Indeed You Shall Be Asked

Indeed You Shall Be Asked

Khutbah by Mufti Ismail Menk

Opening

We praise Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. We send blessings and salutations upon Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, his entire household, all his companions. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless them all, and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless every single one of us.

Introduction

My brothers and sisters, this is the first of the programs in this straight path convention series, and I hope and I pray that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us goodness, and may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala open our doors. Obviously it's the first of my lectures in the series, otherwise it has already commenced with the others. I had a beautiful journey coming in to this beautiful country, and I'm meeting here this morning with beautiful people from a beautiful company, and at the same time we ask Allah to grant us beauty in this world and the next.

The true beauty is the beauty of the heart, remember this. And the beauty of the heart is only achievable if we have a link with the owner of the heart, and the one who gave us the heart in the first place. So we ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to grant us goodness.

The Main Topic: Indeed You Shall Be Asked

Reference: Quran 102:8 (Surah At-Takathur)

The last verse of At-Takathur, I'm sure we would all know this off by heart or the bulk of us would know it, we read it in salah, where Allah is telling us that indeed, definitely, we will definitely ask you about the favors, the favors upon you, Allah has favored us.

So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has blessed us with so many things, He's given us a lot. What are the most important things He's given us, and what are some of the other things He's given us, and what type of questions is He going to ask, and what's the benefit of being thankful to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for what He's blessed us.

So that's what I want to talk on, because I need to know if I'm going to be questioned by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala about what He's given me, I want to know what the questions are going to be, I want to know what is it that He's actually given me, I want to know how I can answer those questions, and I'd like to know how Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will actually reward me in this world and the next, if I am really grateful for what He has bestowed upon me.

The Importance of Being Answerable to Allah

This is a gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. I am standing here at this beautiful telecom company, and I'm sure you would all know that what is required of us is to be hardworking, to be upright, to be honest, to be people of iman, to be people who understand that they are answerable to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Your immediate boss, the person who might be above you, in terms of your work, might not be watching you, but Allah is watching. Your immediate boss might not have required you to do certain things, but Allah might require you to have done certain things. So it is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala whom we really really need to be concerned about in terms of our link with, because he or she who does not have a link with Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is at loss.

What Are the Gifts of Allah?

So what are some of the gifts of Allah? You know, al-na'im speaks of ni'mah. The word ni'mah, I'm sure you would understand it even in your own local language. It refers to the gift of Allah, the bounties of Allah, the boons of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, what he has given you.

The Greatest Gift: The Straight Path

This is what it refers to. So what is the biggest gift, the biggest gift that Allah has blessed us with? Let's go to surah al-fatiha, right at the beginning. And we know this is a straight path convention series.

And we would find Allah says in surah al-fatiha:

Guide us to the straight path. That is a dua that we make so many times a day. Guide us to the straight path.

That is the path that Allah describes in the very next verse. What is the straight path?

Reference: Quran 1:7 (Surah Al-Fatiha)

It is the path of those whom you have favored. The word used is an'amah, an'amah is from ni'mah.

So it is the path of those whom you favored to walk on that path. Who are the ones who are favored to walk on the path? So it would mean the favors of Allah start with the ability to tread the path, the straight path. That's the favors of Allah.

It's the beginning of the favors of Allah. You are a mu'min, you are a believer, you believe in Allah. The fact that you recognize your maker is the biggest favor of Allah.

Allah's Questions About Recognition

It's the ni'mah. Allah is going to ask you about your link with Him. I sent you to earth, I gave you a brain, I gave you the ability, I sent you messengers, I sent you messengers.

Did you ever recognize Me? I made you. You knew you were coming back to Me because everyone else has come back to Me. What did you do about it?

You knew that you are becoming older and older and one day you have to leave this world and everybody else will take over.

Why didn't you develop a link with Me? You knew I was your maker, why didn't you put your head on the ground and say, oh my maker, you are the highest and the greatest. Subhana rabbiyal a'la. Why didn't you do that? It's a gift of Allah.

The Countless Gifts of Allah

Allah is going to question you about everything He's blessed you with. When we talk of ni'mah, some people think it only means money, wealth, your car, your house. That's not the only ni'mah of Allah.

That's part of it, yes. We are living, we are surviving, we are breathing, mashallah, we are clothed. We have eyes, noses, mouths, mashallah.

We have so much within us that we will never ever be able to, we will never be able to circumscribe, we won't be able to jot down all the gifts of Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala. In surah Ibrahim, Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala makes mention of this very powerfully and loudly where Allah says:

If you are going to try and count the gifts of Allah, you'll never be able to do that. He's blessed you with more than you can actually count.

He says, man is indeed oppressive and at the same time ungrateful. Man is ungrateful. Generally man shows a lot of ingratitude towards the one who has favored him.

Look at how many people don't have a link with their maker knowing that Allah made you. Allah made you, where are you going?

O man, what has deceived you against your own lord who has created you. He gave you your posture, your shape.

Who Are Those Whom Allah Has Favored?

He has formed you, he's given you the form. How can you go away from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? So the path that Allah is speaking of in Surah Al-Fatiha is actually the gift, the biggest gift that Allah has bestowed upon those who believe. So Allah says, the path of those whom you have favored.

Who are they? Who are the ones whom Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has favored? If you look at Surah An-Nisa verse number 69, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala explains it again:

Whoever follows Allah and His Messenger, whoever follows, ita'a means to follow Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, he will be with those, with those meaning obviously resurrected with those whom Allah has favored, whom Allah blessed with His favor. What is the favor? It is to be able to follow Allah and His Messenger.

That's the favor. So Allah says, if you follow Allah and His Messenger, you now join the ranks of those whom Allah has favored. Who are they? النبيين, the messengers.

When Allah chooses someone to be a prophet, that's the biggest favor. When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala chooses someone to be able to convey a message, that's a very big favor of Allah. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has selected the prophets, the top of all of them is Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.

Allah has chosen him. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala clearly says, such a person will join the ranks of the prophets and those who are truthful, which means truthfulness is also a gift of Allah. You will be asked about it.

You will be asked about the way you used your tongue. You will be asked about how you spoke. Were you truthful or did you utter falsehood? Were you honest and upright or were you not? Those are the favors of Allah.

The Nature of True Piety

He's going to ask you about it. What did you do? How did you speak? How did you interact? Were you honest? Were you truthful? So this is why Allah says, when you follow Allah and His Messenger, you will be with the messengers and you will be with the truthful and you will be with those who sacrificed their lives for the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Those who are pious, those who are good.

We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to grant us piety and goodness. And just to pause for a moment, piety does not mean that you have to stand in salah 24-7, or you have to be fasting every day all your life, or you have to be a hermit somewhere tucked away. No.

Piety refers to leading your life in such a beautiful way that you do not go against the commands of Allah. And at the same time you fulfill His instructions. That's piety.

So you could be a very pious person, but you could be working hard every day, morning, afternoon, evening. You haven't missed your salah, you have a portion of the Quran you read every day, you are honest, you try to expand your knowledge of Islam, you worship Allah alone, and you understand and relate with the issues of this world, and at the same time try and make the most of your situation. Allah has put you in a situation, you cannot deny that.

Health as a Gift from Allah

Each one of us is different. You have a family matter, you have financial matters, you have so many other issues that affect you. Some people don't need to work, some people need to work.

Some people need to work very hard. Some people can work because they've got a degree, and some people still need to get their degree. And some people, subhanallah, have been tested with health matters, and some people, subhanallah, have not been tested with health matters.

So those who have sound health, Allah will ask them, we gave you health, how did you use it? Wallahi, it's a question. When you were healthy, did you read your salah? When you were healthy, did you fulfill Allah's instruction?

You know on the day of judgment, we will be asked by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to prostrate to Him. And the Quran says, that on that day, there will be a day when Allah will instruct the people to prostrate to Him.

Reference: Quran 68:42-43 (Surah Al-Qalam)

Allah says on that day, He says, they won't be able to prostrate. Who are those? Those who used to be called to prostrate in the world and they refused.

So Allah is going to ask you, I gave you health, why didn't you prostrate? You know, subhanallah, we have such a blessed gift of Allah. Such a blessed gift known as sickness. Did you ever know that sickness is a gift? It's one of the few things that instantly draws you close to Allah.

Sickness as a Test and Blessing

Instantly. You have no option, especially when medicine has given up. Then you realize, I need to develop a link with my Maker.

That's a gift of Allah. If that is what caused you to earn jannah, trust me, it was the best thing that could have happened to you. May Allah grant us cure.

Some people never read salah, never ever. The day they cannot move anymore, they want to read salah while sitting. Alhamdulillah, beautiful.

At least now you're reading salah even though you're now sitting. Subhanallah. Even though you're now sitting, but at least you're reading salah.

It's a gift of Allah. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala watches you. He sees you're ill, He sees you're sick.

That's a gift of Allah. He knows. He made you that way because He loves you.

Subhanallah. He made you that way because He loves you. And this is why the hadith says:

"When Allah loves a worshiper, He tests him."

He gives him more tests. So Allah tests you. Allah will test you.

Dealing with Difficulties and Trials

Then you start crying to Allah helplessly. And then you turn to Allah. And obviously there are two things that can happen.

When you're sick and ill, shaitan can get hold of you. Or spirituality can get hold of you. Religiousness can get hold of you.

So you need to be careful. It's like threading a tight rope. You know you'll have someone who looks like a religious person and he tells you, Hey, I can cure you.

So you say, okay, cure is in the hands of Allah. That's obviously the... But let's see what you have to say. So if they're giving you, for example, some herbal medication, or they're giving you zamzam, or they're giving you honey, and for example, the black seed, and these things that are beneficial, various other items, or they give you a diet to tell you, you know what, try and abstain from this type of food and try and eat this type.

It's high in mineral and vitamin and so on. Alhamdulillah, we understand it. But the minute they tell you, listen, stand on your left foot for three minutes and start looking up in the sky and hold five leaves on the right hand, and then you tell someone to put a piece of lemon into your mouth, and do that five times a day.

You need to know that is shaitan. Complete shaitan. Allah is going to ask you.

Gratitude When Things Are Going Well

That is the devil, wallahi. You need to know this. Where did they come from? This is nothing that makes sense.

It's not medication. It's not herbal medication. This is superstition.

This is the devil. No matter what the person who gave you this looks like, it's wrong. You need to have common logical sense that this is unacceptable.

This is Allah. He's going to ask you about this gift. So, at the same time, like I said, your heart becomes softened, and you turn to Allah, so now we cry, so our salah we don't miss.

Isn't it? Because why? We have a problem. And then what happens when you have a major issue? Subhanallah, you get up a little bit earlier than Salatul Fajr for another salah known as tahajjud. Isn't it? We are up very early and you say, sister, or if your husband says, hey wifey, why are you up so early? You know I have a problem.

Subhanallah. So that's why I'm up. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us ease.

I'm up very early, and we cry to Allah. This is why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala makes it very very beautifully clear where He says, in surah Fussilat, verse number 51:

"When we have blessed man with all the gifts, he turns away, he forgets us. You have nothing missing in your life.

Your health is okay, your wealth is okay, your children are okay, your work is okay, your salary is okay, your situation is okay, everything is beautiful, you're enjoying eating out every other day, you have a holiday, you know, everywhere you want to go, you've gone and so on and you still keep on going and everything is growing, and what's the point of knowing Allah? A lot of people would say, what's the point of knowing Allah? That is the time you're supposed to get closer to Allah. The winner is the one who has the dunya and the akhirah.

The Balance Between This World and the Next

Allah says, in Surah Al-Baqarah:

"Allah explains to us this dua, O Allah, grant us that which is goodness in this world, and goodness in the next, and safeguard us from the punishment of the fire.

So that is the beauty, you want goodness here and there. That is obviously, not everyone will get this, but that is the ultimate gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. But if you have, subhanallah, an issue, and that is quite normal to have issues, problems, difficulties, learn to turn to Allah and Allah alone.

It is when things go wrong that people begin to make supplications, long dua, prolonged, subhanallah. If you see a man walking in the masjid, and he sits in the masjid, subhanallah, and he asks Allah. And you find him after salah, he is sitting there after salatul asr, and he is raising his hands, or he is crying to Allah.

And you find when you go for salatul maghrib, he is sitting in the same place. He is sitting in the same place. He is sitting in the same place, and asking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

What do you think? You think this man has got a big problem. He is sitting in exactly the same spot, and he is asking Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So that is the description in surah Fussilat, the verse that I read, where Allah says, when we have bestowed upon man, when we have given him, he turns away on his side.

And when evil befalls him, he makes prolonged prayer. Now you tell me, spiritually which is a better condition? Is it better to turn away, or is it better to be engaged in prolonged prayer? So what is the gift of Allah here? For us. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless us.

Youth, Time, and Energy as Gifts

You know, I always used to think when I was young, that why is it that only old people become sick and invalid. You know, when you're old you become a little bit, you know, you find it a little bit more difficult to walk. May Allah grant shifa and cure to all those who are sick and ill.

Ameen. And then sometimes you cannot walk, and then you have to sit down, and then you become old, and then we die, we pass away. Okay.

Why is it that Allah has kept it such that the older people, why isn't in the middle of your life, He would have just kept a few years, that okay now you're sick and ill, and then you're healthy once again. It is Allah's gift that when you get old, you start suffering pain, so that you start turning to Allah, so that you prepare for the day you will meet with Him. Subhanallah.

It's amazing. Now you're old, so now you know that I'm going. You know it, it's a fact.

Why? Because you're old, things change, everything happens, and everything starts moving in a direction that keeps on reminding you, I'm no longer the little teenager I used to be. Subhanallah. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us the ability to thank Him for His gifts.

He's going to ask us definitely. You know when you're young, one of the gifts you have is energy. Another gift you have is time.

As you grow older, sometimes you might also have time again. But these are things Allah's going to ask you, I gave you time, how did you use this time? I gave you energy, what did you use your energies in?

The Five Things to Seize Before They're Gone

And this is why the hadith speaks of seizing opportunities before they're lost. Allah's going to ask you, what are the five things? Subhanallah.

Seize five opportunities before they're gone. They are overtaken by another five opportunities or another five situations. What are these initial five?

You have your health, you have your wealth, you have your young age, you have your life, subhanallah. And you have your youth. In fact, we spoke about young age. Your health, your wealth, your life, subhanallah.

These are some of the things that Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has blessed you with. You ask Allah to grant you the ability to use it before He takes it away, in a way that when He asks us, we have an answer, we have an answer. When Allah says, what did you do with your wealth? Where did you earn it? And how did you spend it? That's a question that's going to be asked in your grave.

Where did you earn your wealth? Halal or haram? How did you spend it? Halal or haram? This means that when you earn, you should be conscious of Allah. And when you spend, be careful. Number one, you're not allowed to spend on haram.

Being Conscious of Our Spending

So alcohol and whatever else that is haram, the list is endless. You don't spend on it. And number two is, don't be extravagant.

A lot of us have developed a new disease, and I want to speak about it because sometimes we're all affected by it, myself included. What is it? Falling prey to the adverts that you see. Advertisement.

So now the mall, there is this thing here, I don't need it, I'm not going to use it, but I want it. Why? Because it's the latest thing. I was reading about the Samsung S6, and to be honest, it has... I think you guys were waiting for this.

It doesn't have a removable battery anymore, I don't want it, I'll remain with my five. Subhanallah. It doesn't have an SD card, it's got internal memory.

I don't want it. But it's the latest, maybe I do. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala forgive us.

The point is, because it's something new, we tend to just want it. Stay with your old and faithful, mashallah. Allah is going to ask you, this wealth, you could have used it better.

And this is why when you spend your wealth in a good cause, when you give for charity, that is what will build your heaven. When you've used it, it builds your akhira. When you haven't used it, guess what? It belongs to someone else.

As soon as you die, they start fighting for it. As soon as you die. This is mine, this is mine.

Oh, my father left this for me. Hang on, your father worked so hard, he didn't use it. It's now on your name.

Whatever he used on his name. This is the gift of Allah. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala reminds us of this.

Children as a Gift from Allah

Getting back to what I actually started with, this path that we're supposed to be walking on is such a beautiful path. It's the gift of Allah. It is the gift.

Allah is going to ask you, your opportunities that you had to listen to a good talk that motivated you to learn more, and to practice, and to become a person who beams goodness. You're a mother in the home, a father in the home. May Allah bless those who don't have children with children.

But what role did you play? It's a ni'mah of Allah. Children are a great gift of Allah. Allah says, I'm going to ask you on that day.

On that day, I'm going to ask you regarding everything I gave you. I'm going to ask you. So Allah says, I blessed you with children.

How did you look after them? Did you teach them? What did you do to them? I blessed you with a family. How did you look after it? I blessed you with responsibility. What did you do? Did you fulfill it? I gave you the gifts.

So it's a path that we walk upon that our children will also walk upon when they see us walking upon it. We will not be able to fulfill the duty unto Allah regarding our children if we don't lead our lives in a way we want our children to lead. They will follow us.

The Importance of Remembering Allah's Gifts

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala strengthen us. And this is why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the Qur'an so many times He keeps reminding us. Because reminders would actually benefit us.

When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala speaks of salah, salah is the prayer. He could have said it once, it's enough in the Qur'an. So people say salah, say yes, it's in the Qur'an.

But He said it so many times because He says it reminds you. It's important.

And fulfill your salah, give your zakah.

That's Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. He says it so many times. So similarly, He says Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says beautifully in surah al-ma'idah, verse number 11, surah al-ahzab, verse number 9, surah al-fatir.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala makes mention of it. Allah says:

O you who believe, remember the gift of Allah upon you. Subhanallah.

Remember the gift of Allah. Do not become oblivious of the gift of Allah upon you. And these verses, some of them draw our attention to the gifts that were given to those before us.

Some of them draw the attention to the gifts given to us. Like Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, for example, regarding the story of Musa alayhi salaam:

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, O Musa, remember when Musa alayhi salaam told his people, O my people, remember the gift of Allah upon you. He made you kings.

He made you rulers. He kept prophethood. He kept prophethood.

He gave you prophethood. Subhanallah. Which means, he kept prophethood in you.

So many of the prophets of Banu Israel. So Musa alayhi salaam is reminding them. In Surah Ibrahim, similar verse where Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, Musa alayhi salaam reminded his people, O my people, remember the gift of Allah upon you.

Examples of Allah's Protection

So the same applies to us, O you who believe, remember the gift of Allah upon you. In Surah Al-Ahzab, Allah speaks about how Allah protected the mu'mineen on the day of Ahzab. The battle of the trench that took place was so severe.

In our lives, we have a lot of insecurities, don't we? Who's going to protect us? Allah. Sometimes Allah has saved us. Major car accident.

The car is a right off. But we are fine. Allah says, that was our gift.

We're going to ask you about it. Allah blessed you with a vehicle. To start with, you have a car, mashallah.

You actually have a car, subhanallah. That is a gift of Allah. There are others who don't.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala bless us. And if you do not have a vehicle, you have the ability to catch the public transport. Others don't.

They walk. If you can walk, at least you can walk. Others don't.

They have to be pushed, subhanallah. Look at the gifts of Allah. We take them for granted.

But when they go away, we're quick to ask Allah. Prolong dua. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, O Allah, O Allah, give me.

O Allah, grant me. Allah says, when I gave you, you were ungrateful. When I gave you, you were ungrateful.

And now, you want to ask us for more? Subhanallah. And this is why, even in surah Ibrahim, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has made it very clear that if you are thankful, He will grant you more.

He will give you more, an increase. And if you are ungrateful, He says, Indeed, My punishment is severe. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala not punish us.

Using Our Gifts Properly

May He make us from those who understand. You know, when you have eyes, don't use those eyes to look at that which is haram. You know, we have the menace of pornography across the world.

It is so easily accessible. Be careful, use your eyes correctly. These eyes are a gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

I was thinking to myself, in our mobile phones, a lot of us have bundles of data. Do you agree? Data bundle. You know about it, hot link and cold link sometimes it becomes.

But may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it easy for us. We have data bundles, and we all know about it. I mean, we are a telecom here.

And I tell you something, the charges are phenomenal. Do you agree? Very expensive, mashallah. Very expensive.

But we make sure that we will buy, we make sure we will put, we make sure we will convert into a bundle, we make sure we will use, and we make sure we will monitor. Agreed? So when you want to watch something interesting, you pay quite a bit. Say for example, you have a whole lecture of... I'm saying lecture, I'm not saying movie, because we don't want you to sit and watch movies.

The Gift of Our Senses

So you have a whole lecture of one and a half hours, you're going to watch that on your phone. How much of gigabytes would that take? If an hour is one gigabyte, you've actually taken up 1.5 gig, okay? One and a half gig. And you might want to look for the same thing, but with a lower quality, so that you don't need to waste so much of gig.

Why am I saying all this? Can I tell you why? The point I want to raise is powerful. Today you're looking at me. Highest possible definition.

What did Allah charge you? HDD. How many gigs are you actually using to look today? And to listen? Wallahi, I think it's one terabyte per second. If not more.

Do you agree? And is there any interruption of service? Does the hot link ever become cold? No? No interruption of service. Not at all. But Allah says, this gift, we did not charge you for it.

All we are saying is, listen, turn to us, worship us alone. Don't go to the shaitans. And at the same time, read your salah, dress appropriately.

That's all we want. Subhanallah. And you will build your akhirah.

Imagine, we are ready to pay for something mediocre. And when Allah says the gift. Now how I worded it today, I don't think many of you may have thought of it this way.

But the reality is, we have to keep on reminding each other, that's a gift of Allah. Such a big gift. You are hearing me.

How are you hearing me? It's a gift of Allah. Ask those who cannot hear. Ask those who cannot see.

When Allah has taken your eyes away, if you bear sabr, He will grant you paradise. As a result of the sabr that you were bearing because you had no eyes. May Allah grant all those who cannot see the vision.

Ameen. Something else. Your heart pumps.

That's a gift of Allah. Blood. How much blood does it pump? How many times does it beat? More than 136,000 times a day.

Is that correct? It just keeps on going. You don't even know it's going. That's a gift of Allah.

Reflecting on Life's Fragility

But I tell you, if you put your hand on your chest and you listen to it, and think to yourself, this thing is going to stop one day. Allahu Akbar. Just the thought of it makes me, yo, subhanallah.

And yet it's just there, it's just going. Ask those who have a problem with their pulse, and then you have a pacemaker, and then you are told, hey, you need to have a bypass. And may Allah make it easy for us.

Ask them. Ask them, they will tell you how stressful it is just to think about it. But with us, the bulk of us, we're sitting here, we've never even thought about it.

Allah says that's a gift. You have the opportunity to turn to Allah while your blood is pumping and your heart is pumping, and you are breathing. Take a look at the breath, the lungs.

Take a look at how they inflate and deflate without any effort from you. Do you agree? If people had to pay for health, wallahi they would give their entire fortune just to make sure their liver is in order, their lungs are in order. But subhanallah, we who have it, the bulk of us, without an effort, we become ungrateful to Allah.

Understanding the True Value of Allah's Gifts

Allah says, I'm going to ask you that I gave you your lungs, I gave you your heart, I gave you your mouth.

Imagine the taste buds. Taste buds.

How do they work? It's amazing. Your nose, how does it work? You smell and you breathe and at the same time subhanallah, you know, it's part of your beauty, the goodness. Allahu Akbar.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us ease. You know one day, I was speaking to some people about the gifts of Allah. And the brother was saying, I had a very big gift of Allah and I didn't appreciate it and Allah took it away from me.

And I was wondering, you know subhanallah, what is this gift of Allah? That he's talking about, let me hear about it, maybe perhaps we can share it with someone someday. And I was surprised, some people to them, certain things that are not really of great relevance are so important. You know what he was talking about? His hair.

He became bald. So he says, you know what, I had a gift of Allah, hair, and now I don't have it, bald. And I was shocked, he told me, I have spent $10,000 trying to get my hair back.

$10,000. So he says, I tried this medication and that medication, every time I see an advert and they show before and after, before and after. And I get excited, I look at it, I say, wow, it reminds me even health.

You know when they want to sell you the product, they show you a big woman, and they just write after, and in the program on the computer you get a little program that can show you, can shrink you a bit, and they show you after. This is why they say the best way, the best way to becoming proper shape is to use Photoshop. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala protect us.

The Perspective on Allah's Gifts

May Allah grant us ease. Obviously that's on a lighter note. So this brother says, before and after, wherever I see this, I used to go crazy, and I used to say, look, I need my hair back.

So I told him, brother, they didn't introduce something for you, to show you before before. They show you before and after, but before before, we were better than after. Do you know what I'm saying? May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala grant us an understanding.

The point I'm raising is, everyone takes these gifts of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on different levels. Some people take this seriously and that seriously. Whatever it is, these are the gifts of Allah upon you.

But the line that we need to draw is that of iman. You can have lost everything in this world, for as long as you did not lose the hereafter, you are okay, you are set. Ultimately, we're all going to go through difficulties, and issues, and problems.

We're all going to go through them. But Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will bless us with jannah if we take cognizance of the biggest gift of His. And this is why remember, everything comes from Allah.

All Gifts Come from Allah

You need to remember, every gift in Surah An-Nahl, verse number 53. Allah says, everything that we have blessed you with is from Us, no one else. We have given you gifts, it's from Us.

So someone says, but my father gave me the money. Well, who gave your father the money? All you got to do is go back in that equation, and you will find where it comes from. The minute we link it to ourselves, our intellect, it's like Qarun, he used to say, this is mine, I am very intelligent, I'm the one who did my business, and because of my brain, I became wealthy.

And Allah is saying that, well, who gave you the brain? Subhanallah. Who gave you the ability? It's not you. We gave it to you.

So Muslims need to go back one, one space, two spaces, and see where it will go back always to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Don't think like someone says, you know what, I'm so pretty, I need to show myself. Who gave you the prettiness? It's not from you.

Those whom you think are not pretty, it's the same maker who made them. Do you understand what I'm saying? No one chose what you're going to look like, no. No one chose your identity, your nationality, the family you're going to be in, your race.

No one chose that. It's Allah. Allah decided it.

So don't think for a moment that this is me, and I'm my own boss, and I own myself. Allah owns you. Allah owns you completely.

He's just released you into the earth for a reason, and that is to test you. And you know what, He's going to take you back, so don't be deceived. And He's going to ask you every possible question.

Being Questioned About Our Response to Guidance

We sent a messenger, did you get the message? Yes. What did you do about it? We had this talk, for example, and not just this talk, but so many others.

We had someone who came to teach you an Arabic lesson or the Quran lesson.

What did you do about it? Oh, you were too busy watching movies. Wallahi, it's a fact. We had in your masjid, we had an imam who came weekly to teach lessons just for half an hour.

Did you go and sit? No, we didn't. Where were you? Jet ski. I was jet skiing, mashallah.

I'm just giving you an example. But it's a fact. It's just we're doing something irrelevant.

We're not saying don't enjoy. Go out, enjoy, but do not compromise your link with Allah. The balance.

You need the balance. You need to make sure that you have the love of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, which is intact. And at the same time you can enjoy, you can go to the shops, you can go and buy something that makes you smile.

You can, mashallah, buy your wife a rose or a bouquet of flowers, or perhaps the other way around. Alhamdulillah. It's not bad, it's not haram.

But remember one thing, don't be extravagant. Don't go beyond the limits of Allah in anything. Be within the limits.

The Gift of Remembrance

Thank Allah. One of the biggest gifts of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is to be able to use your tongue to remember Allah. Subhanallah.

Alhamdulillah. Allahu Akbar. La ilaha illallah.

What is most important is to say it from the heart, randomly through the day. That is the proper way of remembering Allah. When the hadith says the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to ask Allah's forgiveness a hundred times a day.

I'm sure you've heard this, isn't it? The Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam used to seek Allah's forgiveness a hundred times a day by saying astaghfirullah. Never ever did the hadith make mention of that being in one sitting. It was through the day.

Three times after every salah, few times now and again, morning, afternoon, evening and night. Five, ten times here, five, ten times there. Astaghfirullah.

You know, I've tried to do this and put it into my routine. Subhanallah. Alhamdulillah.

Astaghfirullah. O Allah, forgive me. Say it in your language, whatever you want.

O Allah, forgive me. O Allah, I thank you. While you are driving, while you are walking, while you are coming in, while you are going out, just before you eat, while you are eating, after you eat, every time you remember when you're talking to someone, this is called the remembrance of Allah.

Throughout the day you remember Allah. So you say, O Allah, forgive me. As you're walking out, who said it? You know, Allah knows.

And you can smile about it. You can smile about it. You said, O Allah, forgive me.

Which means I'm walking out and I'm speaking in my own language, but I'm talking to Allah. Praise be to Allah. O Allah, you've blessed me with so much.

That's thanking Allah. O Allah, you've bestowed upon me so much. That's thanking Allah.

How many of us have thanked Allah in that way? O Allah, I thank you for the eyes you've given me. O Allah, I thank you for the nose you've given me. O Allah, I'm breathing.

I thank you for my lungs, O Allah. O Allah, I thank you for my lungs. Subhanallah, my lungs.

Wallahi, that's such a deep thought. Because nobody would actually say that in a rush unless you've been thinking about it. That's why Allah says, you want to know about us, start looking within yourself.

You see the greatness of Allah. Because you are just a creature of Allah. Imagine the Creator.

Subhanallah. This is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala speaks of it.

Peace and Stability as Gifts

And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, there are so many gifts. Do you know, peace and stability is a big gift of Allah. You need to contribute towards its preservation.

Make sure you do not do anything that will harm the peace and stability around you. Whether it's in your home, or in your society or country, nation or the globe at large. Peace is such a big gift.

Allah says, in Surah Al-Imran verse number 103, Hold fast to the rope of Allah and do not be divided. And remember the favor of Allah upon you, when you were little groups, and when you were apart, and when you were disunited, and when you were astray, and Allah brought you together. He brought you together, He united you upon a path and made you brothers and sisters.

That's a gift of Allah. So for me to feel the brotherhood and sisterhood is actually a gift of Allah. For me to feel the link with you, even though I don't know you, but the fact that you are believing person who's trying to earn the pleasure of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

And I have a link with you which is stronger than the link of blood. Alhamdulillah, I'm so happy. That's a gift of Allah.

Automatically I need to fulfill my rights. I need to greet you with salam. As-salamu alaykum, beautifully.

And I can add some flavor to it, some reward to it, some extra prayer to it. وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ. MashaAllah.

May Allah bless us. May Allah grant us ease. Wallahi, the gift of Allah upon us is so great.

Brotherhood and Sisterhood in Faith

We have this brotherhood, we have this link. Subhanallah. I greet you, I feel that I'm connected to you.

I see my brothers and sisters, I smile. I'm really happy. MashaAllah, what brings me together? Wallahi, I might have a hundred differences with you.

But, I've got a thousand things in common as well. Really, what is your aim? Your aim is paradise. Well, that is my aim too.

What is your aim? To earn the pleasure of Allah. That is my aim too. That's why we're reminding one another.

And I'm also a person who needs to be reminded. And this is why these reminders benefit us as speakers more sometimes than those whom we speak to. It's a fact.

So we need to thank Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And we need to remember this is the gift of Allah. Peace, stability, security.

These are the gifts of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. He says that by His favor, He made you brothers. So to have brothers and sisters is a favor of Allah.

How do you treat them? Both blood brothers and sisters, as well as those who are sisters and brothers in faith, as well as those who are brothers and sisters in humanity, who may not share the same faith. They have rights over you. They don't share the same faith.

Perhaps we did not belong to Islam generations back. What happened? Someone, somehow, somewhere helped us. They were our brothers and sisters in humanity.

They cared for us enough to reach out to us with a beautiful message. So that today we became brothers and sisters, not only in humanity, but even in faith. Subhanallah.

So you too, reach out to those who are your brothers and sisters in humanity, with the idea of bringing them closer, so they can become your brothers and sisters in faith as well. It's a gift of Allah.

Lessons from Sulaiman (Peace be upon him)

You know when Adam alayhi salaam was the only of his species, he was lonely, very lonely.

Imagine, you are the only human being, and around you all the other creatures of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. How would you feel? Imagine if you were thrown into an island, and you were told, right, you're gonna stay here for one month. What is there? Nothing.

You are the only human being. Go. None of us would go.

May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala... Oh sorry, unless you put money on that, then maybe we would think about it. And that too would have to be a big figure.

Because you know money, it makes people do things.

If you tell a guy, right, I'll pay you 20 ringgit, go to that island. He says, no. 20 ringgit, what's 20? Okay, I'll pay you 2,000.

No. 20,000. No.

200,000. No. 2 million.

No. 20 million. Where do you want me to go? InshaAllah.

So there's a figure. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala help us. However, what Allah has blessed us with is beyond price.

It's called priceless. You cannot put a tag. You have life, you have health, you have so much more than others.

And this is why Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, if you want to appreciate Allah's gifts, look at those who have less than you. The minute you start looking at those who have more than you, you won't appreciate what Allah has given you. When Allah gives you, it's a blessing.

And it's a test. And it could also be a punishment. You know, some people fight for certain things.

I'll give you one small example that just come to my head. There was a case of a man who wanted a certain position. And he told me, make dua.

We are going in to vote today in our company, and I want this position. So I said, look, if it is good for you, may it happen. He said, no, no, no, I want it.

I said, you can't say that. Make a dua to say, O Allah, if it's better for me, let it happen. If not, we don't want it to happen.

He says, no, please, just make dua. This time make dua that I want the post. I said, look, that's the best I can offer you in terms of dua.

I'm very, very confident. If it's better for you, let it happen. If not, you won't get it.

Anyway, the guy got the post. And his life turned upside down. Because a little while later, something happened in the company, and the investigation came in, and he, being at the top of the company, was the one who was responsible.

They jailed him after that for a few months. They held him, and wallahi, later on, he came to me and says, I never forget what you told me when you said, if Allah, if it's better for me, let it happen. This was the worst possible thing.

So this is why sometimes when you've been given a top position, sometimes it's a blessing, and sometimes it's not a blessing, it's a test. A test can also be a blessing, but beyond that, it can even be a punishment. Why? If you've turned away from Allah all your life, who knows what this might be.

We're not saying it's always a punishment, but who knows what it might be. It's a big responsibility, that's what it is. Are you ready to take up the responsibility? Subhanallah.

May Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala grant us ease. I want to end with mentioning the gifts of Allah, and the favors of Allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala upon some of the others, and what they did about it. You know, one of those who was bestowed with the greatest of gifts was Sulaiman alayhi salaam. He made a du'a, and this du'a, it's always correct for us to continue asking Allah, O Allah, bless me with greater gifts.

No problem, O Allah, open your doors. O Allah, I thank you for what you've given me, and I ask you increase. That's a good du'a.

O Allah, I thank you for what you've given me, and I ask you to increase it. So you are thanking him, and at the same time you're asking him for more. You don't say, O Allah, you've given me nothing, now please give me, because you gave my neighbor quite a lot.

Don't say that. That's very bad. So, Sulaiman alayhi salaam used to make a du'a:

O Allah, grant me kingdom that you will not grant anyone after me. You are indeed the one who gives. You are the owner of the gifts. You know, you give.

Al-Wahhab is the one who gives. So he used to make this du'a, O Allah, give me kingdom. So Allah says:

We gave him so much, we blessed him with so much, that even the wind used to move with his instruction.

Imagine someone says to the wind, and the wind starts moving. Subhanallah. Sulaiman alayhi salaam had this.

The clouds, and they start moving. A bird walks in and he speaks to it, and it flies exactly out and comes here, sits here. The ants, the story of the ants, the whole surah is named after the ants.

Sulaiman alayhi salaam, what happened? Wallahi, the ants were all there, and he was moving with his whole army, and he noticed the ants and they were talking, and he heard the speech. And the one is calling out to the rest of them, saying, hey, you better all go back into your homes, because maybe perhaps you might be crushed by Sulaiman and his entire army. So he stopped the whole army.

The Dua of Gratitude

And then he made a du'a. And this du'a is something you and I need to make regularly. Allah makes mention of it in surah al-Naml, and it's mentioned in surah al-Ahqaf as well.

Surah al-Naml verse number 19, surah al-Ahqaf verse number 15. But I'll mention the one in surah al- Naml, and then I'll go to the one in surah al-Ahqaf.

says Allah. Sulaiman alayhi salaam smiled.

He smiled when he heard what the ant had said. And then he says:

O Allah, grant me the ability to be grateful for the favors You have bestowed upon me and my parents.

And grant me the ability to do good deeds. Why did he say that? Because good deeds is a sign of thankfulness and gratitude to Allah. You want to be grateful to Allah, you don't just say, I thank you O Allah.

But how are you dressed? And when is the last time you read your salah? When did you pick up the Quran? So you don't just say, I thank you, I thank you and slap the person. Astaghfirullah. If someone gives you something, you say thank you and you give them one slap.

And you drive your car into theirs. And you say thank you, thank you and you walk away. No ways.

Not at all. Don't have that type of a relationship with your Maker. When you say I thank you O Allah, you read salah, you dedicate yourself to Allah.

So this is why Sulaiman alayhi salaam says, grant me the ability to do deeds, good deeds, that will please you.

Let me do good deeds that you will be happy with, that will make you happy. And grant me entry into the circle of those who are your pious servants.

Subhanallah. And if you go to Surah Al-Ahqaf, Allah speaks of man, and how the most grateful of man, those whom when they get to the age of peak in their lives. What is the peak of your life? 40.

40 is considered peak, although the average is between 60 and 70. But 40 is considered peak as a gift of Allah. Do you know, the hadith says, the average life span of the members of my ummah is between 60 and 70.

So say for example 65, just say. The Prophet shallallahu alaihi wa sallam passed on at 63. If someone says, what's the peak? If 63 is the end or 65 is the end, what's the peak? The peak would be 30 to 35, right? But Allah says, no, the peak is 40.

Because He's kept you energetic for longer than He's kept you sick and old. Have you ever thought of it? Allah's kept you at a good health, decent health.

You don't just start becoming sick at 40.

No, perhaps 50, 60, not even in the 50s, late 50s, 60s. Once you clock 60, you can start expecting closure, and a lot of matters. It's a reality.

Wallahi, it's a fact. We need to talk about it. The hadith says, that wallahi, it's a gift of Allah.

If He's given you old age, it's a gift because you now know, yaqeenan, I'm going. I can feel I'm no longer how I was. 60, 70, start preparing to meet with Allah.

There's nothing wrong with that. There's nothing wrong in us saying it. You thank Allah, oh Allah, I thank you, you gave me this life.

Was it meaningful? How did you reach out to others? And how did you reach out to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? Very great gift of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So you need to know this. And this is why we say, Allah says, the peak at 40, the person makes a dua, he calls out, he supplicates to Allah.

The Dua at Forty

In surah al-ahqaf, similar dua, but the ending is a little bit different. The beginning is the same. That oh Allah, grant me the ability to be thankful to you for what you have bestowed upon me and my parents.

And grant me the ability to do good deeds that will please you. And oh Allah, make good for me my offspring. Those who are to come after me, my offspring.

So I'm asking Allah, give me children and make them good children. Make them a means of my entry into jannah. Make them a means of the coolness of my eyes.

Grant me a good remembrance in my own children. After you and I have gone, people will look at our children and say, oh, this is the daughter of so and so. Mashallah, mashallah.

Or they will say, la hawla wa la quwwata illa billah. Which one do you want? Do you want people to look at your kids and say, astaghfirullah, astaghfirullah. Or do you want them to look at your kids and say, mashallah, alhamdulillah.

Well, there's a dua to make, and over and above that, the help of Allah will come when you try to achieve the help of Allah. There's no point in saying, oh Allah, help me, oh Allah, help me. But you don't want to use the energies Allah has given you.

You need to use the energy and then say, oh Allah, help me. Allah says, I gave you the ability, just do a little bit and that's it, the doors will open. So, aslihli fi dhurriyati, oh Allah, my offspring, that is to come after me.

Make good for me, my offspring. And make me good through my offspring. They will make a dua for you according to the hadith, when you die, one of the most beneficial things ever that can reach you is a dua of your children for you.

It sounds so simple, but it's the most powerful thing you can have. And the last part of the dua, which is the most powerful part of the dua:

I repent to you, I return to you, oh Allah. And I am from amongst the submitters.

Which means to return to Allah, to repent to Allah, and to ask Allah's forgiveness is definitely one of the favors of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. May He forgive us. For indeed, jannah is the biggest gift Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala can ever give anyone of us in the akhira.

If you have entry into jannah, forget about the rest. You know it's like, there was an occasion where I was addressing people and someone told me, you know this is like childbirth, that a woman is excited to be pregnant, mashaAllah. You know, you're married and alhamdulillah, you get excited, oh mashaAllah, pregnant, and everyone is making dua.

And then when it comes to delivery, there's a lot of anxiety, a lot of difficulty. There is hardship, there is the fear of the unknown. And subhanAllah, so much of perhaps pain, pain, Allah speaks about it.

Imagine, the Qur'an speaks about it. In surah al-Ahqaf, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

Regarding the status of the mother, Allah says, the mother has held this individual without any choice. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has made the mother hold the child through whatever difficulties, through whatever she's been through.

And she laid or she gave birth to the child similarly. So the difficulty is called labor. It's called labor.

Hard work, very difficult, very very painful. But you tell me, after that when you see this beautiful child cry, small little cry, and they give you the baby, everything is forgotten. You're so excited.

And a year later, two, you know they call them the terrible twos. But that same terrible twos, it's the best time to actually play with your kids. They're terrible twos, but they're the cutest at that age.

Masha'Allah. You got to carry them. You know when I carry my children a lot, my mother says, don't spoil them.

Don't spoil them. You're carrying them too much. And I say, no.

Nobody's going to carry a 20-year-old. Let me carry them now while I can. While I can.

Spoil them. So now they don't tell me don't carry them. Carry them.

Lift them. Put them on your head. Because once they grow to a certain age, you won't be able to carry them.

Or once you grow to a certain age, you won't be able to carry them. May Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala make it easy for us. So the point being raised is the difficulty of childbirth is forgotten when the goodness of the child is seen thereafter.

Similarly, the amount of problems we had in the dunya will be totally forgotten the minute we are granted entry into jannah. May Allah grant jannah to all of us. And may Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala open our doors.

Conclusion and Final Reminders

I've tried to address the topic of being questioned by Allah about our ni'mah from different angles. And I hope that we've benefited from it in a certain way. Let's become more conscious of how Allah has favored

us. And let's become more conscious of being grateful to Allah through obedience to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Hoping for the best in this world and the next.

So I'll repeat one question. What is the significance of this verse to the humankind? The significance of this verse, the last ayah, to the humankind. Because I think it's not just for the Muslims. But I think it's also for the non-Muslims.

Obviously the verse is, the entire Qur'an is not only for Muslims. Qur'an is for entire mankind. And the messages that we have in the Qur'an and all messages that we have in terms of the deen of Islam, they are directed to humanity at large, humankind and jinkind.

And what we need to know is when Allah says that we are going to ask you about the favors upon you, there are two main types of favors. One is the favors that you may see tangible with your eyes, and that which is not tangible. So the favors of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala would include the gift of the deen, the gift of worshiping Allah alone, the gift of the messengers having been sent, the gift of the Qur'an itself.

The Qur'an itself is a ni'mah of Allah. The hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam, the lifestyle of Muhammad sallallahu alaihi wasallam, the instructions of Allah. These are all part and parcel of the gifts of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

But also we have the other gifts that we spoke about today. And there are so many, like Allah says, you will never be able to count them all. When it comes to those who are Muslimin, alhamdulillah, we have a much broader meaning of the verse that we will take into our lives because we are already ahlul Qur'an.

When it comes to the general masses of humankind, it's a reminder to say there is answerability to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala of everything. Who made you will question you, definitely. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is drawing our attention to the deen, the faith, the worshipping of Allah alone.

These are gifts that He will definitely ask. And He will ask us all. I'm always a passionate caller towards thinking.

People need to think, think a lot. And when I sit and speak to people who are not Muslim, when the topic comes of faith and the concept of godhood in Islam, which is obviously one of the biggest gifts that we have. I normally say that we as Muslimin have been blessed with something so great.

And that is when we worship, we worship our maker alone, alone. No one else. I don't worship Muhammad sallallahu alayhi wasallam.

I respect him and revere him and follow his example. But I don't render an act of worship to him. I don't.

In fact, that would take me out of Islam. I cannot render an act of worship to a messenger, or to a prophet, or to Jesus, or to Moses. May peace be upon them all.

I only render an act of worship to He who made me. That's it. Logical.

It makes common sense. I will put my head on the ground. I will say:

I'm praising Allah, my Rabb, the one who made me, whoever made me, you are the highest.

That's it. It's a gift of Allah. So this is what we call those who perhaps do not worship Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, to worship Him, to worship your maker alone.

And this is the gift that you're going to be questioned about as well. Wallahu a'lam. JazakAllah.