# Messenger Audio 28.1 (31-Dec-1982) {% embed url="" %} (0:02) Do you expect to enter Paradise without undergoing the same test as those before you? (0:16) They suffered hardships and adversity, and were so shaken up that the Messenger of God, (0:23) who believed with him, said, Where is God's victory? Indeed, God's victory is always near. (0:45) Okay, so, the idea here is to worship God alone, no matter what happens, under all circumstances. (0:55) It's a matter of knowledge. You come to the conclusion that God is One, He's the only Master, He's the only one that benefits or harms, (1:05) He's the only one who controls the minds and hearts of the people around you. He makes them love you or hate you or care about you or don't care. (1:16) And with this knowledge, it doesn't matter what happens. Adversity or happiness, it's a fixed, definite knowledge. (1:27) And you know that. It doesn't matter what happens. So, also, we are here for the test. (1:38) And God wants to be proud of you and wants to show you off to the angels and say, Look at my servant. (1:45) He or she worships me no matter what happens, without ever seeing me. And this is the whole idea of our existence. (2:00) And the end of the verse says, Indeed, God's victory is always near. (2:10) It must be noted also here that after the test, there is a final test. (2:18) After the final test, there is nothing but kingship on earth, as God promises. When you come to the conclusion that you worship God alone. (2:29) It takes a long time. The road is long and hard. It's a continuous struggle. (2:39) But there will come a time when you are a perfect worshiper of God alone. Then there is no hardship. (2:50) And we can see this in surah 24, 55. (2:58) These are some of the verses that you must remember all the time. Page 243. (3:05) The great promise. Because God promises those, verse 55. Page 243. (3:16) God promises those among you who believe and work righteousness that He will make them kings on earth, as He did for those before them. (3:25) And that He will establish for them their religion that He chose for them, and that He will substitute security in place of their fears. (3:34) All this because they worship me alone, without idolizing anything besides me. (3:39) If anyone disbelieves after this, then these are the wicked. (3:44) Baturat, come and sit next to daddy. (3:49) And Sajjan, sit next to mommy. (3:52) Then they will have no noise. (3:57) Now Jamila is free to roam there. (4:02) See, this promise is true. Now, do you remember Job? (4:07) Job had lots of hardship and adversity. (4:13) But once he passed the test, he recovered, his health recovered, he recovered his family and even twice as much. (4:21) He recovered his wealth and twice as much. (4:26) So he was under the test for as long as he needed to be tested to prove himself. (4:31) And the same is true with us. (4:37) Also, we must think of adversity as a cleansing and punishing process. (4:43) When you join the oneness of God alone, you expect some trouble at the beginning. (4:48) Because you're cleansing all the past sins, all the past errors. (4:53) And this can be cleansed only by paying for them, in this world. (4:58) So all the adversity that you have at the beginning, you come join this mosque, you're going to have 5 or 10 years of adversity. (5:06) And this is because it's a punishing process. (5:11) Punishing, you know how punishing goes. (5:13) They take a piece of rock, and they put it in a punishing machine. (5:18) Very noisy. (5:21) Shipping off pieces. (5:23) But then what comes out is a beautiful gem. (5:27) And that's what you come out as, after you go through the polishing process. (5:33) Polishing is not pleasing. (5:38) So what I'm saying is that there is a final test. (5:41) Also, if you look up Surah 65, verses 3 and 4. (5:57) Verses 4 and 5. (5:59) For the day. (6:02) Page 401. (6:05) Page 401. (6:07) Verse 2, let's look at verse 2 at the end of it. (6:14) It says, whoever observes righteousness towards God, he will create an exit for him. (6:19) An exit from every problem. (6:23) And provide for him whence he never expects. (6:31) When you observe God, you sacrifice a job or a source of income. (6:39) Strictly for the sake of God. (6:42) He will provide for you whence you never expect. (6:48) Surah, page 401. (6:51) The end of verse 2. (6:54) This is a verse I want you to remember. (6:58) Whoever observes righteousness towards God, he will create an exit for him. (7:02) And provide for him whence he never expects. (7:06) Anyone who trusts in God, God will surprise him. (7:11) God always carries out his decisions. (7:15) You have come to the conclusion that God is the King, the absolute ruler of the universe. (7:23) And he will carry out his promises and his decisions. (7:31) You just have to believe it. (7:33) You must have absolute confidence in it. (7:37) Tomorrow, there is a mandatory law, insurance law. (7:45) And we have, quite a few of us have decided that we have insurance with God. (7:51) But if you are with God, you have the best insurance. (8:00) And you just have to believe that. (8:03) That nothing will happen to you when you have insurance with God. (8:06) This is the difference between the insurance companies and God's insurance. (8:11) That in God's insurance, you don't have anything happening to you. (8:15) Your car, your health. (8:19) With the insurance companies, you will have the accidents, and the insurance company will pay for you. (8:26) You have the agony of the insurance, of the accident, and the inconvenience of losing the car for you, or having an operation. (8:36) And the companies will pay. (8:40) But you just have to have the confidence that when you have insurance with God, nothing will happen to you. (8:46) Also, you must know that if God wants to get you, He'll get you, whether you have insurance or not. (8:53) God says, they cannot escape from me. (8:57) That's what He said. (8:58) If you deserve a pinch, or a little accident, or a little sickness, you can't get away from my insurance company. (9:05) Yes? (9:08) Yes. (9:09) How about when you go to register with them, and they give you the insurance? (9:13) Yes. (9:14) When you have to, then you have to. (9:16) We will not buy insurance unless we have to. (9:20) But it appears that God is already taking care of us. (9:24) Because the law enforcement people, the prosecutors, are all protesting the law, (9:30) and they are making an official case out of it. (9:35) They say they will not enforce it. (9:37) They don't want to enforce it. (9:40) So, I called the Civil Liberties Union myself, and I told them this contradicts our religious beliefs, and everything. (9:46) And they didn't do anything about it. (9:49) So, we will not buy insurance until we have to. (9:53) Because the Quran says, if you have to eat pork, or drink wine, or do anything, (9:58) and if you have to, without being malicious or deliberate, (10:02) then you're not committing a sin. (10:11) But what I'm saying is, what God says, and provide for you what you never expect, you must know that. (10:18) You must have that confidence. (10:21) If you have the slightest doubt, it will not work. (10:26) And this insurance business, we've been in it for a long time. (10:37) We've had that conviction to the extent, I told you about our friend Tariq, when the guy said, (10:44) who's the insurance with? (10:47) And he said, I have insurance with God, because it's his phone number. (10:55) He wasn't thinking, it was the natural question coming afterwards, but then of course he was stunned. (11:04) Because he had a pencil in his hand and a paper, he was ready to write the whole number. (11:09) It was a two-and-a-half place, where Tariq's car was a little bit. (11:14) It's the pendulum. (11:22) So, God always carries out his decisions. (11:25) He's the absolute ruler. (11:27) He runs this country. (11:28) It's not run by the government, or any government, anywhere. (11:35) God runs everything. (11:41) If you go to the end of verse four, it says, whoever observes righteousness towards God, (11:47) God will make everything easy for him. (11:51) Everything will go easy for him. (11:54) He will not suffer any hardship. (11:59) There's absolutely no humiliation for the servants of God. (12:04) You go apply for a job, and you'll be in the box. (12:07) Because your soul takes over the place. (12:11) And you'll see them running to serve you. (12:16) They may not realize it, but you'll see it. (12:22) Whoever observes righteousness towards God, God will make everything easy for him. (12:28) This is God's promise as documented here in his final message. (12:32) So we'll go back now to verse 23, about hardship as a mandatory test. (12:47) Over and over we see people who are immensely wealthy on the TV, and they're complaining about unhappiness. (12:54) How unhappy they are. (12:59) Yes. (13:19) Right. All these severe problems, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, all these are punishments. (13:31) Punishments and tests. (13:34) Because all these things are absolutely controlled by God. (13:37) There's a statement that will answer your question. (13:42) It's in surah, I believe, 64. (13:44) Let's look up 64. (13:51) Surah 64, plus or minus two surahs. I'm going to find it for you. (14:00) Yeah, 11, verse 11. (14:07) It says, No disaster strikes except in accordance with God's will. (14:15) This is the law. (14:17) No disaster strikes except in accordance with God's will. (14:23) No pain, no disaster, nothing happens except by personal decree from God. (14:28) Because it is not simple. (14:34) It's not easy to get a painful headache, for example. (14:43) It has to be a personal decree from God. (14:47) But God will sign it. (14:57) Does this answer your question, Diana? (15:05) Well, God is angry. It's true. (15:20) Every drop of water is misery. Everything in this world is misery. (15:26) Every piece of ice that fell on Denver was given miserable time. (15:32) It was misery. Yeah. (15:44) Everything is planned. (15:48) The minutest detail is very carefully planned, Alhamdulillah. (15:53) Nothing is coincidental or haphazard. (15:57) Nothing. (15:59) As individuals, as nations, as a world. (16:05) Just think, every drop of water is misery. (16:08) Exactly where it goes. (16:11) Where it's going to fall. (16:12) How many answers from an ant that's crawling on the ground? (16:16) That's right? (16:26) Okay, Karl, do you want to take the recipients of charity? (16:30) 218. (16:36) Bismillahirrahmanirrahim. (16:37) They ask you about charity. Say, (16:40) Charity shall go to the parents, the relatives, the orphans, the poor, and the alien. (16:45) Any righteous work you do, God is fully aware thereof. (16:51) Fighting may be forced upon you, though you dislike it. (16:56) But you may dislike something which is actually good for you. (17:00) And you may like something which is actually bad for you. (17:04) God knows while you do not know. (17:07) They ask you about the desecration of the sacred months by fighting therein. (17:12) Say, fighting during the sacred months is sacrilege. (17:16) But repelling the people from the path of God and disbelieving in Him (17:20) and in the sacredness of the sacred mosque (17:23) and evicting the people therefrom are all worse sacrileges in the sight of God. (17:30) Oppression is worse than murder. (17:33) They will continue to fight you until they revert you from your religion, if they could. (17:40) Those who revert from their religion and die as disbelievers have wasted their works in this life (17:45) and in the hereafter they have deserved hell, wherein they abide forever. (17:50) As for those who believe, immigrate, and strive in the cause of God, (17:55) they have deserved God's mercy. (17:57) God is forgiving, merciful. (18:01) There are two different subjects here. (18:04) The 215 talks about the charity. (18:09) And it tells us specifically that the charity first goes to those that are closest to us, (18:16) to those that we are most responsible for, our parents and our relatives. (18:21) And then next are those that really need economic help (18:27) but don't have someone else to rely on, the orphans and the poor and then the alien. (18:38) So this is a carefully, we are given the details of how charity should be distributed. (18:46) First goes to the parents if they need it. If they don't need it, then to your relatives. (18:51) In other words, each takes care of his own. (18:54) And if each one takes care of his own, there will be no misery in the world. (18:59) If the relatives are rich, then you find orphans. (19:06) Children who have no parents, one or two parents, are gone. (19:13) And then any poor people, and then the alien. (19:19) So any righteous work you do, God is fully aware of it. (19:26) And it seems that charity is more than just economic help. (19:31) It can be any kind of help. (19:35) Any righteousness of doing what is right in this world toward other people. (19:42) Even if it's simply politeness or anything we try to do to make the world better, (19:53) treat the other people as we'd like to be treated, (19:56) or merciful toward the people around us, (20:01) then God is, it's because we want to express God's mercy. (20:11) We want to, we desire God's forgiveness and God's mercy and these qualities. (20:23) And by showing our appreciation and desire for them, we express them to the world around us. (20:29) Thank you. (20:47) The next subject is on fighting. (20:58) Which I take to mean basically in a war type of situation. (21:05) Though it may be... (21:08) Well, when we think of fighting, we think of taking up arms of violence, (21:13) rather than simply arguing for justice. (21:16) So at another level, it could be simply not giving in to any kind of oppression. (21:30) Which may be economic or political or so forth. (21:38) No, I have to put this with you. (21:41) There's only one reason in Quran for fighting. (21:45) And it has to do with the freedom to worship God alone. (21:49) That's it. (21:51) There's absolutely no other reason for fighting. (21:54) Only if it's going to interfere with your freedom of practicing the worship of God alone. (22:03) And oppression meaning trying to impose any religious view on you. (22:09) Or to prevent you from practicing your religion. (22:12) Throughout the Quran, there is only reason for fighting. (22:17) Fighting may be imposed upon you. (22:19) Like somebody comes and says, don't pray. (22:22) You cannot pray. (22:23) The issue of not praying. (22:28) But if your country gets into a war with another country, (22:32) and you're required to go and fight, (22:34) like you're drafted or anything? (22:36) No, you don't fight because of land. (22:37) Because if you're drafted, no, no, you can't do that. (22:42) It's used to make people not believe in God. (22:45) Like if Russia comes to invade this country for the purpose of turning everybody into atheists, (22:51) then that's because of God. (22:52) The only fighting is in the cause of God. (22:54) It must be in the cause of God. (22:56) So whatever the... (22:58) There are unforeseeable reasons or circumstances. (23:03) But fighting for land, because of borders, because of country, (23:08) it's all a waste of life. (23:11) Because God did not create these borders. (23:15) He created visas and passports. (23:17) What if you're forced to defend yourself, (23:19) and somebody else wants to drive you away from your own land? (23:25) You have to fight also. (23:27) Or you just, you know, run away. (23:29) It's self-defense. (23:33) It is in the cause of God. (23:39) I mean, what it says about evicting you from your houses, (23:42) or you evict them from wherever they evicted you. (23:47) You know, if they're simply fighting not... (23:50) They're not perceiving religious reasons, (23:52) they're probably perceiving radicalism or political differences. (23:58) Did we go through the rules of war yet? (24:01) Because that's been explained more. (24:10) Did we go through that? (24:12) About aggression. (24:13) Yeah, we did. (24:14) We spoke of aggression. (24:16) That wars are only justified (24:21) All wars must be defensive. (24:23) Self-defense, yeah. (24:26) But those rules of war, they say, (24:28) do not fight them at the sacred mosque unless they attack you there. (24:37) Like, we're sitting here worshipping God, (24:39) I don't want somebody to come and say, (24:40) you can't practice Islamic, or something. (24:44) This is where we have to fight back. (24:51) You'd be surprised. (24:52) Anything can happen. (24:56) We just happen to have a formidable army around this building anyway, as you know. (25:02) Brother Abdullah is living with us from Seattle. (25:06) And he's... (25:07) He's one rare person who comes because (25:10) he was leery of the Hadith, (25:12) or he came to see us just because we believe in the Quran a lot. (25:16) But anyway, what I want to tell you is that (25:19) people try to deface the sign. (25:23) And twice. (25:24) Because they feel miserable. (25:27) Every time. (25:28) So there are invisible forces around us anyway. (25:31) We don't need to do anything. (25:33) This age is an age of mental... (25:37) mental debate. (25:40) Rather than swords and fighting. (25:50) Anyway, you can't fight because of land, or money, or... (25:56) Unless you're attacked, anyway. (26:05) Joining is something, and... (26:08) Fighting is something else. (26:12) I mean, they join the armed forces, but they don't fight. (26:14) It's not a job. (26:15) The job is a means of supporting your... (26:21) to earn an honest living. (26:23) If you join anything, (26:26) you simply earn a living for something. (26:30) If it's part of an institution that's involved in something, it's not... (26:36) You don't earn your living selling liquor, for example, (26:39) which is breaking God's law. (26:42) He's asking about joining the armed forces, (26:44) but if you join the armed forces and there's no war, (26:48) it's just like any job. (26:50) Let's suppose your government gets in a war with another country, and you're... (26:53) That's when you have to make a decision whether this is because of God or not. (26:59) Because of God? (27:00) If it's because of God, you have to do it. (27:09) Let's suppose you're working for a big company, (27:13) and they're producing something that, you know, like... (27:18) How can a company do that? (27:20) Or, say, Nippon with chemical weapons. (27:25) You know, maybe you're not directly involved in the manufacturing, (27:29) but you're protecting the company. (27:30) If there's no war, it's perfectly all right, because the Prime Minister prepares the war. (27:36) Prepares the maximum power that you have. (27:41) But war itself, as aggression, is forbidden. (27:45) That's breaking God's law. (27:48) So joining the armed forces, or making weapons, or anything that is not war, (27:55) is perfectly all right. (27:56) And if it is war, then you have to make a decision if it isn't because of God or not. (28:01) So it's okay to have nuclear armaments? (28:04) That's right. (28:06) The best. (28:08) If we didn't have nuclear weapons in this country, (28:11) you can be sure Russia would be here in a week. (28:15) What about the idea that we trust in God to protect us? (28:20) Yeah, but God orders you to have weapons. (28:24) It's like the insurer, the man in the white shirt. (28:26) Do you really trust in God to inspect your weapons and bombs? (28:30) God will eliminate them in the sky. (28:32) When you trust in God, you follow His commandments. (28:34) And one of His commandments is, prepare the maximum power you can possibly have. (28:38) This is a verse in the Quran. (28:40) You want to see it? (28:44) I think it's in Surah 9. (28:49) I want to get you the index. (28:52) Yeah, I meant to talk to you about this once before, (28:55) because you said trust in God and don't make any weapons. (29:01) Pre-emptive strike, which means attack first. (29:06) They call it pre-emptive strike. (29:09) They don't say attack. (29:11) 39, 41. (29:14) I'm not so sure. (29:14) It's a matter of strategy. (29:17) Surah 9, verse 41. (29:23) We shall very be mobilized. (29:50) Surah 8, verse 60. (29:52) Surah 8, verse 60. (30:01) This is a commandment. (30:02) You shall. (30:05) This is page 124. (30:09) Verse 60. (30:10) You shall prepare for them all the force and equipment you can muster (30:15) in order to deter the enemies of God and your enemies, (30:18) as well as others you are not aware of, (30:22) while God knows them. (30:24) Anything you expend in the cause of God (30:26) will be returned to you without the least injustice. (30:30) It's a very difficult commandment to prepare. (30:38) You must always have a deterrent force. (30:48) So it is, you trust in God, but you follow what he says. (30:57) It's at 42,200. (30:59) That's right. (31:01) There was an early battle in which the Muslims were a very young number. (31:05) And there was a chance of... (31:08) That's another one. (31:11) The battle of Badr. (31:13) Look it up. (31:13) Look it up on their Wikipedia. (31:16) And they look at it from the strategic point of view, (31:20) the logistic point of view, (31:21) the numbers of each side, (31:24) and they try to analyze it militarily, (31:26) and it just doesn't make sense. (31:27) The Muslims defeated the disbelievers. (31:32) Also the battle of Yarmouk. (31:36) They were outnumbered. (31:38) And in the battle of Qasisi against the Persians. (31:40) The best army in the world. (31:44) Now those were... (31:45) Full persons. (31:47) Those were actual battles. (31:49) The Muslims were outnumbered against the ones. (31:53) But they were taught that rather than fighting, (31:55) they decided to fight. (32:08) They were taught that rather than fighting, (32:11) they decided to fight. (32:12) But they are having... (32:14) They are having a repetitive meeting. (32:16) They are trying to argue. (32:23) But back to Karz. (32:26) Let's listen to Karz. (32:33) Oppression is worse than murder. (32:43) It's an attempt to manipulate somebody's mind and heart. (32:54) And to make other people follow one's own material desires. (33:09) Whoever the oppressor... (33:13) It's not just that they are trying to change your mind. (33:21) It's to make you revert to a situation of unbelief. (33:27) In other words, the Muslims now have come... (33:31) They've arrived at the truth. (33:35) And for you to go from truth back to unbelief. (33:39) That is what Karz is saying. (33:43) Murder of the soul. (33:45) It's not a matter of just changing your belief. (33:47) But it's going back to unbelief. (33:49) Which is terrible. (33:50) And Koran says many times. (33:52) Once you have the belief, (33:54) many people will try to make you revert to unbelief. (33:59) So that is... (34:00) It's terrible because the punishment for... (34:05) The punishment for unbelief after belief (34:08) is greater than just unbelief from beginning to end. (34:13) I think Koran says that two or three times. (34:15) It says it in the next line. (34:17) It says those who revert from their religion and die as disbelievers (34:21) have wasted their lives in this life and in the hereafter. (34:24) They have deserved hell. (34:26) And they are there forever. (34:30) And those who believe, (34:32) immigrate and strive in the cause of God. (34:35) So it's telling... (34:37) I think that if we are oppressed (34:40) and we can't fight them, (34:41) it's better to get up and leave and go someplace where (34:45) we can follow or obey God's commandments. (34:56) I guess it's telling us to fight if we can, (34:59) if not to try to get away from that situation. (35:07) God is forgiver and merciful. (35:15) Now, excuse me. (35:16) This is a very interesting verse (35:18) because people have pointed out many times. (35:20) I think they interpret this verse out of context. (35:25) How can oppression or persecution be worse than murder, they say. (35:31) But actually, if you read the whole thing, (35:34) I think what it means is this. (35:35) In the long run, going to hell is worse than murder. (35:40) And I think oppression, I think this is what it means. (35:43) But some people don't seem to care about this. (35:46) Oppression, the chance you believe, (35:49) is like taking you out of heaven and putting you in hell. (35:52) It's a lot worse than murder. (35:54) I don't understand why the enemies of Islam have used these ideas. (36:00) Well, you have to take this in conjunction with the other verses (36:03) that tell us about dying. (36:04) Diana has, of course. (36:25) This country is fanatic about religious freedom. (36:33) For example, zoning laws don't apply to you. (36:40) You can have a church anywhere you want. (36:43) Zoning laws do not apply. (36:47) Tax laws. (37:00) But who needs them? (37:02) If you have God on your side, (37:04) God manipulates your minds and your hearts. (37:07) So when they are prejudiced, (37:09) they are only hurting themselves. (37:13) So they have a specific situation. (37:16) Well, no. (37:16) Say someone did attack you. (37:19) And you felt that it was... (37:24) Oh, oh. (37:26) Would you be able to use this in court? (37:32) No, you can't get just like that. (37:37) You have to be accepted first. (37:39) You don't have to think God is ready to accept you. (37:42) Right. (37:44) I don't know. (37:44) If somebody criticizes you religiously, (37:46) you kill him. (37:51) That doesn't even start... (37:52) Even the Quran will not advocate that. (37:55) I think the... (37:56) I can also refer especially with regards to the early Muslims (38:01) who were still in Mecca, (38:02) who were oppressed by the tribes and the pagans. (38:06) The ones who didn't immigrate (38:08) and they were being encouraged by this to immigrate. (38:10) No, you're looking at one right now. (38:13) I can't say the things I'm saying in Saudi Arabia or Egypt. (38:19) The things I'm saying... (38:21) I mean, you can bet. (38:25) Even the people here in this country, (38:27) from over there, (38:28) if you tell them, (38:29) of course, the Quran is sufficient. (38:32) But if God... (38:33) If they find you violent, (38:35) because you're attacking their God and their idol. (38:43) Immigration means you go to the spot (38:44) where you worship God alone, (38:45) really, without interference. (38:48) That's what immigration means. (38:50) You're in a place where you cannot worship God alone, (38:52) really, (38:53) then move out. (38:55) Go to a place where you can worship God alone. (39:08) Yeah. (39:09) There's a tunnel in California. (39:12) Apparently, they're making loads of money (39:14) off of Christianity. (39:15) A trillion dollars, (39:19) and now they're trying to make a case. (39:22) This is the extreme to which they could take this. (39:26) You've got TV every day. (39:32) But you, (39:34) you are all believers in God alone, (39:37) the Quran alone, (39:38) but you cannot say this overseas. (39:42) In the so-called Muslim countries, (39:43) you cannot say it. (39:46) And if they feel that you have any influence (39:51) doing this, (39:51) they will actually put you on trial and kill you. (39:55) That's oppression. (40:05) Tax laws. (40:06) Churches are exempt from tax laws. (40:11) I'd like to comment that, (40:12) as a Muslim, (40:13) you don't have to pay tax. (40:19) The whole of the United States will become Muslim (40:23) in 24 hours. (40:52) I agree with that. (40:55) Are you finished, Rob? (41:03) I think so. (41:08) Is there something else you want to say? (41:12) Any questions on the... (41:14) Do you see that sometimes it's a myth to the omniscient? (41:19) It's a very important principle in the Quran. (41:21) You may like something which is actually bad for you, (41:24) or you may dislike something (41:26) which is actually good for you. (41:28) You go apply for a Zab, (41:30) you worship with God alone, (41:32) and you don't get the Zab. (41:36) Why? (41:37) Because it's not good for you. (41:41) That's why you go to apply for Zab, (41:42) and you don't care if you're going to get it or not, (41:44) because you know that God will give you the Zab (41:46) that's good for you. (41:48) You submit to God. (41:49) You submit to the omniscient. (41:50) Omniscient means he knows (41:52) what circumstances you will exist under (41:55) every Zab you're applying for. (41:57) So what you do when you're applying for a Zab (41:59) is you knock on all the doors, (42:01) and God will open the one that is good for you. (42:05) So when you don't get a Zab, (42:07) it is not something... (42:08) it's something that you dislike. (42:10) But you may dislike something (42:11) which is actually good for you. (42:13) It's good for you that you didn't take that Zab. (42:15) It's bad. (42:19) And you can think of a million things (42:21) that you may like which is bad for you, (42:24) and you may like something which is bad for you. (42:31) So that's an important test. (42:34) That you are taking advantage of the fact (42:37) that your Lord is omniscient. (42:40) He knows exactly what is best for you. (42:42) Gambling. (42:48) Intoxicants and gambling is prohibited. (42:58) They ask you about intoxicants and gambling. (43:05) They say there is gross evil in them (43:08) and some benefit for the people. (43:10) However, their evil outweighs their benefit. (43:14) They ask you of what to give as charity. (43:17) They say they accept. (43:20) God does clarify the revelation for you (43:22) that you may reflect upon this life and the hereafter. (43:27) They ask you about the orphans. (43:30) They say the best thing is to bring them up (43:33) as righteous individuals. (43:35) If you mix their property with yours, (43:38) you shall treat them as members of your family. (43:42) God is fully aware who the wicked are (43:44) and who the righteous are. (43:47) At God's will, (43:49) He could have decreed partially (43:51) God is almighty wise. (44:07) There is a commandment in verse 2-19 (44:11) and it's a straightforward commandment. (44:17) God is forbidding us to have intoxicants (44:21) and to do gambling. (44:24) And God says there is evil in this (44:28) having intoxicants or doing gambling. (44:34) Tonight is a perfect night for this law. (44:38) People are out there inviting (44:42) and directing (44:45) like it's called apostolic (44:47) while you are studying God's message (44:49) which each one of you gets a hundred times for a while (44:53) because people are out there breaking God's law (44:56) with intoxicants and gambling. (44:59) A new lottery is out. (45:02) It's called a lucky seven. (45:03) It started today. (45:08) It started Thursday. (45:12) He sells the tickets. (45:20) The lottery is a perfect example (45:22) of breaking God's law and orthodoxy. (45:40) I wouldn't send it back. (45:44) In this verse it says (45:45) there is good evil in them (45:47) and some benefits for the people. (45:50) What could be these benefits (45:52) like earning money from these things? (45:56) This benefits the farmers who plant the grapes. (46:00) Consider that selling these things for example. (46:05) Selling wine or you know. (46:08) That brings profit to you. (46:11) The Quran is realistic. (46:15) This is a good point. (46:17) The Quran is accurate. (46:19) And the Quran cannot (46:21) The Quran acknowledges the fact (46:23) that some people, farmers (46:25) plant the grapes and sell them (46:27) and lots of people have jobs (46:29) because of wine and other things. (46:32) So that cannot, that has to be stated. (46:34) But God says that they have more evil than the benefits. (46:38) The evil outweighs the benefits. (46:41) Therefore if we follow God's law (46:42) we have to eliminate those things. (46:48) I don't deny that this is one of the meanings (46:51) that it can give employment benefits (46:53) to hundreds of people. (46:56) As a rather erroneous saying. (46:58) It can also (47:00) mean (47:03) something else (47:04) over and above. (47:06) For example I notice that (47:08) in certain cases (47:10) when some people are (47:12) feeling bad and so on, they give them a shot (47:14) a jigger. (47:15) It could also mean that also (47:16) you have to put the robes very tight. (47:19) It can help them temporarily. (47:21) But in the moment it's bad (47:22) it becomes a habit. (47:24) I think it's a possibility. (47:28) It's given in small quantity --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://rashad-khalifa-audios-and-videos.gitbook.io/rashad-khalifa-audios-and-videos/messenger-audios/messenger-audio-28.1-31-dec-1982.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.