Seerah Moments #03 Responsibilities of a Shepherd

bla Bismillah Alhamdulillah wa Salatu was Salam ala Rasulillah Salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh My dear brothers and sisters, on an occasion the Prophet alayhi salatu salam was with the companions and they were walking through the desert, and they passed by an area called of the Quran. And the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam asked one of the companions to collect some fruit, from one of the trees which was was known as Allah Allah. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi salam, when the companion was choosing the fruits said that when they were going to choose the twigs as well, which is a form of miss work, which how they would clean their teeth, the Prophet

sallallahu either said, choose the black ones, for they are the best. And then this companion was taken aback that how the Prophet sallallahu Sallam would know this, and he said Dr. Sol, Allah, have you ever looked after sheep before? And here the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that Mermin Nubian ELAR Quadra aluminum, that there was no prophet, except that he was a shepherd and looked after sheep. Now we know that Musa alayhis salam had this responsibility and we know that dough daily Salam had this responsibility. And also Raisa Ali Salam had this responsibility. And our beloved Nabi sallallahu alayhi wa sallam when he was young, that he used to be a shepherd looking

after the sheep. In fact, he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, he said, I used to look after sheep for karate. Now corroborate is either a place in Makkah, or it is for a small amount, it is a form of currency which was less than a dinar. So the Prophet sallallahu Sallam while he was very young used to look after sheep. Now there are Allama Rahim Allah Allah have spoken about this particular issue and have mentioned, why is it that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned that all of the prophets, that they looked off the sheep and that the Prophet sallallahu Ellison himself looked off the sheep, what is the benefit of that? So the first thing that we want to look at is

that there was a great Hecuba that there is a great wisdom in this particular type of work. Ibn hjem, a very famous scholar of Islam, he says that, that the dilemma they mentioned that the great Hekima, that Allah subhanaw taala gave these particular prophets, in looking after sheep, prepared them when they were young in having the responsibility of looking after all of these sheep, so that when they were older, and had the responsibility of looking after their community and their their nation, they would have had some experience from the past. Now, one may look at this as a particular menial job, or something, which is not something may be desired by people. But as we mentioned, that

there is a great Hekima that there was a great wisdom behind this particular type of job. Why? Because it prepares an individual to look after his own people. Now we know that there was a great amount of work that is needed in looking after sheep or animals in general. Why? Because the you find that with the animals themselves, you find that there are strong animals, that there are weaker animals, there are those that have different needs.

And so therefore, the one who's looking after them has to make sure that they are looked after properly, because the responsibility is to preserve them and that they don't die or any harm comes to them. Bearing in mind also that the sheep or the camels for that matter, that would they will be taken from different places, you don't just sit in one place. At nighttime, they're preserved in your own land, but then you go out to graze these particular animals. So it means that you may need to travel vast distances during the daytime to bear the heat, which will bring about patients, a person needs to have a great deal of patience when dealing with all of these animals. So this

individual will go out and far distances and making sure that they all together, making sure that they are protected from any harm from any animals, making sure that none of them are lost, making sure that the ones who have for example, her pregnant are able to keep up and that they are fed, making sure that the strong ones don't take advantage of the weak ones. There are so many things to be taken into consideration, while looking after sheep Subhanallah as I mentioned that many people may look at this as very menial jobs something which is nobody wants to do such a job I don't want to look after animals is something which is maybe I would rather become a big businessman or or do

something like this. But the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam we find was a very humble individual, and did not hide the fact that he used to do that job while he was a young person, which will protect a person again from becoming arrogant when Allah subhanaw taala may bless them with certain things, ie that there was a certain time in their life where they didn't have very much that they had maybe a very simple job, but they remember where they came from. And in this, this brings about a particular type of nature within the individual. If they remember where they came from, how Allah Subhana Allah has blessed them on their journey. They will become that more great

eightfold when they grow up, or they become a person who has been blessed with so many things. So we remind ourselves, the terroir, the humbleness of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that he was not shy, he did not try to hide away the fact that he was a shepherd when he was young. He was, of course, a nubby. He was a messenger, that the people looked up to him, that the people saw him as more beloved to themselves than anybody else. But he did not forget where he came from. And he did not forget his status and what else Panatela gave to him while he was younger, and that Allah subhanaw taala can give so many blessings to a person over a period of time. And as we know, a lot

of Panatela tells us in Chicago tumulus he didn't know that if you're grateful, and you're thankful to Allah subhanaw taala then Allah, Allah, Allah will increase you. The humbleness of the Prophet, Salah Salem is one of the clearest examples of benefits that we can take from this particular incident. I want to mention also another story, that a man he came to the Prophet sallallahu alley, he was a lamp, and you could see that he was fearful. And he was also in intimidated, sitting in front or being in the presence of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, the prophets I said, when I click be easy, that I am not a king, and that I am just like you, I am the son of somebody, and I

eat this normal food. So here the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam wanted to make sure this person didn't feel intimidated, that this person didn't feel fearful of him reminded him that we are kulana Bashar that we are all human beings, and that you can speak about your matter if you have an issue to raise without any fear. Everybody here Al Hamdulillah is on the same footing. Another great benefit that the that they mentioned concerning this is the

individual themselves, that they will rely on themselves in the cusp of the benefit of the wage that they get. They're not relying on other people. This is a great benefit. I hear that you're not relying on handouts from people we do not find at any time the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was relying on his tribe, or relying on the Quraysh or relying on anybody else, even though by no Hashem had a great status amongst the coalition themselves, but no Hashem is a noble tribe. Now the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam who was raised as a team, who was raised as an orphan, was didn't receive any handouts. He used to work for his uncle Abu Talib, and he was paid a very small

amount. So the Prophet sallallahu odus. And even when he was a young man, always relied on Allah subhanaw taala and relied on the, the his own works to gain a wage. And this is very important for the quality of Islam. And the person who's giving the hour is not to be a person who's relying on handouts, and is always expecting other people to give to them. First and foremost, you should put your trust in Allah subhanaw taala. And you should strive your very best to earn your own wage. And then we know that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam told us in the sound, Hadith, that the best form of income that you can get, is that what your own hand it works for. This is the very,

very best form of income, and we shouldn't be a people who's always relying on other people. Now we know that there was no time, that when the Prophet salallahu alayhi salam, that he was chosen as a prophet by Allah, Allah, Allah, that the Quran could say to the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam, we gave you this, and you depended upon us for this and that, because the Prophet salallahu Alaihe Salam always worked in his entire life, even when, before he married her digerati. Elena, he was an individual who worked for his own wage. He didn't depend on others. Not a time could people say that? We gave you this or we gave you that, and that they would remind him what they've done for him

the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was a person who depended on upon Allah subhanaw taala. Firstly, and then the dependent upon his own works about achieving what he wanted to achieve. And as Muslims, we should be like this. We shouldn't be people who are looking looking for handouts from other people, because this will then encourage us to be lazy. And then we will find that the turnout that we are going to be producing is much, much less. This is one of the great failures of many people is that they're constantly relying on other people, and whoever puts their trust in the creation, whoever puts the trust in something other than Allah subhanaw taala then that will

ultimately disappoint them. Another benefit I want to mention concerning being a shepherd, is that if we remember the great companion or multiple hot tub, rhodiola one, and aroma Rhodiola one was one of the greatest leaders in Islamic history. He led the healer for for more than 10 years. But if we look at his life in a little more detail, we will find that he also liked the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was a shepherd and that he gained a great deal of experience and patience and knowledge being a shepherd. And we know that the Prophet sallallahu Sallam spoke very highly of

Hon Cotabato the Allahu Allah. And this was shown when he became a leader in his hand how he dealt with the Ummah and the progression and the benefit that the OMA then spread during the time of Ramadan Hatha Radi Allahu Allah subhanaw taala no doubt blessed Ramadan hilltop, in his early part of his life, even though Subhan Allah He was a non Muslim, and was an enemy of Islam in the early part of his life, and in fact, he oppressed some of the Muslims, but he took a great deal of benefit in being a shepherd. So we don't look down at certain jobs that a person may have. We don't know how Allah subhanaw taala may bless an individual in the early part of their life, which will then serve

to benefit them in the latter part of their life. The last benefit I want to mention a shout out to Allah is how Allah subhanaw taala pervert prepares us for for different jobs and different responsibilities that we have in our future. Never should we look down about that what Allah subhanaw taala has decreed for us at this particular time, we always have good thoughts about what Allah azza wa jal has in store for us. Even though at this particular time I see myself not in the best position. However, I'm constantly striving. I'm constantly pushing towards Allah subhanaw taala. And that the experience and the patience and the want and the desire from the reward from

Allah subhanaw taala is that what will keep pushing me forward? Never do I give up? Never do I despair or think what is happening now I'm going in the wrong direction. As long as I keep striving and struggling, I know that a lot of pinata Allah will eventually give me the best so as a Muslim leader to us, that we never despair and we never give up. And we always look to the beginnings of where we come from, and how insha Allah to Allah, Allah subhanaw taala will bring us on to bigger and greater things, and that I as an individual can have a great effect great impact on those who around me. I ask Allah subhanaw taala to make us from those who have trust and rely on Allah

subhanaw taala as who should as he should be relied on, and that Allah subhanaw taala protects us from those people who fall into despair BarakAllahu li Walakum wa salam alaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuh bla