The Challenge of Being Active Society Members in the West -Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Qazwini- Day 29

11 Bekeken· 15/12/04

Al-Rasoul Islamic Society
abonnees

Muslims in the western world are often faced with a challenging situation, in trying to become active society members whilst preserving the Islamic faith and its teachings. In order to do so, sacrifices need to be made and creativity is a must. Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Qazwini in this beautiful sermon visits this sensitive topic, elaborating on tips and examples in how to practically go about resolving this conflicting situation. Verse of Discussion: "We have certainly created man into hardship" - Surat Al-Balad, Verse 4 Al-Rasoul Islamic Society, Halifax - Canada | The Holy Month of Ramadan 2015

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Transcript

[0:06]allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala states in the holy quran smell ar-rahman ar-raheem laka

[0:13]development and in Sanofi Kabat sadaqa allahu allah allahu allah lien illuminates

[0:20]your hearts and minds with a very loud Salawat a lama tsong

[0:29]Adam as we approach the end of the month of Ramadan a

[0:35]common question that many people ask they wonder we've spent a month

[0:41]bringing ourselves closer to allah subhanahu wata'ala a month of fasting worshipping

[0:50]god restraining our desires empowering ourselves over our desires how can I

[1:00]carry the spirit of Ramadan throughout the year what are practical steps

[1:08]that I can take to preserve my faith throughout the year and

[1:14]until the next Ramadan there are many ways in which we as

[1:22]believers can preserve our faith throughout the year but there is very

[1:26]one important way that I would like to share with you this

[1:29]evening in our lives especially here in Western societies we experience a

[1:38]constant struggle there is this ongoing conflict we have to reconcile between

[1:46]two things and it is not easy to reconcile between these two

[1:53]it is very difficult but Allah subhana WA Ta'ala tells us in

[1:59]the Quran that he has created us in difficulty not Allah canal

[2:03]in sauna fee cupboard the human being has been created in difficulty

[2:10]surrounded with difficulties differ teas are part of our lives that's why

[2:17]we came here to this life in the first place and when

[2:21]you experience difficulty there is usually conflict because how are you truly

[2:28]tested when there is no conflict when everything is clear it's black

[2:36]and white it's easy you could easily choose the right path in

[2:40]which circumstances are we truly tested we are tested when it's not

[2:49]that clear it's not that black and white am i money on

[2:52]a Salaam and one of his sermons in Nanjing Barada he explains

[2:55]why many people deviate he says because the truth is mixed with

[3:03]falsehood those who advocate falsehood they don't advocate for pure falsehood because

[3:09]every human being is smart enough to know what is false what

[3:15]they do is they mix they take some truth say they take

[3:18]some falsehood they mix them they give it to you you get

[3:25]confused usually there is this ongoing conflict and in this conflict we

[3:30]have the opportunity to demonstrate our faith to allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala when

[3:37]we're experiencing this crisis this struggle this ongoing conflict now here in

[3:47]Western societies the conflict is between preserving our faith on the one

[3:54]hand and on the other hand being an active member of this

[3:58]society there's an ongoing conflict on the one hand we are required

[4:07]to be productive people in society we have to be active participants

[4:12]we have to engage in civil activities we have to contribute to

[4:17]our society one of the qualities of believers are those who constantly

[4:22]are giving to their societies they're like it you know fruit three

[4:28]throughout the entire year they're yielding fruits they're offering something they're contributing

[4:38]something they're benefiting something these are the qualities of believers one of

[4:44]the biggest misfortunes that we can be afflicted with is laziness or

[4:51]isolation I have nothing to do with my Society I have my

[4:54]work my house and that's it I don't care what goes on

[4:59]in society I don't participate in any social civil events this is

[5:04]not equality of true believers brothers and sisters true believers are not

[5:10]lazy that's why in the Holy Quran we see many verses which

[5:15]strongly recommend us to be active participants at the social level we

[5:23]need to be social human beings not isolated we have this door

[5:26]in which we recite in the month of Ramadan ilaha mania also

[5:29]becoming an SLO in fashion oh Allah I seek refuge in you

[5:35]from what from laziness from failure from lack of energy if a

[5:41]human being refined that he or she is lazy this is not

[5:48]a good indication laziness is an indication of weak faith of weak

[5:53]Iman not as strong Iman as believers we have to engage in

[5:57]civil activities now when you become active in your society and in

[6:05]civil activities there are three primary benefits you'll also benefit first of

[6:11]all when you engage in civil activities you are contributing to justice

[6:20]social justice what is the role of our Imam when he reappears

[6:23]what is his objective the objective of Alabama Mandy is to fill

[6:27]the world with justice if I want to help my imam during

[6:33]the occultation i have to work for social justice if I'm isolated

[6:36]I don't participate in events that my city that my community that

[6:43]my neighborhood have how am I going to bring that justice you

[6:45]think by sitting at home isolating yourself from your society you can

[6:51]achieve justice what kind of justice will you achieve achieving social justice

[6:56]means you have to be out there you have to be a

[7:00]part of your society you have to contribute so you're actually helping

[7:03]the goal of an imam and Manatee and your prayer preparing society

[7:07]for his return by engaging in civil activities that's number one number

[7:12]two when we engage in civil activities were actually paying back our

[7:19]society because a good part of our success is due to our

[7:27]society allah subhanaw taala gave you the blessings and the opportunities but

[7:32]how through what you succeeded through your society you're educated by the

[7:38]blessings of your society you have a prosperous life mainly because of

[7:44]your society if you want to be loyal a loyal human being

[7:50]you have to pay your society back many people they have this

[7:54]mentality you know that all I want to do is benefit and

[7:57]take advantage of my society you know they like those you know

[8:03]leeches that just suck blood you've seen the leeches the forms that

[8:07]they use for medical purposes the role of this worm in this

[8:10]life is just to suck blood some people that's their role in

[8:16]society they just want to suck from their societies they just want

[8:20]to benefit they don't want to give anything back as believers we

[8:25]have to give something back and one great way is by engaging

[8:28]in social and civil activities now the third reason is you're benefiting

[8:33]other people when you engage in these activities this gives you an

[8:38]opportunity to help others in society to bring new ideas to push

[8:44]your society to go forward and become progressive and the hadith says

[8:50]the creation of Allah are the people the people are like the

[8:55]creation or likely of allah subhanho wa taala allison for allah the

[8:59]most beloved amongst you in the eyes of god are those who

[9:06]benefit his family most if i just sit home and do nothing

[9:08]and don't participate in my community events social events any type of

[9:14]events that goes on in my society how am i going to

[9:20]benefit other people how can i truly show my love to the

[9:24]family of allah subhanahu wa'ta'ala and this brings us to the importance

[9:31]of volunteer work volunteer work is very important in our lives we

[9:35]benefit so much by volunteering first of all volunteering teaches you generosity

[9:41]teaches you how to give teaches you how to sacrifice unfortunately we

[9:47]see in many of our communities our youth aside from going to

[9:53]school or from participating in religious events they don't volunteer in their

[9:58]society the spirit of volunteerism does not exist in our communities why

[10:03]you will benefit it teaches you generosity and it rids you from

[10:09]selfishness because you're not working for a materialistic reason you're not working

[10:17]just to get money to get an income you're giving from your

[10:24]heart this teaches you to be a generous human being who's not

[10:28]selfish we need to encourage our youth to volunteer at all levels

[10:33]of society and civil activities we need to volunteer and by volunteering

[10:39]actually that will give you a great experience in life all those

[10:44]people who volunteer in society they're not wasting their time not only

[10:48]are they helping others they're helping their own future because that's a

[10:54]great opportunity for us to gain experience and experience is very valuable

[10:59]in these societies and tomorrow when you want to apply for a

[11:03]job you want to go to a good school if you have

[11:07]that in your resume believe me it will help you they realize

[11:10]that you're a person who's engaged in volunteer work before they are

[11:18]more likely to employ you the school is more likely to admit

[11:23]you so you're benefiting sana a man wadi mohammed ii one for

[11:34]the love of Amir al-mumineen Adi is salam a major problem that

[11:45]we witness in our communities you see many members of our community

[11:50]they are only concerned about foreign issues domestic issues they have no

[12:00]clue what's going on in their society what are the domestic policies

[12:04]that are being legislated they have no clue I know many people

[12:07]like that if they ever watched news or read what's going on

[12:14]around the world they only focus on the Middle East or in

[12:16]some parts of the world we don't care what's happening in our

[12:21]own societies this is wrong as Muslims we have we have to

[12:24]have a say we have to have an active role in domestic

[12:31]issues at the local level at the national level many of us

[12:35]are absolutely absent when you see there is a domestic cars and

[12:39]it's for a good cause for what are whatever it may be

[12:42]usually you don't find any Muslims participating in these domestic issues we

[12:47]don't even care and most of us don't even know honestly we

[12:52]don't know I can ask a member of any random community come

[12:56]sit with me tell me the last year in this city in

[13:01]Toronto in Montreal and Halifax tell me the last year what were

[13:05]the major events that happened in your city the major domestic issues

[13:12]the major movements the major causes do you think they have a

[13:15]clue they don't have a clue they don't know what's going on

[13:19]in their society and this is wrong as Muslims if we want

[13:23]to earn respect in this society we want others to respect us

[13:26]we have to voice our concerns not only with foreign issues yes

[13:32]when we see foreign oppression we denounce that but at the same

[13:35]time we should have a say in domestic issues and domestic policies

[13:38]then people will take you seriously then people will respect you then

[13:46]you could secure your rights so this is on the one hand

[13:49]on the one hand as believers this is this is where the

[13:55]conflict arises on the one hand as believers we have to engage

[13:58]in these activities we need to be productive and a part of

[14:03]our society but on the other hand we have to preserve our

[14:06]faith and Iman we have to preserve our religious values and principles

[14:15]and oftentimes it becomes difficult to reconcile between these two our religion

[14:20]comes as a priority the priority is not for me to satisfy

[14:26]my society my family my friends my co-workers my company no that's

[14:29]good if you can satisfy them but my priority is to satisfy

[14:35]Allah subhana wa ta'ala because at the end of the day i'll

[14:38]be answerable not my family members not my friends on the day

[14:44]of judgment in my grave allah subhana wa ta'ala will not ask

[14:47]my friend why i did certain things Allah will ask me no

[14:53]one can come there and cover for you and answer questions on

[14:57]your behalf therefore our priority must be Allah Soprano to Allah so

[15:01]how can we reconcile because we see often times in our Western

[15:05]societies it's difficult to reconcile between being active and progressive and at

[15:14]the same time holding on to our religious values do I have

[15:20]to compromise my religion to be an active member of society or

[15:26]no I can hold on to my faith yet be an active

[15:27]member of my society this is the ongoing struggle and brothers and

[15:35]sister this is the jihad this is the greater jihad the greater

[15:39]struggle for a human being to be able to reconcile between these

[15:44]two have to be active in my own society and yet at

[15:50]the same time preserve my faith if I stay at home or

[15:53]go hide in some cave and be religious that's not an achievement

[15:59]what have you achieved the true achiever and the true believer as

[16:03]the one who's active in his society yet on a daily basis

[16:08]he preserves his Eman he preserves his faith this is the true

[16:11]believer in the eyes of Allah you know when narration says during

[16:19]the time of Ben es la there was a worshiper who your

[16:21]stewardship God either in a cave on the desert he had spent

[16:28]many years of his life dedicating his days and years only to

[16:32]worship allah subhanaw taala one day this man decides to go to

[16:35]the city or to the village to visit his brother he wanted

[16:41]something from the city now his brother was a shop owner he

[16:45]owned a you know gold shop or jewelers you know shop in

[16:50]which used to sell gold and jewelry he goes to visit his

[16:55]brother and as he was going to visit his brother he was

[16:58]carrying a basket with him but it was a special type of

[17:04]basket he went to his brother and you know he felt proud

[17:07]of himself this worshipper he went to his shop he told him

[17:12]look what I brought he looked he saw there was a basket

[17:15]full of water but the basket you know like a normal basket

[17:19]it has holes in it you can't fill it with water but

[17:24]this worshipper was carrying a basket full of water and miraculously the

[17:28]water would not pour or spill from the basket he tells him

[17:35]here I brought this basket with me because I've worshipped allah subhanahu

[17:38]wa'ta'ala so much allah has honored me by giving me this miracle

[17:44]now this man did not know his brother he thought I'm better

[17:50]than my brother I have more ebody more Salah more worship Allah

[17:55]subhana WA Ta'ala wanted to test him through his brother his brother

[18:03]said excellent congratulations masha'Allah what a worshipper are you what a faithful

[18:08]person are you I have one request from you I need to

[18:12]go do something can you run my shop for an hour substitute

[18:17]for me anyone comes these are the prices sell I'll come back

[18:23]in an hour can you do that can you fill in for

[18:24]me he said yes of course go do what you need as

[18:28]soon as his brother goes a woman comes and you've seen some

[18:34]of those women who go to those jewelry shops a la Hawaii

[18:36]but she goes to that jewelry shop and she you know picks

[18:42]out an item some gold that she wants to buy now as

[18:46]she was picking the item she extended her hand and the sleeve

[18:50]was removed and she showed her hand to this man now this

[18:54]poor guy he spent almost all his life and the desert and

[18:59]the cave he hasn't seen a woman it's the first time that

[19:01]he's seeing the scene in front of him so what does he

[19:05]do the che plan comes to him he was first to him

[19:11]and he extends his arms and he touches her the minute he

[19:14]does that the basket spills all the water the water is no

[19:21]longer contained in the basket he feels ashamed of himself an hour

[19:25]later his mother comes back he sees the water spilled on the

[19:31]ground I told him brother what did you do why did the

[19:33]water spill he told him look I realized what true Iman means

[19:41]and I've realized that you my dear brother have greater Iman than

[19:45]me because I'm worshipping Allah in the desert and the desert honestly

[19:50]how could you sin you know there are no temptations no distractions

[19:54]you my brother you live your daily life in the city and

[20:00]you deal with all types of people yet you've managed to preserve

[20:04]your Iman and faith you're the true worshipper by being here in

[20:11]this shop earning a halal living for your family and protecting yourself

[20:15]from sin from any type of sin you're true you're an honest

[20:19]businessman you fear allah subhanho to ana you protect your desires and

[20:24]chastity this is the true believer in allah subhanaw taala and this

[20:30]is a lesson for us that if i want to a true

[20:31]be a true believer in god i don't isolate myself no be

[20:37]in your society be an active member in your society yet do

[20:41]your best to guard your faith now this brings us to the

[20:47]solution we have this ongoing conflict how do i reconcile between preserving

[20:52]my faith on the one hand and between being an active progressive

[20:58]successful member of my society on the other hand what's the secret

[21:02]what's the formula the solution respected brothers and sisters is very simple

[21:08]it's difficult in its application but it's very simple when you think

[21:12]about it the solution is the art of creating alternatives and as

[21:21]we think how to preserve our faith after the month of Ramadan

[21:26]each one of us here if we want to be progressive believers

[21:32]we have to master the art of creating alternatives because you know

[21:37]what the problem is oftentimes we human beings we run in a

[21:41]straight line we walk in a straight line never do we think

[21:46]of other alternatives other options we are presented with a problem we

[21:51]think okay there seems no solution let's just go this way oftentimes

[21:55]we don't you know give the necessary effort to find the solutions

[22:01]to find the alternatives you know they say that if you want

[22:08]to run from a crocodile they say that I'm not sure how

[22:11]scientifically that's accurate or not I'm done I don't think there are

[22:13]any crocodiles here but if you want to run from a crocodile

[22:18]the easiest way to outrun the crocodile is to run in a

[22:25]zigzag fashion right because the crocodile can just go straight it has

[22:30]a difficulty going right or left or changing paths so if you

[22:35]go in a zigzag way you're fine you'll be safe the problem

[22:38]is sometimes in our lives we just see one path ahead of

[22:44]us and we walk straight and we see no other alternatives we

[22:47]see no other solutions you know companies which are successful are not

[22:52]those companies which have the answer or the solution to every problem

[22:57]no these are not the successful companies sometimes there are problems there

[23:02]is just no you know ideal solution successful companies are those companies

[23:08]which create alternatives they have Plan B Plan C plan D when

[23:16]something is not working these are the successful companies because plan a

[23:21]doesn't always work sometimes you run into a problem simply doesn't work

[23:26]fine it doesn't work go to plan B go to Plan C

[23:32]here in our lives brothers and sisters as believers we have to

[23:35]master the art of creating alternatives and outlines creating a plan B

[23:40]creating a plan C this is the best way and this formula

[23:46]must be applied at every level of our lives just to give

[23:49]you a small example for example your kids at home we see

[23:54]they're addicted to watching TV going on the internet you know they

[23:57]have those iPads in their hands those gadgets they're glued to it

[24:00]and you know how harmful this is for our children health-wise even

[24:04]a plays with their mentality what do some parents do some parents

[24:09]are like I know what the solution banned them that's it my

[24:11]child was banned from watching TV from playing iPad from going down

[24:17]to internet this is not a solution because now the repercussions the

[24:22]consequences will be negative many of our children I've seen this in

[24:26]very observant and you know conservative families overprotective families you see their

[24:30]children they're not happy some of them feel lonely they experience depression

[24:36]and some of them in the future grow up to be antisocial

[24:42]don't isolate them from these elements of society create alternatives if you

[24:49]want to ban your child from watching TV or from going you

[24:53]know visit going on the internet from surfing the web you have

[24:59]to create alternatives if you don't create viable alternatives then you have

[25:05]failed you have not offered a solution if your child is used

[25:08]to being on his iPad three hours a day the alternative is

[25:13]limited make it one hour do those other two hours you have

[25:16]to fill them somehow take your child on a fishing trip do

[25:21]something engage in an activity create an alternative that's how you deliver

[25:29]a solution you know go find some beneficial programs out there I

[25:34]know I have a friend he says he has a daughter who's

[25:36]obsessed on four or five year old daughter she's obsessed with her

[25:42]iPad day and night she's playing when she's not going to school

[25:46]all she's doing is she's playing on this iPad and there's frustrated

[25:49]him you know he thought to himself what should I do we

[25:54]do if I take the iPad oh boy you can imagine what

[25:56]will happen to her so he said I figured let me go

[26:01]you know ask some friends let me go search the Apple Store

[26:03]and see what kind of good Islamic programs are there and he

[26:10]found tens of nice wonderful religious programs he downloaded those programs and

[26:14]his daughter liked many of these programs now instead of wasting her

[26:21]time on these games you know hours and hours of playing now

[26:24]she's learning she's educating yourself she's learning the Arabic alphabets using a

[26:29]nice program she's learning about the stories of prophets and Imams and

[26:35]educational programs there are alternatives once we create these alternatives then we

[26:41]can say we have a solution now back to our subject when

[26:44]I want to be progressive in my society I want to be

[26:51]an active member yet I have to preserve my faith I have

[26:53]this crisis I have this dilemma because when you want to be

[26:59]an active member of your society let's say at work you want

[27:01]to be very active at school with your classmates you want to

[27:06]be very active one problem that we see in our modern society

[27:08]is that sometimes you have to attend the gatherings which are Haram

[27:13]you have to attend a gathering in which alcohol is served you

[27:19]work in a company and your co-workers your boss sometimes with your

[27:23]clients you go out to a casual dinner and you know a

[27:29]lot of the business deals a lot of important decisions are made

[27:33]in these casual settings it's not always done in the company in

[27:36]the boardroom and the conference room oftentimes you'll have to go out

[27:40]with them for dinner and you know how these people own you

[27:44]know alcohol for them is like your coffee it's like your tea

[27:47]it's like your soda they're addicted to it they can't have a

[27:51]meaning they can't have a dinner they can't have a lunch without

[27:53]it without wine without beer without alcohol what do you do on

[27:59]the one hand you want to be an active participant right but

[28:02]on the other hand you want to preserve your iman because sitting

[28:06]on a table in which alcohol is served is haram in the

[28:12]religion wisdom how do i reconcile there's a crisis here there's a

[28:15]conflict here how do i reconcile between these two sometimes you're invited

[28:21]to a barbecue by your co-workers by classmates and the meat is

[28:25]haram what do you do should I go should I not go

[28:29]if I go and I don't eat they'll be upset if I

[28:32]go and eat I'll be losing my faith what do you do

[28:37]this is an ongoing crisis that we see a lot of the

[28:39]people ask me about the handshake which you're familiar with what do

[28:43]we do every single day we're presented with situations we have to

[28:48]shake hands with the opposite gender what do I do as a

[28:50]professional as a lawyer as a you know scarlet student as a

[28:57]doctor what do I do when I'm presented with this challenge on

[29:00]a daily basis the answer lies in the art of creating alternatives

[29:05]we have to create alternatives and yet remain active members of our

[29:12]society let me give you share with you some examples but before

[29:15]we share with you with you these examples it is very important

[29:21]to note mothers and sisters that often time we run into such

[29:26]situations because we fail to explain to our friends and co-workers and

[29:31]classmates our religious values we fail to do that oftentimes they don't

[29:37]know about my religious values about my circumstances what's permissible for me

[29:44]what's not permissible for me if they know there are many people

[29:51]who will respect that when you're around when you're part of them

[29:54]they will observe your own values your own rights oftentimes we fail

[29:58]we feel ashamed to tell them I know so many of our

[30:02]brothers and sisters when they're presented with this situation they feel ashamed

[30:06]I'm not going to tell them that I can't sit on a

[30:10]table in which wine or alcohol is served I just can't I

[30:12]feel ashamed it's awkward they'll see me different this is wrong oftentimes

[30:17]you should make the effort appropriately and nicely explain to them 60%

[30:23]of the time 70% of the people they will accept they are

[30:29]understanding they will realize but oftentimes we fail to inform them others

[30:33]do so all the time they'll let you know what their limits

[30:36]are what their beliefs are you know if they have any do's

[30:43]and dont's inserts in public areas they'll make it known to you

[30:46]but when it comes to us our turn we fail to make

[30:50]it known to other people and this is a big mistake that

[30:54]we commit so first of all we have to explain to them

[30:56]and then when it comes to the art of creating alternatives let

[31:01]me share with you some examples we have to be creative in

[31:04]creating these alternatives so imagine I have his co-workers and there are

[31:10]you know they usually have these casual meanings alcohol is served sometimes

[31:16]it's a semi party you've got music going on how do I

[31:18]protect myself from such situations and yet I want to remain an

[31:25]active member in that organization in my society what do i do

[31:29]brothers and sisters first of all you have to compensate because you're

[31:33]not attending these gatherings of course you have to compensate how do

[31:41]you compensate one way of compensating is by forming a bond a

[31:45]personal bond with those members whom you're working with be extra nice

[31:49]to them go and buy them a gift every once in a

[31:55]while make them feel that you are a human being who cares

[31:58]about them you know how much difference that means they can understand

[32:03]ok he may not attend some of these meetings but look at

[32:08]this person he's so friendly she's so nice throughout the year he's

[32:12]giving us gifts go out of your way brothers and sisters to

[32:15]be nice to them this is your job you have to sacrifice

[32:19]yes another way in which we can address this scenario tell them

[32:23]look you guys want to get for dinner right to discuss this

[32:29]thing I have another plan why don't you allow me to invite

[32:32]you all for dinner I'll pay for the dinner and I'll bring

[32:37]you the best dinner possible you think they'll say no hey if

[32:40]you're paying for it they're going to enjoy it even if there's

[32:42]no wine served even if there's no alcohol as long as you're

[32:48]the one who's inviting and you're willing to pay for the cost

[32:51]and you promise to give them a wonderful delicious meal they're not

[32:54]going to say no every once in a while this is a

[32:58]great way so yes you have to sacrifice more you always have

[33:01]to be the one taking the initiative but at the end of

[33:06]the day you've achieved what you've preserved your faith and yet you've

[33:09]remained an active member this is extremely important now sometimes you can't

[33:15]attend that meaning beforehand sit gather your thoughts type them out email

[33:20]it to them and tell them these are my thoughts or have

[33:24]you know one of those board members or coworkers or classmates whom

[33:29]you have bonded with give them your ideas let them speak on

[33:32]your behalf there are ways to address it brothers and sisters but

[33:37]unfortunately we make no effort to explore these alternative ways and this

[33:42]is a problem alike says expects us to be creative and come

[33:48]up with solutions there's a solution to everything you're invited to this

[33:51]barbecue event you know what you should do as a Muslim call

[33:56]the organizers or you be the organizer and tell them look all

[33:58]the meat I'll cover it I'll buy it for you from my

[34:02]own pocket not for the companies not from someone else's from my

[34:08]own pocket I'll go and get the meats because I have certain

[34:11]observances that I must observe when it comes to eating the meat

[34:14]if you do that you think they'll say no if you're being

[34:18]generous and you're offering it no one's going to say no to

[34:20]you in normal circumstances there are ways to tackle the situation mothers

[34:29]and sisters for example when it comes to the handshake be creative

[34:32]and find alternatives if you're a person who is in the office

[34:37]and every day customers comes to see you this happens many brothers

[34:41]go through this many sisters go through this be creative when this

[34:45]person when this client when this patient when this customer walks in

[34:50]obviously many of them from the opposite gender will immediately extend their

[34:58]arm in hand what do I do one solution that you could

[35:01]do have a beautiful box of sweets in your office whenever someone

[35:05]knocks on the door someone wants to walk in you stand up

[35:09]carry the box with your two hands and offer it to them

[35:14]you're void and shake that's what any way through it you avoid

[35:17]the handshake my point I'm just giving example brothers and sisters the

[35:22]point of this discussion is train yourself to be creative and come

[35:26]up with alternative ways there are ways there are many ways if

[35:32]you don't have a box of sweets on her there are other

[35:35]ways before the person comes and place your hand on your chest

[35:38]give them a signal let them know explain to them in words

[35:43]tell them that this is my way of respecting you this is

[35:48]my way of showing my appreciation for you and if nothing else

[35:50]works you know what to do you you know we've discussed that

[35:52]sneeze alternative but we'll leave it at that for now you know

[35:57]remember the sneezing one Sandow Allah Muhammad wada Muhammad I feel like

[36:08]sneezing now Sonia bad I saw us watching the art of creating

[36:17]alternatives this is the best way in which to preserve our faith

[36:25]till the following year we as a Muslim society we have to

[36:29]create alternative ways of living our lives in a halal way we

[36:36]have to create alternative sources of hell on many of our communities

[36:40]fail to do that you know for example when you look at

[36:43]our societies why is it that we Muslims don't have for example

[36:50]you know sports events that are done in an appropriate way that

[36:56]falls within the guidelines of the hijab and Islam for example here

[37:02]in the society if you want to go to a swimming pool

[37:04]right usually it's mixed why can't we Muslims come forward and establish

[37:09]swimming pools which are only for females which are only for male's

[37:14]why can't we do that we have the resources we have the

[37:19]energy sports complexes we have to be the ones building them for

[37:23]our youth this is necessary in our society why can't we create

[37:27]and establish and found universities and colleges that have an appropriate environment

[37:35]you're throwing you don't think we have the minds we have one

[37:38]of the best minds you don't think we have the resources believe

[37:42]me the Muslims in the West have bet the best resources you

[37:45]know a while ago President Obama his speech you know what he

[37:50]said about American Muslims it was speaking about Islam in America and

[37:55]he said that American Muslims have a higher education than the average

[38:01]American and American Muslims have a higher income than the average American

[38:05]so don't tell me you don't have the resources what we lack

[38:11]is determination conviction well that's what we like we need to have

[38:17]these haedong alternatives in our society day after day our society is

[38:22]growing brothers and sisters but unfortunately we're not doing anything to you

[38:28]know cater to this growth and this is a problem we need

[38:35]to be thinking in this way halal alternatives and our societies and

[38:39]this is the message that we carry from the Romans of Ramadan

[38:42]brothers and sisters if I don't train myself to come up with

[38:49]alternatives Allah gives me gives me all these alternatives yet I refuse

[38:54]to take them my fate could be like the fate of Rahman

[38:57]had been sent you know on the day of ashura before the

[39:01]day of ashura i'm Calavera and imam hussain hani salaam several times

[39:05]he sent messages to her mother Burnside the Imam wanted to meet

[39:11]him before the Day of Ashura ma'am and machine Ali said I

[39:14]met him he told him oh I might have been signed why

[39:18]are you fighting me you know I might have been sound was

[39:20]the commander of the army of Yazeed of our made the lab

[39:25]in zyada nazim he told him why are you fighting me he

[39:29]told him because I've been you know promised because my home will

[39:37]be demolished because if I don't fight you the governor a bin

[39:42]zayed has threatened me that he'll demolish my house the Imam Mahdi's

[39:46]salam says I'll give you the money to rebuild your house you

[39:53]see the alternative he gave him it was like I'm stuck he

[39:55]was stuck who wants his house to be demolished right he was

[40:00]stuck crisis conflict the Imam Ali Salaam gave him an alternative the

[40:06]Imam says I'll build you your house he says but he is

[40:12]threatened to take my village from me my gardens my farmlands the

[40:15]Imam Mahdi's salam told him i will give you the best farmlands

[40:19]and hedges around the city of medina i'll give you the best

[40:26]farmlands he kept he kept on coming with excuse after excuse equals

[40:30]coming up with all these justifications and excuses he told the Imam

[40:36]finally well I've been promised will Caray they will appoint me as

[40:45]the governor arrived of this big region the Imam Ali Saddam told

[40:49]him look you are a person whom Allah Subhanahu WA Ta'ala has

[40:54]blinded his heart and since you've rejected all of my offers and

[41:02]although all of these alternatives that are lies giving you through me

[41:06]then realize that allah will send someone one day to slaughter you

[41:10]in your own bank and that's what happened this was his fate

[41:14]and he went to hellfire he rejected all these alternatives brothers and

[41:21]sisters in this holy month of ramadan allah has given us vision

[41:25]alast increased our knowledge and through fasting allah subhanaw taala has given

[41:31]us the willpower and Allah expects us to use this vision and

[41:35]the willpower to try to reconcile between these types of conflicts between

[41:41]these struggles being an active member of the society yet at the

[41:46]same time creating alternatives to preserve your faith we need to think

[41:54]we need to gather our intellect share the experiences of one another

[41:58]and come up with an alternative because I guarantee you if you

[42:01]try hard enough if you think hard enough you will find an

[42:08]alternative to every single solution in order for you to succeed in

[42:11]this life this is our challenge as we approach the end of

[42:14]the month rommel on this is our challenge makin a goal that

[42:19]I will master the art of creating alternatives and I will be

[42:25]as actors as I can I will engage in the activities of

[42:27]my society I will be a progressive member of my society yet

[42:34]at the same time I will be proud and hold my faith

[42:36]Allah subhana WA Ta'ala has promised you in the holy quran woman

[42:44]yet allah allah o maharaja the one who has true piety allah

[42:48]subhana wa ta'ala will find your way you you

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The Challenge of Being Active Society Members in the West -Sayed Mohammed Baqer Al-Qazwini- Day 29

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