Zaid Shakir – Living Islam Festival 2011

			Bismillah
		

			Bismillah
		

			R Rahman r Rahim al hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala CD mursaleen Sayidina
Muhammad while early he was he was selling Ravana local ham comedian Bobby Lee Jalali watching me so
phonic szczepanik Alan Seaton and Alec and I met Nate and that's the Alhamdulillah Hilaire De Anza
Allah Abdi him ki tavo and Omnia Allah who Elijah at hamdulillah. He hadn't. He had one Malkin, Dr.
Lola and had an OVA and hamdu Lillahi Rabbil alameen as salaam alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakaatuh
		

			hamdulillah. It's a great pleasure, great honor to be here this afternoon. And I wish I could see
you I can't see a single face out there. But it's all good.
		

			And we thank all of the volunteers, the organizers who've worked so hard to bring this program
together, and especially the Islamic Society of Britain, and we pray that all of you can, if you're
not a member can join regardless of whatever work you might be involved in. The Islamic Society
provides a forum for people to come together at a higher level to do bigger things like living
Islam, for instance, it would be very difficult for a very small organization no matter how well
meaning, no matter how well organized to pull off such a wonderful event such as this. So the
Islamic Society of Britain provides a forum for Muslims regardless of their particular orientation,
		

			or their particular organizational affiliations to come together, and union with other Muslims to do
great things and the times that we live in call for us to do great things. The topic I've been given
to address this is as understanding living Islam today. And the key to live in Islam today is to
understand what is the foundation upon which Muslims were able to successfully live Islam yesterday,
and if we understand that foundation, will be able to live Islam today, tomorrow, next year and next
month, next into the next decade into the next
		

			century in sha Allah tala. And one of the most important foundations is taqwa. A lot of times or the
Messenger of Allah, Allah tala, we can start with Quran. Allah tala mentioned in the end by way of
reminding us what occurred was finally Dino Toki taberna publikum. Maria Yeah, come and talk to law
that we've given as a wasI as a testament
		

			to those who preceded you well, while our court was fine, leadin Uchi taberna public come to those
given the Scripture before you and yourselves when he at home and a taco law, that you have
consciousness of a law and consciousness that translates into a willingness to implement his orders
and to avoid the things that he's prohibited. at a basic level, the Messenger of Allah sallallahu
alayhi wa sallam similarly mentioned all three can be talked about La Jolla as the agenda that I
counsel you that you are conscious of Allah, the mighty and majestic, now to bring that and make
that relevant for our time. And to go back to what I initially mentioned, in terms of understanding
		

			the foundation
		

			that will avail us today. justed availed those in the past and will avail those who will come after
us, the Messenger of Allah mentioned sallallahu alayhi wa sallam as reported by a bizarre and added
new Javelin and now Rasulullah he sallallahu alayhi wa sallam he called it a lair who hates him a
tequila hazelnut cone, while at the Seattle has an attempt for her. While Holly can NASA be Hulu can
Hudson so the Messenger of Allah mentioned Be mindful of the law wherever you are. So rather you in
Britain or rather you in Mecca or Medina, rather you're in Pakistan or Bangladesh or India or Sri
Lanka or United Kingdom's in United States, Canada, Australia, South America, South Africa, wherever
		

			you are, be mindful of Allah. What the biggest fear and hostility temporary hair and any misdeeds
you might do.
		

			follow it up with a good debugging way to wipe it out. So we know any mistakes we do is one against
us any good deed we do is 10 Hasson net in our favor and has a net actually I'm fairly happy in a
survey Mia def Allah dolphin kathira 700 times in our favor many times over and beyond that, so that
10 707,000 $7 million in kathira are all weightier than one. So, the problem is in Sydney where
we're not massud we're not divinely protected from sin. The problem is a failure to repent. So any
mislead you do follow it up with a good deed? Being waiter will wipe it out or holla can NASA be who
can Hasson and deal with people on the basis of good character? We should be people of kindness,
		

			people of gentleness, yeah, I shall Aikido risk, or I shall be gentle with the people, we should be
people of courage when the situation demands courage, people or fidelity, people who fulfill their
contracts. And we'll come back to that in a minute. All of these are and many, many other
manifestations of good characters should be the basis of how we interact with people rather than
Muslim or rather than non Muslim, our neighbors who are Muslims, they have the right of the
neighbor. And the right of the neighbor is great. As we all know, in Islam, we should ask ourselves,
are we giving extending to our neighbors, the right of the neighbor? Are we falling short in that
		

			responsibility in that particular regard. So in all of these things, we can elaborate but we want to
come back to the first one because the first one, as we mentioned, hey through tequila, hey,
sequins, wherever you are, be mindful of a lot. So and also some scholars say, hey, food can be what
they refer a lot of them and also in whatever time you find yourself in, we could translate it like
that on that basis. But generally, it's an adverbial of place. So whatever place you find yourself
in, be mindful of a lot. So top was very important. This is the foundation for us living Islam. And
to go back to a verse of the Quran we want to refer to, that gives us describes for us, what does
		

			taqwa involve? So we want to look at that verse and then related to our time, so related in
piecemeal fashion, in the interest of time, as opposed to going through the whole verse, and then
coming back and looking at it bit by bit. So a lot of Tyler mentioned in the Quran, I was belaire
him in a shape on the regime, lay sell into well, who would you have come cable and machinery 100.
So a lot of Tyler says, is not righteousness, that you turn your faces to the direction of the
Eastern Western prayer. So there are two things, two points to be made here that are very relevant
for us. First of all, the essence of righteousness is not involved in a single act. So this is a
		

			single act. So the people are arguing, which was the Qibla.
		

			And so a lot of times are revealed. It's not to the east, as the Christians were saying, it's not to
the west, more exactly the Northwest, from Medina, as the Jews were saying, they shall be run
through one new
		

			mesh up to one, Margaret. So it's not a single ad. And a lot of time that goes on to describe many
things that are encompassed in righteousness. And this word beer is called a comprehensive Oracle
limited jamea. We have a soil in Acadia only had a word that encompasses all of the manifestations
of good. And the verse goes on to delineate many of those. So we shouldn't feel that were righteous
people that were on the right path that we're better than the next guy or better than the next lady,
because we're doing a single thing. Well, we never missed a prayer in the masjid. We never miss
Monday or Thursday without fasting. We never do this miss this single thing. No, it's not one thing
		

			that makes a person righteous. And secondly, is not a, a superficial thing, not meaning superficial
in terms of being insignificant, meaning superficial in terms of something that's outward and
manifested to the people. So a lot of time is reminding us that's not the essence of righteousness.
Some people think and these things are important, but just because
		

			superficially they're wearing the right color Tapia or they have the right length of beard, or they
have the right length of their trousers, or they have the right color clothing, or they have the
right this or that.
		

			Or they're here to the right formula and prayer. Again, these things are important, but they're not
the essence of righteousness. lacell Buren. Well, who would you have come to Madrid? Well, I kin and
Roman M and I've been laughing at one mela equity Well, keytab when narrabeen righteousness. First
and foremost, it starts with sincere faith, sincere faith in Allah, and the last day, and in the
angels. They met this scripture here the Scripture is mentioned singularly by the scriptures, and
the prophets. That's the foundation of righteousness. Well, I can build Roman M and I build one
Milan will, will fit one mela at well. keytab one Navy. But that's the foundation that's not the end
		

			of righteousness, and a lot of time and he goes on. And he says, We're at Halle mela Allah Huggy.
And there are many ways we can understand this. But the bottom line, he or she spends their wealth.
In America, we have a statement when someone is
		

			claiming something. We say put your money where your mouth is? In other words, if you really believe
that, what are you willing to do for it? How much money will you spend for it? put your money where
your mouth is? And essentially a lot of Tyler's reminding us of the same message. So you claim faith
and you claim righteousness. But what are you willing to spin? And many understandings of that one,
where telnet Allah hug be his thumb saying they spend their wealth out of the love for him out of
their love for Allah. Because they love a lot and a lot of Thailand loves for us to spend. And so
they spin fishability law, where telnet Allah Huggy and they spend their wealth because they love to
		

			spend. So everyone has a different path to Allah subhanho wa Taala each person is different. A lot
of Tyler mentions in the Quran, Allah Dena j hadn't seen a letter, no who's to bolena those who
strive for our sake, we guide them in our paths faesal woonona our path the many paths leading to
Allah there is unique as the number of individuals who choose to undertake the journey. Some people
their path is fasting. Some people their path is prayer. Some people their path is is is is is
charity, bending. Every fundraiser, they're there and they're writing a check. And they've
internalized the meaning of the Prophet saying sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, ma na Casazza, Doc
		

			atonement man or Sadako. Never spending will never decrease your wealth. Spending will never
decrease your wealth. They've internalized that because they've seen how every time they write a
check somehow from somewhere, Allah tala replenishes them a lot Tyler was more better can the money
that remains in their hand and they've seen that and they've witnessed it, they've internalized it
so they continue to spin and they love spending that's one meaning we're at another hook be here.
		

			In fact, and man,
		

			when I tell Allah Hubby, he and they spend their wealth in spite of their love for it, and most
scholars say this is the most likely meaning for a lot of Thailand mentions that we've been made to
love wealth.
		

			He mentioned the Kazu Ian Allah nasioc Boucher Howard. Many say well, Benny INVOKANA Tara, Tara
wacana terumo come 30 minute Forgotten War Highland muscle woman to me one hour. Then he came at
Ariel hieratic dunya Rolando who has Nomad so it's been made alluring to people the love of their
lust and their longing for the opposite gender specifically mentioned women and children, literally
sons but children in general, and heaped up hoards of golden silver and branded steeds cattle
branded steel cultivated fields. All of this is a word with all of the life of this world and what
the law is the best is the is the best return. So we should we can love those things the law says
		

			been made pleasing to us, but we should love a lot more. We should love a lot more than the wealth.
We should love the wealth especially if we get it and we get it in abundance and then we use it
feasibility lab. We use it to support this
		

			namic Society of Britain, we use it to support our local Masjid. We use it to help build a madrasa
for the children of our community. We use it to help the poor and suffering Muslims all over the
world, we should pray Allah gives us billions of pounds or dollars, whatever the case might be. And
we can spin those feasability left.
		

			So this is loving wealth. There's nothing wrong with that. But we should love a lot more when the
Nina Ellen shed the hotel in LA. So when there's a conflict between the love of the wealth that
causes us to rebound, that causes us to to monopolizing and hoarding that causes us to insider
trading, that causes us to invest in corrupt businesses involving alcohol, or involving the
usurpation of people's money that causes us to spend old lady's pension funds and all of these
corrupt economic crisis practices that have contributed to the crisis we find ourselves in globally
fine and financial terms. We say no, we love the law more. And because I love the law more even
		

			though I love the wealth and are going to engage in Riba to get more of it. Even though I love the
wealth zoo, he
		

			mainly say, well then in wacana theorem, or kantara, even though I love the wealth, and they're
gonna steal people's pensions fun and gamble with it in the stock market to get more money, I'm not
going to exploit people abused people rip off people, and I'm not going to deny the right of the
poor out of my love for the money will feed him let him have kamalu let's say any room and their
right wealth, there's a well define right for the poor and those forced to ask, I'm not going to
refuse the payments or care. So in spite of the wealth and a lot Tyler tells us more specific terms
that this is the most likely meaning lentinan bira hotair to feel
		

			to feel too many Shay, in Nova happy Arlene, you will never attain righteousness until you spin from
what you love. And whatever you spend, Allah knows it well. So a lot of Allah says they spin their
wealth, and we can say in spite of their love for it, and for whom that will quarterback. Well your
time or what my second witness Sabina was, say a lien or for cop, they spend it for the relative
who's in need that will quarterback when the aterna and for the orphan both the orphan who might be
a relative than the orphan who is unrelated. I see a 10th for Islamic Relief. I know they have
orphan sponsorship project go sponsorship and orphan for two or two for just a few pounds a month.
		

			It won't hurt you in any way it might help you. You give a few pounds to sponsor an orphan and you
have to give up a couple of fish and chip dinners or a few some Moses every month is good for your
waistline. inshallah Omar, on the other hand, he saw a man walking in the man had a huge stomach.
And if you have a huge stomach, we're not talking about you because people have big stomachs for
different reasons. But this man had a big stomach because he ate too much if you have one out there
is because you have a slow metabolism and
		

			so you only a little eat a little bit but you just can't burn it off. But this man ate too much and
Omar said to him that would look better if it was someone else. In other words, if all of that
excess was distributed amongst the poor and needy people it would be better for everyone for you and
for them.
		

			So they spend for the for the orphan related anon with the poor people when mess Sikkim.
		

			webner Sabine and they poor spend for the wayfare Islam is the only religion that's mandated
spending for the wayfarer hears voluntarily but in the verse of zeca in the masataka girl My second
one Amina Allah, Allah for the Hulu whom is mentioned the wayfair why one of the wisdoms that the
scholars say when we spend for the wayfair we spend in the wayfarer moves on so there's no
opportunity for showing off there's no opportunity for react there's no opportunity to go to that
person Yeah, remember how generous I am and just because I'm just like that I don't mention it.
		

			This you know, someone has the regenerates, find out the you
		

			know, the wafer is gone. There's no showing off. There's no reaction and another reason
		

			They mentioned the wayfarer is a metaphor for us as we journey through this world. The Prophet
himself sallallahu alayhi wa sallam mentioned confit dunya. Canada, Calgary, Calgary Sabine being
the world as if you are a stranger or wayfair, just passing through. And as we move on our journey
through the world, this world, people spend freely on us. Our parents spend freely on us, they don't
have to how many irresponsible family, our parents, instead of buying food and saving for their
child's education, they're in a pub somewhere, or they're in a crack house somewhere, or they're
buying clothes for themselves, so they can go out and party and impress people. Those could be our
		

			parents, but a lot of mercy in their hearts, and they spend their wealth for us. It doesn't have to
be the case. How many people spend for our education, how many people have contributed to our well
being some of us whose unfortunate circumstances we might need public assistance for a period of
time in our life, how many Well, many people have contributed their money and their taxes to make
that possible. And how many people are upset by the selfishness that's permeating our society where
everyone wants to do away with programs to assist the poor and the needy and the downtrodden, then
the dispossessed and the wealth just the wealthy just hoard the the wealth, the corporation's hoard
		

			the wealth, and let everyone else just suffer to their fate. They said they can pick themselves up
by their bootstraps like we did. That would be good if we didn't, if the developed countries didn't
steal their boots, maybe they could pick themselves up by their bootstraps.
		

			So Allah says spend on the wayfare, just as, as you are making your way through this world, I have
commissioned and disputed those who spent generously on you were say ilina those forced by
circumstances to ask. And as we just mentioned, many people have to ask for assistance. Most people
are dignified, is a small minority who exploit the system. Most people are dignified. They don't
want to go to people and be forced to ask them for things. But sometimes circumstances are
overwhelming. circumstances are overwhelming, and people are forced by circumstance to ask, and we
should give freely to them. We should give freely to them. And we should understand if any of us are
		

			wealthy. It's not because of anything we did is because what Allah subhanho wa Taala has done for
us. Now when we've done for ourselves, then the law was set in in warfare. And for the liberation of
slaves there are people say, well, that one doesn't apply today. There are millions of slaves in our
world today. And unfortunately, some of them are in Muslim countries, and they're in other
countries, there are girls who are abducted in the Ukraine or in Guatemala or Nicaragua, places like
that, and sent to Western Europe, Israel, or the Gulf area to the Emirates or the United States, and
forced into a life of sexual bondage. We shouldn't be working for their liberation, we should be
		

			joining organizations that already exist, that are working for the liberation and lend our hands and
our voices to them. Will Ferrell comm there are agricultural slaves, there are people that are
tricked into coming to the west store, and they end up in sweatshops, or in China or Taiwan or other
places, and then their passports are confiscated. And then they have to work. And they're enslaved
in that place until they pay off the debt that they accrued, to get the passage to a western country
this is going on in our world, and Muslims should be in the forefront of addressing these type of
issues. Because a lot tells us we spend our money for the liberation of slaves were filled with your
		

			car.
		

			And so these are all manifestations of righteousness built on that foundation of belief. But
sometimes we can get involved in these various causes. And working for the the helping and assisting
the poor people, the downtrodden and the oppressed and we burn out spiritually. And the reason we
burn out is we don't take care of ourselves. We don't take time to have a deep and rich relationship
with Allah subhanho wa Taala. So to warn against that a lot of Tyler then says well commerce Allah,
and he says that after mentioning all these other things in the plural
		

			he mentioned this in the singular well karma salah and they individually established the regular
prayer, as in the video
		

			wools they cultivate a deep and rich relationship with Allah subhanho wa Taala. And the foundation
of that relationship is the prayer so much, no matter how busy you are with your work and your
activism and working with the forces or the ISB or with whatever whoever you're working with, take
time for yourself. Take time to do your prayer, with Sakina with admit men with tranquility, to do
it slowly and recite and not rush to one and a half to get back to saving the word Allahu Akbar.
		

			Men are a man or he Maliki or Medina.
		

			sama leaves
		

			and then
		

			and then what happens? So we get back to saving the world and I 12 midnight and we've done our part
to save the world. And we're sitting with the brothers and sisters, you know, I just just not
feeling good in my prayer anymore.
		

			Just burning out. I don't know what's happening. I know what's happening. You need to slow down and
you need to savor those moments of solitude with a loss of Allah tala, you need to take time the
world can wait. Believe me, you take five extra minutes to say your prayer a little slower. You take
20 minutes in the morning in the evening to say that as God of the morning and evening, the world
will still be there. The problems will still be there. There'll be waiting for you all right. Yeah,
I assure you. Come save me now. Still here. not going anywhere. take time for yourself brothers and
sisters. Well, karma Salah has a cat and they fulfill their individual obligations. They pay.
		

			There's there's a cat. So the other spending was voluntary. They don't give preference to the
voluntary over the obligation when move for him either. And they're faithful in their covenants when
they convene them. A lot of us will be afraid to go into business with a Muslim No, not me. No.
		

			We're afraid to ask them to paint our house. Yeah, I know. My brother asked the brother to paint his
house green. He painted it red. He came back from vacation. He's waiting for a green house. It's
red. He asked him what happened. The brother said the red paint was on sale. So I can make more
money.
		

			Then he said brother the contract you sign a contract and then he says stop through law. See you
wouldn't do that with the Kufa.
		

			He said the Kufa wouldn't paint my house read.
		

			Well, we have to be faithful and our covenants will move forward and we are heading either
		

			wasabi re so the others mentioned again move funa the nominative case now the accusative the
accusative case was sabi Rena.
		

			nostri, harlot and loss monsoon. Nan su valen muda Jani under her savini I praise those who are
patient, I give special praise and special mention to the patient ones. Because patience is is the
key to living Islam. Patience is the key to be to taqwa because doing those things implementing the
orders avoiding them prohibition, it might involve loss. It might involve pain, hardship,
difficulty, but we patiently persevere through that. We patiently struggle through that without
dignity intact, without religion and tax. So wasabi and enough in bed say what Gara, Hainan bats and
all sorts of times of difficulty, hardship, hunger, starvation, calamities, natural disaster, and
		

			when they're tested with armed conflict, as some people in some parts of the world are. They don't
violate the limits set by a law. They don't kill innocent, unsuspecting civilians. They don't
disregard the rights that Muslim minorities are bound by in terms of protecting and upholding the
public order and the lens that they live in. This is manifestation of being patient was salvini in a
film that say what barye were Hainan backs. Our time is up so we've reached in a lot. Tyler says
		

			he can lead in a Sadako these are those who are truthful, or they can lead in a father coup. And we
should never remember never forget rather, one of the greatest test we have in this world is the
test of our truthfulness. Allah tala mentions in court an elephant. I mean, I see banners and youth
Roku and Yoku, and then you will
		

			sell a lemon Nova hula Dena sada who will elemental care the being do people think they'll
		

			be left alone merely saying we believe and not be tested when we tested those who preceded them in
order that allow us show which of them are truthful. Well, they are the men Allahu Allah. Dena
Sadako elemental care the being, and which of them are liars. So when we say brothers and sisters,
enough polarity vannucci, Juana de lillahi, Rabbil alameen la sharika will be then he can mute.
We're Anna, a one on muslimeen como se Varley? Surely my prayer, my sacrifice, my living my dying,
are all for love the Lord of the world, and with this I've been commanded and the first to submit as
the Muslim when we say that brothers and sisters, as our Prophet said it before us sallallahu alayhi
		

			wa sallam are we truthful, and what we say and then a lot of times it says
		

			he can human moutoku and these are the people of toccoa. These are the people of taqwa. So brothers
and sisters, the Messenger of God mentioned the talkin a tequila, hey, for Americans, be mindful of
the law wherever you are.
		

			In other words, try to do these things, all of these things, wherever you are. And if you do these
things, you will be living Islam. And you'll be living Islam in the best of ways, and you'll be
setting the best of the of examples. For those people who are looking at Muslims and scrutinizing
Muslims and looking at Islam. You'll be saying to them, I don't know what you heard
		

			in that pamphlet, on that television program, or in that radio propaganda you were listening to, but
this is what Islam is all about. JazakAllah khairan salaam alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato.