Omens or Divine Guidance? The Prophet's Way

Of uncertainty involved in in traveling. When a person travels, they're essentially leaving their element. They're leaving their place of residence. They're leaving their city. They're leaving their they're leaving people that they their network and so forth and they're leaving that to go to a place that they're not from. They're not living there. And so there is a level of vulnerability that goes along with traveling. This vulnerability induces stress. It induces anxiety, apprehension, and foreboding. Due to this, the people pre-Islamic Arabs. When they would travel, especially when they would travel or undergo any major event or any major thing that they would endeavor to do, they would do what is called the some of them would visit soothsayers and fortune tellers. Some of them would do what is called al Islam, what is referred to in the Quran is Al Islam which is to basically kind of a question in your mind and then draw draw sticks that had certain things written on them and based on what they would draw, what they would see on these sticks. They would do. also, they would be very hyper vigilant to any omens, any ill omens. So, if they would leave for instance and be on on their way to travel, they would be to scan for omens. If they would see a lizard or if they would see a bird or something. They would watch the movements of this creature and if it went right for instance, they would take that as a good omen and continue their travel and if it went left, they would go home. They would consider that a bad omen. We have similar things you know, in the west, every place has them really. This is due to a Shaitan teaching people to have bad of Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala and to rely on things that have no no bearing on reality. So, for instance, a person may travel and when they're on their way to the airport, maybe they see a car accident or maybe they hear something or see something that unsettles them or maybe a black cat crosses in front of them or something of this nature. These things are impermissible for a person to to make their decisions based on. A person makes his decisions based on two things. Number one, they collect information and educate themselves and seek the wisdom of others in undertaking any endeavor and number two, they make a stickhara, right? So, the prophet prohibited us from a he prohibit us from doing any of these superstitious acts or may allowing these superstitious things to have bearing on our actions. Rather, he commanded us to engross ourselves thoroughly in the issue that we wish to proceed with to ask the people who have knowledge or wisdom in that particular in that particular field and second of all, two, to make So, if a person is going to travel for instance, they shouldn't look at nonsensical things that are superstitious and they'll have anything to do really with their travel. They shouldn't look for black cats or car accidents or ominous statistics or bad news or things like that. Rather, they should do things check the weather, right? They should do things check the traffic check the prices, whatever it is. Look at the crime rates of the place they're going to. Look at what they need to watch out for. This is this is all part of right? Second of all, they should make two raka and this is what is called as the is what Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala replaced all of those superstitions for us with. So, he replaced these omens and our hearts with the so we collect information, we make a decision, we make and then we proceed. One thing I'd to mention about that often times is misconstrued. The way that is works is the prophet said, that.

[Silence]

Allah.

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Be disappointed with the result. So, a person is to consult of consulting is that a person learn as much about the issue as they can. Say a person, let's make it easy. Someone wants to buy a house for instance and part of consulting is not only asking people who are, you know, well versed in whatever it is having to do with the purchase of this home but also looking into things the neighborhood and the crime rate and looking into other things, you know, trying to gather as much information about this home as they can. of all, they make a they make a and the way that a person makes his is as the prophet said, a person makes two raka, right? And then after that, they make a particular dua that the prophet taught us. This narration is in Bukhari, a Muslim on the authority of Abdullah. And person sticks to exactly the wording that is in this dua. When a person makes this dua, they proceed with whatever they feel in their heart, they should proceed with. If it's for them, Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala will cause them to be able to attain it. If it is not for them, then it will be out of reach for them. And in the dua, a person makes dua and prays to Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. That if it is not for me, please you know, take it away from me and replace it with something that is better and please me with that which you have, compensated me with. So, this is how works. Many people think that or when you make it, you're supposed to see a dream. You're supposed to have a dream of this particular thing. So, you make a and then you sleep and then you should see something in the form of a dream. That's not how works. It it's possible. It's possible that a person may make a and then have a dream about it, right? With with some kind of guidance in it. But that's not necessarily the norm. And that's not necessarily what a person should expect. Rather a person should make the dua and then proceed. Another thing,.

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The.

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One time, a person makes in the following fashion. They are to make as completely and properly as they came. Excuse me, as they can. They are to stand before Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala, make two raka that are not of the obligatory salah, meaning optional prayer. During this salah, they should have their heart filled with hope and Allah subhanahu wa ta'ala. They should make the salahs properly as they possibly can with as much focus in turning to Allah and concentration as they can muster. After they finish After they finish this salah, they should make the dua that we mentioned and after that, they should proceed with whatever it is they've whatever conclusion they've arrived at. This is this is how it should properly be done.

[Silence]

Get onto and mount his ride whether it's whatever animal it was when a person gets in car or gets in the airplane, whatever it is. He would make.

[Arabic recitation]

Then, he would make a dua. Starting with a verse from the Quran. He would say and then he would make the dua and this dua is found in the books of Dua, the one that we always refer to is a fortress of the Muslims, very good book.

[Silence]

Cycles or airplanes or what have you. That's when the prophet would place his foot into the ring, you know, get onto the animal. He would say bismillah and then when he would settle on top of his riding animal, he would say Alhamdulillah. So, the same thing if a person gets into his vehicle, when he opens the door and puts his foot in, he says, bismillah and when he settles into the seat, he says, and then he would make the dua that we mentioned and the Dua for writing is a little bit different than the dua for traveling. So the Dua for writing is as we mentioned Bismillah. when you get into it. Alhamdulillah. the.