1) Quran Study: 72:19-28, 73 (5/26/89)

Catherine leads the Quran study. Souls as large as Tucson. Edip argues with 74:31. Qul (say) in the Quran isn't always directed to Muhammad. The believers are suppressors of anger.

Transcript:

Speaker 1 (0:03) The New Translation, page 573. Speaker 2 (0:07) And if you don't have the New Translation, it's page 415 in the... (0:18) When God's servant advocated Him alone, almost all of them banded together to oppose Him. (0:25) Say, I worship only my Lord. (0:27) I never set up any idols besides Him. (0:29) Say, I possess no power to harm you nor to guide you. (0:34) Say, no one can protect me from God, nor can I find any other refuge beside Him. (0:40) I am here to deliver proclamations from God, as well as His messages. (0:45) Those who disobey God and His messengers incur the fire of hell, wherein they abide forever. (0:51) Once they see what is awaiting them, they will find out who is really weaker in power and fewer in number. (0:57) Say, I do not know if what is promised to you will happen soon or if my Lord will delay it for a while. (1:04) He is the knower of the future. (1:05) He does not reveal the future to anyone. (1:08) Only to a messenger that He chooses does He reveal from the past and from the future specific news. (1:14) This is to ascertain that they have delivered their Lord's messages. (1:18) He is fully aware of what they have and has counted the numbers of all things. (1:26) Verse 19 When God's servant advocated Him alone, almost all of them banded together to oppose Him. (1:36) All of God's servants have said the same thing and say the same thing. (1:41) Worship God alone. (1:45) They never ask that people worship them, follow them, do as they do, act as they do, speak as they do. (1:53) They only say, worship God alone. (1:56) No other idol besides Him. (2:01) Why people become uncomfortable with the message is, we know the reason, but it's still a puzzle when we run into people who seem uncomfortable with that statement. (2:13) We all have family and old friends and colleagues who are surprised by us when we state that message and state that that's what we believe. (2:25) There are verses in the Quran and one in particular which says that when God alone is advocated, the hearts of the disbelievers shrink in aversion. (2:33) And you can watch that happen. (2:35) It's as though people shrink. (2:38) They become smaller almost in a very real sense. (2:42) And it's their ego that gets in the way. (2:45) It's fear. (2:47) Something so simple as God alone is so frightening to so many people who believe that they have to have control and they have to understand and they have to know and they have to be the one who calls the shots. (3:01) In addition to that, if someone like themselves is saying this message, it's an excuse and an easy way to avoid the message for many people. (3:13) Again, the ego takes over and will say, why this person, I'm no different than this person, or that person is no better than me, I don't have to listen to them. (3:23) And so the message is rejected. (3:28) We're fortunate enough, and I mean very fortunate enough, speaking for myself, I have no idea why I was chosen to be here in Tucson. (3:38) I know how I came, I can relate that story to you. (3:41) But there are many of us who have the same story to tell. (3:47) I don't know why. (3:48) I am very fortunate to be here where this perpetual miracle continues to unravel before our eyes. (3:59) Rashad took us, he said the other day that God has thickened our skin over the last ten years and we don't faint or lose consciousness every time something like this incredible numbers on the wall or the things that Abdullah explained today or explained to us. (4:16) We just sit here and we nod our heads and some of us get teary, but we stay conscious and we say, oh, this is just more of the same. (4:24) And I went home my own self today saying it seems that no matter what we do with the numbers, they're always going to be a multiple of 19. (4:32) And that the complexity of this code is so great that it can never be understood by us. (4:38) And that's why it's given in piece after piece after piece. (4:41) And so many of us how fortunate are able to be part of discovering another part of the prism of this code. (4:50) The message is worship God alone. (4:52) It's so loud at this point that it's almost hard to pay attention to those people who don't want to listen to the most elementary statement of worshiping God alone. (5:05) The servants of God carry the message, I worship only my Lord, I never set up any idols beside him. (5:16) They also always say, I am a human being like you, do not worship me. (5:23) And they point out their humanness. (5:26) I possess no power to harm you nor to guide you. (5:30) No one can protect me from God, nor can I find any other refuge besides that. (5:35) I am a human like you. (5:37) I make no superhuman claims. (5:38) I have no magic. (5:40) Because, however, the servants of God have been given special information and special proof, they're more vulnerable and their responsibility is even greater than for those of us who have not had that opportunity or have not been chosen. (5:58) And also, the servants of God, and Rashad is a wonderful example, but so are the others in the Quran, are also less vulnerable because God protects these people. (6:08) And we've seen that all the way through the Quran, Moses, Jesus, all of them, Elias, John, and they've all been protected by God as long as they carry the one message and never claim to be anything more than a messenger. (6:22) So the humanness is constantly before people, and still they shrink, and still they say to the messenger, whether it was Noah, Moses, Rashad, or me, or you, uh-uh, who are you? (6:36) You're a human being. (6:37) You don't bring anything special, and I don't see any miracle. (6:40) Well, it's a sorting process that God has, and it's always in place. (6:46) The pattern never changes. (6:50) Verse 23, I'm here to deliver proclamations from God as well as his messages. (6:55) Those who disobey God and his messenger incur the fire of hell wherein they abide forever. (7:01) The only unforgivable sin is idolatry. (7:05) The only. (7:06) God is so clear that we have so many chances. (7:09) As long as we live, we have chances to repent and to come back to God and get on God's path. (7:15) If we worship anything other than God, anyone other than God, God never will forgive this. (7:21) This verse is not a threat by a human being, by a messenger. (7:26) This is from God, almighty, saying all the way through the Quran, whether it is a quote out of a messenger's mouth and a verse, or whether it's a description in the narrative. (7:39) Hell is where the idol worshippers will go. (7:45) Once they see what is awaiting them, they will find out who's really weaker in power and fewer in number. (7:51) It's too late. (7:54) Once you see it, it's too late. (7:56) If an angel was sent down with all of this wonderful stuff that we don't lose consciousness over every week, we wouldn't have needed any of it. (8:09) It's too late once you know. (8:12) God was talking about the fact the other day that people know at the time of their death where they're going. (8:17) And it's too late for people to say, let me go back, let me have a second chance. (8:22) I understand now what I'm supposed to do. (8:24) No, because God knows that once we're put back here, that we've heard the same thing, the same forgetful mind that we came here with in the first place. (8:34) And the phrase, who is really weaker in power and fewer in number, we know that it is the minority of the minority of the minority. (8:44) I mean, it's as long a tunnel into the view that will make it into heaven as it is into this code itself. (8:50) It seems to be a mirror image. (8:53) Those few people that do make it even to purgatory, that's if you're hanging on by your toenails in purgatory, you've made it. (9:01) Those few people are really the stronger and really the mightier of the number, no matter how else it appears when you count in the real world. (9:14) 25. (9:15) I do not know if what is promised to you will happen soon, and my Lord will delay it for a while. Speaker 1 (16:55) We have decided with Satan, Satan wants to be a god besides God, and he proposed that. (17:03) We did not make a good, firm stand with God, absolute authority. (17:09) That is why we are here to redeem ourselves, and to change our mind, and denounce that stand, by going back to opposing God's absolute authority, by knowing that nobody has any power to do anything except God. (17:23) This is God's absolute authority. (17:26) People who think that Muhammad, or Jesus, or men, or the saints, can do anything, are in the same trap. (17:32) They are committing the same crime, and they will go all the way to hell. (17:37) They can be redeemed only if they change that, and worship God alone. (17:45) Worship God alone means knowing that God only has power to do anything. (17:52) You must know that God is one who hires and fires. (17:56) God is the only one who decides how many dollars are in your pocket. (18:00) You must know that. (18:02) If you think that your boss is one who hires you, or may fire you, or provides for you, then you are in the same trap. (18:13) So this is what we are here for. (18:16) I want to go to the verse that says, once they see what is awaiting them, they will find out who is really weaker in power, and fewer in numbers. (18:33) Because out of all of Tucson, half a million people, only about 50 people come here to this mosque to worship God alone. (18:42) So in this city, we appear to be 50 among half a million people. (18:49) There may be 50 more out there who worship God alone, under the name of Christianity, or Judaism, or nothing. (18:56) But they do believe that God alone possesses all power. (19:00) So that's 100 out of half a million. (19:03) This appears to be a minority. (19:05) But you see, you're walking around with your body that is visible. (19:10) They say, this is Kathy Robinson. (19:12) But they don't see what she really looks like, what size she is. (19:18) We learn from Surah 17 that the differences of the Hereafter are far greater than here. (19:27) The difference between Bema and Gatun is 4 feet. (19:31) But in the Hereafter, the differences are far more greater. (19:36) Surah 17. (19:37) So your real size is as big as the city of Phoenix. (19:43) But you're walking around, you see this size. (19:47) Their size, the people who are not worshiping God alone, they actually shrink. (19:52) The soul actually shrinks to the size of a cat. (19:56) So there are 100 people whose size is as big as the city of Phoenix, each one of them. (20:02) And half a million size ants. (20:05) Who is really weaker? (20:07) Who is really weaker in power and fewer in number? (20:13) One man and a million ants. (20:14) Which one is really stronger? (20:17) Where is the majority? (20:18) Is it the one person or the million ants? (20:23) When you walk out of the mosque, you can see one million ants sometimes. (20:28) Did you see them today? (20:33) So where is the majority? (20:34) This is what this means. (20:36) Because once they see what is awaiting them. (20:43) Because right now they cannot see. (20:45) We do not see ourselves. (20:47) We only see our bodies. (20:50) Dead. (21:17) In the Hereafter, everything becomes obvious. (21:21) You're walking around, you're a hidden queen. (21:25) You're walking around, people don't know what your size is, who you really are. (21:33) Which is a lot of fun, because you don't need secret service or guards or anything. (21:39) You can walk in the market and buy your apples and meat, eggs. (21:46) Yes, we have secret, secret service here. (21:49) That's the best secret service. Speaker 3 (21:51) We do have secret service. (21:53) We're in secret and we're also part of it. (22:15) They won't be able to see. Speaker 1 (22:22) Also in terms of, because they think it's only believers and unbelievers. (22:26) They know how many unbelievers there are and how many believers there are. (22:29) They count numbers. (22:31) But even in those terms, when you have a huge entity and a small entity, the huge entity is the majority. (22:40) The one person and one million ants, to me, the one person is the majority. (23:21) Except 19 is not the engines of hell, they think. (23:25) 19 is not the engines of hell, they think. Speaker 3 (23:33) There are engines of hell. Speaker 1 (23:41) I don't know, it seems like there's only one engine in charge of hell. (23:44) His name is Malik. (23:52) His name is mentioned in the Quran, Malik. (23:58) How would you get that? (23:59) Don't speculate. Speaker 3 (24:01) There are something to believe. (24:08) More than three? (24:09) Two or three. (24:11) They say I. (24:13) Yes. Speaker 1 (24:23) There's only one engine, as far as guarding hell is concerned, there's only one engine, and his name is Malik. (24:31) Qadu is where? (24:35) Alam yateykum nadeem? (24:38) Qad lahum khazanatuhu alam yateykum nadeem. (24:43) Surah 67. (24:51) No, no, no, khazanatuhu is plural. (25:01) This is still a mystery. (25:03) The Quran hasn't revealed yet exactly the details of how many, what is the system. (25:21) Now, are these engines outside of hell? (25:24) Inside, the one who's taking care of hell is Malik? (25:28) They would say, oh Malik, lift the Lord and finish us off. (25:50) No, but you see, it's not connected with hell at the end of the verse. (25:58) It says, nobody knows, you're right, nobody knows what the number is. (26:04) But that's not, this is a general statement. (26:07) Also, at the beginning, it says, Umad anna ashab an-nari inda malaika an-nimeh. (26:12) What is ashab an-nari? (26:14) Malaika, angels. (26:15) Who are ashab an-nari? (26:17) What are ashab an-nari? (26:21) The guards of hell? (26:22) The owners of hell? (26:24) Friends of hell? (26:25) We don't know what the expression is. (26:28) It's still mysterious. (26:29) But there is timing for everything. (26:32) And obviously, God doesn't want us at this time to know exactly what the arrangement is. (26:46) It's possible, but that's not what the Quran says. (26:58) You cannot know. (26:59) But you see, you have to, we know now, see those numbers in the Quran, we know that every letter in the Quran is accurately placed. (27:08) Now, it does not say that the guards of hell are making. (27:12) Give the general statement. (27:22) That's the number that is on it. (27:25) The number that is on it. Speaker 3 (27:27) Yes, on, on, on. Speaker 1 (27:28) On what? Speaker 3 (27:30) On Sakat. Speaker 1 (27:31) Right. Speaker 3 (27:32) Sakat is a punishment. Speaker 1 (27:34) Right. (27:35) Is it hell? (27:36) We don't know. (27:37) It could be here. Speaker 3 (27:39) But ashab an-nari? (27:43) The next verse. (27:46) Explain. (27:47) Is it hell? Speaker 1 (27:49) No, it doesn't. (27:50) There's no connection at all. (27:53) It gives us a certain statement. (27:55) It says, we made, it says, the guards of hell, the companions of hell, angels. (28:08) It's a general statement. (28:09) It does not say the 19 angels. (28:11) It does not say that. (28:12) I think you just have to ask them. (28:13) They say, you want to say 19. (28:15) They'll say 19 what? Speaker 3 (28:29) The number, the angels. Speaker 1 (28:37) But then at the end it says nobody knows what this number is. Speaker 3 (28:42) Nobody knows the soldiers of God. (28:48) Yeah. (28:51) The soldiers of God. (28:52) They're false. (28:56) They're cowardly. (28:57) They're, they're. Speaker 1 (28:59) Well, maybe God wants you to believe that there are 19 guards of hell at this time. (29:02) It's written in the Word. (29:03) Guess what? (29:05) Obviously, it's not relevant. (29:06) Proof, proof. (29:21) This is a hadith that says when you die, two angels will ask you, who is your God and who is your prophet? (29:27) What did you do? (29:30) Then they beat you, so you go to the seventh earth. (29:34) Then a big snake will swallow you. (29:38) It's a hadith. (29:41) Yes, in the grave. (29:45) And they have all kinds of stories. (29:49) And any, any questions? (29:50) Any other questions? (29:51) Yes. (30:12) Your translation is counted in the number of the whole sentence. (30:19) Everything is based on mathematics. Speaker 3 (30:27) Both are correct. Speaker 1 (30:44) It was more general in the last translation, but in the new translation it's more specific. (30:51) Because in this surah, 27, 72, God gave us a lot more proof that this surah specifically is for our age. Speaker 3 (31:13) You're not sure. (31:15) Yes, you can, you can be understood this way, but... Speaker 1 (31:32) But both are correct. (31:37) Both translations are correct. (31:39) That's right. (31:39) Speaking of numbers, I just want to pass on a thought to you. (31:46) Because we think that we're on the advanced earth and everything, and how the world is so technologically advanced and everything. (31:56) But up until now, only less than 7% of the people have come to this world, from Adam until now. (32:04) From now to the end of the world, there's still more than 93% of the people. (32:11) So we are, the earth is still an infant. (32:14) And we are among the early generations. (32:19) To the people 200 years from now, we're going to be the cave age. (32:24) Cave people. (32:26) So, just think about it. (32:28) The message, we are very early in human history. (32:31) The message is being consolidated and will be delivered to the vast majority of the people. (32:38) All this past, and the nonsense that's happened in Christianity, the trinity and Jesus son of God and all this nonsense. (32:45) And the things that happened in Judaism, Rabbi Kushner and what he said. (32:49) The nonsense that's happening in Islam. (32:51) All these things are happening within a very brief period of time, relatively. (33:00) And involves a very small number of people. (33:04) But the new generations are enlightened. (33:06) They are rebellious. (33:08) They don't listen to their parents. (33:10) They are free to think. (33:12) And they will get the message supported by physical evidence, as you see. (33:16) And Satan will be really defeated. (33:19) Satan is destined to be defeated. (33:22) So, this message with the physical proof that you see on the wall over there. (33:27) On the wall you see every single verse of the Quran. (33:30) Physical evidence. (33:31) And this will be presented to more than 93% of the people in the world. (33:37) Think about that. (33:39) A lot of people say, you know, they think all this nonsense involves a lot of people. (34:06) I'm sorry I missed that. (34:20) That made a point in the Gospel. (34:23) When Jesus was asked, when is the end of the world? (34:25) He said, I don't know. (34:26) And I thought this was one of the pursuits. (34:29) And when Muhammad was asked, this is also in the Quran, when is the end of the world? (34:33) He said, I don't know. (34:34) But God wanted us to know. (34:38) So, I will have an appendix. (34:42) Appendix, what? (34:43) End of the world. (34:45) One of the appendices is in fact the end of the world. (34:50) And it gives evidence as to when the world will end. (34:53) We know that the world will end in 2280. (34:58) In the mathematical world. (35:00) And this is one of the things that God gave us. (35:10) Say, I do not know if what is promised to you will happen soon. (35:25) Or if my Lord will delay for a while. (35:27) This is to tell the disbelievers that you're going to be punished. (35:30) You don't know when. (35:33) This is for the disbelievers. (35:37) No, no, no. (35:38) It's going to be here. (35:39) This is for here. (35:45) Nothing in this surah is from Muhammad. (35:54) You should know that. Speaker 3 (35:59) Yes. (36:05) That person will not know the world. Speaker 1 (36:11) It's not the end of the world. (36:12) It has to do with here. (36:13) It has to do with this world. (36:15) There is nothing in this surah that applies to Muhammad. (36:22) If you look at the footnotes here, you add the grammatical value of Rashad, plus the grammatical value of Khalifa, plus the surah number, plus the verses, 28 of them, you have a multiple of 19. (36:36) And also, this surah has the maximum number of Rashad in it. (36:43) This is not my personal opinion. (36:46) If this is my personal opinion, I'd be wrong. (36:48) This is not my personal opinion. (36:58) So why do you say this is from Muhammad? (37:01) You're the one who discovered that. (37:05) See, only to a messenger that he chooses, in Arabic, it's, If you calculate the grammatical value of this phrase, it's 19, 19. (37:15) And Adiq himself is the one who discovered that. (37:18) And there is a whole bunch of mathematical proof that is, I'm afraid to be embarrassed because I'm afraid to be embarrassed. (37:30) I've been through and experienced it. (37:32) So I can't afford to be embarrassed or ashamed or shy or modest. (37:37) It's not modestly, if you're a civil engineer, to say, I'm a civil engineer. (37:42) It is not arrogant when you're stating the truth. (37:47) But this whole surah, nothing in it has anything to do with the Prophet Muhammad. (37:52) There may be other places, but not this surah. (37:57) The mathematical evidence is overwhelming. (37:59) You can see it in there. (38:05) When I tell you this, I'm either a very, very bad person or I'm really a messenger of God. (38:13) Nobody will fabricate lies against God or attribute them to God in this flagrant manner. (38:19) This is really, really a disbeliever who doesn't think he will face God one day in the Day of Judgment. (38:28) Take your pick. (38:29) There are only two extremes here. (38:34) Either a very bad person who claims to be receiving information from God or a true messenger of God. (38:43) We can judge by how God gave us the mind to distinguish. (38:52) Are there any questions on this? (38:54) Not so embarrassing? (39:00) Go ahead. (39:26) Well, that person will not know anything. (39:29) It's a prerequisite that the person knows what the message is. (39:35) The person who doesn't know the Torah will not understand anything. (39:38) It will be like a person who was born a hundred years ago. (39:43) So the mathematical code is a requirement to understand God. (39:50) No, it doesn't tell Muhammad. (39:53) Lots of codes are not for Muhammad. (39:55) Lots of codes are for you. (40:01) All of Rabbin-ness is not for Muhammad. (40:05) In fact, the vast majority of code is not for Muhammad. (40:09) A lot of codes in the Qur'an are for the Qur'an. (40:12) It's a problem. (40:16) Say, if you love God, follow me. (40:20) God will love you. (40:24) If you follow the Qur'an, then God will love you. (40:26) If you love God, you follow the word of God, not the words of men. (40:32) So, I don't know the definition of code that's always for Muhammad. (40:41) And very clearly so. (40:44) The majority of codes mean say. (40:46) Code means say. (40:48) The majority of codes in the Qur'an are not for Muhammad. (40:53) There are also many things in the Qur'an that are in the future, not for Muhammad. (41:00) And some of them are clearly stated in the future tense. (41:07) The Qur'an is valid for all times. (41:12) Okay, shall we move on to Surah 73? (41:16) Please, Catherine. Speaker 2 (41:20) Surah 73, cloak. (41:22) In the name of God, most gracious, most merciful. (41:26) O you cloaked one, meditate during the night, except rarely. (41:30) Half of it, or a little less, or a little more. (41:32) And read the Qur'an from cover to cover. (41:35) We will give you a heavy message. (41:38) The meditation at night is more effective and more righteous. (41:41) You have a lot of time during the day for other matters. (41:44) You shall commemorate the name of your Lord to come ever closer and closer to Him. (41:49) Lord of the East and the West, there is no other God beside Him. (41:53) You should choose Him as your advocate. (41:55) And remain steadfast in the face of their utterances. (41:58) And disregard them in a nice manner. (42:01) And let me deal with the rejecters who have been generously blessed. (42:05) Just give them a little time. (42:07) We have severe punishment and hell. (42:10) Food that can hardly be swallowed. (42:12) And painful retribution. (42:14) The day will come when the earth and the mountains will quake and the mountains will turn into a weightless pile. (42:20) We have sent to you a messenger just as we sent to Pharaoh a messenger. (42:24) Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger and consequently we punished him severely. (42:28) If you disbelieve, how can you evade a day so terrible that it makes the infant's gray hair? (42:34) The heaven will shatter therefrom. (42:36) His promise is true. (42:38) This is a reminder to whoever wills, let him choose the path to his Lord. (42:43) Your Lord knows that you meditate during two-thirds of the night or half of it or one-third of it. (42:48) And so do some of those who believe with you. (42:51) God has designed the night and the day. (42:53) And He knows that you cannot always do this. (42:56) He has pardoned you. (42:57) Instead, you shall read what you can of the Quran. (43:00) He knows that some of you may be ill. (43:02) Others may be traveling in pursuit of God's provision. (43:05) And others may be striving in the cause of God. (43:08) You shall read what you can of it and observe the content prayers. (43:11) Give the obligatory charity and lend God a loan of righteousness. (43:15) Whatever good you send ahead on behalf of your souls, you will find it in God far better and generously rewarded. (43:23) And implore God for forgiveness. (43:24) God is forgiving. (43:26) God is merciful. (43:29) The name of the surah, Qloq, A cloak or a cover can be a protection for us against weather, inclement weather, for instance. (43:42) Or it can be a barrier or a veil, something that blinds us or deafens us. (43:52) And keeping that in mind, looking at verses 1 through 7, the night was designed for our rest. (44:00) There are no distractions during the night for most of us, certainly not like there are during the day when the world seems to wake up and pick up speed and get itself up to 300 miles an hour before the sunset. (44:13) This is a special time with Allah for us. (44:17) It is a time when our own bodies and our own minds are winding down and there is a space and peace about our lives. (44:37) And God is telling us here that any time that we spend reading the Quran, meditating, is for our own good here. (44:52) God doesn't need for us to do this. (44:54) God is in no need at all. (44:57) And He is giving us an opportunity, guiding us to take advantage of an opportunity during our busy days in our lives to spend time with Him. (45:10) In verse 8, the reason for the guide, the hint, the provision of day for work and night for rest, for example, is God consciousness at 24 hours a day is our goal. (45:24) Commemorating the name of our God 24 hours a day, every minute, so that every cell in our body, every thought in our mind is preceded by Allah. (45:38) Alhamdulillah, Subhanallah, every chance we get. (45:41) Out loud, no matter where we are. (45:44) What I have found to be amazing about that is when that became a habit of mine, and I'm not quite sure when that was. (45:52) Sometimes someone will ask me what I'm saying. (45:56) But I can't tell you how rare that is. (45:59) Very few people ask me what it is I'm saying. (46:01) Very few people are interested. (46:05) I write Bismillah on my checks, all of them. (46:11) On a lot of the things that I remember. (46:13) God 24 hours a day, no matter what we do, no matter when. (46:20) Verse 9, you should choose him as advocate, there is no other God beside him. (46:24) No one and no thing does anything, and if we don't know that, then we do not know God. (46:32) If we do not know that God is doing everything, and therefore logically and rationally, the only one to call upon for any help, for any provision, for any understanding, for any guidance, for any relief, is God alone. (46:47) We've gone astray somewhere, and we may never get back if we don't strive to understand that God does everything. (46:57) Not to be confused with, again, the hookah about putting your finger in the fire. (47:02) I heard that hookah, and I went back to two years ago in 1987. (47:07) I happened to be away, and I asked Rashad to please take the hookah that time, and he happened to give it. (47:14) It is a marvelous hookah, but it is there that I first heard Rashad talk about putting your finger in the fire, and how the fire was created for us to be in our service. (47:23) We could use it to cook, I think the phrase was, a delicious raw steak to a fine meal, or we could put our finger in it and burn ourselves. (47:32) God created both, all, the fire, the food, and our nerve system. (47:37) But it was our free will that would determine how we used it and what path. (47:44) If we could use that as a metaphor, we would then choose to be on. (47:48) We have to know that God is doing everything. (47:51) We have to know that if we need anything, asking anyone for anything, whatever comes to us from anyone, bad, good, or indifferent, comes from God, and it's for our own good. (48:03) Their reminders, their tests, their revisions, whatever it is, a comment you don't want to hear, a criticism you don't want to hear, comes from God. (48:13) God is correcting you, asking you to think, maybe not to correct yourself based on the criticism you heard, but to rethink what it is you're doing to remind you that God is doing everything. (48:27) Verse 10, remain steadfast in the face of their utterances and disregard them in a nice manner. (48:33) God is saying it. (48:35) We know that God is doing everything. (48:37) We're not to falter in that belief ever, no matter what we hear, but we're also not to judge others. (48:42) We have no way of knowing who's going to make it and who's not. (48:45) We don't know that something we say is going to be the turning point for someone else down the road. (48:51) And we need to be consistently steadfast with our beliefs, but we're consistently admonished as to how to treat other people. (49:02) We are not to judge them. (49:04) We are not to treat them nastily. (49:06) We are not to force them. (49:09) We are not to be angry. (49:10) And again, I go back two years ago to that clipbook, which was amazing, because Rashad was sitting here and he said, and I'm talking to you, and he named every one of us sitting here, including himself, and said if we get angry at anybody for anything, we're challenging God, we're objecting to God. (49:27) It's so simple now. (49:29) I can't tell you how often I repeat that. (49:32) Riding down the road the other day with my son, who just has his license, just, someone cut him, you know how people drive into your son, someone just cut right in front of him with inches, it's his rear, and he yelled at them in our car, he yelled at them. (49:50) He's stupid, he's very angry, gripping the wheel, trying to maintain control. (49:55) And I said, God did that. (49:57) You shouldn't be yelling at that person. (49:59) Well, that person was stupid, and we've been working on this now for two days, that incident. (50:05) He said, now we've got him coming around to say, well, I wasn't really objecting to God, I was just blowing off steam if you do object to God. (50:12) And you need to think about that when you get angry. (50:16) And this is true about the people that we meet who reject what we have to say, who will reject how we choose to live our lives based on what God has told us. (50:25) We're not to aggress against them with our minds, with suspicion, with words, with behavior. (50:34) We're to remain steadfast with our own beliefs. Speaker 6 (50:39) Do you have a question here? (50:41) Yeah? Speaker 1 (51:01) Why did he hit you? (51:03) Why did he hit you? (51:06) I don't know. (51:16) You have to go ahead of that and find out what provoked this person, I guess. (51:23) You have to find out what you did to provoke that person. (51:30) You're starting in the middle of the story. (51:31) Somebody came and passed me in the face. (51:33) This is the middle of the story. (51:35) Maybe the end of it. (51:37) We have to do it. (51:38) Huh? (51:43) But you see, the fist fight is often something. (51:47) What is it? (51:54) You're not supposed to get in the fist fight to start with. (52:08) If somebody punched me in the face, I would not get angry at that person. (52:12) I would get angry at myself for provoking him. (52:18) I would ask, how did this happen? (52:22) Find out. (52:23) What should I do to make him so angry? (52:26) You know, sin in Islam is if you annoy anybody, you hurt anybody. (52:32) You commit a sin. (52:33) So obviously you made that person so, you hurt him somehow, that he came and passed you in the face. (52:41) You committed a sin and you paid for it. (52:43) So you should be objecting. (52:44) You should not be objecting to what happened. (52:48) You understand? (52:53) Yes? (52:53) It's good for both parties, but... (53:00) Say, how would he aggrivate you and annoy you? (53:02) He'd say, I don't like you because you're Iranian, for example, let's say. (53:06) Okay, let's say somebody says, I don't like you because you're a Khomeini man. (53:15) Or if somebody says, I don't like you because you're a Khomeini man. (53:18) Then you know that he's a stupid person. (53:21) He's passing judgment on you. (53:23) It would be like you're walking in the street and a black market is watching you. (53:31) No, it isn't. (53:33) You just don't pay attention to that person. (53:39) You don't get into a fight with that person. Speaker 2 (53:41) But you also mentioned aggression against your family and protection of yourself and your family. (53:47) That's a different issue. (53:48) You have the right, and God tells us we do, to protect ourselves and our family. (53:53) We do not have the right to aggress first. (53:56) We have the right to protect ourselves. Speaker 1 (53:58) Yes, so what you do is you stand up for your rights. (54:15) No, it's better not to get to that stage where he swings at you. (54:21) I would ignore them. (54:23) It actually takes more strength. (54:26) It takes more strength not to submit to God. (54:31) I'm thinking slowly because Sammy got in a situation like this. (54:37) If I were in Sammy's place, I would have punched the guy in the face. (54:42) But he was stronger than me. (54:47) He did the right thing. (54:48) I forget what it was. (54:54) That's all I can say. (54:58) Buffalo the other day, somebody was insulting him. (55:06) I don't remember the specifics, but controlling yourself is a lot. (55:13) I would ignore those people. (55:18) You should not get in any fist fights. (55:20) Just ignore them. (55:22) It takes more strength to restrain yourself than to be provoked into a fist fight. (55:29) You'd be a bigger man if you walked away and ignored them. (55:36) Yes. (55:38) The Quran says you have the right to stand up for your right. (55:41) If he punches you in the face and you punch him back, this is your right. (55:44) But God tells you it is better and you'll be stronger if you can restrain yourself. (55:53) Yes. (55:55) Of course. (55:56) Self-defense is always justified. (55:59) Yes. Speaker 3 (56:01) I grew up in a family where my parents taught me that fighting is wrong. (56:12) A lot of kids are first that I got into a fight. (56:20) One of the kids wanted to fight me. Speaker 4 (56:29) Before I completed the sentence, I was out of the country. (56:33) I went back to my parents and said, It doesn't work the way you think it does. (56:39) You've got to do both. Speaker 3 (56:41) I think the same thing holds true for many kinds of aggression. (56:45) Sometimes people will do things to you. (56:47) You just simply have to defend yourself. (56:50) Some people out here do like... Speaker 1 (57:00) Do you understand it takes more strength to resist than to fight? Speaker 3 (57:05) I mean... Speaker 1 (57:25) Fighting by a brand. (57:27) Okay, never mind. (57:28) If you are with God, nothing will happen to you. (57:30) You're going to be a winner. (57:32) When you are a person of God, you'll be a winner all the time. (57:35) Don't worry. Speaker 3 (57:36) Robert. Speaker 1 (58:16) Maybe Catherine should have used the word sadness or disappointment rather than anger. (58:26) You don't become sad and depressed. (58:30) That's objection. (58:32) Happiness is devotion to God. (58:34) Happiness is submission to God. (58:37) The opposite of that is objection. (58:40) If you are sad, you're objecting to what God is doing. (58:46) So maybe anger is not the correct word. (58:55) Yes, exactly. (58:57) Because we live a life of suppressors of anger. (59:01) One of the characteristics of a believer is suppressor of anger. (59:06) It's best you understand life. (59:08) When you read the Quran and you read God's message, you understand what life is all about. (59:12) You know that it is not worth it to get in a fierce fight or be angry because of what somebody said. (59:19) Especially if it is something stupid. (59:27) You definitely have to defend yourself. (59:29) But if you can avoid, if you can forgive and forget, you'll be much stronger. (59:34) Back to Catherine. (59:36) We can finish this. (59:37) Can I make a comment also on the first few verses? (59:40) Excuse me, I'll take it back. (59:41) Two more minutes. (59:42) I want you to understand what the night is. (59:44) The Quranic night begins at sunset. (59:47) So when it says meditate during the night, except really half of it relating this. (59:53) You're commemorating God when you pray the sunset, when you pray the night, when you mention the name of God before you sleep. (1:00:00) When you get up for the dawn prayer, you already covered half the night right there. (1:00:07) Because the night begins at 7 o'clock at sunset right now. (1:00:11) You pray the night at 9 o'clock. (1:00:14) You get up at 4 o'clock or 5 o'clock for the dawn prayer, 5 o'clock. (1:00:19) So from 9 to 5, you already covered a good portion of the night. (1:00:24) The Quranic night, the Torah night, and all the scriptures, the night begins at sunset. (1:00:30) And the day begins at sunrise. (1:00:33) So it's roughly 12 hours of the night. (1:00:38) What this is telling you is you must never miss the dawn prayer, the peasant prayer. (1:00:47) I'm always surprised when I visit many places and find that half the people, or more than half, are not doing the dawn prayer. (1:00:54) You're not being fair to yourself. (1:00:58) You see, we were swept in the crowd when we were in the heavenly society. (1:01:03) You don't want to be swept in the crowd again here. (1:01:05) You don't want to repeat the same mistake. (1:01:07) The people are so oblivious to God that when we do a little bit, we think we're doing a lot. (1:01:13) Because compared to them, if you do one prayer a day, you're doing a lot. (1:01:20) But don't be swept in the crowd. (1:01:22) And don't measure what you're doing by what is happening in the world. (1:01:27) The world is just totally oblivious to God. (1:01:30) And this makes you think that you've stepped up and you're doing a lot. (1:01:35) That will be my focus next week. (1:01:38) But don't be swept in the crowd. (1:01:40) Inshallah. (1:01:41) Next week. (1:01:42) Inshallah. (1:01:55) Idol worship. (1:02:02) Yes, anything is forgivable. (1:02:03) Murder is forgivable. (1:02:06) Stealing, lying, cheating, all these things are forgivable. (1:02:09) But idol worship is not. (1:02:10) If the person dies, then idol worship. (1:02:15) Yes, completely wrecked at any minute by repentance. (1:02:19) Repentance cleanses you completely. (1:02:21) As if you're a newborn baby. (1:02:27) Yes. (1:02:34) Now to you, to Master Sultan. (1:02:40) Yes. (1:02:42) Again, that's a famous mistake, yes. (1:02:44) But it is really... (1:02:46) Oh, you, Master Sultan, meditate during the night. (1:02:53) When you're covered up with your blanket, you're cloaked. Speaker 3 (1:03:17) Yes. Speaker 1 (1:03:27) In Fajr prayer. (1:03:29) You've come a long way towards that. (1:03:30) But I would recommend reading the Quran every night and every Fajr. (1:03:39) No, no, but you're covering that period. (1:03:42) See, the prayer is not just the time that you're doing the prayer. (1:03:44) The times of anticipation is also a commemoration of God. (1:03:48) You look at the clock and you say, I'm going to pray the night in ten minutes. (1:03:57) Right. (1:03:58) Right. (1:04:00) Absolutely, yes. (1:04:03) Yes. (1:04:05) This is why the five prayers are so important. (1:04:09) Because it's not just a few minutes. (1:04:11) It's not just a few minutes that you do. (1:04:14) Okay, back to verse 20 and 10. (1:04:17) Verse 20? (1:04:18) Excuse me. (1:04:18) Go ahead. (1:04:19) Whatever you want. Speaker 2 (1:04:20) Can we go to verse 20? (1:04:21) Verse 11. (1:04:22) Let me deal with the rejecters who have been generously blessed. (1:04:25) Just give them a little time. (1:04:27) We have severe punishments in hell. (1:04:28) Food that can hardly be swallowed. (1:04:31) Give them enough rope and they'll hang themselves is what comes to mind. (1:04:36) They will either pass or, the rejecters, will either pass or fail the test that God gives them. (1:04:42) Knowing that God gives them as many chances to pass as He gives every other person. (1:04:48) God knows who will pass and who will not. (1:04:50) He is the perfect designer. (1:04:52) We need to worry for our own selves. (1:04:54) And this is related to the verse 10 and how to treat other people. (1:04:59) Let God take care of those who reject the message. (1:05:04) On 14, the day will come when the earth and the mountains will quake and the mountains will turn into a weightless pile. (1:05:09) There are other descriptions of the Day of Judgment when the earth will change its appearance. (1:05:18) The earth and mountains are considered to be the most solid of all things. (1:05:25) And so this is a really good metaphor. (1:05:28) One thinks about just the one sentence that God is telling us what's going to happen. (1:05:32) The inside of the earth is molten lava. (1:05:35) There's nothing solid at all about it. (1:05:40) Recently, I've had an illness, too, which has made this solid earth, this solid world that we touch, smell, feel each day of our lives distorted that. (1:05:54) And it erased the illusion of this world. (1:05:58) And it's been quite an interesting experience because you feel it re-floating. (1:06:02) And that's the only way I can think of to describe it. (1:06:05) It can be frightening at the same time. (1:06:07) I imagine it's something like when the astronauts feel in space only. (1:06:11) And that's planned and there is some way to connect to something. Speaker 1 (1:06:16) Maybe the sun is growing too fast. Speaker 2 (1:06:18) I hope so. (1:06:20) I desperately hope so. (1:06:22) In any case... Speaker 5 (1:06:23) We're going weightless. Speaker 2 (1:06:24) Not so you notice. (1:06:27) In any case, this is a really good metaphor for what will happen. (1:06:31) And for the reminder that this earth is an illusion. (1:06:36) This life is temporary play. (1:06:38) And it's all set up just because God is so merciful to give us another chance. (1:06:44) We blew it the first time. (1:06:45) And we did blow it the first time. (1:06:48) There was no maybe about it. (1:06:52) We sent you a messenger. (1:06:54) We sent Farrow a messenger. (1:06:55) You disobeyed. (1:06:56) We punished him severely. (1:06:57) If you disbelieve, how do you expect to evade a day so terrible? (1:07:01) It makes the infants gray-haired. (1:07:04) I don't know the name of the illness, but there is a rare illness. (1:07:08) And I think Rabbi Kushner's son had this illness. (1:07:11) I just don't know the medical name for it. (1:07:13) Where children age, infants age and die of old age when they are still young children. (1:07:20) It's a very rare illness. (1:07:21) I don't know if it existed when the Koran was revealed. (1:07:25) However, this is also a good metaphor for how our lives are going to appear to us on the Day of Resurrection. (1:07:31) As if we live one hour, one minute. Speaker 5 (1:07:35) But isn't this in English, they say, we're scared when we hear German whites. Speaker 2 (1:07:40) Right. (1:07:40) Absolutely. (1:07:43) Is that happening? Speaker 5 (1:07:45) What happened? Speaker 2 (1:07:45) Did you hear? Speaker 5 (1:07:49) I think it's just a proverb. (1:07:51) Oh, bad. Speaker 2 (1:07:57) The reality is that this happens. (1:08:00) But it's also a metaphor for the remedy of our lives. (1:08:08) The heaven will shatter therefrom. (1:08:10) His promise is true. (1:08:11) The guarantee is always there, built in. (1:08:15) This is a reminder. (1:08:16) Whoever wills, let him choose the path to his Lord. (1:08:19) The human being has complete freedom. (1:08:21) This is the human affliction and it's the human blessing and the hope of redemption. (1:08:26) If we choose Allah alone, God will be with us always. (1:08:33) If we don't, and the tendency of the human being is not to. (1:08:38) The tendency is to worship ourselves. (1:08:39) It's the last bastion. (1:08:41) When we think we've dealt with many children, well, status, power, fame, we get back to ourselves. (1:08:47) So, it's a constant balancing act. (1:08:50) If you choose Allah alone, as narrow as the path may seem, you won't fall from it. (1:08:55) And again, I remember someone saying to me, Fool me once, shame on you. (1:09:02) Fool me twice, shame on me. (1:09:04) This is my second time around. (1:09:06) And it will be shame on me if I don't get it right this time. (1:09:14) Verse 20. (1:09:18) Your Lord knows that you meditate two-thirds of the night or half of it. (1:09:22) He knows that you cannot always do this. (1:09:25) And he has pardoned you. (1:09:27) God made us. (1:09:28) He knows what our limitations are. (1:09:29) He knows we have to sleep some time. (1:09:32) And that we can't stay up all of the night long reading Quran and meditating all nights of all of our lives. (1:09:38) And so, mercifully provides for us and says, You shall read what you can. (1:09:43) And allows for illness and allows for traveling and allows for the vicissitudes of this life. (1:09:48) Constantly reminding us that we need to be cognizant of God 24 hours a day. (1:09:54) There's a verse here, part of the verse, You shall read what you can of it and observe the contact prayer. (1:10:01) The way the contact prayer is spoken of in Quran is, It's spoken of as though everyone who reads knows of it because everyone does. (1:10:11) By the time Quran was revealed, Salat was a common practice. (1:10:16) Albeit wrong, a common practice. (1:10:19) And this is why we don't find a description of Salat. (1:10:23) By detail in Quran. (1:10:27) Give the obligatory charity and lend God a loan of righteousness. (1:10:32) Whatever good you send ahead on behalf of your soul, you will find it in God, far better and generously rewarded. (1:10:38) This is the PRA that Rashad talked about. (1:10:42) And it's a wonderful reality-based, simple way to understand what it is we do. (1:10:48) Post-retirement accounts. (1:10:50) We get 10 for 1 here, folks. (1:10:54) Guaranteed. (1:10:55) 10 for 1. (1:10:57) We don't have to do much for that. (1:11:00) A loan of righteousness. (1:11:02) God alone. (1:11:03) And our souls do grow and they do expand. (1:11:06) We even have no idea how big they are. (1:11:10) When Rashad gives us numbers like $10 parking tickets, Because you don't say this to me loud first thing in the morning. (1:11:16) That's real. (1:11:18) That's not a joke. (1:11:19) I mean, we laugh because it relates to all of us and we've all been caught one way or the other. (1:11:24) But it's the truth. (1:11:29) Again, 24 hours of God-consciousness being the goal. (1:11:35) And righteousness and living according to the Quran's instructions. (1:11:39) God willing, we won't have too many pregnancies. (1:11:44) And implore God for forgiveness. (1:11:46) God is forgiver and most merciful. (1:11:48) Every day, five times a day, we say that God hears those who call upon Him. (1:11:53) There's no condition in that statement. (1:11:56) There's no condition if you call upon Him when you're wearing a blue dress and it's five minutes after noon. (1:12:03) There's no condition. (1:12:04) God hears those who call upon Him alone. (1:12:07) That's unconditional. (1:12:08) This is the most merciful God. (1:12:10) He's always there for us. (1:12:12) All we have to do is turn around. (1:12:16) I need to stop hearing. Speaker 1 (1:12:20) God bless you. (1:12:23) Excellent job, mashallah. (1:12:25) Marshall, what do you have? Speaker 6 (1:13:10) My soul doesn't eat. (1:13:17) Thank you. Speaker 1 (1:13:26) This has to do with missing the fajr prayer once in a long while. (1:13:30) God says you cannot do it all the time. (1:13:32) Maybe once a month you miss fajr. (1:13:34) But really, this is a minimum, the five prayers, including the dawn prayer. (1:13:38) It is very important for you to do the dawn prayer. (1:13:41) You must set the alarm and get up. (1:13:45) Right now, you must do it before 5.15 in the morning. (1:13:49) There are many dropouts because the day gets longer and longer. (1:13:52) You don't want to be a dropout. (1:13:58) 5.15, before 5.15. This means you're tired, you're very tired. (1:14:08) You didn't get up for the fajr prayer because you're tired. (1:14:13) You're doing extra effort. (1:14:17) Yes, you're traveling or your time is mixed up. (1:14:22) You travel from New York. (1:14:23) You leave there at 12 midnight and you come here and the dawn is 2 o'clock New York time. (1:14:32) So that's two hours of sleep. (1:14:34) Most probably you will miss fajr on that day. (1:14:49) I'm not saying business, you're doing your business. (1:14:51) You may be tired because of business, because of something you have done. (1:14:54) You dig in ditches all day until 3 o'clock in the morning. (1:14:59) Chances are you're going to sleep through the fajr that night. (1:15:04) Traveling in pursuit of God's provisions means business. (1:15:09) I think we have to stop. (1:15:11) Our teacher next week will be Dr. Sabahi so we can see what the Farsi translation is saying. (1:15:20) You can sit by your dad Amir and give him a few pieces of information. (1:15:27) Okay. (1:15:32) Dr. Sabahi will take surah 74, 75, 76. (1:15:36) So keep your new translation, don't forget it. (1:15:41) We have to read a lot of Al-Fatiha for birthdays today. (1:15:47) Lydia, Annie, Douglas. (1:15:53) Who's the fourth one? Speaker 2 (1:15:55) Lydia. Speaker 1 (1:15:57) Amir. (1:15:58) See, I forgot Amir. (1:16:00) How can I forget Amir? (1:16:05) Amir is the most important person in this room. (1:16:08) Why? (1:16:09) You tell us why. (1:16:13) How can I forget Amir? (1:16:14) Okay. (1:16:15) Amir and Annie and Douglas and Lydia. (1:16:18) We're going to recite Al-Fatiha to give him a great year coming up, and a greater year every year after that. (1:16:24) It is a characteristic of the believers that things only get better. (1:16:29) Things get better for the believers. (1:16:32) Every day is better than the previous one. (1:16:35) Also, when I recite Al-Fatiha, Mahvash may be going to Iran soon, and we wish her success, and God will give her a good trip, inshallah. (1:16:46) God never turns us down when we read Al-Fatiha. (1:16:49) And Katherine mentioned the illness that makes her high. (1:16:54) It's true! (1:16:56) So, we want to plead with God, say, Yaakena abudu wa yaakena, and worship you alone, and ask him to make her healthy. (1:17:05) And each one of you, your dearest wish, we want you to ask God for it also. (1:17:11) God loves it when you pray to him. (1:17:13) And before we read Al-Fatiha, I want to remind you that I just finished the appendix entitled, And it begins by saying, So, I'm urging all the parents to take a copy of that. (1:17:36) It's only one page. (1:17:37) Take it and show it to your children. (1:17:40) Because it may be an embarrassing subject to you, but it is a very important subject. (1:17:44) And it is never too early, never too late. (1:17:48) So, ask for that page and take it and read it with your children. (1:17:54) And now for all Al-Fatihas that were requested. (1:17:57) We're going to pray to God and recite Al-Fatiha. (1:18:13) Al-Fatiha. (1:18:18) Before we close, I want to remind you of just a couple of verses in Surah 54. (1:18:22) That says, God is the one who makes you happy. (1:18:25) Control your happiness or miserable. (1:18:26) God doesn't make you miserable. (1:18:28) We make ourselves miserable. (1:18:29) But God controls our happiness and our misery. (1:18:33) In Arabic, He makes you laugh or cry. (1:18:40) He's the one who controls your wealth. (1:18:44) He's the one who makes you rich or poor. (1:18:47) So, you remember that. (1:18:48) God is the one who controls your happiness and joy. (1:18:51) God is the one who controls your wealth. (1:18:53) Which means, if you follow God's law, you're guaranteed perfect life, perfect happiness. (1:19:00) Congratulations. (1:19:01) God bless you