Early Life and Major Events
Taimiyyah Zubair – Seerah 05
AI: Summary ©
The importance of learning about the Prophet sallama culture and shaping one's life is emphasized. The loss of the heart of Holly Masada and the painful process of purifying the heart are also discussed. The importance of learning to be a good person and protecting one's own behavior is emphasized. The speaker emphasizes the need for self-quarantine and learning to be positive. The importance of learning and protecting one's own behavior is also emphasized.
AI: Summary ©
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We were learning about the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his birth and his early childhood.
When the Prophet sallallahu wasallam was still a baby,
he was given in the care of who
Halima Sardinia.
And why was he given in the care of another woman? Good. There were different reasons behind that. Remember that first of all, Mako was a very busy city, busy city meeting a lot of visitors. And that would mean disease also. So for that reason McCann's, especially the wealthy ones amongst them, and specifically the Quraysh, they would send their little babies, infants, literally, were in the outskirts of Makkah. All right, because remember that the Arab tribes were of two kinds, one, those who were Huberty residents, meaning those who resided in cities. And then there were also by the way, by the way, meaning those who lived in the desert, either they were nomadic, or somewhere in
the desert they lived. So the Prophet sallallahu Sallam as a child, he was also sent amongst the by the tribes and specifically the blue side.
Right, and he was given in the care of Halima Sardinia.
So this was one reason for his protection for his health,
health and safety. And another reason was that, remember that maka? Everybody's coming over there? All right, from from different places. Now, think about a very busy place. Do you think that the culture would be affected, the language would be affected? Yes. When a lot of foreigners come into one place, a particular city or a particular group of people, then what happens? It affects their language, it affects their culture. So in order to teach their children, the pure Arabic language, what would the pradesh do? They would send their children to the desert, all right, so that they would learn the pure Arabic language. And we see that the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he really
developed the skill of speaking eloquently, briefly to the point and clearly, so much so that much later in his life, I should have the learner she said that the Prophet sallallahu Sallam did not, did not speak like you do.
I can average person speaks really quick, fast, such that you can't even tell between the words alright or continuously non stop? No, he did not speak like you speak. Rather, he spoke clearly with distinct words, so that every person who heard him he could remember those words. And if you think about it, if you look at the different Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, just you're amazed by the words how easy it is to memorize those words even.
Right? Like for instance, the Hadith enamel Armando Binney yet look at it in NEMA, Amal Binya, it's basically three main words. All right. And these words can be interpreted in so many different ways. You know, this idea has been understood in at least six different ways, if not more,
depending on how you look at B.
All right, so the meaning changes, so many a Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, the words are brief, they're eloquent, they're meaningful, they're powerful. And this skill he developed at a very young age, because you know, there's something known as word poverty, you know, what word poverty is? What is word poverty? What do you think? Yes, fewer words, right? Lack of vocabulary. Because if this is not worked on, when a child is young, when when language skills are not developed at a very young age, then this stays with the person for the rest of their life.
Because language expressions, language related skills, when are they developed at a young age? So we see that the prophets Allah, Allah said him, he was the most upside the most
eloquent of all people, and part of the reason was that he grew up amongst the blue side, speaking, listening to and speaking the most pure Arabic language.
And also remember that life and desert is different. Also life away from family is also very different. All right, when you are growing up in the house of your grandparents, alright, amongst your uncles and aunts, and everyone is older than you, of course, you will be pampered. Correct. And everyone's going to be serving you all the time. How are you going to learn independence? So the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he lived amongst a bunch Assad where he learned to be, you know, independent, as we will see in Sharla and also live in the desert is more difficult. All right, and when you experience difficulty, then that develops strength inside of you.
So there were many benefits in the profits of the long term living amongst the bonus art. And initially, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was supposed to stay with the bonus art under the care of holly Masada for only two years. After two years as promised Holly Masada brought the prophets all along, send him back to Makkah. But over these two years, she had seen a lot of benefits in having him. As part of her family. There was a lot of Baraka in her wealth in her family. So she requested if she could give him another two years. And the mother Amina, she allowed so the prophets Allah, this new state for another two years, and that was extended to basically and basically he stayed
with them for four years. Now what happened was that at four years of age, the incident of in Shahada that happened, right and the brothers of the prophets of Allah and brothers as in those who were also nursed by Halima Sardinia, they witnessed this incident. All right, they saw that a man came overpowered Muhammad Sallallahu sallam, all right, and this happened while while all these children were looking after the sheep, right, because the prophets, Allah allows him as a young child, even before the age of four, what was he doing? He was working as a shepherd. He was working as a shepherd. Can you imagine a four year old boy, a three year old boy, looking after sheep? I was
thinking if it was my children, they would look at a sheep and scream and run away. Like honestly, but the prophets of Allah said that it shows bravery chose courage, right? He's looking after sheep. So while all these children are looking after sheep, what happens jabril comes in the form of a human being overpowers or sort of muscle, a lot of solemn removes his shirt cuts open his chest. And imagine all the children are watching.
Alright, and they run and they call Holly Masada. And by the time they come to profits, Allison was standing, but his face is all bail, he looks afraid, traumatized and gibreel had basically cut open his chest removed his heart and removed the portion of shavon from the heart of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam. And he had washed his heart with zum zum. And remember that this incident of Shah who saw that happened at this age, but it also happened later on. Again, and when was that on the profits a lesson was taken for marriage and Israel and marriage. Now, why was the heart of the Prophet sallallahu wasallam washed why was a portion of shaylen taken out of his heart you know in
the Quran, Allah Subhana Allah says that for Alabama for Georgia, what every person he has within himself for God and upon the potential to commit sin and also the potential to fear Allah and do good all right. So, we see that the knifes the heart the soul, it is inclined towards evil and it is also inclined towards good. So what is our struggle in in this life? to purify the heart of the human Zakah purify the heart and the one who does not purify the heart will cut Herberman the sad The one who suppresses the heart, right? He does not remove that evil from his heart and that person is destroyed. All right. Now the portion of shaitan What is that? You see she upon? insulted ness,
what do we learn a lady us we saw fucile do it in US shaytani whispers into the southern of the person what is Southern chest but remember that that was was a doesn't necessarily reach and overcome the heart.
All right. How is it that it reaches the heart when you make space for shavon in your heart, when you do not rebel that was when you accept it. When you take it in? Then what happens to your lawn makes space in the heart of a person
And then as we learn when a person commits a sin, then a black mark appears on the heart. Right, then that mark with Toba with his default, it must be washed away. And if it is not washed away, then what will happen? One sin will lead to another sin and that blackness will eventually cover the heart. Right? So, similarly shavon, then he makes space in the heart of a person, then he takes control, then he overpowers the heart. And then he rules over the person basically, because the heart is the King. And if shaytaan ruled over the king, and he ruled over the person, then the hands will do what the shavon says in the eyes will watch what the headline says, the ears will be
interested in listening to what what the chauffeur wants,
then shaitaan runs through the blood of the person, he takes over completely. So this portion of Shetland that was removed from the heart of Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wasallam, and his heart was washed with Zamzam. Now, if you think about it, this process was it painful. What do you think? Of course it was. Because even though the prophets Allah was perfectly safe afterwards, yarny his heart was, his heart was placed back, his chest was, you know, put together, everything was fine, but he was pale. He was frightened, and he must have experienced some pain. It was like an open heart surgery basically.
Right? So it must have been painful. What does this show us that the process of purifying your heart, cleaning your heart, fighting against the wasp? associaton? Is that process easy? It is painful, because the heart finds pleasure in doing certain things. But what if those things
are not liked by a man, then leaving those things is going to be a very painful process? You know, this is like when a person is addicted to, for instance, a drug.
All right, leaving that drug, is it easy? Is it easy? Not at all. What happens people have to go into rehab, right? They need therapy, they need to fight themselves. I've seen myself a person who went through rehab.
And I can tell you it was the most painful thing, just watching that person. Just watching them how literally, they lost control of their body even they lost control of their body even such a painful process to get over this to leave these bad habits. Now, drug is something physical, but at the same time we have spiritual addictions, spiritual addictions, right? I mean that that are related to the heart. So leaving those is also extremely painful. And we see the heart of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was washed with zum zum
zum zum it removes ailments it removes the effect of shape on it. It removes the disease of the heart, it removes the filth of shape on so we must also use them for purification, for health for the health of the heart also. So anyway, when this incident occurred, Halima Saudi abroad the prophets of Allah sent him back to Amina because she was afraid. She was afraid that if this boy dies, an incident like this happens again and if he dies, then what will happen? I'll be in trouble. So she brought him back to Makkah, and she handed in back to Halima Saudi, and sorry, she handed him back to Amina and she told Amina about what had happened. And Amina was not surprised.
She was not surprised in a hadith which is in a stilted little Saha. We learned that she was not surprised at all. And in fact, she recounted her dream to remember her dream, which dream that she had on the profits of a lot and it was born that she saw light emanating from her right like that was being passed on even the the the palaces or the homes in a sham. So she was not surprised at all. But anyway, how do you Masada did not feel comfortable taking the profits of a lot isn't with him, even though she loved him dearly. She left him in the care of his family. So the profits on a lot of Santa was now back in
back in Makkah. All right. And he was four years at this time. At age six, he visited Medina with his mother and his grandfather of the new polyp, as well as a man who was on Ayman, the slave woman of his father. All right, and Ayman, What was her name for actually Baraka?
So, they all visited Medina, and over here What happened? The mother of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam passed away she died and
He was still six at this time and at a work basically she passed away and that is where she was buried. And me I did the Gaia demon.
He found you as an orphan but he sheltered you.
The prophets Allah was born as an orphan, but Allah subhanaw taala, sheltered him, gave him production and care that he needed. Even right now, when the mother died, still, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam was sheltered, he was taken care of, because he was now in the care of who his grandfather of the mythology and his grandfather developed special affection for him. Because you see, children that are little All right, and that are orphan, the father died, mother died one tragedy after the other such children. I mean, you begin to love them even more compared to other children,
isn't it so? Like, for instance, if you find out that a particular child is suffering from an illness, that will, you know, just draw you towards them, it will pull you towards them. So, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam also, he was especially loved by his grandfather. And we learned that his grandfather showed him so much love more love than he showed to his own children. His own sense. He loved him, and he cared for him deeply. And he took good care, great care of him. And he also showed respect to him. Imagine a young child being respected by his grandfather. What does that mean? That the grandfather does not yell at him. He does not get upset with him ever. He takes care of his
needs. He gives special attention to him. And we also learned that the mobile app has special seat we're only here once said he would make Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam sit with him over there. Especially nobody else would sit there only who else was allowed. Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he would show delight on seeing Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, and on seeing everything that he did. Now, after two years when the prophets of audison was eight years and two months after the muttalib also died. Alone Mia did aka tieman for our Allah found you as an orphan, and he sheltered you. Now who took care of him.
He now to guardianship of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam Allah, Allah was also very affectionate towards him. We learned that obatala was not very well off.
But Allah placed Baraka in his wealth, just as Allah placed Baraka in the world of Hollywood media.
And we see that little food would suffice the entire family.
And the Prophet sallallahu Sallam especially demonstrated much patience and contempt. If you think about it, a child was an orphan who's gone from one house to another. What do you expect? His behavior, manners? What would they be like? Generally, when we come across a child who was very ill mannered, bad behavior, that then we give reasons such as, or the mother neglected him, he never saw his father, right? He's grown up in poverty. But we see the exact opposite in Rasulullah sallallahu sallam, you know, Ayman Baraka because she saw the Prophet salallahu in from the very beginning. She said, I never saw him complaining about any food.
I never saw him complaining about food. He would take whatever he was given. Even later on in his life, if he was given something that he did not like he just simply didn't need it.
Right. So the prophets Allah said it would be content with whatever he was given. We see that later on in his life. Once in the Battle of ours up What happened? Everybody was hungry because Medina was sealed off. So there was no food going in and out no business and this was not very dear to this happened for several weeks in a row. So So much so that the the people they ran out of food, I imagine grocery stores I empty, what's going to happen. There's no food, everybody's hungry. There's shortage of food everywhere. And the profits are a lot of sentiment that occasion he was invited at somebody's house for a meal. And what was that food? plain bread and some meat. What kind of meat
was it? It is said that the flesh, the flesh on the bone, the smell of it had changed, not not the taste the smell even so basically, it was old, almost rotting. But that was all the food that the people had. And the prophets Allah center was invited to eat that food, and he accepted that invitation. And he ate that food without complaining.
without complaining. Simple food he was offered and he accepted.
It. This was the contentment of Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam and this developed from a very young age.
Unfortunately, we don't eat anything, unless it satisfies our taste buds.
We refuse to eat will go hungry or will complain. But we will only eat that which tastes good.
And if ever we have to delay our food,
for prayer or for, for on class or anything like that, we become impatient over there.
We keep looking at the time, when is it going to be break time and if the food in the cafeteria does not
meet our desires, and we get agitated.
But we see the patients have a sort of loss of a lot, isn't it because you see the profits of the loss it was being trained right all this time for Prophethood. And for huge responsibility that he was going to be given. And one of the first things that we must learn is self discipline, self control. And that is something we cannot control. Until we can control our taste buds and our stomach.
We see that the Prophet sallallahu sallam, once he said that the worst people of my own will be those who will be brought up in blessings. And they'll be raised in many blessings. They will eat a variety of foods, and they will wear a variety of clothes, but they will be careless in speech, careless and speech because when our concern becomes eating and dressing up, then what happens? The heart The soul is neglected.
Right? And when is it that we become careless in speech when we're when we're agitated when we're upset when we're annoyed? Why do we get annoyed many times? Because the tea that we ordered came without any sugar in it.
Were irritated or very upset because we missed our morning coffee.
Right? Or we're very upset because our lunch was cold.
Or we didn't get to eat on time.
Right. So, you see there is a correlation over here.
Bad luck, bad speech, poor speech. This is a result of what dissatisfaction inside Why? Because the heart is greedy, greedy for what? Food, variety, clothes. And when these desires are not met, then we get agitated and we display for lack we see the prophets of aloneness, Adam had great control over himself, great control over his desires. And this can only be possible when you have a clear purpose in your life. What is my goal my goal is not to eat every single meal of the day, you know, hot and fresh and, and it has to be of a particular kind. No, this is not the purpose of my life. Eating is a need not a goal. It's a need, but not a purpose of life. So anyway, the prophets of
Allah Islam he grew up in this poverty in in Abu Talib house, but he was always content, and we see that doubleton. It was a full brother of Abdullah, who was the father of the Prophet sallallahu sallam, so I thought it was his full brother, and remember that one of the law was to be slaughtered. What happened? Who intervened? I will tell him, right? So imagine without him if he had this much love for Ebola, how much love Do you think he would have for of the lesson, Muhammad Sallallahu sallam. So he also took great care of him. And Bhutan, if he had a large family, we learned that he had many children, at least six that we know of our kale, Jaffa, barley, barley
rhodiola horn. And he also had two daughters. How many children did he have six of his own him his wife and the prophets of Allah Islam is also living amongst them. Now imagine if seven children are living in the same house? And we're not talking about a seven bedroom house. Okay, 2500 square feet or 3000 square feet? No, we're talking about a very small house in which food is also little. It is not enough.
What do you think? How do you think those children would behave
at dinnertime? Or in the morning or in the evening, when there's little food that has to be eaten by everybody that has to be shared by everyone? How do you think the flock would be of a typical family?
Have you ever seen one cookie that is to be distributed amongst three children? What happens? You know exactly what happens. If there is one chocolate bar and four children who have to share it? What would happen? The greater the number, the greater the chaos
Isn't it all? But we don't see this? In the Prophet Allah, Allah, Southern contentment, satisfaction with whatever that he is given?
And also living in someone else's house, even if they're your relatives?
That itself is not easy? Or is it?
Have you ever lived in someone's house for an extended period of time?
maybe a week or a month or so what happens after a few days, I need to go home.
Right? As nice as they are. You need to go home, why?
You want to be yourself.
Right? And you want to be with your family. Even if you're living in your grandparents house, or your uncle's or your aunt's house, what happens after some time you need to be with your own family. Yes, you have your cousin's, but you want to sit with your own sisters. Right? You have your uncle, but you want to sit with your father.
But the Prophet sallallahu wasallam is spending almost his entire life in the house of who his uncle of a pilot.
All right, year after year, he's in the care of everybody.
Now remember that this is something very difficult. Sometimes the situation is such that the circumstances there are such that you are taken away from your family, from your parents from those who are closest to you. And you end up in someone else's house. And that is where you have to live, whether the causes marriage or the causes, education or degree or work or parents work, or whatever it may be. Sometimes this happens. But then remember that while this is difficult, there is also a lot of learning in this experience, a lot of learning in this experience. Because when you're living in your parents house, with your own family, you're living a very sheltered life, you're being taken
care of.
Right. But when you're living on your own,
then you learn independence, you learn many skills, you get to interact with more people, you observe more. And you also get to spend time by yourself. So you get to reflect as well on yourself.
So many people, it happens with them that they're not able to stay with their family for a very long time. They're living in somebody else's house, Has this happened with anybody here. They spent their childhood or a few years of their childhood in there. And then staying away from your family also teaches you independence. Right? I remember when I was also growing up, there were many times when I would be shipped off to my grandparents house for different reasons, either grandparents or somebody else. And
me, I learned to do my laundry at a very young age, very young age, I learned how to clean my own room at a very young age. And I feel like these skills are handled, they're very helpful today. Because I remember when I came here initially and I was a friend of mine was also here. And she had spent her entire life with her parents, the only daughter.
I remember she would cry and she'd say I'll pay you can you please clean my Can you just please clean my apartment. I don't know how to do this. She wouldn't know how to do it, she wouldn't know how to do her laundry,
clothes are getting ruined because everything has been shoved in the laundry machine at the same time and everything is
destroyed. Right. So it took her quite some time to learn all these skills. Right. So remember that, while it is extremely difficult and painful, in namale are three Yusra with the difficulty is ease with that difficulty is a lot of ease. So sometimes you might reflect on your life on your childhood and you might feel like your parents are very unfair to you when they left you in somebody else's care. Or perhaps you as a parent might feel that you're being unfair when you are leaving your children in the care of somebody else.
But remember that in this has benefit for them and for you, as long as they are taken care of. And as long as you were also taken care of.
There is a learning. There's, you know, a majority in this you do learn to be mature. Also, if you think about it had was she left alone in the desert, use over his son and was he pulled out of his family and sent to Egypt and that's where he spent many years of his life he did write the profits on a lot of them also went through the same thing. So never have never pity yourself. Right? But oh
Poor me, when I was only six years old. You know, I didn't see my mother for so many years for so many days. Never think like this. It's about how you look at yourself and look at the situation that you're in. Because you might feel that you need that love and you need that attention. But many times it happens that people are given a lot of love and a lot of attention and they can still not have enough.
They're still seeking more love and more attention and they're not satisfied. So it's about what you want, what you're focused on, be positive. And always think that if Allah has decreed this for me, if this is how things just happen to be, then inshallah there's hate in this, there is definitely benefit in this Allah is teaching me something through this experience. Like he taught us the very center, like he taught how to, like he taught the prophet or the his slave to a sinner. So the Prophet sallallahu sallam, when he is with Abu Talib, basically, he stayed with him until he got married. And there were many things that happened during his childhood. Remember that his childhood?
after the age of six, eight, you can say until he got married, there are some incidents that we learn about. All right. And there's other incidents also that we learn about that happened during that time. But many of those stories are not authentic. Right? So there's very little that we know about his childhood. All right. So for instance, there's one story that is commonly narrated, and it's widely accepted also, which is a story of barreda that when the prophets have a lot of fun, it was around 12 years of age of a pilot. He intended to go to Syria for a business trip. But when the Prophet sallallahu Sallam as a young child, he learned that his uncle was going to travel for
months, he was sad about it. And he was also sad, leaving his nephew behind. So he took Hamilton a lot of fun with him.
And this incident is reported in many books of Sierra. It's also reported in activity. But remember that when it comes to the stories of Sierra, as I mentioned to you earlier, that the scholars did not play such a high standard for the acceptance of those stories. When it comes to Hades, they were very strict. But when it comes to the stories of Syrah, they weren't very strict. Alright, so this is the reason why the story is so common. However, it is not authentic that the prophets a lot of them, he when he was traveling, they reached a particular place and a monk came out and that monk his name was Mahela right? He came out of his monastery, and he welcomed the merchants who had come
from Makkah. And before then he never paid any attention to them. But this time he, he welcomed them in and he prepared a feast for them, and he also fed them and they asked him that, why are you doing this to us and he came to the Prophet sallallahu Sallam held his hand and he said, this is he is going to be a prophet, and such things, right? And that he told Abu Talib, that when you were approaching, I saw that a cloud was constantly, you know, giving shape to Mohammed Salah sentiment, there was not a tree or a rock except that it prostrated to him, and that you better take him back. Otherwise, these Romans will kill him. Because they're looking for the Arabian Prophet, and they're
going to kill him.
And some Roman soldiers came, right in search of Muhammad said a lot of them, but boy, he hid the Prophet sallallahu Sallam and you know, the people would come with him in his ministry, and he basically sent the Romans off, and he advised to take Muhammad Sallallahu sent him back to America. All right, and that Abu Talib sent to the prophets, Allison and back with Abu Bakar, and Bella.
All right now this story, even though it's widely accepted, but there are many problems in this. Right. First of all, we see that Bella was not even born at this point.
All right. And Abu Bakar, although I knew was also still a child.
All right. Why would Abu Bakar go on a business trip? Without his family? All right. And then we see that I will thought I've only acquired Bilal as a slave after Islam
in the sense that he bought him and set him free. This happened when? After Islam, all right. And then there are other problems also that
if this incident occurred, then why is it that when the why he came to the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he was afraid. I mean, he should he should have been waiting for that time, right? That I'm supposed to be a prophet. So when is that Prophet are going to come to me? When does that revelation come to me? He was worried when the revelation came, he had no idea what it was. He had to go to what alchemy Nova and what are called the Nova had to explain to him what had happened.
Right? And then we see that if this incident actually occurred, then the profits or losses would have remained double Talib. Remember that incident? I'm supposed to be a profit.
All right. And then why would the crash have a problem?
With Rasulullah sallallahu Sallam being a prophet,
you understand. So there are a lot of problems in this. So this is a reason why we must be aware that this incident is not authentic as widely. It is quoted and generally accepted, but it is not authentic. Then we see that the Prophet sallallahu has had them as a young boy, he did not inherit much from his father, because remember that his father was also very young when he died. He had just gotten married, and he was just starting his business. So, how much did he leave behind hardly anything. So the profits on a lot of them from a very young age started working. Remember that when he was still living in the Ubuntu side under the care of Halle, Masada? What was he doing?
He was working as a shepherd.
Now imagine, as young as age four, what is he doing, working as a shepherd. And when he returned to Makkah, there also he would work as a shepherd in return for something as little as $1 a day, less than $1 a day. That was his wage. The prophets a lot of times said, Allah never sent a prophet except that he was a shepherd. The Sahaba asked even you, even you were a shepherd once upon a time, and the Prophet sallallahu Sallam said, Yes, I was. And I used to tend to the flock of the people of Mecca in return for some money, meaning he would be paid for this work. Now, what's amazing over here is that the Sahaba did not know that the Prophet sallallahu wasallam would work as a shepherd.
So if they didn't know about this fact, you think they knew about other incidents that occurred in his life in his childhood? No. So this is the reason why we know very little about the childhood of the Prophet sallallahu Sallam about his early life, his age, up until 40 years of age, basically, until he received Prophethood. Except for those details which we learned from him. He said himself, I was a shepherd.
Right? He worked as a shepherd, he got money for the work that he did. Now, why is it that the prophets on a lot of them was made to work as a shepherd?
Could Allah subhanaw taala not provide for his beloved?
Why is Shepherd why work? First of all, very true. Because you see kanakam raring work on local must on each and every one of you as a shepherd. And each and every one of you is going to be questioned about his flock. So being a shepherd, basically work itself when you're working, whatever work you're doing, what does that teach you? responsibility.
And this is the reason why we see that little children, even if they're assigned their work, their chores, it teaches them responsibility.
I was reading an article recently about Amish people, how their children are so well behaved. And you'll never find them fussing or whining or complaining about food or refusing to eat something. Why? Because when their children are as little as two, even they're working in the fields with them, they're assigned their jobs, children, age of two, age of three, they have to go and collect the eggs.
They have to go and collect the eggs from where,
from where? Where the chickens are.
Can you imagine? Can you ever give an egg to your three year old?
No, right? We can't do that. You know exactly what will happen.
Right? So their children are working with their parents in the real world from a very young age, they're assigned their chores, they're given their work. And this teaches and responsibility. So when little children are given work to do, don't think that this is
this is oppression. Or when you think about your childhood, and you think, Oh, my mom, she used to make me for laundry.
And I was supposed to, you know, put all the shoes away every day. So mean,
right? And then you think about it and you cry in your heart. I will never do this to my children. They'll never have to do any work. No, you will be doing them on your children then.
Because little children, you know what it is they crave attention. They want to do something with their hands and their feet, they want to jump around and walk around. And when we don't, you know give them responsibility. They end up in trouble. They end up doing something that will put them in trouble. Right? So teach them what to do, how to do when to do and inshallah with age they will learn
but responsibility, right? So work teaches you responsibility. And especially being a shepherd
teaches you responsibility of being a shepherd is basically leadership training.
leadership training, because a shepherd is a leader of who of those who are most ignorant
sheep,
right? Of those who do not understand words,
of those who only respond to actions and body language.
As leader, sometimes if we are ever placed in a position of authority, what do we want to do? We give instructions, and everybody understands and listens and obeys and has everything done.
But being a shepherd is not that easy. You can't tell the sheep. Okay, today, we're going to go here, and by this time we must leave.
Can you yell at the sheep? You can't? So how is it that you leave the sheep? How do you direct them with actions with actions? And many times when we're dealing with people, they do not respond to words, they do not respond to instructions, what do they respond to? What do they learn from actions? Right? Body language. So this is how a shepherd has to lead his flock also, then we also see that being a shepherd, I mean, yes, teachers responsibility, but also self discipline, right, because you have to leave early, you have to wake up, those sheep are not going to wait for you. Right. And then while you're with your sheep, you can't just leave them.
Even if you're tired, and you want to take a nap, or you want to leave, you can't, you can't walk away. Right? So you have to force yourself to control your hunger, your thirst, bear the heat, keep walking, even though you just want to sit down, right? So self discipline.
Also, we see that it develops the qualities of tenderness and softness and kindness and care and protection for those who are under you. And we see all of this inner sort of loss on a lot of us alone. And also, being a shepherd makes you very concerned for your flock. First of all, it makes you very aware. Because you have to know about each and every sheep.
Right? You can't just say, Oh, yeah, I have my flock today. No, you have to count, you have to make sure all of them are there. You have to recognize each and every one of them. Right? So likewise, as a leader, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam he knew about his Sahaba recognize his Sahaba
their names and their qualities and their strengths and their weaknesses, what they needed to learn what they needed to develop, what kind of training they still needed, he recognized his Sahaba his companions. Also see that being a shepherd means that you are away from people. Right? And you're hanging out with who? Who, which sheep, can you talk to them?
Can you have a conversation with them? No. So who are you having a conversation with? Just yourself? You're talking to yourself, right? So this develops self awareness.
Because you get to reflect on yourself. You get time to think.
Right? Because when you're somewhere and there's even one person with you, then what happens you spend so much time just talking. But when you're on your own, then what happens you can't talk to anybody, you can only talk to yourself.
So self awareness, you develop consciousness of Allah subhana wa, Tada. You get to reflect on the Hulk of Allah, because you're out in the open. Alright.
And one more thing, the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he tended to sheep, not camels. His flock was a boy. Sheep, not camels, is there a difference between sheep and camels?
What's the difference? Very true. You see camels, their nature is a little, you can say arrogant.
Alright, right. And also, if you want to look at a camel, you have to look up.
And when when you're dealing with someone who's stubborn and arrogant, and big and tall and huge, and what happens
then what happens? You will have to be very rough and tough in dealing with them and trying to control them and trying to lead them in order to direct them.
Right. So you, you become likewise.
But what she on the other hand, when you look at them, you have to look down
sheep. I mean, what do they express innocence?
Right, they're so innocent. I mean, they look so
fluffy and cute. Okay, and also those silent, innocent and
they're so humble. What are they gonna do to you?
They can't kick you nothing. They're harmless creatures. Right? In fact, they need to be protected. So, when you're dealing with, you know, for instance, little babies, you know, I've seen over here
For instance, in the baby room, the people who are working in that node are always smiling. always smiling. Why? Because when you look at this cute babies, and they're cute actions, and they're cute words, it only brings a smile to your face. So I was talking to the staff of that room one day and I said, you know, I'm sure you're going to get healthier as you work here, because you're going to be happier here. And when you're happy, that definitely improves your health.
Right? So the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he looked after sheep, and obviously that must have affected him in the sense that you know, develop gentleness and compassion and humility.
Right? So the prophets on a lot of them worked as a shepherd from what age before for until he started working for Khadija de la Marina. All right, and inshallah we will do that in our next class. Please make sure you do your readings until page number 42. It's practical long will be handed to a lair Illa illa Anta little corner to Willig. Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh