Dr. Hamid Ghazali

Dear brothers and sisters, my prayers, my dua to all of you, inshallah, to bless you, bless your families, protect you, protect your families and your children, inshallah, and make this hour an hour of ijabah for all of us, answering our dua, inshallah, for all of us. I pray to Allah to bring peace to the world, especially the Muslim world nowadays, where we have lots of Muslims are losing their lives.

The Challenge of Our Times

In an environment that we live today, with all the violence that is going on locally and internationally, especially in the Muslim world, it's very hard for children to really commit themselves to Islam. It's very difficult for them, especially if the father and the mother are busy, and the child goes to school, talks to his friends or her friends. There's a lot, a tremendous amount of pressure on the children, and all of us, adults as well.

And it's a time of challenge. Now we have seen several, many who would think, why should I stick to hijab? Why should I stay in Islam? Imagine a child leaving Syria, lost his father, and somebody else is in jail, lost his mother, lost this, lost this. So all the bloodshed, all Muslims killing Muslims, and so on.

What would he do if he were in his place or her place? Those children are challenged. Challenged more than anybody else. Maybe we as adults, secured. Maybe as adults, we're really established. But think of the child. And what kind of justification is that child going to give to the people around him or her? Becomes a very challenging situation.

Just an hour ago, I was talking to somebody who was inviting me to talk to six children or seven children, teenagers, who are thinking to leave Islam. So the problem is real here in Houston. So it's really serious.

I mean, maybe we're not feeling it on a personal level, but some are suffering from that. And maybe we don't really dig deep and see our children, but it is time to review what we are doing for our children. Are we doing enough? What is the Quranic methodology? What is the prophetic methodology of the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, to bring a strong Muslim? So key issues that we really need to examine and look.

Key Elements for Success

You find children, I don't want to go to the masjid. Find children who don't really want to, struggling to pray extra prayers or even to pray. And you find adults as well. So it's really a challenging time. And hence, following the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, methodology is very important. Sticking to the Quran, especially when the child is still young.

Especially in review of what happened to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, and his companions. We kind of re-examine our position with our children, with our colleagues, with ourselves. So the problem here is a challenge.

It's a challenge. Fear. Key words that I'm going to be using. Fear. Ignorance. Self-confidence. Motivation. Establishing a vision. All these are key words as I will explain in my khutbah today.

Learning from the Prophet's Time

It is, if you draw a parallel between the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, time and our time, they were facing challenges. They were persecuted. They were really tortured. So they faced similar situations. What is it that made them pass the test? Of course, not all of them passed the test. Though the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, was with them.

And there were people who were listening to the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, every day. But it didn't benefit them. Imagine you have the best teacher in the world talking to you. Then you turn away. Imagine somebody does this. Imagine the best, best of the best in the world, talking and people are not listening. Not only that, but making fun of him. Or belittling him. Or making mockery of him. You see? Happened.

The Importance of Listening with the Heart

So one key element that we really want to make sure is the ability to listen and to put your heart into what you are doing. The Quran expressed it clearly about those who were not benefiting from the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam. In Surah Al-Anbiya. Allah said:

Allah told them that the day of judgment has come close. But the people are playing. Are not giving attention. And when the Quran comes to them, a new Quran means something new, brand new. They never heard about it before. Brand new ideas. They listen to it while playing. Meaning they are not serious about it. لَاهِيَةً قُلُوبُهُمْ The next term that is used in the verse. Their heart is in a state of amusement.

Then we learn an important lesson here. Your child will not benefit if he or she is not putting his heart into learning the Quran or learning Islamic material or even as a general rule, learning anything. Learning a language, learning the Arabic language. If you not gonna take it seriously, it's not gonna work. It's a prerequisite. And that's why Allah said:

Surely there is a sign. For those in the Quran, for those, the Quran will benefit those who either do one of two things. Have a heart or listen carefully. There is a benefit in it for those who either do one of these two things.

And that's why the Quran said, when the Quran is read:

When the Quran is recited, you listen and give attention. فَاسْتَمِعُوا وَأَنصِتُوا So two things, you give attention, you listen, and you give close attention to benefit. It's a general rule.

The Power of Positive Attitude

And that takes me to the second prerequisite to becoming a good person, which is the attitude. Attitude is going to be a positive attitude. And we see sometimes you deal with a child, "No, no, I don't want to deal with that. No, I don't want that. No, no, no, no, that's not what I like. I don't like this. I don't want this. I don't want this. No, no."

There are tons of expressions that children use. They sit in a class. They want to laugh. They want to giggle. They have an attitude. And it would not work until one has a positive attitude. An attitude that is based on taqwa. An attitude that is based on seriousness. Attitude that is based on desire to learn, to do things. Attitude to help. Attitude to listen. Attitude to respect. Attitude becomes a very important word here.

Where do I get this? Allah put it in the beginning of the Quran. After you start, al-Fatiha. Fatiha is bismillah, alhamdulillah, and the dua, اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ. So once you finish that dua, you go to the heart of the Quran. And when you open the Quran, surah al-Baqarah is about the attitude.

When Allah asks you to do something, you do it. You say, as the Quran concluded, the conclusion of surah al-Baqarah:

So the attitude of the believers is to say, "we hear and we obey." What an attitude. Like Ismail a.s. and Ibrahim. They get an order from Allah. The order is very difficult. Their attitude was, we listen and obey. We hear and obey. The father said, "Oh my son, I see in a dream that I slaughter you." Maybe drop it, it's a dream. Maybe the son says, "Oh daddy, this is a dream. Don't take it seriously." But here he's taking that attitude of, "We hear and obey." That's why Allah puts it in the introduction, in the introduction of the Quran in surah al-Baqarah. As the theme that really covers so many ayahs there.

The Foundation of Taqwa

And that's why when you read the Quran, In surah al-Baqarah, the first verse, After the three letters, Alif, Lam, Meem, and the next verse:

This book, there is no doubt, there is guidance for al-Muttaqin. It's not guidance for everybody. It's guidance for those who really have the attitude of taqwa. Yeah, I fear Allah. Yes, I'm going to listen. Yes, I'm going to do things. I have a self-consciousness. I'm going to do that consciously. That's what it means. So the attitude becomes another prerequisite to success with the children.

Building Self-Confidence

Next, that is very important in preparing a strong Muslim, the self-confidence. Self-confidence is very important. You know, when you feel you're worth nothing, it's the opposite of self-confidence. You're worth nothing. I value nothing in this world. I have no value. I can't do anything. Are we here to live to eat, or live to eat? See, deep philosophical questions.

As Muslims, we have a vision. Allah put it in the introduction of surah al-Baqarah again. Allah decided He's going to put a human being on the face of the earth.

Before Adam was created, Allah said, "We're going to put a khalifa of Allah on earth." What's the meaning of khalifa? Khalifa is the one who's going to pray, bow down, make sujood, ruku. Yes, that's part of it. But that's not, that's part of the khalifa. Then, what is the khalifa?

Umar ibn al-Khattab radiallahu anhu, he summarized it when he said, "If a camel or a animal in Iraq or some place in the world stumbles over a rock on the road, I will be asked, 'Why didn't I pave the road for it?'" It's the khalifa. Pave the road for animals. Prepare the world for all inhabitants of the earth. Make it the best place. Bring safety and security and justice to everybody on the face of the earth.

Build bridges, build houses, build this, build this, airports, and build a system. Make the people comfortable. Build a system where people feel secure, where people feel they're safe, where people feel they are free to express their opinions. That's what we have. It becomes very important to have that vision of the khalifa. While I'm doing all of that, I pray, I bow down, I pay my zakah, I do all the things Allah wants me to do. It's the meaning of khalifa.

And here comes the knowledge. And if you read 2-3 verses after that:

And Allah taught Adam the names of things. Taught him the nature or how things work. The name is given when the last thing in an invention is the name. After you really sum it up and then you put a name to summarize everything about what you came up with. A computer, after you put all the circuits and this and this and the invention is mature and ready, you got to give it a term. So the term expresses a lot of knowledge, deep knowledge. So we really see depth over here.

Having a Vision and Mission

And the one who has a vision, the one who feels I can contribute, I can make a difference in this world, I am here to make a difference in this world, regardless of how my job is, will be a winner. Will be self-confident. Will have assurances that he or she is on the straight path. I have a mission. I have a vision. And that's why Allah put after Surah Al-Baqarah, Surah Al-Imran.

A surah that talks about the motivation. You are the best. With this vision. As a Muslim, you are the best to Allah. And this is the meaning of the deen. And this was the deen since Adam till the Day of Judgment. The submission to Allah. With the full understanding of what it means to be submitting to Allah in the term Khalifa that we used. The whole vision. Whole way of life. Allah said:

As Allah said in Surah Al-Imran. Allah selected, chosen آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَآلَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَآلَ عِمْرَانَ عَلَى الْعَالَمِينَ. All of these. ذُرِّيَّةً بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ And offspring, one from the other. What connects all of these together? Adam, Nuh, آل إِبْرَاهِيمَ, آل عِمْرَان. What is common among all of them that deserves them to be selected by Allah? That is Islam. That is Islam.

And when you examine Surah Al-Imran and see what is the key word that you will find in almost several, every page you will find it, is the word Islam.

You find it in Al-Imran. فَلَهُ أَسْلِمْتُ You find it in Al-Imran. وَاشْهَدْ بِأَنَّا مُسْلِمُونَ The Nasara said to Isa a.s. "and bear witness that we are Muslims." Not Muslims, you know, who geographically or chronologically. The meaning of Islam is important.

Islam was there before Muhammad s.a.w. and during Muhammad s.a.w. and after Muhammad s.a.w. will be the deen, the deen of salvation. The deen of Ibrahim, Adam, Nuh. The deen of us now and the deen until the day of judgment. And that's the key word.

Motivation Through Allah's Promise

And when the Muslims were down after the battle of Uhud and they lost, and they were not in a good shape at all. And everybody was targeting them like we are targeted nowadays. Allah sends to them Al-Imran. Why? Because it is the surah that motivates them. Yes, they sinned. Yes, they did wrong. Yes, 70 of the best companions lost their lives. Allah says, don't worry about all of that.

Allah tells them that don't think of those who died as dead. They are Ahyaa. They are alive with Allah. Think about yourselves. You are still the best to Allah. Though you sinned. Though you did this wrong. Though you disobeyed the Prophet s.a.w. But yet, you are the best to Allah. Provided that you repent.

Rush to a Jannah that Allah prepared for the Muttaqeen. And you count four categories. The last category that will enter this Jannah that Allah prepared is you and me. Us.

And those when they do a big sin or a small sin, they repent to Allah. And they don't insist on the wrong. This category deserves Jannah. This category is humble. Have a positive attitude. Based on Taqwa. This category is not arrogant. Important concepts that we see in the Quran.

Overcoming Fear and Ignorance

Maybe the insect is killing the harmful insects around you. But you don't know. So out of fear to protect yourself, you try to avoid it and maybe get rid of it. While it's very beneficial to you. Happens. So the other component that is tied to fear is ignorance. When fear is combined with ignorance, produces a lot of bad results. A lot of negativity. A lot of precocious measures that you make to protect yourself and the people.

The non-Muslims take a lot of precautious. You hear the word Sharia for example. What do you know about Sharia? When you say all those guys Sharia, guys Sharia. What is Sharia? Sharia is what we do. When you raise your hands, this is part of Sharia. When you pray, this is part of Sharia. When you do the work, it's part of Sharia. When you fast, it's part of Sharia. Anything that is action-oriented in Islam is part of Sharia. But ignorance causes damage. Causes people panic.

Building a Stable Personality

We really have to have strength given to our children. We want them to have a personality that is stable. A personality that is thankful. A personality that does not panic. A personality that is at peace. A personality that is confident. All of that could be summed under the term Radhiya.

That's what Zakaria asked Allah in Surah Maryam. When he asked Allah to give him a child. And said:

O Allah make him Radhiya. A person who is satisfied. A person who is satisfied doesn't panic. Satisfied with what he or she has. Satisfied with Allah's ni'mahs. Sees Allah's ni'mahs appreciated. Sees his or her power and appreciate it. Becomes a very peaceful person. And a strong person.

How do we get that? How do we achieve that? Allah used the term in 2-3 verses after that. That is only used one time in the Quran. One time in Surah Maryam. After these verses to produce the Radhiya. And that is Hanan.

Among other things. But let me focus on the Hanan. Hanan is a combination of peace, mercy, love. You put all these together, you get the Hanan. So what is the impact of the Hanan when we raise our children? On the children. That Hanan, the Rahmah combined with all of that gives you the peace. This child feels at peace. Child feels the whole world is peaceful around him or her. And hence becomes strong.

Unlike the child that is raised in an environment that is lacking Hanan. And having the opposite of Hanan. Will always be in fear. You really need to think about the Quranic methodology. And how we bring that peace to the personality. Showering your child with your love. With your mercy. With all the peace around. We'll spread the peace all around the house. And we'll produce a strong personality. I pray to Allah to enable us to achieve that.

Examples of Love in Action

Look at Yusuf AS. A product of love. What did he do to the world? Product of love. Look into how the Prophet SAW was teaching Ibn Abbas. How to be strong, not to fear. Ibn Abbas was a child, 10 years old, riding behind the Prophet SAW.

And the Prophet teaches him a methodology. Teaches him, know that when the whole Ummah gather together to benefit you with something, will not benefit you with something. Unless Allah wants it for you. And the whole Ummah, if they gather together to harm you with something, they will not harm you with something except that Allah has written for you. What a way to teach a child to be strong and not to fear. Ibn Abbas was raised in that peaceful environment with that strength.

May Allah guide us all and help us all achieve that goal.