Yahya Rhodus – Knowledge & Wisdom Imam alHaddad #27
AI: Summary ©
The speakers discuss the importance of "by the way" and how it can be used to protect against harm. They emphasize the need to know the principles needed to mitigate harm and the importance of guarding one's heart during busy schedules. The speakers stress the importance of finding people around who are blessed and have good character to make them more desirable, finding one's values and values in order to achieve success. They also emphasize the importance of learning to be comfortable with oneself and working with people who may be dangerous. The responsibility of individuals is weightless and cannot be the same as leadership responsibility.
AI: Summary ©
Chapter 30
Ramen or HeMan hamdulillah hirable Alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala
Sayidina Muhammad wider early he will give you a Salam. This is
Chapter 30 from knowledge and wisdom by Imam Al had dad may
Allah be pleased with
the company one keeps the company one keeps and the people who wants
spends time with and mixes with have major effects which bring on
either benefit and improvement or harm and corruption depending on
whether the company is that of the virtuous and superior people or
deprived and evil ones.
These effects may not appear suddenly but as a gradual process
that unfolds after prolonged contact with other kinds of
people. The Messenger of God May blessings and peace be upon him
said a man is with those he loves. And a man's religion is that of
his intimates, so that each of you be careful with careful whom he
becomes intimate with. And a virtuous companion is like the
merchant of musk. Either he will offer you some or you will buy it
from him or you will find there a pleasant smell. And evil companion
on the other hand is like the bellows blower. Either he will
scorch your clothes or you will smell it stench. If you wish to
know whether those who mix and who and sit who you mix and sit with
increase or diminish your faith, religion and works. Examine your
faith, religion, good character praiseworthy intentions and power
of resolution and performing acts of obedience and goodness before
getting to know them. Then keep their company and mix with them
and see if you find that the above mentioned things have intensified
and become more deeply ingrained, and that you have become more
desirous and interested in them. They know that this is particular
this is that this particular company as a benefit of religion
and your heart, and that if you continue and persevere with it,
you will gain even greater benefits and acquire many more
good things God willing.
If on the other hand, you find that your religion has grown
weaker and shakier, know that this company is harmful, that it's harm
to your religion and your heart is evident and that if you continue
with it, it will lead you to even greater harm and evil. May God
protect us. You should also examine the bad points you had had
before and after keeping the company that company. This is the
way to evaluate one's position. visa vie those with whom one mixes
and tics for companions. The decisive factor here is whether
good or evil is more powerful and predominant. When goodness in that
company is more powerful and predominant than a wicked man who
mixes with them may become attracted to goodness and its
people. Whereas when wickedness prevails and dominates, then it is
to be feared that the good people who are who keeps such company may
become attracted to wickedness and its people. These are subtle
concepts known to people have discernment and experience in such
matters. To examine them in detail needs much elaboration he made
blessings and peace be upon him. He said My blessings and peace be
upon him. A good companion is better than solitude and solitude
is better than a wicked companion. He was given my blessings and
peace be upon him
a conscientious a concise conciseness of expression that no
other men whether of ancient or recent times was ever given
conciseness expression join me
miss me now so that was cinema Rasulullah while early he was so
happy woman why Allah knowing the Dalai Lama what I mean when
Nephite would indiefab WHAT TO THE Kotecki at all if I had it, I
would at least if I would have added domestic YubiKey tabula
Sonata Rasulullah sallallahu earlier said No Do I let her do
that I will hire you to which he lied to Allah when World War Two
couldn't be with the lobby subhanho wa taala.
So Bismillah we have reached chapter 30 of this very beneficial
book and fasudil elmia will also will hook me up
with the Riveter transition as knowledge and wisdom. This is the
chapter on the company one keeps. And what mama had dad or the
Allahu Anhu reminds us of is something very, very important.
And that is the company one keeps. And if we really think about this
and put it in the proper context, this is something that we can
control. We can really control the company that we keep. And I don't
mean by that these situations where we are in a position that
the relations
friendships are involuntary, there are that certain involuntary
relationships that we have. And what was meant by that is that we
don't choose. We didn't choose our parents, we didn't choose our
sisters and our brothers and our family members, we didn't
necessarily choose, or oftentimes, it's not merely a matter of our
choice, who we work with who is next to us. That,
you know, in relation, something to work, but there are many
occasions that we can choose the company, we are, in fact, in
control of the company that we that we choose. And so it's very
important that in those instances, and in those situations, where
it's a matter of choice,
who is the company that we choose to be with, who are the people
that we want to be close with, and that in the other situations, we
still have to know the principles that are needed to mitigate harm
in those situations where we have involuntary relationships whereby
which that we're supposed to expose to some type of bad or
evil, and we have to know what principles to have so that we can
maximize benefit. And that's very, very important. And generally
speaking, it really is a matter of intention, and doing our best
within those in that realm of those guiding principles. And a
lot to add a will protect us if we do our part in that. And that
there's a lot of,
there's a lot of details in that discussion. This is not exactly
what he's talking about. He's really talking about who that we
spend our time with, when it's a matter of choice. And this is of
the utmost importance, because this really will indicate that who
we are, as a person, this will indicate the level of our deen,
look at our close friends, look at the people that we incline
towards. Because one of the main reasons we love is because is that
what is called a, that Manasa lativa, this subtle, that sense of
familiarity or subtle, that sense of
that likeness that we have with people, it's very subtle, but we
tend to like people that are like us in some way. And that that
Manasa that that familiarity that is at a very deep level rbwm is
that it's very hard to have a close friend where you don't share
in that in it for this reason that our Prophet told us so a lot, he
said that a man's religion is that of his intimates. And so that the
one who we're really close to is, is a sign that that's really where
we're at in terms of the deen.
And
if we look at our inner circle, and we find that they are people
of piety, and people of goodness, that's a great sign.
And that if we look at our inner circle, we find other than that,
it's a sign that we need to start associating with people that are
willing to be a source of our upliftment, and a source of our
betterment.
And our profit also said at Moto magic DC, a man is with those who
he loves. And this will manifest on your monthly AMA. And this is
why that we can't talk enough about the importance of love. We
can't talk enough about it. Because on the day of judgment is
that there will be a reality to what our Prophet has seen and
model magically see, the man is with the one whom he loves. And
that if someone has overwhelming love for the dunya the fear is on
Yama, Yama is that they will follow where the dunya will be
sent us Allah cinema, Aafia is that if our heart is that attached
to that bad people, lowly people, people that are corrupt people
that are not a good influence, as well. We have to be ever so
careful that there are people that we like for other reasons. They
might be good athletes, they might be experts of some sort. They
might have talent in one field or another. But you got to be
careful. And our Prophet warned us of us and he said that Oh Allah,
do not less do not let a disbeliever be in a position where
he I'm on the receiving end of his gift, so that my heart inclines
towards him.
Okay, Mr. Kaul salatu salam, and the meaning of that is is that
notch we're naturally disposed to like those who show goodness to
us. So we don't want to be in a position where that we are hearts
inclined towards those who did good things to us merely because
they did good things to us in that
Along with that, a long list of things come, we want to guard our
heart. And so while there's times that it's permissible for us to be
impressed with certain people in certain traits they have are
certain that feats that they achieve, we have to be careful, we
have to guard our heart. And that if you careful, then you'll be
okay. But if we don't mitigate that, then that once those
attachments develop, they're harder to sever. And then that it
channels other that traits into our heart along with that. And a
good example of that is one I think of a sports. And that when
you watch athletes is that they might be great athletes. But if
you really start to like an athlete, there's certain things
that that athlete might do that are not appropriate. And when you
really liked that athlete, you start to potentially walk like
them, or move like them, or do what it is that they do. And you
have to know, the boundaries, what to take and what not to take. And
so we oftentimes don't think about this, but it's very subtle and
micromanager, Lisa managed with one whom he loves. And remember,
her dad is teaching us that we have to guard our hearts in the
sense so
that this is really, really important. And what he's reminding
us is is that that the company that we keep, especially this
voluntary company, where it's within the realm of our choice,
and the people that we spend time with him that we mixed with,
it has a major impact
and major effects on us. And he also reminds us that these effects
may not appear suddenly,
but as a gradual process that unfolds after a prolonged contact
with either kinds of people, whether they are good or bad. And
so we might not notice it at first. But as that relationship
develops, that things start coming our way. Now, he gives us this
golden rule here whereby which is that we can examine, are the
people that I'm spending time with good for me or not?
Are they bad for me? Are they good for me? And because just as in the
realm of bad, it also goes in the realm of good sometimes when we
are around good people, we don't even realize the effect honest
until we put ourselves in another environment.
And then we realized, wow, when I was in that environment, I was
thinking this, I was thinking that I was thinking maybe I'm not even
really benefiting. Sometimes I'm frustrated or whatever. And then
you go into another environment and you realize, Wow, I was really
benefiting in that environment that I was in. And I remember this
clearly that mean in school.
And that the places that I studied in, it's not easy. It's a daily
struggle. It's a rigorous schedule.
But it's so beneficial for your soul. And it's hard, but you don't
realize the benefits of it until you're outside of the schedule.
And then all of a sudden, you don't have that same feeling.
Everyone has experienced that is prayed for instance, 20 of the
cause of Ramadan of taraweeh and Ramadan. Sometimes it's not easy.
But and sometimes you're extremely tired from fasting during the day.
But how do you feel when you're done? Allahu Akbar, you feel
great. There's this deep sense of fulfillment that you have, because
you just spent your time doing what you've been created to do,
which is to worship Allah. And even though it was hard in the
moment sometimes to concentrate that when it's all said and done,
you realize how much you've benefited from it. And so you do
it again. And when you perform a morgue perform Hajj, sometimes
it's hard. Right? Especially the to offer default, woof. It's
difficult. Your chest, the chest itches, you're thinking how am I
going to get through the seven that rounds of circumambulation
and then just as you're about to leave, you just can't wait to go
back to hydrogen. And in the moment, you're just trying to get
it done. Because it's difficult. It's literally takes you an hour
and a half or two hours to get through to off because it's so
packed and people are stepping on you and it's difficult. But
there's a beauty in the difficulty, if we can see that in
the moment. But anyhow, is that the same thing goes with the
people that we are around us that we oftentimes do not realize the
profundity of the impact that they have upon us in the moment and
especially if they are the truly righteous people, but he gives us
your criteria and if you wish to know whether those you mix and sit
with increase or diminish your faith, religion and works. Okay,
so that how we're in terms of our Eman, our deen and our righteous
works
Those are the considerations. That's what we should be concerned
about when we are around people, that we want to be around people
who are human, our faith increases. We want to be around
people who are Dean, become stronger, and who are among our
works that are become more abundant.
And he says, that, examine your faith, religion, good character,
praiseworthy intentions and power of resolution performing acts of
obedience and goodness before getting to know them.
So if you just get to know someone you want to know, is this person
good for me or not? Just notice where you're at. Think about be
introspective, think about where you're at. Then keep their company
mixed with them and see, if you find that the above mentioned
things have intensified and become more deeply ingrained, and that
you have become more desirous and interested in them, then know that
this particular company is of benefit to your religion in your
heart. And that if you continue and preserve it, persevere rather
with it, you will gain even greater benefits and acquire many
more good good eat many more good things. And anyone who's been
around good people know that this is exactly what happens. There's
something about being around good people is that they're an
inspiration.
And especially the true mache is that you go into their presence in
a certain state and you leave in a different state. And from here
that they used to take a spiritual meaning from the description of
those who sat with the Prophet Salah lice and Americana Yoko
Munna, Illa. And the work is that they didn't stand up from the
gathering of the prophesy them except that they tasted something.
And what that meant was a reference to the prophets
hospitality, as he was serving the people that he was with constantly
salatu salam, but the spiritual meaning of that is, is that they
tasted something that was of spiritual benefit. They tasted
something of the sweetness of Eman and those that sat in his presence
were uplifted, their intentions were renewed. And that there's a
really this is a real, a very real experience of being around the
true pupil of a law is that
you recalibrate.
And anyone that has teachers like this, and they're distant from
them for a while for a while, know that they need to go back in their
presence and sit with humility, and recalibrate, and they may be
reassessed some things that they're thinking they recalibrate
and still are thinking in that general direction. But they that,
you know, hone it a little bit more clearly. So it's a little bit
closer to the truth. And certain decisions that they made, they
repented from never go back to it again, certain things they were
experimenting with realize, okay, it's probably not a good idea. Or
other things, no, actually, I really need that. And then having
the wisdom to differentiate between where you are and where
your teachers are, what you can do and what you can't do, knowing
your limits, knowing that when you can push it a little bit, knowing
when you need to cut back a little bit, and that we're all human
beings. And this is the essence of what it means to have religious
maturity, which again, we're so in need of this. And I really believe
this is one of the main things that are missing. That in
environments like the ones we have here in the United States of
America, where there's a lack, or at least a paucity of scholars of
righteous people that we're with on a regular basis is that people
that air in exactly that what to do and when and how much, and so
forth. And it's very, very important that we that speak about
and develop this religious maturity. Ideally, it's taught
without formal instruction, which is the way that it tends to be
when you're in a traditional society. But what in the absence
of that we have to speak about it. And everyone has to know where
they're at and know their limits, and to be very comfortable with
themselves. And I don't mean by that, that we don't work hard, and
that we don't strive and struggle on the contrary, what I mean
comfortable with ourselves is that you know yourself, you know, your
strengths, you know your weaknesses, you know what you can
do you know what you can't do, and that you slowly try to better
yourself, you shall slowly try to mitigate your weaknesses, and to
turn them into potential strengths. And that's possible.
But you have to be comfortable with yourself in that sense and
just accept that this is the way that Allah made you. And there are
some things that you can't just say, oh, Allah, maybe like this.
So I'm just going to do that. No, if it's wrong, it's wrong and you
have to leave it. But then there's other things we have to slowly
work on and know that when to work on what, anyhow, this is a very
big conversation. But we should really do this in turn.
Remember the people that were around? Are they increasing us in
our iman and in our deen and in our own little Salah are righteous
deeds? If they are, then these are the people that we need to be
around more.
And if they're not, we need to assess to what extent am I going
to spend time with him? Or am I going to spend time with him at
all.
And then he says
If on the other hand, you find that your religion has grown
weaker, in shake here, know that this company is harmful, that it's
harm to your religion in your heart is evident. And that if you
continue with it, you it will lead you to even greater harm and evil,
may God protect us. But the danger here is it doesn't happen
overnight.
It happens little by little, and then the attachments of the heart
start to develop, so they become harder and harder to suffer. And
then we justify it in a number of different ways. And then knifes, I
was a biller, is our worst enemy, and knifes will try to justify
anything. And usually, that at first, we have a little bit of
strength to withstand standards justifications, and we don't feel
right about it, we might still do it, but we don't feel right about
it. But then once we let the NUS justify what it is that we're
doing, then there's much less hope that we're going to be able to
stop doing that thing. And so we have to look carefully at our
hearts. Now, what he says here is also really important, because
that he goes on to speak about that, if the majority of the
people in that group
are good in the sense of that he just mentioned that when you're
around that group that this is what happens, there is something
to say about the collective being like that. Because then you can
reach what is you can reach a level of purity, such that you can
absorb others that come into Your presence, that might not be that
like that, that might well be like these other good people. And that
when they're predominant, to the extent that of their degree of
goodness, and to the extent of their number is to the extent that
they can absorb.
And then the Shafi school, they in other schools, but in the Shafi
school, they have this idea of cola attain. And it literally
means to great jars, it's an amount of water, when the water
reaches this amount, is that even if fills falls into it, it still
can be used for purification unless one of three
characteristics that taste sight or smell or changed. If it's
changed, if it you added more water than that's fine, you can
use it but if it's changed, then you're no longer able to use that
water. But there's a hadith that says either Bella HealthMap
quality lamb Yeah, mille hubba is it when the water reaches this
amount of holes attained and the scholars differ about what it is
that in the Shafi school it's around 200 liters from 192 to 210
liters round 200 liters of water. And they give dimensions whether
it's square or cubic or rectangular and like a something
like a bathtub. But anyhow.
That once it reaches that level, it's able to absorb some of the
that filth that is put into it. And likewise, spiritually, when
you have good people come together, they can absorb some of
the bad that's in people. But when it's the opposite, the reverse
effect is feared when you're around people that the predominant
State is one where there's not goodness, where they are in the
state of heedlessness. And even that is just presenting his his
books are concise, that if you really wanted to draw this out,
you could draw this out in a very detailed way into the different
types of groups. He's just speaking of good and bad. There
are some that are somewhere in between. And there are some that
are doing things that are permissible there are others that
are doing things that are just are disliked. And there are some that
are doing things that are just outright haram there's some that
mixed between the two. And so there's different degrees of
companionship. But anyhow, that the the danger is is that if you
are trying to be in a good state and to be upright and to maintain
your strong faith in your with that other people that are not in
that state, little by little little by little it will eat away
at you eat away to eat away at you until that it might have a very
adverse effect upon you and you didn't even realize it. So he says
which indeed they are subtle concepts. These are subtle
concepts known to the people of
discernment and experience in such matters, and this is very
important to explain them in detail requires much elaboration.
He said salatu salam, a good companion is better than solitude
and solitude is better than a wicked companion. And he was given
Salah Lai sent him a conciseness of expression he was given July me
and Kalam are usually translated as comprehensive words.
But Joanne Kalam is the ability to be so eloquent and so articulate
is that you can say very short phrases and use very short
expressions to convey very profound meanings, deep meanings.
And one statement can be understood by multiple people in
different ways, each to their own level and benefit. And one
statement can that the mandala part of that statement, what that
statement relates to be so many, there's so much benefit that
relates to it in so many different doors of knowledge. This is that
what he was given so listen, and where these Joy McCallum, and
there are so many a hadith of his that are considered to be that
from his comprehensive words, she could snap use of a number handy
includes a long list of them, in his work was cited was sold his
book on the Shamal of the profits allies and his great character
traits. By mistake, one more chapter is shown.
Somebody smells musty for the first time.
However, Tony Copperfield, overwhelming.
Pleasure.
So what
does the person do and so
engrossed in your company?
Very good question. So the house is asking,
playing up this metaphor that our Prophet used of musk, when we
first smell musty, or any other type of perfume, we recognize it,
it smells very good, we're attracted to it. But if you would,
that sit next to the person who smells very good for an extended
period of time, you get used to the smell, and might not even
recognize that he that still smells so good.
So how can we? How can what can we do about that? That's a very good
question. I remember seeing that heavy audio Jeffrey saying one
time that alpha to net Mutti is, which is an amazing wisdom, the
pitfall, everything has a pitfall, equalization, alpha, everything as
a pitfall. And the pitfall of blessings is becoming accustomed
to them,
is just getting used to them.
And you don't realize what you have, because you're just used to
it. And you oftentimes don't realize what you have until you
lose it into the district from you and taken away from you. And so I
think that this, this applies to all blessings. Or that in general,
just as it applies specifically to the taking of good companionship.
And I think, the general principle remains of really reminding
ourselves, and that when you do actions, remind yourselves of the
blessings of Allah Tada upon you, and striving to have
intentionality behind everything that is that we do.
And then even if something becomes customary, is that we strive to
make an intention when we're around good people that
we're doing this for the sake of Allah, and that we're actively
wanting to benefit
from that company that we are in. And I think the other thing that
we can also remind ourselves of is that through Toshiba, that through
trial and error, is that we have to remind ourselves of those times
when we've been in bad company, and the way that we feel and the
things that it might have led us to do. And if that's happened to
us once or twice or multiple times, that when we're cognizant
of it, it will then immediately trigger inside ourselves a deep
sense of gratitude for that being that in that situation in which
we're in. And I think that there's, there's two things,
there's the realm of Mujahidin where much of what I just said
relates to that, just strive
thing to work on yourself to
maintain presence with Allah. Because the real solution to that
is is presence with Allah is that the more you're present with
Allah, you realize that he sees you and you see everything being
from him, the more you will live in the moment. And and then that
by being present with a law, and by being in a state of maraca is
that that will motivate you to do in the moment what is best. That's
what comes to my mind. Now I don't know if you have anything else
that you've thought about in that regard.
Miss me, let's do one more chapter in
chapter 31, the reputation of men and the problems of power, close
contact with a God fearing believer proves him better than
his reputation, however good it may be. The more you mix, get to
know and deal with him, the more your affection and respect for him
grow because of what you're able to observe a close range of his
attentiveness to God, respect for his injunction swiftness, to act
for His good pleasure,
perseverance and obedience of woodenness avoidance of sin and
being diligent and on his guard against anything likely to attract
God's wrath. Mashallah, so let's talk about this before we move to
the next paragraph. Or, well, this is an Arabic and there's it's in
the next paragraph here, they combined it in one
mashallah, these, these, this really the book is any according
to its name. And the knowledge of this is these, this book is
amazing. There's so much benefit in this close contact with a God
fearing believer, a toughy. Someone who has Taqwa of Allah
proves him better than his reputation. However good it may
be.
And that
people are very, you know, just as they're very quick to criticize,
they're off also, very quick to price.
And when you hear good things about someone, someone says this,
or someone says that you don't really know how someone is until
you spend time with Him, until you spend time with him up close. And
the more you mix, get to no end deal with him, the more your
affection and respect for him grow, because of what you are able
to observe at close range of. And again, he's teaching us now what
it is that we're supposed to be aware of.
The more you get mixed no and get deal with in the way of extra
respect for him grow because of what you're able to absorb because
of his attentiveness to Allah, which is Akbar, Allah, Allah,
being in a state where he takes the spiritual path seriously. This
is a person who is attentive, they take the spiritual path seriously,
if valid means they're setting out on a path to Allah.
And these are the type of people that we want to be around.
And even though whether we're convert to this religion, or
whether we grew up in Islam, these are the type of people that we
want to be around, we have to have mercy with everyone. And we're not
supposed to think we're better than anyone. But these are the
type of people that we want to be around. And if we find that being
around certain people that affect our IQ, bad on Allah, we have to
even if they were our closest friends growing up, distance
ourselves from them. We cannot let anyone get in the way of our
setting on a path to Allah, whether they be our best friend,
whether they be our spouse, whether they be our children,
whoever they be on the face of this earth. No one is that and
that is a responsibility on our show or shoulders before Allah, it
we need to put ourselves in an environment where this is, it's
encouraging us to do this, if we are able, but this is what we need
to look for, is that when we hear about someone who we spend time
with, how was their IQ bad on Allah? Do they take the spiritual
path seriously? They're Talim. The umbrella is that are they people
that really have respect for his injunctions? How are they when
they pray? How serious do they take the prayer? That when they're
traveling, that how are they that do they that make sure when
they're traveling to observe the various etiquettes of this D? What
is their total Dean for the amount of Allah and that their Massara
female Dottie law, their swiftness to act for His good pleasure and
perseverance in obedience, avoidance of sins, and being
vigilant on his guard against anything likely to attract God's
wrath.
That's what we want to look for. And this is a criterion He's
giving us is that if we don't find that in people,
then we need to think twice, it doesn't mean that we look down
upon that person, it doesn't mean that we
that criticize that person. But what it means is,
you're going to have a slightly different relationship with them.
So we're going to have all types of relationships and life, but is
that the people that we choose to take that are going to be a source
for our religious guidance, you got to be careful. And you have to
see things clearly. Do you know how many people that get diluted
by certain people, and they don't apply this criterion were they to
have, they would have just merely seen that person as a brother, as
opposed to a teacher, they would have seen that person as a friend
who's struggling, as opposed to an older brother type figure that
they look up to.
Now we have to be this is Dean, this is Dean, there are only
certain select people that we should look towards for our dean.
And eventually, we can develop the spiritual and religious maturity,
yes, to benefit from everyone and everything. But that takes time to
cultivate that. At first, we want to be very careful. And this will
protect us is that when some of those people that we look up to as
older brothers, but really, they're more like friends, slip or
make a mistake, we'll be able to protect ourselves and won't cause
us a crisis in our religion is because we put things in their
proper place to begin with, we had really realistic expectations of
the people in question to begin with. But these are the criteria.
If we get close to someone, and we see these things,
this person's real, spend more time with them. If we don't see
these things, into the degree that we don't or do is that the way we
should either distance ourselves or they get closer to them is that
we should see them more as kind of a brother as opposed to a teacher.
And the criterion is there. And we have to take it seriously.
Have a question.
In relation to two
just mentioned,
how do we reconcile that with
the importance of keeping kinship to certain family members? And
even further down to all the trends of
right. So the question is for those following online is that how
do we reconcile what was just said, with the Dawa imperative of
kinship bonds and also maintaining brotherhood with people. And I
think two things really, one, and this is the more important one, in
terms of clarity of conception.
There, if you go into a situation, and you really look up to someone
who you're looking to benefit from, that's going to be you're
going to absorb absorb much more of that person, as opposed to just
seeing them as a brother. So having clarity of conception. So
we're not supposed to be judgmental on one hand, but we're
not supposed to be stupid on the other. Or if you know, there are
certain people that okay, that was not the right word, maybe unwise,
on the other hand, if you know, there's certain people that are
caught up with something, or you know, there's certain traits that
they don't have, you just know, by being with them.
We can't turn a blind eye to that in the sense of protecting
ourselves from absorbing that trait from them, you got to be
wise. And at the same time, we give people the benefit of the
doubt, we have a good opinion of them, we understand what they're
struggling with, is probably just as hard for them is that we're
struggling with but you go in with the correct conception, and that
will protect you. That's the first level of protection. Right? And
then secondly,
it relates to that, when we spend time with him, and how we spend
time with him and how much time we spent actually with him.
All of those things will differ. So yes, we're supposed to be a
brother to our brothers. Yes, we're supposed to maintain that
kinship bonds. But we have to be wise in terms of how we do all of
that, in terms of when we do that, how much time that we spend doing
that and making sure that we put everything in its proper place. So
they're not really mutually exclusive. You still have to do
that. But the main thing is is that that we also have in terms of
those whom we
benefit from Indien. It clear conception This is someone I can
benefit from indeed. And these are people that I want to be around
with the intention of strengthening my Deen. And so I
think that that we put both in their in their proper place. And
that the more that we spend time with this group here, the more
strength that we will have when we are spending time with the other
people here, the more ability we'll have to withstand, and the
more bills it will have to give as well. And so I think it's just
really a matter of putting everything in its proper place if
that makes sense.
By contrast, close contact with a depraved hypocrite proves him
worse than his reputation, however odious it may be. The more you
experience and mixed with him, the more you loathe and detest, and
because of his neglect of God's injunctions, swiftness, to perform
activities loathsome to him sludges, sledges, and sluggish
sluggishness and obedience and carelessness with his obligations
to God. The foregoing makes it clear that getting to know the
know the believer proves him better than what is said about
him, while getting to know the hypocrite is the opposite. And so
he gave us the two very clear categories, and then there are
people that are in between. So he gave us the two poles. And that's
fairly easy to notice what gets difficult is to start looking at
the shades of this. And the relative degrees, that one is
close to one side, or the other. But again, that takes time that
takes experience. And that takes being very frank and open with
your teachers and asking targeted questions. So what we do in these
sessions is we expose yourself to the principles. What's required
after that is for us to apply them in our own lives, and to spend
time thinking about this knowledge. And that's one of the
greatest things that we can do is after we take this in the class,
formerly, is to spend time thinking about these principles.
These are books that they're not just there to flip through
quickly, they're there for us to really reflect upon how does this
relate to person A in my life, person B in my life, group A in my
life, group B in my life? How does this relate to these people? And
why am I doing what I'm doing? And is that something that okay, I
need to loosen the reins a little bit because I need that, or is it
something that I should tighten up the reins on, and that, you know,
trial and error and he's given us the criterion to for us to see the
impact and the effect it has upon us. And then we have to make a
decision after that is guided by that the Shut up the sacred law
and that good thinking. So,
they keep going.
Not very far from this is a situation of people in high
positions either of religion, such as scholars and people of virtue,
or of the world such as kings and rulers, when the people nearest
and most connected to them are good and righteous. This indicates
their own goodness, righteousness and good management of their
affairs. However, some of the people connected with them but
separated by a distance, may not be may not be as we have just
described. This means that those in power either display a certain
amount of weakness in the performance of their duties, or
being too preoccupied with other things of lesser importance, are
unaware what their own officials do. Thus, the better and more
upright those near to them are and the worse those remote from them.
The more this indicates that they are themselves that they
themselves are good and righteous, but weak and fulfilling their
duties, or are an observant and careless and seeking information
about things for which he is responsible. Another possible
reason is that areas of authority may grow larger, and the subjects
more numerous and spread out. Such a situation was referred to by the
words of the Commander of the Faithful Omar ibn Al hilltop, may
God bless peace with him when he said in the last days of his
caliphate, oh Lord God, I have aged and grown weaker and my
subjects have spread abroad. Take me to you without me having
succumb to temptation or neglect. He also said should a lamb die of
neglect on the banks of the Euphrates? I would fear being
called to account for it. It is as clear that those who either are
afflicted by some weakness or lack the ability to observe and
investigate adequately, cannot adequately shoulder high positions
and large responsibilities. This is for
perhaps why some of the greatest men of religion have backed away
and fled from such positions preferring safety, which is one of
the two gains, as he said, May blessings and peace be upon him. A
soul to whom you give life is better than a governorship that
you cannot control, meaning for which you are incapable of
adequately assuming responsibility, and God
transcended is he knows best
LTF much on these books take courage to read.
Because if you're weak, is relative, they're just they speak
to you directly, every single one of us they speak to us directly.
Right? These are the matters that are going to be important when we
die, and we enter into the grave. These are the matters that are
important.
And, you know, he mentioned Senator Booker, say no more
rather, in the context of the responsibility of being in a
political position. However, this really applies to that any
responsibility that we have,
and no one in their right mind.
If they're really understand what it means to be responsible for
something or other people in any other type of position of quote,
unquote leadership would want that, that if they really knew
that, what that means for them on normal camera, what they're going
to be asked about
is heavy, it is overwhelmingly heavy, if it's not heavy, then
it's a serious problem. If someone is just enjoying it, it's a
serious problem. Because responsibility is heavy.
And that the vast majority people that have assumed some type of
major responsibility would do anything to get out of that.
Anything. They wish that they could just that abandon that
responsibility, and to just be alone in worship, Allah Jalla
gelato. And the only hope is that from doing what it is that his,
the door that's opened up for to do is that
in sha Allah, that they're sincere intention will be sincere, and
Allah will accept him and the state that they're in and overlook
their mistakes, and hopefully multiply, if there was any good
that was there such that it's a means for them to attain
salvation. This is how they see things and otherwise. And that
responsibility, even though all to a certain degree, we all have to
assume responsibility. But is that it's not some thing that a we're a
person who really is thinking would actually ever want positions
of leadership are that very dangerous, and that
that filled with potential pitfalls. And so many people want
it so many people want to be in the limelight, so many people,
they want to be that go to person and to be the one that people
notice, this is the nature of the knifes he wants to be noticed he
wants to be in this position or that position. But the true people
of Allah No, no,
this is not the way that we should be. We should fear that. And that
if it comes our way without our seeking, we have to stand strong.
And we have to that fulfill those in assume those responsibilities
and to fulfill the rights of others to the extent possible. But
this ends up happening is as in he speaking again, in the context of
the caliphate. And look at the worry of Satan Omar,
is that something happens to an animal in a distant Region of the
caliphate. He's worried about being asked before Allah for it.
And how does that play out at the level of even something like a
family at the level of an organization? Is it we should fear
being asked about certain things author when they would have done
this, and I only would have helped this person if I only would have
said this, I've only would have advised this if I only would have
tried this if I only would have done all these types of things.
And it's heavy, extremely, extremely heavy.
And the hope is that a lot data will keep us firm without him.
There's no way to do any of this in the true way. And so my laptop
to give us tofi can bless us and all of our different affairs and
that may we internalize this knowledge, may we have the courage
to confront ourselves and to remain introspective and to
constantly call ourselves to take ourselves to task and call
ourselves to account. It may lead to Anna that bless her to be a
light in this process whereby which our faults become clearer to
us and He removes them from us yada but it mean in forgives us
for all the mistakes that we've made and all the traces of those
mistakes and the faults that are
That left out there that have affected the lives of others. We
ask Allah to Allah to remove all of those traces and solely from
his generosity and bounty, to bring the greatest good to all of
those people that we've even wronged, and to change all of
those negative adverse effects into good positive effects and be
of great benefit to them really early to animala, our strengths
and our Eman in verses to be around the very best of people,
and to have good companions and to make our intimate friends the
elective than with the team. May we move up in the degrees of
closest to them and all of our different states and less a
supine, went down and take care of all of our needs. And to show us
mercy in the womb of our prophets, Allah send them in to bless us to
raise our children in the very best of ways and always keep us in
the very best of environmental worshiping him sincerely, from the
bottom of our hearts, yada but I mean desiring only his divine
contentment to draw nearer to him. And Marie, the very last thing
that we say when we exit to swirled, we learn Allahu Allah,
Muhammad Rasul Allah, completely actualized in its meanings
inwardly and outwardly was solid Allahu Allah seen him or her
Medan. While early wasabi seldom mistero so far to Hyla 100 tend to
be so