PS's Guest Speaker: Ustaz Khalil Moore
Lecture 1:
THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD. TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW
Lecture 2:
THE FOUR CONDITIONS FOR BENEFITING FROM THE QURAN
Lecture 3:
THE FAST TRACK TO PARADISE: 4 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD. TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW
Lecture 2:
THE FOUR CONDITIONS FOR BENEFITING FROM THE QURAN
Lecture 3:
THE FAST TRACK TO PARADISE: 4 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
Lecture 1:
THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD. TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW
1) The visible book of Allah
Lecture 2:
THE FOUR CONDITIONS FOR BENEFITING FROM THE QURAN
1) Introduction:
Surah al-Hadid, verse 20:
THE FAST TRACK TO PARADISE: 4 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
1) Someone who return from his disobedience and seek forgiveness for his sins.
2) Someone who hold himself back from committing sins. He preserves the trust which Allah give us as a rights eg. praying, fasting, zakat etc. He uses his blessings for the sake of Allah.
3) Someone who has reverence / in state of awe of Allah, filled with tears for Allah, remember Allah when he is alone. In a Hadith, there are two types of eyes that would not be burnt by the Fire- 1) Eye that cry for Allah 2) Eye that stay awake at night defending Muslim from being attack.
4) Again, someone who return from his disobedience and seek forgiveness for his sins. It is mentioned twice as this is the reality we are facing.
THE TWO BOOKS OF GOD. TO KNOW OR NOT TO KNOW
1) The visible book of Allah
- Is the signs of His creations. To everything here on earth, there must be its creator. For example, you cannot expect that by just putting in some screws, chips and materials in a box, a computer will pop out of the box.
- Following are various verses from Quran for us to reflect on Allah's creations; the Nature:
- Surah Luqman, verse 11: "This is the creation of Allah. So show me what those other than Him have created. Rather, the wrongdoers are in clear error".
- Surah al-Baqarah, verse 164: "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and earth, and the alternation of the night and the day, and the great ships which sail through the sea with that which benefits people and what Allah has sent down from the heavens of rain, giving life thereby to the earth after its lifelessness and dispersing therein every kind of moving creature and His directing of the winds and the clouds controlled between the heaven and the earth are signs for a people who use reason"
- "Then do they not look at the camels- how they are created?"
- "And at the sky- how it is raised?"
- "And at the mountains- how they are erected?"
- "And at the earth- how it is spread out?"
- "So remind, O Muhammad; you are only a reminder."
- Surah al-Mulk, verses 3-4: "You do not see in the creation of the Most Merciful any inconsistency. So return your vision to the sky; do you see any breaks? Then return your vision twice again. Your vision will return to you humbled while it is fatigued." We, Muslim, should respect the nature as it is brought to existence by Allah for our life on Earth.
- "And the heaven We constructed with strength, and indeed, We are its expander."
- "And the earth We have spread out, and excellent is the preparer."
- "And of all things We created pairs; perhaps you will remember."
- "So flee to Allah. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner."
- "And do not make as equal with Allah another deity. Indeed, I am to you from Him a clear warner."
- Surah Ali Imran, verses 190-191: "Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of the night and the day are signs for those of understanding. Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or lying on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth [saying]: Our Lord, you did not create this aimlessly; exalted are you above such a thing; then protect us from the punishment of the fire."
- Surah TaHa verse 50: "He said, 'Our Lord is He who gave each thing its created form and then guided it."
- "And in everything there is a sign for Him.... Indicating that He is One."
- Resultants indicate that there are-----> Actions
- Actions indicate that there are ------> Attributes
- What we see necessitates that there must be a being that exists, and has life,knowledge, will and power.
- So what we see of resultant actions is the ultimate indication for His attributes and for the truthfulness of what His messengers have reported from Him.
- Surah Fussilat, verse 53: "We will show them Our signs in the horizons and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that it is the truth."
- Surah Ibrahim verse 10: "Their messengers said, 'Can there be doubt about Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth?"
- This is the book of imanic signs that are found in His Noble Scripture, the Majestic Quran.
- Surah Yunus verse 57: "O mankind, there has to come to you instruction from your Lord and healing for what is in the breasts and guidance and mercy for the believers."
- Surah Yunus verse 58: "Say: In the bounty of Allah and in His mercy- in that let them rejoice; it is better than what they accumulate."
- Surah Sad verse 29: "This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, O Muhammad, that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded."
- Surah al-Nisa verse 82: "Then do they not reflect upon the Quran? If it had been from any other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction."
- Surah Yusuf verse 2: "Indeed We have it down as an Arabic Quran that you might understand."
- Learning and memorizing the Quran: Do not only recite but understand and reflect on the verses. Seek knowledge from the Quran and live up to the verses by acting on the knowledge.
Lecture 2:
THE FOUR CONDITIONS FOR BENEFITING FROM THE QURAN
1) Introduction:
- We need a foundation to build upon the divine message of the Quran. Allah has sent us the message but we have not open it up and act on the message. Rather we open up other worldly messages and prioritize them. Eg. our emails in the inbox. We must feel the magnitude of the Quran. We must gather our heart to acknowledge on the benefits of the Quran.
- Surah Qaf, verse 37: "Indeed in that is a reminder for whoever has a heart or who listens while he is present in mind".
- An influencing factor - the Quran itself.
- A receptive vessel - our Heart. Are we ready to accept, internalize and act on the message? Is our heart alive? What is the current state of our heart? When can Quran penetrate our heart?
- A precondition for the actual achievement of the intended effect - Art of listening, being attentive and acts on the knowledge.
- And the absence of any preventative - Remove all distractions, preventative matters. FOCUS and be fully present to acknowledge on the message.
Surah al-Hadid, verse 20:
- Bear in mind that the present life is just a game, a diversion, an attraction, a cause of boasting among you, of rivalry in wealth and children. No worldly attachments, stop committing sins, stop being in delusion with your belongings.
- It is like plants that spring up after the rain: their growth at first delights the sowers, but then you see them wither away, turn yellow and become stubble. We will never be satisfied until we are in this world for Allah. This life is not permanent and do not get disappointed at the worldly disasters.
- There is terrible punishment in the next life as well as forgiveness and approval from God; the life of this world is only an illusory pleasure. We will have everything when we have Allah.
- So race for your Lord's forgiveness and a Garden as wide as the heavens and earth, prepared for those who believe in God and His messengers. That is God's bounty, which He bestows on whoever He pleases. God's bounty is infinite.
- No misfortune can happen, either in earth or in yourselves, that was not set down in writing before We brought it into being- that is easy for God.
- So you need not grieve for what you miss or gloat over what you gain. God does not love the conceited (people who think they are special in the negative or arrogant way) & the boastful.
- In the Hereafter, either we receive punishment or forgiveness.
- Do not be extremely sad with hardships, disasters etc.
- Do not be extremely happy with the wealth, health etc.
- Be humble and thankful to Allah's blessing.
- Gratitude but not arrogant.
- In sorrow, be patience and not to blame oneself.
- There isn't anyone except that they rejoice and are saddened. The key is to make your joy gratitude and your sorrow patience.
THE FAST TRACK TO PARADISE: 4 ESSENTIAL QUALITIES
1) Someone who return from his disobedience and seek forgiveness for his sins.
2) Someone who hold himself back from committing sins. He preserves the trust which Allah give us as a rights eg. praying, fasting, zakat etc. He uses his blessings for the sake of Allah.
3) Someone who has reverence / in state of awe of Allah, filled with tears for Allah, remember Allah when he is alone. In a Hadith, there are two types of eyes that would not be burnt by the Fire- 1) Eye that cry for Allah 2) Eye that stay awake at night defending Muslim from being attack.
4) Again, someone who return from his disobedience and seek forgiveness for his sins. It is mentioned twice as this is the reality we are facing.
- Read Surah Ar-Rum, Chapter 30, verses 31-34
- Read Surah Az-Zumar, Chapter 39, verse 54
- Read Surah Qaf, Chapter 50, verse 31-35
- The list of 10 people who will enter Paradise. Find out about them!
- Abu Bakar
- Umar
- Ufman
- Ali Ibn Talib
- Al Zubir
- Tolha
- Abdul Rahman Ibn Rauf
- Saad Ibn Abu Wakaf
- Abu Rubaidah
- Said Ibn Zaid