Month: October 2026

Summary:

In this live Friday sermon, Alban Fejza explains why he chose to speak about being humane rather than professionalism, and reminds us that there is a human being with a story behind everyone we meet online.

Video Transcript:

Praise be to God, there is no other god except God. Today my my plan was to actually talk about uh professionalism. But I changed my mind because I think I I could sort of either do it too early or get it wrong or be let’s say inhumane by pushing too much professionalism. let me just give you an example. professionalism is keeping the mosque clean. That’s professional. but I don’t want to go in a place and be like, “Oh, why do you guys not clean the mosque?” And the guys are, “You you know, we lost our arms in the battle.” So yeah, then that would be inhumane to say, “You know, why did you guys not clean the mosque?” when the guys don’t have arms. so yeah, I don’t want to get it wrong with human like with being humane. So I’m going to either postpone or never do it or I God willing I might do it because I think we need to be more more professional. I might do a Friday sermon about about it. But but I I want to focus on being humane first and then we can talk about professionalism. And that’s why actually people have, I think, part of the reason. There’s many reasons, of course. Part of the reason why people have two parents, a mom and a dad, a mother and a father. because first it like and that’s why they first get sort of connected with with their mom and then with their dad. It’s because first they the mom is humane towards them and then the dad teaches them how to be more more professional. the mom might teach them how to be kind, how not, you know, to people and stuff like that and the dad might teach how to hunt. We don’t hunt these days, but you know, things like that. how not how not to injure someone while you’re hunting, like be careful with your arrow. because you can hurt someone like that. So, yeah. just like God created people with a we Not everyone has that, but you know, typically, people have a a mother and a father, and yeah, that’s why it’s important to have both sides to to both be humane and to be professional. Yeah, so I just want to focus on the humanity first before I talk about professionalism, maybe another day. There’s a verse in the Quran which says and I’m going to try to keep it short, by the way. There’s a verse in the Quran which says “We have honored the children of Adam.” It’s Surah 17, verse 70. It says, “We have honored the children of Adam, and we provided them with rides on land and in the sea. We provided for them good provisions, and we gave them greater advantages than many of our creatures.” So, as you can see, children of Adam are honored, which means that we should respect that in others. Meaning that you have you They are created within a context. We are created within a context, which is that we are children of Adam, and there’s some honor in that. And then, when you see another human being, you should respect that he has been honored by God as well. So, you know it’s something of value. You know it’s something to be, let’s say, to be considerate towards. I don’t know why this came to my mind, even though I don’t like to to to I don’t like to bring up movies as as as good examples. I think there’s a movie called Kingdom of Heaven. I’m not sure if that’s the name, but it’s probably that that’s the name. And in the in that movie, the there’s a Muslim army and and a Christian army fighting for Jerusalem. I I think it’s set in the times of the Crusades when the Christians and Muslims are fighting against each other. And I think the Muslim, whatever, uh, leader or the Muslim commander, even though he’s fighting the Christians and one of them has some kind of disease in his face, so he wears a mask. A lot of guys probably might know this movie. Usually men watch this movie. and so the the leader of the Christians has a mask and because he has some kind of disease in his skin. So the Muslim guy, even though he’s fighting him, he sends his doctor to him and and to treat his his disease. which is a humane thing to do. It’s just at the end of the day what humans because we’re all children of Adam and seeing someone who you know is also a child of Adam. That’s actually the the the there should be some respect at the beginning at least in relation to that. and understanding that they all have stories. Everyone has a story. Like no one just dropped out of nowhere. Everyone has a story. Everyone has the has their struggles. Everyone grew up through struggles or good times, but both.

But especially the struggles. they create they shape our character. They shape so yeah, they everyone has that. So you have we have to respect that. And not just kind of try to to let’s say, forget about that and then try to achieve a goal which is not which is not taking into account the human story. Then in Surah 6 49 verse 13, it says, “Oh people, we created you from the same male and female and rendered so it’s all of us from the same male and female.” What does it mean? We’re all family. It’s just a one large family. Humans. and or means that how would you treat your family? So, it’s kind of like the we have it’s important to be humane. Of course, some people have betrayed us which are not submitters, non-believers, but that’s another issue. I’m just focusing on the fact that starting from a humane perspective it submission is also important, belief is also important. actually, they are more important, but this is the topic of today. So, yeah, it says in Surah 49 verse 13 it says, “All people, we created you from the same male and female and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes that you may may recognize one another.” Why did God create distinct peoples and tribe tribes? Meaning distinct also in in looks. Some people look different, some people look you know, someone is shorter, darker, lighter, taller, more weight, less weight, different nose shapes, different eyes, different It It’s a They are not that different by the way, but you know, there’s differences. Enough differences for us to recognize each other. Because like that we know that there’s a story there. There’s a There’s a There’s it helps you sort of understand. Most people, for example, would be able to tell uh even from the photos. You guys have just posted photos, but if we had to guess who Who among you do you think is a mother of of children? We can kind of probably imagine. Definitely, I’m not a mother. But you can see from like just like the There’s a story behind everyone. And Yeah, so unfortunately online, it’s really hard to to sort of know that there’s a human being behind whoever is talking. With today with AI we kind of like have almost personalize it. I I think I caught myself finally calling the AI he. I’m not sure if I did, but yeah. So, if AI can trick us into let’s say talking almost like a human, but if you ask AI, you know, what’s who’s your brother? Who’s your Where were you born? It’s It doesn’t have a story. It doesn’t have a human story. Like it doesn’t have brothers, it doesn’t have sisters, it doesn’t have a dad, it doesn’t have a even a dead dad. You know, some a lot of people have a story because their dad died. And that’s a story in itself. or you know, in what context are they did they grow grow up and things like that. So, AI at least it doesn’t want to replicate to to pretend to have that. So, yeah, let’s let’s repent. The two way in Allah.

Praise be to God there is no other god except God. Okay, so in this last in this second sermon what I want to do is actually I want you guys to sort of help me do the sermon by actually telling your story. Not a full story, just let By the way, this is kind of important also because recently there’s there’s been quite a few submitters, not quite a few, a lot. A lot of submitters who have joined us and we don’t pretty much know them. I we don’t know who they are. And a lot of people actually even the existing submitters from earlier, they don’t know each other as much. So, what we can do as a part of the Friday sermon is is um if everyone can tell us who they are. I’m going to start first just so you don’t get uncomfortable. I’d rather not do it, but because it’s public. And by the way, I’m not going to actually make it public. So, I’ll I’ll write on the the on the group chat. I’ll write sort of my who am I and in a human way, it’s the what the human side of me. And I want you guys I’ll I’ll end this I’ll end the video and then after that you guys can write on on group chat. So, I’m not going to make it public. And then as you know, the group the the chats on the group get deleted after 1 week anyway. So, let let me go to the group chat and and write my story, let’s say. So, peace. Do I say guys? Okay, guys. See, there’s a story there. Why do I say guys? Because that means I’ve been exposed, I guess, to US culture. Someone says peace, whatever. Peace, guys. By the way, guys, let me finish my story first before you write something. Okay, peace, guys. so, I am Alban. I live in Canada with my wife. I have I Okay, you guys might have heard the there’s a the dog barking. So, my wife has a dog. I have a let’s say a mini dog, a small dog, mini dog, mini dog. I have a brother it who lives in US. I have a sister who lives in Kosovo, who is not married. I have and lives with with her parents with my parents with our parents and lives with our parents. I have another sister who is married and lives in Kosovo and she has a husband and two children of teenage years. of course I have two parents. I have two parents. All my family members are submitters except for my dad. What else do I say? Yeah, once in a while once in a while me and my wife go back to Kosovo for vacation. Where where I also visit my family. Part part of my family. I actually don’t talk too much to my dad, but yeah, I guess it’s not very humane, but it is it is what it is. my wife go back to Kosovo for for vacation. Okay, let me just finish this writing.

Back to Kosovo for vacation and also meet my family. This is kind of This is just who I am. Like just the human side of me. What else? Yeah, I like to go on a walks, but there’s a lake by shore here close by. I like to go on walks by the lake shore sometimes. Pretty much that Yeah, you guys can say whatever you want. But focus on the family because you you you cannot start the story without a family. We’re not in a movie where the the main character just starts out of nowhere. He’s an astronaut like he’s like a pilot and there’s no story. He doesn’t eat, he doesn’t have a family, he doesn’t he’s nothing. He’s just a pilot. It doesn’t make sense. It’s not we’re not we don’t live in movies. We are real people, we have real stories. So yeah, you have to start with a family. Even if you don’t have a family. If you live alone, just say I live alone, my family, whatever. or my my children now live on their own, whatever the situation is. If you have 50 sisters, say you have 50 sisters sisters, it’s fine. It’s a human story. Yeah, that’s it. And I’m going to end the the sermon now and part as part of the next as part of the I’m not going to end the sermon actually. I’m going to end the video. As part of the continuation of the sermon, you guys write your story and read each other’s story and you get to know each other. I I hope you guys get to know each other. So peace be upon you and after you you read each other’s stories, you can go and do the contact prayer whoever whoever has to do the contact prayer. peace.

Summary:

In this live Friday sermon, Alban Fejza discusses the community’s use of the website chat and explains that God rewards us for our deeds, not for our positions.

Video Transcript:

Praise be to God. There is no other God except God. That introduction music sounded like some some start of an Australian show or something. which was nice in a nice way. what do I want to talk about today? Oh, yeah. The the the the chat the we’ve been using the chat a lot recently. I hope we didn’t annoy someone by like lots of messages. lots of messages and when when I was trying to design the chat feature in our in our website, I had concerns whether we it’s going to be used for the right things or the wrong things. And yeah, the the wrong things is if you try to write when I’m speaking, that’s the the during the Friday sermon, that’s the wrong way to use the chat. but I think we’ve been using the chat in the right way recently and I I recently but also most almost always and I’m so happy about it because u it was mostly intended what I call for sort of like work like work like communication. If any of you have jobs, you know there’s usually meetings, there’s people communicating, but they communicate for work. They don’t communicate for uh for debates and and and taking positions on things. now but and by the way before and before I go to like to talking about this, let me just say that in the group chat, God willing, I’m going to post in the following Friday sermons. As you guys know like as you guys know we have been working on the Quran making the Quran in a sort of v video format for YouTube and God willing in the probably that during the next year I’ll quite often I’m the plan is that I’m going to post the link of suras in the group chat and tell you that oh during this let’s say during this Friday sermon just listen to this surah here is the link so We might not go live. It’s really really important for you to remember this. We might not go live at all, but you’ll know in the group chat. You you’ll see it in the group chat. So today the Friday sermon is going is going to be a surah. Here is the link and it’s going to be in the group chat. That means we will not go live. now I hope someone reads it and doesn’t then say, “Oh, why is it not live?” because today you’re supposed to to listen or or view as read or read a sura as part of the Friday sermon. So don’t get surprised. I’m going to post it in the group chat. so that’s kind of the idea of the group chat group chat to help us, you know, organize and work better, not to to to have positions. And I’m using the word position here because I just want to use simple English. What I really mean is stance, you know, political stance like a stance on, you know, what is your stance on homosexuality? For example, what’s your position on on homosexuality? and a lot of people think that that’s how the religion should be like having positions. What’s your position on on homosexual sexuality? Oh, well, I am against homosexuality. And in the next world, do you think God is actually going to pay you for your possessions or your deeds? Who chose you to be a king to have possessions on things? Oh, my position is that we should not eat I don’t know, we should not eat meat. That’s my, you know, some people might say that. so yeah, we we are supposed we are God rewards us based on deeds, not based on positions. And it might sound a little bit ridiculous to express it like this. but only prostitutes get paid for their position. Everyone else gets paid for their deed. I mean, even they don’t get paid for, but you know what I mean. So, yeah, it’s that’s really important for us to understand. If you think you’re going to get rewarded for your position, oh, my position on on this issue is we should do that. Who is who’s asking you? Do you think you you’re actually going to change it the world by having a stance, having a position? No, you should do something. Not necessarily about that. We got paid for for our deeds, not for positions. And so when someone asks and I’m going to give you an example of what’s you know why actually having like doing deeds is better than just taking a position. And and I this is important because we I want people to use the group chat as a working relationship, not to take positions on things. for example, if someone asks me what’s your position on homosexuality, I don’t know. I my position is I sit straight on my chair, if you guys know what I mean. I I’m a grown man. I don’t sit on people’s laps. I s sit straight on my chair. That’s my position right now. I’m sitting on a chair. That’s my position. I’m I’m just trying to make it ridiculous because well, who who cares? I mean, it does matter. It does matter what like uh it does matter what people do in relation to whether they are homosexuals or not. It just doesn’t matter what our position is.

Oh, we’re against we’re who who cares like who’s asking you? who appointed you. To be fair, Congress members do get paid for their position a tiny bit. So, prostitutes and Congress members a tiny bit. They get paid for their positions. The rest of the people, no one is really getting paid for their position. You’ll not get get paid for your position in on in when you go to heaven or hell if you think positions are going to send you to heaven. so yeah. Now let me give you an the example of why doing the deeds is better than actually having positions. there was this guy some of very a few of you might have reme might remember him. I’m not going to mention the name. but like probably he was like about three years ago, four years, I don’t know. Time has passed past maybe three years ago. and he joined us he he joined the submitters and but he had some some questions like he he wanted he by the way he’s not a submitter anymore but that’s why I’m kind of like talking bad about him but yeah so he joined and then very soon after he joined just a few days later he had a question about oh why why does do we have to report the zakati this way or that way like he had some questions and like the conversation I had a convers conversation with him and a voice conversation and I was and one of the examples I gave him is like oh you know this is kind of important because you know what what if you have you want to know who’s who’s available for marriage and stuff like that and then my deed not position my deed I was trying to do something you know I’m like and by the way I think there there would be someone suitable for you and you might be interested and I would like to help you get married. So this is my deed. I’m trying to actually do something. And the ne the next day he just doesn’t doesn’t stop communication. He stopped being a submitter, stopped commun talking to me. That’s it. That was it. Then I go check it on his Facebook profile and stuff like that. What’s going on? How did this guy vanish? Yesterday he was my best friend. Sort of pretending to be my best friend. Now he just vanished and then I see based on his Facebook that very likely he was gay. As soon as I mentioned marriage he he ran away. So what I think happened is the guy noticed as noticed in our website because in our that’s still our what we post on our website. In our website it says as long as you do the contact prayer and the obligatory charity you are among us. You are a submitter. So, I guess he thought, you know what, these guys might be progay because they they all they care is the contact prayer, the zakat, and I’m gay. I guess I’m just going to go in this group and they’ll accept me. Well, I don’t have to take a a position on homosexual homosexuality. But when someone comes, I try to to help them get married and they run away. They don’t like it. No, please. No. and by the way, when we see as by just doing the deed and not taking a position, it was better. The guy just ran away. I don’t think we have any gays right now in our community. Even though we never took a stance. I have no video. I I don’t remember. At least so far. God will probably make a video for explanation purposes. Not so we not so we take a position. But but so far I don’t think we have any video on gays. I don’t think anyone is gay. one guy who try one guy who was gay whatever who tried to to join us who joined us actually and then left immediately almost immediately. yeah he ran away because we because of what we did not because of our position. Now had we taken a position this is how it could be worse because if I say for example we are against homosexuality anyone who who is gay is gay cannot join us. What that can do is actually it can exclude also the parent of a potentially of a let’s say of a child who has homosexual tendencies. you know someone is like oh you know my son my daughter they have they don’t like boys they don’t like girls whatever the situation is that can happen it’s a b biological thing but me being their parent and I can see this community they actually do not accept them I don’t feel welcome so ba basically when we take a position we exclude the parent who’s not gay at all but he just feels unwelcome and there’s no need to take a position on that like just just don’t do it. Just don’t do it. It’s it’s as simple as that. so yeah, that’s an example of where the deed are actually better than taking a position on on something. let’s repent.

Praise be to God. There is no other God except God. I’m just going to read some Quran verses which actually support this idea. Surah 36:54 says, “On that day, meaning in the last day, no soul will be wronged in the least. you will be paid precisely for whatever you did. This is Rashad’s translation. Now, Rashad was a genius in some way because he he translated it the word precisely here. But in Arabic, he translated it more suitably for our generation. But in Arabic, it says, “And not you will be paid except for what you used to do.” Meaning that you will not get paid for your possessions, you’ll get paid for your deeds. You’ll not get paid for your positions. Oh, when you go to heaven, do you think God is going to ask you? Oh, what was your position on homosexuality? Did you agree or did you not agree? That’s not what he’s going to ask you. God is going to ask you as an adult grown man, did you sit in someone’s lap? That’s if you know what I mean. If you’re a child and sit in someone’s lap, yeah, fine. You know, your parents lap. But he’s not going to ask you what was your position. You know, you’re not the king. You’re not a congress member. Like who cares about your position? so now Rashad didn’t kind of excluded the word only because in Arabic it is only. You will not get paid but except meaning only meaning that you will only get paid for your deeds nothing else. and Rashad said you will be paid precisely for your deeds. He kind of excluded the word only because sometimes people misunderstand it. They think that comm sometimes they don’t know that actually communicating is part of work like when we chat on the group chat or oh do you like this font what do you think about this could we post it like this or you know that’s actually part of work. So that’s a deed you know typing typing in the computer that’s the deed you will not get rewarded for your position you will get rewarded for every keystroke you made you know or whatever swipe so God will reward you that’s that’s how much God will reward you by the way that’s why we deserve less less rewards these days because this we use our finger for to get rewards you know type it here do that do that use the mouse do this so God is going to reward me for Yes, this is the movement similar to how God rewarded a tailor who was fixing the the clothes of of a person who came from battle and let’s say one of the one of the disbelievers was trying to kill him and he cut his clothes and now he has to fix his clothes. So let’s say his wife now is trying to fix his clothes after the battle, you know, kind of suing the clothes. See, it’s similar. It’s a similar similar movement. I She was doing this, I’m doing this, you know, doing that. So basically what I’m doing is similar and what you some of you guys are doing helping with the Quran videos and all, you know, you’re just moving your fingers. That’s the deed. That’s the actual deed. And you can see it’s kind of like similar to helping someone in battle rather than actually being in battle, which is a good it’s still good. You know those women who who sued the clothes of the soldiers when they were came after battle, we might get paid similarly to them because what what are we doing all day long? Just moving our mouse. Here we go.

Click click click click click. That’s that’s the deed we do. But that’s what we get get paid for. It’s a just a finger movement, but it gets rewarded because the Quran says even an atom’s weight of good will be rewarded. So don’t underestimate it. It’s just a finger movement, but it’s going to get paid for you’ll get paid for it in the last day. But you will not not get paid for your position ever. Now going back to Russian’s translation he didn’t use the word only in this case because I think he was thinking about you know some people will communicate and some people write some and that could also be part of the de and then they they’ll think that oh are those things excluded no they are not excluded but you are doing there something you know in a meeting in a work meeting at least you are trying to sit straight in your chair you know you’re not laying down or something so that’s part of part of work part of deeds But God doesn’t pay us on our position on our stance. He pays us for what we do. So guys, if you want to know like how good you’ve done is if you’ve held the helped the community for which you’ll get rewarded in the next world is how many finger movements did you make to help the community or if not actually some people by the way I I this is a good opportunity to thank a lot of those who actually haven’t who make sure that they don’t forget to pay the penalty zakat. I was thinking for example, let me just give you an example of whether we have enough money to to do the Quran in video format because you know some of these things cost and and I was I almost decided to go with a just black screen as a background and then in some for some way it didn’t really work very well and and in the meantime one of the guys here actually had paid I don’t know it seemed like penalties I I just received money on PayPal in our group in our community PayPal and I’m like oh this seems like just enough for our project. So that guy now what will that guy who send the money just in time get rewarded for? He will get rewarded for all the because I think he also has a has a work where he put types and stuff like that. all the typing he has done at work, he took that, he sent the money and God will reward him in heaven for all the finger movements he did he did at his work. So that’s a good way to help and also people will help. So what I’m saying is even when you actually help with money that’s a deed you are actually getting paid for the deed which you did at your work when you earn the money. or some people are unemployed, they might help with deeds within the community. Either way is fine. Either way is fine. It it wouldn’t work without both. It wouldn’t work without both. We kind of need both. Employed and unemployed unemployed people. because they are equally important to to whatever we do. So when we do the Quran, please don’t think that it’s only the ones who got involved were part of the success. the ones who paid for it are also part of the success and they will also get rewarded probably more in some ways sometimes sometimes less it depends how much they you know who did more so yeah it’s we’re going to get paid for our for our deeds another verse in the there’s so many verses in the Quran probably like at least 20 who emphasize this verse 3739 says you are paid only Rashad translated did it more closely to the Arabic in this time. You were you are paid only for what you have done.

surah 66:7 says, “Oh you who disbelieved, do not apologize today. You are being paid only for what you did.” Verse 27 90. As for those who bring evil works, they will be forced into hell. Do you not get paid only for what you used to do? As you can see, it’s all about deeds when it comes to the rewards in heaven. It’s not about possessions. It’s because at the end of the day, think of it like this. If you just have a position on something but never did anything about it, how is that different from acting? You know the Quran says that actors are pretty much useless people in the sort of that’s a way of describing it. It kind of says like they are followed only by the strayers. it doesn’t label that and then it it does some exception of some of them might be good. But what I’m saying is how is that different from acting? You know an actor who goes to to an actor who pretends to be a soldier in a movie. He’s just communicating. He never fought. It’s not real. So what I’m saying is how is that different from acting? If you just have positions, my position is that we should go not go to war in in in Vietnam. That’s your position. How is that different from from an actor who would does a movie about how bad war in Vietnam is? It’s not different. He never went there. He never stopped from being there. Do you see that? The like the how how similar they are acting and just taking a position on things, you know? my position is the same. Pretty much essentially the same. So if you just have a position, you’re just acting. But if you do something, and I’m not saying do something about it. We don’t have to fix someone’s sexuality. Like I’m not a doctor. Like I’m not I also I’m not a therapist. Like I I don’t have to deal with it. However, I don’t have to do there are things we can do, you know, we can build a mosque. We can we’re way we are some people are trying to help with I don’t know in different ways. And by the way, don’t feel guilty if you there’s nothing to do for you right now. What you can do is work in your job. Find a job, work, send the money. That’s also that’s one of the best ways to help actually to that money is going to be used in the cause of God of course. So that’s how you you sort of earn deeds in the next world not on based on positions. I don’t like it when people go in chats and they are like, “Oh, our stance on this issue is that our stance.” How how often did you guys have to deal with that? It’s most of the time you we never had to deal with it like in real life. It’s like it’s unrealistic. It’s like live your real life. does anyone have any question?

Someone is typing so I’m just waiting here.

I’ll try to keep it short by by the way. Maybe just one question or two and that’s it. yeah, great great great uh great point Jad. So Jad is saying the only positions that we will be rewarded are our positions in prayer. That’s actually a very good way to put it. Even that is kind of like we get rewarded for the movement, not the position for actually standing up and bowing down. And so the movement is the but You guys get the point? Like it’s it’s a very way a very good way to prove the point. I don’t think it’s fully correct because we actually get paid for the movement, not the position. But but it’s a very good way to prove the point. The only positions I’m going to repeat, very very nice saying. It should be a quote in our website somewhere. Guys, make a poster out of it. The only positions that will be rewarded are are our positions in prayer. That’s it. And Trevor is saying, “Don’t get arthritis, everyone.” Yeah, that’s funny. Also, okay, cool. Okay, so yeah, I I I I think you guys got the point like coming up with these nice quotes. You got you you got the point. so maybe I should Yeah, it’s because I’m I want people to get the chance to actually be able to read the group chats, especially the guys who work and are busy. And I’m going to keep it short so people can actually read the group chats to catch up if they haven’t. okay. So, uh, for those who have to do the contact prayer for which you get rewarded, u do the contact prayer. the rest of you, peace be upon you.

Summary:

In this live Friday sermon, Alban Fejza talks about meditation as described in the Quran, such as appreciating God’s creation, and how it keeps us from worrying too much.

Video Transcript:

Praise be to God. There is no other god except God. so again, sorry guys for the like the making you wait. The microphone was not working. I think I know why. Like I was testing some audio software during this week to kind of edit some audios and um I guess it messed up my microphone and I wasn’t aware that this is going to mess it up for the live video. so what I want to talk to about today is yeah so we’re planning on doing a a video Quran and just a second. Kata is still saying that she can just see the video but without the sound. Can you guys confirm again? Can you hear the sound?

Yes. Okay. So, people can see. okay. So, guys can hear the sound. Okay. So, uh yeah, I was talking about like how the the plan, God willing, is to do the the Quran in a video format. And I was thinking of of naming it either Quran or video Quran and but also Quran or maybe video Quran for meditation, inspiration and maybe healing. So imagine the title would be for example video Quran for meditation, inspiration and healing. Now the healing is a claim in the Quran. So like the Quran itself claims that there’s healing in the Quran. So there’s no need to explain there. And also when I say inspiration, I don’t mean like revelation like the way they meant it in the in the ancient Arabic times. what I mean is like inspiration the way we use it today in art in in let’s say when we watch a movie I I you say I got inspired to let’s say go work out. Maybe you see a movie where the person is fit. So it inspires you to to go work out whatever in that way inspiration. Now inspiration can be from God or from the devil. So you don’t know exactly for sure. That’s why I’m careful when I use the word inspiration. But in this case I’m not claiming that the any specific type of inspiration in the sense that I’m just saying the Quran for inspiration. You can use it for inspiration. I’m not saying that this will give you inspiration from God. So we have to be careful about that. I’m not making that claim. And I don’t like when people make such claims when they’re like sometimes they want to be religious and they’re like, “God inspired me to do this. God inspired me to do that.” How do you know it was God? Maybe it was just your idea. Maybe it was just your opinion. Maybe that’s what you like. Maybe it was from the devil. so yeah I’m usually careful about uh about about inspiration how I use the word inspiration but in this case it makes sense because it’s kind of like let’s say the product the video Quran God willing will be for inspiration. So that’s kind of what I want to title it for meditation, inspiration and healing and the word meditation there. That’s kind of what I want to focus today on like to explain what is meditation. Rashad used the word meditation quite a lot in the Quran and the I think people sometimes misunderstand it which is why I want to explain it a little bit. Let me first actually read what the how Rashad used the word meditation in in the translation. so I’m just going to read some verses from the Quran which used the word meditation from Rashan’s translation. so starting with verse 317 it says they are stat the believers they are steadfast truthful submitting charitable and meditators at dawn. Verse 341 says he said my lord gave me a sign. He said your sign is that you will not speak to the people for three days except through signals. Commemorate your lord frequently and meditate night and day. Verse 9 112 says they are the repenters, the worshippers, the praisers, the meditators, the bowing and prostrating the advocate advocators of righteousness and forbidders of evil evil and the keepers of God’s law. give good news to such believers. Verse 1779 says, “During the night you shall meditate for extra credit that your Lord may raise you to an honorable rank family.” I I think it’s talking about Zechariah the sanctuary and signal to them meditate on God day and night. Verse 2564 says in the privacy of the night they the believers meditate on their Lord and fall prostrate. Verse 26, 218 says, “Who sees you when you meditate during the night?” Verse 37, 143 says, “If it were not that he,” I think it’s talking about Jonah resorted to meditation on on God. And the verse continues something saying about he would not be saved or something. Then verse 39:9 says, “Is it not better to be one of those who meditate in the night, prostrating and staying up, being aware of the hereafter and seeking the mercy of their lord? Say, are those who know equal to those who do not know? Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.” Verse 50 says, “During the night you shall meditate on his name and after prostrating.” Verse 732 says, “Meditate during the night except rarely.” Uh then the next verse says the meditation at night is more effective and more righteous. Then verse 7320 says your lord knows that you meditate during twothirds of the night or half of it or oneird of it and so do some of those who believe in God. Now Rashad used the word meditation in English. However the med word meditation in Arabic really in Quran and in Arabic really doesn’t exist in the Quranic Arabic. so a lot of times when the there’s translations there’s words which which are a combination of many words. So then the question is why did Rashad use this? Well he had to he he had a purpose but I want to explain another one later as well. The reason why he used this is because he wanted to sort of get away from the standard labels which unfortunately the traditional Muslims will will will use. like just recently I I saw someone had fallen like one of the submitters had fallen for the that trick as well. he used the word kiswa I don’t I think it means cover of the cabba or something. and it’s kind of like a label. It’s a it’s a brand. Let me let me tell you why it matters when you why it makes a difference whether you use the Arabic branded name versus not. if I say for example, I’m wearing my Nikes today. It’s a Why am I saying it in I think Nike is in Greek or German maybe. I think it’s Greek. I don’t know if Adidas is also in Greek. Or I’m wearing Adidas. See, I’m using the word in that language. Why? because I I I admit I’m admitting that that is a brand which comes as a package. No one can say half Nike. It’s just either it’s Nike or not. So it’s either like they serve it to you as a package. So when we fall for those let’s say tricks which are used by by religious people religious leaders of the world. they brand it and then when we fall for it, it’s kind of like we’re say we’re admitting that what you serve us is going to be that or nothing else and we are not going to change it. So kisvah, if you use the word that word, whatever that means, it’s a specific form of a carpet which only they can decide what it is. So it’s kind of like it’s it’s a trick. It’s a trick to keep to brand something which is not. There’s a verse in the Quran which says have they monopolized God’s knowledge? Basically, they are monopolizing. They’re saying you either either use our term or we’re not going to talk. So, let’s not fall for it. So, Rashad Rashad did with this translation, he didn’t fall for that stuff because when you go to the traditional Muslim world, they will actually they have specific words for these things. They are like, okay, have you done? Have you done? This is how you do. Or like if you go to the Sufis, they’ll have specific words. You know, the swirling dervishes, they have a word for it. they have different words for it’s like sufis do they do meditation in so many ways they the problem is that they have specific words for that which then tricks you into thinking that that that’s the only way to meditate that’s not the only way to meditate there’s so many ways to meditate so Rashad kind of shied away moved away from that from falling for that trap and didn’t use the Arabic terms he used the more general term meditate Now in the Quran, let me just give you examples from the Arabic Quran. What what did he translate as meditate? One of them is actually it says ask forgiveness and Rash translated as meditate. Another case it says glorify but Rasha translated as meditate. Another one literally means stand up or be awake. Rash translated as meditate. Another case I think it means something else something like uh glorification. I mentioned that. But there’s another or go out. It’s interesting like to go out and Rash translated as as meditate. It literally means go out. But like what does it even mean to go out? Go out of your body. Go out. Yeah. Anyway, so what I’m saying is he used purposely used the word meditate because these terms have been abused for centuries. These other terms, the Arabic brandings, it’s a branding. It’s not actually the language. I’m not against the language. the the Arabic language language is really nice and pure and beautiful. The problem is the branding. They use it as a brand. So Rashad shied away from that. and and that was on purpose so that they do not force only their form of worship to into you. meaning so for example if you if he used the word let’s say whatever to stand up whatever the word in Arabic is then people would think that oh we have to do the traditional way of the sunnah which where people do extra after the the salat and stuff like that see I’m okay with two with two brandings by the way salat and zakat I’m okay with that branding because that’s a common common let’s say ritual which we share I’m I’m okay to to share that brand salat zakat is Okay. Others I I I don’t like branding. or Allah. Why brand it? Why give it a brand? It’s a name. It’s a name. It means God in in English. And yeah, we can use God. It’s okay. So uh because then it makes it look like it’s a brand like the the only version of God which people should can understand is that if that’s how they explain it. Yeah. Anyway, so that’s you know that’s how they think. so regarding meditation as you can see rash there’s no actually a word meditation in the Quran the meditation does exist in English it’s a real thing but there’s there was no need in Arabic to describe it other verses which when you combine them they they can give you the word meditation in English in meditation in English for example there’s a word in Arabic like there’s quite a few verses in in Arabic which say do not worry There’s there’s a verse in the Quran says don’t believe in God the hereafter and read the righteous life they have nothing to worry nor will they grieve basically meditation should be understood as the basic ability not to worry in the basic level like if if you want to think of b simple meditation more advanced meditation but it can be tricky to say it like that but I’m just going to say what I mean like like if you understand it a little bit deeper is the ability not to think. A lot of people when you tell them oh like I’m meditating or like which I wouldn’t say that it’s kind of weird but anyway like if someone says I’m meditating like a guru whatever Indian guru or something like that Hindu guru tells them you know let’s meditate or this is how we meditate most people especially in the western culture misunderstand it they think that it’s some sort of thinking it’s actually not thinking the ability not to And u and it’s connected because what it does is it enables you not to worry because why do people think? Because they worry. If you think about planning to go to work tomorrow, why do you do that? Because you worry. You worry. You don’t want to lose your job. Why do you think about what you’re going to cook today? It’s because you worry. You worry that you will go hungry if you don’t do that. So thinking and worrying are quite connected. and the ability not to think can also enable you not to worry. Now I don’t I’m not saying to go be totally stupid, but there there’s such a thing as you kind of let’s say reducing your brain activity to a level where it’s not worrying. You’re you’re not worrying. And that’s that’s basically that’s meditation. Now there are tricks of let’s say tricks to to to sort of activate that a little bit which is pretty much you have to be in the present because the reason why people think it’s mostly for the future or the past either they daydream usually in the past or some kind of imaginary scenario which is not meditation or they plan they think about the future. Oh, what am I gonna do tomorrow or they talk to themselves? Like there’s many I don’t know how people think. There’s I think there have been studies about like what people spend most of the time doing during the day like thinking during the day. like some people actually talk to themselves other imagine talking to others others will think about the future like how they are going to do certain things, which job they are going to apply to things like that. others think about the past, you know, they have nostalgia about the past. So the people have a tendency to do that and that’s not meditation. Meditation is stopping that too much. and basically the the the way to do it is anything which keeps you in the present right now. What am I saying right now? What am I feeling right now? What basically how can I be in the present without worrying about the future without thinking about the past can I be in the present and um yeah there’s I think the best ability to meditate is not to use any any tricks but most people use tricks like the way let’s say some gurus will teach you or whatever they will use tricks to do that to achieve that because people are not let’s say that that good at meditating if they if let me put it like this if medit meditation has to be taught, it’s because you’re not good at it and it’s because you’re not doing it well. So, however, that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t use it, do it like that. again, I’m not teaching you how to meditate. I think it’s overrated. because God willing, as I’ll tell you that it’s actually we do meditation anyway during the day. But, what was I going to say? So the yeah there are methods to kind of keep you in the present but before I go there let’s actually repent.

Praise be to God. There is no other god except God. so yeah, how do we sort of how can we encourage I I don’t want to use the word enforce but how can you let’s say you don’t know how to meditate and ask someone ask you how do I meditate it’s basically just you have to to tell the person or whatever to tell yourself to be in the present and how can you be in the present is by sort of not thinking and unfortunately People are not good at not thinking. People are not good at not thinking. Right now like you they just cannot stop their mind. The mind keeps going like you think you think you think you think. Especially if you have anxiety, depression, like it’s you’re going to think more and more and more and more and deeper like more like the thoughts have bigger emotions. So it’s the ability not to think and people are not very good at it which is why we sometimes use tricks and those tricks I’m calling them tricks because I don’t want to people to kind of abuse it as some kind of method which you have to do. It’s a trick. It’s okay. It works. and some of those tricks is just you you let’s say focus on your on your senses. For example, some gurus will tell you breathe breathe slow you focus on your breath. Okay, that keeps you in the present. It just like prevents you from thinking about the future or the or the past or right now. Let’s say wherever you guys are sitting, just focus on what you’re touching or where you’re sitting. That’s because now that removes the worries because you’re in the present. You’re right now, right here. Not thinking about the future, nothing about the past. Right now, you’re in the present. You’re just being. You’re not thinking. you’re just being. That’s meditation. Or let’s say people do it so much more than they realize, which is why I let’s say think it’s overrated. It’s overrated as a as a let’s say as a word. for example, when you smell a good smell, it actually brings you in the present. So let’s say you were thinking about, oh, what am I going to do today? And then suddenly you’re passing through some flowers and there’s a good smell and you’re like, that’s a good smell. what it brought it just brought you to the present and you’re more happy. It brought you to right what you’re feeling doing right now. So it kind of like prevents you from those bad like worrying thoughts from worrying too much and actually it happens much more a lot of the what the Quran describes for example the Quran describes appreciation appreciation is a form of medi meditation like when you appreciate something you see a flower you appreciate it and uh that’s actually why why is it the meditation because it it keeps you in the present When you appreciate something, you cannot think about tomorrow. You’re just you’re appreciating it today. You like it today. A hug is meditation because what it it what does a hug do? It prevents you from thinking about the future or the past. It just keeps you in the present because you have to let’s say engage your feelings. like so many things are meditate. When we eat, we meditate. When we watch a movie, we meditate. Now these are tricks though. These are not most people don’t have the ability to meditate just on their own. So they need external stimulation to to meditate. I think music is probably the best. If you want to know how people who really know how to meditate feel it’s just like when listening to music because what does music do? It does it it keeps you in the present. That’s all. That’s why it feels good. It keeps you now right now because there’s a note and then you know the next note is is right there immediately after that and then there’s the next one. So it constantly keeps you in the present right now right here. What are you feeling? What are you seeing? What are you thinking about now? Only about now. so so yeah what I’m saying is just listening to music is just as good as what a guru will teach you. Now he can what I basically what I’m saying don’t don’t fall for gurus because what they’re selling what actually they are telling you is how to not do other things when you meditate they are not teaching you how to meditate meditation you can do on your own anyone can meditate just sitting if you’re if you if you have the ability to just sit alone do nothing and not worry most people if they just do nothing they will worry You can just do not by by the way and this is risky because it’s when when you teach it the way gurus teach it is actually they are teaching apathy. They are teaching um an life which is not active. If I get take an example from let’s say fitness fitness is good however most fitness people will teach you how not to be successful in life because they oh you have to train five times a week you have to do this you basically you’re telling me not to go to work and not to read and not to to do stuff for my own like which matters more the same thing with those gurus who talk about meditation they basically anyone can do it the problem is that when People go to gurus they tell them the way they teach it to them is they prevent them from doing more than just meditation. Unfortunately today people because we don’t live complete w complete lives we we have to choose what like what we want to do specifically about like in about different things. For example we either do meditate or we train or we eat or in the past they would do it pretty much all together. you could you can eat and meditate you know you can walk and chew gum the that but today they have to do it specifically. Oh let’s do this specific thing or that specific it’s it’s mostly because we don’t live a complete lives because you don’t have time for all of them by the way. So what are you going to do? Meditate or train or or which one are you going to do first? It’s there’s no not enough hours in the day. that’s why I don’t like yeah I believe in meditation the let’s say Rash translated I I think it’s a good thing that translated that he translated it like that mostly because people were branding other things wrongly. however I’m just kind of want to sort of warn you not to fall for the other side which is to think that there’s some kind of like secret into meditation. It’s just being in the present that’s all and not worrying about the future. And you can sort of uh tri trigger it. Maybe not trig maybe the word trigger is is better. You can trigger it. You can trigger meditation through certain techniques. Breathing, focusing on the on the present, what you’re smelling, what you’re hearing, what you’re seeing, appreciating, not worrying. Now, the best form of of meditation is the contact prayer. Reading the Quran is also a very good form of meditation. But the best is the contact prayer as a form of meditation. because what does the contact prayer do? It keeps you in the present. You have to constantly say something which means that you cannot talk to yourself about some other thing. You have to constantly feel something because as you are let’s say standing up what do you feel? The the the bottom of your feet. You feel it. You feel the bottom of your feet touching the ground as you’re standing up. When you go to prostrate, you feel the ground in your hands or whatever your head. You feel the ground here or you feel the body moving. So, it keeps you in the present. It stops your worries. You don’t worry as much anymore. That that’s it. Now, but as you can see with the contact prayer while meditating, you’re doing so many other things. You’re remembering God. you are uh glorifying God. You’re appreciating you are submitting to God. You’re obeying God. There’s so many other things you are doing with a contact prayer including meditation. So basically what others teach you about meditation, I’m not saying it’s wrong or it’s not. It’s just it’s more limiting. You can do more. You can do more than that. So whatever the gurus tell you, whatever in Buddhist religions, Hind religion, yeah, there’s some truth to it. What I’m saying is like yeah meditation does exist. It’s it’s real. However, they are teaching you how to do it less. You can do it more and more means you do meditation and other things. By the way, let’s say and this is why I think let’s say some countries are more poor sometimes. partly I think a German who is working and enjoying his job some kind of physical work he is meditating more than he realizes compared to a guy who has gone to some Buddhist temple somewhere in Nepal or India or whatever and he’s focusing totally on his meditation. He’s probably not meditating as much as a German guy who is just focusing on his work. Work is meditation if you if you enjoy it. If you hate it, no. If you hate it, if you have to plan. By the way, even today, that’s why I say we don’t have complete lives because because even work is not always meditation today. Most of our work involves what I call administrative stuff. A lot of people think, oh, I’m going to be a doctor. I’m gonna Half of the work just means filling documents. You’re not actually talking to patients. You’re not teaching what you know. It’s administrative stuff. Whatever profession you are, probably half of your work is something else. And a lot of young people actually get surprised when they go to work. Let’s say you are you they hire you to be a teacher and most of the time you don’t teach. Most of the time you have to to report your program or whatever, report your plan, report what you did, things like that. Now, that’s not meditation. But meditation is when you’re actually teaching, let’s say, and you’re enjoying it because you’re in the present right there, right then. You’re not planning. You’re not worrying. So what I’m saying is some German guy who’s who nobody will think that he’s meditating. He’s just working. He don’t doesn’t care about religion. He doesn’t care about Hinduism. He doesn’t he goes to work. What type of work could I take which is let’s say a good example? let’s say he let’s take it as simple as cleaning the street. So some you know some people in some cities they hire people to clean the street. So the guy is just cleaning the street. Why is that meditation? Because it doesn’t allow him to think about the future. It doesn’t allow him to think about the past. Not much at least. he’s not worrying because he has to think about every brush like every movement he does he has to think about it so it’s keeping him in the present he has to just think about that next sweep so it’s keeping him in the present he’s meditating he’s meditating meditating and working so even though I’m not against meditation I think the way the meditation has been branded today it’s less than what you could have done otherwise basically you can meditate and work. Work is meditation. Reading the Quran is meditation. Work is not always meditation. But reading the Quran is always meditation. What I’m saying is work is mostly a meditation. then but the contact prayer is the best meditation because you do that plus everything else. It doesn’t stop you from other other good deeds. by when I say everything else I every other good deed and intention you can have this all combined in a contact prayer including the meditation. So it includes the meditation. yeah I don’t I don’t think I need to say much about this by the way. I’m not trying to trash meditation. I’m also not trying but I’m just saying don’t fall for branded meditation. I’m against branded meditation. It’s just, you know, meditation. You don’t have to brand it like it doesn’t have to be some specific form. Yeah, it can maybe if you just breathe slower, it’s it’s a good medit. I’m not again I’m not putting it down. There are methods. Some people need sometimes meditation because they might have a stressful life. They’re like I basically I’m saying it’s probably a it belongs more to psychology and therapy. you know, if someone needs therapy for depression, anxiety, stuff like that. Yeah, meditation is probably one of the tools, I don’t know. I I don’t like it’s not my profession. It’s not that important. What I’m saying is yeah, I’m not against that. But most of the time, if you don’t really need have a specific need for it, you can just do it in a way where you also achieve other things. You can go to work if you enjoy it. Really, it’s actually meditation. yeah. Does anyone have any questions?

The only thing you need to remember is meditation is not worrying and in the ultimate form not thinking which is kind of almost impossible Oh, by the way, let’s say one of the forms Rashad did u let’s say meditated is what they call in Arabic like remembering God like saying yeah that’s a form of meditation but can you see that it still achieves the same thing it keeps you present because as you’re saying it it doesn’t allow you to think something else about the future yeah Someone is saying listening to the Friday sermon is a good meditation. Yeah, that’s also meditation. so the video Quran is partially intended for meditation. You were originally you were originally saying yes. So that’s so my answer is yes. The video Quran is partially intended for meditation because it uses some of those tricks. It’s a trick like it has nice views. God willing it will have nice views. Some a little bit of music, maybe some sound. By the way, a lot of let’s say videos you go if you go on YouTube and you search video for meditation, what is it going to be? Just some plain simple sound. There’s no nothing secret there. It’s what all it does is keep you keeps you in the present. It doesn’t let you think about the future or the past because why? As you’re hearing the sound, it prevents you from having other thoughts because you’re focusing on what you’re hearing. That’s all. So yeah, there’s meditation there because of people have to focus on the Quran and there’s if there’s some let’s say additional sounds or videos there, it can help them meditate. It’s artificial. I know it’s artificial meditation. Basically, it tricks people into thinking that they are better at it at it than they actually are. But it’s okay. It’s okay. We do artificial stuff today anyway. I wouldn’t do it if there was no competition for it. Like there’s online there’s so much stuff which actually tricks you into their own version of meditation basically. And it’s not really a trick. It’s more like let me yell louder so so people can can hear me. Yeah. Yelling louder is a trick to get people’s people’s attention. If everyone in the market is yelling, oh, you know, buy this gold, buy this gold. And if you go to a really really crowded market and everyone is selling their product and let’s say you want to go there and preach, you would have to yell because everyone is yelling and that’s a way to keep the attention of the person in the present there right there what you have to say. even now I’m probably yelling because I’m used from competition of yelling I guess from work from life and things like that. Sorry for too much yelling, but yeah, it’s just a way of grabbing the attention. it’s not the only way. Yeah. So, I think maybe it’s it’s enough for today. meditation is real. The way they present it to you is usually overrated. There’s not much more to it than the act than the actual just simple working or listening to music. And all music listening to music is artificial. I’m not saying that’s how you should do it. All I’m saying is it does happen even when you don’t do not intend it. And I’m not saying you should actually if you can meditate without music it’s then you have better skills of meditation. anyway so let’s for those who have to do the contact prayer do the contact prayer. The rest of you peace be upon

Summary:

In this live Friday sermon, Alban Fejza congratulates the community on the tolerance shown while designing a website logo, and discusses the difference between tolerating other opinions and compromising on what is right.

Video Transcript:

Praise be to God. There is no other God except God. during this week we tried to to create a logo in the website and as some of you know the ones who participated in the discussion, it wasn’t easy like to sort of have agreement just for a simple button. which actually is not even important. we could have even removed somewhere else and put it somewhere else. and and I would like to congratulate you guys for the actual tolerance. I think I think all of us showed despite the discussion we showed tolerance about let’s say not insisting on our own um opinion which all of the opinions were kind of good. So I would like to but I would like to congratulate you about the tolerance which you guys showed regarding the just a simple button by not insisting that your opinion be let’s say applied more than than the others u by the way before I go to the tolerance topic of the tolerance let me say that usually I have this discussion because I do actually respect the professions of everyone if you are an engineer I do value what you have to say about engineering so I’m not a person who who becoming who by becoming religious now I totally think that there’s no value in professions there are religious fanatics who who will who will do that who will be like no like you know not we know better I’m I’m going to use some ridiculous situations The Muhammad told us to eat to drink camel urine for your whatever for your illness. The doctor doesn’t know. I think the doctor knows better when it comes to healthcare. however, despite what the doctor might tell you is, you’ll probably still do the contact prayer. I I’m quite sure the doctor will tell you that fasting is not as good. But despite the fact that it’s not the best for health, actually I agree fasting is not the best for health. You know, some people would say fast is going to be bad good for your health. Fasting is not the best for your health, but it’s we do it for God. it’s also partly good for your health. I mean, it’s not as bad as some doctors will tell you. it’s almost equal when it comes to health. It’s probably a little bit bad. It would be if you want to lose weight, it would be better if you eat a little bit more often. That would be better for your health compared to eating a big meal later during the day. But, so I respect the doctor’s opinion in general, but I’m I’m going to have to go a little bit against the doctor once in a while u because I just want to fast. In in the same way, let’s say if I asked an um an engineer an architect, what would be the best let’s say design for a mosque? I’m quite sure he would be build spacious windows. because that’s the general trend and the general recommendation in architecture. You want light and you want space and you want good views. So I’m quite sure that the architect would recommend something with big windows. and I would respect the opinion of the architect in all pretty much all the cases. but probably not for a mosque in the sense that Cabba doesn’t have windows. We don’t need need windows. We don’t need views. We go there to worship God. So yeah, in that part partial case, we can break that rule. I know it’s a good rule for architecture. I still respect it. I I like places with good windows. To me, views are really important. When I go to, let’s say, rent a place, I check the views. I don’t know why. I like a good view, a big window, but not for a mosque. So, yeah. So, what I’m saying is I hope I I didn’t insult anyone’s profession in the process of discussing these things. I do respect your profession. for most things I would listen but there are things where times when like I have to go against it simply because it’s kind of like there’s probably bigger priorities in religion sometimes just like with fasting I would fast regardless if the doctor told me it’s not it’s good or not good for your health unless it’s really terrible for my health then in that case there’s a verse in the Quran it says like you know if if you can fast but with great difficulty then yeah don’t fast so Yeah. now going back to the topic of tolerance. So I I think you guys showed great tolerance because I’m quite sure you had experience and professional background where you could see how your opinion was better. U but yeah, sometimes it’s just hard to reach an agreement about some things depending on what what we’re trying to achieve. And despite that, you guys had tolerance. And now I want to go to and this is really important because I want to go to the to to the Quran and read some verses about tolerance and and compromise because a lot of let’s say people who have not been religious for let’s say most of their life then they become religious they us sometimes are not very tolerant. This is because in the past tolerance was used by the what they thought was tolerance was used by the devil to trick them. So now they finally realize no I’m not going to tolerate being a bad person anymore. I’m not going to be and then they use it they might use it even in in a within a religious community. so they can misapply the devil can trick us to misapply the tolerance or the compromise. so uh before I actually read the verses, let me say that actually the tolerance and compromise according to Rash’s translation, it’s not necessarily that definition like in general, but according to Rash’s translation, compromise is a bad thing. Tolerance is a good thing. So let’s make that distinction. Compromise is a bad thing. Tolerance is a good thing. Then le let’s read the verses and understand how in what context are tolerance and compromise uh mentioned. So I’m going to read the verses about compromise first in surah in surah 60 surah 68 verse starting with verse 8 it says do not obey the rejectors they wish that you compromise so they they too can compromise I think it’s called compromise or compromise I have no idea if I’m pronouncing it right Um so basically it’s mentioned as a bad thing because compromise what does it mean? It means obeying the rejectors going according to the wishes of the rejectors. It says do not obey the rejectors. They wish that you compromise so they they too can compromise. Do not obey every lowly swearer, a slanderer, backbiter, forbid of charity, a transgressor, a sinner, unappreciative and greedy even though he possesses enough money and children. When our revelations are recited to him, he says tales from the past. So here compromise is mentioned as a bad thing. Then in surah 72 starting with verse 14, it says among us are the submitters. The gens say this among us are the submitters and among us are the compro compromisers. So you can see the compromisers are seen as nonsubmitters. As for those who sabeta they are on the right path. As for the compromisers they will be fuel for gehana. So definitely compromisers are seen as bad people as a bad thing. In Russia’s translation we see that the comp compromise compromisers are bad people u or bad creatures. But you know we can misunderstand comp compro compromise for tolerance. So let’s read what the Quran says about tolerance. Then there’s verses which talk about tolerance but in a positive way. In surah 2 verse 61 it says recall that you said oh Moses we can no no longer tolerate one kind of food. So basically the they in this case they should have tolerated that tolerated one kind of food but they didn’t. And then this is in the case when they when God rescued them from the Egyptians. So it says they said to Moses, “Call upon your Lord to produce for us such earthly crops as beans, cucumbers, garlic, lentils, and onions.” He said, “Do you wish to sub substitute that which is imperior for that which is good? Go down to Egypt where you can find what you asked for.” They have incurred condemnation, humiliation, and disgrace, and brought upon themselves wrath from God. This is because they rejected God’s revelations and killed the prophets unjustly. This is because they disobeyed and transgressed. So here we say we see a case where tolerance would have been a good thing. They didn’t tolerate but it would have been a good thing to tolerate. in surah then in surah 6 verse 125 it says whomever god wills to guide he renders his chest wide open to submission and whomever he wills to send astray he renders his chest intolerant and straightened like one who climbs towards the sky. God thus places a curse upon those who refuse to believe. Again here the word tolerance implies a good thing. In surah 7 verse 199 it says you shall resort to pardon advocate tolerance or support tolerance and disregard the ignorant. Then in surah 24:22 it says those among you who are blessed with the resources and wealth shall be charitable towards their relatives the poor and those who have immigrated for the sake of God. They shall treat them with kindness and tolerance. Do you not love to obtain God’s forgiveness? God is forgiver, most merciful. So here we saw verses in the Quran which mention compromisers which are bad people or bad creatures. And then we have in the Quran which mention tolerance as a good thing. Then what’s the difference? What’s the difference between tolerating and making a compromise? before we do that, let’s let’s before we explain that, let’s repent first to let’s repent.

>> >> Praise be to God. There is no other God except God. So what is the difference between tolerance and compromise? the difference is in the in pretty much the motive. If you are putting your desires second because you value the peace and the prosperity of the community of the submitters, then you’re tolerant. But if you put the community and the religion second because you value the s your success in the community or outside of the community, then you are a compromiser. Then you that’s a bad thing. So as you can see depending on the motive it can be tolerance or it can be compromise and one of them is bad one of them is good. So again let me repeat because it’s important. If you put your desires your opinion second meaning that I’m just going to put it in the shelf somewhere. It doesn’t mean you don’t have to have it. You can still have it but put it put it back somewhere. Wait wait wait wait for a better time to see if things will change. Things like that.

If you put it second, I don’t I’m not saying put it last, put it second. At least put it second. If you put your opinion second or your desire second to the to the importance of the of the peace and the prosperity of the community. Basically, if you’re if you put religion first, desire second, then it’s then you have made tolerance for the sake of religion. But if you put your desires or usually it’s not expressed as desires. Let’s say the your intention for success first and religion second then it’s a compromise because now you have to you have to change things in because if the religion is second you have to change things in the religion to fit your your goals of success. But if your desires are second, you have to change things in your desires to fit the the piece of the community. So that that that’s the difference between tolerance and and compromise. And let me give some examples. the a good example of tolerance was the the button the lo the button which we talked about. People tolerate it. Okay, I don’t think we actually came with the best version. People tolerated it. It’s okay. We might change it someday. And let me give you another example of example of tolerance. when when we went to Cabba, when we went to Hajj, someone sent actually us a photo of of of of Hajj. I think sent a photo of Haj Mah that was really a good photo. So when we went to Hajj, my opinion or my desire is is actually that I don’t think Aba should should should covered in a black cloth. I don’t I think it’s it’s it’s not it doesn’t show class like any if you go to the best let’s say palaces on earth you know if you go to the palace of Versailles in France there’s like one of the most beautiful palaces other palaces on earth you will see that the dominant color of the walls is white with golden decorations you know Trump doesn’t have probably Trump might be one of the worst people you know on earth but he does have taste when it comes to to building buildings. And he you can see like even the the ballroom what they call the ball which they stopped I guess which he was trying to build is like just white white walls with golden decorations that that shows glass that that’s my opinion though. I think that’s that’s prettier. but for some reason some guy in the 12th century or whatever not not even during Mohammed’s time some guy in the 12th century decided that a black carpet on top of Cabba would stay nice or whatever. I maybe he wanted didn’t want it to get dirty. I have no idea. So that that was let’s say the the opinion of someone. By the way, if you look at history, you’ll see that actually Muhammad kind of agreed with me more mostly because during Muhammad’s time, I think even the Khalifas, the early Khalifas, they actually covered the Cabba with white carpet with actually not gold. I think gold would be classier, but they covered with with red decorations. So, primarily white with red decorations that was during Muhammad’s time. but because that they were influenced by the let’s say Persian carpets. Persian carpets are mostly white with red decorations. and then later on I think they had the red color, they had the green color before they came to the to the black color. and you can see even like the the photo which Forn sent us, you can see in the background when they wanted to make a really luxurious building, it’s white with gold, white with gold white walls with gold decorations. If you guys can see the photo here the photo which someone which one sent in the chat you can see the let’s say the ceiling there it’s white with gold decoration. So they know what class is. If you ask the Arabs you know what’s what would be a very classy dress they would say white with with gold decorations. That’s that’s how they dress themselves. But when it came to dressing dressing cabba they dressed it black which is what they tell their women to dress basically secondass secondass citizens and so it’s they’re treating kaba as secondass uh what was I going to say by the way when the mi comes the the last messenger god willing mi if you’re listening if you can do it peacefully Not not with war. Not if you can do it peacefully, make it white or or remove it completely. Makea white or remove it completely because actually even without the carpet probably it would be nice because it shows the the value of the ancient times seeing the actual stones from the past. That’s I think that’s that’s also classy. like if you go to let’s say to some temples you can still see the stone the stones anyway. So now despite all of this of the fact that I actually think Kaba should have a white carpet or no carpet at all. I tolerated a black carpet went to Hajj spoke did not speak about it. Did not say anything about it because we share cabba with the Sunnis. We share cabba with the Sunnis and for the sake of peace I thought it was important that I that I go through it and there’s here’s this black carpet on top of a bu the most important building on earth and I just I just went through it because why? Because peace and religion are more important than my personal desire or opinion. I think my personal opinion is better but still I tolerated it. So that’s tolerance. Tolerance is putting peace and religion on first your desires second. So that that’s an example of tolerance.

Now anam so that’s a good example tolerating a black carpet on kaba is fine. It’s okay. It’s just a carpet. It’s it’s not the most important thing on earth. Even though my my opinion is better, it doesn’t matter. I’m going to tolerate it. the it’s fine like I I intend to go to Caba again and again and God willing whenever we go guys go I think we had a great time. God willing we’ll have a great time again. It’s just a carpet like let’s look past it. You know sometimes people don’t dress the best in your wedding. It’s fine you know it’s okay. you tolerate it. Now compromise is different. If some if my manager told me that you know what you you shouldn’t you know you shouldn’t take a break during Fridays because you have to work and then I say you know what actually yes I have to make a compro compromise I have to tolerate I have to make a compromise because my manager is saying you know don’t go during the Friday so maybe he’ll let me for 10 minutes but not 20 minutes can I then please Just do it for 10 minutes. Okay, do it for 10 minutes. See, now I’m compromising because now I’m putting religion second and my desire my desire for success first because I want to succeed in that job. So now but to succeed in that job I that means I have to listen to my manager and to listen to my manager he’s asking me not to do the Friday uh prayer together with other submitters and in that case I would be compromising if I if I listen to him so as you can see there’s a difference it depends on the motive are you putting your opinions second even they might be better opinions they totally might be better opinions are you putting them second though for the sake of peace and are or are you putting the the religion second for the sake of your desires. So it depends on the like depending on what the motive is then you sort of cooperating with others or tolerating or compromising with others uh does does make a difference. So let’s call the the the the bad case compromise, the good case tolerance based on Russian translation. It doesn’t have to be exactly like that always, but let’s go along with this translation. which is part of tolerance. We’re tolerating Ras Rasha’s definition.

yeah, by the way, and this is kind of important to sort of be aware that we have to be tolerant, especially within the within an online community because the devil can trick us and and especially with messages. Sometimes it’s and it’s this is not only among submitters but the rest of the world. The messages, the way we message today, it can be really tricky. It can create animosity. it can create bad feelings because of the way communication is is arranged. uh let me give you an example for example let’s say someone has an opinion you know what I would I think you know the logo should be like this and then the other person who receives the message he’s like oh why is he insisting that does is why would he even send the message does does he think this is very important on one side the person who receives the message thinks that he has re received the other person’s strongest opinions while the person who actually sent the message probably wrote it from the toilet just gave a very likelyhearted opinion. so because the technology has enabled us to communicate in such a way where the sender and the receiver can have despite what they say can have vastly different opinions of the importance of that message. One of them think is okay I’m just going to send a because in the past if you received the letter you would typically receive the letter receive a letter from a king or from some authority otherwise no one would send a letter and when you receive something in writing that seemed very important and to this day we have that idea like oh I received something in writing this this shows that the other person thinks he’s talking about something important but it’s not the case anymore it’s like probably not something not important because the person as I’m saying is he probably wrote it in the toilet or while eating you know having a sandwich and writing a message. Oh, let me just say something. so yeah it’s really important to not let the the communication style these days with messages and to let to let the devil trick us into sort of being intolerant. It’s really more important to be tolerant in a situation where you’re we are communicating with messages and may God bless all of you for actually being tolerant and maybe today we can keep it short because I think people have tolerated me too much. People who go to work with long Friday sermons uh I’ve been holding Friday sermon which which last about an hour. God willing, I’ll try to shorten them eventually in the future within half an hour hopefully, unless it’s something very important, but I’ll I’ll try to keep it within half an hour and maybe we can skip the questions today because honestly I I feel a bit sorry for people who have to work. Let’s give them some priority a little bit. so yeah, that’s it. for those who have to do the contact prayer, do the contact prayer or if you’ve done it, may God accept it. and the rest of you, peace be upon

Summary:

In this live Friday sermon, Alban Fejza uses the story of Abraham and the idols, and everyday examples such as praying on muddy ground, tasting berries and first aid, to show how to be practical in religion by doing what you can, where you are, without transgressing.

Video Transcript:

Praise be to God; there is no other god except God. Today I want to talk about being practical in religion.

Abraham and the big idol

Before going into the details, I want to read some verses from the Quran and use them as an example of being practical. I am reading from Sura 21, verses 52 to 67, the story most of us know, where Abraham destroys the idols.

He said to his father and his people, “What are these statues to which you are devoting yourselves?” They said, “We found our parents worshiping them.” He said, “Indeed, you and your parents have gone totally astray.” They said, “Are you telling us the truth, or are you playing?” He said, “Your only Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth, who created them. This is the testimony to which I bear witness. I swear by God, I have a plan to deal with your statues as soon as you leave.” He broke them into pieces, except for a big one, that they may refer to it. They said, “Whoever did this to our gods is really a transgressor.” They said, “We have heard someone threatening them; he is called Abraham.” They said, “Bring him before the eyes of all the people, that they may bear witness.” They said, “Did you do this to our gods, O Abraham?” He said, “It is the big one who did it. Go ask them, if they can speak.” They were taken aback, and said to themselves, “Indeed, you are the ones who are transgressing.” Yet they reverted to their old ideas: “You know full well that these cannot speak.” He said, “Do you then worship beside God what possesses no power to benefit you or harm you? You have incurred shame by worshiping idols beside God. Do you not understand?”

We know this story well. It is a very good example of monotheism, of not being an idol worshiper. The Quran tells us that Abraham was never an idol worshiper; he always worshiped God alone.

But I want to focus on one part of the story. If Abraham was preaching God alone, with no other idols, why did he destroy all the idols except the big one? The Quran says “that they may refer to it,” but that is God’s reason. What was Abraham thinking as he was destroying them?

I had a similar experience when deleting Muhammad’s name from some mosques, so I think I partly understand Abraham’s state of mind. I don’t think he planned it in detail. He was simply being practical.

Imagine there were about 25 idols in that place. Abraham probably used a big stick, a bat or a sword. He likely started with the smallest ones, because it is easier to test whether it works, and moved on to bigger and bigger ones. Then he reached the big one. Imagine it was as big as a room or a house. Maybe he could not climb it, maybe it was too high to reach, or maybe he hit it and nothing happened.

So even though Abraham was a total monotheist who did not want to allow any idols, he ended up leaving one for practical reasons. That does not mean the idol should be worshiped. It means Abraham could not fully finish the job. If each small idol took him one minute, he could destroy 24 of them in 24 minutes before anyone caught him. If the last one would take another hour, fetching chisels and tools, it would put him at much greater risk. Abraham never approved of that idol. It was simply impractical to destroy it.

Doing what you can, where you are

Abraham was being practical even in such an important situation. It was simply too much work to achieve a tiny bit more. In economics this is called the law of diminishing returns. If you are hungry, the first bite of food may save you from starvation, and the second bite also does a good job. At some point, an extra bite does not help much. In the same way, destroying that last idol was not that important. He had already proved the point that idols should not be worshiped.

Then the question is: should he destroy all the idols in the world? There were more idols than those 20 or 25, so should he go to the next town and destroy those too? In theory, yes. In practice, he was in that town, and that is what he dealt with. He was not going to fix the whole world.

Fixing the whole world is good in theory, but in practice you start from where you find yourself. You fix your home, your neighborhood, your town. If you never reach the whole state or the whole world, it is what it is. That is what I mean by being practical in religion: you do your best within your means. The Quran may tell you what the full picture should be, never worship idols and destroy all idols, but in practice you do what you can. If you want to stay in the same religion for a long time, you have to be practical. Theory is one thing; practice is another.

“Without being a transgressor”

The Quran itself gives us a practical allowance. In Sura 2, verse 173, and in some other suras, it prohibits eating the meat of pigs, blood and similar things. Then it says that if one is forced, without being deliberate or malicious, there is no sin. That is how Rashad translated it. In the Arabic it is closer to “without being a transgressor,” and one meaning of that word is “without going too far.”

Why is that word there? It means that if you are about to starve, you may take a bite of pork, but not too much. Be practical about it.

Another example: when an animal is slaughtered, there is usually no blood in the meat, but a few droplets may fall on it as it is cut, because no one does a perfect job every time. In theory, we should not ingest any blood at all. In practice, there might be a drop somewhere that you swallowed with the meat without knowing it. The Quran says that if you did not do it deliberately, it is fine. God is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

I am not bringing these as rules. My point is that when you are practical, you know when it is fine not to apply a rule fully. I am not saying don’t apply the rule; if you can, do it. I am only saying that sometimes you have to be practical.

The muddy prayer

New submitters, whatever their age, often try to implement religion in a way that is not practical. Young people especially do this.

Say you are 15 and your mother still washes your clothes. You are walking home from school through nature, where you have done the contact prayer before. It is raining, everything is muddy, and your shoes are full of mud. Then it is prayer time. A young person who has just become religious will think, “Prayer time, I have to pray,” and kneel in the mud. Now his clothes are covered in mud, and who washes them? His mother.

Compare the benefit with the harm. Washing those clothes by hand might take her 20 minutes; the prayer took five. He caused 20 minutes of a bad thing to do five minutes of a good thing. In those 20 minutes, she could have done the prayer four times. So he kept his mother from four prayers so that he could do one.

If he were practical, he would think: maybe I can make it home and pray there without being late. Or maybe today I will do part of the prayer mentally as I walk, without putting my knees in the mud.

The Quran has foreseen many of these situations, such as shortening the contact prayer. But even when you do not see a clear exception, you should be practical, because otherwise you can do more harm than good. Some people focus on the exact minute of a prayer, even though in Muhammad’s time they had no minutes or seconds; the smallest unit was the hour. New believers often do not know how to put theory into practice without causing additional harm.

Before I explain why, God willing, let us repent.

A sense of amounts

Praise be to God; there is no other god except God. So why do young people, and people who are new in religion, fail to be practical enough? Because they do not have a good sense of amounts. Yes, there are laws and rules in the Quran, and they are all important. But the amounts matter.

For some reason I keep my vitamin D next to where I give the Friday sermons. My doctor told me my vitamin D was low, and I bought it in gummy form because it tastes better and I don’t forget it. There is already a practical choice here: I try not to eat too much sugar, but getting the vitamin D is worth a little sugar. More importantly, any good doctor knows the amount matters. If I thought “more vitamin D is better,” taking too much could kill me. The doctor says one pill a day, or two, or three; the amount matters. In the same way, the Quran has rules, obligations and rituals, but how important each one is matters too. Stealing is not as bad as killing someone. Some amounts are implied by how much the Quran mentions a thing, but the most practical way to learn them is through practice.

The snake. Tell a child that a snakebite will kill him, and that is the rule everyone knows. Someone who has lived in nature knows a baby snake will probably not kill you; maybe he was bitten by one once and only got a skin problem. When he sees a small snake, he does not panic. He walks around it, and, more importantly, he knows that where there are baby snakes there may be a big one, so he slows down and watches more carefully everywhere else. A child either runs from every snake or makes the mistake of not running at all. He may avoid the small snake, keep walking just as fast, and get bitten by the big one. Both know the rule; one knows how to be practical, and that comes from practice. The longer you stay in religion, the more practical you become, and that helps you stay in it longer.

Brushing your teeth. We teach children to brush their teeth, and some get into the habit of doing it every day. Then one day the family is late for the airport and might miss the plane, and the child says, “No, I haven’t brushed my teeth today.” Catching the plane is more important. The child sees it only as a rule; he does not know how important it is. Someone with experience knows that skipping it for another half day will not make a big difference. You can buy chewing gum at the airport. It is better to brush every day, but sometimes something else is more important, and knowing the weight of a rule gives you a feeling for when to skip it.

The berry. This has happened to me twice. There is a fruit in nature that looks very much like a blueberry, but it is poisonous. I learned in biology class, from people without experience, that you must never eat it. If you live in nature long enough, you learn that a tiny bit of most poisonous plants will not kill you. Tasting one will not kill you; eating a lot of them will. A blueberry tastes sweet and the other one tastes bitter, so I wanted to taste it to find out. Someone without experience said, “What if it’s poisonous?” But the amount matters.

Spoiled milk. Nobody wants to drink spoiled milk. If you have only a little and you are not sure, you just throw it away. If you have five gallons, why throw it all away over a doubt? You might taste a little to check. Children, please don’t do dangerous things at home. But experienced people learn which amounts matter.

First aid. Everyone is told to apply pressure to a cut. A doctor with experience knows how much pressure. Someone without experience may apply too much or not enough.

The head of the fish

Sometimes being practical looks counterintuitive, as if you are breaking a law of the Quran. Here is a religious example. The Quran tells us not to waste food. I don’t have the verse in front of me, but you can find it: eat from the provisions and do not waste. That is the rule in theory.

I have been cooking fish a lot recently. Probably half the world throws away the head of the fish, even though it is edible; the eyes have oils that are good for your body. Most people don’t eat them, and that goes against the Quran. But when you cook, you have to be practical.

When I say practical, I don’t mean I am compromising because I don’t want to apply the full law. Sometimes applying the full law adds very little compared to applying 80% of it. Our pan at home is a bit smaller than the fish we buy at the market. If I’m busy, frying is quicker, but the fish will only fit and cook well if I remove the head. Or I can bake it in the oven and keep the head, with its extra nutrients. But the oven takes more of my time and uses much more energy, because you have to heat it first. I’m quite sure there is a verse that also tells us not to waste energy; nobody wants to waste electricity or water unnecessarily. So saving the head while wasting more electricity might be just as wasteful.

So most of the time I remove the head, and sometimes I keep it. It depends on who is eating, whether it fits in the pan, and whether I feel like turning the oven on.

Organized religion is like cooking

This is also a good example for organized religion. Jesus said it first, and Rashad repeated it often: the worship rituals are food for the soul. That is a very good basis for understanding religion.

If religion is like food, then organized religion is like cooking. Some foods you can eat raw or cooked, like tomatoes; that is like an individual good deed. Other foods must be cooked. I asked an AI which foods are most dangerous uncooked, and the answer was chicken and flour. You can get diseases from them, and even fine flour can get into your lungs. In the same way, some things simply have to be organized, like the contact prayer and the zakat. You could take them “raw,” but it is dangerous.

There are different ways to cook. As with the fish, some cooks remove the head and others leave it, and the result is very similar, because what you gain in one way you lose in another. If you keep the head, you keep the extra food, as the Quran recommends. But many people can’t stand the sight of a fish head, especially children, and they may refuse to eat the whole fish. Then you end up throwing away the whole fish instead of just the head. So you are practical, and you apply most of what you can.

Being practical in organizing the zakat

One of my main duties as a messenger has been to organize the religion. In doing so, I, Alban the human being, have sometimes “removed the head of the fish.” In theory, the videos are there and they are complete; that is all you need. In practice, even knowing the videos, I have sometimes cooked it slightly differently, because there are cases where applying a rule costs more than not applying it.

Small amounts. Say someone’s penalty zakat is to donate 2 kilograms of lamb, and he lives in another town. It makes no sense for him to slaughter a whole sheep just to bring 2 kilograms; he would waste the rest. You would be making him do more harm than good. There is a minimum amount below which it stops being worthwhile, so you don’t deal with very small amounts.

I try not to laugh when people report their zakat down to the cents. The energy you spend typing the comma and the cents is probably worth more than the cents. You did anti-charity instead of charity.

The sheep. I know how the zakat should be done perfectly, but I was practical about the forms. Because we are organized online, I didn’t include anywhere to report livestock. Does anyone here have more than 40 sheep, cows, camels or goats? Please write in the chat. I don’t think anyone does; even most farms probably don’t have that many. A farm or business would not register as a submitter anyway; submitters are people. Maybe one in a thousand or two thousand submitters has 40 sheep. I don’t want to waste the time of 2,000 submitters asking, “Do you have 40 sheep?” just so that one person can apply the law. So I skipped it. If you still want to do it, do it individually or donate through our PayPal account.

The tax rule. I worked in the tax department of the Ministry of Finance for about eight years. One rule of taxation is that collecting a tax should always cost less than the tax itself. If a $10 tax costs more than $10 in bank transfers, paperwork and staff to collect, you have gained nothing. In the same way, I tried to estimate where collecting the zakat would cost more than what we collect, and I left those parts out.

People often ask me, “I made this mistake; should I donate $10?” Talking to me about it cost us $300. Or: “My brother poked my eye today; let me ask the messenger.” Here is a real example. An Albanian man living in Sweden, before he was a submitter, asked me what he should do about a single gray hair in his beard. He knew I was educated and had translated the Quran into Albanian. Whatever correct answer I gave him would be worth less than the harm of involving me in it.

Write-offs. In history, some caliphs did not collect zakat from areas suffering poverty, because those people needed it. Imagine a flood. Are you going to go to the flood area and say, “You have to pay zakat,” and then, “Who needs the zakat? The people of the flood,” and give it back to them? You gained nothing and wasted their time. So you write it off for that situation, a flood or a fire. We are still applying it, indirectly: we imagine we took it and gave it back.

Gifts from non-submitters

Another part I left out of the zakat reporting form is gifts from non-submitters. Let me give the rule first, and then why I left it out.

People already pay a penalty for being friends with non-submitters: about one sheep, or 4 grams of gold, which is a little over $300 today. That is in the form, and it covers the basic relationship, like small gifts such as a cake. But sometimes the gift is bigger than that, and that was not accounted for. A relationship with a non-submitter is usually a working relationship, based on mutual interest rather than love; maybe you have a business together.

I already covered this in the video about atoning for mixed deeds through penalty zakat. We pay 2.5% zakat because it used to be 10%. Those who believe in the Quran pay half as much because they are rewarded twice, and those who believe in all of God’s messengers pay half again, because their reward is doubled once more. So 2.5% is the same as 10%, and God multiplies every deed by ten, which makes 100%. Christians and Jews, who do not believe in the Quran and all the messengers, have to pay 10% if they want to go to heaven. When you act like them, for example in a gender-mixed setting they are fine with, you owe the remaining 7.5% on top of the 2.5% you already paid. A gift involves no work at all, so the full 7.5% applies.

So the rule is:

1. If your net gifts from a non-submitter for the year are $350 or less, they are already covered by the penalty.
2. Net means the gifts you received minus the gifts you gave them. If you gave $100 and received $200, the net is $100.
3. On anything above $350, you pay 7.5%. If the net comes to $500, you pay 7.5% of $150.

In practice, I skipped it entirely. We have had about 69 registered submitters, and in four or five years this has happened only once, to the person who asked me about it. I don’t want to ask 70 people every single year how much they received, whether it was more than $350, how much they gave back, and then to calculate 7.5%. The work it would take all of us would be more than what the community gains from it in the cause of God.

If you are still concerned, God willing, I may add a way to make ad hoc individual payments on the website in the future. For now we only have PayPal, and not everyone has PayPal. Then people ask whether they can pay with Bitcoin or by card. It would cost more than it benefits.

When it is too complicated, guilt will tell you

When something is too complicated to calculate and not worth explaining, here is the best rule: you will know in your heart whether you feel guilty about it, and how much you feel like giving away. Some things cannot be measured, like love. It is very hard to calculate whether someone has done you more favors than you have done them. That is why some relationships fail: people think they can calculate it, but how do you put all the tiny details into numbers?

I don’t mean follow your desires; the Quran prohibits that. I mean you will know in your heart. Maybe that gift was a little too much and you didn’t deserve it, so pass something on: give something to your family, or give some extra food to someone. Maybe you haven’t done many good deeds recently, and you should do some. Guilt and shame will tell you. They are the totality of all the numbers you didn’t calculate.

Closing

Does anyone have a question? Quickly, because we are almost at an hour. I don’t think anyone has a question. Good.

By the way, someone sent us a photo of having done the contact prayer; that was a really good photo. For those who want to, do the contact prayer now. To the rest of you, peace be upon you.