visit him it was one visit that we had just to see him.

This was the brother who used to open the masjid doors. This brother used to pray in the masjid his brother was kind to everyone. When we visited him, he said this advice of the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam is so profound, but we don't appreciate it enough. And now I feel like I'm living it every day. Now I feel like I'm actually experiencing it. When I look at my family. I feel like this is my last chance my last conversation. When I read the Quran, I don't rush it any more like I used to in the past. When I pray, I'm not rushing back to a dunya because I know I'm about to meet Allah subhanaw taala.

And the reality is, and this is what he emphasized to you don't need a doctor a doctor to diagnose you with death for you to know you're going to die. You know you're going to meet Allah Rahman Rahim Allahu Al Karim al herdy. Allah subhanaw taala give us what we need. So prepare to meet Allah, as though every opportunity to recite Quran is your last. And on this note, I will wrap up with this as you're disconnecting from worldly distractions and you're filtering out the reminders, the notifications on your apps, the time that you're spending on different entertainments, leisure, whatever it may be, as you're disconnecting and trying to get closer to Allah subhanaw taala you

make dua you ask Allah consistently and constantly for blessings in your time in your day, you're watching the clock as the minutes and the hours are counting down, and you realize you're getting closer to your meeting with Allah subhanaw taala you express everyday gratitude from the time you wake up, the first thing that you say is of hamdulillah right before you sleep at hamdulillah for everything that I had today, at hamdulillah completely destroys various forms of sadness and depression according to a number of studies. Alhamdulillah not just on the tongue but in the heart, living by it really feeling it. Gratitude is a healing for so many of our problems, and ultimately

asking Allah subhanaw taala to bless your heart with life. The very least we can do is to make that dua, a young brother 21 years old comes to the masjid in Ramadan about 1011 years ago, after we finished what was it a prayer, he comes up and there are tears on his face. And I started talking to him as he's walking up to me and I said as salaam alaikum. And he didn't respond. He took out one of those phones at that time, one of those phones that had the keyboards on the side and he started typing very quickly. And so I realized very quickly he could not hear me. He started typing very quickly a cinematic Oh, my name is such and such. He said when I was 16 years old, my mother used to

encourage me to memorize the Quran. And when I was 16 years old, I had just finished reciting my last verses to my Quran teacher. And a week after that, one week after that, I lost the ability to hear. He said sometimes I feel as though I'm hearing the Quran from a distance especially in Ramadan. He said tonight, I felt like I heard the Quran. And I'm not crying because I'm upset. I'm not ungrateful to Allah. I'm actually crying because I was given the blessing of being able to finish memorizing the Quran before I lost the ability to hear it. How many of us are grateful for the ability today right now at any moment you want to go to your phone Quran app, start reciting

listening to the Quran, how many of us are really grateful, thinking that Ya Allah, the blessing of hearing that you gave me I'm not even using it enough to listen to your reminders to your speech and I am the one who is in need of it. I am the one who is in need of this cure. If you really want to experience overcoming any kind of negative emotions you cannot fully, comprehensively efficiently do so without what Allah has revealed of Shiva. May Allah subhanaw taala grant us a connection to the Quran on a daily basis until the day that

We die and may Allah subhanaw taala allow us to take the cure and the blessings of the Quran for our lives, our families and our communities around the world. And may Allah subhanaw taala make us grateful for every blessing that we have and allow us to be people of optimism and productivity and constantly moving towards him. Allahumma Alameen wa salam ala Nabina Muhammad Ali, he was so happy to hear your mind