A Strange Blessing

A Strange Blessing

Opening

السَّلَامُ عَلَيْكُمْ وَرَحْمَةُ اللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

... الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ، وَالصَّلَاةُ وَالسَّلَامُ عَلَى نَبِيِّنَا مُحَمَّدٍ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ. أَمَّا بَعْدُ

Introduction - The Light of Allah

As always, Mohammed Masha'Allah is always impressive in his introductions. So last time we had that class, we also had another episode of this beautiful introduction, alhamdulillah, so Allah reward you for that. This is the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that people they really seek to look for and find in this life.

How can I live in this world always seeing things through the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? This is the question, the one million dollar question, actually it's the one billion dollar question everybody wants to have an answer for. How can I do this? Which means if I'm going to live this life, I want to have someone on my side. I want to have a direction.

I want to have that, inshallah, that road map for me that I don't have to worry about anything in my life because alhamdulillah I do have the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. How can I achieve this? We live in a society. We live in a society right now that there are multiple directions.

People they have multiple choices in almost everything, subhanAllah, even the basic things such as food. People they have multiple options and they realize right now that sometimes, somehow actually, one of the main reasons of depression in this society is having multiple choices because people when it comes to making decisions, they have poor skills of decision making techniques and when they don't have the skills, we don't have the knowledge, we don't have the way, the tool, the direction that helps them make that decision, even in choosing from a menu at the restaurant, they end up at the end of course of that meal with heartburns. Why is that? Too much acid from thinking about making that decision.

Imagine these are simple things. What about the most important decisions in life? The decisions that will lead you to eternal life, to heavenly bliss in the akhira. How can I do it without getting lost in all these directions? How can I make it knowing that I am alhamdulillah confidently having those strides confidently towards the akhira? How can I make this without the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? You can't achieve this.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said:

That's light upon light. That's the light He provides, subhanAllah. It is He, subhanAllah, who guides to His light, whomever He wishes.

That is the light of guidance people look for in this dunya so they can achieve and arrive safely into the akhira. In those few words, inshaAllah, in those few minutes, I would like to share with you in those few minutes, I would like to share with you the meaning and the essence on how can we really see the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in this world. Meaning, everything around you will represent that light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for you.

How can I make decisions? How can I see things? And everywhere I look, I will see signs of guidance from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala through me. Because when you see that, what is the importance of this? When you see that, it makes it much easier for you to obey Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. I just came back, I was actually rushing from a different session that I was finishing and coming here, and that session was about submission.

The Meaning of Submission

The meaning of submission to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, and I share with the audience over there, 10 points, 5 and 5. 5 points, why was it so hard for people to submit? Why is it so hard for people to submit to authority, to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? And 5 points, how we can make submission easy for ourselves. We submit to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. I share with the people a simple story at the beginning.

When I used to live in Bosnia, when I first arrived in Bosnia, back in 1997 actually, after the war was over. So we lived in a house, we had our landlord, she was living in the upper level. And then one day, she came down to my door, and she knocked on the door.

She was an older lady, and she treated us like her children, subhanAllah. So eventually one day she came knocking on my door, and she goes, Yasseri, come with me. So I go, where? She just come.

And I moved out with her, I went all the way up to her level. Eventually she just said, wait for me over here. So I was waiting outside her apartment.

She went inside the house, she came back carrying in her hand loads of these beautiful ceramic and crystal statues. Beautiful, they look expensive. And she goes, tell me, is this halal to keep at home or not? And I'm like, oh my God.

What is she going to do with this right now? Because it looks really, really expensive. A lot of stuff she had on her hand. So I tried to reason and explain to her.

She said, just tell me. Which means, don't waste my time with this. I want to know.

Allah would be happy if I keep it at home or not. I said, well, as a person of sunnah of the Prophet, the answer is no. You should not keep it at home.

No question asked. She went straight to the trash can outside the house with full hands, with all these statues. And she dropped them just right there.

And then she said, ok, exactly, that was it. And she left inside the house. She closed the door and I was standing by the door wondering what happened.

The point of this lady, she just wanted to see the light. I want to know the guidance from Allah. Don't give me your opinion.

I don't want your opinion. I don't want your interpretation of things. Would that be Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala? I want to know.

If this is Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, I'll do it. If it doesn't, I'm going to avoid this right away. That is the meaning of having that light.

That is the meaning of seeing that light of guidance in your heart. Everywhere you go and everything that you do, you always have Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala on your side.

The Bedouin's Understanding

See, Allah, the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam, he gave us the essence of having that light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in our life.

He gave that in one single hadith. But before that, I want to share with you a story of another Bedouin. That Bedouin, he was told, how did you become Muslim? You were in the desert.

What do you know about Islam and Allah? Just living in the desert. How did you do that? He gave his own interpretation of things. He saw the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala in the creation of Allah azza wa jal.

He said, Al ba'ara tutadullu ala al ba'ir. He said, you know what? Al ba'ara means the dropping of a camel in the desert, tells you that a camel passed by, right? Wa atharu al akdam tadullu ala al masir. And the footprints that you see in the desert, in the sand dunes, tells you that someone must have walked through this place.

Then he said:

Looking at the sky, the heavens, with these amazing, amazing canopies and so on, amazing stars. And then the earth with all these paths and mountains and plains and so on. Af ala yudullani al latif al khabir. Shouldn't that be enough to see an evidence for the existence of al latif al khabir, the most subtle, the most wise, subhanahu wa ta'ala? A Bedouin.

Don't tell me he's a PhD holder, a master's degree holder, a Bedouin who knows nothing except his own basic surrounding, life in the desert. He was able to see that light when he looked into the creation of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. How can we get to that level? How can we become that person? Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam summarized this in one single hadith.

The Sacred Hadith of Allah's Awliya

He said, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, in the hadith, which is a hadith qudusi, a sacred hadith:

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 6502)

Whoever aada, which means shows hostility, enmity to one of my awliya. And what's the meaning of a wali over here? I know in the culture of the wali, we think of someone who has a supernatural power in a certain way and so on. It doesn't have to be.

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, it means by wali, is the one who truly dedicated to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the one who truly submits to Allah azza wa jal.

That's what he said subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Allah said that for the awliya of Allah, they have no fear, they should have no fear and no grief. Meaning they have no fear from the past, no grief for what's coming in the future.

Then he said subhanahu wa ta'ala الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَكَانُوا يَتَّقُونَ Those who truly have iman in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and they have righteousness and taqwa. Which means anyone can truly become a wali of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala if they put that effort.

So Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said, Allah says in this hadith, whoever shows hostility whoever shows hostility and enmity to one of my awliya, Allah says, I will declare war against him. فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْمُحَارَبَةِ بِالْحَرْبِ . Allah will declare war against these people.

Which means what? Allah will defend you. Allah the one subhanahu wa ta'ala will take care of you. He will support you.

He'll be there for you. This is the light of guidance you want. You want someone to be there in every single incident in your life.

You're gonna make the right decision. Whatever decision that you're gonna be making. You need to have that light from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Drawing Nearer to Allah Through Obligations

How can I get that? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala has given us the instruction over here. فَقَدْ آذَنْتُهُ بِالْمُحَارَبَةِ And then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 6502)

My servant, my servant is not gonna draw himself nearer to me. My servant will never draw himself nearer to me in anything better than what I have made obligatory upon him. So the first stage and the first step over here, that if you want to come closer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, if you want to be truly that wali of Allah azza wa jal, you begin with what? With what Allah has made obligatory upon you.

Because that's what he makes him happy with you. That's what pleases Allah azza wa jal with you. . تَقَرَّبَ إِلَيَّ عَبْدِي بِشَيْءٍ أَحَبَّ إِلَيَّ مِمَّا افْتَرَضْتُهُ عَلَيْهِ

My servant is never gonna come closer to me by doing anything better than what I have made obligatory upon him. Today when you ask people, why aren't you praying five times a day, what is the normal answer? Alhamdulillah I have faith in my heart. Iman is in my heart.

Which means don't judge me. I'm not judging you, but I'm just telling you. Why aren't you praying? Because if you have salah, alhamdulillah it's a sign that you have the essence of their feeling of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala there.

And if you don't have it, then that's a big red flag right now. Then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says in the hadith qudusi again continuing:

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 6502)

Which means my abd, my servant, going to keep drawing himself or herself nearer to me by doing what? The nawafil. The nawafil, the optional salawat right now.

Adding the sunnah, qiyamul layl, fasting the Mondays and Thursdays. Do all these beautiful good deeds of charity and also giving all kind of good deeds that you make. You draw yourself nearer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Allah says (حَتَّى أُحِبَّهُ - hatta uhibbahu) until I love the servant. So you begin with that which is obligatory first. And then you start moving on to the next level, making sunnah.

Ramadan is coming and you will see wonders from people of jama'a. People, they come masha'Allah so rushing to salatul taraweeh that they even miss salatul isha. They come so late.

Why? Because it doesn't matter. As long as I catch up with the imam in salatul taraweeh. Isha I can do it you know on the side with different jama'a.

It's to that level that we're missing up the priorities. When the first it should be the obligation, then come to the sunnah and the nawafil. So you draw yourself nearer to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala through an nawafil.

It means optional ibadat and salawat and adhkar. Then what happens? Allah will love you. You know what happens when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala loves you? The first thing that happens the Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wa sallam mentioned in another hadith.

When Allah Loves His Servant

He will call upon Jibreel. Jibreel, I love this person. Man or woman? And Jibreel will immediately love this person for the love of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala for that person.

So what does that mean? Does it mean just to love you and that's it? You're given mashallah an award you know. No, there's more than that. Jibreel immediately, he calls upon the people of the heavens.

Allah loves this person. You should love this person. So the public announcement to all the angels, this person by name is beloved by Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Can you imagine your name is announced? You know sometimes when you go in some sort of like an event like this convention for instance and you hear your name in the public speakers, you go why that's me? And then they say your kids is lost, come and pick him up from that place. Imagine when you have that, your name is being announced to thousands and millions and billions of whom? Those are mukrimoon. The angels.

And it's being announced that this is one of beloved to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So, what's so special about this? The next level comes and immediately Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala (يَجْعَلْ لَهُ الْقَبُولَ فِي الْأَرْضِ) Allah will put qabool, means acceptance. Satisfaction with you among the people on earth.

Not just the heavens, even on earth. So wherever you go, people would love to see you. They would love to meet you.

They would love to talk to you. They love your company. Wherever you go, why? Because you're someone mashaAllah, you're beloved.

You're amazing, you're awesome. Why? They see the light that comes from your face, that comes from your heart in the way you talk, the way you speak, the way you behave, the way you smile, the way you engage with the people. Why? Because Allah is guiding you through it.

You're doing the right thing. You're making your ibadat right. And when you do that, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will provide that light for you.

Allah Becomes the Believer's Faculties

So then the Prophet sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said in the previous hadith, continuing, so my servant keeps drawing himself nearer to me more and more by doing the nawafil. Then he said:

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 6502)

And then Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says that, and if I love my servant, then he says, he's in a man that suits his majesty, he said that I will be his hearing that he hears with, and the sight that he sees by, and the hands that he does things with, and the legs that he walks with. What does that exactly mean? The ulama of tafsir and the hadith they say, the meaning of this is that when a person looks at something, what is in his mind when he sees something? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

You only see things by the light of Allah azza wa jal. And you see this in the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's pleasure first and foremost. When you hear, what do you hear? Only what pleases Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala because the hearing now you know, Allah will only give you that ability to hear what he loves subhanahu wa ta'ala.

He guides you through it. He guides you. He may prevent you from hearing that which displeases him subhanahu wa ta'ala.

It becomes easy for you to avoid the haram. It becomes easy for you to do the halal, and to do the wajibat and the ibadat. Why? Because Allah loves you.

But you're going to have to get to that level yet. And you're going to have to try your best. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says afterwards:

(Sahih al-Bukhari Hadith 6502)

So as a result of this, whatever he asks, I'll give it to him. That if he asks for my assistance and help, I'll give him that help and assistance. So Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala is giving you that direction, that light right now.

Seeking Allah's Light

How can we get this? You see when the Prophet salallahu alayhi wa sallam came back from At-Ta'if, he came back salallahu alayhi wa sallam with so much pain in his heart for the rejection that he got from the people of At-Ta'if.

However, when he made dua, he says:

He says, I seek refuge by the light of your beautiful face. Again in the man that touches majesty, that for this light, for this nur, all the darkness of this world is becoming bright. By the virtue and the blessings of the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala.

Rasulallah when he used to make dua:

Oh Allah, you are the light of the heavens and the earth. And he said, I praise you Allah. So he knows and you should know that whenever you make that, when you have the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the darkness in this world becomes now easy for you to recognize.

Achieving Taqwa and the Light

How are you going to achieve this? It's very simple. When Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says, that those are awliya of Allah, they have no fear and should have no grief. Those who have faith, true faith, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and piety.

If you truly have that piety, that taqwa in your heart, Allah azza wa jal will guide you through it. You have that true fear of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and Allah will teach you. Allah will guide you.

Which means Allah will give you that criteria by which you can see right from wrong. You can see the light from the darkness. You can avoid that which is wrong and stay on that which is right.

That all you who believe, if you truly fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, He will give you a criteria. Furqana. He will forgive your sins.

The meaning of this furqan, that is the criteria, that's the basira. The insight by which you can easily recognize that which is right and that which is wrong and avoid that which is bad and stay on that which is right. That is the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that you're looking for and that is the light of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that you need to seek and look for.

Understanding True Taqwa

How can I achieve that taqwa? That's a whole different story. And I'm sure you heard so many lectures on the subject of taqwa. But there's one thing I would like to share with you regarding taqwa.

When it comes to taqwa, I know it's English language they translate that as the word fear. But the word taqwa is deeper than just saying fear of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. There's another word for it.

It's called khashya in the Arabic language. And Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says:

That those who truly fear Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala among His servants are the ulama, the scholars. He didn't use the word khawf.

He used the word khashya. Why? Because khashya means that conscious fear. And the meaning of that conscious fear, that conscious fear that comes with reverence and respect.

That's reverence and respect. You have the knowledge of what you're afraid of. Because when you know Allah, the more you know Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, the more reverence you have for Him subhanahu wa ta'ala.

And that is khashya. You know when you submit to your parents and you submit out of fear is one thing. But out of love for them and out of awe, that's a different story.

And that's the example of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That's the best example. You have that khashya of Allah azza wa jal.

The more you know, the more khashya you develop, and the more khashya you have in your heart, the more taqwa and the more taqwa you will have, the more guidance you get from Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That is nurun ala nur. This is the light upon light.

To this light, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala He will guide. Whomever He wishes, I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to guide us all to this light. And I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to give us that khashya in our

hearts.

Closing

And I ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala to enable us to make our ibadat and our nawafil and fill us with taqwa.