Pure Intention: The Key to Paradise

[Arabic recitation]

I would to share with you a few verses of the Quran, a few words from our messenger Muhammad sallall.aii Wasam with regards to the immensity of in Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala's estimate that when a person learns how to purify his intentions and purify his actions and purify ultimately his worship from anything that will compromise that purity of that this is the key to the acceptance of all deeds. This is the key to the gates of paradise. And this is the heaviest thing a person can put in his or her scales on the day of judgment before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. When sins are forgiven by Allah, they are often forgiven because of the intensity and purity of a servant's of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. As we have mentioned before, is not a one unit that you either have it or you don't. There are things that compromise a person's in its entirety. Meaning that a person's is invalid. And that is a major act of shik praying to other than Allah. And when I speak about prayer, I'm not just speaking about salah. Prayer, dua to other than Allah or calling upon other than Allah in hardship with something that only Allah can do or slaughtering for other than Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. And there are things that will compromise a portion of a person's meaning a person will still be Muslim for all intents and purposes but his has been diminished deeply and fundamentally such as wearing trinkets for good luck. good luck charms or wearing or hanging trinkets to ward off evil or to deflect and defend from evil eye etc. or that a person does or that a person implements s certain superstitions that will allegedly protect a person or protect a child. Every single country on this planet has some version of these kinds of shiki yet. These are spiritual landmines that are littered throughout a person's home, a Muslim's home, throughout a m the throughout a Muslim's life that are just waiting to compromise a person's hate. For instance, in certain countries, they believe in putting a piece of metal or iron under the pillow of a child to protect the child from a Muslim countries or in others putting a bracelet on a child to protect the child from a an evil spirit. While elsewhere they believe that if you put a small mirror at top a building or vehicle, it will protect this vehicle or building from evil spirits and evil eye or following horoscopes etc. These are just a few examples of many. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us about the people of Mus Alisam that when Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala saved Musa and delivered Musam along with his brother Harun and Benny is how did he deliver them when they were when they had the Red Sea ahead of them and Pharaoh and his army closing in behind them. Those who were with Musam feared and said they said indeed we are done. Where are we going to go? There's nowhere to run. And the messenger of Allah said, "My Lord is with me and he will guide us." Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala told MS to strike the sea with his staff, his little staff. Strike the sea. And suddenly the sea split ahead of them. The scholars of Tier from amongst the companions and tell us that the sea was split into 12 paths. One path for each tribe of Beni is and they were delivered. and Fyon with his arrogance and his military tried to pursue only to be engulfed and obliterated by the sea after this incredible unprecedented thing that they saw that they witnessed. If you could imagine something this with me, truly imagine that you are standing in front of a sea and Misam strikes the sea with his staff and suddenly this water turns into walls and dries the bed beneath. What a thing to see. What a sight to behold. You would think that after such an experience, a person could not find it in himself to look to other than Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. How could you find it in yourself to turn to other than Allah ever again after seeing such a thing? Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us.

[Silence]

Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in chapter number seven of the Quran in the story of Musam after he was delivered by Allah with his people across the sea. He says subhanahu wa ta'ala that when he delivered Bani is on their journey to the promised land. The promised land being Philistine that was written for them at that time not now. It was written for them at that time were they not so cowardly as to not pursue what was commanded of them. And so Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us that when he delivered them across the sea and they were headed towards the blessed promised land. They came across a people that were worshiping idols. What kind of idolatry was it? Allah. The Quran doesn't exactly describe some of the companions mentioned that they were idols in the form of calves, cows that they were adhering to and exalting and they were making there. meaning they were camped around these idols out of exaltation. And when they came across these calves, these idols in the forms of cows, cattle, this stuck in their heart and it later came out as soon as MS left them for a few days to go meet Allah. The first thing they did when MS was not watching them was make a calf to worship. However, before that, what occurred? They said to MS, they said, "Make for us, designate for us an idol, an image they have. Designate something for us. We want what they have." And this is one of the one of the origins of innovation and shik into the the Muslims traditions. What is that? We can trace most innovations in Islam back to a minority living amongst a majority of non-Muslims. They see them doing something and they want their own tradition that will complement what they see the majority of non-Muslims doing there. We see that they have saints. We have saints too. They have a holiday. We have the same holiday too. This is where innovation comes from. And so they said to Misam, "Desate for us some idols they have idols." Now we need to think for a moment. What was their intention when they said this? Were they saying to Misam that they wanted idols to worship and not worship Allah? They just saw the sea split. They've been with Musam now for years. He is teaching them about Allah and no this is not what the intention was. The intention was designate a shrine for us. Designate an idol that will represent Allah for us to worship. Why? Because the idea is we want to be able to go there and wipe it and wipe our clothes on it and go there with our problems and and this will represent Allah. We know it's not a law but it will represent Allah just they have. It's something tangible, something you can touch. It's not something that is obscure. No, it's tangible. we can go there and we can have our own shrines. And so Misam, he did not say, "Well, guys, we'll talk about it later, but you know, this is really not good, but I don't want to I don't want to cause any division amongst us, you know, just leave it alone for now." No. Misam immediately said, This is and so what does this story have to do with our subject today? The prophet sallall.aii Wasallam explained this verses in an narration collected by his that is that some of the companions had just accepted Islam. This was right on the heels of the conquest of Mecca. And as they had accepted Islam, they understood the broad strokes of Islam and the generalities of Islam. But there were still some aspects, some details that had yet to be learned. And this narration is on the authority of He said, "We were with the prophet sallallah.aii wasallam on our way to Hunain, the battle of Hunain, right after the conquest of Mecca. Much of the prophet's army was consistent of the new Muslims that had just entered Islam from the conquest of Mecca. They were only Muslim for at most a couple of weeks. And so he said, "We were on our way with the prophet sallall.aii wasallam and we came across a people that had a giant tree and it was referred to as anat meaning the hanging tree." the hanging tree. Why did they call it the hanging tree? They called it the hanging tree because the warriors of this people would go to this tree and pray there and perhaps fast. They would slaughter there and they would hang their swords and their spears and they would hang their bows on this tree and this was going to make their weapons more effective in striking down their enemies. Notice here what the situation is. These people, they are around this tree. They are hanging their swords, their weapons on this tree. And the idea is that if they meditate there at this tree, this tree will make their swords strike down their enemies, make their swords that much sharper, make their bows that much stronger, make their arrows that much more accurate. This was the idea. And so the companions here and these new companions of them was he said Islam he said we were fresh new Muslims we didn't know yet some of the intricacies of and so we were on our way to a battle. So they said to the prophet sallallahu alaii wasallam They said, "Oh messenger of Allah, designate for us a hanging tree just they have a hanging tree. Designate one for us." What is their belief? These are Muslims, companions. They've listened to the Quran. They've prayed with the messenger.

[Arabic recitation]

Are not just you and I people that read this through a book or grew up in a in in a country with Muslims in it. They were at the at the helm of Islam. What was their belief? Was their belief that this tree is they're going to worship this tree? Of course not. That's what they accepted Islam for. That's why they saidahill. The point here is that what they were asking is designate a tree for us that Allah can bless us through. Right? A tree that when we hang our swords on it, Allah blesses us through this tree and blesses our armor and our swords so we can more effectively strike down our enemies. This is what they asked. This is what we call aar in Islam which is seeking good luck and charms. And so what did our prophet say to them?

[Silence]

He said, "Allahbar, these are the ways of the previous nations. I swear by Allah, you have all asked of me, what the people of Musa asked of him after they were delivered across the sea. designate for us idols as they have idols. This verse was implemented by our prophet sallall.aii wasallam in this way. We will continue this inshallah next week. We ask Allah subhanaha that he teach us what we what will benefit us and that he benefit us from that which he teaches us.

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Alhamdulillah. This is still on the time.

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Allahbarb. Allah abarbah.

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All.

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A shadow Hallelujah.

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Allah abar. Just got.

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Alhamdulillah. for.

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Muslim.

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Foreign.

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Was.

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Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala tells us in the opening verses of he says subhanahala which translates to indeed verily this Quran this recitation this book does guide to all that is best. All that is best of what? Of every aspect of a human being's existence. Everything.

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Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala didn't identify exactly what it guides to the best of because what is intended by the verse is that this Quran it guides to the absolute best and pinnacle of all that is best everything. Everything in a human being's life, every good you can ever hope for, every value you could ever hope to acquire, every esteem you could ever aspire to, every evil that you fear. This Quran it guides to the best of every aspect and facet of our lives. Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta'ala furthermore states in the same chapter A bold claim, a bold statement that was challenged and challenged by the enemies of Allah and his messenger by the enemies of Islam and is still challenged today. Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala says THAT IF THE HUMANKIND and the gin kind all of them not just the ONES ALIVE TODAY ALL OF HUMANITY THAT WAS and is to come and all of the jankind were to collaborate to produce a Quran similar to this Quran they would not be able to do so even if they were all somehow able to coordinate with each other and get along in doing so. This is the book that occupies our shelves. This is the book that is just at our fingertips. All a person has to do is pick it up and read it. It has been served by scholars and students of knowledge throughout the ages, translated into every known language. It has been pined over and explained and expounded upon. All a person has to do is pick it up and read it. Yet often times we fail to do so. However, this is not the only pitfall that faces a Muslim on his way on her journey, his journey to Allah subhanahu.

[Arabic recitation]

On the path of the Quran. That path of the Quran is a path that is broad and clear and straight. The prophet sallall.aii Wasam said he said, "I leave behind upon my departure. I leave with you all two things that if you hold to them truly you will never go astray whether I am here or not. The book of Allah and my sunnah. He said, "Sallam.

[Silence]

He says, "I depart now and leave you all upon the straight, clear, broad path. It is so clear that its night is just as bright as its day. The only kind of person that will step off of this path after having been guided to it is someone who is upon sure destruction. The hellbound you have to try to miss the path of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. So then how does it HAPPEN IF GUIDANCE IS SO CLOSE? IF IT'S RIGHT THERE, HOW DOES IT HAPPEN? How is it that a person who reads the book of Allah can still become misguided? Has this ever happened before? Yes, of course it has happened and it will continue to happen because the human being as Allah sub has said because Allah subhanahua described the human being and said the human being is most proficient in arguing. aring. That is the strong suit of the human being. They could argue their way into the depths of hell and make it seem a cakewalk. The human being has the gift, the gift of language, the gift of deep meaning. The human being has the gift to be able a magician to present good as evil and to present evil as good and to change the truth into falsehood and falsehood into truth. This is the human being's gift and this is the human being's potential curse. Our forefather, our great imam, our great companion of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam. The prophet sallall.aii Wasam said, he said, "Those who are most modest amongst my nation is a he was referred to as the man of two lights because he married the prophet sallall.aii alaihi wasallam's daughter took care of her. She died as his wife and then he married another of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam's daughters and she died as well as his wife and our prophet sallall.aii wasallam said if I had a third daughter I would marry her to him as well. this manb a forefather of the modern written Quran to the point that the script and the mus that is used by every Muslim today is referred to as musi the mani script. He had preserved the Quran for us with a decision that had changed the course of Islamic history and solidified the book of Allah for for the remainder of this dunya's time. Who killed Arman Afan? Manbin Afan was imprisoned in his own home above the age of 80. man was so devout with the Quran that he was known to stand for one raq of w and recite the entire Quran before fudman at the end of his life as the of the of the khalifa of the messenger of Allah. He sat in his home. He had a nap on a day which he was fasting in which he saw the messenger of Allah. Wasam and said to him, "Come and break your fast with us tonight." Awoke. He opened the book of Allah in front of him and he began to recite just before the sun set before he was to break his fast. And a man raised his sword and murdered iban as his head hung over the book of Allah. These were the circumstances. WHO DID THIS? WHAT EVIL DISBELIEVER would do such a thing? Who was the MAN WHO WOULD DO SUCH A THING? Was it the Romans? WAS IT A CLANDESTINE ASSASSIN from the Persians? No, it was a Muslim. It was a Muslim who had overthrown man because he didn't agree with the way Earth Man was running the empire. THEY HAD STOPPED HIM FROM leaving Salah. The likes of Abu Hurra, THE LIKES OF THE COMPANIONS of the prophet Sam. Wasam were barred IN THE MASID OF THE PROPHET SAM. Wasam from leading salah as they imprisoned man because quote all of them have disbelieved had strayed from the path of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam. These young men they were the ones who knew not the companions of Muhammad sallall.aii wasallam. And it said THAT THE FIRST DROP OF HIS BLOOD landed on the statement of Allah in the Allah will take care of them for you. We fast forward. The great companion and warrior of Ali, the great cousin of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam, the man who accepted Islam at the tender age of 12 or 13. The first of the youth to enter into Islam. He was KNOWN AS A FIERCE WARRIOR, a great scholar, THE HUSBAND OF THE best of the prophet sallall.aii wasallam's daughters. He was married to Fatima, one of the most virtuous women to ever have walked this earth. HE WAS THE FATHER of the two most esteemed of the youth of paradise at Hassan Hussein. The only male grandchildren that the prophet sallall.aii wasallam had they were referred to as Ali emerged from his home one morning just before the break of dawn to wake up the caretakers of his masid in Iraq in order that the adan be made and people come to make salat. And from the shadows emerged a man with a sword. And he struck Ali in his head attempting to kill him. He had fatally wounded him and mortally wounded him. Who was this man? Who could this have been? Was it the Romans? WAS IT THE PERSIANS? WHO WAS IT? It was Abdul Rahman ib Muljim. Yes, his name was Abdul Rahman. And this was not just any man Abdul Rahman ib Muljim. He wasn't just some ignoramus Muslim who had just accepted Islam and was brainwashed and used for political agendas. No, Abdman Mulim was appointed by Omar himself and sent to Iraq to teach the Quran. That's that's who Abdahmanb was. He wasn't just any man. Yet he EMERGED TO KILL ALI ABI. HOW COULD this happen? When they took hold of Abdul Rahman ib Muljim and they were to put him to death, they said, these are the companions speaking, we have never seen anything it. Not a moment went by that he was not praising Allah and remembering Allah and reciting the Quran. AND HE SAID, QUOTE, "TAKE MY LIMBS OFF ONE AT A TIME. JUST DO NOT TOUCH MY TONGUE because I cannot bear to exist in this WORLD FOR A MOMENT WITHOUT the remembrance of Allah upon my tongue." That's the man who killed Ali. And he did IT OUT OF SERVICE FOR ISLAM. WHY? Because again he and his comrades believed that Ali and Talib had apostated from Islam. They were not Muslim anymore. THEY DIDN'T JUDGE BY ALLAH'S BOOK. WE JUDGE by Allah's book. Joim mentioned in his book that this is a disease that has no cure. What is that disease? Doing as Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala said that they do the most evil of things but they believe that they are the purest of people. How can you fix that kind of disease? How can you teach someone who already knows? HOW CAN YOU FILL UP A GLASS OF WATER IF IT'S UPSIDE DOWN and you pour the water ONTO ITS BOTTOM? HOW HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? All of these men read the Quran. They read it. They memorized it. They dedicated their lives to it. But this was their fate. How is Allah somehow unjust to these men? Not at all. These are men and women who did not read the Quran. Instead, they sat down to lead the Quran. They didn't walk behind the Quran. They wanted the Quran to walk behind them. THEY WEREN'T GUIDED by the Quran. THEY SAT OUT TO GUIDE the Quran. They read the Quran devoutly, however they understood it, however they wanted. How does a person do this? What does this look like? Am I in danger of doing so? Absolutely. The prophet sallall.aii WASALLAM SPOKE about Abdulmanb and his companions and he defined THEM AS THE DOGS OF HELL. WHY? These are men that WORSHIPED ALLAH. THEY FASTED. THEY PRAYED. THEY RECITED, but they did not read the Quran. Instead, they attempted to lead lead the Quran. This occurs when a person already knows something and then looks for it in the Quran. This occurs as the scholars tell us that a person hold the belief and then look for its evidence. THIS IS THE FORMULA TO HELL and destruction that A PERSON HOLDS A belief and then look for it amongst the verses of the book of Allah. This is the formula to destruction. WHEN A PERSON ALREADY KNOWS WHAT A HUSBAND SHOULD be and then reads through the pages of the Quran to find what suits him. WHEN A WOMAN ALREADY KNOWS WHAT SHE SHOULD BE AS A WIFE and then reads through the pages of the book of Allah to find what will bolster her claim. A MAN WHO ALREADY KNOWS what Allah is and is not and then looks through the Quran to find what will bolster his preconceived notions and presuppositions. This is what led those treacherous, terrible, lonely men to the fates that they.

[Arabic recitation]

My brothers and sisters, our prophet Sam has said,.

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He said that the Quran is an interceder on behalf of its people and its intercession is accepted on the day of judgment. And the Quran is an opponent that is unbeatable. If a man or woman comes before Allah with the Quran as his opponent, they will have no chance. He says, "Sallam, whoever places the Quran in front of him, it will guide him to paradise. And whoever places the Quran behind him, it will shove him into hell. We ask Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala that he grant us the enlightenment, the wisdom to recognize the truth when we hear it. That he grant us the courage to adhere to that truth in spite of the consequences. That he grant us the honor of DYING FOR AND UPON THAT TRUTH. and that he grant US THE NOBILITY of being resurrected and raised before Allah with the people of the truth. Fore! Foreign! Foreign! for now. I All Fore! Foreign! Foreign!

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All becommen.

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Genetic. forham.

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He was heavy. Alhamdulillah. Allahbar. Allahbar.

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Stand shouldertosh shoulder. Everyone take a moment to observe your two neighbors on either side of you. Ensure that you're standing on the line. Ensure that your feet are in line with the feet of your two neighbors. That your shoulders are in line with the shoulders of your two neighbors. Take a moment to check your phones. Make sure that they are silent so as not to interrupt our dialogue before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. Straightening the row is part of the perfection of salah. If our rows are not straight, our hearts will become.

[Arabic recitation]

I could Allah belt.

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Alhamdulillah. for.

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Amen. for.

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All me. Allahbar. Allahel.

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All I could.

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Shadow shadow.

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Assalamu. Stuff for Allah.

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Salam. Okay.