Ismail ibn Musa Menk Respect and Dignity

Respect and Dignity

A Khutba by Mufti Menk

Opening and Praise

Assalamualaikum warahmatullahi wabarakatuh. Bismillahirrahmanirrahim - in the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful. Alhamdulillah - all praise is indeed due to Allah, the Creator, Nourisher, Cherisher, Sustainer, Provider, Protector and Curer of one and all. Was salatu was salamu ala ashrafil mursaleen Muhammad wa ala alihi wa sahbihi ajma'een - we send complete blessings and salutations upon the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets of Allah, Muhammad ibn Abdullah, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him, his entire household, and all his companions.

We ask Allah to bless them, to bless everyone of us, to grant us every form of goodness, to bless our offspring those to come right up to the end. May Allah keep us rightly guided.

Gratitude and Development of Character

My brothers and sisters, I am indeed humbled by the presence of so many of you in this beautiful city, in this lovely country of Mauritius. I know it's been a long time since I have come, but the development that I have witnessed is really something spectacular. As much as we see development from an infrastructural angle, it's important for us to develop ourselves even more within. The more we see in terms of technological advancement, in terms of growth when it comes to our income perhaps, when it comes to our standard of living perhaps, we need to equate it with the development of our soul, of ourselves, of our character and conduct, our link and relationship with Allah and with His Messenger. In fact, the latter needs to be far greater and higher than the former. We need to develop our relationship with Allah and ourselves. We need to develop our character and conduct far more importantly than any other development. May Allah grant us all forms of goodness. Ameen.

Message of Love and Building Bridges

My brothers and sisters, I am here to spread a message of love. There is a lot of hate across the globe - a lot of it. It has resulted in fighting, it has resulted in killing, it has resulted in senseless atrocities that are being committed in the name of religion and in the name of so many other causes. Every time that happens, we need to realize it's our duty to promote the goodness and the love that will extinguish that hate.

For that reason, I want to start off in a unique way. We're talking about building bridges - we're not talking about destroying bridges. We're talking about respect and dignity - we're not talking about development of hatred and ill feeling.

Recognition of Allah as the Creator

It's very important to realize that the greatest of all is Allah - the Maker. Right at the beginning of this talk, I described Allah by saying: the Maker, the Nourisher, the Cherisher, the Provider, the Protector, the Curer in fact, the One in absolute control of every aspect of existence. He whom we worship, Rabbul Izzati wal Jalal, the Creator, the Deity alone.

Remember, He did not only create humankind. Together with you and I, and together with humankind, He chose from the very beginning that He would create other creatures. Why? Why did Allah decide that He wants to create other creatures? He created the dogs and the pigs and the monkeys. He created the mountains and the seas and the oceans. He created the birds. He created the ants and the insects, the reptiles. He created that which may be considered harmful to mankind and that which may be considered beneficial. He created the lion and the leopard. He created all these creatures.

Not only did He create them, but at the time of the Prophet Noah when he was instructed to build the ark, he was instructed, together with mankind, to take with him two of all the other creatures that the Almighty had made. So Allah wanted to preserve these creatures.

Respect for All Creation

From among them, there are those that are harmful to us - we are scared of them. If we had to see a loose lion running wild here right now, we would all perhaps try to rush out of this place, causing a stampede, helter-skelter, everybody's out because there is a lion. This is not its place, but we will pay money to see the same lion in a different place. We will pay, and behind a fence we will even tease the lion. We will make a face, make a sound, and we are warned "don't do that," but this is what we do.

So we end up looking at these animals that would have been harmful with the eye of goodness and even the eye of love. How many of us have seen a lion or a lioness or a cub and we say, "Wow, how cute! How nice! Oh, how beautiful! What a sight! Quickly take a picture, take a picture!" We say that, don't we? But that's a lion.

We are taught that the life that was given to that lion was given by the same Giver of your life. Don't forget that. Whoever gave you life gave that lion the life. We forget that, subhanallah.

Allah's Purpose in Creation

So the Almighty created all these creatures. If He wanted, He didn't need to do that. He could have just made mankind - that's it. But Allah says, "No, I want you to understand that I am the Giver of life. I will give life to whomsoever I wish and to whatsoever I want to give life to. I have given life to the animals, I've given life even to the plants." We see the plantation here - who is the Giver of the life? It's Allah. He gave the life, and this is why we are Muslims.

We are taught that you cannot take the life away of the animals in a destructive way. No, I cannot just say, "Okay, I'm going to shoot all the lions." No, as a Muslim you're not allowed to do that. Yes, if it was harming you, it came for you, it was attacking you, you have the right to defend yourself. Perhaps you might even take its life away at that juncture, but there was a need for it, and you did it in the most humane way. It was unavoidable.

Divine Wisdom in Dietary Laws

That is to do with an animal, it's to do with a lion - we're talking of the example of a lion. But the Almighty has asked us to be respectful towards the creatures that He has given life to. You respect the animals.

You and I have been taught that there are certain foods that you will eat and certain foods you will not eat. Well, it would have been easy for you and I to say, "Well, why did Allah make that if He did not want me to consume it?" Who told you that everything He makes should be consumed? Who told you that He makes certain things because He doesn't want you to consume it, and He wants to see if you have within you the love for the Almighty - who is the Giver of the life - enough to respect the life of that which you're not going to be consuming?

It's a very deep statement. I'm not allowed to eat, for example, a pig as a Muslim - flesh of a swine, for example. I'm not allowed to consume pork. Does that give me the right to go around harming pigs, throwing stones at them, shooting them and just getting happy and laughing? Not at all.

Kindness to All Living Beings

The hadith says: Do you know, every animal that you are kind to, you reach out to, everything that has a liver, everything that has been given life by the Almighty - if you are kind to it, reach out to it in a positive way, you will earn a reward. So if you are destructive towards it, you will earn a sin.

If you go around just taking a gun and shooting the monkeys that are all around because that's it - you're enjoying shooting monkeys - you're not a good Muslim. You have insulted the Giver of the life of those monkeys. Allah gave the life, and that's why I started this way.

Understanding Our Connection to Others

To go back to remind yourselves and myself: if you want love to be promoted, the beginning of it is to ask yourself, "Who am I? And who are the rest of the people around me? And who is, or what is, the rest of the creation? What's my connection with it?"

My mother and my father - they married many, many years back. I don't even know - back in the 1940s or 50s, somewhere, perhaps in the 1950s - and they had children. These children, who are they to me? My brothers and sisters. Why? Because we share a common lineage - my mother and my father, the same. What's the big deal? The big deal is it's a very big deal.

The Giver of life, who gave you your life and me my life, is the Giver of the life of all creatures. But He chose for you where you would be born, when you would be born, who you would be born to, for a reason. That reason is for you to recognize Him. And for you to recognize Him, you will have to look at those around you to be able to understand who they are to you and why they are that to you.

Family Bonds and Divine Choice

So I take you back to the example of myself. My brothers and sisters, I did not choose my parents. I did not choose - the Almighty chose for me. And automatically He placed in the hearts of my parents love towards me. So when I was a child, they loved looking after me. The same would apply to all of us.

If we have children, may Allah bless us with good children - say Ameen. I always say, even if you're not married and someone says, "May Allah bless us with good children," say Ameen, because it's a package. If Allah blesses you with good children, you're gonna have to have a good spouse first, you know. So it's like if you say, "Oh Allah, I want a job. Help me for a job. Oh Allah, I need to earn at least so much in the month. Oh Allah, oh Allah, I want you to help me to buy a house after that, and I want you to help me to get a car." You know what? Just start off with "Oh Allah, help me so that I can build my house, but don't forget your house in the hereafter, please." So if Allah accepts that house, you're gonna get your job, you're gonna get your salary, or you're gonna earn your money somehow, somewhere. So it's an all-in- one, it's an encompassing dua. Same would apply.

I did not ask to have those parents, those brothers, those sisters, or my own children. I didn't ask to have the particular kids that I have. I may have asked Allah to bless me with children, but I didn't know who they were going to be. Each one is given life just like I have been given life. You have been given life. They are beloved to Allah just like I am, just like you are, because if Allah wanted, He could have chosen not to give life to them or to myself.

The Importance of Family Relations

So my parents - mashallah, because I have them in common - so I look at my brother, I say, "This is my brother." Something happens to me, he, my brother, will feel it. He will rush to my assistance. Why? He's going to say, "That's my brother, let me help him." Okay, if something happens to a child, the parents run to the child or run to the child's assistance because "that's my parent, that's my child." Your sister - the same applies. But who chose that for you? It was Allah, as a test.

I encourage you, my brothers and sisters - those from among you who are not getting along with their own brothers and sisters - I encourage you today to sort the matter. No matter what it is, sort it out. It's not impossible. Sort it out. Learn to love one another for the sake of Allah.

Quranic Teaching on Family Ties

Allah has spoken about this in the Quran in many places, and Allah tells us how important it is to maintain

family ties:

"Wattaqullaha alladhi tasa'aluna bihi wal-arhaam, inna Allaha kana alaykum raqeeba"

"Be conscious of Allah whose name you use when you are asking one another, when you swear an oath you use the name of the Almighty. Be conscious of Him, and be conscious of the wombs that have given birth to you. Be conscious of the wombs through which you are related and connected." (Quran 4:1)

I'm related to my brother through the womb - the womb of whom? My mother. You are related to a relative of yours through what? Through the wombs - the wombs of whom? The mothers. So Allah says be careful, learn to respect your mother, learn to respect your mother. We're talking about respect, dignity. Learn to build the broken bridges.

Resolving Family Conflicts

Moments ago I said if you have a problem with your brother, mend it. If you don't mend it, you have not understood the plan of the Almighty who chose that brother for you. He's going to ask you on the Day of Judgment: "I told you to resolve your matters and I told you how sinful it was to break relations. Why did you break relations?"

So a person might say, "Well, you know what, I broke relations with my parents because they're not Muslim." So Allah would definitely question us even further, because in the Quran He tells us:

"Wa wassayna al-insana bi-walidayhi husnan"

"Be kind to your parents, whether they are Muslim or not." (Quran 29:8)

In the same verses He says you will be kind to your parents. If they are to instruct you to do something that is blasphemous against the Almighty, or ask you to associate partners with the Almighty in worship, in that case you don't obey them, but you continue living with them in goodness, in kindness, with humility, etc.

Doesn't that prove that even if they're not Muslim, you have to be kind to them? You have to be fulfilling their rights. You have to be respectful. You have to carry yourself with dignity, and you have to keep their dignity intact as best as you can. But if they were to instruct you to do something unreasonable, to do something detrimental to your link with your Maker, you politely excuse yourself. You politely excuse yourself.

Respect for Non-Muslim Parents

Why so much of politeness with parents? Why, when they're not Muslim? Allah is telling me: be polite, be kind, even if they were to die in the condition that they were not Muslim. You still continue to fulfill your role. What is it? Be polite, be kind, be respectful, try and help them, serve them, and you will enter Paradise. You serve your parents, you get Paradise, even when they're not Muslim. How? It's because the Almighty chose them for you. By serving them, you're acknowledging the Creator.

That's why Allah says in Surat Al-Isra:

"Wa qada rabbuka alla ta'budu illa iyyahu wa bil-walidayni ihsanan"

"Allah has declared and decided that none shall be worshipped besides Him - you worship Allah alone - and after that, what do you do? You should be kind to your parents." (Quran 17:23)

One might wonder why did Allah put these two together? He put the two together because He made you, and He chose a means through which you would come on to the earth - that was your parents. He chose them. You might be in this country because your parents gave birth to you here. It's possible, in the case of perhaps the majority of you. Who told them to give birth here? Well, it was Allah who made that happen here, out of all places.

Understanding Allah's Test

So when Allah created you, He chose so many things for you, and then He told you, "Right, I want to test you. I want you to do X, Y, and Z, and I want to see: will you fulfill it or not?" Primarily He tells you: "Acknowledge Me as your Maker."

Well, if I acknowledge Allah as my Maker, I need to acknowledge that He is your Maker as well, and I need to acknowledge that He is the Maker of all the other creatures - the animals, the plants, the oceans, everything else, even that which is part of nature. It's Allah who created all of that.

How will I be able to respect Allah when I have not respected the creation that the same Allah has made? SubhanAllah! Something dear to Allah that He created, and I have no respect for it. Do you really think I will be able to respect the One who is above all of that, who actually made it?

Two Types of Rights in Worship

So in order to respect Allah, you need to be able to respect the creatures that Allah has created. This is why whenever we speak of worship, we speak of two types of rights: the rights of the Almighty - that He shall be worshipped alone - and we speak of the rights of the rest of the creatures of the Almighty, starting with what is known as Hukukul Ibad - the rights of the rest of humankind.

So a person who is not respectful towards animals cannot be respectful towards Allah, because he hasn't understood who those animals belong to, or what the animals are, who gave those animals the life. If he had understood that, he would have treated them differently.

Humane Treatment in Consumption

This is why even for consumption purposes, Muslims are taught that there is a specific way of taking the life away of an animal that you are going to consume. It needs to be humane. You need to treat it fairly. Look at the people across the globe - when it becomes commercialized to a degree of greed, they lose track of the Giver of life. They lose track of the Almighty. It becomes such that they want the money by hook or crook, so they treat the chickens terribly, they treat the cows in a very, very inhumane way. They treat the animals in a way that is unacceptable just because they have greed for the money.

The Almighty says you failed your test. Even if you tried to ensure that the animal was halal, you are sinful for the way you treated the animal before its life was taken away. So much of respect is given to animals that the Almighty tells us that you're not allowed to take the life away of an animal while another is watching. This is through the blessed lips of Muhammad ﷺ. He says: "Take them away, don't cause distress. You take the name of Allah, seek the permission of Allah. There should be a purpose for that life being taken away" - for example, poultry because you'd like to consume, but not destructively. You just go around taking life away because the Giver of the life was Allah.

The reason why we would say Bismillah is to seek permission of the Giver of that life to take that life away for a purpose that is noble.

Kindness Even to Prohibited Animals

We're talking of the animals, so Allah says, you know what, you might be kind. You might be kind - before I tell you what Allah has said, I'm giving you an example. You might be kind to a chicken because you know that you're gonna consume it. You might be good to a sheep or whatever else. You might be kind to when you have purpose, when it's your pet, when there is a need for it.

But what if there is an animal that you have no need of? What if there is an animal that you're not allowed to touch as a Muslim? What if there is an animal that there are more rules and regulations governing your relationship with as a Muslim - such as a dog, for example?

I cannot consume a dog. I can have a dog under certain conditions for certain reasons, but the relationship between us and that dog is such that a lot of us - if there was a dog walking down - we would walk in the other direction. Perhaps many would run away. And even if they wouldn't, we would know that there are certain rules and regulations governing your closeness, the proximity, etc., your relation with that particular dog because it's a dog at the end of the day.

The Story of the Man and the Dog

But I take you to a beautiful narration that a lot of you may have heard, and those who might be following my building bridges series might have heard this every time I speak about building bridges, because it definitely helps us understand the broader picture.

There was a man whom the Prophet ﷺ said the Almighty granted him Paradise because he was kind to a dog. The narration says the Almighty forgave all his sins because he was kind to a dog. To what? Can you say a dog? He was kind to a dog. A dog is not a sheep. A dog is not a cow. A dog is not a bird. A dog is not something, you know, that's on that level - it's on another level altogether.

But the hadith says that this man in the desert on a very hot day was very thirsty, and he found a well. He decided to go into the well because there was no bucket, and he drank as much water as he wanted and he quenched his thirst, and he got up again. And as he was walking away from the well, he noticed a very thirsty dog.

Picture it in your mind. What would you do? What would you do? Tell yourself now while you are listening to me - in your mind, what you would do if you saw a dog panting? To me, it would look like the dog might have rabies, right? I don't know what I would do, may Allah forgive me.

The man looked at the dog and he said to himself:

"Laqad balagha hadha al-kalbu min al-'atashi mithla ma kana qad balagha minni"

"This dog is as thirsty as I was moments ago before I went in the well." But the problem is there is no bucket. There's no way this dog is going to get the water. "You know what? Let me go down once again and get water for the dog."

So the man went down - he went down the well - but he didn't have a bucket, he didn't have anywhere to take the water back up. So what did he do? He decided to take out his khuff - a khuff was the type of shoe they used to wear at the time. Some of us might know it better as a leather sock. He took it out, he filled it with water. Would you ever fill your shoe with water? I'm wearing Clark's, by the way. He filled his shoe with water. He decided to come up again. I don't know how he carried it - whether it was in his mouth or however, or in his hand - and he got close to the dog.

Imagine bringing the dog near to you now. Think about it. How many would do this? I'm honest - may Allah not test me with that. I always pray, "Oh Allah, don't let me see that dog," because I really don't know what I would do. I'm just being honest.

So he brought the dog near and he helped quench the thirst of the dog, and the Almighty was watching. Allah was watching, and Allah says, "We love the compassion so much that We forgave his sins." He was

basically given Paradise because of his compassion to our dog - respect! What did he do? He respected the animal. Allah respected him. Allah gave him forgiveness and Paradise as a result.

Connecting to Human Relations

Why am I giving this example? Where am I going? Let me explain. Take you back to the beginning of mankind.

When Allah created the first of mankind, and Allah thereafter caused a multitude to grow, they were all brothers and sisters - children of Adam (عليه السلام), Adam and Eve, Adam and Hawa - brothers and sisters. As a result, what happened? We all come from one source.

"Kullukum min Adam wa Adam min turab"

"All of you," the Prophet ﷺ says, "are from Adam, and Adam is from the soil, is from the dust. Don't be arrogant - after all, you're from the dust, you're from the soil, and you're all connected."

Our Universal Connection

I'm related to you. I feel it, you know why I feel it? Because I think about it. Many of us don't think about it. When you don't get along with someone, when you hate someone, when your heart is full with hate, you forget how closely related you actually are because you haven't thought about it. You are clouded by hate, so you don't think, "Wow, this person is actually related to me. My forefathers and his or her forefathers - they actually met in one man." But we are filled with hate such that we don't even realize.

Adam (عليه السلام) - he was our forefather. His wife was Eve, Hawa (عليها السلام),according to us, according to the Christians, according to the Jews, and according to many other Semitic faiths. They believe that the first was Adam and Eve, Adam and Hawa, may Allah's peace and blessings be upon them. If that is the case - and we believe it is - are we not all one family? Are we not all related?

We are, but we don't think about it. That's why we don't sit and ponder. We don't think about how Allah created us, so I don't even feel my relationship with you. If I don't think about it, when I think about it, I begin to feel it.

Family Love and Understanding

When your own son has gone astray with a bottle of alcohol or the clubbing and the drugs, what do you do when someone else says, "You know what, we need to excommunicate him, we need to throw him out, we need to attack him, we need to beat him up"? You will say, "I'm the father, leave it to me. I'll sort it out," because you feel within yourself, "It's my child. It's not easy for me to allow people to harm my child, even though my child might be a person who may not be ideal."

Well, are we not all connected brothers and sisters? Somehow we are related. When someone is doing something wrong, remember the respect and the dignity. If you want to be respected as a human being, you need to respect the other person as a human being to begin with, even with your difference.

Respecting Despite Disagreement

What do you mean, even with your difference? Even if I disagree with you, it doesn't make me a person who should be filled with hate against you. I might not like what you're doing. I might disagree quite strongly with the bad behavior or conduct that might be termed sinful, but I respect you as a human being. That is the minimum. The dignity that Allah has given me and you.

"Wa laqad karramna bani Adam"

Allah says very clearly, "Indeed We have honored, We have honored the son of Adam. We have honored him." (Quran 17:70)

What type of honor? We gave him dignity, respect.

In Surat At-Teen, Allah says:

"Laqad khalaqna al-insana fi ahsani taqweem"

"We have created mankind in the best posture." (Quran 95:4)

We honored man. We gave him ability beyond other creatures on earth - on earth. Allah gave you the best posture.

Human Uniqueness and Excellence

I was speaking on Friday at a masjid in Zimbabwe, and I spoke to the congregation. They laughed when I told them: "Can you think of a better place to put any organ of yours within your body besides where it is right now? Any organ that you have - your nose, your eyes, your ears, your fingers, your nails, whatever you have - any organ, can you think of a better place to take it out and put it somewhere better than where it already is? Can you? Anyone here, put your hand up if you can. We can hear what you have to say."

Well, if you put your hand up, you know, we wouldn't like to see your mouth here. You know, imagine if our mouths had to be where our hands are - we'd start eating money!

So Allah says, "We favored you, we gave you dignity." You know, we have technological advancement. Tell me, which other creature of Allah has technological advancement on earth? Have you seen a group of

mosquitoes sitting in a small bus going to point B? No. Have you seen a group of ants flying from one point to another in their small little aircraft? No. Technology for them is zero - it's nothing.

Allah gave us the brain. Allah gave man technological advancement - a brain that is unparalleled, that is completely unique. The best of brains that we have on earth are given to mankind. That's what differs, that's what makes us different from the animals and other creatures of the Almighty.

But you know what? We are filled with more hate than all the other creatures. Allah grant us goodness.

The Incident at Taif

Unfortunately, or fortunately, we'll have to go into overtime - maybe three or four minutes because of the Land Cruiser, right? Injury time!

So my brothers and sisters, let me take you through one of the most touching incidents in the seerah and the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, where he lost his uncle, he lost his wife Khadija bint Khuwaylid (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهَا - radi allahu anha) - he lost, meaning what had happened? They just had sanctions against them as Muslims in Shi'ab Abi Talib. It was known as Amul Huzn - the year of sadness.

He decided, "You know what, let me go out of Makkah. Perhaps the people outside might listen. I've been trying with these people for so long - they haven't heard." He didn't label them, he didn't swear them, he did not insult them. He didn't insult the people of Makkah, and he just kept on trying because he knows: "My job is the trial. Guidance is in the hands of Allah. If Allah wants, He can guide the person you are swearing, and He can take the guidance away from you." And may He not do that for us, but may He guide us all.

So he thought to himself, "Let me go" - and it was from Allah, inspired as well. He went to Taif. He decided, "Let me go to Taif." Taif is outside, right?

When he got to Taif, he wanted to call the people towards the beautiful deen - towards honesty, towards respecting the women, towards fulfilling their rights, towards issuing, you know, worshipping Allah alone, and so many other powerful, good teachings.

What did they do? They insulted him. They started laughing, cracking jokes, insulting verbally.

Warning Against Verbal Abuse

My brothers and sisters, be careful of this habit. It's very bad. You know why? It will result in killing. It will result in stone-throwing and killing if you don't watch your mouth. It will become out of control very soon. So be careful. Watch your tongue when you disagree with someone. Disagree with them with respect. If you don't watch your tongue, you will end up killing one another for butter and bread, for something minor.

So what happened to the Prophet ﷺ? They started off with the tongue - mocking. It developed very quickly into stone-throwing with the intention of murder. They started throwing, and from the adults it went to the children. Look at what we are doing. When you as a father do not control your tongue with those whom you disagree with, your children will become so vulgar that they will be an embarrassment for you as an adult. So carry yourself with respect so that at least your children can learn to be respectful. When they disagree on principle, they can disagree with respect.

Today we need to go around the globe teaching people how to disagree. May Allah help myself to begin with, and then every one of us.

The Prophet's Response to Persecution

So the children started throwing stones, and they hurt the Prophet ﷺ. The most blessed droplets of blood ever to exist were trickling down the legs of the most blessed of all creation, and imagine, they filled the shoes. And at that juncture, the angels came to Muhammad ﷺ by the instruction of Allah, saying, "O messenger, there are two mountains here. If you just instruct us, we will bring these two mountains and crush all of these people who have harmed you to this degree."

Allah says, "We have not sent you, O Muhammad ﷺ except as a means of mercy for all the worlds, for all..." (Quran 21:107)

Building the Greatest Bridge

The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ - where there was no bridge at all - Taif decided to build the biggest bridge that there could be in that area. What was it? He raises his hands to Allah in supplication and he complains about himself:

"Allahumma inni ashku ilayka da'afa quwati wa qillata heelati"

"O Allah, I'm complaining to You about myself. I'm weak. You have given me a message to fulfill. Here I am."

"O Allah, forgive these, guide these people. O Allah, guide these people - they don't know what they're doing." That was his dua:

"Allahumma ihdi qawmi fa innahum la ya'lamun"

"O Allah, guide these people - they don't even know what they're doing." (Sahih Bukhari 3231)

It was so easy to say, "Finish them up." I think that's what a lot of us would have said. You just look back and say, you just nod your head to the gangster at the back to say, "Finish them, walk out." Yeah, that's what we would do, especially when you're a bit powerful.

The Most Noble Response

This was the most powerful person ever to exist - most powerful, the most noble, the highest. When we speak of Muhammad ﷺ, there's no competition, there's no comparison. He is at the top. You need to remember this - creation, the best of creation, the most noble of all prophets ﷺ, the one whom we expect his intercession for us on the Day of Qiyamah. And he's standing there saying to the non-Muslims, those who attacked him, they caused the blood to trickle down his leg, he says, "O Allah, guide these people. They don't know, they don't know."

He left Taif in a unique way - as though he was the loser, but he was not the loser. He just built a huge bridge from which they would all come and accept Islam a few years later.

Our Impatience vs. Prophetic Patience

We are so impatient that if someone doesn't think exactly how we think today, he's written off, he's crushed. "You can't read salah behind him, you cannot go to this masjid, you cannot do this, this guy is like that, you can't greet him, you can't talk to him." You - where is - which prophet are you following, by the way?

Here is the Prophet of Islam. This is what he did. He made dua, he tried, he spoke.

The Example of the Bedouin in the Mosque

A man came into the masjid and urinated one day - he peed in the corner of the mosque. SubhanAllah! Today, one of our youngsters after watching football came into the masjid with a three-quarters - half of the people would say, "From what? The guy is coming to the mosque." He's coming to the masjid - encourage him, give him a word of goodness. Why chase him away? There is more pressure for him not to come than for him to come, so you're supposed to welcome him rather than that. We broke the bridge completely, destroyed.

What else did we do? No respect for a human being who came to the house of Allah - not your house or mine. Who brought him there? Allah. When Allah drives you somewhere, who brought you there? It's Allah who brings you to His house.

"Ara'ayta alladhi yanha 'abdan idha salla"

"Do you see the one who is cursed by Allah, the one who stops people from praying, or who stopped the worshipper praying when he wanted to pray?" (Quran 96:9-10)

Yes, this verse goes back to Abu Jahl at the time of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, but the lesson is for all of us. Do not discourage people, encourage them. When you see things wrong happening, take it as your own son, take it as your own brother, your own sister, your own family member. Embrace them, teach them in a positive way, not negative way. You cannot start dooming people. "Brother, you're going to Jahannam."

So the young man came to me and told me, "That guy told me I'm going to Jahannam." I said, "Go and ask him - he can only know because he is there. He must have seen you there. How can you start declaring this and that? Do you own Jannah and Jahannam?"

Hope in Allah's Mercy

Have hope in Allah, my brothers and sisters. I want to tell you, I am convinced that the mercy of Allah alone will bring us all gathered in Jannatul Firdaus one day - say Ameen. It's the mercy of Allah. He will do it.

Ask yourself: the people seated next to me, around me - do I have love in my heart for them? If you don't, please work on your heart. It needs help. Spread love, not hate. If you have hatred in your heart for the people around you, you are sick, you are ill, you need help, you need urgent help. Open, learn to forgive, learn to be open, learn to look at people with the eye of love. Smile at them - to smile is a charity. SubhanAllah.

The Transformation of Taif

So that was the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. He made such a powerful dua for guidance, and you know what? They became Muslim. Today you go to Taif - they're Muslims. What happened? It was that bridge that was built. He offered them dignity through dua.

How many of you, or how many of us - myself included - make dua for those whom we don't get along with, those we disagree with, those we may dislike some of their characteristics or their conduct? How many make a positive dua?

The Story of Umar ibn al-Khattab

When the Prophet ﷺ knew that the worst enemy was a man known as Amr ibn Hisham - he was also known as Abu Jahl. Abu Jahl was the worst enemy. After him, there was another man. You will be surprised to hear what his name was: Umar ibn al-Khattab (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - radi allahu anhu). He was an enemy at the beginning. He was going out to murder the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

But the Prophet ﷺ made a dua:

"Allahumma a'izzal-Islama bi-ahad al-Umarayn"

"O Allah, grant strength to this deen of Islam by the acceptance of Islam of one of these two men who are powerful but their enemies." Who are they? Either Amr ibn Hisham or Umar ibn al-Khattab. (Tirmidhi 3681)

A little while later, here comes Umar. Look at the bridge that was built through dua, through supplication. Here comes Umar ibn al-Khattab (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - radi allahu anhu). He says, "Oh messenger, I bear witness that Allah is one and that you are the messenger of Allah." Short space of time he came. Why? A bridge was built through dua - not through curse, not through calling people names, not through hatred, not through contaminating the minds of our innocent children against our fellow Muslims.

The Breadth of Paradise

"Man qala la ilaha illa Allah dakhal al-jannah"

"You want to enter Jannah? Those who have said 'La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammad Rasool Allah' - they will enter Jannah." SubhanAllah. (Sahih Muslim 26)

Jannah is a broad place. It's not just for you, it's for all of us. Today we sit and we start telling people, "You're not going to Paradise, you're not going to..." You know what? To get to Paradise, you need to cross a bridge. We are busy building that bridge. You know what bridge it is? SubhanAllah, there is one bridge that is actually physically there - that is a different bridge known as As-Sirat, a sirat - a bridge thin as a hair. Each person has to cross it to get into Jannah. May Allah make it easy for us to cross.

Characteristics of People of Paradise

You want to cross it? You need two characteristics according to the hadith: Taqwa Allahi wa husn ul-khuluq - when the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked, "Please tell us the characteristics of the people of heaven," he says, "They have two characteristics: they had consciousness of Allah, and they have character and conduct - good character and conduct." (Tirmidhi 2003) The two go hand in hand.

That's why one narration says a person can arrive at a very, very high status, almost close to the status of some of those who are close to Allah, through his character and conduct. Speak to people with respect, dignity.

The Conquest of Makkah

Look at the Prophet ﷺ. I spoke about Taif. I want to speak about something else. Here comes the day when the land that was taken from the people of Makkah, when the land that was taken from the

Muslims by the people of Makkah, was about to be reclaimed. When the oppression that the people of Makkah had done on the Muslims - who had been driven out of their homes to Madinah - was now coming to an end, because they had marched back onto Makkah. That day was known as Fath Makkah the Victory of Makkah.

The Victory of Makkah - the Prophet ﷺ marched with thousands of his companions onto Makkah. Why? Not because Islam wanted to be spread by violence. No. They had stolen property, they had driven people out of their homes. These people were now coming back legitimately to claim what was theirs.

Moment of Ultimate Power

And the Prophet ﷺ on that day was right at the top. Even from a political perspective, they knew: no competition. This man is the winner. He has an army that can make us into mince - literally mince us, completely gone.

But the Prophet ﷺ - he came into Makkah with thousands, tens of thousands of companions. They were ready for anything. "Anything you instruct us, we're ready." He says...

He gathered the people of Quraysh: "What do you really think I'm going to do to you today?" This was at the end. This was now Victory of Makkah. The armies are all here, the people are all there. These people were the enemies - they killed, they maimed, they insulted, they did everything, they usurped wealth, they drove people out of their homes. They really caused havoc, and they were - the bulk of them had not yet even accepted Islam. They were asked: "What do you think I'm going to do to you now? What do you think you want him to do to you?" Imagine, put yourself in that particular moment. What do you think they would have said? They said, "Well, look, you know, we're hoping for good here."

The Greatest Forgiveness

He says, "O people of Quraysh, I am going to tell you what my brother Joseph Yusuf عليه السلامtold his brothers:

"I am telling you what the Prophet Joseph or Yusuf عليه السلام told his brothers: 'There will be no retribution today. Go, all of you are free.'" (Quran 12:92)

We are forgiven, brothers and sisters. That woke them up. They were shocked, they were stunned. They did not expect that.

The Power of Forgiveness

When you can forgive, you've built the biggest bridge ever, ever, through forgiveness. Forgive others -

Allah will forgive you. When it's very difficult to forgive and you let go, you have improved your health to begin with. When you hold a grudge and another one and the third one - even if it is justified - it is still a burden on your shoulders.

The sweetness of tasting - meaning the sweetness of the forgiveness that you shall taste when you forgive others after they have wronged you in a big way - is something no one can describe. You have to go through it yourself.

We cannot forgive our brothers, our uncles, our sisters. I don't even want to go to in-laws - see, I told you we don't want to forgive, we don't.

Following the Prophet's Example

And here's the Prophet ﷺ. What did he teach you? Your messenger, my messenger, our messenger - the Islam came through him to us. We claim to be his followers. When he was at the most powerful juncture in terms of the armies and the numbers, he says, "I forgive you. Go, you're free."

They were shocked. They said, "This is only a messenger." It resulted in them accepting Islam wholesale. Why? They saw the bridge being built. They saw - what did he give them? He gave them dignity, honor, respect. As a result, they came towards Allah, they came towards Allah.

That is Islam. That is the Islam I was taught. That is the Islam we have been taught for centuries. Unfortunately, due to pockets amongst us who like to spread hate and try to brainwash our little children at times into believing that your faith is filled with hate for anyone who disagrees with you - how can we allow that?

Examples from the Prophet's Life

I've given you example after example from the life of the Prophet ﷺ that proves that he did not teach that. Yes, when someone does wrong, when someone associates partners with Allah, when someone wants to involve in that which is totally unacceptable, etc., we dislike the deed completely, but we still have hope and love for the individual. That's my brother, that's my father, that's my son, that's my sister, that's my mother - that could be anyone. It is so. I will treat them like a family member who's gone astray, and I will keep working on them. May Allah guide us all.

Spreading Love, Not Hate

Like I said at the beginning of this speech, my brothers and sisters, I am here to spread love. I know that there will always be people who only think negative, they only think the worst, they only think bad, they only have bad things to say about others. We need to change this. I need to change it. I have tried and I will continue trying, and trust me, it makes a difference. It will make you... it will liberate you. It will liberate you to start thinking positively.

Think positively as a Muslim. Think positive. Don't think doom and gloom and negative for everyone. Not everyone is that way. Think positive. You will feel so good. You will have... you will give meaning to your life.

Developing Our Relationship with Allah

But I want you to learn to develop your relationship with Allah. Don't miss your prayer. Don't engage in immorality. Like I said, the Prophet ﷺ said two qualities are the qualities of those who achieve heaven and Jannah: one is TaqwaAllah - the consciousness of Allah - and two is development of character and conduct. Those who have high levels of character and conduct.

That's why the Prophet ﷺ says:

"The best from amongst you are those who have the best character and conduct." (Sahih Bukhari 3559)

Ask yourself today, tomorrow, and every day: Do I have the best character and conduct? If not, you cannot be calling yourself a good Muslim. Work on your character, work on your conduct.

Charity Begins at Home

And charity begins at home. You start with those whom you live with. Spend time with your children. Today, children are going astray because parents don't spend time with them. Today, families are breaking because no one gives each other time. Imagine you put your phone away and you concentrate on your family for a while - it's something rare today. May Allah guide us all. May Allah open our doors.

One hour, thirty minutes and six seconds - mashallah, we into overtime, injury time. I think I took about 35 seconds talking about that car.

Conclusion and Final Message

My brothers and sisters, I really enjoyed speaking to you. I pray that Allah accept it from us. I would have loved to have shaken everybody's hands. I wouldn't have minded coming through and shaking everyone's hands, but as you know, it's impossible due to our large numbers.

So I want to tell you what is important is not shaking my hand, but what is important is being shaken by the message. That's the most important thing. You can shake my hand a million times, but if you're not shaken by the message, what was the point? This hand is so sinful - it's not going to get you into Paradise. You can't... you will never be able to arrive on the Day of Judgment and say, "Well, my good deed is one day I shook that guy's hand." That might just be the worst deed. May Allah forgive us.

But if I have improved because of the message, and you have improved by the message, it's the message of Allah that made you acquainted with me in the first place. If you ask yourself, "How do I know this man?" your answer will be "because of Islam." Am I right? There you go.

If I did not preach what Allah and His Messenger ﷺ had said, we would not know each other. So let's keep it that way. The power, the respect belongs to Allah and His Rasul ﷺ. We are just brothers and sisters. Alhamdulillah, we love each other, we respect each other.

Humble Request for Understanding

But if I have to run away just now, please forgive me. Don't say he's arrogant. I promise you, I wish I could actually, you know, make everyone happy, but alhamdulillah, I'm sure you appreciate. We perhaps we'll get another moment sometime.

Jazakumullah khair. I think I'm going to be walking straight out of here and disappearing, so please forgive me for that. It might sound - you might say he was just speaking about character and conduct and look at what he's just done - disappeared. So that's why I'm letting you know in advance. We are just human beings like you. I also need a lot of help. I need to improve myself as well. If you notice anything bad from me, please correct me in a beautiful way without the insults, inshallah, and I promise I will do the same.

Final Dua

May Allah bless you all.

"Aqoolu qawli hadha wa astaghfirullaha li wa lakum"

"Wa salla Allahu wa sallama wa baraka ala nabiyyina Muhammad"

"Subhan Allahi wa bihamdihi, subhanaka Allahumma wa bihamdika, nashhadu an la ilaha illa anta, nastaghfiruka wa natubu ilayk"

May Allah grant us goodness.