YM Intensive Revelation to Revolution

اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ

It's not enough for you to have that knowledge in your possession. And subhanAllah how many scholars do we see today that are like closed libraries, completely irrelevant because there is no action upon that knowledge. And I'll mention something here that I find very significant.

The Example of Ibn Taymiyyah

Al-Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (رَحِمَةُ الله - rahimahullah) what was his name? What is it? What was his name? Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah. Now if you read the life of many people that were also Ibn Taymiyyah and he came from a family of scholarship, would you believe me if I said that Imam Al-Dhahabi (رَحِمَهُ اللَّهُ - rahimahullah) said that Imam Ibn Taymiyyah had a brother that was more knowledgeable than him? Sharafuddin Ibn Taymiyyah was more knowledgeable than him? But what makes it so that whenever you mention the name of Imam Ibn Taymiyyah (رَحِمَةُ اللَّهُ - rahimahullah) today everyone knows Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah. We know which Ibn Taymiyyah we're talking about.

We're not talking about his father, his grandfather who was a great scholar of the Hanbali school. We're not talking about any of his brothers who were also scholars. His brother Sharafuddin who was actually more knowledgeable than him according to his student Al-Dhahabi. We're talking about the Ibn Taymiyyah. Why? Because of al-amal. Because he was a pioneer in da'wah. He was a pioneer in jihad. He was a pioneer in ilm, in scholarship. He was a pioneer in refuting innovation. Everywhere you saw action you saw Ibn Taymiyyah (رَحِمَةُ اللَّهُ - rahimahullah) Taqiyyuddin Ibn Taymiyyah at the forefront. Al-ilm wal-amal. Connecting knowledge and action.

And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) immediately reveals to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) قُمْ فَأَنْذِرْ. Stand up and warn. And subhanAllah this is something that's very profound.

And purify your garment. And this is something subhanAllah if you read the books of tafsir on this statement you would find so much benefit. Some of the mufassireen said that it's literal to purify your garment meaning al-tahara. Some of them said that it means to purify yourself from all forms of immorality. Some of them said that it means to purify yourself from all forms of foul talk or idle speech. There are so many different tafsirs there but essentially what's being said is to set the example. To set the example.

"You cannot give something you don't have. Set the example."

4. Constant Remembrance and Spiritual Purification

And subhanAllah we see then the next revelation, surah al-muzzammil. Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is given the order to warn, is given the order to go into da'wah. And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) then reveals to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) immediately after.

And again we would think that spirituality comes before action. But there is something very significant here. Yes, tazkiya was there. Rasulullah (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) received iqra while he was in a state of purifying himself spiritually. And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) gave him the message of iqra while he was purifying himself spiritually.

And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) purified him with the revelation of the Qur'an. And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) then gave him the order of da'wah. But there is something very significant here.

And Imam al-Ghazali (رَحِمَةُ الله - rahimahullah) he says that at-tadhakkur, to remember Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) to be in a state of remembrance of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) is greater than at-tafakkur. Is greater than contemplation because contemplation has an element of speculation in it. SubhanAllah.

Naturally when you are doing dhikr you are reminding yourself of something that you already know. And many times one of the major mistakes that we make as du'at, as Islamic activists, and I can tell when I'm looking out to the crowd that most of you are probably involved in some form of Islamic work. You wouldn't be up at 8am if you weren't. If you weren't interested in this.

One of the major things that happens to da'iyas, to students of knowledge, to people that get involved in Islamic work. You have this spiritual moment.

"You have this spiritual epiphany in your life. All of a sudden you want to become a strong da'iya. You know what, I want to do this. You have this sense of motivation. You have this spark that flies. Then you go full force into doing some sort of action."

"After having a peak it crashes."

Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) emphasized the fatra. In the narration of Ibn Hibban, which is the most authentic narration, emphasized the fatra. When you're not at your peak, when you come crashing down, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) says whoever's fatra is according to my sunnah, then he will be amongst those who are successful.

"And whoever has a fatra that is according to something other than my sunnah, will completely be destroyed." In another narration (خَذَا وَخَسِرَ - khadha wa khasira). Then he will lose and he will feel a sense of failure and he will feel a sense of loss.

What's so important here is what Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) is giving the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is not that you have this spiritual moment in your life, you had this supernatural experience, so now go into da'wah and forget about going back to spirituality. You need to have spiritual constants in your life.

You need to have a constant sense of dhikr. The more that you get involved in Islamic work, the more likely you are to suffer burnout if you don't have that spiritual consistency in your life. It's not a one time thing, a one time emotional outburst and then you can just reflect on that moment. You can say, I had that moment where I changed my life and that's why I only do da'wah now. You cannot constantly be on the giving end, you have to be receiving from Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) also. And listen to the words Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) says, beautiful.

"Stand for the night except for a little of it."

And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) gives the Messenger (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) a prescription that while you're reciting, while you're standing for the night:

"Half of the night or take a little bit from it, a little less than half."

"Or you could do a little bit more."

"And you could recite the Qur'an even more frequently. You could recite it with beauty."

Now SubhanAllah, Allah (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ - azza wa jal) is giving the Messenger (صلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) a prescription. Some nights Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is going to pray more than that half. Some nights Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) is going to pray a little bit less than half. And this shows us the importance of having wird, having something that you do every single day, having some sunnah, some mandatory actions, some actions of ibadah, some spiritual constants in your life that whenever you're at your low point you're not going to neglect those.

You don't have to be at this spiritual high every single day, but you know what, no matter what I'm going through, and that's the essence of salah, five times a day, no matter what state you're in, no matter how

depressed you are, no matter what troubled you, you have to pray your salawat on time. Having spiritual constants throughout the day. Having a bare minimum.

You know what, I have something to fall back on. Not when I feel good I'll start going to halaqas and I'll start going to conferences, I'll start getting involved, then when I get a little bit turned off I'll completely neglect everything until I get another epiphany in my life. Having spiritual consistency.

"Remembrance is greater than contemplation."

They're both beloved to Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَی - subhanahu wa ta'ala) but remembrance has no aspect of speculation in it. You know exactly what you're going to every single night. You look forward to your salawat. You look forward to being on the receiving end. You look forward to that and that is your fuel to keep on going throughout your da'wah.

So that's number four, constant remembrance and spiritual purification.

5. Start with Those Closest to You

Then we come to number five. In the da'wah of the Messenger (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) who should Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) warn? And Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) reveals to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam):

"And start warning those who are closest to you, the closest of your kin."

And this is something that's constantly emphasized in the Qur'an.

"Those who are closest to you are most deserving of your good behavior and they're most deserving of whatever it is that you have."

Most of the time when we start with our da'wah, when we think about doing good things, we think outside of the household. Fix what's inside of your household first before you can go out to the public.

The Story from the Musnad

And Imam Ahmed (رَحِمَةُ الله - rahimahullah) he narrates in his Musnad that whenever this was revealed, Aisha (رَضِيَ الله عَنْهَا - radi Allahu anha) she says in the Musnad of Imam Ahmed, whenever this was revealed, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) went out and he called "Ya Fatima bint Muhammad (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) Ya Safiya bint Abdul Muttalib." And then he called "Ya Bani Abdul Muttalib."

So he started off calling his daughter (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam). Then he called his aunt. Then he called his tribe. And he says:

"I cannot do anything for you in front of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala)."

"You can ask me anything for my money, anything for my wealth I will give it to you. But I cannot stand in front of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) and get you out of hell fire. You have to stand up for yourself. You have to respond to the revelation yourself."

Taking that message to your family, taking it to those who are closest to you is more important than taking it out of the household. And that doesn't mean that you go home by the way and start talking to your parents in a rude manner and saying that everything you were raised upon is bid'ah and innovation and you don't understand anything about Islamic law and I took a weekend class or a double weekend class and I understand Islam better than you do. So listen to me and the TV is haram, let's throw it out.

That type of thing. It's not that. But at least you should try to bring Islam to your own household first. You should try to bring it to your own household first and we shouldn't think this way. We should branch out. It starts with those who are closest to me. Then I start branching out. I start with my local community. It always amuses me when the brothers and the sisters start posting Hizb ut-Tahrir type stuff. Khilafah conference this and Khilafah that. I'm like, dude you don't even do anything in your own masjid. Who are you kidding? Start with those that are closest to you and then branch out. So micromanaging as Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى - subhanahu wa ta'ala) teaches the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam)

6. Do Not Forsake the Principles of Your Da'wah

Number six, do not forsake the principles of your da'wah. Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) had no interest in personal glory. But the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) did think that if he could reach out to the people like Uqba ibn Abi Mu'ith and Abu Jahl and those types of people and the leaders of Quraish that he could bring them into the fold then everything would be okay. So he would focus his da'wah to them (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) sometime. And we have two revelations in that regard.

One of them, Surah Abasa where the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) thinks that they're finally listening to him. He finally has these leaders and they're appearing to give him an ear. They're appearing to be lending him an attentive ear and they're listening to him (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) or at least he thinks so.

Then comes Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoum. You know this reminds me of whenever there's an interfaith gathering in the masjid and some guy is coming out with like his beard wet coming out from the wudu

area and his sleeves folded up. Get out of the way man. We have a politician here. We have the mayor here. So we've got to do ribbon cutting and we've got to look proper.

And obviously the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) did not act that way by the way. But Rasulullah صلى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ is doing da'wah to these people and he thinks that he finally has an ear from them. Then comes Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoum.

Abdullah ibn Umm Maktoum is blind and he's from the poor of the sahaba and he's coming up and you guys remember the cartoon Roadrunner. He's collecting dirt behind him. He's running to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ)

"(He frowned and turned away) Because there came to him the blind man. But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified"

He's coming to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). He doesn't know what the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is doing right now. And he's saying to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ):

"O Allah, teach me what Allah جَلٌ جَلَالُهُ has taught you."

He's coming to be reminded. And Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) did not say anything back to him. Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) did not push him out the way. Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) did not say can you use a separate entrance. He didn't say anything rude to him. عبس - The Messenger (صَلَّى الله عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) ignored him and he frowned. And عبس actually know the Qur'an guy is here, Ustad Nouman is here. عَبُوسَ is the slightest frown in the Arabic language.

This is what عَبُوس is. You know two wrinkles that you have in your face whenever you're frowning. That's what it is. It's not like Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was looking at him and going pfff. It's those two little lines you have in your face whenever you frown. That's the slightest frown and Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ reprimanded the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) for that.

But because of that Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ did not reprimand him directly. Allah جَلَّ جَلالة is talking He's talking to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) as if it's about someone else. أَن جَاءَهُ الْأَعْمَى - Not "Whenever the blind man came to you." He's talking to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) as if he's talking about someone else to show Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) how out of character this was for him (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). Stick with those who are closest to you. Those who have that enthusiasm. We should not be bending over backwards, excuse my terminology, to satisfy other people so that we can put on a better portrait of Islam.

The Verse from Surah Al-Kahf

Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ also says in Surah Al-Kahf Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ in the, I'm trying to remember, actually let me find it here:

"And keep yourself patiently with those who call upon their Lord morning and afternoon."

And Imam Muslim narrates in his sahih from Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas who said that we were, a group of six of us were with the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). So Rasulullah (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is sitting with a group of sahaba. And some of the leaders of the mushrikeen came and they said, we'll listen to you, but tell these people to leave us because they might offend us. We don't want to be sitting in the same gathering as them. We don't want to be around them.

And Sa'd ibn Abi Waqas says it was myself, it was Ibn Mas'ud, it was Bilal, and it was some two other people that I could not remember. I could not remember their names. And Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ revealed to, and Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) thought to himself about whatever he will. This is what the narration says. He thought to himself whatever he will. And Allah جَلَّ جَلالة revealed to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ):

"Do not drive away those who invoke their Lord morning and afternoon seeking the pleasure of Allah جَلَّ ". جَلَالُهُ

Be proud of the people who love Allah جَلّ جَلَالُهُ and His Messenger (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). We don't always have to bend over backwards to try to get the leaders to listen to us.

You know, subhanAllah, how many masajids open, and instead of bringing a scholar or bringing a person of knowledge or someone who is recognized for his ilm and his deen, we need to bring some sort of politician. I don't care if that politician is a homosexual, I don't care if that politician is someone who is an atheist, I don't care who that politician is, but we've got to have a ribbon cutting. And whenever that person comes, it's like, you know, come on, please, come see our masjid. We're trying to be progressive, we're trying to make sure that you approve of us. You cannot give up on your principles, seeking acceptance from them.

And Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ says:

"And do not, and do not let your eyes overlook them, looking, you know, desiring, and he's not telling Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) to seek personal glory, he's saying to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) that you're seeing this as the glory of the deen."

تُرِيدُ زِينَةَ الْحَيَاةِ الدُّنْيَا - He's not saying to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) that you yourself are trying to search for personal glory. He's saying to the Messenger (صلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) don't worry about that. This deen, as we have it today, that claims how many doctors and how many educated people, was built

on the backs of people like Bilal (رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ) on the people like Khabab ibn al-Arat, on the people like Ibn Mas'ud.

It was built on the backs of these people, and it's not going to succeed except on their likes, on the backs of people that are like them and that follow in their example. So do not compromise on your principles seeking the pleasure of those people, seeking the pleasure and the acceptance of those who occupy high positions.

7. Your Lord Will Never Forsake You

Number seven, your Lord will never forsake you. And this is something that's very powerful. When there was a pause in revelation, and Rasulullah (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) became concerned, he wasn't concerned because of the insults that were being hurled towards him, he was concerned because he thought that possibly the pause of revelation meant that Allah جَلّ جَلَالُهُ was not pleased with him. So long as you are in the path of Allah جَلٌ جَلالُهُ so long as you are working for this deen, anything that happens to you, you should not associate with the displeasure of Allah جَلٌ جَلَالُهُ And that's one of the major things that derails da'iyah.

It's like, man, I went to Fajr today, I went to a YM Halaqah, then I fell out of a tire, you know, I came home and my laptop crashed or something like that. You know, you associate bad things that happen to you during your period of da'wah with the displeasure of Allah جَلٌ جَلالة or it's not effective. And Allah جل جَلَالُهُ revealed to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ):

"Your Lord did not abandon you. وَمَا قَلَى" They were saying to Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) that the Lord of Muhammad (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) left is displeased with him, he hates him, particularly the wife of Abu Lahab. They were poking at Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) in this way. Your Lord will not forsake you so long as you are in the process of trying to please Him in the process of this da'wah.

8. Patience and Perseverance

Number eight, patience and perseverance. You have to have patience. And by the way, one of the greatest ways to know that you have insincerity is whenever you face hardship in your da'wah and that causes you to turn away. That means that you were not doing it for the pleasure of Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ in the first place. Because you know what, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) did not have appreciation for many, many years. When you're doing this work, you're not going to have appreciation most of the time, especially in our communities, especially as a young Muslim activist.

Once that is enough to turn you away from the da'wah, that means that you have some elements of insincerity. And Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ says:

"I am the most worthy to have anyone associated with me in the hadith Qudsi."

"Whoever does something and combines intentions, yes, some of it is sincerity, but some of it is trying to please people, then I will leave him and his shirk."

So having patience and perseverance is something that's very telling about your sincerity in the first place. And at the same time, Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ understands that you will be hurt sometimes though. It's natural to be hurt, especially when you're not being appreciated.

9. Absolute Trust in Allah Which Does Not Impede Practicality

It's absolutely natural. And Allah جَلّ جَلالة addresses the humanness of the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ):

"That we know that what they say to you, O Muhammad (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) saddens you. You're saddened by it."

So Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was a human being. It obviously hurt the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) but that wasn't enough to derail him. That wasn't enough to make him stop doing his da'wah.

Think about Mut'if when Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is getting stoned. And in the end of that beautiful emotional du'a:

"As long as you are not angry with me, O Allah, I don't care." SubhanAllah.

It hurt him (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). It brought him to tears. These insults hurt. I mean, imagine for 40 years you were amongst the most honored of your people. People had nicknames for you out of their honor for you. And now all of a sudden they're calling you all kinds of names. All of a sudden they're stepping on your neck in sujood, putting camel guts on your back. All of a sudden they're oppressing your family. It hurts him (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). And you will be hurt in this da'wah, but that hurt should not be enough to derail you. If it is enough to make you stop doing what you're doing, that means there is an element of insincerity there.

And I know Shaykh Yasir Qadhi is going to talk about the role of the stories of the Prophets, how that played with the Messenger (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). But just briefly, one of the most powerful ways to alleviate hardship from someone is to share with them the examples of people who are going through more. You know, you ever watch the YouTube video of the guys without legs and the guys without arms

and the people that are deaf and these types of things, and people that are going through more serious hardships? When you see that, it makes you feel like you really don't have any right to complain. So Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ reveals to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) in his hardest moments, He reveals to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) the stories of the Prophets that came before him.

The story of Yusuf (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ) an entire surah dedicated to Yusuf (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامٌ) And Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) can draw a parallel with almost all of those Prophets in some way, shape or form what they were going through Muhammad (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was going through. He was abandoned by his brothers, Yusuf (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) was abandoned by his brothers, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) was also abandoned by his brothers, but in another way. Sent to a strange land, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) would be sent to a strange land. Accused with all sorts of false rumors, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) would be accused. All of the things that these Prophets went through, and Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ was showing Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) they also went through the same thing, but they patiently persevered. Sometimes they wanted to give up like Yunus (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام). Sometimes it got to a point that they wanted to give up, but they patiently persevered.

And if you think your situation is bad, Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) as the Alusi says, when Allah جل جَلالة narrates to him surah Maryam, the situation of Maryam (عَلَيْهَا السَّلَامُ) you're being accused with all of these rumors. Imagine being a woman who lives in a society that if there's a hint of zina, she will be stoned. And then having to come to your people and explain a baby in your hands.

That what you're going through, people before you went through, look at Ayub (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام). Look at what all of these Prophets went through. But the most severe warning that came to the Prophet (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) to the point that Ibn Abbas (رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ) he says that there was no ayah that was ever revealed to the Prophet (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) more severe than this ayah. And it comes from the surah that Rasulullah (صلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) when he was asked by Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ) you have a lot of gray hair all of a sudden.

And Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) said, "It was surah Hud and its sisters." And when he was asked (صلى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) what about surah Hud? And it was one ayah that came in that surah to the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) that Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) is being told by Allah جل جلالة Be firm, have istiqamah. Be firm with that which you were commanded. And do not divert from your path. Verily Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ is all-seeing. He sees everything that you do.

Having to patiently persevere. But whenever the hardship that you face is enough to derail you, that means that there's an element of insincerity.

Number nine, and this is possibly one of the most defining attributes of the Messenger (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ). Absolute trust in Allah جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ which does not impede practicality.

And I want you to go to the Battle of Badr. Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is calling upon Allah (جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ - jalla jalāluhū)

And Abu Bakr as-Siddiq narrates this. That Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is making dua to Allah (جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ - jalla jalāluhū) in such a manner. And he's raising his hand. And he's saying, "Oh Allah, if you allow this group of people to be destroyed." When Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) saw the amount of men that he had compared to the amount of the mushrikeen. "If you allow this group of believers to be destroyed, then you will not be worshipped on the earth." And Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is insisting to Allah (جَلٌ جَلَالُهُ - jalla jalāluhū) He's calling upon Allah (جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ - jalla jalāluhū) in tears. And his hands being raised. Until his garment that was on his back fell off. And his hands are all the way up in the sky. And Rasulullah (صلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is calling upon Allah (جَلّ جلالة - jalla jalāluhū) with this emotional dua.

And Abu Bakr as-Siddiq (رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ - raḍiya-llāhu ʿanhu) comes to the Messenger (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam). And he takes his garment. And he puts it on his back. And he says, "Allah (جَلَّ جَلالة - jalla jalāluhū) will grant you what He promised you."

Now many of us might see this incident. We might say that, isn't this doubt? This dua, isn't it a form of doubt? Isn't that like, Oh God, why have you forsaken me? Did Rasulullah (صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) lose confidence in Allah (جَلّ جَلَالُهُ - jalla jalāluhū)? But what's so amazing is that we know from the books of Sira, the day before Badr, Rasulullah (صلّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ - ṣallā-llāhu ʿalayhi wa-sallam) is walking around. And he's pointing to spots.

And he says, "This is the place where Utbah will die. This is the place where Abu Jahl will die. This is the place where Shaybah will die."

And you know what's so amazing? Sahaba said that not a single one of those men in Ba