Strengthening Our Relationship with Allah

I'm going to be the guy that tells her brothers just move over to the left and start sitting down. And for the people that door please start sitting down on we're causing too much noise. I hate being that guy. But

for our last lecture, we're going to bring back the savvy SMM which I had to teach us and talk to us about reconnecting with a loss of one's Island lifestyle more than just praying five times a day. Life is more than just blindly following religion. We must create an established religions relationship with our last point either. Without further ado, instead they asked me which I had

Santa Monica.

People got back from lunch. I would relay him in a shaytani r rajim Bismillah R Rahman r Rahim. salatu salam ala rasulillah. While earlier was savage mine, rubbish raha Saudi or your Siddeley? Omri Washington, Dr. Millis any of the who coli.

I consider this one of the most important topics. And the reason for that is that Allah subhanaw taala told us the answer to a very, very important question in the end. This is a question that many people struggle with, whether they're Christian or Jewish or agnostic or atheist, and that is, why am I here? What is my purpose? I know I exist. But why? The question of why? Allah subhanaw taala answers this question. Clearly in the Quran. Why mahalo octyl Jinnah? Well in olalia, budem, that we have not created jinn and human beings, except to fulfill Oh Buddha to Allah except to worship Allah to know Allah to love Allah, to enslave ourselves to Allah. That is the reason why we were created.

And it's extremely important that we come back to that, because that is our purpose.

Allah subhanaw taala has given us perspective in this area. So the question now is, if that's my purpose, that's why I'm here. That's why I exist. How do I do that? We live in a world that distracts us, we live in a world that even if we believe in this somewhere here, right, but it becomes very difficult to live that with all the distractions that we have, we tend to run after things of this life and become distracted from our ultimate purpose. And so I want to bring back that that reminder of how is it that we can fulfill this purpose of our creation and reconnect with Allah subhana wa, Tada. I'm going to mention five things. Okay.

The first is we have to love Allah Most. There is this principle that governs human nature. Right? And it goes like this. You become a slave to whatever you love, most simple, yeah, you become a slave to whatever you love most. Every single human being has a master, whether that person believes in God, or they don't. Everyone has a master, everyone has something that they enslave themselves to.

Now the question is, what is your master? Now remember, everyone has a master, an atheist and agnostic, a Christian, a Jew, Muslim, everyone has a mask. But what's your master? And the answer is whatever you love most.

So how does that work? Well, if you're a person who loves money most Guess who your master is? Anyone? Money, you're a slave to money.

If you're a person who loves power most then guess what? You're a slave to power. In other words, you will do anything to get more money, or you will do anything to get more power.

If you're a person who loves appearing a certain way in front of people,

if you're a person who loves image most if you're a person obsessed with this with this concept of what are people going to say? What are people gonna think? Then you're a slave to what people think.

You're actually a slave to what other people say that is your

Master. So how does that look like it looks like you'll do anything

and not do anything based on what people are gonna say what people are gonna think you're a slave.

So remember this, you will always be a slave to whatever you love most. And that is why you have to be very careful what you love most. It's a simple concept, but it's extremely important.

Allah subhanaw taala tells us in the Quran, woman NSE may attack human Gunilla he and then you have buena home kaha Bella, the there are people there are from among people, those who take rivals with Allah. Now when you think about schicke, typically when we think should we think praying to an idol, right? Or saying that God is three or has a son. This is shipped for sure. But in this area, it's talking about a different type of rivalry that we take with Allah subhanaw taala you have buena homecare, hug Bella. They love them as they should only love Allah.

So he Allah is telling us that there are people who take rivals with Allah, how not because they're praying to another idol, not because they're taking something else in your making to add to it, but because they love those rivals as they should only love Allah. So it is a rivalry in love. Be careful what you love most. Make sure that you love Allah Most more than your money more than your career more than your family more than power more than what other people think that it is not about what other people are going to say or what other people are going to think or what a society say. But what's most important to you is what is Allah say?

So this is love. And remember, you will always obey what you love most Samana wattana you know, someone you love says jump, what's your answer? How high that's how it works. That's just how love works, right? You become a slave to what you love most

loving alomost

number two

remember a lot a lot, VIP kid. Here's the thing about remembrance. Here's the thing about remembrance, when you remember something a lot, it becomes bigger and more important to you.

And when you forget about it, its significance diminishes. Okay, when you love someone, you can't get them off your mind. Right? Like

it doesn't have to put a reminder on this phone to think of SATA. You know, I'm saying Oh, god, it's 12 I have to think about SATA again, it doesn't work like that right? If I'd love sada he doesn't have to force himself to remember. It's a natural part of love, right? And the more you remember something, the more important it becomes a last panel that Allah tells us in the Quran. Yeah, you and livina aminos Kuru la victron casita, this is one of the mistakes we make is that we remember Allah Yeah, every once in a while, you know, this is a mistake that even practicing people make, even even religious people might make even like, a good person is that we might remember Allah, but

you know, like, once a week at Juma or, you know, if you pray, it's like, your body's praying, but you're remembering Facebook and Twitter, you know, like, you're not actually you're not actually remembering a lot enough. And it's very interesting because the law doesn't say, just remember Allah, he doesn't tell the believers to remember him. He says, remember a lot a lot, the Quran kathira. So we have to realize is that viken is the oxygen of our hearts. It's what keeps our hearts alive. And, and so one thing that we have to do is we have to, we have to practice this prescription. Okay. And one prescription that that I, I try to give every audience I talk to is this

three part prescription for what we have to do every single day to get this dose of oxygen, because the heart needs oxygen to stay alive, just like the body and we need to eat and we need to drink to stay alive and the heart also needs food and water. And that is the remembrance of Allah subhanaw taala. So very quickly, the first part of that prescription is this Allah. Allah subhanaw taala commanded the Salah, and we're told that is the first thing you're asked about on the Day of Judgment. See, there's

This amazing thing that Allah subhanaw taala actually gives us a snapshot of the future of what's going to happen on the Day of Judgment. And in one of these snapshots, Allah tells us that the people of Hellfire are going to have you know, where we have a snapshot of their conversations. And and, and people asking them what entered you into Hellfire?

And we have their answer told to us by our Creator. And the very first thing that they say is Lem Nakhon, Minh and mousseline. We were not among those who prayed. It's very simple, really. That what entered us into Hellfire is we were not among those who prayed. It's like a person who, you know, they're dead. And you say, Well, what was the cause of death? Well, they didn't breathe. They didn't have oxygen, or they suffocated or they drowned. A lack of oxygen is going to kill a body, right? Not really sure.

It is right. So a lack of spiritual oxygen is going to kill a heart. If you don't pray, the heart dies.

And so this person is saying that the reason that I entered Hellfire, the first reason is, we were not among those who prayed. Salah is the oxygen of the heart. And it has to be something that is non negotiable. Just like breathing. Just like breathing. And I cannot have any of these talks where we talk about getting closer to Allah being more spiritual. You know what I mean? We like to see like,

we like to see cool memes, cool quotes, you know, I'm saying, like, give me something new. But I can't talk to you about spirituality without talking to about spiritual oxygen, which is the Salah, that is the essential of how you keep your heart to life. The second is the Oscar. Now the Oscar, by that I mean, get an app on your phone called my door, or any app for fortress of a Muslim, some collection of God. These are the remembrances these are the doors that the prophets I send them would say, throughout his day. This is how you actually turn theory into practice. Right? Everything I'm seeing right now is theory. If I were up here talking to you about getting fit. Yeah, I talked

talking to you about health and how to get fit. I could sit here and talk to you for eight hours straight. But Has anyone gotten fit?

Sitting here for eight hours talking about exercise and healthy food? Did you get fit? No. Why? Because you have to actually take that information that theory, and you have to practice it in order to get fit. And that's how it works. everything I'm saying here is theory until you go home and do it. And this is how you turn that theory into practice is that you actually are saying the car every single day. That's like food and water for the soul. That's like taking your vitamins and minerals. That's how you make the heart healthy.

And so when you get this app fortress of a Muslim on your phone, it's based that's what it's my MA ny DEA, UAE. When you get this app, it has like a door for everything. When you're traveling, when you leave the house, when you come in the house, when you enter the bathroom, you leave the bathroom start eating, there's a dog for intimacy, there's a dog when you're scared This is when you're for everything, you have a problem. So there's gonna be a lot there. But there's some that you have to stick to every single day and this is my advice. in the morning. You need to do your morning Oscar. And there's a lot of mourning of the prophets, I send them had a lot of daughters who said you don't

have to do all of them. Please, please understand, it's not all or none. Our Deen is not all or none. So you take a portion and but you be consistent. The prophets I send them said that Allah loves the actions that are consistent, even if they're small. And that's how it works in the physical world, right? If you're going to exercise, but you're going to be consistent, you're going to be better than someone who exercises a lot but isn't consistent, right. So you have to just be consistent even if it's a small amount morning supplications or after fidget evening supplications are after us or before mclubbe and then there's supplications before you sleep and now this app

allows you to make a starred list top of the top right corner, you start that becomes your collection stick to it, and it will actually change your life. So you don't have to take my word for it, but do it and you'll see that effect.

So that's number two, number three in this decoded. Practice this decoded prescription is the core n is keeping a daily relationship with the Quran and trying to not just read it but to understand it and to apply it even if it's a small amount. So remembering Allah subhanaw taala. Now when we talk about the importance of vipkid I just want to kind of put something into

perspective.

The prophets I send them told us that the difference between a person who remembers Allah

and one who does not remember Allah is like the difference between the living and the dead. Vicar is actually what gives us life. Allah subhanaw taala says, as corny as could come, if there's no other reason to remember a lot, let this be it. Unless, as if you remember me and I'll remember you.

Like, remember me, I'll remember you imagine, like a celebrity remembering you. You know, I mean, like, suppose you, there's some celebrities like your hero. And imagine that they're like doing an interview and they like do a shout out to you by name. You know, I mean, you'll feel pretty, pretty chuffed, right? pretty special? Yes. Yeah. If you care, right? If it's someone you really think is amazing. And they're remembering you, you're gonna feel like really honored. So imagine that the Lord of the worlds is remembering, right? Allah says, you remember me, I'll remember you. And when a law remembers us, he doesn't remember us, just among the people. But among the the angels, the those

in the heavens. And even better assembly as Allah says, if we remember him, in in this assembly, he is remembering us in a better assembly.

And so Allah subhanaw taala is telling us that this is how we can stay alive spiritually.

Number three

is that when we are on the right path, when we are practicing, be careful not to fall into the trap of arrogance, not to fall into the trap of self righteousness. See, here's the thing about shaitan shaitan will come at you in different ways, depending where you are. All right. When you're up, he comes at you through the door of arrogance, right, man look at you, right, you're praying, you're, you know, you wear your hijab, or you have your big beard and your short pants, you are amazing.

And look at all these other people, they're not as amazing as you. So what happens is that sometimes, when we are on the right path, we might fall into the trap of becoming arrogant, of becoming self righteous, and then looking down on others, be careful of that trap. Be very careful of that trap. And I'll tell you why. Number one, your guidance is not from you, it's a gift from Allah, be grateful for it, don't take credit for it, it's another gift that you shouldn't be taking credit for it. Number two, the fastest way to lose a blessing is to take it for granted.

I'll just repeat that the fastest way to lose a blessing is to take it for granted. So you know those people who became really self righteous, and they look down on everyone else? And if you do you see this, this pattern, that they end up falling into the same type of thing that they used to make fun of, or they used to look down on someone for something and then they fell into it. So this is a very dangerous thing that can happen if you don't if you become arrogant, right and you don't take it you take it for granted your own guidance. So never fault don't fall into that trap. Always give thanks to Allah Spano. tala give credit to Allah subhanaw taala. Don't take the credit for

yourself.

Now, I said that shaitan comes to you in different ways, depending where you're at. So I said if you're if you're, you know, you're on your high. You're feeling good. You're feeling religious. So he'll come through arrogance and self righteousness, right? But what happens when you're in a low? What happens now when you've slipped? Or you've committed a sin or you're making a mistake? You're at a low place in your deen or in your life? How to shaitan come at you.

He'll come through the door of despair. He'll come through the door of You know what?

Your soul bad. You might as well just give up. Right? You know, the, she might as well take off her hijab.

I've heard that before. Right. I hate when people say stuff like that. Because that is absolutely aiding shaitan against your sister.

Right? You judge her. Okay, she's doing this. She's doing that. You know what she might as well take off her hijab. It's like you're saying stop trying. Give up. You know, imagine seeing someone who's drowning. And instead of helping them, you tell them you know what?

You should just stop trying.

Like who does that? That is pretty cruel, right? Right. or, worse yet, push

Come down more throw things at them. That's insane. Right? You see someone drowning? help them out. Right? Don't throw things at them. Don't say You know what? You're really deep right now. So you might as well stop trying to swim. Just drown. You understand? That's what we do to people when people are are struggling. Right? What do we do we say things like that, Oh, she you know what she should just take off. Or you know, we're feeling so terrible. So shaitan will come and say, you know, you, you're such a terrible person, you should just stop praying. Or you know what, just stop going to the masjid because you're a hypocrite. Right? You're being two faced, you're gonna go

commit that sin and then turn around and pray. So shaitan will deceive you and tell you that that's being two faced. What does he actually want you to do? stop praying to give up, stop going to the masjid stop having any good company, or my favorite stop hanging out with those people because they're so judgmental. Right? Oh, they're just old man. My crowd. This other crowd? I'm gonna hang out with them. Because they don't judge me. It's It's all a deception to just make you give up. Right? So this is another trap that we have to be careful about, and not lose hope when we mess up. It's very important to reflect on the story of Adam and his solemn

if I asked you this question, what did? What did Iblees do wrong?

Were told about the story of Adam and shaitan. Right? If I asked you what it believes what is shaitan do wrong. Everyone's gonna say he didn't bow. Right. Well, he it's true. He didn't bow and that was a sin. But let me ask you a question. Have you ever in your entire life you're 25 years on this earth? You're 55 years on this earth? You're 17 years on the job? Have you ever missed veget in your life?

You don't even tell me right? Okay. How many such does Did you miss?

Even if you just missed one fidget You don't have to be a mathematician folks. Right? If you even if you missed one fidget you've missed, you've actually refused shaitan refused. How many such does one

if you didn't pray one, fetcher? You missed one federal you've you've actually refused for such this.

Is that scaring you?

So, so. So what makes you different than shape on?

Anyone?

It's repentance. It's actually Toba. And what is what saves us? Isn't the fact that we never sin. It's the fact that after we sin, we repent. So it's that it's that ability to not lose hope. And that's exactly what shaitan did. He lost hope. He Yes, he refused to bow because of his arrogance. But after that, how did he respond? Did he regret and say and seek forgiveness? Did he repent? And the answer is no. he rebelled more. He lost hope and rebelled more said, Okay. Since you're kicking me out of Paradise, I'm going to try to take all of them with me. Right? I'm going to attack them from their front and from their back and he says, I'm going to tack them on the straight path from

their front from their back from the right and from their left. So shaitan took an attitude of rebellion of rebellion,

as opposed to repentance. But look at add them on a synonym. Now compare it to Adam. Did Adam do something that he wasn't supposed to do? Yes. Adam wasn't supposed to eat from the tree. At least seldom Did he? Yes. As a llama. shaitan Yeah, they shaytaan made them slip they ate from the tree. Now look at what Adam did. So I want you to understand,

shaped on refuse to obey a command.

And Adam broke a rule that he wasn't supposed to do. He did something he was supposed to do. Yeah. But look at the difference between them.

What was Adam alayhis salam and how was response when they slipped? robina Valentina and fuson our inland takfiri Lana water hammer, then akuna Minal Casa de Our Lord, we've wronged our own selves. And if you don't forgive us and have mercy on us, we will be among the losers. Look at the difference in response. Do you understand? The difference is what they did after

Adam didn't lose hope. And Adam repentant.

And the reason Allah tells us the story, realize that when Allah tells us something in the end, it's not a bedtime story, right? I mean, it's cool, we tell it to our kids yet, but it's actually a lesson isn't it? It's a, it's a turn. It's a, it's a timeless lesson. So Allah is telling us this story, so that we know what to do when we mess up.

And that is, you don't lose hope, and you repent, and you get back up, we have to be able to get back up. Because if we're a people who just stay down, every time we slip, we will not be successful. There's this very powerful quote, I read, and it goes like this, you don't drown by falling into the ocean, you drown by staying there.

You don't drown by falling, you drown by staying there. And that's the mistake that we make. Sometimes when we fall, when we slip, when we're in our in a low place, we just stay there, we don't get back up. So the key is that you can't lose hope, and you have to be able to get back up.

Finally, the fifth one is, be careful what you focus on, shift your focus. And when you shift your focus, you shift your world. See, there's another principle and it goes like this, whatever you focus on grows, all right, we have to be a people who focus on the light. If we focus on darkness, it's gonna grow. When we focus on everything that's going wrong, everything that's missing, then we start to feel more and more poor.

See how many people have heard the my favorite little meme story? Basically, there's two pictures, right? The Boy Who has one slice of cake, and he's really happy. And next to him is another boy holding an entire cake. Maybe 13 slices, and one slice missing. So he said,

What's the difference between the two of them?

Well, first of all, who has more cake?

The one who said, but why is he said?

The answer is because of what he's focusing on. The one who's sad is focusing on what's missing. And the one who's happy is focusing on what he has, what you focus on grows. So gratitude, very powerful alasa panel data tells us what if you're not a boot camp in Chicago term that Azzedine accom. If you're thankful, I will increase you.

One other thing when it comes to focus is this. We have to be careful not to focus only on material things. We tend in our life, like just just because there's so many distractions.

Our entire world is everything that we talk about. Everything we read about everything we see in magazines, and billboards, and social media is all dunya dunya dunya, Antonia, guess what's going to become the most important thing to you?

Anyone? dunya great. You're all psychologists dounia. Because if that's your focal point, then that becomes what's most important to you. When you shift what you focus on, you shift what matters most. Now, I'm just going to give you guys just a practical way to do that. Most of us spend a lot of time on our phone. Most of us are engaged in social media.

Right.

If you change your newsfeed, you're going to change your heart. It's really very interesting. your news feed what you follow what you read every day, what you look at every day, what you listen to every day. All of that is input that goes to the heart. Everything you see everything you hear everything you speak, everything you read, that's all input. It's like food, right? Let me ask you a question. If you're eating really unhealthy food, and sipping on a little bit of poison, you know, with your unhealthy food, what's going to happen to your body.

You're going to be unhealthy, and eventually you're actually slowly killing yourself.

The same thing happens spiritually when what we're reading and what we're looking at and what we're taking in and the messages and the concepts and the haraam that we look at and, and and forget the head on for a second. Just how much we're obsessed with appearances.

Like we live in a society right now, where we are obsessed with how everyone and everything looks, right. It's all about looks, what you're wearing how you look, being perfect, right? You got to be perfect. You got to have a perfect life perfect children, perfect spouse, perfect skin. And if you don't put a filter on it,

and there's and this is the way we are obsessed with appearing perfect.

And we're obsessed with how things look.

Now that focus becomes what's most important to us. But But how did that happen? It happened because all we're looking at every single day is just appearances, right? What's this person wearing? What's in fashion, you know, how do you contour this in all the millions of ways and the different you know, I mean, it's like, just take a look at your newsfeed.

Just take a look at your newsfeed. Think of your newsfeed like your fridge right that's what you're gonna eat that day. Whether it's whatever whatever it is that you're that's on whatever social media platform that's the food you're gonna eat that day. Just ask yourself how healthy is it?

how healthy is it? And when you change what you eat, you change what you are. Same thing with what you're taking in spiritually when you change that you change what you are according Cody, Heather was stuck for too long. He would come in Nova una Rahim. subhanak coleauxv Hamza shadow en la ilaha illa and istockphoto la inshallah. Are we doing the books now? Is there a gap? Yes, no.

Okay, inshallah, does that come along later on with Santa Monica? Welcome to labor.