S.T.R.I.V.E – A Formula for steadfastness

Salam aleikum.

Rahim Al hamdu lillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah Allah Allah He was on his mind today we are joined by a very good friend of mine share who are Abraham he loves to be called Brother why Abraham and he is my brother and your brother. The reason why I have chosen to come to introduce him is because he is from Perth, Australia, he has come a long, long journey, Mashallah. And this brother

is an expert in behavioral addictions to help people in their therapy in their journey to be healed from addictions. You know, in this world, we are living through things we should not be shy to address. So I'm always very proud of his achievements, what he what and how he addresses sensitive matters like porn addictions, people who don't know how to use their phones, people who get condom duped by people by others online, on social media and so many other behavioral addictions that many of the scholars shy away from speaking. We are honored to have him in our midst today to address the youth who are here. That is why I call on my beloved brother habibi. Take your time let's address

all of us. We are all somehow addicted to our phones, including myself not in a bad thing but in good things. Sometimes we lose control over the time. We even forget how long we are just clicking on our phones and doing things and here is our brother he will address all of us failure to humble mascara

one.

Setup Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah Hello, but again

I will not accept softer response than what you have given to move to me As Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.

I'm Martha McCullough. Before we begin, the challenge is to clarify something in shallow time.

As Mufti introduced me that I am from Australia, which is a fact but today we are all Palestinians inshallah they're all from Palestine.

May Allah subhanaw taala Gundu victory very soon. And may Allah subhanaw taala grant us all an entry to a mess to the upside when it is in the hands of those who deserve it.

Now let's get back to business itself. Smilla Rahmanir Rahim Al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa salatu salam ala says in our in our green, Mohammed Nabi SallAllahu ala alihi wa sahbihi woman Tarbiat whom they are sending within what are the Lahoma Namaha? Arginine Allamani rubbish Rafi sultry You're silly me you're not but that's me descending of totally so the Hanukkah and Mallanna Ilana Hannah Montana in Naka Antara Halima Hakeem now by show of hands inshallah to Allah and wants to be honest with me because lying is haram as you know, right? If you if you lie you go where you go to hell right?

So how many of you here in sha Allah Allah became the days as soon as you wake up the first thing you hold? The first thing you touch is your phone, raise your hand

watermark Allah. Now all all

can can we just ask the DJ not to play anything while

the DJ please

stop they're

gonna tell you something

or do something good to

some people, they raised their hands so quickly. Or when they saw you raising your hand everybody raise their hands.

I was about to tell you don't want to move to me because not looking.

Alright.

How many of you have done that? At least

in the past one year

You raise your hand, at least in the past one year. That was your practice. As soon as you wake up. You check your phone, raise your hand. Be honest here. You want to nobody's gonna judge you and Shama really?

Brilliant. How many of you my brothers, my sisters in Islam are still watching movies? Raise your hand. Be honest. Be honest. Allahu Akbar.

How many of you, can we just raise up our hands without talking so we can show our focus here? How many of you are into TV series sitcom?

You know, back in the days, I want to tell you something.

I am originally from Egypt. Yeah. Dr. Muhammad Salah by the way, he's also an Egyptian. So we are all Africans and Hamdulillah.

Back in the days, we used to watch these TV series. And in Egypt, we used to have two channels. Growing up. This what we used to have two channels, and even the names of the chat of these channels. Were very boring. channel number one. Do you want to guess the second set in the book two is that

and TV series was something very, very popular. And subhanAllah they made the community very busy, because you watch an episode today. And you have to wait until tomorrow to continue watching the second episode. And usually the episode will end on something that is so suspicious. So you know, a non ending story that you wanted to know. And I observed my undies in particular, my mom, my Auntie's, they will call each other after the series after the episode. And they will be guessing. Do you think Ahmed is going to get married tomorrow? Or what's going to happen? You know, I don't, I found that people have left the Real Life for life. The left the real life the real troubles, the

real problems. And they are talking now about an imaginary story that never happened and will never impact them in any way, shape, or form.

Now, we don't have two channels.

Now we have so many channels to a point that I have a friend of mine who told me that she watched 114 episodes in two days.

You do the math. Now the reason the reason why I brought this up my brothers, my sisters in slam, listen to this very, very carefully.

If you were touching your phone and browsing your phone every single day in the past one year, at least regularly, day in and day out. It means what it means that you're already consistent through a false don't respond back to me true or false. Allahu Akbar, if you are able to finish 30 episodes 40 episodes of one TV series regularly it means what it means that you are consistent, true or false. You are steadfast but on the wrong direction in the wrong direction. Which means that if you can change the action

and maintain the same energy to do that, which is good that which is acceptable, you will end up also being honest, the karma, being steadfast, being consistent,

but towards gender in sha Allah.

This is what I wanted to emphasize today in sha Allah. And the problem is that I just mentioned movies and TV series. But there are other content, my brothers, my sisters in Islam on the internet.

And these content usually are browsed when you are alone behind closed doors.

And these content, they're not just a simple story of a love story between Aquaman and Moana.

Or Khadija know, these stories are sexual in nature, to a point that scholars of the field of new science now you said that these imagery,

these haram images can act on the brain in the same way how cocaine and heroin and hard drugs act on the same brain. In fact, it can change the entire structure of your brain specially the reward circuit of the brain, which means when you experience a reward, that reward circuits, start to registering the activity and remind you to do it again and again to a point that you become addicted to that act.

Now we're talking about addiction.

I want to make a distinction between the words addiction and attachment.

because working in that field I'll find some people coming to me and tell me brother I'm addicted to local en or I'm addicted to going to the masjid I understand what they mean but we need to language it right Inshallah, anytime we say addiction it is used in the negative sense

when you are addicted to anything it means that that thing have a negative impact on your life. Even the hormones that are produced when you're addicted are harmful.

Why harmful because the controlling your very behavior you know It's haram you know it's wrong, you know, you want to quit but you can't. You're like enslaved to that activity that's addiction. So it's always used in the negative sense. But when you say I'm attached to the Quran

and when you recite the Quran regularly, those are five masala Tabarak Allah I see them revising the Quran on a regular basis. Those who are always keeping our Quran in the pockets in the purse reading and in transportations, reading in the messages reading the homes regularly regularly, we can't let a day pass by without reciting the Quran. This is not addiction. This is an attachment to the words of Allah subhanaw taala. And amazingly, the hormones that are produced during these activities are different.

When you're watching phonographic content on the internet, and how they solo pleasurable Act, the hormones that are produced in your brain are different than those that are produced when you intimate with your beloved halaal wife or husband. Look at that. So this is something that we have to really look into seriously.

And if Allah subhanaw taala wins my brothers and sisters in Islam, there is hope he will find out a way to exit that vicious cycle in the lifestyle. So I have with me seven tips inshallah seven qualities or seven, you know, attitudes that we need to adapt in order for us to remain upon the straight path paved delight.

And these are not, these are not the only steps that will get you out of addiction if you are addicted to any of these behaviors, but they are absolutely essential.

Absolutely, if you're a Muslim, these are the steps that you have to take in sha Allah Allah to become steadfast upon the straight path. And to make it easy in sha Allah, I will link each of these words Bakelite Allah to the letters that are that spell the word stripe, the word stripe, each of those letters will represent a quality and attitude that we need to adapt. If you must have them in sha Allah Tala, nothing would shake you.

Nothing will defeat you. But the question that you should ask yourself, Is my brothers, my sisters, Islam? Am I willing?

Am I willing to sacrifice my phones a little bit? And instead of hugging it all night, next to my bed? Will I be able to leave that phone outside? Will I be able to download certain software's and filters that can actually block these images from entering your homes? I have counseled so many parents who are crying with tears today. Why?

Because they have gifted their children.

A cell phone but they did not monitor the use, only to find the children as young as six, seven and eight. He is of age addicted to pornography.

So we don't want that cycle to be repeated.

So what is the first letter of the word strife? Can you help me

now?

All right, S is for seriousness. If you are not serious about your religion, my brothers and sisters in Islam, something else in your life will become more serious than the deen of Allah.

And that will lead you nowhere. Allah Subhana Allah says in the Quran, and Yama adds man to luck on the inner code. Words mentor icon now Mati Warabi, to Islam Medina. This day I have perfected your religion, your way of life for you. If Allah perfected Islam, then nothing can be added or extracted from this way of life to make you feel better. But unfortunately, sometimes we leave the Quran and we go to music, how many intro music is behind? Don't worry, mostly because I'm looking.

Here, you see.

And subhanAllah we don't even reflect over these lyrics. I was talking to the people in Lagos

a few days ago about the type of songs that we listen to. There is a song that we used to listen to in the past. And the singer says, I believe I can

On fly

I believe I can touch the sky

this guy either a liar or a jinn

so let me just get in touch the sky as Allah says in the Quran right? Look at the type of song that we chant Subhanallah Navin walleye, I was going through the lyrics of Barbie song. And I was shocked to the core because the Barbie song which I know everybody knows he know it here is that song. And this is the song that we buy flowers for our children. It says what you can brush my hair and dress me everywhere. This is a song that is given to our kids to sing and dance on we are happy. We are the ones who buy these materials and wallah in no long time, they will require harder content to be satisfied. So BC is looking at Allah christelijke on the Allah Allah one day after Salah converted

the Prophet sallallahu sallam was asking Is there anyone who woke up today fasting

Abu Bakr study for the Allah Allah raises his hands and he also Lola is there any one amongst you the process and ask further have given anything in charity today? Me also Allah again I'm gonna walk us through the of the Allah Allah was there

did anyone visit a sick person today? Me or Sue Allah again Abu Bakr was there all day long or long? Did anyone follow Janessa today again, I will work for actions after Salah comforter

and Subhanallah Javi no one sold a mobile crystal vehicle the Allah or God to execute these actions he initiated them. This is how seriously we're and that's why they deserve to be the best of the best. They deserve it. And the prophets awesome said none of you can combine these four actions in a single day. Except Jana becomes compulsory on it. Jana becomes the reward of those who combine these four actions below or above for the Allah Allah. The Prophet SAW Salem one day told him what are you doing? Yeah, Bill and what are you doing? I can hear your footsteps in Jana.

While he's on earth while he's in still alive, the prophets Allah Allah is telling them is telling I can eat your food and what are you doing? said nothing else and Allah other than whenever I make wudu, I do two things given to Allah subhanaw taala. Again, no one told me like to do these two raka he initiated it. Now a side note, we can't start an act of worship today and said I'll check why and said, you know, we have to initiate acts of worship. Back then the Prophet was there to confirm or to correct the actions of the companies. But the point is, they were very serious. They used to fill in the gaps they used to fill in their free time by becoming productive on their own. This is how

you should show them how to behave from now on second level of the word stripe is

non

Sharpie.

T stands for today.

If you decided to change change now and today, my mother in law may Allah subhanaw taala have mercy on her. She after we got married. We went to the Philippines my my wife has a Filipino and my my wife begging on scaffolding. So we used to invite her to Islam Allah and every time we will ask her to embrace Islam, because she always believed in everything that we say she would say what? Maybe later

for 16 years, maybe later, my brothers and sisters in Islam the letter of yesterday's today.

Why would you delay further on tip shaitan laugh at you when you are in your grave when you're sent to your grave.

So don't ever postpone your Tober don't ever postpone good actions. If you've learned something today from all the machines here, then go on excuted today, psychologists are telling us that if you do not act upon the knowledge that you've learned within 48 hours, most likely you will never act upon them.

So today is the day in sha Allah Allah if you wanted to create positive changes in your life. Letter three is for R now I have one word and one another word bonus for you inshallah. The third letter is R for repentance. Don't ever give up. Hope. Don't ever think that Allah subhanaw taala is angry at you just because you have sin or because you're stuck within these cycles of addictions. Always go back to Allah whenever

You fall go back. The prophets Allah Allah, Allah yourself said call up Adam Jota there is no exception. All the children of Adam are sinners, they are bound to commit sinful activities. But the best of them are those who often go back to Allah and repent to Allah never say why me and never become despondent because of the wrongdoing. The know that there is a Lord who can forgive the sins. That's why Allah says in the Quran, Olia, Medina Surah, four fusina Not to miss Mattila in nulla, Ohio fufu Bedelia

Rahi del tiempo Mohamed salah, Salah, then my servants, then my servants who are trying to transgress that against themselves, who have sinned day and night, tell them despair, not from the Mercy of Allah never,

never give up from Allah subhanaw taala for ALLAH forgive long sins,

big and small,

so long as you returned back to Allah subhanaw taala and in the same manner, Allah is reminding us of His qualities in now who are the food Rahim? This is part of Allah's characteristics, Forgiving and most Merciful. May Allah have mercy upon Allah upon us. Oh, the second letter art is run away.

If you wanted to quit your addiction run away just like use of on a slab. When Imran Khan has he seduced him when I'm one of the most beautiful ladies of her time, seduced him sexually. She locked him in an in a room no one enters, no one goes or leave. And she told him Hey, like I'm all yours.

And he ran to the opposite direction. And I will while I was reading and reflecting over this I was asking myself Where is profit us running to everything is locked. I don't care. Whenever there is a sin committed in my

in my spot, I should leave it immediately and run away.

He ran away she pulled him she ripped off his shirt This is how strongly he resisted.

This is how strongly Allah said for star for Star some he resisted with might with string because he didn't want to fall into Zina. May Allah protect us all the other Blossomy so run away my brothers and sisters then letter I is for Exxon.

And it sounds loosely translated as perfection but it's actually has much more deeper meaning than just perfection.

We we strive again to perfect our actions, whether their act of worship or in our work or in any other good activity that's acceptable by Allah subhanaw taala we strive to do it in a perfect manner.

But the point is, the Prophet sallallahu Sallam defined the term and he said that the sign is to worship Allah subhanaw taala as if he's right in front of you. Now I want you to visualize this not to visualize Allah, but visualize that situation, that you're worshiping Allah subhanho wa Taala in his presence, how this prayer will look like. How will it look like my brothers and sisters is that but then the prophets Allah, Allah Allah has sent them explained that even though you can't see Allah,

He sees, well Allah was discussing with my Hindu Hindu ex boss, and I consider him one of the smartest people I have met in this dunya very smart. And one day I was praying and then he asked me, How do you concentrate when you pray? And there is nothing in front of you.

I said because I believe that Allah sees me.

And Allah He fajita, lovey Kapha and the one was no faith like ourselves. My brothers and sisters was dumbfounded. I was like, wow, I defeated the smartest people I've ever come across.

But it was not my was not me. You defeated this the Quran is the hot jar of the Quran the evidence ALLAH given us in the Quran, Allahu Akbar.

So do whatever you do my brothers and sisters Islam with this element of Sn letter V stands for virtues and ethics and manners. There are many people who will come to Islam from a different background, but they will carry with them these manners that are not a match with our beautiful religion. We need to learn how to change them. You see, all the prophets of Allah came to invite us to worship one God or the BAFTA a few frequently on material Zulan and Allah

Ah, what's your tangible thought holds? This is the main message that all the messengers of Allah were sent to it that we have sent in equity nation and messenger with the teaching, worship one God and stay away from any false deities, but our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam

because he's the last and final messenger of Allah he was given an extra duty to fulfill and that is perfecting our manners

in nonverbal ways to Luton, Nima mCherry. Mala I have not been sent except to perfect months. So as much as you are keen to memorize the Quran, as much as you're keen to worship Allah subhanaw taala and fulfill all your data. Remember, you have to work on your behaviors, how many times I will hear from wives coming complaining that my husband is an Imam, my husband is a religious figure that was respected here respected there, but look at my eye and only to see a blue eye right in front of you because the the husband is a bit angry, agitated about something very, very tricky. So as much as you perfect your acts of worship, you need to also perfect your manners. Once your manners became

perfect, Wallah I know addiction can overtake you. And that's why Allah subhanaw taala is addressing this in sort of the movie noon, when Allah listed the categories of successful believers. And you will be amazed when you read this is your homework by the way insha Allah when you go home sort of renewed is your homework. Right? So what

So if one Yeah, that's your homework, read it for yourself, you will see that Allah Subhana Allah will start by saying on Avila Hello movie noon, and Lavina Humphrey Salette in harsh to successful believers are those who focus and concentrate in their prayer. So when you hear that no match will ever let me delay my salah no TV series, no Amitabh Bachchan, nothing

will make believe my salah my prayer and go and watch something, word whatever.

And then the next is Allah subhanaw. Taala is talking about manner. When Nadine Oman Illa GUI Maradona and those who stay away from vain and Ill talk how many people here?

I don't want to see hands. Maybe you cannot if you want. How many of you can agree that gossiping is something very common.

Yeah, everybody's nodding, shake that biting.

The brothers are not nodding you know, there are angels. That's why there are ages

along the span, so Allah is telling us if you want to be successful, these are the criteria. So if we focus on perfecting our acts of Ayurveda, as well as our manners and dealing with each other, what Allah He nothing will defeat you in this room.

And finally,

letter E the final in the word stripe is emulate, emulate the Prophet Muhammad Salah isn't it in you ladies lifestyle, no one, follow his lifestyle and go wrong ever.

No one follows the Prophet SAW Selim and go astray.

So imitate him to the best of your ability that companions Wallah is sometimes you study the zero and you can't even fathom how the companions will even think to do what they have done. Look at Amara the Hata probably Allah Allah looking at a stone, the black stone in the kava and talking to it one of the most genius people ever walk down this earth over the top, not the Allah Anwar, would you imagine the US Talking to a Stone that cannot hear him cannot benefit him cannot harm him. But he was doing that to prove a point.

He told the Blackstone I know you are stone.

I know you cannot harm me, no benefit me and had I not seen the prophets Allah Allah Allah or send them kissing you? I would have never kissed you. And then

after that, he kissed the Blackstone. He's reassuring himself that the Prophet SAW Selim is the ultimate guide.

Didn't the Prophet SAW Salem one day was walking with that with our tablet, Allah, Allah and he told him I love you rasool Allah and he said more than your business or Omar, he said Yes, more than my business more than your children. Yes, more than children both and yourself. He said no.

very truthful. Very honest. Subhan Allah He said no. So Allah Allah no

Your faith will remain incomplete until I become more beloved to you than your own self. So I'm a thought of it. And he said, Now we are awesome Allah I love you more than myself. He said, Now we are on Ma. Now your faith is complete. Abdullah Muhammad Ali Allah on whom he came to his father and told him what made you change your, your opinion so quickly. He said I thought of it. Who was there for me to guide me to Islam. It was the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and who will be interceding on my behalf on the Day of Judgment. It's the prophets Allah Allah Azza. So I needed him more than myself, then I loved him more than myself. Look at this. Look at the story of the Prophet

SAW Salem praying behind and behind him the Companions they were praying the sandals during one of the battles and while the Prophet SAW Selim was praying, he started removing his shoes. Guess what happened at the back?

Everyone started removing the sandals.

When the offseason finishes Salah he asked them they didn't dare to tell him why did you remove your shoes? Because this is the most logical thing to do. He initiated the action then I have the right to ask why Why did you remove the shoes Oh problem Allah by the way, why don't you remove it? No one asked the Prophet did it. I know it's done for the best.

But he asked

Why did you remove your shoes so we saw that we saw we saw you then we did them said you didn't he explained to them that he didn't need to remove the shoes. Gibreel ally salon came to me and said that there is a notjust there is something dirty my son that I needed to remove my brothers and sisters in Islam remember the word stripe? Remember the word stripe. letter S stands for be serious about your D.

letter t do not delay your Toba today.

Letter R is for run away from the sin and repent regularly. letter I do everything with yourself. Letter V perfect your virtues and manners and live by them. Literally emulate the best of the best of the best one that's awesome. lamingtons nothing will ever go wrong. Jack Ma Hiren Salam aleikum