Top 10 Lighthearted Moments from Moments of the Quran | A Ramadan Series

Top 10 Lighthearted Moments from Moments of the Quran | A Ramadan Series

Mufti Saab: You there?

Bajan: Yeah, what's going on? Assalamu Alaikum.

Mufti Saab: Bajan, how are you doing?

Bajan: Alhamdulillah, how are you doing?

Mufti Saab: Alhamdulillah. Thanks for joining, Bajan.

Yeah, I just did. I was afraid you're going to do the third camera angle. That would have been too much. So I just wanted to come on before you do that.

Bajan: What's wrong with that one?

Mufti Saab: We don't need that, Bajan, please.

Bajan: Like, why not?

Mufti Saab: I mean, I just don't. Can you just not do that, please?

Bajan: Why not?

Mufti Saab: Because, Bajan, it would be better if we don't have it.

Bajan: I'm just saying, like, it would be nice. You don't have to, like, do it. You don't like listening to your brother? Just because you said not to do it.

Mufti Saab: Oh, man. You know, and we're going to do this all day today. No, Bajan, no, we can't. I can't be serious, Bajan. Yesterday, when your other angle was on, I couldn't keep a straight face.

Bajan: If you can't keep a straight face, look left — you'll see me. If you look right, you'll see me. Wherever you look.

Mufti Saab: Bajan.

Bajan: Yes.

Mufti Saab: Listen, please, Bajan. I can't keep a straight face. There you go. There you go. Thank you, Bajan.

A Word of Appreciation for Sheikh Abdullah

I just wanted to join and say salam to you guys. I know, absent you join, everyone talks about you — especially my family. They enjoy your sessions so much. Thank you so much for your help and your knowledge, for your contribution. May Allah bless you and protect you.

Sheikh Abdullah: And you as well. Ameen. All of you.

Mufti Saab: Very good. Thank you so much. Sheikh Abdullah just has severe FOMO. You know, he just wants to be on the screen. He wants to be appreciated. Sheikh Abdullah, we miss you. That's why you came up today. He wants to increase your ajr, Sheikh. I told you, he wants to increase your ajr. Are you fasting still?

Sheikh Abdullah: Yeah.

Mufti Saab: Oh. اللهُ المُسْتَعَان. اللهُ المُسْتَعَان. If there are brothers, may Allah grant his brothers like Sheikh Abdullah.

The "Robert" Story

So I sat down and this person knew my appointment was at 2:30. You know when he was calling me the whole time? Because he had the wrong student's name in front of him. They thought I was "Robert" — some really Caucasian name. So he's like, "So Robert, how long have you been in college? I see your file over here. Looks like you've done 14 credits and I see you did Bio 1050. So Robert, what would you like to do next semester?"

And I was like, "Robert?" This dude didn't even have my name right. And he's sitting there acting like he knows me. And you know what I did? I just soaked it all in.

Bajan: You acted like Robert?

Mufti Saab: I acted like Robert. I was like, "Thank you, man. I appreciate that." And I just literally had the name wrong for half an hour, wasted my time. And he's all pretending like he cares about me. "Robert, make sure you do this and you'll get 30 credits over here. You'll get gen eds over here, some lectures over here, and it'll be perfect for you." And I was like, "Okay, all right. I guess I'll go change my name at the social security office right now — I'm a Robert now."

Stay in Your Lane

Bajan: Absolutely, Mufti Saab. I mean, the idea is — but you brought that up very well. You're a very smart guy. You brought it up perfectly because look, shura comes first. Since you've been in i'tikaf, you're a better person. Stay in i'tikaf. You become a little funnier. You become — you praise me more. You're just a totally different person. Stay there.

Mufti Saab: I'm not sure people notice that. But the one thing I do recommend with this — just stay away from jokes. See, I don't come in your lane. You don't come in my lane. When you start coming in each other's lanes, there's going to be friction. And when there's two objects that rub against each other, what happens? Physics.

Bajan: What happens? Physics.

Mufti Saab: I'm not trying to be funny. That's your job, Bajan. Stay in your lane, man. Stay in your lane. Actually, it's not even your job.

Bajan: Do I start saying Iqbal? You tried. Because you asked me. I stay in my lane. Stay in your lane. No, but you tried a few nights ago, and it was amazing.

The Weight of Responsibility

The burden and responsibility that was put on my father's shoulders — if it was to be placed on mountains, the mountains would crush. So much pressure. You know? Like, you have basketball players that they're good, they play well, but right when the pressure comes, right when the playoffs come, the lights get brighter, they can't do it. Some people just can't.

Bajan: What person am I?

Mufti Saab: You do good in those moments, honestly. I've got to give you that praise, man. I'm really good in basketball as far as those moments. But in real life, like fundraisers and stuff, I don't like to be there.

Bajan: Why are you insulting me for it? No, it's not about standing up in the moment. It's about, like, you know, whatever Allah is going to make happen, it's going to happen.

Mufti Saab: That's true. It's not your ability. It's not my ability. It's God's choice. We try our best. Say Bismillah, and Allah makes the final decision.

The Prophet ﷺ, Abu Jahl, and Our In-Laws

The Prophet ﷺ came to Medina and said: all right, up until now, all that we used to say about Abu Jahl is off the table. No more. Because saying anything bad about Abu Jahl is not going to reach him in his grave, but it will hurt the feelings of his son who is alive. So if the Prophet ﷺ took a step back and made sure the people in Medina knew this — and no one could talk about Abu Jahl anymore — then what do you think he would say to us about our mother-in-law, father-in-law?

Bajan: No one's in-law. I have the best relationship with my in-laws. You know why? Because they're all the way on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean — all the way in Pakistan. And I love it. I always pretend to my wife, "Bring them over, tell them to come. They've got citizenship. Just have them come." And deep down, I'm like, "Please don't go." You know, I respect them. I never say anything against them. But complicated.

Mufti Saab: No, but as we're discussing — mother-in-law needs to take it easy with the daughter-in-law, especially when they're working in the house. Stop being the teacher. Just be friends. No, that's a different episode. Not today.

In-laws can be very sensitive. I've dealt with so many people with in-law issues. They pretend to like you, but... you know. It just takes one person — one strong person in the family — to bring everyone together. And it also takes one bitter soul to tear everyone apart. So inshallah, we should remember that there's someone else's parents as well. Don't eat into them. Don't talk about them in a way that is disrespectful. That's someone's Jannah, man. Don't talk about them.

The Spicy Kebab and the Beauty of Struggle

You ever eat kebab, Mufti Saab? Hot kebab? Spicy kebab? Tandoori kebab? Because I know you like to eat very healthy. I eat your share, alhamdulillah. But when you eat this spicy kebab, right — and you're looking, and I say, "Man, you eat this kebab, it's going to burn on the way in and the way out. So take it easy."

So the kebabs, when they're spicy — he ate one. He's eating two. The second one. Everyone's like, "Drink water. Just take it easy." But he's having maza — enjoyment — in the spice, in the difficulty. Eyes are weeping, he's crying, and he's still eating this kebab. The reason why? Because now the pain becomes maza. So similarly:

Sometimes the struggle becomes enjoyment. You do that in Hajj. You feel it in Hajj. People are struggling and they're just saying لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّه, لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّه. They're enjoying it. They're smiling. You ask them, "Can we get you a wheelchair?" "No, no, no, no." They're enjoying it because they know this is the house of Allah. Allah is going to reward them. They would rather walk with blisters on their feet than sit in a wheelchair because they know the struggle is worth it.

And then Allah says: "I have chosen you." هُوَ اجْتَبَاكُمْ.

Cutting Hair in Umrah and Sacrifice

See, you guys take things way too seriously. Everything is not serious. I see things lighthearted. You guys take it like I'm a pastor speaking out of a church. Keep it easy, guys.

Like, for guys — they grow hair. You grow hair all the time. Can you take off your turban? I don't want your money, I want to see you without any hair. I just came from Umrah. I just cut my hair there. I know it's a tough exercise. A lot of people, they grow their hair, they perm their hair. People in my community, they take care of their hair. They look in the mirror for like 20 minutes — even the guys, you know. And now you're going to go take a blade and just — shave, shave. So it's a big sacrifice. That's the first aspect.

On Disclaimers and the Shughl of Paradise

Bajan: The second aspect — I'm going to start you off on the second aspect. The fundamental, right? If you have these two things, then it's easy to act upon them. I have a different opinion on the shughl. Bismillah. And this opinion might not be appropriate for the online audience because we have kids watching. But if you — like, Bajan, my thing is: if you have to use a disclaimer, like how some people come to you and say, "Forgive me if this is going to hurt you" — just don't say it then. Or they make the disclaimer, "I didn't say this. It's forwarded as received." The disclaimer does not remove you from the sin.

Mufti Saab: Sometimes I feel I know your brother better than you do. Do you remember what happened the other day when you told him you were fasting? Now you're telling him not to use a disclaimer. What do you think is going to happen right now?

Bajan: You're right. The reason I said this is not because I'm not going to say what I want to say. The reason why I said this is because I want other people who have similar shughl-type minds to speak up.

Mufti Saab: Allahu Akbar. Allahu Akbar. You like shughl. Guys, this is not my tafseer — this is al-Qurtubi's tafseer. It's actually in the Quran. Very clear. Shughl means a good time with your spouse. It means the unlimited pleasure and happiness and joy that a husband and wife can have in paradise without any limitations, without any constraints.

People don't talk about this enough. One of the most pure and lawful things that Allah made in our religion is the relationship with your wife. And that is sadaqah. Eating is a pleasure. Drinking is a pleasure. Being with your spouse is a pleasure. Being with your kids is a pleasure — playing with them, talking to them. What is the best pleasure that a person may enjoy in this world? You will have that in Jannah times 100.

On Difficult Relationships and Trusting Allah

You might wake up the next morning and your difficult husband is still the same difficult man. Your struggling child is still that rebellious child. But you have all these concerns, all these concerns, right? And you're talking to Allah about all the major issues. Let Allah solve them.