Ismail ibn Musa Menk Something Has Changed

Something Has Changed - Khutba by Mufti Menk

Opening and Praise

All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and the outcome is for the righteous, and there is no aggression except against the wrongdoers. And I bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah alone, without any partners. And I bear witness that Muhammad is His servant and messenger, may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him, his family, and all his companions.

My beloved brothers and sisters, very importantly we must develop the correct relationship with Allah no matter how many times we keep repeating this it will not be enough as a reminder. No matter what we've done, we can always improve in our relationship with Allah. So my brothers and sisters, let's take it very seriously.

The Brevity of Life on Earth

Life on earth is very very short. The average lifespan being between 60 and 70 years is extremely short compared to not only the everlasting afterlife, but even the existence of this particular earth has been for millions of years.

Something Has Changed - The Reality

My brothers and sisters, something has changed. I repeat my brothers and sisters, something has changed. So what has changed? Well if we were in the favor of Allah, in the blessings of Allah, living our lives in a beautiful way and suddenly we're overtaken by anxiety or by a concern, a worry, a disease, a virus - something that has taken the globe by storm, something that has actually changed the way we do things. We don't know at times where the next morsel of food is going to come from, whether we're going to be having a job or not, whether we're going to get salaries or not, whether we're going to be able to pay our bills or not, whether we're going to make it through this time or not. Something has changed my brothers and sisters.

Allah's Communication Through Tests

Let's open the verses of the Quran and take a look at what Allah says. For indeed people are talking of how it is a punishment and others are talking of how it is a blessing, but we should understand it is definitely Allah communicating with us in a unique way. Number one: He is showing us His power. He is showing us His might and He is definitely showing us how helpless we are. No matter how advanced we have become as humankind, He can test us with something that we cannot even see and yet we're so frightened of it. May Allah not make us from among those who are frightened but rather from among those who prepare correctly and who smile at the decree of the Almighty at all times.

The Divine Principle of Change

My brothers and sisters, something has changed perhaps it is the way we have been doing things. If you take a look at the verses, Allah has told us indeed Allah is all-hearing and all-knowing. He hears everything, He knows absolutely everything. He says:

"Indeed, Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what is in themselves."

Allah will never change the blessing that He has favored a nation with unless they have changed themselves. So therefore something has changed. If a blessing has been snatched away, go back to Allah, turn to Allah, check your ways. Perhaps immorality has taken over, perhaps prohibitions have taken over, perhaps we're no longer taking the prohibitions seriously, perhaps we're no longer taking the issue of character and conduct seriously, perhaps we're not worshipping the Almighty the way He wants to be worshipped, perhaps we're not following the messengers that He has sent to us with all the goodness and we have discarded all the goodness.

The Path to Recovery

So Allah says if I have blessed you with something, I'm not going to take it away unless you've changed and deserve for it to be taken away. So my brothers and sisters, something has changed. What exactly it is would differ from person to person, from a nation to nation, but in general, in order to get out of this mess that we're in right now, I promise you we have to turn back to the Almighty in every single aspect of our lives.

Let's start off by worshipping Allah alone. Let's start off by taking the sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), his teachings, his ways much more seriously. Life is not all about doing what we please, especially when it is in the transgression of the Almighty. Here He is showing us: man, you are totally helpless. Indeed, the kingdom, dominion belongs to Allah alone completely. It is Allah who is in charge. He can change our lives with something we cannot see and lives have changed.

Consciousness and Return to Allah

We will never be the same as we were in our lifetime. We have become more conscious of things we cannot even see. We need to be even more conscious of the Almighty who was always there, whom we know, He who gave us life in the first place. Definitely we will return to Him and He will grant us that eternal life of the hereafter wherein there will be bliss and goodness forever and ever.

The Remedy: Gratitude

So if things have changed, what do we do in order to change them back? Well there is a similar verse again in the Quran where Allah says:

"If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe."

From this verse we learn definitely that gratitude to the Almighty, starting with worshipping Him the way He wants to be worshipped and following the messengers whom He has sent to us to remove us from the darkness to the light, we start with that and Allah says gratitude will result in increase of the goodness you are in.

Practical Steps to Gratitude

So if you want increase in goodness, even if it is a little, you need to show gratitude to Allah. Become a better person, be more conscious, don't waste your time in immoral behavior, don't waste your time in sin, don't waste your time in that which will displease Allah. Do good deeds, reach out to people, care for one another, make sure that you have developed a good relationship with people. Make life easy for others, not difficult for others. Those whom you live with, smile at them, make their lives feel worthwhile by you contributing towards their lives in a positive way and understand the Almighty will make your life worthwhile completely.

Warning Against Ingratitude

And if you are ungrateful showing ingratitude, then you have none other to blame than yourself. And this is why the Almighty says:

"And when Allah intends for a people ill, there is no repelling it. And there is not for them besides Him any protector."

The Power of Personal Change

Amazing verses where Allah says Allah will not change the condition of a people as long as that person or those people do not change themselves, and this is talking about in a good way. So if you are in a bad situation and you want goodness to come in your direction, well then change. So this is different from the change we spoke about at the beginning of this lecture where we said something has changed for the good we were in to have been taken away and replaced with anxiety and so on. And now this verse is

telling us if you want to change the negatives that you are in, you must make sure that you change yourself and become a much better person. That is the only time that everything will change.

Appreciating Sacrifice and Service

Today more than ever we are beginning to appreciate one another. We are beginning to appreciate people from all walks of life all over the world who are sacrificing their lives in order to save the lives of others. We pray for them, we appreciate them and we definitely would like the almighty to grant us some form of reprieve. We want some change, positive change. We want to be cured of this virus and the sickness. We want others to be cured of the virus and the sickness. Yes, the loss is for everyone. Everyone across the globe has tasted at least a little of what this virus has come with, yet we cannot see it.

Softening Hearts and Changing Attitudes

My brothers, my sisters, it's very important for us to soften the hearts towards Allah, to soften the hearts towards one another. Many of us have a very hard heart. It's time to change that. Develop your attitude and make sure that you are filled with gratitude my brothers and sisters. Change the hard heart, soften it. Start speaking respectfully to others. No matter how powerful you think you are, the almighty has absolute control. We are nothing in front of Allah. It's only if we were to please Allah that he would grant us goodness. Remember the calmness of the heart and the contentment, those are the gifts that Allah has blessed us with.

Prayer for the Afflicted Nations

I want to spend a moment to pray for those nations where people are dying on a daily basis in large numbers. May Allah make it easy for them, may that stop and may Allah grant cure to all those who are sick and ill, have mercy upon those who have passed away. The ummah of Muhammad (peace be upon him), this is humanity that is struggling my brothers and sisters.

Warning Against Complacency

At the same time, those countries, those countries not yet affected by this particular virus in a big way, don't be complacent. Two things can happen: either we will be tasting what those nations are tasting right now in the very near future and that is very possible. Complacency should not overtake us. But at the same time, if the almighty wills, we could be saved the brunt of it if we were to learn lessons from the nations that have been affected in a big way. We would definitely be able to help our people as well by the mercy of Allah.

Following Prophetic Guidance

Take it seriously when people speak of lockdown. Take it seriously when people speak of social distancing. Take it seriously when people speak of staying at home. Take it seriously. All these are from the teachings

of Muhammad (peace be upon him). He has told us that when you hear of a plague, don't go into the place and don't come out of the place. In one narration: stay indoors and if death were to overtake you indoors you would definitely have the rank of a martyr. And in another narration the prophet (peace be upon him) speaks of so much of the goodness that the almighty has brought to us.

Divine Cure for Every Ailment

Indeed there is no ailment except that the almighty has sent its cure. It's just that people don't know the cure my brothers and sisters. Yes, we talk of prophetic medicines, we talk of home remedies. Those are probably very very important at times like these. We need to take them seriously because we have a shortage of medical staff, we have a shortage of hospital beds, we have a shortage of medication, we have a shortage of so much. So don't lose hope.

Natural Remedies and Trust in Allah

Those hot steam inhalations, those salt water gargles, the development of your immune system, whatever it may be, remember nothing would harm you if you were to do the home remedies and lay your trust in Allah, which means it cannot do you any bad by the will of Allah. So my brothers and sisters, it's important for us to look into the remedies of the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), the natural remedies simply to boost our immune systems. Nobody is saying that we have found the cure, but we are saying that it's important to deal with the symptoms with these home remedies that we have to begin with.

Taking Initiative

We would be foolish if we sat back and relaxed and waited for help to come when help may never come. So therefore my brothers and sisters, the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) speaks of the black seed, powderized as well as its oil, beneficial to boost the immune system. Take it seriously if you have access to it. It would help you with the symptoms of a disease of this nature.

Managing Anxiety and Maintaining Hope

My brothers and sisters, together with that remember there is no need to suffer with anxiety. Anxiety would probably diminish the strength of your immune system thereby making you even more prone to being affected so negatively by such a virus. Be happy, be content, spend your days with your loved ones, reach out to them on a daily basis if they're not with you. And at the same time there is a lot of hope. There is hope at the end of the tunnel. It's just that at this juncture we're going through great hardship and difficulty. Inshallah I pray to Allah that he grant us cure and he help us to change our lives for the better.

Self-Reflection and Accountability

Brothers and sisters, like I said at the beginning, something has changed. What is it? Well ask yourself: what is it? Have I obeyed Allah? Am I wasting my time? Do I flick through the pages of pornography and do I flick through pages wherein there is a lot of immorality that is being spread? Am I spreading immorality? Am I changing myself in a negative way? Am I doing things that would displease the almighty? If that is the case, I could do better inshallah. I could do much better to help myself and to help others. We could become people more conscious of Allah.

Engagement with Worship and Remembrance

My brothers and sisters, at this juncture we should be reading, reciting from revelation. We should be engaged in the remembrance of Allah at least on a daily basis. We should be having a routine whereby we do things that would please Allah. Those who've never prayed have started praying - isn't that a good sign? Those who've never thought of dressing modestly have started dressing modestly - is that not a good thing? Those who've never thought of turning to Allah are ultimately calling out to Allah - is that not a good thing? With all these good changes indeed we are invoking the mercy of Allah.

Following the Prophets' Ways

So my brothers and sisters, very importantly, while we develop our relationship with Allah by worshipping Him alone, let's become people who follow the ways of the prophets of Allah. May Allah's peace and blessings and mercy be upon all of them and upon every one of us too.

Supplication

O Allah we ask you to grant us cure. O Allah we ask you to grant us cure. O Allah we ask you to have mercy on those who've passed away. O Allah strengthen those on the front line. O Allah grant them strength and have mercy on them. O Allah we ask you to bless every one of us, to take us out of the suffering. O Allah we know we have changed. O Allah help us to change in a positive way, be pleased with us and alleviate the suffering that we're going through. O Allah we ask you to grant us every goodness that the prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) asked you to grant him and we seek protection from all the evil that he has sought protection from. O Allah have mercy on those who've passed on and make it easy for their loved ones. O Allah have mercy on us the day we're going to pass away and make it easy for every one of us and our loved ones Ya Allah. O Allah those who are sick and ill grant them cure. O Allah those who are unwell grant them cure. O Allah the elderly have mercy on them, those who have compromised immune systems. O Allah grant them strength and develop for them their immune systems. O Allah help us in every single way, help us appreciate the favors upon you. O Allah we ask you every goodness Ya Allah and we seek protection from every evil.

Continued Prayer and Hope

My brothers and sisters, it's important to continue calling out to Allah. Powerful prayers - don't lose hope in the mercy of Allah. Reach out to others with hopefulness, reach out to others with a lot of goodness. Share with one another beautiful remedies that are accessible to the people without claiming that you have a cure for the virus, but at least telling them the truth that it would actually help with the symptoms and that's what we need my brothers and sisters.

Light After Darkness

It is not all doom and gloom. There is indeed the mercy of Allah. You and I know that the daylight, daybreak actually comes after the darkest hour of the night. At the moment we are in this darkest hour of the night. May Allah grant us a daybreak and may He make it for us as beautiful as it was and even more beautiful and may He make us more conscious of Him.

Permanent Change and Commitment

I pray that we can change our lives and I pray that we promise that even if this entire situation were to improve in a tremendous way, we would not forget the favors of Allah. In the Quran in many places Allah warns us of the promises we make to Him and then we go back on those promises once He takes our suffering away. So therefore this time let's change our lives permanently. May Allah grant us a positive change.

Conclusion

Something has changed and we need to change it back to the goodness and even better than what it was. May Allah have mercy on everyone of us and may we be from among those who have taken heed.