The Pain Within

go for Hajj. Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah. And I remember my love hamdu lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah, who out early he was often being a woman whether how many people were here last year because of the fact that I should ask the other question how many people were not here last year?

Whatever that looks like the same amount of people Masha Allah, may Allah subhanaw taala make this a blessing convention for everyone. And may Allah subhanaw taala make us of those who benefit long term from this convention and are accepted and all of our deeds say I mean, I can't believe what a woman once entered into the palace of Prophet Muhammad Ali has said, and this is narrated through the straw in the yard, so it may or may not be authentic. But the lesson behind is absolutely true.

So she barges in without knocking, and she says, Oh, Messenger of Allah, is your Lord, on oppressor, or is he just frustration? So he said, Be careful of your words. What are you saying is your Lord and oppressor? What is your story? She said, I'm a widow, and I'm taking care of my three daughters.

And every day, she makes some clothes. And she goes to the marketplace. She sells what she has. She buys food, and she travels back to her home to feed her children. So on the very same day, as she's heading to the marketplace, she stops to rest. And he bird swoops down and takes this red clothing that she had filled with all of these products she was going to sell, and it flew away people shares so naturally she would become upset, your provisions just left in front of you,

too. So as she's telling him the story, they hear a knock and profit they would only slam allows these businessmen to enter. So these 10 men enter and they say oh messenger of Allah. Last night, we were traveling by sea through the storm.

And there was a leak in the boat and they thought they were going to die. They started making dua as they were emptying water from the boat. And finally one of them says, Oh Allah, if you save us tonight, then every one of us will donate 100 dinars and charity. Which, let's say in our times, is like $100,000. Those are the direct ones that we know. So as they're emptying the boat and making dua. This bird flies around drops this red clothing and they take this thick material, this thick substance, they try to plug the boat as much as possible as they're emptying the water and they all survive. So they gave this 1000 dinars total and charity on the left, Prophet Muhammad Ali salaam

turns to the woman and he gives her the 1000 dinars and he says, ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada is taking care of your provisions in the land and in the sea. Meaning when you do work, and even when you're not doing anything, and you question whether he's an oppressor or he's just so often times what we perceive to be oppression or difficulty or a struggle is a blessing in disguise, but our test is the first moments of calamity, the first moment of suffering. So we will mention inshallah for the sake of time and the sake of structure 10 different causes of our struggles, because it is a common and reasonable question. Why do we struggle? Why is there hardship? The first reason that we struggle is

to purify us of our sins. Wouldn't you rather be purified of your sins in this life or in the next life, without doubt, all of us knowing what we know about the hereafter of description and fear and hardship. There's no doubt whatsoever we want our sins we would rather for our sins to be purified in this life, and one of those forms is hardship. One of those forms is hardship. When you go through this hardship as we know the word fitna comes from the root of the one who purifies gold, so they purify it through a severe heating process. And it comes out as one of the most pure valuable commodities in the world. Likewise, and similarly as we are purified through hardship and patience

and struggles, we are purified of our sins and hopefully we will come out more valuable in the sight of Allah subhanahu wa Tada. Number two, we go through hardships and struggles and we experience pain in order for us to turn back to Allah subhanho wa Taala after we have become distracted, and there is no no doubt whatsoever that this is from the Mercy of Allah subhana wa Tada. It is out of his love that he wants you to go back to him. Would you rather continuing down this path of being a stray or would you rather Allah sends you a reminder, sometimes the reminder comes in we are heedless.

We ignore. There are signs all around us we reject. we procrastinate. We disregard and Allah keeps sending reminders and eventually that reminder might come in a more severe form, a form to wake us up to jolt us and remind us to go back to Allah subhana wa Tada, check your actions. I asked the question last year during one of the talks about smartphone addiction.

How many times a day do people check their smartphones. And on average, they found with 10,000 survey respondents that it's approximately 150 times a day. Now some of you hear my say, but I check it like 1000 times a day. What's your wish is a little crazy. But 150 times a day, imagine 150 times a day, you make a quick drop, quick, vicar 150 times a day or more or less. You ask Allah Subhana Allah Tada showing him that even through times of ease, you are still connected to him. Even when he has given you all that He has given you, you have not forgotten all of those blessings. But when we forget to connect to the Quran, when we forget to connect to is still thought and DUA and so on and

so forth. Oftentimes for our own sake, Allah subhanaw taala has to send a sharp reminder our way, because the light reminder did not work for us. And so it is out of the Mercy of Allah subhanho wa taala.

By the way, there was a story of a sister a few years ago, 26 year old sister who got into an accident and lost her sight.

And she went from specialist to specialist from state to state even from country to country, and they couldn't find help for her. No one basically was able to help restore her sight. And eventually somebody reminded her very sharply How can you have gone all these months with your family tried to seek help from people and never once considering asking Allah subhanaw taala by going and doing their own role or HUD you're doing something that's a little greater or more than just making dua and going to your local specialist. So she went for ombre. This was in 2009. She went for Amara with her family and as she was doing blow off, she fainted, she went unconscious. And when she regained

consciousness she was able to see

and there's no doubt whatsoever. When you remember to turn to Allah first Allah subhanaw taala will come to you in forms beyond what you asked for. You asked for something Allah will give that to you and much, much more. But turn to him first and foremost. And remember that when you go astray if that reminder comes your way, don't disregard it. The third reason that we struggle is to humble us when we have become arrogant. And we don't realize that arrogance is the primary disease that destroys the heart and destroys faith. It is what took the devil himself astray when he was in the Presence of Allah subhanho wa Taala so when you start to think I earned this because of my hard work

my 40 hours a week my studying all night I earned this by myself. When you start to think you're independent of ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada. It is out of the Mercy of Allah that He sends you a reminder to humble you, so that you do not go down the path of the devil himself. Think again about Allah subhanaw taala preserving you for your own sake.

Number four, we struggle and we experience hardships. Sometimes simply to test us. You and I can say a shadow Allah ilaha illallah wa shadow under Mohammed Abdul Hora Sudha the statement is easy on the tongue, but the actions will be reflected when you are tested at the moment of calamity. As Allah subhanho wa Taala says And if la meme has evenness, who are you to Roku or Yahoo? Well, whom now you've ternoon do people expect to say I believe in Allah and then not be tested for their faith. Anyone can say I believe I'm Muslim. But when the test comes your way, light or severe, where you will be tested with your reaction. And the moment of test once again, is at the time of calamity or

hardship.

Number five,

we are tested and we go through hardships and we struggle and we go through difficulties. Because this life is imperfect. It has its purpose and its purpose is perfect. But as for relaxation and perfection and worldly matters, none of those things are guaranteed. If you have good health now May Allah preserve you. It's not guaranteed forever. As we all know, if you have wealth, a career, a good family, these things are not guaranteed for the rest of your life. The only guarantee that we have is that we will return to Allah subhana wa Tada ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada gives you the opportunity to have something much greater and lasting, something that is not temporal. And we ask Allah

subhanho wa Taala to make lists of those who enter the highest levels of paradise. I want everyone to imagine for a moment. Imagine this next scenario. You're standing in Jana, may Allah

All of us in our families agenda, say I mean, imagine you're standing there, the first time you enter, and you're not lost, you know exactly where your home agenda is.

And as you're standing there looking at this palace and the reward that you have, and the gardens next to your palace for all the victims that you made, and the trunks of the trees of gold and silver, and you have the ground made out of sapphires, and gems and jewels, and you have the rivers of Jannah, flowing right up to your palace.

And you feel a tug on your shoulders, and you turn around and you see maybe a family member who has passed away before you in this life, maybe your parents who passed away before you in this life, maybe a long lost friend, maybe you'll see some of your ancestors, the first in your lineage to become Muslim. Maybe you'll see some of your descendants, your legacy. Maybe you'll turn around and see the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

But in any of these scenarios, whoever you turn around and see, there is no doubt whatsoever, you're going to be happy. There is no doubt whatsoever that it's all worth it.

And it's worth it for one moment in Jannah not just an eternity. It's worth it. Everything you go through in this life of hardship and suffering and pain and patience and resilience and firmness. It's all worth it. Because the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said and every time you hear his name in this convention, remember to say sallallahu alayhi wa salam. Imagine, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam informed us that the person who went through the most suffering in this world think of all of our suffering in this room combined, multiply by a million, someone whose entire life was a life of consistent misery and hardship. On the Day of Judgment, Allah subhana wa Tada commands the

angels to dip this person one time into Jana, person who has all of these hardship and memories of pain and anxiety. There dipped one dip into Janna only and the removed and Allah asks, Oh, son of Adam, have you ever experienced any hardship before? And he says no Yola, I've never experienced any hardship before. If this is one dip, how was a step? How was the second how's the minute? How was a lifetime and eternity in Jannah? It it's worth it. When you go through pain and suffering remember paradise. Remember the purpose of this life? For one of the greatest ways to cope with suffering as was commanded to the Sahaba themselves to the Companions and the prophets is to reflect on Paradise.

And how safe to manage Hello Jana, Tawana Maria Chico methadone, Latina Holloman publikum mircette Tamil butser Waterwatch was Uzi to hotwire hola rasool Allah, Xena and Omar who Mata and also Allah. Allah in la nostra Allah Karim, do you expect to simply just enter paradise when you have been given the tidings of those who came before you? They were afflicted with hardship and with poverty until they were shaken with their messenger as well. And they would say maternal through Allah when will the help or relief or victory of Allah come? These are the greatest of people.

And Allah says Allah in Nasrallah, Hikari verily, indeed, with an emphasis they help in the victory and the relief from Allah is nearby, be resilient and be firm.

Number six,

we experience hardships and struggles in this life, sometimes as a minor form of punishment. And we don't like to think about this. But this has to be said, you might be oppressing someone in your life, you might be causing harm that is consistent. Maybe your bad manners in general or bad conduct with someone in general. Maybe you're mistreating your parents not giving them the rights that Allah has prescribed, or your spouse or your children. Remember that the rights of the creation are magnificent and important in the sight of Allah subhanho wa Taala so the question is, how often do we reflect on our sins and actually try to repent for them?

actually asking Allah subhanaw taala Allah forgive me for this specific sin? Not general is still fun. Allah subhanaw taala reminds us in the Quran, Moussa comin mostly, but in February concert ad Kumbaya, Frankenstein, whatever afflicts you of hardship or calamity, is because of what your hands have earned way off on cathedra. But yes, forgiven and concealed most of it, meaning it's a fraction of what we are actually deserving. So when you are going through hardship, if it came at a time in which you were oppressing someone, or after a sin or after consistency in a sin, try to ascribe that suffering to your sins just so you can remember to repent to Allah subhanho wa Taala the Prophet

sallallahu alayhi wa sallam therefore informed us Mala Zima listo foul jawed Allahu Allah whom equally deeply Maharajah woman couldn't be Herman Faraja while resuming highschooler Yatta said the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said Whoever seeks forgiveness

consistently, it's still far constantly as a habit all the time, day and night driving, walking, standing all the time, then Allah will make for you from every hardship away out. Is that not what we want? And from every difficulty, your anxiety he will grant you relief.

And on top of that he will provide for you blessings and sources from sources you've never expected. Allah will take care of you in every way if you turn to him constantly seeking forgiveness. This is why in the Quran we see the clear example

from New ohada He sat down for hold to start off in Roberto miniconda. Farah seek forgiveness from your Lord He is the oft forgiving meaning he will accept if you are sincere. What is the result of you asking Allah to forgive you even if you don't think you have any wrongdoings or shortcomings?

Allah subhanho wa Taala will reward you and bless you in this life before the next life.

Even when you are praying and you finish Salah, the first thing that you say is what's a stuck fistula a stuck fit Allah stuck fit Allah, were you doing something wrong?

You were worshiping Allah. And yet the Sunnah is to ask and seek forgiveness from Allah. Why? Simply because of our shortcomings out of gratitude to Allah because we are aware of our shortcomings. When you enter the restroom, the Sunnah when you leave is to say with Ronak Why are you seeking forgiveness from Allah because you are not able to even remember him while you were there. So ALLAH SubhanA wa Tada is forgiving you for the time if you're sincere in not being able to call upon him. There's a sister that sent a message in a few months ago.

She said she felt helpless seeing the situation around the world with our brothers and sisters, and she wanted to really do something.

So aside from dua, and aside from charity, she heard in a lecture that your sins and my sins do affect the rest of the ummah. And a lot of us don't realize this.

A lot of people think this is unfair, but we are a collective nation. Our sins do have consequences. So when she heard this, she ended up for her own sake, she ended up being convinced that this was her way of helping her brothers and sisters by repenting for something that she had done. She actually began wearing hijab at that time. And she said the main cause of this, aside from fulfilling the obvious obligation was because she also had the intention to help her brother and sisters around the world. Some people will think it's selfless. Some people think it's noble, Allah subhanaw taala reminds us that our sins are obstacles to blessings to relief, you might be right

next to this blessing that you truly want something amazing, you cannot begin to imagine. And there's a veil, there's an obstacle, there's a wall because of a sin that you are constantly engaged in.

So make sure this is something that is constant as a habit in your life in that you are seeking forgiveness from Allah subhana wa Tada and never stop. Allah subhanaw taala does not get tired of forgiving us. So do not get tired of asking for forgiveness. Number seven.

We experience hardship and suffering in this world, sometimes simply to make us stronger. And a lot of people don't realize, if you want to become stronger, you have to go through some kind of pain.

And as we all know, the famous slogan that's used whenever people work out at the gym is what?

No pain, no gain, right? Are you all with me? No pain, no gain. Now, for anybody here who actually lift weights, what happens when you're I mean, some people work out four or five times a day and they get nothing done.

But what happens when you work out properly is you start to feel the pain. And once you start feeling that pain, that's when your muscle starts breaking down. Therefore, to build new muscle to become stronger to lift more next time, you have to go through some kind of pain, you cannot possibly expect to go from lifting 20 pounds to lifting 100 pounds, something has to have come in order to break you down and lift you up. So when you go through hardships as a believer, think of that experience and that suffering and that moment in your life as a moment to also become stronger the next time something comes your way. Because spiritually speaking, how do you expect to grow?

Aside from the things that we are doing proactively and the things that we are doing as an initiative? How do you expect to grow if you are not going through some hardship that also pushes you and propels you forward. And so when you go through hardship, remember that this is a source of your growth in life. And you reminder to put your trust in Allah subhana wa Tada. A study was done by Oxford University in 2009. And they found that people who believed in God and put their trust in God overall in life, where the vast majority of them were likely to be happier, less depressed and constantly moving forward with optimism. And this is something that we have as believers. Allah

subhanaw taala reminds us of this not to fear not to grieve. Why because your trust is not in a hurry.

When being your trust isn't the one who created this universe, the one who says couldn't Thea Kuhn be and it is how can you worry when Allah is taking care of you? Does that does that not show that there is not enough trust in Allah? When you properly put your trust in Allah, Allah will suffice you. When you get our color out Allah for Hua hospital, whoever puts their trust properly in Allah, Allah will suffice you how He will take care of you in every way imaginable. Put your trust in Allah subhanho wa Taala and do not stop. Oftentimes what you think is pain is actually making you grow.

And the surah that this verse is mentioned in which we always refer to what surah is it?

A Tala? Right. So Surah two Tala was about divorce. And Allah subhanaw taala is mentioning telecoil at a time in which a situation in which many people are going through difficulties emotionally, it's not usually an easy experience, divorce. And yeah, Allah subhanaw taala is reminding you even in that situation, to put your trust in Allah, He will take care of you. He will provide for you and everything else more and less than that. So think realistically of your hardships. And imagine that your hardships are being handed over to Allah subhana wa Tada. You have nothing to worry about.

Question does tell what could require your effort?

Does TOEIC require effort from us? Yes. How many people say yes?

How many people say no?

So Imam Malik Rahim, Allah azza wa jal does not require effort. But Imam Shafi Muhammad wa said it absolutely does. So Imam Shafi invited Imam Malik over for dinner, and Imam Shafi went to the marketplace, bought some food and came back and they cooked dinner prepared dinner for Imam Malik their guests. Imam Malik comes over and as they're eating Imam Shafi brings up the controversial issue again, he says what could requires effort from us. The proof is that I had to go to the marketplace, sell some things, buy some food and come here today, in order for us to have this blessing of food today, Imam Malik said, I did nothing and the food came to me.

The scholar said, they're both correct. In the vast majority of cases in your life, you have to do something you cannot possibly sit down and say, I'm not going to study but tomorrow I'm going to pass. I'm not going to work, but I expect my company to pay me. You have to put in the effort as much as possible, do your best. And don't worry about the results. Do your best and put your trust in Allah subhanho wa Taala to the fullest extent. Number eight, we struggle and we suffer in this world or what we perceive to be suffering and this is perhaps the most important one.

What you perceive as a struggle, or suffering or hardship is oftentimes because Allah is replacing it with something better or saving you from something harmful. But this requires what quires our good assumptions of Allah subhanho wa Taala optimism about Allah good assumptions of Allah. If you're gonna play him Rahim, Allah said, If you and I knew how Allah managed our affairs, behind the scenes, our hearts would melt out of love for him is Allah not the most merciful, more merciful to you and I than we are to ourselves. He plans for you and I better than we planned for ourselves, but we need to assume good of him. Subhana wa Tada. I will share with you a personal story. And I am

almost done.

Last year, I was in Ireland. And as we were going through a camp experience for the university students, we had to take a bus from Dublin four hours north. So on the way back after this amazing spiritual rush, we get on the bus, we say the morning supplications some people are not paying attention. Not here. But on the bus. Maybe here as well.

Some people looked up when I said that. So what happens? We're on the bus. And we say that God also back the morning supplications they do suffer for traveling. And after about an hour, the back of the bus randomly just goes boom really loudly. Sorry for scaring some of you. Now you're really paying attention.

So nobody was hurt. We pulled over the back of the bus, the tire one of the tires exploded. The bus driver looks at and says in 20 years, I've never seen something like this. He calls a company a specialist company to come and fix the tire. So as we're waiting, one of the sisters and this is just an example just so you understand the severity of situation. One of the sisters came up and said this is the first religious camp I went to in my life. The first religious experience I started praying I started wearing hijab, why did this happen to us?

And it's a common it's understandable to an extent, but we cannot question our decree. We have to be careful. Why did this happen to us right after we just started praying and doing all of these amazing deeds.

So after about an hour and a half, we get back on the bus. And we say the God of sebahagian the morning supplications now everyone is paying attention everyone has superhosts You

and we see the dua for traveling and we continue

And the last thing that I said before I sat was along the lines of, perhaps this happened to us, because it saved us from something worse. Lahu Adam, we don't know we always say this and we don't really know. But we have to assume good of Allah,

perhaps what you think is suffering, even if it's for a year long or five years long, perhaps it is saving you from something worse.

So about 15 minutes later, everyone's back on their phones,

we'll get to a detour on the highway.

And the entire highway is closed off every single lane of the highway. And there's about 30 or 40 vehicles of a pileup of bodies on the ground, ambulances, fire trucks, police cars, and we all had goosebumps, some people started crying, we pull over we get some snacks from a rest area. And they tell us this accident happened about an hour and a half to two hours ago, the same time that we were heading in that direction,

and often times and increased all of our faith. But often times we say this, that perhaps it's saving us from something worse, but we don't see it so we don't really feel an emotion rush. But when you do see it, it is from the blessing of Allah subhanaw taala to remind you, that truly when you are saved from something you have to assume good of Allah subhanho wa Taala whether you see it or not. So assume that what you're going through, could possibly lead to something better.

And perhaps you might hate something why a job Allahu fi hired on cathedra but Allah will make through that thing. A lot of good come to you. Be patient and assume good of Allah subhanahu wa Tada. Number nine, we go through hardships and suffering in life, in order to remind us of our purpose and to give us direction when we become lost, we become distracted, oftentimes, we lose track of where we are, religiously, we lose focus on the hereafter and our objectives. And we start making a priority for this life, to the extent that we're sacrificing on energy for the next life. And that is problematic, because as believers, everything you do in this world, you can do with the

intention that is for the sake of Allah. But if you run into an action that you cannot intend, sincerely, then there's a problem with the action. So when you're doing anything, when you're setting your life goals, your plans your visions, think and factor in the idea of death at any moment during that plan. Factor in the idea of sincerity with every deed that you're doing, whether it's sleeping or working or studying, and try to use your time and energy as much as possible to give the priority to the hereafter. So Fiona 30, Rahimullah famously said one of the previous scholars, he said work for this life in proportion to the amount of time that you'll spend in it,

and work for the hereafter in proportion to the amount of time that you spend in it. There is no comparison. And yet you look at the life of the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam and he balanced the two. And finally, number 10. We experience hardships and struggles and pain, often times due to our ingratitude, just so we will become more grateful to Allah subhana wa Tada. The blessings that you have right now, Allah is not charging you for them. But once they leave, you start realizing and appreciating those blessings. You probably heard about the 80 year old man who had to have surgery on his ears so that he would basically not lose his hearing. And afterwards he was crying after the

surgery. They said they thought it was financial. They said we'll give you a payment plan. It's not a big deal. He said I'm not crying because of the money. I'm crying because I've had my hearing for 80 years and Allah never charged me for it. never asked for anything for it.

And Allah subhanaw taala has blessed you and I would so much. But if you are ungrateful and always pessimistic and always looking at the hard side, are you really exemplifying gratitude properly? Try to be as grateful as possible to Allah subhanaw taala especially in times like this, when you and I are well aware of all of the hardships plaguing our Ummah around the world, people suffering left and right from the east to the west. Are you really grateful to Allah subhana wa Tada? Or is it only when you feel that it's convenient for you? Let us try to be as grateful to Allah may Allah subhanaw taala make us have a shortcut in the overall three things that you can take as action items number

one, work consistently on introspection, self reflection, on purification of the heart and the soul and vicar and dura and so on and so forth. Number two, keep striving. Keep pushing to give value to your time and balancing your time objectives for this life and the next life you should have more goals for the hereafter then you do for this life. And finally, number three, no matter what happens, stay connected to Allah subhana wa Tada no matter how difficult things become or how many people come to you or leave you with support without support. Keep connected to Allah and you will remain tranquil. You will remain successful you will remain fine. Allah subhana wa Tada will take

care of you if you stay connected to him. If there's one thing that you can do, raise the bar for your DUA during this convention and afterwards, make your

dua take your DUA to a whole new level. And ask of Allah like you've never asked before. Ask Allah day and night constantly for things that you never thought you should ask Allah for. Even if they're minor. When you're thirsty ask Allah for for Allah subhanaw taala to grant you water, as simple as that sounds, and Allah subhanaw taala will love you and bless you even more and grant you more than what you asked for because he sees that you depend on him and you show your humility to him Subhana wa Tada We ask Allah subhanaw taala to bless this convention, we ask Allah subhana wa Tada to make all of us of those who are constantly striving to be grateful. We ask Allah to relieve us of our

hardships and our suffering and allow us to benefit and get through these moments of hardship. And we ask Allah subhanaw taala to forgive us for our shortcomings. Does that mean well Clayton was Salam o alaikum? Wa Rahmatullahi Can you in brief state the 10 objectives that you mentioned in your talk? Some people came in late so if that's fine

Was anyone taking notes?

How many people ended up writing down all 10

Oh, Mashallah. All the people in the front row? What does that say?

Nerds. I'm just kidding. They're usually the best students I sit in the front as well. So Masha Allah, may Allah bless all of you front and back, that 10 things that I mentioned very quickly, number one, is to purify us of our sins. Number two, to guide us back to Allah when we become distracted. Number three is to humble us when we've become arrogant. Number four is to test us. Number five is because this life is imperfect. Number six is due to our sins. Number seven is to make us stronger believers. Number eight is that Allah subhana wa Tada is replacing what we have with something better. Number nine

is to remind us of our purpose and direction and number 10 is to make us more grateful medical office