Yassir Fazaga – Eemaan and Righteous Deeds
AI: Summary ©
The importance of belief in the church's stance on praise for the Prophet for one's behavior is emphasized. This belief is essential for achieving goals, including protecting one's finances and personal health. The church's actions are reflected in their own actions and are not something that can be measured.
AI: Summary ©
Appearance becomes more important than essence.
style becomes more important than substance.
The goodness of any society
should not be measured by the self congratulatory statements that that society makes about itself.
Bismillah
Alhamdulillah
wa Salatu was Salam ala COVID mursaleen Shafi Ahmed nibi no hubiera Bilal Ameen Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa hearing in the hamdulillah medical monastery you want to stop here who want to study when I wrote the documentary on fusina was Dr. Molina, Miyagi Allahu Allah, mobile Allah. Allah, Allah. Allah Allah Allah Allah, Allah, Allah wa shadow under Mohammed Abu rasuluh Bella risotto
watarrka tilba lado Hakuna hurry her lazy in
a bad thing. DC Kitab La La halal Howdy, howdy Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam,
to her wakulla wakulla Allah Allah, Allah, Allah, Allah,
all praises due to Allah and His peace and blessings be upon our beloved prophet muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, indeed the best of species, the Book of Allah, and the best of guidance is the guidance of Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And the word of matters is to innovate in religion. And every such kind of innovation is a misguidance and misguidance leads to the hellfire. I begin by greeting my brothers and sisters saying, Assalamu alaykum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh, it was said that one time, Chef was invited for a conference. And when he got to the place of invitation,
the people that organized the event, were very disappointed by the number of people who were attending the lecture.
Feeling that you know, we brought this person from such a far distance and look at us, there's only a handful of us. And they said that the shape sort of disappointment in the eyes of the people that were organizing the event. And here's what he said, beautifully put, he said people do not be disappointed by your numbers. We are not looking for numbers amongst our faithful, we are looking for faith amongst our numbers.
Throughout history, change was never done. Because of the majority wanting it. Change always took place because there was a committed minority.
So how many people attended how many people did not attend is very irrelevant. Because by the end of the day, it is the quality that matters or not the quantity. We recently also put by Sheikh Mohammed Al ghazali. May Allah bless his soul. He said that the number of Muslims nowadays exceeds a billion. But then he said that billion is full of many zeros.
And zeros should not be considered as one, it is one but then it's the zero. Next one or the zero next to another zero next to another zero. There is that we are a big line of zeros sadly, and unfortunately, I don't mean to say this, you know, to being pessimistic or anything like that, but inshallah be in the spirit of a hamdulillah. You know, we are here and again, I appreciate the invitation, appreciate you coming here today. And I remind you of what the prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, he said exam are often very often genitive said that whenever you pass through the garden of Paradise, eat a lot. And then they said prophet of Allah wa Maria bulgin what are the
gardens of Paradise? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said hey Lockwood, Vicar is circles with the name of Allah is mentioned and insha Allah, this is what we are doing throughout this event. And again, thank you very much to to the brothers and the sisters that organized it and on your behalf. I say to them this afternoon. The topic is about Eman and righteous deeds or to be more exact and use the Quranic term is where Allah Subhana Allah says, I'm a new mula solly hat every time the term Eman comes in the Quran along with it comes some sort of animal Salah which is the same as it is being translated nowadays. But inshallah we're going to look into the second part of
this is statements and a new where Angular slowly had the focus will be on solid heart, what are the solid heart that we translate as righteous deeds, very quickly Aminu.
So when we say Amazon, again, generally translated as belief, for the amount of any person to be acceptable, it has to fulfill two conditions, there has got to be the request and the immediate meaning that you'd have to believe. And then you'd have to comply with what you believe in.
For example, belief was no compliance is not of much consequence. And compliance without belief, again, is also not of much consequence. To give a quick example, it was said that a group of Jews came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And they said, you know, we have a problem accepting you as a prophet of Allah, therefore, we have prepared some questions for you. And if you respond to these questions, as they were mentioned in our scriptures, then we will know for with certainty, that you are a messenger from God. So he said, us and they asked a question, and the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam replied exactly as it was in their scripture, they all got up, they
kissed the forehead of the process, alum, they kissed his hand, and some of them even kissed the the feet of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. Now in the adult tradition, this is the highest form of respect, kissing someone's hand feed and forehead. Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, Well, if that is the case, then give your Shahada say that testimony were that I am a messenger of Allah. They said, No, we cannot do that.
Why in an Holloman COVID. So we are afraid of our people. Now, do you think that these people had any problem believing that Mohammed Hassan was the Messenger of Allah? No, not at all. And they demonstrated this by kissing his forehead, hands and feet, but they did not comply. So they were missing that condition. Now, what is it that you'd have to believe, and then you'd have to comply, and one of them cannot be missing. Now the other point is Amarillo. solly had
the word father and its derivatives were mentioned 102 an H one times in the
last week of the hat or Amazon or us Lucha and what have you solid, and out of the means usable, you said this is this water is falling, meaning that it is drinkable. Or this mic is taller, I can talk through it. Also, it means to rectify, meaning that something was broken, and then you fixed it.
Also, silence comes in opposing decay, facade, something is decayed, and something is solid. There are many different meanings that are used to the term Salah that is indirapuram Angela, what we will do now, if you can help envision what I'm about to say.
Islam is a set of beliefs, these beliefs must be practiced in the form of worship.
And these forms of worship must affect and impact the character of the individual.
And this character must illustrate and display itself in the interaction with other people. So it's a set of beliefs that are demonstrated practice in a set of acts of worship, impacting the character of the individual. And that character of that individual is displayed in the interaction of that individual with the rest of society. And Islam does not make a distinction. So if you you cannot be missing in any of these. You'd have to have them all to illustrate that as the example that once the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was approached by a group of people and they said founder of Allah, we have a neighbor. She plays constantly she prays all the time. And she fasts a great deal
of the of the month, but she's got a problem with her neighbors. She verbally abuses her neighbors. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said he or
she is in the hellfire. And then they said, Allah, we have got this other neighbor. She's also a lady. She does not pray as much as the other one does. She does not fast as much as the other one does. But she is a sweetheart. She is very good to the neighbors and they all over the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said he or she is in paradise. So there was the belief there was a set of worship, where it was not impacting the character of that individual. Another example also comes in the Hadith of the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. within it, he said, that there will be a man in the day of judgment and he will come dragging behind him mountains of good deeds, mountains
of good deeds of hunger coming in with a
of fasting, there was no, there was soccer and soccer and all sorts of goodies that you can imagine. And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, but that same man has physically, verbally, emotionally abused people. He took something from someone, he said something to someone else. So on that day that people say, Well, you know, you took something from us. And on that day, you know, there is no form of exchange, but good news and bad deeds, you cannot pay people back. This is the only acceptable form of payment. So people will start taking away from his good deeds, you know, you did this to them, you did that to them, he runs out of the goodies, all the mountains of goodies
that he brought with him, he runs out of it now.
So is that it? No. And then comes other people that he still owes them. And then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, they start dumping on him from their bad deeds, until that takes him to the hellfire. So again, we have someone that did perform the good deeds, that did you know, all sorts of sorta anzeigen what have you, but it did not impact the character of that individual. And that is why we say, if what we believe in, does not impact how we behave, then what we believe in is not important. If what we believe in does not impact how we behave, then what we believe in is not important. And that is why there is always this association in the Quran, that if there is a
man, along with it must come and Amma lasala. And remember the verses that were decided upon us yesterday, Quantum hydromet inoculated in us, that you were the best nation that was ever erected for mankind, for the benefit for the welfare for the progress of mankind. And how do we display this, it is through a mobile mobile phone and enjoying the good and forbidding and eradicating the evil. Or in other words, we will call this an animal assala and Islam the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to cut it short, he said, kulula, open sadaqa any act of goodness is an act of charity. any act of goodness qualifies to be an act of charity is number one done with the proper intention
that you would got conscious as you were doing it, and the fact that it's a good app, be it towards yourself, be towards others be the creation of Allah, men, women, humans, that is plants, animals, as we will see insha Allah. So now what's happening is we want to talk more about this Ama lasala. Because the aroma of Islam is not only a moment that speaks talks, philosophy, and that is the end of it. Islam is much more beautiful, when what happens when it is put into practice. When you walk the walk, not only talk the talk, as they say in the States. So now we have the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam telling us that in how this Islam is supposed to impact your behavior, for example,
a man by the name of wasp Lebanon rabbit, one day thinking to himself, he said, you know, in the morning, this is in the night. Now this is him thinking himself at night, he said, when I wake up in the morning, I am going to ask the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, what is the definition of righteousness? And what is sin? If they said I woke up the next morning, and I went to the masjid and the Muslim was school.
Meaning that the pastor was at the very first part of the semester, and it was cool. But I really needed to go and ask the pastor love that question says that I started, you know, going walking, and I started pushing people here and pushing people there and people are saying wants it, but you came in late, just sit down. I said, No, I have to talk to Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and he said, I started looking at me and smiling. So that gave him more courage to go and talk to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he said, I wasn't there. And I sat so close to him, that my knees were touching his knees. He smiled and he said was Eva. If you wish I can answer your question
before you ask it. And if you want, you can ask your question and then I will answer it for you. Once you've said Oh, no prophet of Allah, I want you to answer my question before I ask you. Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said was Eva, you came here to inquire about righteousness, and you came to inquire about sin.
Was if I was so happy said indeed by Allah. This is what I came to ask about prophet of Allah. Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said and listen to this very carefully, he said, albizu
righteousness is having good character.
Well, it mo Maha Kofi sadhika. waka cheetah. Yeah.
He said and sin. Is that what you have doubts about in your heart?
And you are afraid that it may be exposed to people. So here we have the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam is telling us that righteousness is good character. Because again my brothers and sisters, Islam must impact the way we behave. You know, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said once said that Malema gachibowli communists, Dory fillet sallallahu hydroton at any time,
he who does not abstain from lying, and fabricating lies, there is no need for him to abstain from eating and drinking, and he was referring to people who were fasting during the month of Ramadan. Technically, these people were fasting, because it's about abstaining from eating and drinking and what have you. But in reality, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, although they may be technically fasting, but they are not benefiting from what fasting is supposed to do to them. And also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam says in a more scary Hades he said, welcome mencari or an hour for an angle and how many people they will be reciting the Quran and the Quran is cursing
them.
Imagine this, say that someone will actually be reciting the Quran in a very beautiful voice and having all the text read down and what have you. But the processor said you'll be reciting and at the same time the Quran is cursing you. Why is this because as you are reading is the de la hula, you have both volley mean Allah indeed lust not the wrongdoers or the oppressors or those who wronged other people, but you yourself you are guilty of it. Or Allah does not love line and you yourself you're guilty of it, or Allah does not love that the fact that we abused other people in any form, shape or manner, but then we are recycling and we are saying so it sounds like as if it's
a mockery of Allah subhanho wa Taala and again also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam to further illustrate this importance of character he said, Aqaba Community Medicine Yama, Yama has been
is that the people that will be closest to me, in the Day of Judgment are those who had the best of character in this world, in this life, and good character, and Islam is not conditional, it does not mean that I will only be good so long that other people are good to me, I will be good regardless of what other people do. Say that one time, two men were arguing with one another one of them was very calm, and was treating the other person with a lot of gentleness. And the other person was very rude. And he was constantly verbally abusing that person. And the more that person was abused, the more gentle he became the gentler he became. So when the argument was over, someone approached him
and said, you know, that person was very rude to you, but you treated him like he was a gentleman, the person said to them, I treated him like a gentleman because I am one.
In other words, this is not conditioned them. I do not allow other people to pull me down to where they are, but rather I remain where I am, and hope that I pulled them up to where I am.
And that is why again, the whole issue of character in Islam is not a very conditional one. Now um,
you know, in Islam, you do not live for me, myself and I, as it is preached in many parts of the world nowadays. The goodness that is in you must also be felt, and you must impact the people that are around you. One of the most variable prayers that are mentioned in the Quran is the drop of a salad.
When Maria Madden has presented him to the people of Benny, now they know that Maria was not a married woman. So they started questioning her, her chastity, they started questioning her integrity, and she did not speak a word fresh out of LA, she pointed him our locator nucala movement can disappear. They said, How can we speak through that, who is still an infant in the cradle? And then recently Salam spoke, and what does he say about himself? Just Karla India, Abdullah. He said, I am the servant of Allah, Allah in the Abdullah
Al Kitab. He has given me the Scripture, the book was your enemy in Abuja, and he has appointed me as a prophet and messenger, which Anthony and this is what the beauty of it comes in what your attorney can
do. And he made me a man of Baraka, wherever I may be. He made me a man of Baraka, wherever I may be. And the explanation of Baraka in Islam is that it means benefit that he made me a man that benefit to men to other people, wherever I may be, and whenever it is, that that is the slogan of a Muslim, Jana near Mubarak and
wherever I go, I take Baraka to the people that are around me or I'm not only getting
For myself, but I also make sure that I impact other people with the goodness that is in me. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was once asked, Yasser Allah, Allah, Allah Coconino saloon, is it possible that we may be destroyed, although there are righteous people that are living amongst us, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Now, it
is a cathode on top of his head, yes, it is very possible if habit, impurity, immorality dominates. But then really towards the end of Torchwood, one cannot bucola Ravi boomin
on your Lord, we'll never destroy a locality any place so long that the people in that village are people of Islamic people are Muslim. A person who has a person who is righteous in himself is a good person.
A person who is a Muslim is the person who is good in himself with the addition that he tries to make everyone else around him a good person. So Allah said, these are the safety valves of any community. If you have them, the community will not be destroyed. But if you become very passive, you do not want to take part in the affairs of the community, making sure that you look after the welfare of the community, then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, this production to that locality is eminent. And that is how we ought to be my brothers and sisters, that we are people of Islam. wherever we are, we're always looking for the humanity, Muslims or non Muslims, because He is
Allah subhanaw taala said
that you were the best of nations elected for the goodness of other people, for mankind. How can I be good if I'm not doing goodness to these people. And we see that in the example of a salary histogram, that there is this invitation that he was the holder of this slogan that wherever it may be, I am willing to make sure that I take this with me. And also again, as we are told in sort of the last one of the most beautiful souls in the Quran mm shaft I said that had Allah not revealed any sort of besides this one, it would have sufficed, because the elements of success were mentioned in it. Well as in the insanity puzzle, by the time man is indeed in lost in the levina armano.
Again, they believed were amylose solid heart. So now, the doing of righteous deeds, again, is the safety valve that ensures our prosperity and success and not failure and misery. And that is why there is this invitation of Amarillo solid and somehow lost throughout the Quran. You can see that in Allah invites to good deeds, but by means of observation, you will see that the ones that will get you most reward are the ones that impact other people around you. Yes, you can pray at night, Mashallah. Yes, you can fast and that is very good, that makes you a better person, and handla and that is excellent. If you're doing this, please continue doing this. However, what happens is, the
more your action and your character impacts, the more people around you, that is when you receive more blessings and reward from Allah subhanho wa Taala. We also see that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that when the son of Adam dies, his account of good deeds comes to an end, it's cut off. But then he said, except for three things. And again, this is his contribution to humanity. All three things that are mentioned in the Hadees is that elmen interoperability said knowledge that other people benefit from. Now, again, this is impacting other people. So the cutting edge area, a continuous form of charity, where people are benefiting from that charity, while at insulin level,
right, your son or daughter, because well as an adult means a boy or a girl. And here we see that all three things are impacting society after him, whether it be in the knowledge, whether it be the continuous charity, or the type of offspring, that that person chose to leave behind him. So now we see this and we see the invitation of Orion always you being a better person, by the way you impact the society that is around you. And again in the Quran, it really does not make a difference, who is on the other end, or who is the receiving hand of the goodness that you are doing was mentioned that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that a man from the earlier Muslims when he decided to
give a charity, so they had a specific place where they placed their charity. And when he put that charity, a prostitute passed by and she took the charity. So people got up in the morning and they started saying, you know, a prostitute took the charity that was intended for the poor and the needy. So the man felt very bad. said, you know, that's just, I bought to do this again, because a prostitute took my charity placement again. Then it was stolen by a thief. A thief came and stole the charity so he woke up in the
And people start today the charity was taken by a thief today. And the man is feeling very well said, Allah is not accepting my charity. First time prostitute takes it. Now the second time a thief is stealing it, what am I doing wrong? and India having said that Allah subhanho wa Taala one narration said Satan Angel, the other narration said that it was in his dream that he was told, because of the charity that he gave, the prostitute is no longer practicing prostitution. And that clean or the stop and sees stealing. So your charity was accepted. Not only that, but it positively impacted the people that that took it. So the fact that we are Muslim and non Muslim, whoever is
benefiting from the good that we are doing. This is what matters that the act in itself was good. It impacted humanity in the best of forms. And that that's not where it ends, you know, Subhana Allah in Islam, we are told that you know, there are just, there is no end to being an act in a good way. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was once approached, just to give you how Islam looks into the good deeds, or good actions, a group of poor companions came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And they said, Prophet of Allah, it seems like people who have more than we do have surpassed us. They've gone beyond where we are. The process of inquiry, what do you mean? They said,
rich people fast, and we fast, they pray, and we pray, when they have extra to spend, and they're spending it for the poor and the needy, and we are not able to do so. So it seems like we are missing out on being of that higher caliber, or on that rank where they are, then the process a little smile, and he said, shall I teach you other forms of charity, because many times we think that charity is about giving money. So the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to saitec be Allahu Akbar is a form of charity. So Subhana Allah is a charity to say this is a charity to say that is a charity. And then he said, and to satisfy your sexual passion, there is charity in it. Now
the people the companions would amaze, they said prophet of Allah, one of us would actually satisfy his own desire, his own sexual passion, and Allah reward him for this, it is very personal. Why is Allah rewarding me for this? Then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, had he done. Or if you were to do the same thing, with someone that was unlawful to him, or to them, it would have been recorded against him or her as a bad deed, because they're putting it in the proper channel. And they're doing it in the accordance of the commands of Allah subhanaw taala, they get rewarded for it. In other words, in Islam, it really does not matter how that personal act is, it does not matter
how secular, it may seem, as long as that act itself was a good app, and it was done with consciousness, then that act qualifies to be an act of charity, no matter how small it may be, or how big it is, a qualifies to be an act of charity, whether it was directed towards humans, or whether it was directed to animals, as we will see what the prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam teaches us about good being good to animals. You know, it's amazing. In the West, people speak as if they are the creators of this concept. You know, that we have set up People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and they speak on behalf of the cloud. They speak on behalf of dogs and cats
and pets and what have emotional Ah, this is good. They're part of the creation of Allah, not knowing that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam a long, long, long time ago spoke for the rights of the animals because they're part of the creation of Allah. And they had this it was said, there are two narrations, it said that one time a prostitute was very, was very thirsty. And she went down to the well, and she drank. And when she came out, there was a dog or around around the well, and the dog was feeling very thirsty, and it was panting vehemently. So what happened is that the prostitute felt very sorry for that dog. She went down the well and filled her shoes and brought
back water to the dog. Now what happened is that the dog was killed. And had this goes on to say, Allah Subhana Allah forgive us this because of the kindness that you show to animals. We see that Islam tells us that part of the righteous deeds is being good to the ecology around us. And they have this the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam tells us manzara as Iran said that whoever plants any kind of tree, and then he said that when people use as a form of a place to relax, it's a shadow or animals eat from it will be a charity for them. Until so long that three is out there. So now that planting a tree in our religion, it's not only just a good deed, but it is seen as a sort of as
a charity that continues
As that tree is out there, similarly the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said Mankato has Iran he said that whoever cut down a tree for no good reason, and it was used by other people, it was used either by animals or by other people. And he cut it down for no good reason. Again, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam said, the abode of that person in the Hereafter is to hellfire.
There is another beautiful Hadith also the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, if it happens, that the Day of Judgment is being declared, his apartment is our God, I had to confess ILA, and one of you had the form of a bushel, or they had a seed with them, let them plant it. Now the day of judgment has been declared. But he said, let them plant it. Now what do you expect from a religious leader? Now the day of judgment has been declared, a religious leader would probably say, you go around to the mosque, you run to your church, or you run to your synagogue or your temple and stay there for the Day of Judgment is being declared. But that's not what Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa
sallam said, he said, Be pro active, do something good, even though it means that you plant a tree as soon as as soon as you can do so even though the day of judgment has been declared, or the hour has been declared. See, my brothers and sisters, a man with no belief was no option is really not of much consequence. We've got to do the act, my brothers and sisters, and these different types of Warships that we are engaged in, they must impact how we behave. Now sadly, what happens is another Hadith, a statement that was said by Evan mistruths collected by Imam Malik in his book called el mapa. He was once addressing one of his friends or one of his acquaintance. And he said, in the
coffee's a man that he lived in a time polygon in a row. So the people that are well versed with the Quran, are very few in numbers, meaning that the way that that's read of it and what have you,
but the people who have knowledge about the meaning and the spirit of the Quran, they are in abundance. Very few people who said ask assumption questions. What if, what if, what if, even though if they were to ask it, they would find that there are many that will answer these questions, whenever they give speeches, their speeches are very short. Whenever they lead prayers, the prayers are very long, they put their ego aside and they pay more attention to their deeds. And then he said Matthias is going to run there will be a time where the people who are well versed with the Oregon are going to be a numerous numbers. They've got half hours left and right Masha Allah, may Allah
bless them all. But then he said people who who are aware of the message of the Quran are very few in numbers. There is a lot of
people pay more attention to preserving the letters of the Quran, but very little attention is paid to preserve the spirit and the commands of the Quran. Whenever they speak, their speeches are very long, whenever they pray, their prayers are very short. And what happens they said that they pay more attention to their ego than they do pay attention to their deeds. In other words, whatever My throat is saying that there will come a time to the Muslim Ummah, when a specific disease is going to creep into it, and that his appearance becomes more important than essence, style becomes more important than substance looks become more important than this. And in the past is what have you is
that we mixed many things, and had this the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that there will be a time when people are going to build mosques. You know, Mashallah, in the Hadith and said, Whoever builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build a house for him in paradise. But then he said, they build it for the sake of show off, our message is bigger, our messages got more calligraphy, our message is this, our message is that and then he said, either the heart emoji the home and if you were to enter any of these messages that were built for the sake, you will not even find one humble, devoted servant to Allah in that mystery, because the skeleton of the method was
more important than the spirit of the mystery, because the building was more important again, than the spirit of the building. And some handler had done the processes and goes on to say, the region laced with religion. Well, I can assure Bahujan in it are men Nay, they are not men, they are American. They are the imitation of men, simply because they did not live up to that. And against that my brothers and sisters, if we are going to perform this screen, and carry on the different acts of worship, it must impact our character, and that character must show in the way we deal with other people. We are the best armor that was created for man for fellow human beings. And we have
got to take this with us. Quickly I'll repeat the story about the two
People, one sells vinegar and the other one sells candy. The person that sells vinegar, his business was excellent and it was booming. And the person that was selling candy, his business was going nowhere. People walk in and out, they don't buy anything. They go to the vinegar shop, they walk in and they walk out with gallons of vinegar. So six months down the road, they decided to close the candy shop. But then the owner said, let me go and just inquire What is it about this person? What does he do? So he went to him and he said, I don't mean to offend you, but you sell vinegar, it tastes very bitter, and it smells very bad. I sell candy. It tastes very sweet and smells very good.
But your business is better than my business. The man looked at him and he said, I sell vinegar with a candidate and you sell candy with a vinegary face. We have got that candy, but we are not packaging it so that humanity benefits from it. Humanity is in dire need for Islam at this point. Well, I people are, you know, those of us who've been they've lived in the West, we see how people are desperate for Islam. But they do not see an alternative in Islam simply because of how we Muslims are.
What is what is what do they see poverty, diseases, ignorance, lack of education, oppression, dictators, that's what they say, if that religion was any good, it would have been good to the people that follow it. But it's not doing them any good.
Therefore, we cannot see an alternative in it. And that is where the whole idea of even if there is even there, then along with that, there must be there must be action, not any kind of action, that there has got to be a masala. That action was v a righteous deed, either way to the individual. But most important is impacting the people that are around us. And Subhanallah the companions of Muhammad Sallallahu, alayhi wasallam. That's what they used to do. You know, that's what they wanted, go out there and impact the people around them, you know, you're not a good Muslim, and you just say in your bedroom, and we are good Muslims there. That is not at one time it was said and the
story here is metaphorical. It is symbolic. So please take it for that. So that a man was walking by said that he was talking to God, meaning that he was complaining to God loudly. So he said he saw a beggar. And then he saw a crippled person. And then he saw a very poor widow. And then he saw a very again, poor orphan. So he started talking to God very loud and said, God, don't you see what is happening? God? Don't you see the beggars? God? Don't you see the catastrophes that are taking place? God, don't you see the oppression? God? Don't you see this often? And this will? Why don't you do something about it?
And the story goes on to say that God spoke back them and said, I did do something about it. I created you to make a difference, I created you to make a difference. So we know what is happening. We are acknowledging it. What What kind of a difference are we making? And that is the whole point of Eman, anomalous Allah. I see. And I'm going to do something about it. You know, interestingly, sociologists nowadays when they talk, they want to know how to determine whether a society is a good society or not. What are the criteria? You know, how do I know if this society in the subcontinent or people in the Middle East, South America in the West, is there a good society or not a good
society? So one of them made a very crucial statement and a very powerful one. He said, the goodness of any society should not be measured by the self congratulatory statements that that society makes about itself. The goodness of any society should not be measured by the self congratulatory statements that that society makes about itself. It should be measured by what kind of statements that that society make about the most vulnerable in that society. What kind of statements does our society make about the poor and the needy, the orphans and the widows in the fourth year of better the fourth year after Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam was being given Prophethood he know what
verses Allah reveals, how to be amazed. Now this is a society that is full of exploitation, oppression, alcoholism, gambling, nationalism, exploiting the poor and doctrine and comes down and what is revealed, are item level you can we will be deep. Have you seen the one who will act religion? Now see mobilize religion, he who does not believe in the Day of Judgment, he who does not pray you does not believe in the oneness of God. But that's not what the Quran says. He says, you can live with the Have you seen the one who will
Last religion for radical the earlier team, what are your
miskeen? Who will actually religion, It is we who repels the orphan with harshness, and does not encourage the feeding of the poor underneath.
The statement is made today but Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam on the fourth year of better he already we already made that declaration that I am here for these people. Now, the Muslims are oppressed themselves, they have tortured themselves, but he speaks of the goodness that that is taught to humanity, you know about doing to do to other people. And if you see some Hannah law, most of the acts of worship that we are commanded by Allah, Allah to do is either something that is, you know, to further enhance the unity amongst us Muslims, and also bring benefit to mankind. You can play by yourself, but there is more reward when you play with the rest of the believers. You can
make armor any time of the year, but there is more reward when you make hatch was the rest of the believers. You can trust any time of the year except that but there is more reward when you fast was the rest of the believers during the month of Ramadan. And every one of it is really an encouragement for unity as well as the welfare of mankind, my brothers and sisters. First Allah let us take this opportunity. The idea of amla, Salah is what can I do so that the society around me is improved. We said last night, that part of self respect is that see that you see yourself as someone who can contribute to humanity. That is part of the dignity and pride that we have in us that I see
myself as someone who is worthy of contributing to humanity, and the only me can make that contribution on my behalf. No one else can do it. And for that I have to be me. And nowadays Muslims or to humanity, that there is a contribution that we must take and only as Muslims, we can make that contribution. Well, how do we do it? We do it through Eman And we do it through.
One of the very first things that Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam did when he came to Medina is that he started digging wells. He didn't go well because people in Medina used to work long distance to get their water. So what happened is he dug wells locally for the people of Medina, where everyone can come and benefit from the wells that Mohammed sallallahu alayhi wasallam dug, dude, pagans whoever was there said that you know, in other words, I am here for your goodness, seven times in the Quran, Allah repeats or sanaka illa Allah, Allah mean that we sent you as the mercy to human to all to all creation, like we said, Even animals are included in this, who sent you as
Batman. Now what is interesting is that in all seven places, all seven times also in verses were revealed in the meccan period. When Muslims are oppressed, Mohammed Salah Salem said, I am here as a, as a mercy to mankind, they're tortured. And again, the Quran reveals you are referred to mankind, and they are oppressed. And again, the Quran says that you are to mankind. Again, my brothers and sisters, I conclude by saying that we owe to humanity that we ought to contribute and contribute positively. All according to our capacity. You know, no matter how big how small, but they say that big things happen when little things are done right. And in the process, my brothers
and sisters do not belittle yourself and do not belittle and undermine what kind of contribution you can make. One, one of the character of a Muslim is always dignified. The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said,
one of you should never belittle themselves. Always think to yourself as your worldly, your valuable you value, not devalue yourself. The American author Helen Keller, you know, her probably, she was deaf. She was blind, and she was mute. What does she say? She said, self pity is our worst enemy. And if we yield to it, we will never be able to accomplish anything wise in the world. So contribute to the people around you.
On insha Allah, we can definitely bring a better image of Islam. In America, Bob used to say about the law, law to rule, a law a law.
He said do not make people hate their Creator created because of your actions. Because sometimes we do this. We do certain things, and we do it in the name of Allah. One time back in the States, a Muslim man was presented in the court because he is severely beaten his wife, pulled her from the hair, or broke her grip, broke her nose, punched her in the face gave her a black eye. And when he was presented in court, and they said you know, why are you doing this is it God gave me the right in the Quran. Can you imagine this?
So he said, Omar said Mr. mela beat me is with him. He said do not make people hate their Creator because of your actions. And many times, we are guilty of this. Apolo colada was
lucky for being so attentive, and inshallah if someone has a comment or a question now that is pertaining to the subject in sha Allah, we may do so.
Please elaborate, what is qualified for sadaqa jariya heard the question, what qualifies as sort of karate, anything that does not come to an immediate end once used, you know, it's over, like, for example, you say that I am donating, just for example, it's a silly example, but please bear with me to make a point here, say that I am donating soap bar to the method. So, you know, when people finish they can use the enhance with it is a sort of is a form of charity, but it's not continuous, because it can only be used so many times and it comes to an end immediately. versus if you say I am building a hospital or I am building a school development behind it is almost everlasting. Yes, one
day it will collapse. But the benefit of it is everlasting. It is continuing for a long time. So it could be anywhere building a school building an orphanage, publishing a good book a distribution of of tapes. So the continuum can either be in time or continuing continuously benefit as far as this person benefits from it today, the other person benefits from it tomorrow. It just does not come to an immediate and it could be sponsoring an orphan like Andy Hardy's the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, I'll call Mo, Allah, Allah, live the life that we live the life that he said, Whoever takes care of a widow, he is like the person who passed all the time or prays all night long. Why is
this because again, his these were of such impacting humanity in a very positive way. Again, at that point, it really does not matter whether the widow was a Muslim or non Muslim, that becomes irrelevant, there was a person in need, and you were there to help them you are making that difference that we were talking about earlier. So any act of goodness that does not come to an immediate end with that people benefit from the benefits can be great as big as a hospital, or it can be small as planting a tree, someone walks by once a shade sits down there that is also considered to be a continuous charity will of Allah Allah knows best.
One of the Hadith says that if any of you did a good deed, which is not mentioned in Islam, it will be rejected. I want to know is there any good deed that is not mentioned in Islam? Good question. Remember Islam, the Islam really gives the specifics. But rather, what happens is that we are given general statements. For example, the headings that I quoted, you know, the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam once said, you know, he was someone came in inquired about what a sadhaka So he said, you know,
said enjoining, the good isn't soccer. So, someone said pandemia soccer, and if he is not able to study an animal Cordell, let him eradicate a multinomial slaughter, then let him speak good, fine, let me stop and and get ongoing given examples. So he would say even a smile is a charity even this is. So for you to say this is a good day, this is a good day, it will be exhausted, and there is no end to it. So the professor gave a principle and he said, Call Luma law, any act of goodness is an act of charity. So what qualifies it the fact that it was good, be that good was to your own self, or V it towards you know goods or for someone else? For example, in Assam taking a shower is a sort
of any act of goodness that you show to your physical body is an act of sort of combing your hair, taking a shower exercising, wrestling, sleeping, eating right food, what have you, these are all forms of sadhaka because Allah has entrusted me with my body. So now any act of goodness that I show to my body becomes an act of sada regardless of how personal it may seem, regardless of how secular it may be. The fact that it's a good deed qualifies it to be a good sort of, I think what the people were asked me about is where the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that he had MLA Semenova or whoever innovates in our matter, meaning that the religion of Islam, that which is not offered,
then it will be rejected meaning that you cannot innovate an act of worship, that the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam has not commanded us of doing and I believe that is what the person was referring to. As the Hadees Allah Allah Allah knows best.
I would like to pose a question
Let's say like assuming that I'm a wicked person, and Allah subhanaw taala.
And I come into the fold of Islam, or even if I was I come back like a born again. So how even if you're given the Quran and you give me this idea these
How do I go about walking the walk and talking the talk? Like he said, Because Because, like I
said, I don't know whether it's a weaker, these are stronger, these are definitely an impressive are these, if you want to learn the best you're going to learn from the best. So now if I'm 38 years old, and I kind of let's say I got one year to spare.
Where am I going to enter cleansing? So how do I go about it? is reading the Quran? sufficient enough? Or should I be in the company of people who can help me go about cleaning myself and helping me understand the Quran and practicing it in my day to day life? You know, one of the beauties of dealing with Allah subhanho wa Taala is that Allah does not judge us on the basis of what we did at a specific time of our lives. That is not how Allah deals with us. Rather, it is the overall the collective effort that we try to do, especially how we try to end our lives. That is very important. And the doors of Toba repentance are always open beautifully towards the end of certain Furqan Allah
subhanaw taala says, Those who do not associate others with Allah subhanaw taala and those who do not kill except for you know, in response for murder, and those who do not coordinate or are guilty of adultery, and whoever does any of this will be extremely punished in the hereafter severely punished in the hereafter. And then Allah says in taba
except he who repented, where am and they believe, were Amina melancholia, and they acted wisely. But he got you but they're lousy at him has an Allah Who will take all the wickedness and the bad deeds that they did in the past. And now we'll change it into good deeds. So imagine you come to me and you say, you know, I have a loan of 1 million rupees, that a lot of money that a lot, then you come to me and you say, you know, I have a loan, I am in debt, and it's a $1 million dollar. And I tell you, you know what, I will take care of it. I will pay the million dollars on your behalf. Now that's a big relief. And on top of it, I'll give you another million
that make you very happy. And that's exactly what the law says for Ola, aka these people that are guilty of these when they repented and they came back to Allah and they made that uterus Allah Subhana. Allah said that for Elijah, you bet the Lucha team has enough, not only Allah Who will pay that, that million dollars, but now they will be given that.
And in addition to this, Allah, whatever acts of goodness we did in the past, they remain. I'm Robin allowes wanted to become a Muslim. So he came to the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wasallam. And the pastor Lim explained Islam and he was one of the enemies of Islam initially. So the pastor extended his hand, you know, to greet chickens with our bananas. And Ross put his hand back and he said Allah Shakira Salalah there is one condition that I must make. So the person who smiled and said what is that condition said and luckily, along with Forgive me, then the person smiled and said, Yeah, Amma Bella Raka, and then Islam Oh, Juma Abu Toba, Omar Abdullah. He said, Amma Are you not aware of the
fact that Islam why whatever took place, and also Toba repentance wife whatever took place. Now in Islam, Toba is not something that we say but rather it is the change of a course in life. You've got to make your saying that this course of my life was not very good. So now I have to make it a better one. Be it through the again what Allah said Eman, righteous deeds now like we said righteous deeds, there is no end to it. Making sure that you are in a good company, making sure that you are consuming and you are preoccupied with something that is positive, making sure that you are learning more about your religion, making sure that you are learning more about Allah subhanho wa Taala
making sure that but the idea is collectively whatever leads to that goodness, we want to embark it and make it a process because again, in the Quran, tilba repentance is a process so again, you know, we are all that person my brothers and sisters, struggling to surrender, have done many evil things in our past May Allah Subhana Allah forgive us. We've been very you know, we have done things that we will not suppose to do. But we are dealing with a very kind, merciful God. So no matter what you have done, no matter how wicked you may think of yourself, no matter how bad, you know, and how low you think of us.
Remember that you are dealing with a very merciful God that is not waiting to punish you, but rather that will be very happy when you repent back to him in the law, how you have been, Indeed Allah loves those who return and repent back. So I say to my brothers and my sisters and myself, that you know, whatever helps us in getting closer to Allah subhanaw taala let us embark on it, knowing that we're all taking our baby steps, you know, in the process, sometimes we may fall down, but the idea is get up and start walking again. Allah Allah, Allah Allah knows best.
I would like to ask you about a state of a non Muslim brother in the Hereafter, if he is innocent or ignorant, also,
should he be punished for the sins of his forefathers, for example, and our forefathers are non Muslim, and he's brought up in the same routine life of ignorance or innocence. And he's today following a non Muslim way of life, should he be punished?
Good question. To start with the second one first. No one needs to be punished for the sins of his forefathers or for his children or any of that so long that he was not guilty, or, or he did not help in the process. And Islam sins are not inherited. They can only be committed by the individual. And that is one of as you know, one of the main differences between Islam and Christianity, that we are all according to Christianity, we're all born with the origin of sin. Versus in Islam, we are all born in the state of Fatah people having a clear, you know, page a clean, clean record, no one is guilty. You know, the minute they are born, everyone is pure, the minute they are they are born,
so no one no soul shall carry the burden of another soul. As far as the first question is concerned, number one, we do not play the role of God and determining who gets to go where. But generally speaking, we say that all Muslims eventually will make it to paradise. And all non Muslims, Allah who will deal with them justly, Allah will deal with them justly. And the cat are the people who are willingly rejected Islam, then we know that their abode in the Hereafter is Hellfire, because that's what the Quran says. As for those who did not receive the the clear message of Islam, or they got a distorted picture of Islam, Allah will deal with these people justly, that Allah is more merciful
and more just than you and I are and knowing that this is where they will end up. That's what I tell people that I do not play the role of God. God takes care of the people that
Allahu Allah knows best. salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh and this is me, and my question is how a person can come to know whether his or her sins are repentant. And whether a person can ask repentance for some of this mystery. Remember, what we said earlier is that there is no sin that is too big for a lot of work, including copper. A person can ask a lot for forgiveness after having been a capital a disbeliever. Then all other students have lesser you know,
brand than that one. So no sin is stupid for Allah to forgive Allah.
Allah emphysema la panattoni Rahmatullah in La Jolla. Nova Jamia say all my servers for being very extravagant in sinning against Allah do not go into despair, for Allah forgives all sins. Allah forgives all sins, no matter how big they may be. At the time of death was a question departs this world The only thing that is absolutely not forgiven is the sin of copper. But other than that, Allah forgive so long that the person asked for forgiveness. In the Hadith the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said that a man or the son of Adam Wilson, and then will say, Oh ALLAH forgive me, and Allah will forgive him. And that same person will sin again. And he will say all luck Forgive me
a lot for Gibson, and that same person since again and says Oh ALLAH forgive me. So Allah forgives him again. And you know you quite Why is this towards the end of the Hadith it says, Allah and Allah.
Allah who that servant of mine knows that his Lord forgive sins, witnesses that I have forgiven the sins of my slaves, so long that the person is actively engaging in repentance that inshallah his sins are forgiven by Allah subhanaw taala. And that is why we say again, that repentance is not a goal, but rather repentance is a process. Well, how do you know if your sins were forgiven by Allah subhanho wa Taala the fact that you are still engaged
It is a good sign that you are committed to this in this process. And that is why Allah is keeping you on that path. And that is why, for example, the scholars have concluded that design has an asset,
that assigned to see whether your deeds are accepted or not, every time you do something good, Allah facilitates for you to do something good, more. So in the process, you are doing good and Allah is facilitating for you to do something good. Again and again. Similarly, they say that we're just that we'll see as far as that goes, underplanted from Allah will facilitate for you to do some other sin. So you will see, you know, the overall life what has it been,
as it being a process of actively engaging in repentance? Or has it
was it a life that was actively in setbacks one after another, without showing any remorse very quickly, the shadow or the conditions to make the repentance acceptable, there has got to be Nether remorse there has to be Aslam that there has got what's Adam, resolve resolve that, you know, you're not going back again to what you have done earlier. And also, you know, abstaining from all the things that you were doing, you can say, all law, please forgive me, you know, I drink alcohol all the time.
You drink all law, please forgive me that is mockery. You cannot be engaging in a sin that you are saying that you are repenting from that is just not acceptable. So abstain, meaning that you cease doing it remorse, and resolved that you're not coming back there again.
So what is the concept of interest is so much hatred in Islam, as far as interest is concerned. So Allah, I was doing a research on this subject. And I was looking into, because we deal a lot with credit cards in the in the West, and the money that is charged and the money that is made on interest. It is unbelievable. There are certain countries in the world, they will never be developing countries. And it is all because of the interest that they have taken, especially in Africa. Many African countries were given their independence in the mid 50s 60s. And some in the 70s. Why the 70s, the World Bank moved into Africa. And they moved in with so much enthusiasm, that
they gave the African dictators that were ruling back then lots of loans, these African nations, they cannot even pay the interest on the loan at this point. The interest is far more than the principle that they bought. And they said that every time it just keeps compiling, compiling, compiling, compiling, not only that, but they only it's not that they ask for the money only. But they can actually go into the the the policies in the country. Give me an example, in ogando, Oregon is in west, east Africa,
a little bit to the central, Central. But what happened in agonda, the government of Uganda spends the equivalent of two US dollars per citizen for health care. So every for every citizen of organda, the government spends $2. for healthcare, major issue health care. For every citizen in Uganda, the government spends $11 to cover the loans and it's interesting.
Can you imagine this $11 on loan and interest and only $2 on healthcare,
and they spend less on education, because they have to keep up to get more loans, they have to keep up and pay the interest and plus the loan and the principal and what have you and it just gets extremely, extremely exploitative. Similarly, in the States, if a person has a credit card and they take a $5,000 loan on their credit card $5,000 loan on the credit card 17% interest, make 1.767 a minimum payment they will take it will take them just to pay $5,000 back it will take them 81 years to pay back the loan.
And it gets extremely ridiculous. So Islam sees this exploitative nature of interest and how it is dehumanizing people, how it is exploiting them to the point where they can not they cannot really keep up with any of it. And then what happens in the process, nations are destroyed, people are destroyed, the economy is destroyed. The policies are under the control of the IMF or the the World Trade Organization, whatever it is, and the countries are never able to get up. The government of Brazil for example, they cannot at this point they took a loan back in 1917
To until this point, they are so weak, they cannot even make the payments on the interest of the loans. So this is just to give you an idea, an example of what interests are capable of doing. In the States, we have what we call our pawn shops. What you do is, for example, you want a loan of $50 you don't have money. So you go and you tell them, I'm going to give you as a mortgage, my watch for example, or my house or my car, give me the $50 and they say okay, we will charge you 10% interest, you come back in two weeks, and you cannot afford it. They say okay, you keep it and we'll charge you 10% they said that it gets up to 167% interest charge on the on a loan that started was $50 $500
or $5,000. You end up paying so much and you end up losing so much. It's a very interesting topic. And the more you learn about Memorial appreciate the teachings of Islam as to why something like this is prohibited