Waleed Basyouni – Studying Islam In America 2
AI: Summary ©
The speakers address the challenges faced by Muslim students in learning about spiritual teachings of Islam, emphasizing the importance of purifying intentions and avoiding wasting time. They stress the need for students to have clear understanding of their own learning and not be discouraged by their lack of knowledge, as well as the importance of learning to be excited and not wasting time. The speakers also emphasize the need for students to find their own time and stay true to their values, while also acknowledging their own worth and remaining mindful of others' emotions.
AI: Summary ©
Li Abbas MANOVA Haman hamdu Lillah wa salatu salam, ala
nabina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi All Praise to you to align His praise and blessings and PSP upon our Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu wasallam, his family, his companions and his followers until the day of judgment on all the prophets and the messengers and their followers. Today, my first lecture will be basically about studying in America, pitfalls and difficulties. I don't mean, I don't know how it was how you understand this title, but it doesn't mean studying in America is a difficulty by itself. Yes, I believe that has certain challenges that facing so many of us when we want to study the knowledge. And one of the reason that the whole concept of a lava or this
institute that we have in a Muslim Institute, one of the reasons that it was made or created is because to meet these challenges and to help you to actually
solve it, and to aid you and to help you in your path of learning. So basically, there is obstacles on the path of knowledge anywhere in the world, anywhere in the world. If you're living in America, or you're living in Egypt, you're living in Saudi Arabia, or you're living in Pakistan, there is challenges, there's obstacles facing you. So I will then talk about the things that people for example, face overseas, our focus on what we here in America facing and the challenges that facing is the most. And this is by asking so many brothers and sisters about the difficulties that they have, when they decide or they take the commitment that they will learn the knowledge they want to
learn their Deen. Also, I'm not necessarily will be going in details about those who want to be like full time student of knowledge. No, I'm talking about the vast majority of us here that they would love to keep whatever could hear that they have whatever knowledge of the shittier that they are studying right now in universities, but in the same time, they want to be well educated in dental legend, they understand the religion in the right way, when they hear people saying something head on, or how long will you do this? Or you don't do that. They know why this has been said how they come to this conclusion. So not everybody can just say to you do this and do that. And you don't
know what's really going on. I would like to see our Muslim brothers and sisters capable and able to have this critical thing that became a critical thinker, that the analyze things that and this is not just because you're smart, or just because you're a person who had an MBA or master's degree, no, because you are Muslim, you're a learner, you're a student of knowledge, you know that when it comes to Hello, hello, um, how to deal with it. And how to accept this opinion or this view and how can you reject it? It's not really to make you Mufti or to issue factual and contemporary issues, but at least understand the language of the knowledge, the language of the heart, the jurist, the
language of the Muslim scholars, in order for you to understand the religion to worship Allah subhanaw taala based on based on knowledge, for your power activity to be based on knowledge as well. This is required from you to study the knowledge, to study the knowledge, the knowledge will not be given to you. Just by a magical touch. You go, I taught you you became scholar, you became chef. It doesn't work this way. It doesn't work this way. It works as the prophets of Salaam said in
tandem,
be gained by by tandem by learning, learning it to struggle with it. So no doubt that. The first I believe point I have to start with is about what is your intention? When you want to learn the knowledge? Why do you want to learn the knowledge of the shediac? What's why you are interested to learn the knowledge of the Shetty app, as much as you purify your intention as much as you will be successful. And as much as your intention not pure not clear, as much as this will be the biggest challenge facing instinctive knowledge and believe it or not, veneer The intention is not something for granted only the problem so many times I see with us when it comes about purifying your
intention. We take this for granted.
I have the law I have no doubt. Next point, please. You know, have it written down. I don't need even to talk about you know what this is not what the way the greatest scholars of Islam said.
For example sufian authority which is one of the greatest scholars of the Muslim in the Muslim in Islamic history, he used the use to say, Sofia an authority in his time was exactly like Abu Bakar in his time. See how the companions look up to our bunker and see how Baba was the best. This is how the successor, the tambourine and the topspin 30 used to look up to Sofia and Rahim Allah, wa the ally, this man used to say not to assure the lamb niyati I have not seen anything more difficult, more challenging, then my intention to always purifying it. And in Madurai mahoba was asked is every time you generate the Hadith, when every time you learn the Hadith was purely 100% for Allah
and takuna de la he couldn't be here. As Erica says, I think it's very hard to say yes, he said, You need every time every incident every moment of my life whenever it was, you know what in a classroom or in a teaching position or in a debate every single second every single moment, every single incident, it was 100% have nothing no personal desires something I feel proud of myself. I it's very hard to say yes. He said
it's very hard to say yes if something if it is he asking me literally about every single time in my life. But this is something we love to do as well. This is something we started it. It is because we love this knowledge we love the Heidi we love that the L
to teach people the Hadith of the son of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa said, but I will tell you something interesting. The scholar said so many scholars said Paladin in military law in
so many scholars said yes maybe we started that knowledge sometimes not 100% for the sake of Allah, but Allah subhana wa tada because of the Baraka the blessings of this knowledge have changed our intention to make it pure, to make it pure. Some of them have been Amato and others also among the Sahaba have mentioned that some people became Muslim in the morning only because the word seeking worldly word. By the noon by afternoon, they were very sincere and they accepted Islam from the bottom of the heart. 100% 100% So yes, Alhamdulillah, the Baraka of this knowledge of the blessings of this knowledge, it will help you even to purify your intention to purify your intention. One of
my friends, Shah, Abdul Hakim and I don't feel problem to say that he's one of the Medina University. He's a chef, I was a students in the university he lives in America, maybe some of you have seen him or heard him before. He said, I heard this competition in Islamia in the Medina University, that anybody memorize the Quran and enter the competition, he gets 10,000 real and that's a lot of money, big amount of money that time. And I was like, dreaming about buying a car. So I said, You know what, I'm gonna memorize it to get the car. He said, I finished the whole on top of it. And six months. I went to the competition. I was number one, I got the $10,000
I went and I purchased the car when I was driving the car and I said to myself,
and now what you're going to do with this skill on you know what you're going to do with the car, you're going to enjoying it but what are you going to do with this hold on that you already memorized?
Then he said since then it hasn't been enough. Every day I review my just my my my memorization, my art, and I did not forget anything from it until today. Yes, it started maybe something as a worldly reward. But Allah Subhana Allah because of the blessings of this book have helped that person to change his or her intention later on. Yes, maybe it isn't the beginning a struggle for competing but you know what this is later on can easily change and you can purify your intention later on. But those who do not do that, those who do not repeat because it's a sin, to seek the knowledge of the Shetty of the Shetty out for other than the sake of Allah. It's a sin. If you don't repent from
this, if you don't ask Allah to forgive you because of that later on. It is something very dangerous if you are learning just to be called scholar, just for people Wow. To look up to you, just to be yet somebody told me I would like to be shift like you. I said what he said because you get to travel a lot everywhere. I said that's not the intention to travel. Say so sometimes.
It is totally not acceptable if you have this bad intention in a sort of low anyway it was Salim said one of the first people that will enter the whole fire in the desert gentlemen, a person who memorized the Quran, who read the book of Allah just for people to say wow he's a good reciter he has a very nice voice he is this he or she is that this is not right. This is the first one to enter the whole fire in the Day of Judgment. Also the prophets of Salaam said and the previous one is reported by Muslims a very famous hurayrah but also we have another Hadith reported by tirmidhi where the profits are celeb segment animal in humanity be Lucifer ha, oh, you're sort of La he will
do her NASS Will you bet he'd be really mad.
If a person learned the knowledge of shittier, so he can show off in front of the public. And he can argue and be sitting next to the scholars and to the knowledgeable people. And so people will ask him and we'll start giving him attention. If this is your intention for learning the knowledge, so you should expect a place in the whole fire for yourself next life. That's what the prophets of Salah have said. People who don't have pure intention when they learn the knowledge. What happened to them, my dear brothers and sisters. First, they they have this love for being famous, the love of fame, to be leaders. They always love to be leaders to be recognized to be famous. That's why
shopping via email. This is common, not common among those who study the shittier because there's so much attention will be given to you, you will become a leader religious figure where everybody's looked up to. So it's a very hard position. It's a very strong temptation. You have to struggle with yourself to purify your intention over time. a sharpie B Rahim Allah is a great scholar from and Dennis he used to say, after an usher in New Zealand and palooka scientists in sheet. Dude he was so far, the last thing we'll be taking out from the hearts are that the hearts of the righteous one, the love of fame, the love of power. This is something very natural that people love to be famous
love to be, and power in positions. That's why they said before.
The love of fame will break you down. If this is your intention. You're just doing all of us to be famous, so you have more potential to be more popular so people know your name.
And that's what you care about. This is one of the forms of shooting as the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said Yeah, and I
call for an equal assurance for Shahada coffea Tada Mashallah Takashi
was Shahada Ophelia cookbook in nazjatar. I'm sure that in Nabi sallallahu Sallam said what's the thing I'm afraid from the most that it might destroy you basically that it's called the hidden desire. He said what's the hidden desire and this means it does mean that in your heart deep in your heart you like everybody to recognize you everybody to know Wow, this is just so and so. This is cefa so and so this is the one who memorize the Quran This is the half of this is the half of it and he or she will feel so bad that he will not be giving a leader a position or a will he will be recognized and public role model they allow and so obey even kept walking around him a lot of
students a lot of students that they allow advice obey later on. He said yeah, obey don't do that again. Obey teach what anybody knows. Koran very famous that is one of the best disciple of the Quran among the companions, and he used to lead the taraweeh at the time of Rama remember the incident with a lot over there all the Muslims are always behind one Imam. It used to be to lead the taraweeh and he was another one to lead with him anybody remember that person? obey and somebody else? Okay? So no matter the law answered, yet obey. Don't do that. Why? It is fixed enough for you.
It's a fits enough for you. Because you might feel so proud of yourself with hundreds of students walking behind you, walking behind you. And also it is the lonely Tada. It's a humiliation for those students that they're running behind you. They cannot ask the question and keep waiting. It's not proper. It's not proper. And I guess that's why he put a back door for the speakers so they don't walk in the crowd. So nobody follow them basically. I don't know. But anyway,
when you walk out of the master, don't let people just walk behind
You incident and imagine the profits are silent can echo and Cooper Atiba the profits of solemn dislike when he walks that people walk behind him. The companion used to walk in the sights not behind him, like the Kings like the Kings sure about that had a great amount in Hades said, look up to 101 Earth cup. Sure myself, I became so famous. And this is the worst thing ever happened to me in my life. I wish that nobody knows who I am. And he said, Sometimes when somebody walked with me out of the mustard, I'll tell him you keep distance Don't come closer to me. Because if people saw you coming close to them and asking me people think that this is a shift, so another person will
come ask another question that became a big crowd, then I became,
have to answer all these questions. So let me walk by myself. So people will not notice who I am. It's not like some of us will.
And he really, you know, it's like, you would like to be in front of the camera. You know, just to be famous, your name. To be always clear. These people were not like that at all. And
law said, we did an akuna efficient in the market.
An international became so sad after that incident that he challenged the color. In the issue of the Koran was debated the mortiser became very famous. absolutely the most famous person in the Muslim world in that time. That's something was if you read about the history of that period of time, everybody talks about this man, one man chilling the whole entire Ummah, one man channeling the whole entire Football Hall jurist and judges and columns and everybody's color known as gone that time no doubt he became very famous and guess what Allah given victory over all those people after that, even though it was absolutely yeah, and he became very famous and he hated that the most. And
he said I wish to hide in Mecca and one of the valleys until I die and I will not have this Yeah, and the response from people that became so famous everybody looking up to me and they start treating him as if he is infallible or a prophet or something like that.
Mmm, Rahim Allah, when he was told how much people praise him and talk so highly of him. He said to his students abubaker he said, either out of a module or an FC naffaa who can ominous if you know really who you are, you wouldn't care much about what people saying about you praising you saying all the giving you all these titles, you know who really you are, so you shouldn't be worried about all this. Yeah, any praise that you get, you know how good or bad you are. If people would love to be always recognizing any gathering, I walk into the masjid, I will feel bad if they will not know mentioned my name, chef and Chef attending this class. Also, I will feel bad if somebody's name will
be mentioned before me. As students, I'll feel bad if somebody named above my name or I will not be given my full title I will not be the leading of this event or that
in this organization.
Also, if the intention is not pure my brothers and sisters, you will see that the person who always praised himself, who always praised himself, I remember when I was growing up in the in the university in the university, I met a chef or any person even though I somehow law I feel like I can relate to him the first thing he told me, he said
you know, as the head of the mahad the theme of this time,
the moment he said this earlier show, okay? I just turn me off immediately and then never learn under this person. Every time he talks, we the great majority of the time. I never was ever interested to learn anything from him. I saw the great had within the name themselves. We just assume that if knowledge if you somebody else, we the scholars, we are the scholars of America we are on every somebody told you to saying you are a scholar different than him say I am one of the scholars of you. Okay, hold on. For us something this is not you know, we don't praise ourselves. They teach you how to be humble and not to praise yourself because color here in this in Arabic
language, Adam is the one who feels Allah Adam is the one who have so much respect and love and he's so devoted to the worship of Allah. It's not like English. Maybe in English with this color. It's technically mean somebody mastering this
field of knowledge. But when you come to the technical meaning in shitty in Islam, it has some kind of praise to that person praise to the person.
The prophet SAW Selim said, Allah said doctors
don't praise your self and also came into Hadith the Prophet sallallahu wasallam, Abu hanifa, once was asked, who's better you are outcome is what the great scholar and no doubt is way higher than anybody any, you can imagine, in that time very famous, very well known scholars, but see what his response was. He said, Well, ah, Hey, man, we'll be heading in North Korea home for kayfun football over him. He said, I, I don't deserve to be mentioned with their names anything way higher than me. So how can you ask me are you compare between me and him? Are you asking me about that person, he is way better than me. And this is out of his humbleness.
Yeah, and he, it is interesting, when you hear how the scholar very, very humble, when it comes to mention their names that they avoid. Anything will contradict the meaning of sincerity. If you're not sincere in your, in your learning, my brothers and sisters, you know what that leads to also, that you will rush.
And in the learning, you just want to finish quickly. Even if you don't digest the URL improperly. I don't have time to waste my stay two years of studying one chapter. And now I want something quick, you know, quick fix, you know, kind of, you know, just like, it's sometimes called drug culture, you know, you will have a high mood yourself or your mood is low, take one pill, you became high, you know, on a good sleep, I don't have time to try to sleep, take one belt, knock it out asleep. You know, it's a direct culture, I believe the same concept also came to the knowledge I've seen, I don't have time to spend all this to learn. No, I want something quick, quick fix, you know, just
immediately to change, it doesn't work this way. And it takes time. The people who don't have a pure intention, the looking fake, to be famous in a short period of time. So they will be famous in no time and no time. And that will lead that the student of knowledge will not digest the knowledge properly will not understand the knowledge the way it should. Also, if you don't have that pure intention, you will not attend the circle of knowledge. SubhanAllah the people who don't have good intention, they will feel bad or they will not have interest to attend lectures, seminars go to a number of classes.
to benefit from that. Yes, for kids just jump up high and stretch themselves. And that's what they they waste of time. You know, go to this chef, the chef I know him he was he was raised here in America. I know when he was a kid. I'm not gonna go study under him or under her one sister. How the * do I know you before you now you're making yourself chef on us. You know all this, it's arrogant, it will prevent you because you don't this is not about learning anymore. If you are sincere, you will see that you will learn from people younger than you in the same age and older and more knowledgeable than you. That's why they said you will not be added until you narrate the Hadith
from the people who are younger than you from your students level. And from people who are on the same level and people who are older and higher than you higher than you every single sculler almost most of them you will see when they said his view of who he is learning the Hadith from Vietnam, you will see that always mentioned people who sometimes they are his students are in the same level in the same level. And amendment rosaria Rahim Allah when he came to Mecca, this man outside his method, his method, it's like you have a shaft and it Hanafi Maliki I was there. His method was dominating most of the Muslim world for 240 years. Most of the Muslim world used to be ruled by this
method might have been
240 years. It's a huge mess up it's a he's a great amount, this amount when he walked to MIT to MIT to Mecca, coming for heart Savannah 32 when I told you about how people look up, he was holding his the robe of his camel and putting the rope around his neck and pulling the camels and in America, Hema hola next to his feet next to his feet walking or his sometimes we'll go ahead and said this way this way. Thank you
them to his home to host them in his house.
And three of them in the same level of knowledge, but see how they are very humble, they not looking, they will learn and they asked him to teach them and they listen to an amendment I was at Yahoo Mahalo to add also, those who don't have pure intention, the like to pick from the knowledge, what's going to make them famous in no time. For example, He doesn't have or she doesn't have interest to spend two years learning Arabic language. It's not gonna make you anywhere famous. Maybe in America, if you say some words in Arabic, wow, you know, Arabic. But in general, they're not interested in learning the fifth learning the Aveda and
in the proper know, he wants something make him famous. I give you example, people now go and study things like assuming
our Wow, the the reject emilija. Like somebody called me once. This is the only question it gets so far in America about the regenerators. Somebody said, Chef, I want to ask you about the here. Is it true that when he read the Hadith from the three, Abadi, Allah three, Abdullah, is the only time that we accept a bit here as narration or there is more than this, you know, this issue has a big debate over it among the Maha Devi. So he said, What do you think of the other for about data? Then he said, Hold on, you have a very heavy accent.
We're Where did you get cross? This is now calling you from jail.
I said, Okay. Is it became Muslim six months ago, okay, six months ago on you just jumped over?
Yes, because some people love this kind of thing. And this is the first thing to start with. And I'm not talking about that person. But other people I saw in mind when I grew up learning, I saw people will love this issue. So when they stand in front, do you know a builder here? He's this and Wow.
This is so cool. It must be shared. Immediately when somebody said you're an excellent fit, we say this and that. Wow.
You know, he must be so good. This kind of knowledge does people who are looking to learn so they can lead the halaqa lead the discussion, this show up the only learn this things. In another hand, people start learning about Jim at, he knows what this is what this problem is. So he starts acting as if he's experts, you know, he have higher ground now, because he criticized he knows the mistakes of the chef, he memorize it, he knows it very good. He always read the book, or listen to the CDs, which is about refutations. So he mastered the refutations, but he will never master the knowledge. This is all these kinds of behavior that we see among some sort of knowledge or learner only because
they want to show off and only because this intention is not 100% pure, it's not 100% pure.
Also arrogant, it shows you that this is something wrong with with intention and arrogant as the prophets of solemn define it by saying it does humbleness to basically what?
What? To see people or nothing around you.
And to reject the truth. That's why arrogant people will never ask any questions. I'm not gonna ask, you want people to know, I don't know this.
People will not ask. And they will feel shame for them to ask or to learn. By also one of the things related to
those who have bad intention, not pure intention. Let's put it that way. Then additional pure we call we develop something we call it a tandem. We call it a tad which is claiming that they have knowledge and in reality they don't you know what we call they just make up stories make up things and literally can make up things. And there are so many stories to show you that people willing to make up stories, incident Hadith verses even from the Koran, and it's not exist just to show off just to show off, you know, protect all of us.
The second point so the first one about intention about intention. I think the second thing it is
about Oh, before I said the second one, I just asked a question guy who's your really I want you to raise your hand okay. Among the brothers and sisters, our full time job. Who among you feels that his schedule is so busy among those who raise their their their hands? Who among you really love to learn the knowledge
Everyone, okay hold on, you really want to learn the knowledge, let me see the hands would never you try to bring the knowledge inside the hearts have no space, you have no time, you have no strength to observe any more knowledge, you really full, you really occupied, you cannot add more to exactly like this car, whatever I give you it just go and follow, it will never settle. So I think you learn from this, then one of the biggest challenge that we have here that we don't try first step that you need to do, you need to take some out of your busy schedule that you have, you need to make time for the knob, you need to make some time for learning. Don't expect with this too many things that you
have in your daily life activity, just you can add to it, and it will go you know you open the book when you are so tired after a long day of learning.
He would not imagine that's going to be so easy. I will imagine the problem is so many chairs IE they read I learned but nothing subtle. You know why? Because it's already full. Because all what you have filled your heart with not necessarily knowledge sometimes work sometimes other things, games, I'm so busy game gaming or playing games and I'm, you know what I put all my time all my mind on this, you know, I'm so busy with other things. So make sure when you plan for knowledge, you make some space in your heart, some space in your daily schedule, or your weekly schedule or your monthly schedule. I don't mind. But you know what this time is for knowledge. You know what, this is what I
want to do, I want to free myself, I don't want to use all my ability, my strength in one area. And that's when it comes to knowledge I became so we cannot observe cannot learn cannot memorize because I'm ready to occupy too occupied with so many other things in my life. And remember Shut up. No, I used to say if my family will depend on me to get them every
bus Allah to purchase onions and things for the house, I will not be able to do what I'm doing. I need to have my time. I'm not telling you quit your job. I'm not telling you to quit your study. I'm not telling you don't cook for your husband. Okay, I'm not telling you don't buy their
whatever they ask you to go to go to them to the mall. But try to be modern to balance it. Try to make when it comes to end, you know what I want to make time for, I want to make time for knowledge. And that's something I'm proud of, I will work hard on it. I have every week this amount of hours that I'm not going to miss with it. This is for my poron This is for my memorization. This is for my reading. This is for reading an internet, some good articles. This is for research, I want to research this issue. I want to know why I have to say mean out loud. And other people that don't do that. I want to know why I want to go search this, read it write it down. And I want to have this
time to go to help See, you know what I'm ready psychologically prepared myself for the knowledge. This is a key point, to learn the knowledge, make sure that you have a space in your time in your heart and your mind for learning. So one of the biggest as you see here, we are too busy. We're too occupied.
So this is something we need to work on it we need to work on it. And Amanda has an anniversary once was asked, Can a person start learning even if he's 70 years old, is it if you would love to live more than longer? If you would love to live longer go ahead and learn. That's why I've been has been one of the scholars who learned that knowledge in a very old age in a very old age.
One of the things also one of one of the biggest in the enterprise related to this obstacles in my opinion, procrastination, everything said insha Allah when I go to overseas and I go to the University of South learning and waiting for the exception, or the acceptance letters from the University from overseas for the last five, six years. He is waiting for Medina university to accept him among cannot accept him. And during this three years he doesn't nothing. She's waiting shallow when they get married me and my husband, we will hold one another to what is different here. Sure. But you know what? If you don't start now, you can delay that start right now. You know what? I'm
looking for the right wife, she will help. Oh, if you don't as soon as you start now. Don't delay things. You know what now it's when the
Spring starts you know now we're like in the middle of season with the spring okay with the fall with the summer shallow in the summer camp I will start seriously No Don't delay the summer after after high inshallah for them with the beginning of the new year you know new page and you do this until you die and you have not accomplished anything in your life Don't waste your time I think one of the biggest biggest really obstacles facing students in America they waste a lot of time we waste so much time here and in traffic and especially you guys here lower income now will help you especially those who unless use the train there's something else but if you travel by car and all
this traffic us so much time so what do you do in the train or in the car utilize this time invent something like I was riding the car yesterday with the group brothers. This is Jeff we have made a commitment any long trip we take we have something called neuron blight on the road, which it means what's in the road when everybody suggests the topic and we discuss this topic among ourselves and we will occupy our time with discussing one beneficial topic listen to CDs review your or on you know I have seen some brothers they learning Arabic you know when they learn Arabic when they are in the car, they have cards. Each card has one word in Arabic and they put this word in one sentence.
So he developed full sentences. So he said for example
para he read he said Mohammed Al Kitab Mohammed reading he memorize it and he used the card sometimes when he is read when he's in the traffic not driving so don't hit somebody. Okay, but iPod he listened to something you download a beneficial lecture a book that you read while you are in the train. Use your time Don't waste your time. Don't waste your time. Even if you're cooking in the kitchen. You are cleaning in the house I have seen in some of my relatives when they even grown the house the day well listen to something while they are vacuuming while they are cooking while they're some brother, their wives. This is how they do all the time. So you can use every moment of your
life Don't waste your time. Also one of the obstacles I believe
that people are not excited about knowledge. Believe it or not. Yes, there are so many people they don't care.
They don't really care about learning. They don't care about learning the knowledge of the shittier not pica Shafi Rahim Allah. Before his death, one of his students told him and it was any he said, Yeah, Mm hmm.
How do you feel now after all these years of learning? How do you feel now about learning and how much are you excited about learning? He said exactly in the same manner I was in my youth. Sometimes when I hear the heady that I never heard before, I wish that every single part of my body like an ear to enjoy listening to it, to enjoy absorbing it. I love the knowledge more than anything else and live in Mubarak, Abdullah Abdullah Mubarak was asked once if you die then a lot of bring you back to the slide. When you come back to this worldly life what you will do is if I will be bringing brought back to this world that life I will come back to learn the knowledge I will come back to
learn the howdy I will come back generate the heady modern digital said upon his death will law he I'm not so sorry about anything in this dunya that I'm going to leave this one live. I'm going to leave today. The only thing I'm so sorry that I'm going to miss so much I'm going to leave behind me attending to the circle of knowledge, attending to the scholars listening to them. This thing I will miss the most when I'm in my grave. See how much excited they are about learning sometimes we just don't really feel that excitement if you feel this way, read about the life of the scholars lead about the virtues of knowledge Allah Subhana Allah said yesterday Latina Ala Moana when Latina Allah
Allah moon, do you think they are equal the one who knows and the one who are not impossible even in the sight of Allah, Allah said your father in law who lived in Amman, amin Kuma Latina.
Allah raised a pie that believers who has knowledge and the knowledge of his Deen of his religion of him subhana wa Tada. Know about the dangers of being ignorant in your religion, know about the dangers of being ignorant and worshipping Allah subhanaw taala. Based on ignorance, we should encourage one another to competitions.
You know what, if you memorize this, this is the reward you can get. compete on goodness this someone will hold one another
To be excited about knowledge, also make it easy for people to learn. And I believe this is one of the main reason for me at least, I came to a lover of and I love this institute so much it is because it made it easy for so many people like yourself to learn the knowledge, it's very easy became so have easy access to the knowledge, it's fun, you come to the course, you know what the visibility, make it easy and he work hard to make this knowledge accessible to you. If you go back. So many said check, if I go try to read, I don't feel it's easy access, I don't have these kind of books, which is easy to understand or to observe, I think we should hug one another to make it easy
to learn to understand that the third and the beta and the tafsir, which is written by the Muslim early Muslim scholars.
I think one of the challenges here also is related to be excited about knowledge. Unfortunately, unfortunately, in the community, sometimes people they don't encourage knowledge. They don't care about knowledge, there is even movements movements and our try to isolate the knowledge from the Dow. So to isolate the
knowledge from the Dow I'm not going to have a major role in the Dow and the leader leading the Dow or the Muslim activity. And this is so wrong, this is so wrong to be done to the to the knowledge, we should not ever discourage people from learning discourage people from having a contact with the scholars discourage people from attending the classes whenever I know that there is a circle of knowledge, there is a serious teaching opportunity, you know what I will put this priority number one in my message activity and protein bar number one in supporting this project per team and a lot of them but one to donate to it because knowledge is the solid foundation for any dialogue will want
to establish or any movement that it will have a major impact on the society to bring good change to the society. Next one, one of the biggest obstacles that we don't practice what we learn.
And this is could be for two reasons. One because you're learning something, you cannot practice it. You're learning theoretical things or things does not apply to you.
does not relate to somebody Mashallah he stopped learning about the fact of divorce.
And he's not married yet.
Last year in Texas, I gave a lecture about the etiquettes of proposing
the etiquettes of proposing engagement, the rules of the engagement period before marriage. So one brother was coming, his wife caught him at the door. She text messages said, What are you doing in this lecture? We're already married.
She caught it. He takes her back. He said, I just want to make sure that we did everything right here. Sure. Good answer.
Anyway, so basically the problem can be because you don't have EDI learning something you cannot practice you cannot practice or because you don't learn knowledge early to increase your Eman to make you closer to Allah subhanho wa Taala and there is no blessings in any end will not lead to Russia will not bring you closer to Allah. When working,
which is a great scholar used to live in Lebanon.
His mother prepared him and send them to the chair. And she said my son, my son, when you go learn when you go and this year, learn 10 things from him. And after this, look at yourself, whatever you learn from him, these 10 things that you learn from him have made you a better person in your manner and you improve your relationship with others. Improve your relationship with Allah making you closer to Allah or not if it's not change the teacher change this knowledge if it's Yes, that's what you should stick with.
Him as Matt was told about somebody he claimed that from Allah Hadith is smarter than it was taught but he doesn't pray pm and leave he doesn't meet the MLA. He said in Harajuku, listen,
he said he's a bad person he's not among. He doesn't deserve to be among
the person who does not have any share of the night to pray.
Also, I think, hey, let's do this. Everybody has a piece of paper and pen.
Everybody has a piece of paper and pen. If you have a trace that piece of paper up,
raise it up. If you have a piece of paper, raise it up and pen
You have it.
Okay, those who have it, get ready. I'm gonna make a quick test. Okay, very quick, but I want you to know, you promise me something. Okay.
You're gonna give the first answer come to your mind. I'm gonna ask you quick questions. Okay, I want you to write down the first. The first thing comes to your mind promise?
Huh? Yes. Okay, so you're ready? Let's see. You're ready. Let's start. What's your favorite color? Don't say just read it. Write it down. Name a piece of furniture. Name a flower. Pick a number from one to four.
Name an animal that you see in the zoo.
Okay, he doesn't.
Okay, let me guess. Let me guess. And any guests I say you guys say out loud. Yes. Okay. If anybody his answer, match my answer said yes. Okay. And maybe you can wave to. Okay. The color red.
Okay, red blood. That's more men than woman I guess. Okay. The piece of furniture chair. Okay, the flower is rows.
Okay, the number is three.
Okay, the animal didn't tell me. You said, Brian. Oh my god.
Okay.
By the way, I never planned this ahead of time. Okay. Are you guys surprised? Are you guys surprised that I was able to guess most of your answers. You know why? Because not
to be an alert observer will lead you to a common answers. That's the common answer come to the mind immediately. You don't think it just like that comes directly, right? That's the only thing you think. And also show you that we are very much similar to each other, by the way, the way we think. So don't ever when it comes to knowledge. If I want to borrow this example, if I want to borrow this example to the field that we talking about. Some people think that you know what,
I'm different. I don't know how to memorize, you know, I'm just different than anybody else. Believe it or not. Most people all in the same area, we think the same. We think the same Don't ever say Oh, he was able to do this because he is something different. This is very rare people who have Mashallah super, you're neither superduper good. And the memory is so sharp, but most of us we are on the same level, we're all on the same level x one, two, x one lesson to learn to be alert observer, not everything is coming in your mind, just say, you know, then people to take a second and think about and analyze it, then they would say that they will write that they will just react
immediately to any question that will be without thinking. And that's exactly what happened in this example, that you react without thinking without thinking and knowledge and knowledge, what really makes difference is this point, that assumption to some skill of substantive knowledge. Our critical thinkers are not just respond like immediately like that. They take their time they think then the answer, and those people really make a lot of different and learning and learning. One of the points I believe it helps a lot in this area.
When people one of the obstacles the challenge I have seen in America also that people they feel hopelessness, hopeless, there's no chance for me to survive. I cannot make it I cannot learn or despair or despair. This is not true. Don't ever underestimate the talent that Allah has given you. Don't ever underestimate the talent that Allah has given you. That is one thing about all of us. All the names that I mentioned yourself and all the other names I mentioned. You know what? That we all came out of our mothers know nothing.
We are equal in the beginning. And Buhari was not born knowledgeable, was not born.
Abu hanifa was not born Mohammed. Mohammed. He was not born a great party. Even he doesn't have the lead in the polls so far. But still he is a great party. Okay.
So, he was not born this way.
Allah subhana wa tada said in the Quran, wa Allahu Allah,
Allah have brought you out of your mother's rooms, left on the moon.
You knew nothing. But what john and i
saw on he that COO, COO, but she have given you
here in the ears that you can hear with eyes that you can see with tongue that you can talk with these the tools of acquiring the knowledge
exists is what it is, it is how you are going to use what Allah have given you. And that's what can make you a student of knowledge that was going to make you learn the knowledge.
And this is something so interesting. If you think there is nobody ever born perfect, this nobody's taught perfect. You know what everybody has his own story. I can give you an example. For example, some of the hanabi Allah, his name, Abdul Rahman bin nafees. You know what he used to be, he used to be a rock star before singer, very famous singer in his town. And his voice was so good when very big concerts everybody knows about this man.
he repented and he became one of the Grateful kaha of the HANA beta. He memorized a huge book called Kitab O'Hara in a huge book in the habit of
Abdullah bin Hassan in Juba,
in Baghdad, you know who this person used to be. His father was one of the Christians leader scholars in Baghdad. He was supposed to inherit his father's position in Baghdad to be one of the greatest Christian scholars in Baghdad, he became Muslim, and he became one of the famous
scholars in Baghdad in that time, No siree Dean abdus salam, he was you know, what highway robber thief gangs.
You know, this person, he repented to Allah, and he became also a great scholars of his time, actually, it's very interesting how he repented. He said, one day after a rob a group was traveling in the highway, I took their money, and I abused him and I took the money and it went to sit with my gangs, I was sitting in the shade of a tree, then he noticed that bird goes away, then come back to this tree with the food from the food and leave. And she does that so off. So I was curious, I start climbing the tree, and I sown the tree, a snake.
That very tire doesn't move the snake. And I found the bird bring food worms to the snake and feed the snake.
So I said to myself, this is how they help one another. And I'm taking the food of the Muslims, food of those traveler, I'm stealing from them. And he said that have led me to change my way of life. And he became a great famous scholars after that.
Also, if you don't take your knowledge step by step. I think one of the problems the obstacles in America here facing us that we don't have places that the CDC says knowledge can go to unlearn in serious programs. That's why it is very important to develop programs in the local level national level to help the people who want to learn and these organizations can can be organization can be an institute can be shares can be also libraries that people can go to unlearn and studying. I would love to see in Dar Salam for example in New York, somebody to suggest the to have a big place where people can not be cannot buy, they can go and sit and learn and read. We would like to see in the
putting pressure on the universities libraries to have more books about specific fields in Islam. So those who cannot purchase the book, they can go to the library of the university and read it in the in the library. We would like to create the massager to have library, not the old yellow Arabic books would nobody benefit from it. You know what No, I want them to have library full of books written in English as well and in different languages that people can go and learn and borrow and those in the library certain time for sister that they have also access to the library to sit in it. I would like to somebody to create in the website, another
Maybe a website, which is all the book important books that I can go and refer to and learn from it. So basically, we would like to create sources for the knowledge and make these sources available and accessible for the students to go to.
One of the problem in this regard people, it's a psychological problem, that I would say, I only have one problem, if I can get over this, everything will be solved. This is, this is not true. If you ever think this way you should to known today that you're wrong, you're mistaken. It's not about only one problem. One mistake one obstacles, it's never been one. It's always more than one one. But so many times we convince ourselves, that's the only one if I'm done with it, loss. It's only if I learn Arabic, I learned Arabic, everything will be perfect. just memorize the Quran, finish the Quran, everything will be seen when I go to Medina how I will be just let's see how going to be if I
travel over there, what happened, that person locked himself inside his room, or locked himself inside his own comfort zone. And thinking that the only problem he has is this one. I think one of the obstacles facing us to balance between our and I'm involved in so much detail activity. And sometimes this is will take my whole entire day, my whole effort. You know what, be smart, don't quit that hour, and don't quit learn, make the data, the reason for you to learn.
You know what I'm preparing a class, for example, to reserve a lecture, I'm volunteering in this, I want to know everything about this topic prior to hand. So I know how to market it, right? Make this the reason To learn more, I'm going to make an emphasis, you know what I want every volunteer and this is an advice to organizer. You know what if I have a team of 100 people organizing this event, make sure that they let the 100 team learn some phrases, maybe learn something about the end, make this an opportunity to teach the people. I always say this, and I want you to agree with me or disagree with me, I will be more than happy to hear your comment about this. One of the things that
I felt, or I saw when it came to America, let me put it this way. I have seen so many organizations, so many organizations, the US the community members, especially the youth, the youth, the more than they develop them,
distinction, the different unique, he brings somebody to work to make the work to do the job, but really don't care as an organizer as an Islamic Center as
administration, I really don't think it's not something I'm thinking about, did I develop this young man or this young girl when she participated in this, they literally benefit themselves that they really became better people after this event, or I'm just making them using them, letting them work and work and work and work. And that's it. There's two different mentality I think one of the problem with our if we don't make the dollar, the platform to develop ourselves and to develop ourselves in Allah. That's why when I said to the brother, for example, in Texas, our convention, I tell them this, the way I measure the success of Texas dial as a conference is not how many people
come is not how many people benefit. It is how much how much we were able to benefit the volunteers who work in Texas now.
If we start thinking this way, there will never be an obstacle in front of knowledge, there will be always an opportunity to develop the knowledge, opportunity to increase your knowledge of eternity to give you access to knowledge. And this is very interesting point if we think about and try to develop it in our communities and our our activity in our activity, not knowing the priorities. It's a big challenge all sorts of big problems, big obstacles, where to start, I'll tell you, that's my own philosophy, okay.
You're more than welcome to take it or not. I believe knowledge is like the oceans like the sea. I really cannot limit you
imagined this, the acts of I can come from here
and jump. Okay, and I can come from this site. And
I cannot really restrict you tell you, if you want to be more solid following the end, you have to start with this particular book. Howdy. Don't start with the 14 hour. You're not on the right method by before the 14 hour hajer note was made, how people used to study.
I can't recommend this. But I cannot restrict you to the you can go from here. You can go from here. You can go from there. But the only thing you make sure that you go from the shore. You don't take the boat and you jump in the middle of the ocean.
Big difference. Be smart, be smart. There is some places when you enter full frocks, you know, it's hard to go in and see weed. Some areas are cleaner, easy access, some of them come and some of them have very high waves. Make sure that you also choose the right axis, which is suits you. You know what that is. Some people like server and body server, they like to go to the area where there is waves. There's people listen to their personality, they like challenges, they like challenges, and they like to start something versus to challenge their mind. And some people know they like to start very calm, like swimming pool type of people, you know, they want to come water to go into stiff
front. I cannot really tell you, okay, in this lecture, I'm going to give you a schedule, you follow this book that I can make recommendation, but the main thing you start with, with, put your priorities, put schedule for yourself, consults, colors, consults, color, and make sure that you learn the things will benefit you will benefit you in an estimate. Once one person asked him a question.
What is Abuja for? He said, What do you think if I make Rahu with a water mix? rosewater, you know, the rose water when you put it in the water to make it smell good, tastes good. This kind of academic will go with it.
He looked at him. And he said, he answered then the message Okay, he left. Then he pulled his film,
his top, whatever he was wearing this I have a question for you.
Do you know what to say in the morning and in the night?
He said no. He asked about things like this next time.
Once I was walking the mustard, and somebody said, Yeah, dude, you're my judge, you know, to do my job. Yeah, if you came to raise your faith, you know, okay.
Somebody such a member of the Muslim would not Muslims.
Yeah, the brother planning to give them power. You know? What kind of question is that? They didn't know what to say when you enter the message. And when you walk out of the message, he said, No, he said, asked about things like this. So also in the learning process, learn the things that you can practice daily.
learn things start with things that you practice, start with things that you need it right now and you go move on to the next step. And Nick and the step after that.
Some people ask very good question. I remember.
Shelby was asked once a question.
He was asked, What's the name of the police wives, the shape pants wives. so shabby. Said the told the students a lie, I was not invited to the wedding.
Holiday liquor so much.
The last one I would like to end with
I think it's a big obstacles, envy.
to envy, envy. Envy is something so and it's evil. It's one of the worst sin can ever person commit. When it comes to the heart, destroy the heart allows us to protect ourselves from those who envy. Others mentioned the hazard in either hazard. You also have to protect you from those people in the others. It is the characteristic of those that Allah has angry at them. And you have to do the NASA Allah.
Allah said about those people that Allah is angry at them, that one of their characteristic that they always envy others from whatever good Allah have given them. The Prophet said like the hassard don't envy one another. But you know what, as even Timmy Rahim Allah said Muhammad amin has said let him know Kereama your chemo let him know when the EMA
engineer Rahim Allah said everybody might be one day feel jealous feel envy to other person, but the good people will control that feeling immediately that people will will let this feeling control them and the moment it will control you it will be as the prophet SAW some of them said that slightly Buhari in hazard la could not come at Dakota now. He will eat your good deeds the same manner that the firewall of burnout will eat the dry wood the dry wood
hazard is one of the characteristics of a blease a shape on where he envy
Adam
how to know that I have envy marks or somebody else one
you feel happy if somebody if somebody that you know you look up to he make or she makes a mistake? Yeah, you feel how she didn't know how to answer this. You know you feel happy if somebody embarrassed like Sakura and he came here. I'm so glad that he was embarrassed about to me, you know to feel having some trouble. How
Until others, also, you feel so happy for that person's absent, or she's not here today. So nobody will take my place, nobody will recognize her everybody will be concentrating on me. Also, if somebody will hear someone say saying bad things about somebody, you feel good for that. That means that you have envy toward that person's also, that you will feel you will not feel comfortable if somebody praise somebody in front of you, or somebody will address somebody else other than you. Or if somebody has not recognized your talents and how important you are out of your neck, somebody else you feel so much hate in your heart for inventory, that person that everybody talking about, or
some are giving him so much attention. One of the envy also that shows that you don't have that clean heart. Whenever you know something unique, you heard unique story, you have a good quote that you memorize, you will not refer it to the one who said it. You always act like it's you not somebody else. And if somebody find out that you take it from somebody else who would be very upset, you always love that you're the only one who will be recognized.
Be careful, because you might trigger the envy in other people's heart. That's why also you should be considered. Don't try to teach others to show up, be humble also around others see, you will not help the shape bond over them. So they have this feeling against you. I remember one night story between Ababa on Romana hapa that Abu Bakr and Omar was sitting and the story was mentioned by Mussolini. And he said that Mr. Malik reported this that a man came to see Dr. Omar, I sold the Day of Judgment, the stock and I saw you in a very high place and the prophets and the messengers all the problems and said Who's this? Then Allah told them this is Omar. And they asked a lot why Omar
was giving such high plays like this, then Allah said, or it was told in the land of resurrection, it is because he became the Caliph. And he was very strong and he never filled anybody other than Allah. Remember, when he was narrating the story, Omar told him stop,
leave. This is just one of these dream maybe you had too much food
before you go to sleep.
on my sleeve, this is a lamb. This is something from the dreams has not not ruined it. After abubaker passed away. And Omar became the halifa. He said, Bring the man who said that dream. Let him come back to me. He came and he said Now tell me what exactly your dream was. And he said it and after he finished he said, didn't you feel shy? To mention something like this which is has praise or good news for me in front of a man like Abubakar out of respect, have a backup of the law. Our perspective is we oma very careful about not leaving any door for the shape on to enter to the hearts, even with abacha. Even with abubaker it's not proper and this is something we should be
considered we should be considerate if you're especially dealing with people in the same age in the same level in the same
area. Make sure that you don't leave a space for the shaper to bring in views in the heart of any body. against others. I have seen
Yanni examples Halla I will never forget that chip has nothing to do him Allah
was with the group of scholars who once issued a very harsh fatwa against chip in Djibouti gentlemen Debian is my chef. Chef is my shell that are all great scars. I know how good they are teacher. Anyway, they issued him and show him a very harsh for the language if it was not proper at all, really when it comes to dealing with a great scholar in Djibouti
and happened that I sociopathy mean seeing the debris in Mina in Mecca
after that incident, and I said to myself, then this is a scene I don't want to miss. How we will meet each other after the mean and the scouts have issued this photo and it has like hard harsh not proper outside language. It would use administer grits colic winterberry while la when Shannon came in saw him. He came immediately and he tried to kiss just in Julian's head. Great scars I tried to kiss it and this other chef said he said like this Yeah. And he try instead to mean said, Everybody grades colors.
And I said to myself a pal of his heart or there's no envy. There is no sense of
competition between them so pure towards each other. Also remember in shaker Albania Rahim Allah and schiffman best entrepreneurs remain in one stage in Mina, answering questions. shipment the mean handled perfect when bad handled the Akita and urbani handle all the questions related to the Hadith. And when the salaat start, they asked shall alvanley to lead the prayer. It is, was so is older than a bit they mean and members wouldn't lead.
He leads usually but out of respect as a guest. And also because he's an adult, whatever the reason, he let him lead the prayer. There's no sense of competition and fighting over. You know, you see the way the shambles, Rahim Allah also tried to shift use of Aqaba when he came when he talked about him and recognize his
I'd have an L and they are on the same age almost orientation will be a little bit older than a shadow. But you will see so much respect when those mass colors deal with each other deal with each other. Once solid, B will pass and harder to blue elite. Something happened between them any argument. So somebody heard that argument. Then he went to Harvard, went to Saudi Arabia pass and he told him I'm so sorry about that. The college did this and did he start talking about
how to read in front of San Diego just had a problem together. Take advantage of the situation. What do you think sad will do sad just was not a thought at the time he made he came to him you know what this is? I'm feel sorry Khalid did this and that he tried to make it worse. You know what sad said immediately.
Stop, don't talk like this. In America in a mere blow Deena
whatever happened between us will not reach that we will talk about the faith and the belief of each of one another. And it will not lead me to backbiting to say evil things about him. Yes, we argue but that's its end. But still we are brothers, we are Muslims. He is a great companion and I have so much respect for him. And this is I think the way we should deal with others and clean our hearts from any type of envy. If it's ever come to heart, the some of the obstacles I think if we can go over it, it will help us a lot in our path of learning. mailscanner to Allah make all of us among those who learn the knowledge for the sake of Allah and help us to be good observers could students
of knowledge or subtle Allahu wa salam ala nabina Muhammad