Podcast #1 Living The Quran
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Channel: Zaid Shakir
File Size: 77.33MB
AI Generated Transcript ©
The
Haman hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa Salatu was Salam ala say the universe any insight into Muhammad Allah Allah Allah He was certainly he was what does the message of the Quran mean? And what should it mean for us in our individual lives? So Allah Tala has revealed this scripture, the final revelation to humanity, what is its import? And how should it impact on our lives? So that is what we want to look at. And those are the fundamental questions that we're going to deal with. And to begin answering those questions. We let the Koran speak for itself. So Allah Tyler says in the Quran, Quran and RB and Alejandra there were Jin la isla, whom yet Takuan. So he says in Arabic,
quarter N, an Arabic recitation of Scripture
that contains no crooked crookedness, gray or the origin, meaning it has no internal contradictions or player of the origin it has no internal contradictions.
Law alone yet Takuan. In order that they, humanity would have a means that will facilitate their mindfulness and consciousness of their Lord, specifically,
his orders. So we're conscious to such a degree that we implement his orders and we're conscious of him, and of his relationship with us and of his place in his creation that we avoid the things that he has prohibited. That's the essence of Taqwa. So when someone translates Taqwa as God consciousness that's incomplete. That's an aspect of it. But it's God consciousness, that translates itself into a willingness to implement God's commandments and to avoid the things that he has prohibited. So that is the full meaning of taco God consciousness, that translates itself that lends itself to implementing the orders of God and avoiding those things that he has prohibited. So this
is one critical aspect of the Quran and what it should mean to us, Quran and ARA bn greyleigh V A wedge in La Isla, whom yet upon that, it should be a scripture that enhances our consciousness of God, to such a degree that it enhances our propensity to implement his orders and to avoid his prohibitions. So if we find ourselves reading the Quran, reading the Quran, reading the Quran, and we're neglecting to implement the orders of God that it contains, and we're neglecting to avoid those things that prohibits, something's not quite right. And we need to seek to address that. And that's part of what we want to do, we want to provide prescriptions also. So there, there are things
we should do. There are things all of us, including myself fall short in terms of what we actually do. But there are prescriptions to address those shortcomings. And there are prescriptions to enhance our willingness to do what we should do and to avoid those things we should avoid.
So the core N.
One of the things that it enhances our consciousness of in a more general sense, so specifically, we can say God consciousness that lends itself to implementing the orders and avoiding the prohibitions. Another thing though, that's involved in law Allahumma Takuan, that an order that they will be conscious of God in a more general sense is by reading the Quran, our consciousness that this is not the work of a human being shall be enhanced, that this is not the work of a human being. So as we read the Quran, and recite the Quran and reflect on his message, it should strengthen our conviction that this scripture is from the Lord of All the Worlds. This scripture is not from a
human being and the Arabs it was easy for them. Even those of them who rejected Islam they
rejected Islam out of their stubbornness, and their recalcitrance and their refusal to follow our Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Sallam because he was poor.
He wasn't one of the rich notables of Medina, he was a notable but he wasn't wealthy. So the rich people, why should we follow a peasant a peon? So they they refuse to accept Islam, for many reasons, but very few of them refused because they failed to acknowledge that the Quran was not from a human being.
And so that reason they were baffled some of them, like this can't be the speech of the human, but I don't want to deal with it.
So I can't reconcile. So many of them were torn and conflicted because of the power of the Quran as they recited it in their tongue. So we learn it we learn Arabic, and by studying Arabic and studying rhetoric by Elijah and other things.
Jasmine Quran the miraculous D? How can we say not just the miraculous nature Ejaz? Oh, Quran, it's debilitating nature, it inhibits the ability of others because of his magnitude to him to imitate it. So this is a jazz Quran. So as we study these things, the power of the Quran grows in us in relation to the depth of our study, but the Arabs who are the speakers of the language of the Quran, intuitively, it struck them and intuitively, they knew this is beyond from a source beyond this world. Because of the nature of the language and the nature of the power that was conveyed by the language of the Quran, it should also enhance our reflection. So as we deepen our understanding of
Quran,
it should only encourage us to reflect more it's like, delicious dish, the more you eat, the more you want. So, you know, wow, I can't stop. I'm addicted. And that's the Quran. The more we reflect on it, the more we ponder it, the more it encourages us to ponder, say, Wow, this, I never realized. So now that I realize this, it opens up my heart and my intellect to the fact that there's another level of meaning that I was never even aware of. So I want to engage that and then when we engage that, more opens up, and one of the keys to that whole process is acting on everything we learn as we learn more, it should encourage us to act more, and as we act more, more as opened up for us so
as the Prophet sallallahu Sallam he said or sometimes the saying attributed to isa Ali Salam.
No know the prophets Allah Allah Selim min amela Bhima Alima wa Rafa, Rafa hula who Elma mela Yan the whoever acts on the basis of what they know, Allah will be quizzed on to them knowledge that they don't know. So this is called in Allah Duni. So knowledge that is inspired directly by Allah subhanho wa taala. In other words, knowledge beyond our human capacity to attain to. So it's not knowledge that constitutes prophet, a prophet hood or prophecy. But as meanings and understanding that based on our own limited human devices, we couldn't attain to. So Allah Tala opens that up for all of us. And you see it, I see it many, many times one of the greatest areas that I see this is
why I listen to new converts. Explain Islam to people, especially people who are in this kind of attack mode is very common nowadays, people want to attack Muslims. And so many times a person new in Islam, who hasn't read that much, but is very sincere in acting on what they do know. Allah Tala opens up things and you'll hear beautiful, powerful arguments and you're like, Wow, where did they get that from? You know, I've been Muslim 30 years and I've never read that and then you'll ask them after Where did you get that from? Is that I don't know. It just came out. So I'm sure those who are converts can relate to that and I'm those
who might not be converts well weren't practicing Islam and got serious about practicing it. And as you practice it things just Allah Tala opens up things and that's one of the blessings that Allah Tala gives us. Another aspect of the Quran is mentioned in the following verse Allah Tala says okay then Cal Haney Lakehill core en and RB Jelle only tune their mellow kura woman hola hair Motomura Yama, Yama January la Riber fi Surya own Phil Jannetty wasabia Confessio. So a lot of time it says Thus have We revealed unto you an Arabic Quran in order that you will warn the mother of the towns Mecca and those outlying surrounding villages and towns. So those that are orbiting in the orbit of
Mecca in the Arabian Peninsula,
that you will warn them of the day of the gathering all people will be resurrected and gathered together for the judgment. lowrider see, there is no doubt about it, it will definitely occur.
After that judgment, a group of people will be deputed to paradise for real con Phil Jannetty. And a group of people will be ushered into hell what for real con society. So this verse
explains many many aspects of what Locata and should mean to us. So a lot of times it says what Kazakh capital Hanaa la calle Quran and RB Yun Li You only tune the route Malcorra
women hola that you warn, we've revealed to you the scripture in Arabic that you warn the mother of the towns so the Quran should inspire us with a mission.
We shouldn't read the Quran and then put it down. And
us assume a normal life. There should definitely be normality in our lives. We should have normal relations, we should have families we should go to work every day. We should try to treat people decently and do all the things that normal people do but over and beyond that we should have a sense as individuals and as a community that we have a mission that we have to warn people this is the way of our profit yeah you and Nebby in arson NACA share he don't want Mubasher on when the Euro Oh Prophet we've sent you as a witness as a giver of glad tidings as a warner when Zira. And we should be inspired by his example. And he's our our exemplar Laqad cannula, calm, few Rasulillah. He also
worked on hacer una you have in the Messenger of Allah, and most excellent example. So we should see ourselves as witnesses. So over and beyond the normal things we do. And we emphasize normality, because we shouldn't
feel that we're overburdened. And we have to be super people. But in addition to all the normal things we do, go to school, go to work, play with the kids, play with the spouse, that's a very normal activity, it escapes a lot of Muslims
playing with the spouse, so he's a Muslim, we don't do that you better do it, because you'll be a divorce Muslim.
Play with the spouse, normal activities, but over and beyond that, there has to be a sense that there's something more to our lives, individually and communally. And part of that something more is to warn people, to warn people, and we shouldn't hesitate. And we shouldn't. And we're going to come back to our current situation. We shouldn't allow ourselves to constantly be put on the defensive on people like
you can't continue to oppress people and not expect that sooner or later God is going to get angry.
It doesn't work like that. Cease and desist
should be Warner's. So this is one thing we take from this verse. The tones are our own Malcorra women Hola. What tone there are yo Mel January and to warn people of the great gathering. So all of our our warning shouldn't be confined to this world.
They stop your political
Question stop bombing the Muslims stop vilifying Islam stop unjustly
associating Muslims with violence.
So all of that is associated with this world and is valid and legitimate we should be warning people because Allah Tala responds and Allah Tala becomes angry and Allah Allahu Allah, your humble volley mean, Allah does not love oppressors. So the oppression that occurs in this world, Allah hates it. And sooner or later a lot of tile is going to do something about it. So that warning and that level of warning is real, but we shouldn't neglect the hereafter. Heaven and hell are real.
Our resurrection is real. Gathering. And then standing before a lot to be judged is real. These are realities. They are as real as our the time we spent in the womb, none of us remembers that none of us knows how that was.
None of us understands that darkness, but it's real.
So that's the reality that's the darkness that preceded our life in this world and it's real. And the darkness and life in the grave that will follow our life in this world is real. And then the resurrection and the gathering that will follow the life in the grave. It's real, it's all real. And we should warn people that you have to prepare for this and Allah Tala emphasizes here, with whom there are your middle January loud Riber. See, there is no doubt about it. There is no doubt about it. So beware, be conscious, prepare yourself, be warned of it. And this is something that Quran should impress upon us as we engage with the Quran. furrier Cohen, Phil Jannetty with Surya Cohn,
Sire. And after all is said and done, there will be a group of people. Semin, whom Sharpie on one side, there will be a group of people that will be wretched, eventually, for the rest of eternity. And there will be a group of people and unimaginable bliss. Femina. Shahe, wretched people will say, Happy blissful people. And those who will be wretched those who will have bliss for recon, filled Jannetty will be that group and Paradise and those who will be wretched for the rest of eternity will be those people in hell, war for econ society. So one thing the Quran should stimulate in us, and should spark in us is the consciousness of these realities, and then inspire us to work and to
prepare ourselves to be amongst those people who will be in paradise amongst the furry Phil Jana, amongst the group that will be in paradise. So we should see ourselves possession, a mission. And that should motivate us to act. Because we I'm sure all of us have I ask each and every one of you individually or collectively
is or are there a lot of things terribly wrong in the world we live in yes or no.
Yes. pyre. None of us would disagree. Nah, nah, everything's hunky dory, man. It's, everything's perfect. You know, don't rock the boat, buddy. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. No one would say that there's a lot wrong ecologically, politically, economically, socially. Go down the line. There's a lot wrong.
How are we going to fix it? If we don't if we're not motivated and inspired and we don't see ourselves as having a mission to fix it. How do you think the early Christians fixed the Roman Empire?
The oppression, the brutalities that they themselves were suffering at the hands of the Romans.
It wasn't without a sense of mission. They saw themselves as having a mission. They saw themselves as carrying the mission that God sent to humanity through a silent Salam through Jesus Christ.
They saw themselves having a mission and in undertaking that mission, they were willing to suffer they were willing to sacrifice their
We're willing to work.
And if we don't see ourselves and you look at any of the early Muslims, how were they able to take this revelation from China, which they did.
China Islam reached China during the time of the sahaba. It wasn't established there. But it reached China to the Pyrenees,
the mountains of of southern
France in northern Spain, in less than 100 years, is seeing that happen without people were filled with the sense of mission
to endure the suffering, the sacrifice, the hardship that it took to take Islam, Islam was this that was in Switzerland.
Less than 100 years after the prophets of asylum for over 40 years, the Muslims had a state in Switzerland, they had reached into the Alps, they had gone as far as they knew the known world, when aucuba Manasa came to the shores of the Atlantic off the coast of Morocco, he said, of I knew there were lands beyond this ocean, they didn't know at the time, then I will ride across this ocean and take them to those people. So they were inspired with the sense of mission, and we have to be similarly inspired. And one of the things that the Quran does, when we properly engage it is, it instills in us a sense of mission.
So if we're reading the Quran and reading Quran, and that sense, isn't happening, then something is not clicking something is not quite right in terms of how we engage the Quran. So it's something that's very, very important. And and it's important because we have a responsibility to others. We have a responsibility to others, a viewer if I'm a Muslim, and hamdulillah I'm like the average Muslim. So the average Muslim is not drinking and not using drugs and has no need for those things. Now saying that, sure. There's some Muslims they drink, they use drugs, but the average Muslim doesn't. So you don't have to even get to the the
good Muslim, the good Muslim doesn't the average Muslim doesn't drink doesn't use drugs, doesn't form a Cait.
So if people all around us their lives are being destroyed, their families are being destroyed by drinking and drugs and fornication. Don't we have a responsibility to them? Just like look, you don't have to live like this.
There's a source of peace, you can have inner peace that can relieve you of the need to live this kind of life to have to be dependent on those substances to to see yourself having to compensate for these personality disorders by all of this womanizing or whatever else is happening in your life. You don't have to live like this. That's a duty we have.
layer you mean who I had to come Hatter, you have Belia he may you have Bolinas? No, one of you truly believes until he or she loves for his or her brother or sister what he or she loves, for himself or herself. So I love this state that I'm in. I should love for my brother in humanity, or my sister in humanity to enjoy this state. So again, this is something that the Quranic message should instill in us. Another aspect of the Quranic message that's conveyed to us during this blessed month of Ramadan, Allah Tala says shall Ramadan Allah the goon Zilla fee Hill Quran, so we can't separate the Quran
from Ramadan shall Ramadan and let the wounds UEFI heal Quran so it's very appropriate that we're talking about this subject in Ramadan because this is the month of the Quran. So Allah Tala goes on to mention very critical aspects of the Quranic message shadow Ramadan and lady on the left who Quran who Delhi nurse, guidance for humanity. Who the hell in us that this Qur'an is a source of guidance, generally, what they used to mean and who they're specifically and at
and X expounding and elucidating elucidating. That guidance. So it's general guidance and his specific guidance. What are the specifics related to this Quranic message? So the Quran gives general guidance it gives specific guidance was for Khan and it establishes force of criterion to determine between right and wrong. So in other words, the Qur'an introduces for us an objective standard of morality. And then it introduces for us
and a objective standard of behavior.
We don't have to experiment and many aspects, fundamental aspects of how we interact with others. The Quran introduces an objective standard of how we should interact with others, the Quran introduces for us and objective standard of worship. So we don't have to experiment with our liturgy.
So, the liturgy of any religion, what is the liturgy?
What does that involve?
Some of you were Catholics before.
No
public rituals of worship that publicly manifest their rites of worship.
And where are those for many religions today, compared to what their prophets brought them?
Far, far away. Even the Catholic Church abandon the Latin liturgy? As abandon that, as Muslims, the Quran and this is one of the blessings of Quran gave us and an objective standardize the church. And one of the blessings of the Quran has inspired us as Muslims to preserve that. So we pray today publicly when before this class, there was the Salah, that prayer is just like the Prophet and the Sahaba did it SallAllahu Allah who was sending Radi Allahu Anhu edge mine, they will come back. If one of them were to come back. They will feel perfectly comfortable lining up getting in the line. They want an X they would expect and they will get four cards for 434 Margaret, this they will get
what they expected. They would expect the man to recite loudly for faster and not loudly for her they wouldn't expect after salata, vorher which everyone prayed. If Abu Bakr Radi Allahu Ana Omar Osman Ali were sent back by Allah Tala. They wouldn't go up to shake salik. Why didn't you say the fat out loud.
In the first two records, this is the her they would expect a site and recitation and they will get it. So this standardization of our liturgy is is an example of how other aspects of our religious life have been standardized. And part of the reason that's been preserved is because of the power of the Quran that Allah Tala has placed, and it's impacted itself placed in the power laws placed in His scripture. And it's impacted itself on our hearts. And it's motivated us to preserve and to adhere to the standardization that Allah Tala instituted through His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. Now saying that there are definitely large areas of our religious teachings
that we neglect.
So all of us are guilty in that regard, but there is much that we have held on to and one of the reasons for that is due to the blessing of the Quran. Now in terms of what we neglect, and in terms of the core ends power and its message, losing its impact.
Allah Tala mentions that and we mentioned we want to be prescriptive so in these introductory remarks we're engaging in today
we want to move into the realm of prescription. So part of the problem arises Allah Tala mentions in the Quran. Lm yet Neely leadin and who and talk shall Kulu whom Lee decree Allah. So Allah Allah says, Has not the time come? For those who believe that the harch should become soft and receptive, through the remembrance of Allah, women as Allah millall Huck, and what has been revealed of the truth. The Quran will man as Allah minute Huck and the truth that has been read
filled with the Quran. Well, Aya Kulu Colette ino toolkit Habermann cubberly him for Tala Ali Kemal Emmett for Cosette Kulu whom work Ethier minhang fasciae cone and
they not be and so this is addressing us LM yet the lady in Amman who LM yet nee lil Mina
has not the time come for those who believe in the Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam that our hearts are soften and become receptive to the guidance
and to the remembrance of Allah and to the message of the Quran. And then that they not be like those who are given the Scripture beforehand will lay your Kunal Kaladin, Otto Kitab Pavan for Tala Ali Himal, Emmet, and the time that they lived in, and the time that their messenger initially brought, the revelation becomes long and expensive, for cassette Kulu boom, and the hearts become hard, meaning the heart started inclined towards the world.
And the heart start to
incline towards
the immediacy of the worldly life and therefore become unreceptive to the messages that orient them towards the hereafter. So this is the hardening of the hearts work eight, zero minhang fasciae cone. And many of those people who are given the Scripture beforehand and Muslims are not immune. This is why Allah Tala is reminding us and warning us in this verse where Kathiawar minhang fasciae Quran, they become live lives that are not influenced by the revelation.
So people ask, you know, if this is a Christian country,
then why are these people such prolific warmongers? Generally speaking,
when Christ was the Prince of Peace,
because the message of Christ is not impacting itself on the hearts,
so one can talk about it until the cows come home just as Muslims, we can talk about Islam. Islam elevated the status of the woman,
stay home, no education, make my food. Why is it cold?
So we could talk all day, until the cows come home, Islam elevated the woman. Islam did this and Islam did that. And if it doesn't impact on our hearts, we're not going to do it. Islam does it? As if Islam is some reified entity that has a life of its own.
So Islam elevates the moment. So you see I s lm picking up a sister, sister,
Islam elevated the woman
and Islam gave us a song family life. That's why more and more Muslims get divorced after six months. What happened brother? She sneezed and
and I felt moisture on my face. I will go Billa Joe, I divorced her.
I'm gonna find a wife that doesn't sleaze.
Okay.
Good luck.
You should maybe live in a more realistic world.
And it'll be easy to deal with sneezing wives and snoring husbands. What happened sister you looks like such a happy couple. You I know. But soon as we got married, and I found out the brother snored stuck for a long
time.
So we have to
we have to just live in the world of reality. Sister sneeze and brother snore. So let's get over it and get close to the Quran. So the hearts become hard. And this This is communities. So when Allah Tala says we're Ella Taku Kaladin who told Kitab among Kabul, middle Kabul for Tala Ali Himal Emmet, so the time when though that those communities live in and the time the the revelation first came to those communities becomes long. It becomes an expansive amount of
of time, so the hearts become hard. Also those who convert to Islam, or those who were maybe born in Muslim families, and they get serious about Islam, and then the time becomes long so the months turn into years and the years turn into decades, and the hearts can become hard also.
So, and you'll hear people saying, Subhan Allah, it's just not the same, you know, what's not the same, you know, when I first became Muslim, I mean, I could walk through a brick wall for Islam. When I first converted, I was ready to take on the world. You know, I was like, Godzilla, that's King Kong. I was like King Kong, I could just
but now I just don't feel it.
You know, it's not the same. So that can happen. But if we're close to the message of the Quran, that will not happen. The Quran will retain its vitality, it will retain its freshness, it will retain its originality will contain its creative energy, it will contain all of those things, it will continue to contain. And Allah Tala reminds us of that and the very next verse, Allah Allah says, Allah mu and Allah you are the bada mo Tia. You should know that Allah revives the earth after its death.
So the earth the rain comes in the springtime or here in California in the winter time, and the earth what happens?
It becomes if you go out into your garden right now and you hit the ground.
You might hurt your hand right? is rock hard is like hitting cement.
Ah,
the rains come and what happens squash
the earth gets soft
and it brings forth vegetation now nothing will grow. If you don't water it, nothing will grow.
burns up. If you don't water it, nothing will grow. When the rain comes, the earth becomes soft, and it brings forth lush vegetation. So you look at an area right now it's barren, the stubble burned up weeds or grass. You in January you look at it's green, it's lush. So Allah Allah says, Allah mu and Allah you heal Allah by the Mutya know that a law revives the earth after its death. So this is a parable.
If that hard heart
is exposed to the rain, what is the rain, the remembrance of Allah, the recitation of Quran contemplating the quarter in reflecting on his meaning, then it will become soft, like the earth after it becomes hard and barren and it will bring forth lush vegetation, it will bring forth productive faith, faith that leads to action, faith that leads to beautiful character, productive faith, not empty faith will bring forth productive faith but be in Lakmal at that Allah calm
Nam La La Kentucky Loon And we have explained our signs for you with clarity in order that you reflect
God billionaire Hola, como at La La calm, thank you. So Allah Tala sets forth parables, Allah Tala explains things in the Quran. And Allah Tala gives us prescriptions and here the prescription that Allah is giving us is, turn to the Quran. Remember Allah expose your heart to the rain, that the remembrance of Allah constitutes exposure heart to the rain that the Quran constitutes, and this Quran will come to life is message will come to life, its meaning will come to life, and it will guide us who that leanness Allah says is guide us. It is guidance for people it will guide us through the times that we live in. So what I want to do right now, and this is all by way of
introduction, and some of this we've expounded on before and next week, Inshallah, we're going to look at a specific aspect of the Quranic guidance. So we want to expound on the Quranic guidance in terms of the insight that it gives us into our current condition. So our current condition here
is that
as we confront many challenges,
there are people
dastardly, despicable people that are saying Muslims in this country should be deported. There are people saying Muslims should be murdered, Muslims should be imprisoned. And they're fringe lunatics, but they're moving closer and closer to the mainstream.
Male la talla help us.
It becomes more difficult for Muslims. So there's more discrimination in the workplace for Muslims. There's more discrimination in housing for Muslims. These are things that have happened is documented, you can look on the care website, hate crimes against Muslims up 30% at an all time high. So you find these things manifesting themselves, which indicates that we're going to have to struggle.
So if some anyone thought, If anyone thought that coming to this country, they escaped struggle, I was struggling and Philistine, I was struggling in the apartheid conditions. I was strongly in worse than apartheid conditions, conditions in Philistine are worse than apartheid South Africa.
That's a fact.
Why, because many of the discriminatory policies that the African people were dealing with in apartheid, South Africa, they're there. But the South Africans, they weren't bombing Bantu stands. They weren't sending Apache helicopters and F 16 into two bomb townships.
And Bantu stands, they're gonna have 15 checkpoints between a person's village and a hospital. So that before you get through these 15 checkpoints, the sister had the baby in the back of the taxi cab. So South Africans didn't have to deal with that. That's a fat. And you shouldn't hesitate to say that, you get lay label antisymmetric as a Muslim, you'll never be anti semitic because part of our faith is to love the Arabs and the Prophet saw the seller.
And there are symmetric people. And part of our faith is to respect the Jews and the people of other religions. So we respect the Jews, but the brutal policies
of Zionist if we're people speak out against oppression, we speak out against those policies.
That's, that's a right we have. And no one can take that right from us. We can only surrender it.
No one can take that from us, we can only surrender it. So
this is the these are the this is the nature of the times we live in we so
I go
on that tangent. So if anyone thought, by leaving Palestine, they would escape struggle, I'm going to a part of the world where Muslims don't have to struggle, I'm going to America is going to be easy and hunky dory, I'm going to get a nice suburban home. And all my neighbors are going to love me. And I'm going to live happily ever after.
It's not like that. That place doesn't exist on this earth. For anyone thought I'm going to convert to Islam and I'm not going to struggle anymore. So I'm going to become a Muslim and everything's gonna be all right. Oh, you got to become a Muslim, then you really gonna have to struggle.
One man said to the Prophet sallallahu sallam, he said, I want to follow you and the Prophet told them think about what you're saying. He said, I want to follow you. He said, Then prepare yourself for poverty.
Prepare yourself for poverty, if you're serious because those who are days of struggle and sacrifice, those who are days of struggle and sacrifice, you know, my people who follow me, they're boycotted by their community, weren't they boycotted people that follow me. They're exiled from their lands, and they leave their property behind. People that follow me people wage war against them,
and they might lose their property and their lives. So he said, you want to follow me? Prepare yourself for poverty. And that might not be the case. But be ready. Because if you're following me,
you're going to live a life of struggle. And that's the life of this world. Allah Tala says yeah, you haven't yet
You help insane not yeah you help me no yeah yeah you help me Nona yeah you help mostly Munna yeah you held in San yeah you held in San oh you human being in California law Rebecca cat how similar are you you're toiling and struggling to reach your Lord and you will reach Him. So the journey to Allah is a difficult journey. The journey to Allah is a journey filled with struggles, trial trial and tribulation strife. It's not an easy journey. The prophets Allah Allahu Allah, he was telling me Sal al Jana to her set Bill mCherry
that paradise is surrounded by difficulties
and hell this surround you want to if one wants to go to hell good you don't have to struggle
easy enjoy anything you want to do do it.
Anything you want to say say it you don't have to struggle in suppressing your knifes you don't have to struggle in monitoring your actions you want to if it feels good, do it.
That's that's the path to hell. That's what the sign to hell.
Hell this way if it feels good, do it.
And so
the paradise it says paradise. This role is surrounded by difficulties.
That's the sign for Jana. The sign for hell if it feels good, do it. So it's easy you want to follow you not swallow it. You want to do something, do it. Just go for it. So the nature of this life is struggle but that struggle provides the backdrop and the contrast to make relief from that struggle that much more enjoyable and that much more appreciated. So Allah Tala says for in my last three, Yusra in my last three years Rob, difficulty surely difficulty brings ease, difficulty brings ease. So the difficulty of the struggle brings the ease that accompanies relief.
It brings so the the the forage, paddle Cutter wylam and Nasir ma Sauber, where NL Farage, ma l carb. Know that victory comes through patiently persevere and know that relief comes after hardship.
Relief comes after hardship and grief. And El Faro Jamal Karp
and no Milo's should be use raw, and that difficulty brings and facilitates ease. So this month of the Quran, and Allah one of the great lessons of the Quran is exactly that. Life is a struggle. Yeah, you held in sand. In Nikka que de la Rebecca cat Hatha Mala.
Life is a struggle, but that struggle brings ease. That hardship brings great enjoyment through the relief that we find at the end of our struggles. So it's a backdrop that allows us to appreciate the relief that much more. And really Ramadan as we're in the first day of Ramadan. Ramadan accentuates the lesson of life. Ramadan is patience as salam nests for summer. Patients are fasting is half of all patients.
As some nuts for soccer, Ramadan is patience, Ramadan is self denial, denying oneself and we know to succeed in this life. We can't pursue every appetite we have.
We're not going to succeed. So Ramadan is self denial. Ramadan is struggle. So we have to struggle with our with our appetites. We have to struggle sometimes your physical pain especially as the fast each year is going to get longer and longer. Now the days as we move towards the middle of the summer, so and six or seven years from now Oh,
long, fast and sometimes that brings physical pain, headaches, stomach aches, physical pain, and we have to struggle through that pain and work through that pain. And that's life is working through pain, physical pain, and emotional pain.
that's part of life just working through it then there is no life without pain.
There is no life without pain that's the reality of our condition. So Ramadan is telling us look you have to work through it you have to work through it you are disappointed by that situation work through it patiently persevere through it and know you have relief at the end of that struggle.
That's so Ramadan teaches us therefore, a What does Allah Tala says and this saw AMI for heighten the first thing person will have two great delights. So there'll be relief from that struggle of fasting.
Farhat Farhat one
and the factory he the real the delight that he or she has when he or she breaks the fast. So at the end of the day today, around 710 or so
those dates are so good. Sometimes you almost pass out.
You must sometimes your mouth gets so watered up, you eat that data and just think about your mouth getting watery that and then that nice cool water just goes down and
boy
that's delight Farhat tuna and the fifth Li and that delight comes at the end of each day. And it comes at the end of the month Adel feta Farhat on and the fifth three he will far hatoon indulekha era B and the D. So the delight that he or she has when they break their fast at the end of each day and then the end of each month. And the greater the struggle, the greater that delight, you have a real hard day. So it wasn't a normal fast. It was like you barely you ate one date and drank half a cup of water for so hard. Because the alarm clock didn't go off. And you rolled over and it was like 520. So you got a few minutes to eat something is wolf down a date that was leftover from last night
and drink a glass of water. So you're starting out the tanks almost empty. And then when you went to start the car up, the car wouldn't start. So you had to run around all morning trying to get the car fix. So we're an hour late for work. And because you're an hour late for work, the head start on that stack of papers that you're going to just take your time was glossed now you're an hour in the hole. So you're just going through that. Then you got the call from home.
Oh no. And your your husband or wife, whoever made the call or child. I can't pick up on that today. Can you go get him during your lunch break?
You're like Oh no. So you jump in the car and you run and you pick up and you drop them home, you hustle back to work. And then you start working on those papers that now you're three hours behind dealing with. Then you realize Subhan Allah Laura's going out. I Subhan Allah. So you go into the conference room and you pray, Lord, right before answer comes in.
The day continues to unravel. Then it's six o'clock, and it's all over and you get home and the rush hour was especially hard and you eat that date
forehead tone and the fifth three, he will Farhatullah Hatton and the loci rugby and then after a life of struggle, Sheikh Hamza mashallah the anma Free Clinic
dinner a couple of weeks ago or last weekend, in fact, some of you might have been there, or they were honoring one of the people from the community who are worked hard with the clinic and in the community. And Sheikh Hamza, this is related secondhand and the narration might be a little different. If you actually there, then you're rewire is stronger, your narration stronger. So I'm relating on met hold on someone I even forgot who they are and unknown narrator but they say this Sheikh Hamza said that when they were mentioning the person that you can tell what sort of life or persons live by their face.
So he was just saying that this person had lived a good life and service to others good life as a person of faith. I don't think the person was a Muslim
But a person who had faith and whatever their religion was and struggle to serve others. And if we live a good life, in this world, a life of struggle, not just in dealing with our problems, but struggling to help others deal with their problems better, and a life of faith, a life that's characterized by deep faith. Imagine the joy when we meet Allah subhanho wa Taala
that, you know, to the best of my ability, I lived a good life. I fought the good fight. I gave it all I had Ya Allah, that's all I could do. And then we meet a lot Tyler super. Imagine the door joy were Farhat on nw ca a rugby. And Allah Tala rewards us and recompenses us for our fast and for a life well lived. Not a perfect life none of us will live a perfect life. But a life where we strived and struggled to the best of our ability to live like the one who was closest to embodying human perfection. Our Prophet Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. And imagine imagine the gloom of a person who's in the opposite state. When they meet Allah subhanho wa Taala just sinned and rebelled
and and they met they went for great surprise when they met Allah subhanaw taala. So we this is what it's all about. Ramadan is really a is symbolic of our lives. It's a parable. It's a metaphor for life. Ramadan is a metaphor for life. Get up early
struggle to maintain and keep one's actions and speech within the limits established by Allah
says this what Ramadan is don't eat, don't drink.
Give up even those things that are lawful. If so doing is pleasing to God. Because what do we give up in Ramadan? We don't give up the Haram during the month of Ramadan. Don't eat pork and don't drink alcohol during the day.
No, don't drink water. Don't drink juice. Don't drink Kool Aid.
Kool Aid.
Most of us we grew up on kool aid we turned out all right, healthy, you know, like don't drink Kool Aid, you have to drink organic
beet juice.
I mean, hey, I'm telling I grew up on Kool Aid. I had six brothers and sisters, my mother was raising us alone and she couldn't afford to shop at Whole Foods. Matter of fact, they didn't even have whole foods. So she bought Kool Aid.
So just relax. If you can't always make it to Whole Foods, you know, go get the generic brand inshallah one or two times you'll be alright.
But the point is Subhan Allah so that's what we're asked to give up the lawful for the sake of Allah. So and that's if we can do that for one month, then avoiding the unlawful for 11 months is easy. If we can give up one they aren't the lawful for Allah Tala for one month, giving up the unlawful for the sake of Allah for 11 months is easy, is conditioning. So Ramadan is a metaphor for life, we struggle. And we try to keep our law, our actions and speech within the lawful limit set by Allah, we do our best. And we take time to enjoy the good things and the delights that Allah gives us. No matter how hard our life is, there are those great moments. We have the picnic once in a
while. We get together and take the family out. We have the light moments, we're friends, and we enjoy and we cherish those moments. And those are the things that are during this life. And then we get back to the struggle. Because the picnic doesn't last forever. The hike doesn't last forever. The meeting with the friends doesn't last forever. Those are moments of of enjoyment. We get back to the struggle. And then we have the next Iftar the next moment of relief and delight and get back to the struggle that's a metaphor for life and then we die then are you do fitter comes and it's all over. And then our death comes and it's all over. And we have joy. If we live good. We have joy when
we meet our
Love, we meet our love, our love and our Lord and our Lord should be our greatest love while your car were far hatoon and their car, Robbie, so this is the message of Ramadan and this message brings alive a critical message of the Quran the Quran is struggle, but it's not our critical lesson of life that the Quran reinforces to us that life is struggle but it's not unmitigated struggle is not struggle with no relief is not struggle with no moments and no times of relief and ease fit in the mile. Three, use rough and nah man also we use rock. So
we should understand our life is a struggle. And there are going to be challenges and they're going to be hardship. And Allah Tala prepares us for that in the Quran. So for example, Allah in the Quran, he says, and we've mentioned this before, but just this in as a as an example of Quranic guidance and how it arms us and equips us to deal with what we're confronted with in this life. It says led to blur, one Fe M, where we come full circle that you're going to be tested, and your wealth through losing your wealth through.
So sacrificing your wealth for others, these are tests when fusi come and your life with disease, illness, hardship, and possibly even loss of life. That's part of the test that this life involves. And he says while a testament on Amina leadin Auteuil Kitab publikum Wamena leadin ash, Roku, Evan Kathy Yara, and you're going to hear surely you're going to hear well that has the mountain Amina leadin, Auteuil, Kitab publikum. From those some of those given the scriptures before you the Jews and Christians were mean Alladhina, Ashok, who and the idolaters, much abuse and then kathira. So just this alone, if we understand this, we can put everything happening around us in perspective.
So we hear all of this vilification of Islam, we fear all of this attacking the Muslims, as is something that we should be surprised by. Some people are surprised because they're away from the Quran.
How could this happen? This is supposed to be America.
While I test my own Mina lady, you know, all Tolki Taberna, publikum, Wamena, leadin, Ushio, Roku and then Kathy era, and you're going to hear from those given the Scripture before you some of the Jews and some of the Christians, not all of them, and some of the idolaters and then kiss era, much abuse, not a little abuse, much abuse.
Were in toss bureau. So Allah Tala describes the situation in real terms, you can't get more real than that you're going to be tried and tested and your wealth and your lives. And you're going to hear from those given the Scripture before you and from the idolaters much abuse, Allah describes the reality and then Allah prescribes a course of action.
So the prescription, when toss be what Taku if you patiently persevere through those hardships, and through that difficulty, and through and deal with those abuses with dignity, and don't let it crush you, don't let it dishearten you what that Oh, and don't allow it to turn you away from the commandments of Allah.
Keep implementing the commandments and keep avoiding the prohibitions, keep doing the things that are required of you as a Muslim, in the early chemin, asmall or more. Surely, this course of action is one that you should have Azima and you should be convicted to follow. It's an embodiment of conviction. And by doing it, it strengthens your conviction in that he came in as the middle or more, and it's the way of the Prophet so one thing that we got when we're close to the Alehissalaam is the web, the prophets. One fruit that we get when we're close to the Quran, is that
parts of it be
began to reinforce other parts. So this verse illustrates that the NLT, Kim and asmall or more.
This is from conviction in your affair, to patiently persevere through those abuses, to remain faithful and faithful and implementing the commandments and prohibitions of God. This is a manifestation of conviction and this is something of course of action that will strengthen your conviction. And it's the way of the prophets Allah Tala. It says false beer to the Prophet Muhammad. False beer. Yeah, Mohammed FASB or camera Saba roll as Neiman or Russell patiently persevere with conviction, as those profits given to conviction and firm resolve before you patiently persevered. fosse beer kms sabara Hulu, Azimi mirror Busan and then he says well test Tangela home and don't be
hasty and dismissing your people
and because why that's not a manifestation of patience these people will never respect Muslims these people will never be guided well I tested you love Why are do you control the affairs of the universe and based on your meager power you're making that conclusion? Or does Allah Tala control the affair of the universe?
And is or is not everything easy for Allah subhana wa.
Allah Tala is in control. And for Allah wanted to guide all of humanity to Islam, he bought each se B and it will be in no matter who either our ra the CHE and your coolala Who can
his command when he wants something is about say B and it is
that simple.
It's that simple. B and it is how law says through the prophet Sallallahu wasallam when he was confronted with the abuse of his people, this is right in the aftermath of Ohio when his people are are defiling the religion when his people are rejecting the religion when his people are physically fighting against him. And they've inflicted this terrible setback that afflicted them at Oh, they've afflicted them with the setback.
What does Allah Allah say? The prophets Allah salami says how can I call these people to the religion so he's not complaining to Allah but he's rationalizing his situation. When they're they are abusing his Prophet.
Allah Tala reveals lays like Amina al Emery che you have absolutely nothing to do with the outcome of this affair. In other words, don't you worry about it you're not responsible for guiding them you're responsible for delivering the message. If you did that you've done your job. That's the end of your job. The outcome who how that message affects people that's with us a lot and the prophets Allah Selim
this message was reinforced for it because subsequently says in Hadith menu redeliver who behave higher on your fat who fit Dean, the one Allah wants good for he gives him or her a sound understanding of the religion. When Anna Anna Kasim wala who has the word gel Yapi am one who merely dispenses the seeds and no mana cost them i proportion out the revelation, I articulate the revelation. I dispense the seeds will law as well. You are key, and it is a law who gives understanding. So law causes some of those seeds to fall on rock, the heart of that'd be Jen, Abby lab, and Wiley Ben Elmo here. It doesn't take root. Allah causes some of those seeds that the
Prophet dispenses to fall on fertile ground. And it takes root and the hearts of the ALI are men Abu Bakr, Omar. And brothers and sisters right here. Believers it takes root in the believers heart and it brings forth a goodly tree. So but at that time he's saying how can this happen? When they're abusing and vilifying warring against the Messenger of Allah and against the believers? sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, Allah Tala reveals laser like a mineral and Rishi. You have nothing to do with the outcome of this affair. Oh, you are the bomb. I might
turn to them. I might torment punish them. I was able
to valley Oh, he might torment them. Are you as a bomb? Oh, you're too
While he found no volume, because in any case there are wrongdoers, they fought you, they've warned against the religion that was endorsed by the law saying you have nothing to do with the outcome. So, again, this is something we get from the Quran, peace of mind. And understanding. This is a laws affair. That's something that the Quran impresses on us. This is a law's affair. And he controls the outcome of his affair. And in the greater scheme is a cosmic play. We're just actors in that play.
But the script has been written by the script writer, and we just play our parts and we don't write the script. We should understand that. So the Koran emphasizes this though Qur'an Quran as we said, prescribes the problem.
And the Quran gives insight into the problem. So the oppression of the believers that we see the in these days and times
when one understands the Quran as we said was not surprised by that. So Allah Tala before that verse we mentioned that tubular woonona Fiemme Fujichrome fiamme welcome and fusi come, you're going to be tried in your wealth in your persons. A lot of time it says is also all of this is an early Enron's incredible Surah Al Imran, so he says
de la
la de Nacala la NAS in Anessa pajama, Rula comfort Xiao Han says there the hum Imana will call who has husband Allah who will Nirmal Joaquin, those people who said the people the host are gathering against you so fear them.
It only increased their faith.
And they said, Allah suffices us What an excellent protector
so are they say that they're gathering against you? The Neo cons, the Zionist the conservatives, the evangelicals.
They're gathering against you. So fear them.
It only increase their faith.
And they said, Allah suffices us What an excellent protector.
So Allah is our protector, has been Allah who were Nirmal Joaquin
has been Allahu enamelware. Allah suffices us what an extra protector? Because the people that people are encouraging us to fear those people themselves need to fear God.
Because our God, is there a god, there's only one God.
There's only one God
and His wrath, we should all seek to avoid and his pleasure we should all seek to inquire
whether we're Muslims or other folk,
is that simple.
And so we should understand, though, that God is in control. Allah subhanho wa Taala is in control of the affairs of his universe. So we should not fall victim to the politics of fear. And this set of verses you need to write into analyzing the politics of fear. So this is the Quran this is guidance for Quran from from Allah in the Quran that's relevant to our lives and time. So then he says phone caller boo. So for putting their trust in Allah and not fear in fact showhome not fearing the people and trusting in Allah and seeking the protection of Allah Fang color boo banana to min Allah who are fugly lemon, lemon, yum SESANG soup. So they went away from color boo, ba Nana to mint
Allah with the blessing of Allah and His bounties were first let lamium says whom so no harm or wickedness from the direction of their enemies afflicted them. And the whole story this is the whole story. After Oh hood.
The companions in the prophets, Allah Salam, they went into Medina
and they stayed a day. And then after a day the prophets Allah wa sallam vetoed the only that because they were being ridiculed by the hypocrites and their allies, the allies of the hypocrites. See, look at the mess you're in. Now. We told you
not to follow this man. Now you've been killed and wounded because at
you've been killed and you've been wounded. And look what's happened.
Look at the mess you're in now. At at Oh hood. Most of those who were killed the small number of Muslims that were killed that oh hood. They were from the ranks of mahadji Anine. I find that better. The small number of those killed and wounded were from overwhelmingly from the ranks of Maha Jeanine at Oh hood, most the large number of Muslims that were killed or wounded, they were from the ranks of the InSAR. So when they went back to the to Medina, the people that hypocrites in Medina and the allies of the hibiscus Ah, see, we told you know what happened. Look at this death that this man has brought you look at the destruction we told you not to follow. So the prophets Allah Allah
Allah Salam, so the Muslims, they're already dejected from the battle, which was doubly depressing. Why?
If it was a defeat from the beginning, they went out to Oh, hood, the Quraysh descending on them and routed them. That would have been bad enough. Why was it doubly depressing?
Because they were winning, it was defeat that was snatched from the jaws of victory. To invert the popular phrase, they were winning and the archers left, their position is all over. Let's get our share of the booty some of the archers not all of them. And not their Emir. They stayed but most of them was his all over look, the Quraysh they're routed, they're fleeing, they're in disarray. They're dropping, let's go get our share of the booty.
And here comes a harlot around the flank, with his troop. And then the Muslims are put to route. So it's doubly depressing because of that. Then they go on to Medina. Now it's triply depressing because they have to listen to all this abuse. So the Prophet sallallahu Sallam he said, everyone who participated in the battle, tomorrow, we're mobilizing, and we're going after the Quraysh. Now, some of them couldn't even walk, they had to crawl to their mouths, to get on their mouths to mobilize to go out. Some of them were almost crawling, they didn't have mouths. And they went out after the coloration when the Quraysh heard that the Muslims were pursuing them. They didn't in turn
to go back they know look, hey, we caught a break. The Archers left their post. I'm not going back and going after those Muslims. So they went back to Medina to Mecca. The Muslims went to a place called hombre Al Asad, about 12 miles outside of Medina, they pitch camp there. They stay there for five days. And they were with the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, they knew the Quraysh had run away from them and didn't want to engage them again. So the actual defeat their self out the psychological weight of that defeat was lifted from them. They sat around the campfire, they recited poetry, they hung out with the prophets of the Salem for five days. They didn't have to hear all
that noise in Medina found kala boo been there I met him in Allah who have fought let so when they broke camp and went back to Medina, they went back with the blessings of Allah and His bounty. lamium sesamum Su, Allah warded off any harm from their enemy, any further physical harm and any psychological harm.
Will Allah who will fattening all them and Allah is the Possessor of great expensive bounty. So laws bounty is in limited to what we can get from this world. Allah's volunteers in confined to what's possessed in this world. Allah is bounty isn't controlled by those who opposes messenger and will oppose the people of this land. Allah's Bounty is confined to himself. And Allah's Bounty is expansive, and it has no human ways to comprehend its expansiveness. And when Allah gives from that bounty, that is the bounty that enriches so this is what the Quran is, is impressing upon us. And then
Allah lets us know the basis of the politics of fear the next verse, so you have these people they're trying to instill fear into you. And Lady Nacala Whoa, nurse in a nurse aka Gemma, ruler comfort showhome fear them
says Adam Inanna rock Carlu husband Allahu nierman were killed. Then so they trusted and Allah husband Allah and they sought the protection of Allah wa Nia and they'll work in some color boubyan ama 10 min Allah who are Fidel alumnium sesamum Su. So they they, they went back with no harm.
Then Allah says Allah will follow the law them and Allah has most expensive bounties
in Ghana. So where does all this come from?
Where does all this fear mongering come from?
in Hemet Valley comerciais pawn, your call we for only Filatov Falletta car for work or phony in Kuhn meaning, rather that is Satan. He seeks to instill the fear of his dupes into you. The fear of is forces his lackeys into you. Don't fear them fear me if indeed you are believers, from shaitan
is from Satan is satanic politics is satanic. So Allah Allah says in the Quran, and che Tano
your Docomo *er, Satan threatens you with poverty tries to instill the fear of poverty into in no more than commercial shape on your COVID for all Yeah, it is Satan that seeks to and steer the fear of his dupes into you. So that it is Satan that is at the source.
It is Satan that that the source
so some people they think when someone goes before the UN and says Satan was here in the face of all the politics of fear, he's a lunatic.
There's a deeper understanding there that has a basis in truth so it's not known as C
and nama daddy como shaytaan. Rather that is Satan. Your whole we fauna your whole we for Alia. He seeks to instill the fear vis dupes until you fill out the half form. Don't fear them what call phony fear the fear me in quantum meaning if indeed you are believers, so we're not saying that physically. Satan was in the UN. But
if you look at what's going on, see Satan's basic nature is that he's invisible. Can aminal Jin Jin Jana to to be hidden for Jana lane.
So the night highs things. So there are deeper meanings to everything. So maybe when Hugo Chavez was hanging out with those Muslims, he kicked up a little tafsir you know?
Well, the whole island would move Stan pipe. So we're gonna stop here. This is all by way of introduction next the next week. So we want to look at themes in the Quran and how we can bring those alive in our lives. The theme we're going to deal with next week is patience. The theme of patience a sub
Bismillahi tal will hamdu Lillahi Rabbil Alameen wa sallahu wa ala Sayidina Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi wa salam Tasneem and Kathira Allahumma alumna Malian founder one five finer Bhima limped Anna was in her element while Amylin was Tocopilla hardly sandwich he can carry him Subhanallah beggar Abdullah is at your seafood was salam and island more saline. What Hamdu lillahi rabbil aalameen