Praise be to Allah, Lord of the Worlds, and peace and blessings to our Master Muhammad, the Faithful and the Honest. O Allah, we know nothing but what You teach us, You are the All- Knower, the Wise. O Allah our Lord, teach us what is useful for us, let us make use of what You have taught us and advance us in knowledge. O Allah, show us the righteous things as righteous and help us do them, and show us the bad things as bad and help us keep away from them. O Allah our Lord, make us amongst those who listen to the Word and follow the best meaning of It, and admit us, by Your Grace, to the ranks of Your righteous servants.
Young people are the future:
Dear noble brothers, dear young people, elderly people represent the past, old people, including me, represent the present, and young people represent the future. This is the first definition of you. You are the future, you belong to the best Ummah raised up among other nations, and it became glorious, conveying the Message of Islam to the entire world. However, her glory started to fade away, and it is your mission to help her regain its ruling position.
While our Master Umar was walking in one of the streets of Madinah, some children were playing, but when they saw him getting nearer to them, they ran away, except one. Umar was astonished by his behavior, so he came closer to him and asked, "Why did you not run like the rest?" The child said, "O Amir Al-Mu'mineen (Commander of the Believers), you are not an oppressor to fear you, and I am not guilty to fear your punishment, and the road is wide enough for you and me."
This is an example of the distinguished children of this Ummah at that time. Let me give you another example. A delegation, preceded by a boy, came to the assembly of the Khalifah Abdul Malik bin Marwan to congratulate him. Seized by anger the Khalifah said to his usher, "Whomever wants to get in is allowed to! Even the boys!" The child interfered, "O Amir, my presence does not denigrate you, but it honors me! We were hit by a year that melted the fat, another one ate the meat (they became all skin and bones), and another one weakened the bones, and you have extra money. If it is for Allah, we are His servants, so give it to us as a charity. If it is for us, why do you keep it away from us? If it is yours, give it to us as a charity." The Khalifah said, "This boy left us with no excuse." How eloquent and brave such a child is!
Also, it was narrated that a delegation from Hijaz came to our master Umar Ibn Abdulaziz, and it was preceded by an 11-year-old boy which annoyed Umar as he considered that an insult. The boy entered to speak on behalf of the delegation, but Umar said to him, "Sit down boy, and let somebody older than you speak." The boy smiled and said, "May Allah guide the Amir (The Commander of the Believers)! Man is estimated by two small parts of his body: his heart and his tongue. Indeed, If Allah blesses a servant with an eloquent tongue and a faithful heart, he deserves to speak. If it had been a matter of age, then many other Muslims would have been worthier of the Khilafah than you!"
The whole thing is about how knowledgeable, eloquent and brave the Muslim is!
Great examples of heroism in the Islamic history:
Dear brothers, in your Islamic and Arabic books of history, there are incredible incidents that manifest heroism. Believe it or not; when Usamah's army left for Syria, Usamah was only 17 years old, and he was the commander of the army that had men like Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, may Allah be pleased with them, as soldiers in it.
Abu Bakr (the Khalifah) walked for some distance along with the army to see it depart. Usamah was riding on horseback, and he requested Abu Bakr, "O Khalifah of Allah's Messenger, permit me to dismount the horse, so that you ride on it." Abu Bakr said, "No, neither shall you dismount nor shall I mount a horse, for according to a tradition of the Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, he whose foot becomes dusty in the Way of Allah will be protected from Hell-fire." He intended to show him respect (though he was young) in front of his soldiers.
Usamah was only 17 years old, and he was the commander of the army among its soldiers were Umar, Uthman and Ali and other Noble Companions may Allah be pleased with them. This is how great our heroism was.
I said earlier: You belong to the best Ummah raised up for people, but she is no longer the ruling Ummah. She needs your strength, your knowledge, your sincerity, your loyalty, and your belonging to her.
Notice how Usamah the young man was the leader in that army. In Islam the young man, the lad, the man, and the old man are all heroes. In fact, whoever belongs to this religion is honored by Allah by letting him serve it.
When one of the Noble Companions was a child, his father was martyred in a battle, and his mother got married to one of the richest men of al-Aws tribe. His stepfather loved him a lot and he used to be generous to him, and the lad loved his stepfather as well. However, when the Noble Companions were preparing themselves for a battle, his stepfather did not do the same. The lad reminded him of what the rich Companions did, such as Uthman and Abdul Rahman bin Awf, may Allah be pleased with them. They paid whatever they had in Allah's Way, but the stepfather said, "If the man (Muhammad, peace be upon him) is truthful, then we have more evil than mules!" This is a word of blasphemy, so the lad said to his stepfather, "This is a word of blasphemy. By Allah, O uncle, the dearest man to me under the sky is you after Allah's Messenger, but You have just said something that if I spread it around, it would harm you; if I keep silent, I would ruin my religion, and the fulfillment of duty towards religion has priority. So I am going to inform the Messenger of Allah of what you have said about him!"
This is a matter of trustworthiness; his stepfather was supposed to be one of the Noble Companions, so how could he have said those words?! The lad went to the Prophet, peace be upon him, and told him what his stepfather said, so the Noble Prophet summoned him and said, "What did you say?" The stepfather replied, "By Allah, I said nothing, and this lad is a liar."
The lad was honest and innocent, so upon hearing his stepfather saying that, he was embarrassed, so he said, "O Allah, reveal to your Prophet what confirms my words." A while later, the Revelation was sent to the Prophet confirming the words of the lad in the following Ayah:
﴾ (Had they marched out with you, they would have added to you nothing except disorder, and they would have hurried about in your midst (spreading corruption) and sowing sedition among you, and there are some among you who would have listened to them. And Allah is the All-Knower of the Zalimun (polytheists and wrong-doers, etc.). ﴿
The stepfather found himself forced to confess his fault and to apologize, "O Allah's Messenger, I repent and I do confess that I have said these words. The lad has spoken the truth, so forgive me." The Prophet, peace be upon him, held the lad's ear kidding him and said, "Allah the Almighty has confirmed your words from above the seven heavens."
The lad urged his stepfather to repent, and after that incident the uncle became more generous to the lad, because he was the reason of his repentance and steadfastness on the Right Path.
The importance of regaining Ummah's glory:
Dear young brothers, you can be among those millions who enjoy life, eat the best food, drink the most luxurious drink, live in the most luxurious house, and drive the most modern vehicle. You are one of these millions, but if you think to regain the glory of your Ummah, you will be considered a true believer.
Once I said to some students, "Whoever gives me a name of a rich man who lived in 1867 in Damascus, will get the full score." The student started to think, but none gave me a name. Then, I said to them, "Like you, I have no idea about such a person, but who among you does not know Umar Ibn Al-Khattab, Uthman bin-Affan? Ali bin Abi Talib, Salah al-Din al-Ayyubi, who raised the position of this Ummah?
These heroes are immortalized in history, and as for you, O young brothers, you can be as these million people, and you just eat, drink and enjoy your life, but when death comes to you, it ends your existence, and people will forget all about you. However, you can choose to be a hero who regains the glorious position of the Ummah with your knowledge, morals, or achievements. Do not be like the common people; do not be with the demagogues.
Our Master Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "O son, there are three kinds of people: one kind is of those learned people who are highly versed in the ethics of truth and philosophy of religion, the second is the kind of those who are acquiring the above knowledge and the third is that class of people who are foolish. They follow every pretender and accept every slogan, they have neither acquired any knowledge nor have they secured any support of firm and rational convictions. Beware Kamil that you will not be like anyone of them."
You can belong to the majority of people in the society; they are the millions who will not be given any weight on the Day of Resurrection, and they will be humiliated and disgraced by Allah. These people have abandoned acting upon Allah's Order, so Allah have forsaken them. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Certainly! Allah will admit those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, to Gardens under which rivers flow (Paradise), while those who disbelieve enjoy themselves and eat as cattle eat, and the Fire will be their abode.) ﴿
﴾ ( And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said, "My Lord, make this city (Makkah) a place of security and provide its people with fruits, such of them as believe in Allah and the Last Day." He (Allah) answered: "As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!") ﴿
Provide only those who are believers with fruits. Allah the Almighty responded:
﴾ ("As for him who disbelieves, I shall leave him in contentment for a while, then I shall compel him to the torment of the Fire, and worst indeed is that destination!") ﴿
﴾ (So, when they forgot (the warning) with which they had been reminded, We opened to them the gates of every (pleasant) thing, until in the midst of their enjoyment in that which they were given, all of a sudden, We took them to punishment, and lo! They were plunged into destruction with deep regrets and sorrows.) ﴿
You can see with your eyes how everything is available to those who seek the pleasure of the worldly life; everything is easy to get and to enjoy, but heroism is rare. Out of 1000 men there is only one hero.
It is said, "Sadness is creative." You belong to the Ummah that is known for her ancient glory, great achievements, and heroic history, but it has regressed, so perhaps Allah the Almighty will make its progress by you; I mean with your knowledge, job, achievement, or heroism. If you do nothing towards your Ummah, you are just like the ordinary people.
Human existence should be sublime:
Dear noble brothers, each of us has two existences, an animal existence and a human existence. In other words, there are mundane needs and sublime needs. The mundane human needs are fulfilled by eating, drinking, giving birth, having a shelter to dwell in, going for picnics, and feeling superior to other people while boasting about food, drink, home, certificates, and achievements. Such an existence does not befit man. On the contrary, the sublime existence to which you belong is the human existence; it is to fulfill transcendental needs, knowing the truth, knowing Allah the Almighty and knowing the Book (the Noble Quran) with which Allah the Almighty has honored us. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Indeed your Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in Six Days, and then He Istawa (rose over) the Throne (really in a manner that suits His Majesty). He brings the night as a cover over the day, seeking it rapidly, and (He created) the sun, the moon, the stars subjected to His Command. Surely, His is the Creation and Commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the ‘Alamin (mankind, jinns and all that exists)!) ﴿
He the Almighty also says:
﴾ (All the praises and thanks be to Allah, Who has sent down to His slave (Muhammad PBUH) the Book (the Qur'an), and has not placed therein any crookedness.) ﴿
The entire universe is in one pan and the Book (the Noble Quran) is in another. The Book is Allah's Way. It is like the instructions of the manufacturer. We live in the age of electronics, and man is the most complicated machine in the universe. Man has a Great Manufacturer Who has given man operating and maintenance instructions. So, if you love yourself, your existence, and your safety and perfection, you are supposed to apply the instructions of the Manufacturer. Regarding this point, it was reported:
(( (Allah will be proud of the believing young man before the angels, saying, "Look at My servant; he gave up his lust for My Sake.) ))
The young man may choose to be degraded in Allah's Sight and be like millions of people whose value is as insignificant as the wing of a mosquito, or he may choose to stand out among the heroes. If you act upon the Islamic knowledge you have acquired and serve your Ummah with this knowledge, if you achieve a great achievement and you put it at the service of your Ummah that gave birth to you, and if you do something significant, you will be with the immortals.
Dear noble brothers, man has motives he should fulfill. The motive for food preserves man's existence, the motive for mating preserves the human race and the motive for self-assertion (to have a good reputation and be well-known among others), preserves his remembrance. As some scholars (Imam Al-Hasan Al-Basri and Rabi'ah Al-adawiyah) said, "Man is but a few days, and whenever a day passes, a part of him elapses." It was also reported in the relic:
(( (There is not a day when its dawn breaks but it calls out, "O son of Adam, I am a new creation, and a witness of your deeds, so take provisions from me, for I will not come back till the Day of Resurrection.") ))
Islam is a realistic religion:
I would like to tell you one more fact; our religion is a great religion, a realistic religion, and a systematic religion. There is no deprivation in Islam, because whatever a desire Allah has created in man but has a clean way through which it is fulfilled blamelessly. Hence, if man applies Allah's Way, he will become on cloud nine. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Verily, those who say: "Our Lord is Allah (Alone)," and then they Istaqamu, on them the angels will descend (at the time of their death) (saying): "Fear not, nor grieve! But receive the glad tidings of Paradise which you have been promised!) ﴿
If you know Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, properly and you know His Way, you will seek the high position in the Hereafter, and so you will be the winner in both the worldly life and the Hereafter. In fact, whoever ignores the great truth and runs after the pleasures of the worldly life only will be the loser in the worldly life and the Hereafter, while whoever favors the Hereafter over the worldly life will win them both.
The first thing that I wish you to seek is Shari'ah (Islamic knowledge). Seeking other domains of knowledge is good, but they allow you to have a profession by which you make a living and live a descent life, while the Islamic knowledge confirms your human existence. Every domain of knowledge is interesting, and it lets you make a living from, but unlike these domains, the Islamic knowledge is enjoyable, useful, and pleasing in this worldly life and the Hereafter. So, what I wish you and your noble parents to do is to surround you with Islamic surroundings in order to discover the truth. I am sure that your love to yourself, your safety, your perfection, and your continuity prompts you to obey Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
The prudent person is whoever knows the purpose of his existence:
Dear noble brothers, it is impossible for anyone to disobey Allah the Almighty and be a winner and it is impossible for anyone to obey Allah the Almighty and be a loser. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (He will direct you to do righteous good deeds and will forgive you your sins. And whosoever obeys Allah and His Messenger (PBUH) he has indeed achieved a great achievement (i.e. he will be saved from the Hell-fire and made to enter Paradise).) ﴿
I cannot go into details in this short lecture, but I advise you to dedicate some of your precious time to know Allah the Almighty. The knowledge that you have learned is good and valuable, but it is for secular benefits; it is to make a living, and thus having a profession or a craft does not exalt you in Allah's Sight. Furthermore, whoever excels at any field of knowledge (other than the Islamic knowledge) is intelligent but not prudent. The prudent person is the one who knows the main facts, the one who knows the purpose of his existence.
To clarify this point, if your father sends you to a certain country for a limited period, and you stay in a hotel, but on the first day, you ask where you should go, the answer is based on knowing the reason why you are in this country. Similarly, the question I would you to ask yourself is: Why are you in this world? I am not asking you why you are here in America. I am asking why you are in the worldly life. Why has Allah the Almighty brought you to the worldly life? The answer is to know Allah the Almighty. Allah says:
﴾ (And I (Allah) created not the jinns and humans except they should worship Me (Alone).) ﴿
Likewise, if you travel to a foreign country in order to study, the studies you seek to pursue should be clear in your mind, so if you intend to seek knowing Allah the Almighty and His Way, then you should dedicate some of your precious time to know Allah the Almighty. For instance, you listen to a tape in which a religious lesson is recorded, you read a religious book, you recite the Noble Quran, or you read a book of Noble Sunnah. When you do this, you will remain connected to your Ummah, you will be proud of the era of heroism and brilliance.
You should know the whole truth, not one aspect of it by virtue of your presence in this country. You should not be affected by the culture of the foreign country you live in, forgetting about your Islamic culture and be deluded by the western culture. Since you belong to this great Ummah who has a bright history, you are supposed to participate in regaining her glory. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Allah has promised those among you who believe, and do righteous good deeds, that He will certainly grant them succession to (the present rulers) in the earth, as He granted it to those before them, and that He will grant them the authority to practise their religion, that which He has chosen for them (i.e. Islam). And He will surely give them in exchange a safe security after their fear (provided) they (believers) worship Me and do not associate anything (in worship) with Me. But whoever disbelieved after this, they are the Fasiqun (rebellious, disobedient to Allah).) ﴿
As long as we worship Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, properly, Allah will grant us succession in the earth, grant us authority to practise our religion and grant us safe security. Unfortunately, the situation of Muslims nowadays is as what Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Then, there has succeeded them a posterity who have given up As-Salat (the prayers) [i.e. made their Salat (prayers) to be lost, either by not offering them or by not offering them perfectly or by not offering them in their proper fixed times, etc.] and have followed lusts. So they will be thrown in Hell.) ﴿
Believing in Allah and approaching Him:
Dear young brothers, everyone has three fathers; the biological father, the man who helps you get married, and the one who guides you to Allah the Almighty. The favor of the biological father ends in the worldly life, and the favor of the one who helps you in your marriage ends with the end of this marriage, while the favor of the one who guides you to Allah the Almighty continues for good. Whoever helps you know Allah the Almighty has favor over you.
You should be dutiful to your biological father, should take care of the one who helps you get married and should always be with the one who guides you to Allah the Almighty. You should always look for the truth. You may be surprised when you know that one of the great physicists, Einstein, said, "Whoever does not see in this universe a force that is the most powerful, knowledgeable, and wise if a living dead person."
If you read the history of the great scientists, you will find out how they believe in Allah the Almighty through the universe. The universe is a manifestation of Allah's Greatness. If you ponder over Allah's Signs in the universe, your skin shudders and your ribs shiver. You will realize that Allah is Great, and that He has created you, and He will call you to account for all your deeds. So, do not be under the illusion that you will not be called to account for any deed. You will be called to account whenever you might be, and for whatever you do.
Please, keep this critical Ayah in mind; Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make.) ﴿
Whoever is raised to obey Allah the Almighty, and to be dutiful to his parents, will be given a good life. This is indicated in the following Ayah:
﴾ (Whoever works righteousness, whether male or female, while he (or she) is a true believer (of Islamic Monotheism) verily, to him We will give a good life (in this world with respect, contentment and lawful provision), and We shall pay them certainly a reward in proportion to the best of what they used to do (i.e. Paradise in the Hereafter).) ﴿
Dear young men, by Allah if this Ayah is the only one in Allah's Book, it will be enough for you. The contrary of it is the following Ayah:
﴾ ("But whosoever turns away from My Reminder (i.e. neither believes in this Qur'an nor acts on its orders, etc.) verily, for him is a life of hardship, and We shall raise him up blind on the Day of Resurrection.") ﴿
If you approach Allah the Almighty, you will be given a good life, but if you turn away from Him, for you will be a life of hardship. Allah the Almighty says in the following Ayaat:
﴾ (Is then he who is a believer like him who is Fasiq (disbeliever and disobedient to Allah)? Not equal are they.) ﴿
﴾ (Is he whom We have promised an excellent promise (Paradise), which he will find true, like him whom We have made to enjoy the luxuries of the life of (this) world, then on the Day of Resurrection, he will be among those brought up (to be punished in the Hell-fire)?) ﴿
﴾ (Or do those who earn evil deeds think that We shall hold them equal with those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous good deeds, in their present life and after their death? Worst is the judgement that they make.) ﴿
Getting use of the parents' wisdom:
Dear young brothers, your parents, may Allah reward them, know life better than you as they have experienced it and developed experiences that you desperately need. So, take their advice, because if you do not do that, this means you refuse their experience, the heritage of your Ummah, and the experiences of your grandparents.
Make use of the experiences of your parents, for undoubtedly they have acquired great experiences that you are in dire need of. The young man has a great energy and it will be greater if he combines it with the wisdom of the elderly.
It was reported, "Justice is good, but it is better when it is established by rulers, piety is good, but it is better if it is manifested by scholars, modesty is good but it is better when it is manifested by women, repentance is good, but it is better when one is still young, patience is good, but it is better when it is manifested by the poor, and generosity is good, but it is better if it is manifested by the rich.
Repentance is the best thing a young man can do:
The best thing a young man can do in his life is to repent, and the most dangerous thing is to be seduced by a young woman. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.) ﴿
Do not listen to what people say in western countries regarding the illegal affairs between man and woman. Relating such illicit affairs with being mentally disturbed has no base or logic in our history as an Islamic Ummah or our great Divine Way. Keep in mind, "Whoever hastens to get something before its proper time will be punished by being deprived of it." Everything has its time, and there is a detailed approach regarding marriage, having a happy righteous household and having dutiful children.
Dear young brothers, may Allah bless you and guide you to the Straight Way. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Wherewith Allah guides all those who seek His Good Pleasure to ways of peace, and He brings them out of darkness by His Will unto light and guides them to a Straight Way (Islamic Monotheism).) ﴿
I would like you to ask me questions, and I am ready to answer them.
2
1- How can anyone balance worldly studies with Islamic knowledge?
Q: How can we a find a balance between studying and seeking Islamic knowledge?
A: Performing the five prayers take an hour out of the 24 hours you have. You may spend eight hours sleeping, eight hours studying, four hours with your family, and one hour praying.
The time you spend on Salat is Zakat of your time. When you perform the five prayers, you connect to Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, and so you will be tranquil, self-confident, and strong to face forbidden desires. You will be protected. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ Recite (O Muhammad PBUH) what has been revealed to you of the Book (the Qur’an), and perform As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat). Verily, As-Salat (the prayer) prevents from Al-Fahsha' (i.e. great sins of every kind, unlawful sexual intercourse, etc.) and Al-Munkar (i.e. disbelief, polytheism, and every kind of evil wicked deed, etc.) and the remembering (praising, etc.) of (you by) Allah (in front of the angels) is greater indeed [than your remembering (praising, etc.) Allah in prayers, etc.]. And Allah
[ knows what you do. ﴿
[ Al-Ankabut, 45 ]
You are connected to the Creator of the universe during Salat. It is said, "Seeking something by sinning will make this very thing far from reach, and man will become closer to what he fears."
Praying Al-Fajr takes about 10 minutes, and the same goes for praying Az-Zuhr, Al-Asr, Al-Maghrib and Al-Isha'. Always remember that when you pray, you are under Allah's Protection and Care. Pay attention to the following Hadith, please:
(( ('Uthman bin 'Affan reported the Messenger of Allah (may peace be him) as saying; if anyone says the night prayer in congregation, he is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) till midnight; and he who says both the night and dawn prayer in congregation is like one who keeps vigil (in prayer) the whole night.) ))
[ [Amad, on the authority of 'Uthman bin 'Affan] ]
(( He who offers the dawn (Fajr) in congregational Prayer will come under the Protection of Allah till the night.))
Salat is one of the pillars of religion, and it is the obligation that should be performed at any cost. When you pray, you derive power, knowledge, wisdom and happiness from Allah's. You are supposed to be granted rest by it, not to finish an obligation and that is it. There is a big difference between the two ways of performing Salat.
2- How can one balance studying with worshipping?
Q: How can we balance studying with worshipping?
A: There is no contradiction between the two; studying can be a form of worship.
The interpretation of the Hadith, "There are seven whom Allah will cover…"
Q: May you explain the Hadith, "There are seven whom Allah will cover with His Shade on the day when there will be no shade but His…"?
A: I would like to mention the Hadith:
(( Abu Hurairah reported Allah's Messenger as saying, "There are seven whom Allah will cover with His shade on the day when there will be no shade but His: a just imam; a young man who grows up worshipping Allah; a man whose heart is attached to the mosque from the time he leaves it till he returns to it; two men who love one another for Allah's sake, meeting thus and separating thus; a man who remembers Allah in solitude, his eyes pouring forth tears; a man who, when accosted by a woman of rank and beauty, says, 'I fear Allah'; and a man who gives alms concealing it so that his left hand does not know what his right hand bestows."))
[ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim] ]
This young man is protected by Allah; he is granted Allah's Providence, Care and Prosperity. When Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, gives someone from His Bounties, He astonishes him. The young man admires religion by logical ideas, so when you sincerely repent to Allah the Almighty, and treat other young men kindly, they will admire religion and be at cloud nine.
4- Young people should choose their future by themselves:
Q: Can we let the young people choose their future career by their own, or should we choose for them?
A: I am with the idea of letting the son be free when it comes to choosing his future career. A person can only excel in a specialization he loves, so if his father forces him to choose a major he does not like, he will not excel in it. This fact is proven in education. We have theoretical intelligence and practical intelligence, and in most countries students are of three types, the first type includes the students who are not that intelligent, the second type includes the students who have practical intelligence, and the third type includes those who have theoretical intelligence.
Those who have practical intelligence enroll at practical institutes, and those who have theoretical intelligence enroll at faculties whose studies are based on theoretical materials. We make a mistake when we force a student who likes practical materials to study theoretical ones. I am addressing parents; the father of the head of the department of Arabic literature wanted him to become a judge, but he did not succeed in law, and there are many other cases like this one. Our Master Ali, may Allah be pleased with him, said, "Educate your children and discipline them, for they were created at a time that is different from yours."
The father is in his fifties, while the son is in his twenties, which indicates two different eras and ages. The father presents his experiences to his son and gives him the supporting proofs of his views, but he should let him choose his own future career.
I always say to the noble attendants of my lessons in Damascus, "Your children are dearer to me than you." They ask, "Why?" I say, "I take you for granted, but I cannot take them for granted, because they are influenced by many parties." The child is very important in our lives. This is the first time I meet with you, but I have met with your fathers a lot, and I hope that you will be the apple of an eye for your fathers. You will never offer your father a greater thing than being the apple of his eye.
5- The forbidden things in the society you live in:
Q: What are the forbidden things in this society?
A: The most dangerous thing to the young man is the morally deviated young woman, because she is the temptation to whom he can be tempted. Everyone can be attracted to a certain thing. Pay attention to the following Hadith, please:
(( Usamah bin Zaid (May Allah be pleased with them) reported: The Prophet (PBUH) said, "I am not leaving behind me a more harmful trial for men than women".))
[ [Al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of Usamah bin Zaid] ]
In the prime of his life, the young man is open-minded, so he needs to get benefit from his parents regarding the forbidden matters. He needs to know Allah's Way, lest he deviates. In fact, when one deviates from the Right Path once, he will be addicted to sins till he becomes a grave sinner. The most dangerous cause of the young man's deviation is the morally deviated young woman. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ (Tell the believing men to lower their gaze (from looking at forbidden things), and protect their private parts (from illegal sexual acts, etc.). That is purer for them. Verily, Allah is All-Aware of what they do.) ﴿
The reward of lowering one's gaze is double in a county where moral deviation is widely spread. You will be greatly rewarded, so stay at home most of your time and let your home be the refuge you seek. In the end of times the house is the cave of the believer. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ ( The young men said to one another): "And when you withdraw from them, and that which they worship, except Allah, then seek refuge in the Cave, your Lord will open a way for you from His Mercy and will make easy for you your affair (i.e. will give you what you will need of provision, dwelling, etc.)." ﴿
At home you pray, read the Noble Quran, study, and sit with your parents. Let me tell you that the believer's house is his paradise. I mean his mother, father, siblings, room, computer, and library are his paradise, while the streets, and night clubs are not, and if they mean something important in the Muslim's life, then this is a serious problem.
6- Encouraging your women to wear Hijab (scarf):
Q: Wearing Hijab in this country is very hard, so how can we encourage the young women to wear it?
A: Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ And all of you beg Allah to forgive you all, O believers, that you may be successful.﴿
The many the young women wear Hijab, the easier. Regarding this point, listen to this Ayah, please:
﴾ O you who believe! If you help (in the cause of) Allah, He will help you, and make your foothold firm. ﴿
If many young women wear Hijab, it becomes easy for every girl, but the fewer the number of veiled young women, the more difficult. One of the manifestation of the victory granted by Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, is the Hijab which is widespread among believing young women.
I think there is freedom of practicing religion in here - this is what they say – and my wife wears Hijab, and no one says anything about this, right? I would like to mention this incident. A young man who calls people to worship Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, met an American man and his wife. When she wanted to shake his hand, he refused to shake hands with her and said, "My Islam prevents me from shaking hands with you." He also made a comment, "No one can shake hands with Queen Elizabeth except for a few people whose names are mentioned in the law because of her royal position. As for us Muslims, all girls are our queens, and no one can shake hands with them except for those mentioned in the Divine Law."
7- The rulings on intoxicants, drugs, and cigarettes:
Q: What are the rulings on intoxicants, drugs and cigarettes.
A: The worst name one can call intoxicants is "spiritual drinks". They are called intoxicants not spiritual drinks, because they have nothing to do with the spirit and the soul. In fact they ruin the soul.
As for the ruling on intoxicants, they are forbidden. Before its collapse, the Soviet Union prohibited alcoholic beverages in all of its countries, which indicates how dangerous they are. Also, in 1933, intoxicants were strictly forbidden in the United States.
The relationship between sin and its consequences is a scientific one. Alcohol destroys the mind, and it is said, "All evil is gathered in a house, whose key is drunkenness."
Man by his own choice turns off his mind with alcohol, drugs and smoking. I have a tape about smoking, that I hope everyone who smokes listens to it. I challenge a person who listens to it and understands how deep the discussion of the points in it is, and then he smokes one cigarette. There are scientific evidences mentioned in the tape about smoking that helps you quit smoking.
The issue of smoking is not about being Halal or Haram only, but it is about one's health condition and personal interest. I hope that Dr. Ahmad gives the tape to whoever smokes in order to listen to the lecture in it.
One of the evidences of the prohibition of smoking is what you notice when someone smokes; have you ever heard a smoker saying before he smokes, "In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful"? Have you ever heard him saying upon finishing his cigarette, "O Lord, praise be to You"?
8- How do young men guard themselves against temptations?
Q: How do young people protect themselves against temptations in this country? Please, use a simple language when you answer this question.
A: As long as the Muslim lives with believers, and he does not go anywhere other than his house and work, he will be most likely protected by Allah the Almighty. Whatever is forbidden to do is forbidden to look at and to listen to. Also, being friends with bad people tarnishes one's reputation. Allah the Almighty says:
﴾ O you who believe! Be afraid of Allah, and be with those who are true (in words and deeds).﴿
The social environment the young man lives in is very crucial. He should choose his friends properly, he should spend his time either at home or at work, and he should keep in touch with his righteous friend. All these things protect man against temptations.
The most critical thing in one's social environment is the bad friend. As I said earlier, the morally deviated young woman is the most dangerous thing in the Muslim's life and after her comes the bad friend, because he encourages you to be like him morally deviated. So, the wiser the young man is the better his life is, and he will be the apple of an eye for his parents.
One more point, since man loves himself, he will keep himself away from sins, because he knows how harmful they are.
9- Marriage at an early age:
Q: Do you advise young men to marry at an early age?
A: I am a supporter of getting married at an early age, because the wife is a fortress to the young man, particularly in this country (because temptations are everywhere).
10- The Shari'ah ruling on donating organs:
Q: Is it forbidden to donate an organ after death to save a patient's life?
A: This is a controversial issue. I believe that it is permissible to donate someone's organ after his death, but it is forbidden to sell the organ. For instance, if someone sells his kidneys for 1000 dollars in India, he will simply have committed suicide. The same goes for whoever sells something Allah the Almighty has honored him with.
11- The Shari'ah ruling on interest:
Q: What is the ruling on interest here in America? I know for sure and I believe that it is forbidden, but there are many Muslims who are against this, so what is the ruling on it in this country?
A: Whatever is forbidden is forbidden whether in America or in Damascus. If there is a necessity, then man knows what to do. I mean you may eat pork, drink wine, utter a word of blasphemy if you are forced, and only Allah the Almighty knows how difficult your situation is. Well, every person knows how to behave according to what his heart tells him, and never embarrass people to give you a Fatwa (religious opinions) that is contrary to the Words of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He.
Q: What is the meaning of necessity that you have just mentioned?
A: For instance, if someone needs an air conditioner, and he takes a usurious loan to buy one, this is not necessity. Necessity means that you and your family are about to die out of starvation, nakedness, and homelessness. This definition is the all-inclusive and comprehensive definition of necessity. So, it includes rare cases that you hardly can find.
12- The worst thing in a young woman's life is the deviated young man:
Q: You said earlier that the worst thing for a young man is the morally deviated young woman, but what is the worst thing in the young woman's life?
A: It is the morally deviated young man. Having a relationship with a young man that does not please Allah the Almighty is the worst thing. As for marriage, there is nothing wrong about it. I say it once again: There is no deprivation in Islam, because every lust Allah the Almighty has created in man but has a clean way through which it is fulfilled blamelessly.
Whoever hastens to get something before its proper time will be punished by being deprived of it." Marriage can be either hell or bliss. Whoever lowers his gaze before marriage and protects himself against temptations will be rewarded by Allah by having a successful marriage. On the other hand, whoever remains morally deviated before marriage will be punished by having a marriage that looks like hell on earth.
13- The best schools for children are the ones that protect their religion
Q: Which schools should the father let their children go to? There are schools in which the level of teaching is high, and they are public, and there are schools in which there is no mixing, but the teaching level in them is not that good?
A: The best schools for children are the ones where their religion is protected.
